Southgate Keep
The South Shield to the Iron Kingdoms
Overview:
Heading North from the Iron Kingdoms, you walk into the mountains North of Finfield is a winding trek through a mountain crevice. At the end, high in the mountains you ross the border into Gothmyr. You see a massive snowy walled keep, surrounded by roofs of a multitude of smaller buildings, all nestled behind a huge wall. You have reached Southgate.
Location:
If there's one way over the mountainous walls that mark Gothmyr's borders, the most civil and oft used from the south would be Southgate Keep. As its name plainly describes, it is a major military outpost of a keep, sitting on the Northern run of Daggerpeak Mountains. It is the main southern gate to and from the lands of Gothmyr into the Iron Kingdoms and beyond.
Appearance:
Southgate Keep is a massive fortified keep of some eight stories surrounded by a lower keep that extends another four stories and across 1200 feet spanning two mountain bases. The keep literally holds an entire town within its walls, and can additionally house a standing army, for defensive purposes.
History:
Southgate Keep was built during the Age of Conflict. It was built during a time when Gothmyr was at odds with the Iron Kingdoms. The wide stout keep has been maintained through the Ages. It is rumored that five dwarven clans dismantled an entire mountain and used it to build Southgate. The Gate itself is massive, standing thirty foot high at the apex and opens twenty feet wide. The smooth stones were sanded perfectly to the point of interlocking stones needing no mortar. The sturdiness of the walls and the ability to move and shift makes the treat of quakes a non-issue for Southgate. The Gate has been in control of Gothmyr since its founding, the place has become a free city for merchants and traders for both Iron Kingdoms and gothmyr alike.
The City:
Once inside the keep, you are officially on Gothmyr land, and the short tunnel from the gate opens into a huge courtyard. Within the courtyard is the main trading zone for most imports and exports. Ibn's Goods and Trades is open all hours and never closes. Willheim's Blades and Shields offers most caravans protection for coin, either into or out of Gothmyr. Sanduval Coins and Vault is the main money exchanger and they also offer storage for precious items long term, for a price. Once free from the trade Courtyard of the city itself, there is a main road winding back on itself and descending into the city of Southgate itself.
The City of Southgate is a multi-walled city with tiers and traffic at all hours. A major stopping point for all who travel, the city's rings hold brothels, shops, equipping stores, stables, markets, and moneylenders. It is joked about, that you can begin your trek out of Gothmyr as a naked boy and by the time you reach the Southgate, you're equipped, trained, and have slain your first orc and had your first romance, before stepping out the gate. This holds some truth as the city is there to feed off the coin and treasures both brought into Gothmyr and headed out to the Iron Kingdoms and beyond.
The People:
Southgate citizens, self-titled "Southies" are a hardy bunch. A hardscrabble people used to living within the rock like dwarves, and carving into invading orc flesh as easily as their pork suppers. Southies are warriors from the time they can hold a sword. It is said most aged female market vendors could hold off a few soldiers from other towns, their training is so ingrained. Anyone living within the walls of Southgate must serve as part-time militia or even full-time soldiers in order to stay within the walls after serving. This makes sure every citizen is taught to be able to fight for their home, and will, if called upon. Southie females have a reputation of being deadly with crossbows and arbalests.
Most within Southgate are dwarves, humans and half elves. A small group of Half-orcs stays in the northwest end of Southgate and are accomplished miners. Earth Mentari have begun to make a home for their kind as well. Elves don't seem to stay very long within the walls of Southgate. Not that they are unwelcome, but the claustrophobic nature of the city and Keep turn their stomachs after awhile. A few stay but they are Southies true and through.
The four clans of Dwarves that dominate the citizenry are the Ironfist clan, The Goldhammer clan, The Rumblestump Family and the Oreskull clan. They hold sway over the prices of ores and precious metals throughout the city and they are the main guilds and clans hiring human and half orc miners. The Oreskull clan is currently the dominant clan and makes final decisions from the council.
Leadership:
The current Steward of Southgate is Grand Arbiter Cornelius Tast IV, High Commander of the Holy Army of Gothmyr. Grand Arbiter Tast is a giant of a man, possibly rumored to have half giant blood in his line. Tast stands almost seven and a half feet tall, with huge muscles for a man in his early fifties. Shaven head and short cropped Vandyke of white on his chin hanging with a single braid. His grey-green eyes never seem to overlook even the smallest of details, and his detective skills rival most investigators in Gothmyr. It is said, "No one can Lie to A Grand Arbiter, and even fewer can to Cornelius Tast."
