Pendonne
Demographics
- Humans 70% (Penner makes up 75% of the human population)
- Halflings 5%
- Dwarves 5%
Government
Pendonne is owned and ruled by the King of Zorakin as a part of his personal fief. But as the King has a whole country to govern he is aided by a council made up of important nobles, clergy and merchants, led by the city marshal whom is appointed and payed for by the king. The current city Marshal is Lord Cezanne DuPont.
Defences
- The city guard are made up of 400 handpicked men and women who are divided into four 100 strong divisions. Each city guard are issued a chainmail which covers the torso and upper arms, and most complement it with a brigandin of some sort. They are also issued shield with the heraldry of Zorakin upon it. They are also granted a helmet, often it is an open helmet but it varies from year to year. When assigned to the city guard they are also given a sword. Each member usually are well trained soldiers already but they train every day to maintain and improve their skills. In case of war they are expected to man the wall and towers, and most of them are trained to use the crossbow as well.
- The royal palace guard are made up of 200 men and women.
- The city militia. All men of the age 20 to 45 are by law requiered to take one day of the year for military training. They are to own their own armour and weapons, including at least one shield.
- A large crenelated city wall with several towers and strong gate houses. The wall is patrolled and manned by the city guard and on the towers there are catapults mounted and there are several dismantled trebuches distriubuted within the city in case of a siege. Each gate always have ten soldiers guarding it, asking all passers by their errant in the city and making sure they toll their wares.
- A large part of the navy is always present in the city, and always at least on of the Cogs are anchored and guarding the harbour.
- Temple guard and Templars.
Industry & Trade
Pendonne is the capital of the kingdom of Zorakin and as such the main trade of Zorakin is administration. It is made clear when in the city a visitor often sees well dressed nobles and burgher wearing the kingdoms colours.
Pendonne harbour is the main harbour for international trade in Zorakin and there is always ships flying colours from different nations. The harbour and surrounding marketstalls are always bustling and noisy. The harbour is also home to many taverns and brothels and as such the citywatch is always present. Although crime is unusual in Pendonne the harbour after dark is the most common place for criminal activity in the city. The harbourmaster is Lord Etienne de Bloch a incorruptible humourless old nobleman. He is a payed administrator and takes his job very serious.
Infrastructure
- The Lyceum of Pendonne -
- The Palace of Pendonne - This is a administrative building where the people who run the city are located. The Marshal have a apartment and office in the building. It is filled with offices and archives. The king never visits the palace and the fact that if he is needed to take decisions he summons people to the royal castle.
- The City guards barracks - A old minor castle which the city guard uses as a headquarter and it includes holding cells.
- Army and marine headquarters - A part of the harbour are set aside for the navy and in conjunction with it is a large palace like building which is the administrative headquarter of the navy. It also includes warehouses for useful materials. The Zoraki admiral have a large office in the building but he seldom visits it.
- The royal shipyard - In close proximity to the headquarter the royal shipyard makes it home. It can build large ships as well as small ships. It is also used for maintenance of the navys existing ships.
- The royal library - Also called the kings library. It is located in close proximity to the lyceum but is owned and payed for by the king. For a fee any one can rent a small room in the library and have access to all the material in the library.
- The cemetaries and the royal tombs - Within the walls there is only one cemetary and it is for the royal families only. There are a few cemetaries outside of the walls.
- The royal mint: The royal mint looks like a miniature castle with 2m meter high walls and 1 meter crenelations extra wall. There is a small courtyard where usually one of the Kings knights train the guards.
Districts
- Erebosian market - A small part of the city where the Erebosians who lives in the city gathers and make their living. it is filled with craftsmen and shopkeepers all specializing in selling to the Erebosians and people interested in their wares. There are many famous jewellers in the area who delivers to the Zoraki nobility.
- Cathedral city - Surrounding the Cathedral of Pendonne is many buildings all owned by the church, serving their organisations. The district is walled of with a low and thin wall. Its function is to define a barrier between the religious and mundane world. The wall is patroled by templars and temple guards.
- Harbour -
Assets
Guilds and Factions
- The mages guild.
