Bishopric of Avignon

This city of all cities is the central crux of the commercial world. Everything travels though Avignon. The tremendous wealth of the city is derived from its status rather than any strategic or military or economic power. It is the trade center between east and west, north and south. Avignon is one of the few places in the world where magic can be bought. Eldritch spells and incantations, weapons and armor, and so forth are available, if at a high price. The present Bishop of Avignon, Honorius II, shares his rule with the GOVERNOR OF AVIGNON MILO URNER. The two are often at odds. The governor remembers the days, under HONORIUS I, when his office held power. He commands a vast bureaucracy which controls much of the city taxes and expenditures. The bishop struggles to maintain the religious fervor which fed new life into the old city. His priests serve the masses, and he commands the BISHOP'S USSARS, four troops of religious soldiery. The twoVsquabble continually and seek to outmaneuver each other in a paper war of rights. In general, the foreign population (which is very large), the merchants, and the guilds support the governor. The bulk of the working populace and the sailors support the bishop. Recently, the CAPTAIN OF THE AVIGNON GUARD, CASTUS, a BRINDISIUM gladiator and mercenary and noted member of the CULT OF SWORD, has risen to great popularity and causes both Bishop Honorius II and Governor Milo to look nervously in his direction. He commands respect in all four ussar troops and has vast sources of outside income. Honorius II also struggles to elevate the prelacy of Avignon to that of the highest in the church. He is opposed by the KING OF ANGLAMAY, and various nobles and bishops in the KINGDOM OF ANGLAMAY.

History

Avignon is perhaps the greatest city in all of Aihrde, its history stretching back to the dawn of the early Aenochians and Ethrum. In the Days Before Days, the dwarves built a great bridge across the STRAITS OF URSAL. They called this bridge Andstein. There, upon the great span, the two tribes of men came together to make peace, though as is told elsewhere, this did not last. In later years, after many wars, the Aenochian Emperors built a fortress on the western end of the bridge to safeguard their lands in Ethrum. Soon thereafter, the city began to grow around the fortress. They named the fortress Avignon after the emperor’s wife. During the WARS OF LIBERATION, the TARVISH, EMPEROR-KING OF ETHRUM, took the town and drove the Aenochians back across the straits. He ordered that the bridge be cast down and the city fortified against the east. The city expanded rapidly after that. During its early years it became the hub through which all commerce flowed. The port expanded, the city grew beyond its walls, and the governors built new ones. Untold wealth poured into the city. Men of all kinds swelled the ranks of citizens, so in time the city became a metropolis, a vast mixing pot of peoples and cultures, where anything was possible. All this prosperity ended when Aufstrag lay siege to the city. They broke the walls asunder and lay waste to much of the inner city. During the Winter's Dark, Avignon became a sprawling fortress complex. Concentric walls sprang up around the landward side of the city and sea walls on the bays of the Straits. Prosperity of sorts returned and the city thrived for a while, though it was only a shadow of its former self. The city fell on hard times almost from the beginning of the WINTER DARK WARS. The disasters which the imperial fleet suffered at the hands of MORGELD (1120md) and at the Battle of Gokstead (1123md) left the commercial shipping lanes open to the ravages of the NORTHMEN. They raided everywhere, sinking ships at sea and in harbor. From Avignon to the GOTTLAND trade came to standstill. The impact on Avignon proved disastrous. With no land to rely upon even for meager foodstuffs, the city fell victim to starvation. Riots followed in which many were killed and much of the city burned. In the waning days of the Horned God’s rule, the city fell into ruin once more, many citizens deserting to the west. PHILIP the Guileless, the prophet of Ore-Tsar, passed through Avignon in 1124md, and stayed for many months spreading the word of the Horse God to high and low. Those who remained were a pitiful sight, poor and bedraggled; deserted by all, they leapt at the new faith and the new hope. When Philip spoke, people flocked from all quarters of the city and they followed his word. They built churches and a monastery, dedicating both to the name of Philip. In turn, Philip appointed one of his disciples, SIXTUS, to remain in Avignon and rebuild it.

Sixtus busied himself with organizing the merchants, gathering a small fleet of ships to begin fishing and rebuilding the inner city. He also established way points on the ancient pylons of the URSAL BRIDGE which served as hauling junctures for barges to cross the straits. This brought a wealth of goods from Aachen. All this activity encouraged commerce to some degree. In 1127md, WILLIAM of ANGLAMAY contacted Sixtus seeking legitimacy for his claim as king. William knew that many of his folk had fallen under the spell of Philip and hoped that by securing the blessings of the high priest that his seizure of power would be all the easier. Sixtus, with much fanfare, came to ANGLAMAY-OT-NEIDER and crowned William king of that realm. The grateful lord sent several caravans laden with foods and wine to the city and granted them a wide stretch of territory surrounding the walls. In a very short while, the city recovered enough to attract some few immigrants.

In 1128md, Phillip returned and with Ore-Tsar’s disciples began the construction of a magnificent church in Old Avignon. They built it upon the foundations of the governor’s palace. They founded a prelacy and named Sixtus its first bishop. Sixtus used the position of the city to enrich the church by tithing barges and caravans that passed through. He rebuilt the city’s walls and towers, and soon thereafter, Avignon flourished as merchants, traders, and all manner of people came to live within the safety of its impregnable walls. Avignon saw the face of war only once during the Winter Dark Wars. In 1129md, smarting from his defeat at the BATTLE OF OLENSK KAIN, DUKE OF ALTENGRUND, came to the great city. He saw that much of it remained in ruins and that it was not worth attacking. He called upon the city fathers to pay him coin for his kindness in mercy. Sixtus came forward to speak with Kain, for he had it in his mind that he could lay enchantments on the fell creature and induce him to leave, but Kain saw through his spells and laughed. He slew Sixtus, leaving his headless body upon the ground. Kain left without his coin, but he took the head in its place. The people of Avignon were horrified at the tragedy and took Sixtus’ remains and lay them in the CHURCH OF PHILIP. His tomb became a holy place where pilgrims came to lay sacrifice in foodstuffs at his feet. More than one has claimed to be healed by the spirit of Sixtus. The clerics and monks of Avignon elected PIUS I to the bishopric in Avignon. Pius ruled for many years and brought more wealth and prestige to the city. He crowned WILLIAM II, king in Anglamay, introduced grape farming in the land, and granted tax relief to all those who owned a boat and brought trade into the city. This last spurred a host of ship captains to land cargo and sell it, cheaply, to caravans and by 1159md the city was well on its way to mirroring its past glory. PIUS II, once elected to the bishopric, ruled the church in a far more careful manner. He maneuvered himself in various church councils to be recognized as the preeminent cleric of Ore-Tsar. This touched off a series of religious conflicts throughout the world of Ore-Tsar, which only ended with Pius’ death. Pius II crowned WILLIAM PHILIP, king of Anglamay, the last time a bishop of Avignon did this. He also instituted a draft which called for four troops of city guard to be established. The call went out, far and wide, for men of skill in the art of war, to come to Avignon and join the well paid ussars, as the troops were dubbed. To allow people to distinguish each ussar, one from the other, the various troops took on distinctive coloring in their uniforms. HONORIUS I followed Pius II in the bishopric in 1176md. A very religious man, he disdained from worldly politics. He appointed a governor to aid him in running the commercial affairs of the city, and he rarely interfered unless the tithing dropped off. Avignon prospered again, trade flowed into her harbors and out, and a contented people grew larger than life. In 1190md, Honorius I died and his successor, Honorius II, took the miter of Avignon.