Tast has a handful of men who accompany him through his keep. They are known as the Five Lions. These are his military advisors, religious ambassadors and Royal Court appointees to link his command with Prince Jeggred, far to the North. The Five Lions command all men who are enlisted to the Keep, and even some civilians in the city proper. Southgate Keep and Tast's heraldry is iron a chief pointed masoned gules and sable on a fess sable 4 arch argent.
Points of Interest:
- The South Gate
- First entrance into the lands of Gothmyr is a massive granite gate three stories high on a top of a sloped hill, making it taller than it's build. The gate is manned by 50 soldiers of rotting shifts, and commanded by Commander Jeremias Herberger II. Lieutenant Larissa Becken is the watch Lieutenant commanding the active guards.
- Willheim's Blades and Shields
- Ser Jacob Willheim is above board, merchant of blades, weapons and armor. he's a retired blacksmith with five active and working smiths under his roof. He does good quality armor and weapon repairs for a fair price and will often throw in upgrades if the coin is offered. Willheim gets good quality leather from multiple wagons of Fornhurst's caravans that hit Southgate, quarterly. Ser Jacob is violently protective of his daughter Anna, age 14.
- Sanduval Coins and Vault
- Antonio Jesus Barbero Sanduval is a Pulchori man of 40 winters, black hair of the sun nation, wearing opulently high quality clothing, strange for a mountain fortress and trade outpost. Sanduval is a merchant lord and runs the Coin and Vault of Southgate. A multi layered bank, storing money, goods and treasure for travelling merchants and nobles. He will exchange other nation's coins for Gothmyri dragons(gold) or Moons (silver) and will also take coins in bulk and give writs authorized by the Prince-King. Sanduval is loyal to the crown and will inform Southgate Baron and the council if anything 'illegal" is stored in his bank.
- The Arcane Library and Academy
- Southgate's massive wizard's academy, housing 300 students and faculty, plus visitors within the halls, dorms and library. A pilgriming caster's must-see stop. Head Magus is Archibol Muellerm and entry administrator is Lady Elle Dox.
Head librarian is a gnoll female named Dina Hofstraub.
- The Open Market
- Tents, lean-tos, and shops under long roofs, a swap meet and market that sells sometimes found relics from the mountain caves. Plenty of various shops, stalls and merchants offering spices, cloth, clothing and fresh foods.
- The Dwarven Hall
- Guildhall and visiting dwarven embassy. Dwarves from all over Gothmyr use this embassy as a jumping off point to travel south and handle negotiations. Also all masons, smiths and miners use this as their guildhall.
General Adakar Battlemug is Head Guildmaster. Captain Khrogar Vott male dwarf, and Administrator Darea Straap , female dwarf.
Large Temple inside the guildhall basement for Grumbarr, Alstrun and Melle. Approximately 100 dwarven men, women, soldiers and ambassadors live and work within the Hall.
- Uncle Lou's Candy Shoppe
- Low rent tavern, drinking hall and cheap but useful inn. A well-used, if not dirty, in the more poor section of town. It is usually the first drinking stop for most adventurers. Watch your coin purse here. Hostmaster Louis Von Derengar owns and runs this multi story building of drinking and gambling. A tall, built black hair and bearded Gothmyri human with golden teeth and earrings.
- Gretta's Bedside Inn
- High quality inn and tavern, the ground floor is a quality tavern and even open room sleeping hall. In times of trouble the Inn doubles as a Hospital on the ground floor. The second floor is a warm, cozy inn with private rooms and the third floor is massive suites for nobility. Gretta Stoneboots, a female dwarf in her 70s lives in the basement and runs the shop with six waiters.
- The Southern Mine
It is a not-so-hidden fact that The 'candy' Uncle Lou sells is far off Al'Shiael Lotus poppy.
- Pasha Purrs House of Leisure
- Guildmaster Towers
- Gustav's Rocks and Herbs
- Church of Prens
- Church of Keylis
- Church of Wyrek
Type
Military, Base
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