Gramidern
Overview
- The most prominent and powerful of all the city-states on the Radiant Coast.
- A city with a population more than 100,000 and a state exceeding 2,000,000
- Chancellor Wysedin of Serr rules 200 kms of coast and up to 100 kms inland
- There have been many cities before Gramidern stretching back over 10,000 years into human prehistory, at least 10 previous Gramiderns are known to exist in the lowest levels of the city
- Current city was founded 300 years ago by Lord Thronstrom who overthrew the Tyrant Keren Strongarm; Thronstrom’s crest was a shield half-back & half-white with the black half showing the sharp profile of a half face with eye only – this is still used as the crest of the city, with banners displayed as white with jet black edge sewn in silver trim
- Chancellor Wysedin’s banner is same as the city top half with a half silver crown on the black half and the bottom half dark crimson on the black half and gold on the white half, with the bottom part of the face in gold on the crimson half
- Beneath the King sits the Council of Ministers who oversee the States's bureaucracy (Trade, Treasury, Arms, Works, Law, State)
- Prominent families control ancestral lands and while they wield considerable influence in their own rights often seek to gain prominence among the ministries
- A canal system operates through the kingdom, including a series of locks in the foothills of the mountains and tunnels passing beneath hills and even the Castle of Thorns, which is the main fortress used to guard the Golden Road as it exits the mountain pass
- An ancient roadway system is still in use including long stretches of useable viaducts of great antiquity
- Gramidern has improved many of these roads and has 2 major roads – the Golden Road leading roughly east-west and connecting to the western edge of the kingdom and the Grand Trade Road leading roughly north-south to the other major cities of the West Radiant.
- The Tumno Way is a roughly straight road that is carried on a series of viaducts, bridges, tunnels and elevated roads that leads from the city of Vesten beneath the Castle of Thorns to the city of Gramidern proper. This is a road controlled by the Ministry of Arms who use it to move troops but also offer passage for non-military people at a cost of 2gp for each 10-mile marker
- Ethnically Gramidern is Tethyrian, as the current iteration were founded by Tethyrian settlers from the continent of Faerun 500 years ago
- 3 main protective walls have been built as the city has expanded
- The Inner walls (up to 50 ft in height and 15 ft thick) enclose the extent of the city as rebuilt by Thronstrom after he defeated the Tyrant Keren Strongarm and the Castle of Kara’Kar at the heart of the old city; a series of small connected keeps with high viaducts links the castle to 4 keeps heading to the harbour, the 4th of which (Traders Keep) is located on the Radiant Sea, next to the main trading port
- The old city is located on a hill and runs down to the harbour; A bridge connects from the Traders Keep to the Sea Fort which is on an island where the harbour gives way to the open sea)
- The Middle Wall was constructed 100 years ago and encloses the extent of the city before its destruction after the fall of Keren Strongarm, it largely falls around the base of the few hills clustered around the port and is between 25ft - 35ft tall and roughly 10ft think; There are 5 main gates, all of which are currently being strengthened and repaired
- The Outermost Wall is currently three quarters finished and is 12 miles in length; When finished it will be over 50ft high and between 15ft to 20ft think at the base
- Multiple marketplaces including the Grand Forum which is a series of connected covered and open marketplaces culminating the in the Serr Marketplace
- Serr Marketplace is a massive open quadrangle (dimension 100 yards) enclosed on all sides by a 4-storey building (6 stories at the short ends above the main 2 entry points the ground level is mostly a series of sturdy arches supporting the top 3 levels; The Trade Ministry has its main offices in this building
- Furrow Markets are the bustling trading shops and markets alongside the harbour and docks
- Exotic Traders from as far west as Talinnessee, far east as Faerun, far south as Blasted Erg and as non-human as the Gigantes Corioles trade in the city
- Teams of Ogres work the docks; each Ogre working the docks is permitted into the city by special permit issued jointly by the Ministry of Arms and the Ministry of Trade and must wear a prominent Brass Vambrace with the Gramidern crest stamped into it always
- Current excavations include 2 ancient stone statues, 20ft tall & partly in ruin of 2 Stone Giant Kings sitting on thrones staring at each other across the Golden Road 2 miles out from the outer walls
- Pictographs carved on ancient foundation stones in the image of Sili the Ancient Witch Queen of Lamentations were uncovered during construction work near the Serr marketplace
- The City of the Dead is an ancient necropolis that sprawls over several hills to the north of the city; The growth of Gramidern means that some parts of the city are starting to encroach upon the outskirts of the unwalled sections of the necropolis
- The City of Dead is many thousands of years old, far older than the current iterations of the city
- Corpse Grim – a fabled creature who dwells within the City of the Dead and who sometimes is known to venture into the surrounding countryside and into Gramidern itself
- An Equinox festival is a rolling 3-day celebration including a parade featuring giant puppets made of wood and cloth, including a darkly ominous puppet with 6 fingers on each hand and dark grey horns representing Corpse Grim
- The Eshin Clan of Wererats, who were also seravnts of the Horned God were performing the ritual of hunger and sacrifice over a 13 day period
- One night 1 - 1 person was sacrficied and feasted upon, night 2 - 2 people were sacrificed and feasted upon etc.
- The BMG went into the depths of the Gramidern undercity and successfully disrupted this ritual by locking in a an agreement with a rebellious faction to leave the city and thus end the chain of the ritual
Foreign Relations
From the Blue Host Khan to the Chancellor of Gramidern
"The great and Beneficent Jumulkha Khan of the Blue Host, Ruler of All beneath the Endless bLue Sky, sends his greetings to his brother and trusted friend his honorable worship, Chancellor Wysedin of venerable Gramidern.
We would tell you that we are in dispute with others of our nation beneath the Endless Blue Sky and it may be that some of these people who have not acknowledged the Great Blue Khan as ruler of all who dwell within felt tents, may flee eastward to your kingdom. If you see them we would tell you to reject them from your lands and not take them under your protection for they are our servants. Do not harbour them, or you will make of an enemy of me because of them. They, who have no houses and dwell in tents, will find it easy to escape. But you who dwell in houses within towns–how can you escape me?
My people would have peace with your people, a people with whom we admire greatly and with whom we wish to trade. We do not ask for trouble from you, so do not ask for trouble from me. For should you ask for trouble from me, I will destroy you. Should we remain on peaceful terms, both our peoples will benefit and prosper and live long under the Endless Blue Sky."
We would tell you that we are in dispute with others of our nation beneath the Endless Blue Sky and it may be that some of these people who have not acknowledged the Great Blue Khan as ruler of all who dwell within felt tents, may flee eastward to your kingdom. If you see them we would tell you to reject them from your lands and not take them under your protection for they are our servants. Do not harbour them, or you will make of an enemy of me because of them. They, who have no houses and dwell in tents, will find it easy to escape. But you who dwell in houses within towns–how can you escape me?
My people would have peace with your people, a people with whom we admire greatly and with whom we wish to trade. We do not ask for trouble from you, so do not ask for trouble from me. For should you ask for trouble from me, I will destroy you. Should we remain on peaceful terms, both our peoples will benefit and prosper and live long under the Endless Blue Sky."
Costumes worn during the Equinox Festival parade to ward off Corpse Grim
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Neighboring Nations
Comments