Avraathe
"For more than a thousand years, Avraathe has flourished in the Moon Pass of the Nether Mountains. From its tumultuous beginnings of constant skirmishes to the rapid expansion of mine operations and a bustling economy, Avraathe's history is brimming with intriguing figures of legend, epic stories of war, and miraculous visions of prophecy. Avraathe, through its many iterations thus far as an ever-evolving theocratic society amidst war and peace alike, has always remained grounded in its one shared central value: the justice and mercy of the Platinum Dragon." | Avraathe's Origins by Nindis of Clan Teilzo
Demographics
Following the clan wars that led to the founding of Avraathe, the population remains almost exclusively human and Dragonborn. Over the years the human's culture has started slowly eroding at aspects of the Dragonborn way of life in small ways as relates to family life, structure, and religious practices. In addition, there are a few pockets of dwarven communities from the mountains amongst their ranks after patiently earning their trust.
Most dwarves, relatively few though they are, exist in the lower and middle class, making a decent craftsmen or miner's living, but essentially never experiencing the lavish luxury the upper echelon of the Avraathe elite. The one exception to this of course being Orin Underfury who inherited a claim to one of the premiere platinum mines and thus is one of the wealthiest lay individuals of Avraathe.
There are also half-orcs who have engrained themselves in the lowest class of society. The most capable and lucky of the half-orcs work alongside the rest of society in the mines. The rest of the small population serve in sewer and aqueduct maintenance and are coloquially and degradingly referred to as "sewer rats and aqueducks."
Demographic Percentage Breakdown
50% Dragonborn
35% Human
10% Dwarf
4% Half-Orc
1% Other
Of the Dragonborn majority, there are four typical subraces present within the city. While each works together and shares the common values of the city, each subrace holds a slightly different perspective on clan and community interactions.
Blue Dragonborn tend to be the most clan-minded, rooting themselves in the history of Avraathe which has served them this far.
White Dragonborn tend to be the most family-minded, mainly concerning themselves with the wellbeing of their immediate family and direct lineage.
Red Dragonborn tend to be the most individually-minded, believing personal strength benefits the entire clan.
Bronze Dragonborn tend to be the most subrace-minded, banding together as a small minority which disregards their differences in lineage.
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Government
The Church of Xymor functions as the main governing faction through the three facets of its power. The city is a complete theocracy, though it is one of questionable morality as of late. Justice is the ruling notion, though it is a slowly eroded and convoluted sense of justice that preserves the status quo for those in power.
With the military strength of the Platinum Order as well as the social pressure to appear holy as effective deterrents there is little petty crime and no criminal underworld to speak of throughout its history. The Temple Keepers also frequently preach a message of "prosperity through piety", through which the Temple Keeper's assure the lay people that their wealth and power is due to their faith and just lifestyle and that those lacking their welath likely lack their discipline as well. These beliefs further mitigates crime for it is said to only further prevent one from rising in the ranks.
Keeper Porath
Temple Keepers themselves are a relatively small and devout body of clerics, clergy, and monks who seek internal and social justice in all things. The Temple Keeper's Council also serve a role in legislation, passing down holy decrees provided from their prayers and petitions to Bahamut. The Temple Keepers also aid in performing and preparations for the annual Rite of Rebirth.
A proclamation plastered around Avraathe during a season of open recruitment
Talons of Justice are the martial extension of the church of Xymor, charged with keeping the peace and executing the justice of Bahamut when necessary. The elite paladins among the Talons are known as the Platinum Order and are the paragon of discipline and steadfastness.
Temple Keepers
"We are the humble servants of this majestic temple. We serve at the holy feet of Bahamut and lift our community in prayer and preaching to feel the gentle breeze of his wings sending winds of mercy to grace our lungs."The Platinum Scales
"Justice is the scale that weighs each of our hearts and coin purses alike. We serve for the betterment of Avraathe and the glory of Bahamut." - Judge Suldrembrod, reciting the opening declaration during a civil dispute court session. Platinum Scales serve as the measure and judges of the implementation of the holy decrees based down by the Keeper's Council. They also manage the finances and fulfill other municipal duties.Talons of Justice
"When justice requires a swift blade, we strike."Defences
Massive, looming walls surround much of the city with Platinum Order soliders patrolling in groups of three around the clock.
