Greatwall

Greatwall, the current capital of the County of Crystalreach, is a fortress which protects the Flare Line between Morsten and Moatshield. Before the wars, Greatwall was a simple village. Now it has been transformed into an impressive strongpoint. Jakartai’s first priority at Greatwall was to erect a great stone curtain wall to protect laborers and villagers and also the many farmers who had fled the conquered lands to the north. Behind Curtlem’s earthworks, magical walls of stone were used to quickly produce a first line of defense. Stone was then brought from Redstone’s quarries and internal, fortified buildings were erected. During the coming summer and fall, building work will concentrate on replacing the northern areas of the magical wall and constructing the foundations and lower stories of a keep which is planned to become a full scale castle. There is a .real sense of urgency here, a desperate race against time. Everyone wants to be as secure as they can before the next winter.

Greatwall’s population includes 800 militia, with an elite force of 100 heavy cavalry and 100 heavy infantry directly commanded by Jakartai. Around half are Shield Landers, and the new ruler has taken pains to ensure that his three senior Lieutenants are all Furyondians. There is some tension between natives and exiles, but morale is unimpaired.

Greatwall’s people work very long hours; a typical working day is 14 hours, aided by continual light spells during the early night and just after dawn. Soldiers and militia are as ready to help out as anyone. Children scurry to and fro, bringing food to hungry and tired workers. Jakartai’s general effect on his people has been noted, but simple touches on his part also earn him their love and unswerving readiness to work their fingers to the bone. East of the village lie rugged, low hills, which are riddled with rabbit warrens. Count Halpern never allowed villagers to hunt there, since these were his lands alone. Anyone caught poaching might be heavily fined, have a hand cut off, or even be sentenced to what amounted to slavery. One of the first things Jakartai did when he made his base here was not simply to allow hunting of rabbits there, but to urge the villagers to set snares and traps. “Hard work needs good meat in the belly,” he said to them. It would never have occurred to him to act otherwise. To an adventurer, a rabbit for the pot means little. To a villager living close to subsistence due to Halpern’s heavy tithes, it means a lot.

In addition to Artur and Curtlem, notable inhabitants of Greatwall include Sharapel Endereth and Ryell Hawkshand. Sharapel Endereth is a mage with a wickedly black sense of humor who is infamous for his impatience with people who are not as intelligent as he is. Ryell Hawkshand is a 9th-level fighter, originally of Grabford, who is one of Jakartai’s lieutenants. He assumes command when his liege is away.

Another resident of Greatwall is the enigmatic Crystara, a Bisselite priestess of Beory who simply says that she has wandered far and wide in her many years and likes the people and the place here. Crystara smiles a lot and doesn't give away anything, but she is known to be on excellent terms with Jakartai. Her mastery of spells, especially elemental (earth) spells and plant spells, the latter used to help the farmers in the communities around Greatwall, is received gratefully by artisans, toiling laborers and farmers alike.