Croshother

Croshother is the Capitol of Ardrigh. It is at the crossroads of the Rose and White Roads. The War College and the College of Evocation are located here.

General Appearance

Croshother is a large walled city sitting to the southeast of Cross Lake. Its white granite wall stands 50 feet tall, and completely incircles the city. The city itself sits in the Dobro Plains, with the Tiber Mountains sitting to the west of the lake.
The city itself is divided into four roughly equal-sized quadrants by the Rose and White Roads. A large (30 feet diameter) fountain sits in the very center of the city, where the High Roads intersect. The roadway is 50 feet wide around the fountain, and is a common gathering place for all classes of people. The Royal Palace sits at the southwest corner, with Avereen House to the east, and the Artisan Masterhall to the north. The northeast corner holds the Guild Arcanum Sanctum.

Southwest Quadrant

While the Royal Palace resides here, this section of the city is by and large the poorest section of the city. The Thieves' Guild maintains a training dojo, as well as most of its other houses, within the quadrant.

Northwest Quadrant

This section of the city houses much of the mundane artisans, as well as many of the cities moneychangers and banks. In addition, the cities' docks are located outside this quadrant's walls.

Southeast Quadrant

The Holy Quad, this section of the city houses most of the major temples and shrines. The Market is here, which is a large open area where much of the food (except fish) entering the city first arrives. The Market is also home to many permanent and traveling merchant stalls.

Northeast Quadrant

The Arcane Quadrant, this section of the city is home to the Guild Arcanum headquarters (known as the Sanctum), Miskatonic University, and several libraries. Also, magic-related artisans (jewelers, gemcutters, bookbinders and scribes, et.al) tend to reside here.

History

Predating the Third Era, the City of Crosther is a marvel of religious and arcane might. The city has stood as the Capital of Ardigh for all of recorded human history, and has never been successfully attacked or besieged by outside forces. The Royal Palace exists much as it always has, although it has undergone at least one major expansion and three renovations throughout history.

The Old Wall

This 35 foot granite wall marks the limits of this city from the beginning of the Third Era. The original city was much smaller, and many of the buildings that now reside within its confines have either been built since its construction, or have undergone so much renovation and expansion as to be unrecognizable from the original structure. This wall divides each quadrant into the inner and outer sections.

General Attitudes

Commerce

Magic

Magic is generally viewed favorably throughout the capital, and virtually every household makes use of some form of minor magical item. Nearly every home has at least one continual flame for illumination, and many residents have access to some other form of magic. It is estimated that at least 10% of the population has either an attuned magic item; or some wild talent, be it the ability to cast a cantrip in some limited fashion, or some manifestation of mystic origin.

Governance

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Hamlets

Cruise Cross: Cruise Cross is the largest hamlet near the capital, having a population of nearly a thousand, with a nearly complete stone wall, two churches, and it's own teleportation circle. It sits twenty five miles east of Croshothar, just north of the Rose Road. If not for the proximity of the capital city, it would be considered a city in it's own right. The local ruler is Baron Beeler.

Halvo: This hamlet is the second largest, with a population of over seven hundred, a full stone wall, a well-appointed church, and numerous other amenities. It lies twenty miles south of the capital on the White Road.

Hammerhelve: This dwarven city sits within the Tiber Mountains, and the Rose Road runs through the middle of it. Hammerhelve produces most of the iron and steel used by the capital. While nominally a free dwarven city, it has a significant human population (at least as far as dwarf cities go). The "up" of the city contains the majority of the city's gnomish inhabitants. The city is ruled jointly by a dwarven chieftain and a human baron.

Chalden (formerly Chaldee): Notable as the former training place of the Chaldeean Guard. The name was changed shortly after the disillusion of the Chaldeean Elite. It sits six miles southeast of Croshother.

Crane Village: Named for the number of cranes and storks that reside year-round, Crane Village sits north of the Rose Road on Cross Lake. It is almost exactly equidistant between Croshother and Hammerhelve, and is best known for Cranehenge; a tri-ring stone henge five miles west of the city.

Baften: The largest hamlet that has neither a stone wall or wooden palisade. It sits fifteen miles north of Croshother to the east of the White Road.

Pitch Perch: Named originally for the quantity and quality of pitch and other pine products it produced, this hamlet no longer produces any significant amount of pitch or pine. This village's main products now are wheat and honey.

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Sunrise: While technicially outside the Duchy of Croshother, Sunrise is still regarded as an important hamlet of the Capitol. The village is best know as the training grounds for the Cadre. It sets in the foothills of the Tiber Mountains roughly sixty miles north northwest of the capitol.

Croshother

Country: Ardrigh
Population: 45,000
Major Races: Human (55%), Elf (12%), Gnome (10%), Tiefling (8%), Dwarf (6%), Halfling (4%), Other (5%)
Major Exports: Masterworks, Training, Magic Items
Teleportation Circle: 2 major circles (outside walls to the east & northwest), other private circles exist

Ruler:

Type

Capital

Included Locations

• Miskatonic University