Sunhill

The capital city of the Sunhill Principalities.

Demographics

Total Population 147,840  Percent of:

• elves 59%
• halflings 12%
• humans 10%
• half-elves 8%
• dwarves 5%
• gnomes 3%
• half-orcs 2%
• other 1% 

Government

The Law Currently governed by the sixth (6th) Grand Duke General Ulder Ravengard. The city is a Stratocracy, a government ran by the military. Though some may call it a military dictatorship the city has prospered under the Grand Duke Generals for thousands of years.
The Principalities and the city of Sunhill is ruled by the Grand Duke General with input from the General‘s Assembly.
The Grand Duke General is chosen only at the death of a previous Grand Duke. Once a Grand Duke dies a contest, known as the Generals Duel, is held among all eligible soldiers in the Red Army. The winner of the General’s Duel is bestowed the title, rank, and authority of Grand Duke General.
The General’s Assembly consists of Red Army Generals who advise the Grand Duke on all manners of the principalities. They are chosen by the Grand Duke from all of the Red Armies Generals. One for each of the Principalities and five additional Generals for a total of 19 Generals. (This number is not set in stone and has reached as high as 21 but never less than 15). Since the end of the True War the generals that do not reside in a Principality will stay within the Sunhill Embassies in the cities of the Abeirian Alliance (with one staying in Sunhill Proper).
All matters of law are handled by the military and if the crime is serious enough such as treason, it is heard by a Military tribunal in the capitol city of Sunhill by the General’s Assembly and sometimes the Grand Duke General themself. Common crimes are dealt with by members of the local Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG’s). This is a unit of soldiers specially trained in military justice and the laws of Sunhill. Experienced JAG’s will serve as judges in courts of inquiry and courts-martial.
LAWS OF THE SUNHILL PRINCIPALITIES Crimes are divided into categories. First who the crime is being perpetrated against and second the type of crime being committed. This allows for any officer of the Red Army to quickly decide if the crime is worthy of escalation and imprisonment or if punitive measures can be taken on site by the responding officer. Those categories are as follows:
Who Is The Victim? Crimes Against Nobles, Lords, Commanding Officers, and Generals Crimes Against the Military Crimes Against Citizens Crimes Against the Gods Crimes Against the Country
What Type of Crime? Crimes of Aggression Assault and Battery Armed Assault Murder Illegal Dueling Crimes of Deception Embezzlement Forgery Fraud Slander Crimes of Property Smuggling Theft Arson Vandalism Crimes of Magic Spells that Inflict Harm Spells that Incapacitate Spells that Tamper with Thoughts Spells of Illegal Magic Crimes of Treason & Espionage Conspiracy to Harm Principality Conspiracy to Defraud Principality Conspiracy to Damage the Principality Espionage on behalf of a foreign government Any other form of Treason committed against the Principality
Punishments of the Sunhill Principalities Any and all crimes are tattooed upon the left side of the face of the perpetrator.
Minor crimes - in addition to the tattoo the following are additional punshiments. 1st offense - fine of no more than 25 gp or the value of restitution, whichever is higher. 2nd offense - fine of not more than 50 gp or the value of restitution, whichever is higher. imprisonment of no less than 30 days 3rd offense - fine of no more than 1000 gp of the value of restitution, whichever is higher. Imprisonment of no less than 180 days Banishment and exile to the desert Major Crimes - in addition to the tattoo the following are additional punishments available to the JAG 1st offense - fine if no more than 100 gp or value of restitution, whichever is higher. Imprisonment of no less than 30 days 2nd offense - fine of no more than 1000 gp of value of restitution, whichever is higher Imprisonment of no less than 90 days State labor (length determined by JAG) 3rd offense - fine of no more than 5000 gp or value of restitution, whichever is higher. Imprisonment of no less than 1 year State labor (length determined by JAG) Banishment from the city Exile from the principality Death

Defences

A walled city set atop a mesa in the middle of a barren desert. The mesa I surrounded by a dried river bed that once flowed freely as the Scythe River. The military school and Arcane Academy both serve as a deterrent from any would be invaders. Ballistas of elven design remain from the old days when dragons roamed the skies above.

