South Pass
South Pass is the southernmost remaining town in the Aurean Empire, located at the southern end of Hektanpolis Province at the edge of the great desert known as The Rift. It is entirely built inside an old imperial fort that blocks a pass north into The Dragonpeaks, with the steep mountains on either side being nearly impassable. With the exception of the main road that bisects the town, all the streets are extremally narrow, with buildings packed in as tightly as they'll fit.
Located at the very edge of imperial territory, South Pass is largely isolated from other settlements, and is surrounded mostly by untamed wilderness. A true frontier town, it is very rough and chaotic, and home to large amounts of organized crime. Imperial control is weak, and criminal organizations often operate openly, similar to merchant and trade guilds in other cities.
The town survives mostly through trade. It is located at the eastern end of The Old Road, and caravans often pass through on their way between Aurea and Thelegon. This trade is sometimes cut off by hobgoblins, who often leave after collecting a payment from the town but have on occasion set up camp outside and tried to besiege it. This has never worked, as the hobgoblin armies are never large enough to assault the walls, and due to the narrow, steep pass are unable to surround it and cut off supplies. However, whenever the trade is cut off the town's population bottoms out as residents abandon it for better prospects, and it often takes some time to refill.
Type
Town
Population
2,500
Inhabitant Demonym
South Passer
Location under
Owning Organization