While the rolling hills beneath the city itself provide a tactical view of the rest of the valley, there are a number of watch towers beyond the walls with the sole purpose of observing the mountain passes for intruders or other threats, such as the Ripped Gut and Thousand Fist orc tribes located in Baraskur and Thousand Maws, respectively. Members of the Talons of Justice spend rotating tendays serving in these watch towers in troops of twenty.
It has been several years since the last orcish incursion, but recent reports from beyond the mountain pass suggest increased foot traffic to the west.
Industry & Trade
Blacksmiths
Given the proximity and success of the numerous mines beyond the city walls, Avraathe maintains nearly a dozen blacksmiths who produce everything from kettles to kite shields and a myriad of fine weaponry, armor, chains, and tools. While their work is reknowned beyond the city walls of Avraathe, the isolationist nature of the city-state keeps the export of these goods low to maintain their value and the scarcity of platinum Avraathian creations consistent.Jewelers
With the discovery of gemstone veins within the Nether Mountains, there has been a recent surge in jewelry production and the craft of small and precious accessories and interior decor items. Whereas such decadence was previously reserved as a sign of reverence and honor within the Temple of Bahamut, the availability of the gems has seeped into the aristocracy and become a measure of civil wealth and blessing by Bahamut.Artists
As the wealthy look for additional areas in which to outrank one another, patronage of the arts has become the most recent trend in Avraathe. New installments of statues in city squares, murals or chiseled columns on buildings, or even artwork to be displayed in one's courtyard or home has recently exploded in popularity and frequency. As one walks through the city bazaar, the consistent clicking of chisel against marble in each intersection can be heard echoing through the stone archways of the market.Merchants
Merchants who manage the flow of above goods and others make a great deal of profit given their ability to manage the import and export of goods within the specific and often harsh law of the Temple, though there is certainly greased palms and overlooked ledgers at the top of the social pyramid.Sorcerers
Outside the scope of most of this working class are the sorcerers who study at the Augurium and often use their divination and other magical abilities to enhance the efforts of the rest of the economy but remain separate from any one aspect of it. These students are often provided for by scholarship and provisions through the school itself, which is in turn sponsored by the church in return for their scrying and perhaps less honorable services, depending on who catches your ear.Workman
Beyond these three aspects of the economy, a number of smaller industries thrive in Avraathe. Farmers and shepards beyond the walls make enough to provide for their families. Masons who maintain and construct new facilities often make enough to spend evenings at the local taverns amongst the blossoming brewery scene. Miners too frequent the more affordable places of respite. Below these laborers are the lowest rungs of the working class who maintain the sewers and aqueducts for just enough to rub two coppers together and afford one meal a day.Infrastructure
Thanks to the readily available stonework and expert masons and civil engineers, Avraathe benefits from a well-designed and maintained sewer system as well as aqueducts that help disperse fresh water from the rivers in the mountains into basins throughout the wealthier portions of the city.
The elite members of society also maintain gardens and courtyards despite the often frigid conditions of Avraathe. It is said to be a sign of Bahamut's mercy and blessing to be able to keep flowers blooming and vines growing despite the uncooperative weather. It is rumored magic users from the Augurium are often hired to help embellish said presentations.
Avraathe also features well maintained roads within the city walls and extensive railways running deep into the most established mines with rails also extending to the refineries.
Guilds and Factions
In addition to the facets of the Church of Xymor, there are a handful of major factions within the city of Avraathe, divided first by their function and second by socioeconomic standing.
