Espell

The Bulwark of Van Hailen, the Rock of Rom-Tet, Seath of the Dragon Lord all the names of Espell the capital of the Rom-tet province.

Demographics

Due to a rather large population, this city is a good representation of the general Oakvale population demographic with humans dominating. It must be noted that there are few gnomes in this city.

Government

The city is lorded over by Nestor Van Hailen and a council of influential and respected citizens, but Nestor holds all the power and those that are currently on the council are there because Van Hailen allows them to be. Lord Van Hailen is a very charismatic man who is both patriotic and dedicated and though many call him a tyrant; the prosperity of the region more than justify his strict rule.

Defences

Ordinarily around 2000 professional swordsmen of the Rom-Tet 4th stand guard over Espell, but even in their absence at least half a thousand of the city guard and semi-professional military keep the wall of the city and they are more than enough to man the Warthog Bastion. The true defense of the city comes from the Frayed Blade order and Mijasni the Blasphemer a green dragon enslaved to the Van Hailen family since the Osteni war.

Industry & Trade

Many goods are bought and sold on the markets of Estell, the goods ferried through Kataak are brought to Espell to be crafted into useable and valuable goods. Particularly remarkable are the Cheese and Pottery guilds as well as the ample amount of surrounding mills that export wheat and barley.

Infrastructure

The city is a self-sufficient bustle of activity and industry, despite not being able to compare to Wandren it is responsible for keeping the eternal war of the Ir'Illath from ever spilling over onto the mainland. That mission requires a hefty amount of infrastructure to back it up, the following list of facilities, beer houses, smithies, and craft-shops make up the beating heart of Espell.
Gulentsom Gilds, a monolithic construct that belches endless pillars smoke and soot into the sky day and night tarnishing the roofs of the Coal Helm district. There tirelessly Fabricator General Gadgeteer Humbolt Pop-Wizzle works his small army of automatons to provide for Rom-Tet and especially the Espell 4th and only.
The Meitr Tower, a spiraling construct of ebony constructed entirely through unnatural means. It is home to a number of Meitra, a formalized order of dark mages, practitioners of necromancy, demonology, and other forbidden arts in the confines of their tower in the legally permitted limits, or at least so they claim.
Warthog Bastion, a construct in name in actuality a complex web of walls, towers, redoubts, and garrisons of Nestor Van Hailen's personal design. Though lacking in its size in comparison to some other constructs in Oakvale or beyond its brutish utilitarian nature is frighteningly effective.
Blumberrang's Store of Secrets, as the name, suggests the store sells magical items unidentified and untried, but for a bargain price. Buy if you dare...
Muzenelhaim's Enchantery, a reputable and well-stocked shop of magic items, but the prices are not kind while Muzenelhaim himself is the incarnation of chaos, it's a wonder how his shop hasn't been blown sky high yet.
Titan's Forge, a smaller privately owned smithery making on order items of supreme quality.
Adventurous Acquisitions, a store run by a pair of retired adventurers Jilean and Humila supplying fellow adventurers with any manner of item intrinsic to the trade.
Inns and Taverns, in Espell deserve their own category of discussion as they are rather plentiful from the high-end establishments with rooms booked for years in advance to dingy basements that have more in common with a torture cell than a reputable establishment.
Drain Hole, as the name, insinuates the quality of the establishment rather accurately. A den of lowlives and beggars, even criminals and thieves shun this place, abominations, mutants, the cursed, the spurned find their refuge here.
Belena Fields, a tavern that is named after its famous drink. Belena is a powerful form of moonshine originating in the far North West. The bartender is a dwarf who insists on dying his hair red and allegedly waits for a worthy challenge, but demons weren't seen in these parts for two hundred years.
Lucky Second, a joke among the soldiers of the Rom-Tet 4th as the 2nd regiment of Rom-Tet has been wiped out to the man not so long ago, Beru's Lament is the drink of standard in this tavern, a reference to the 2nd's commander.
Rat Refuge, Rats is the colloquial name for the cheese guild of Estell, thus this tavern is where the member of the guild gather after a long day of work, interestingly the tavern does not serve cheese, but the patrons have blended even the boards of the building a very peculiar smell.
Lion Suite, owned by the influential Lione Family it is a luxurious three-story mansion-esque building where rooms are booked in advance for the representatives of foreign ambassadors and for the Diplomat Guild.

Assets

Though lacking in riches compared to the more central provinces Espell is formidable in its wealth and assets.

Guilds and Factions

The Guild of Honourable Diplomats of Rom-Tet and Oakvale Honorable only in name these shrewd diplomats for decades have run loops around both the elves of Sen'Adil and dwarves of Tor-Round. Many believe that apart from diplomats the Guild is suspected to employ and sponsor assassins to facilitate their diplomatic machinations. It is a wonder why they are not the rulers of the province if they already don't rule it.
The Die-Digger Clan A clan of Kobolds who have a presence in all the towns of Rom-Tet. The Tribe maintains the sewers and tunnels under the towns and also controls any possible infestations that may take root. The kobolds were able to force most of the gnomes out of Estell and struck a bargain with the Fabricator General.
Rom-Tet 4th A regiment of well-trained, well-armed, and well-disciplined soldiers known for indomitable defenses and surprising talent in slaying foe spell casters.
Frayed Blade Order A knight order generation ago sworn to the Van Heilen family and now their service continues, new blades are never forged and every sword captures the soul of the previous knight and every new knight that takes up the Frayed Blade is changed as the soul of every previous wielder changes them granting skill purpose, honor and erasing a large part of who the wielder was before they took up the blade. Needless to say altogether too many look down on the order and only their extreme convenience keeps them alive.

History

Espell has little known history before the Elves of Sen'Adil attempted to secure a foothold on the mainland when diplomacy failed Oakvale deployed what shall become known as the Rom-Tet 1st. After suffering minor defeats in many skirmishes and preliminary engagements Abarun Van Heilen the First vowed to push the elves away. Despite the reluctance of many nobles the king authorized this assault promising Van Heilen the city. A ruthless veteran of the Osteni Bloodshed war and a half-elf with considerable military experience Abarun hated the elves and using all his expertise, hatred, and martial prowess he pushed the elves back into the sea after which he claimed Espell for himself founding the city in its modern form.

Architecture

A large amount of the city has been rebuilt in stone, but a large part is still wooden and the fear of fires permeates, but the Warthog Bastion serves as a barrier between the districts preventing a fire if one does occur from spreading too rapidly.

Alternative Name(s)

The Bulwark of Van Hailen, The Rock of Rom-Tet

Type

City

Included Locations

• Gaft
• Katak

Owning Organization

Oakvale Kingdom