Kingsward
Founded in only recent years upon the site of an old bandit fort, the town of Kingsward has been elevated to the status of a young nation's capital. While the barony of Highveldt is only in its infancy, a tributary of the Kingdom of Alsona, Kingsward has begun to grow by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Although the infrastructure and economy of the nation and town are still primitive, the community is full of the frontier spirit, as people believe they are witnessing the birth of a new culture and country.
Demographics
The people of Kingsward are a mixed bunch, migrating from the south as new roads are built and the community grows. The largest plurality of settlers have come from the kingdom of Alsona, and are therefore Alsonan humans. The second largest group consists of mountain dwarves who have chosen to settle here instead of Valtkos Wingo. Beyond these two groups, there are also noted minorities of elves, half-elves, and centaur. Although the majority of centaur were killed in a recent pandemic, some have begun attempting to build a new life in this growing town.
Government
As a young community, the means of governance have not been truly formalized. Many disputes between residents are handled directly by the baron or one of his court, rather than through an institutional system. Similarly, matters of state continue to be handled by the baron and his companions, who oversee new construction projects or efforts directly. There is no other formal system of leadership or bureaucracy currently established.
Defences
The only static defenses present in Kingsward is the wooden fortress constructed by the deposed Centaur King and his minions. Built atop the hill around which the town is centered, this fort overlooks the river on one side and only has a few possible overland approaches for assault. It lacks any siege equipment or heavy weaponry, but still could house at least a portion of the population should the town come under attack. The rest of the defense relies heavily upon the baron's men, most of whom are pardoned bandits that once worked for the Centaur King, granted pay and amnesty in exchange for service as a rudimentary army. Between these men and a minor local militia, the town can organize around 400 people to defend their community in the case of a full attack.
Industry & Trade
No real industries have emerged yet in Kingsward, but the baron and his companions had struck upon a surprising resource during their adventures in deposing the Centaur King. This was a stockpile of what initially had appeared to be a truly massive amount of gold, but instead turned out to be mostly painted iron bars. As it turned out, there was still ample demand in Alsona for iron goods and bars to help in the creation of steel products. Kingsward has thus begun a rapid export of these goods, sending them south to the markets of Pegrama. There have also been recent discoveries of mineral veins in the hills underneath Kingsward, and plans have already been made in the hopes of opening new mines.
Infrastructure
The road network in Kingsward and the surrounding nation of Highveldt are primitive in the best of places. In the town itself, the roads are unpaved and all structures are of wooden make and frontier design. Even the home of the baron himself continues to be a wooden fortress once home to a bandit lord. There are no sewage systems or any lighting for the nights, making travel hazardous, but guards frequently patrol and carry torches to make sure crime is suppressed. Many plans for improvement have been announced and discussed, but none have as of yet been implemented.
Assets
There is no formal marketplace yet in Kingsward, although two inns have popped up, offering accommodations to the growing number of travelers and settlers entering the region. One of the two functions simply as a place for people to live until they have a chance to build their own homes somewhere in the city limits. The market is still very bare bones, and while numerous blacksmiths have popped up, utilizing the ample iron and steel present in the town, none are considered particularly exceptional. Still, a thriving trade exists in adventuring gear and equipment as much of Highveldt is unexplored and unmapped, giving ample opportunities for those seeking to explore or carve out a life in the wilderness of the Ravager Plains.
Points of interest
While efforts have been made to build locations with some security, the only stone building created so far was magically built as a vault for accumulated treasure the baron's party had assembled upon their adventures. The Iron Vault, so named for its contents, was designed to hold an immense wealth of gold, but it turned out that the haul of gold recovered was nothing more than a ruse, with it only being an illusion, masking piles of iron. The vault is said to be incredibly secure, nonetheless, and is guarded by retired Imperial Jakonian mercenaries.
Founding Date
1040 AF
Type
Capital
Population
3,600
Inhabitant Demonym
Kingswardian
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Comments