- The teamsters guild: As the port is the main port of Zorakin, the teamsters guild is present and no ship gets loaded or unloaded without the approval of the guild. The guild protects its intrests very heavily.
History
In the year 367 Before Odo a religious order of scholars from the area of the former central Imperium Jorpagna founds the Lyceum of Pethon in what was then wilderness. Although it is said that the founders wanted to get away from the bustling city to worship their godess Ingeril (a godess of wisdom) in peace, the lyceum quickly grew as their reputation for knowledge and wisdom spread. Their reputation led to may people traveled to them to study or teach. The lyceum grew in numbers as well as in need and within a few years there where a village close to the lyceum. Although the village were separated from the Lyceum they both cooperated. And as the lyceum where situated in a strategically good spot with a natural harbour, within decades the village had grown into a town.
According to historians somewhere around 290 B.O. the members of the order discovers a deposit of gold ore in the region. Some historians claim that a students of geology made the discovery by change as part of a course she was taking. But the scholary materials are scetchy on the subject. In secrecy the order set up a mine and hoarded the gold for themselves, it wasn´t done out of spite but rather consern. The monks/ scholars believed if the gold became common knowledge they would be attacked and killed, both them and the people who they depended on.
After the conflux the people who are known as Penner are separated into several tribes. As the lyceum became more powerful all the surrounding tribes had to consider it and the settlement around it. A few times it were raided by tribes while other tribes traded with it. As the years passed by and the distribution of land and resources between the tribes became defined, the tribe who controlled the land surrounding the lyceum became a main trading partner for the tribe. The tribe slowly became more civilised and as their leaders out of tradition studied at the lyceum a common balance of power developed. In the end the town became the capital of the tribe and they ruled the land, while the lyceum remained independent but could focus on the academia and itself. Both parts of the deal considered it a win.
As the lands became more civilised the trade grew, which in turn led to the growth of the city. And as the local dialect changed from the old Jori to a new dialect the name of the town became Pendonne. The Lyceum who by now is not a religious order any more swear fealty to the king and becomes part of the Zoraki kingdom.
In the year 55 B.O. the kingdom of Zorakin are founded and the by now city Pendonne became the capitol of the young kingdom. As the king, most of the noblemen and the fighting forces are way up north raiders from the lands south of the Copper sea invades Pendonne and try to conquer it. For several reasons the attempt fails and the invaders are driven off, but as the retreat they burn and loot the city. One of the buildings to be destroyed by the fire is the old Lyceum. In order to strengthen the defense of the city the king founds the Castle of Pendonne on the spot where the Lyceum where situated, while the new lyceum are built within the city, as a part of it.
The year 107 A.O. the first known Zoraki coins are minted in Pendonne by the King. From the start they where minted in the castle but later the minting where moved into a new built building in the city. The building where called the royal mint, and although expanded and rebuilt is still on the same spot as it where once built.
130 A.O. a large force of Pirates disguised as merchants manage to sneak into the city, and somehow inprison the garrison and lock down the castle. For three days the pirates hold the city until their revelry and drunkeness leads to the soldiers managing to get loose. With aid from the local inhabitants the pirates arer killed in droves and their carcasses are thrown to the sharks or burned on the surrounding fields. But during the days the pirates where free, they took many inhabitants as slaves and shipped them off to fates unknown. The aftermath is that in the year 132 A.O. the king starts building a large defensive wall surrounding the city, while at the same time strengthening the defences of the harbour.
321 A.O. the foundation of the Cathedral of Pendonne is layed down and eight years later the first mass is held.
Tourism
There are many reasons to visit Pendonne, but most people agree that the Lyceum is amongst the first of them.
Architecture
Most buildings in the city are made of stone, and at least two levels high. The predominant colour is white with red tiles. Wooden details are usually painted red as well.
The streets are narrow and crowded which often leads to shouting matches of who should move out of the way for who. It has been known for street fights to erupt between merchant guards to settle whos cart should take another road. Even lesser noblemen have to follow the street rules of whom goes first as they otherwise would get swamped by many angry lesserborn.
Founding Date
367 B.O.
Type
Capital
Population
Approximatly 7000 inhabitants
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location