The Augurium
On the southern edge of the city, the original barracks outgrown by the Talons of Justice serves as the castle and keep known as Augurium, an academy and research facility of divination and other facets of sorcery.The Merchant's Guild
By all accounts, the Merchant's Guild represents the top of the socioeconomic ranks with exception of the political and religious leaders of the city. Much of the wealth of the merchants and mine owners comes from the nuanced navigation, both above and below the law, of the strict import and export restrictions surrounding the city's trade policy.The Craftsmen Collective
The conduits for much of the city's wealth, the Craftsmen Collective exists to organize and benefit the dozens of Avraathians who take the raw materials brought in from the mines and hills and transform these components into the masterworks and treasures of Avraathe's reputation the merchants then buy and sell and profit off of in the process.The Miner's Union
On the lowest rung of society save for the sewer rats and aqueducks, the Miner's Union during the era of expansion when multiple mines came into operation and bolstered the workforce sizably. Relations between the miners and the merchants are frequently quite tense, threatening to boil over into class war with brief seasons of cooling off and contentment between the near constant renegotiations.Architecture
Originally built exclusively with the strong and otherwise unremarkable grey stone commonly found in the Nether Mountains, the architecture of Avraathe shows the evolution of the city-state as a whole over time.
The center of the city and it's original surrounding districts all feature structures that were designed with a focus on functionality over form. As the city spreads from the epicenter, this notion shifted over time. Homes became more opulent, used as measure of success and thus of blessing as well. Many buildings began incorporating marble into their structure, adding additional columns and adding flourishes and increasingly intricate designs to the support and style of the buildings.
Before long, the central city buildings, which then became in the most demand because they were closest to the temple, were renovated and updated to compete with and eventually surpass the outer ring districts. The columns were chiseled to create depictions of Bahamut spiraling towards the top. Buildings were draped in rich vibrant tapestries, honoring important dates and depicting retellings of the Last Battle of Moon Pass. Additional windows were added, the most wealthy of citizens opting for stained glass refracting light in the form of clan crests and mantras. Before long, the entire city seemed covered in scaffolding as the elite members of society started an arm's race of who could present the best accommodations and lifestyle.
These sort of opulent designs and ornate additions were mirrored by the Church of Xymor as well. Where once stood a simple chapel, simply setting aside space to honor the Platinum Dragon overtime evolved into what is now known as the Temple of Bahamut. While still using the simple grey stone foundation, much of the temple's exterior has built up and redesigned with additional carvings, statues, monoliths, as well as platinum plating so that it shines like a beacon in even the dim moonlight.
Within, the temple uses the now more readily available precious gems to adorn everything from ceremonial chalices to the robes and amulets worn by the Temple Keepers. Amidst all of the ornaments, the most notable aspect remains the domed ceiling painted as with platinum lacework as thin as spiderwebs meant to represent the scales of the Platinum dragon and in the middle of the dome, an eye-shaped window to represent Bahamut's watchful gaze longing to witness justice and mercy walking hand-in-hand.
Geography
In the northeastern reach of the Sword Coast, Avraathe sits amongst hills of the Moon Pass of the Nether Mountain range between Stone Stand and Arn Forest, nearly two tenday east of Silverymoon.
There's a small trail that cuts through the hills north of the Nether Mountain range, "denoted as treacherous and full of danger" by cartographers and adventurers alike.
Natural Resources
"The world knows not the depths of our resources. Yes, the platinum mines set us apart from the other city-states of the Sword Coast, both in quality and quantity, but our surveyors have found other untapped resources as well. Further north into the mountains they report veins of gold, silver, copper as well as sapphire and diamond. We as an essential cog in this blessed city will continue to expand our operations into the next year in both the excavation of platinum as well as these recent discoveries. Praise be the Platinum Dragon."
Trizzak of Clan Mezkac, owner and operator of the Cliffkeep Mines during his annual presentation to the Platinum Scales.
Beyond the mines, the hills surrounding Avraathe in the Moon Pass provide ample and fertile grounds for tending to sheep, goats, cows, and chickens. Where the land is level enough in stretches allows for growing grains and starches like corn and potatoes.
Avraathe Factions:
- Merchant's Guild
- Miner's Union
- Craftsmen Collective
- Temple Keepers
- Platinum Scales
- Talons of Justice
Avraathe Landmarks
- Augurium
- Platinum Keep
- Talon's Barracks
- Temple of Bahamut
- Garden Ward
- Temple Ward
- Merchant's Ward
- Craftsmen's Corner
- Workman's Ward
Overview
Type
City
Population
10,000
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
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