Industry & Trade

Imports: Grains and feeds, livestock products, horticultural products, sugar and tropical products, oilseeds, cotton and tobacco, leather, ore, timber, and exotic goods from all lands.
Exports: Ale, armors and armaments, trained soldiers and wizards, cloth, leather goods, pottery, refined metals, and all other sorts of finished goods

Infrastructure

Well established roads lead from district to district.  Large outdoor bazaar style markets can be shopped in the citizenry.  Large Checkpoints stand at each entrance to the city and individuals are only allowed entry at their designated checkpoint.  The city contains an underground sewer system.

Districts

Military District Financial District Government District The Solaire Palace Residences High-end Market Residential District Manufacturing District Low-end Markets Entertainment District Academy District Merchant & Traveler Checkpoint Refugee Checkpoint Soldier & Student Checkpoint

History

Sunhill was once the envy of Abeir. Perched atop a mesa in the middle of a lush valley teaming with life and opportunity. After the Great Seeding the elves called the Valley home. They spread across it to the Upper Dragons Teeth Mountains in the North to the Silver River in the West to the coast line in the East to the Ze’nelta Lowlands in the South. Sunhill’s history is a lot darker and a lot more violent than that of the other major powers of Abeir. In its history it has almost constantly been at war. Early on for its natural beauty and bountiful harvest its lands could produce. Later for its prime location at the center of the continent. It is also the closest to the wild lands of the Barkmire Marshes, home to the monstrous races who would constantly mount raids and attacks on the valleys villages and cities. This led to an early obsession with military training and the production of defense equipment. The elves of Sunhill are some of the absolute best fighters and mages in the world, then and now.
The Great Calamity brought war, death,, and other evils to the doorstep of many of the nations of Abeir but none more than Sunhill. As the Infernals spread the evil contained in the Anomalies of Impurity across the continent. The final battle between the Solar Grimnir and Myr’kur, the Infernal of Darkness, took place over Sunhill and the Valley. When Grimnir with the help of his Last Legion were able to finally rend the anomaly of Darkness from Myr’kur and imprison him inside the Lament Configuration it took such force and magic that the whole of the Valley was scorched and a large hole was left where the rending took place just outside of the city of Sunhill. The God’s Scar as it is known in the current year of 1436AC, is a tourist attraction for many. This is because the rending didn’t just leave a hole in the Continental Rüt system, it left a pit with seemingly no bottom, at least none that has yet to be found 15 centuries after the events of this Great Battle.
Today Sunhill sits on top of a mesa surrounded by desert. The city has a good view of any possible plans for attack from the sky against the city and the dry desert makes it hard for enemies to approach by foot. With little by means of farming and food production the city of Sunhill heavily relies on the Aberian Alliance to provide the necessary food stores.

Points of interest

God Scar - A large chasm in the ground near the main gate to the city of Sunhill. The God Scar is a reminder of the events of the Great Calamity and the final battle that took place here. 
The Obelisk - a large black obelisk next to the God Scar. It is carved with the names of those that gave their lives during the Great Calamity
The Tri-Pyramids - Serve as graves for all of the rules of Sunhill. These predate the current nation of the Sunhill Principality and its Grand Duke General. They were built long ago by the first elves to settle on the mesa.

Tourism

Many people travel to visit the three major points of interest, the God Scar; the Tri-Pyramids, and the Obelisk. 
Others visit to see the Mesa, a military training school that is renowned across Abeir. 
Solstheim Academy of the Arcane puts on a magical show of its most talented Bards, Sorcerers, Wizards, and Warlocks.

Architecture

Former Elven architecture influences in the older buildings. New buildings are built with a distinct desert adobe style.

Geography

Formerly a lush forested fertile land but after the events of the Great Calamity all that remains is a desert valley with a mesa upon which the city of Sunhill sits. Around the mesa is a dried up riverbed that was once home to the Scythe River.

Natural Resources

Metals and stone from the Upper Dragons Teeth Mountain towns. Corn and grains that can survive the harsh desert valley. Kinetic Sap is mined from the heart of the Continental Rüt System.

Founding Date

-10000 AS (After Seeding)

Type

Capital

Population

147,840

Inhabitant Demonym

Sunhillian

Owner/Ruler

Ulder Ravengard

Ruling/Owning Rank

Grand Duke General