Dormont

Dormont is the capital city of the Kingdom of Nordlund. It serves as the seat of governance for the entire kingdom and is one of the largest and most politically significant cities in Ethel. With a rich history, diverse economy and powerful allies, Dormont has cemented itself high upon the political hierarchy of not only its own kingdom, but across the world.

History

Located on the south side of Lake Brand along the Bellvern River outlet, Dormont is a powerful and ancient city, with archaeologists dating it back to at least 4600 AC. This timeline makes Dormont among one the oldest of settlements in all of Ethel. Legends suggest that Dormont was just a small fishing hamlet nestled on the shores of Lake Brand, and the birthplace of Orin Cudmore himself. Historical archaeology around the city supports this conclusion from the discovery of day-to-day metal tools and consumer goods, as well as the occasional coinage within Dormont's Old Quarter.

Humble Beginnings

The city of Dormont was founded around 4650 AC and began as a small fishing hamlet, drawing its resources from Lake Brand and the Bellvern River. Fishing was its primary economic boon, yet being surrounded by forest provided the village with ample wild herbs, lumber and game. The village was ruled by Baron Rubart Ulpshire, a feudal vassal of the Petty King Alfred Leimont. Baron Rubart was a ruthless lord, heavily taxing the town and dramatically hindering its economic growth. Things remained this way until the return of Orin Cudmore from his pilgrimage to Etherltreo, when he usurped the Baron and was crowned as King by the denizens of Dormont. Now considering itself an independent kingdom, Dormont was able to finally pursue the prosperity that it longed for.

Open Rebellion

When Orin petitioned King Alfred regarding the coming of Sardakur, the king responded with disdain. While at first he was unconcerned with the freedom that Dormont had achieved due to its lack of strategic and economic value, he at this point declared them in open rebellion against the crown. The people of Dormont begged neighboring settlements to abandon their king, who had spared little time and effort attending their needs, and pointed to Orin as a savior and bastion of true leadership. As a result, numerous of these settlements rallied to Dormont's aid after being promised annexation by the newfound kingdom. A long and bloody conflict was fought, spanning four years. Ultimately, the war was ended by the execution of King Alfred at the hands of Orin himself, and the rest of Alfred's territories were subsumed by the kingdom.

The War of the Planes

Following Orin's rise to power, he declared that Dormont would be the capital of his kingdom. Under Orin, Dormont experienced unparalleled growth and prosperity until the arrival of Sardakur and his armies of corruption during the War of the Planes. They besieged the city, completely decimating the majority of it. Following the end of the war, only Cudmore's Bastion remained standing, although heavily battle scarred by the brutal onslaught. The toll on Dormont was great. King Orin was dead, having sacrificed himself for his people and religion and the city was in shambles. The remaining people of Dormont took centuries to recover their economy, infrastructure and population during a period known as the Regression.

The City-State

Once again stable, the remaining people of Dormont established the City-State of Dormont, as it was nigh on impossible to sustain the territories they had once held under Orin's rule. Following his teachings, the people of Dormont established a highly democratic and efficiently bureaucratic form of governance, which placed heavy emphasis on the "Common Virtue" as taught in the Good Book. The city was governed by an elected council of 12 individuals known as the Recerre Assembly, each responsible for a particular facet of administration. The people of Dormont could also become citizens, a both social and political title that introduced benefits and responsibilites on its holder.

Citizens were granted stipeds of food and property, so long as they paid taxes to the state in the form of coin or product, depending on their business. Non-citizens were still taxed, but did not recieve these benefits. In addition, all citizens were required to serve in the military of Dormont for a period of four years beginning in their 18th year or have their citizenship revoked. Citizenship also allowed individuals to participate in politics following their military service, both as a voter and as an official. Citizens were automatically naturalized at birth, as anyone born to citizen parents would confer the title.
As the city rebuilt and grew, many of the surrounding hamlets and other settlements began to repopulate as well, resulting in trade being renewed. Dormont invested resources in reconstructing the Market District, and upon its completion with the appointment of a Recerre, created the Trade Calendar (TC) to mark the coming of a new age. So began Year 1 TC. Dormont also began to reconnect with other large cities, both new and reconstructed, such as Homsgard and Velsburn. Trade was thriving once again, and the scarred landscape was healing slowly but surely.

With trade and prosperity on the rise, Dormont began to look outward and forward. Their influence had grown significantly, and their control over parts of the continent began to resemble that of an Empire once again. In order to allow for better participation in politics, Dormont formed the Moot, an assembly for administrative delegates from each province or city to debate their stances on legislation and collective action. However, around 240 TC, the other provinces and city-states within the Moot began to become dissatisfied. They had been paying taxes to Dormont for the past two hundred years, yet their people were unable to attain citizen status. A participant of the Moot at the time, Osfrith Marfont, ran for and was elected as the Recerre of Arms. Using his authority as Recerre, Osfrith reformed the military to effectively create a private army under his control. Using this army to occupy Dormont, he crowned himself as King of Nordlund after an extraordinarily brief coup.

The Capital of an Empire

Dormont now serves as the seat of governance for the Kingdom of Nordlund, the most expansive and wealthy empire on Ethel. Under Osfrith's leadership, many large-scale public works were started, such as the construction of the Cathedral of Light, the expansion of Cudmore's Bastion, the construction of a modern sewer system, and the construction of the exterior wall of the city. Dormont has remained the home of the Marfont family since the time of Osfrith's rise to power, and they reside within Cudmore's Bastion. The Marfont family has ruled the Kingdom ever since their ascension to the throne.

Kingdom

Kingdom of Nordlund

Founding Date

~4650 AC

Primary Race

Humans

Ruler

Uther Marfont

Notable Figures

Orin Cudmore
Osfrith Marfont
Uther Marfont