Oldred

This walled city of 19,500 people is the second most important naval base after Mithat. Korenflass has been cunning in his rulership here. Through his own extensive landholdings and control of trade, he is able to supply war veterans (the officer class) with goods at subsidized prices. Thus, war hardened men who might be most disgruntled by a life of hardship have been cushioned against it, and many form the basis of his 500-strong, hard nosed militia.

Korenflass is Guildmaster of the Merchants and Traders Guild, and makes sure the king and the Oldred bailiff, who has to stay under virtual house arrest for his own safety, get the blame for almost all the problems of life in these hard times. Most people are ready to believe it.

Oldred's atmosphere is menacing. There are half-drunk naval troops looking for trouble, thieves in dark alleyways, and evil men escaped from the ruins of Aerdi lurking in its streets. Law enforcing militia troops barely bother with assaults short of murder these days, unless the victim is rich or otherwise important. The wooded gardens of the north side of town, and the houses around them, are occupied by merchants and minor nobility who live well. Even they avoid flaunting their wealth. Cat burglary has become a way of life for the burgeoning Thieves Guild, and even the architecturally fine Temple of Procan was robbed of icons recently, an act which shocked the city.

The navy in Oldred raided Prymp recently, bringing back booty and people sold into slavery in dark and terrible places in Oldred's extensive undercity ruins (the city was built on the site of an old, razed Flan city) which are also said to hold ropers, otyughs, and much worse.