Kort

The city rises above the planes horizon a bastion of civilization on the wiped continent. Walls of marble tarnished with soot and grime of a two-month siege and mended in half a dozen places stand; the silent guardians and witness of the city. Inside the walls civilization thrives, craftsmen, work any material known on Far Reach to produce truly fascinating goods. Taverns and inns operate through the noisy nights. Order and prosperity reign. But only under the steel fist of the Metallic Cohorts and the Gladiators Guild. After the demonic invasion, the city had experienced an influx of new religions and freshly baked messiahs leading the people to follow one god or another. Two religions tend to stick. The worship of Helm as the god of protection and a newer religion following the teachings of a god from the Nine Hells.

Demographics

Humans, elves, dragonkin, minotaurs, gnomes and a few dwarves and halflings.

Government

After the decline of the Gladiators, the Metallic Cohorts hold power. The Sorcerer King is the de facto sovereign.

Defences

Kort of defended by 6 Metallic Cohorts, hundreds of gladiators, and the magic weaved by the sorcerers of the tower.

Industry & Trade

The industry of Kort is almost entirely dependant on the craftsmen as there are very few natural resources around Kort and it relies on imports from the villages around Xora for bread, on Red Spider Lily for meats and on Yroham for Ale. In exchange Kort controls the remaining mines and is easily the has the best metal works.

Infrastructure

East-Town

• Sabben's Supper: A low ceiling establishment with a female genasi keeps who seems to never sleep. The specialty is Mud Mead, as disgusting as it sounds.
• Winding Square: Not truly a square, but a series of streets turned entirely into a market.
• Crossed Spears: Popular among adventurers, run by a halfling named Ulfrin the inn serves famous Stewed Mutton and Blue Cheese (8cp). The Inn seems to always have a rat problem.

Blood-Works

• Wanton Warrior: A middle-class well-respected establishment. Run by a retired female human adventurer named Wene Manely.
• The Crimson Tithe: An armory doubling as a forge ran by an enterprising gnome.
• The Butchery: A gambling den, brothel, forge, armory, tavern, accommodations, a magic shop and the adventurer's guild. Ran by Big Bill a Tortle the establishment has flourished.

Slin City

• Vacuous Victor's: A shop that claims to be an apothecary, but in truth sells only potions, rarely the healing kind. Ran by a shady half-elf it is known to sell less legitimate substances.
• Esteemed Gathering Social Club and Restaurant: Ran by Amthiril Mil-Nosiam this is a very prestigious establishment that offers most imaginable services to those with the money to the highest standard. What it is truly prized for is the privacy it offers to those conversing within.
• Temple of Helm: A three spire building connected by high-bridges between the towers. Underneath the towers is whats known as the Cleric's Cut. A small district where the servants of the temple live.

Scaled Ward

• Five-helmed goddess: a large tavern and brewery, as well as a scroll scribing shop, run by a green dragon-born named Sameed.
• The Tower of High Sorcery: A construction of pure ivory imitating the towers of Nila it is the home for the sorcerous conclaves of the Metallic Cohorts.

Parchment District

• Lazy Wizard: Ran by Aucieth Garay (Triton) this inn provides seafood and a variety of food uncommon to Kort.
• Cheese Artisan Guild: Surprisingly influential dwarves can adapt to anything and in this case, they have taken to creating cheese the best on all of Far Reach, or so they claim.

Castaway Market

• Blind Ferryman: Araeth runs the small stall selling fresh cuts of meat, but also secrets and ancient maps. From where they come? no-one knows.

Assets

Gladiator Academies and the Tower of Sorcerers.

Guilds and Factions

The Tower of Sorcerers. The Gladiator's Guild. Church of Helm.

History

Kort was founded as a prison with large gladiator rings for the prisoners to fight in. The founding of Kort the city can be largely attributed to Ruso Fellhand. The minotaur was imprisoned in a monastery for thirty years, learning martial arts beyond what was deemed possible even by the monks there. He broke out and slaughtered his way through the monks escaping. Caught only later the minotaur was put into the pits of Kort to fight. Upon his first combat, the Minotaur set the Far Reach record slaying 163 combatants in one battle. A Church official who was a great fanatic of such battles found the minotaur to be his new best source of entertainment he offered great patronage to the pits. From that moment the pits became entertainment rather than just a prison. And in another 200 years, the champions of the arena were elevated to the social class of the Gladiator. Free first-class citizens of Kort who also served as its principal defense. When the waves hit, Kort accommodated the Metallic Cohorts and most refugees providing defense and minimum amounts of food. Under the direction of the Metallic Cohorts, the refugees built circles of shanty towns around the walls of Kort. Then the demons came. Those who could withdrew to the city those who couldn't perished slowly in the maws and claws of the abyssal beasts. The hundreds of well-trained gladiators went to battle upon the demon invasion, warriors, not soldiers, never taught to fight in ranks or with coherent strategy and tactics they quickly found employ as distraction troops for the Metallic Cohorts. Fighting the demons in the streets and disrupting breaches or even simply climbing down the walls during the day to slaughter who they could in the nightmarish hosts. But all these operations came at immense risk, only around a hundred gladiators remain. While the gladiators died in their hundreds the Metallic Cohorts won the war grinding the demonic hosts to dust on the walls of Kort.

Architecture

Kort was a simple prison complex, but now boasts architecture of masters through 600 years of culture. Elven spires mix with human cottages and dragonkin stone masonry.

Geography

Located in a natural basin in the lands, Kort is heavily fortified.

Natural Resources

It is known to sit on a mass of iron and coal ores which has resulted in smithing being a profession more common in Kort.

Alternative Name(s)

The Bloodied City

Type

City

Inhabitant Demonym

Korts

Owning Organization

The Metallic Cohorts.