Guthrum's Gate
Guthrum's Gate is the largest settlement, strongest fortress, and capital, of Alderi Dominion. It is at once an embassy for the outside world, the Dominion's only defence against the world, and the seat of what little government the Alderi have.
Spanning the pass between the Alderheim Mountains to the south, and the Far Mountains to the north, a thick stone wall rises 20ft for 6 miles across the centre of the valley. At each end lie the ancient Alderi hill-forts which first defended this pass into to Sko Valley. These hill-forts remain active, providing the edges of the citadel's defence, and housing the garrison which guards the walls - above them the mountains are too high and steep for an army to manoeuvre. Beyond the city, to the east, the river Ribet flows south into the Sko valley. Millenia ago, this was the border of Alderi lands, and to this day traditional Alderi consider Guthrum's Gate to be an outpost in a foreign land - only those who cross the Ribet have truly entered the Dominion.
In the west, at the nadir of the valley, lies the main gatehouse itself, with no single gate but three separate entrances facing north-west, due west, and south-west. Each consists of a large, 10ft, set of outer doors fronted with beaten iron and made of oak, banded again with iron on the reverse. Passing through these 'War Gates' (closed only in dire circumstances, visitors walk uphill to the single 'Night Gate', 8ft x 6ft, made of oak banded with iron and closed shortly after sundown each day.
The smallness of the inner gate, and the steepness of the approach do not make Guthrum's Gate the most appealing site for traders - the largest caravans cannot even enter, and all visitors are made to feel that the builders did not have access in mind. They did not. For many centuries, the Alderi did not care for visitors - who were so few that the Captain kept a daily list of all those admitted. Even now, when a stream of traders passes both ways most daylight hours, the Alderi do not think of making it easier. A foreign army which breached the gates would have the whole valley, all Bol'y Moz, and the entire Alderi Dominion in their power.
Beyond the defences, Guthrum's Gate has developed into something approaching a recognisable capital - below the northernmost hill-fort houses Krem Ald ('The House/Palace of the Alderi'), the palace of the Alderi Kings. This is more than just a feasting hall, an increasingly complex bureaucracy serves the Dominion from Guthram's Gate. Below the south hill-fort has developed Krem Chuz ('The House of the Outsiders') - in reality a series of embassies from the Welds, Tetra, and Bolmor. This contains the only Sanctorum in Dominion lands, the Alderi continuing to resist any formalisation of their worship of the Creator.
For those without government or military business, Guthrum's Gate is also the prime conduit for the silver, tin, fur, and jewel trades brought from the Bol'y Moz - and the streets around the silver market house shops where more 'interesting' goods can be purchased, brewed from the unique flora of the Moz. The Alderi government takes a similar view - access to Guthrum's Gate is easy for a foreigner, leaving is more difficult. There is only a low border wall around the north, south, and east, but the eastern gate is strictly guarded. Alderi may pass freely out of the city - but foreigners may not. A passport must be acquired, stamped by an official in Krem Chuz, then be taken to Krem Ald and stamped again. If the holder wishes to enter any of the mines, a third stamp (from the appropriate marketplace) must be acquired. This passport is checked strictly at the east gate, and then again by the guards at the Ribet bridge.
Demographics
The population is overwhelmingly Alderi, though Guthrum's Gate is perhaps the most diverse of any Alderi settlements. Foreigners exist at every social level - from caravan hands and servants of the merchants, to foreign mercenaries recruited into the garrison, expert advisers and administrators serving in Krem Ald, all the way to high officials and diplomats maintaining their embassies in Krem Chuz.
Among the Alderi, there is perhaps a greater concentration of professionals and merchants than anywhere else in the Dominion. There is, of course, the large population of servants, labourers, and small shop keepers found in any city. The city, however, is not growing rapidly - and few Alderi without a reason would move there. This means the population has unusually concentrated around a 'middle class' of merchants, traders, and Dominion administrators. The mines seek to have their own representative to recieve their shipments before the foreign merchants sell them on, and most (loyal) Chiefmen and Small Kings will have a small embassy to keep their interests protected from High Kings' attempts to rule their 3,000 mile domain. Finally, there is the Alderi ruling class - the kings, their households, their advisers, and another set of households and advisers just to stop them coming to blows.
Government
Guthram's Gate is really four settlements, governed differently - the two hill-forts and the wall are governed by the Alderi War King directly, through a Garrison Commander, and Captains of each fort, and the gatehouse. The Krem Chuz, the foreign quarter, is largely self-governing. The Krem Ald is the royal palace of the Dominion monarchs and ruled directly by them, administered through a household. Finally, the civilian town itself - comprising the vast majority of the inhabitants - is, like any large Alderi town, governed by a Chiefman, and a council of elected advisers. Recognising the importance of Guthram's Gate, this council uniquely includes one representative from the Krem Chuz, and one each representing the silver merchants, the gem merchants, the fur merchants, and the tin merchants.
Defences
The key defence of , and main purpose for, Guthrum's Gate is the western wall. Supposedly constructed in one year under the command of the ancient high king Guthrum, it is more likely that a large part of his reign was spent enhancing the two historic hill-forts which marked the edge of the Alderi domain. The wall is not uniquely impressive across all of Sammerden, but it is the largest single piece of Alderi construction, and an awesome sight for travellers who have spent a week passing small homesteads and low watchtowers.
It stands 20ft high across its span - rising with the rising ground of the valley as it becomes the foothills of the Far and Alderheim Mountains. It is 6 miles from the edge of the North Fort to the South Fort - with Guthrum's Gate itself lying almost exactly in the middle. The city itself is clustered around this gatehouse, and has its own, low, boundary walls encircling it on north, east, and south. Where these meet the main wall, there are two towers, and subsequent towers every mile up to the forts. The hillforts maintain their own defences - and could be used as redoubts if the city fell. The two palace complexes, Krem Chuz and Krem Ald, have their own defensive walls and towers - though these are usually lightly guarded and mostly to keep order and deter thieves.
The wall, each tower, and the gatehouse, are faced with thick blocks of grey granite each the size of the great doors, and 4ft thick, They were mined (legendarily within a week, more likely across a decade) from the Far Mountains and floated down the Ribet. Behind these blocks, the walls are mostly smaller stone blocks bound with lime-mortar, the small technique used for more than a thousand years, and the the same construction as the walls guarding the hillforts, the city, and the Krems.
From the earliest constructions, Guthrum decreed that "the wood of every gate in every wall throughout the fortress is to be made from the foreign oak, not the native pine. Likewise, all metal in the gates is to be the foreign metal [iron], not native metal [bronze]." This rule has been studiously adhered to, and each of the three main western gates are faced with solid panels of half-inch iron.
Industry & Trade
Guthrum's Gate accounts for almost all of the Alderi foreign trade. From every part of the Dominion, resources which the Alderi have in excess pour in caravans to the capital. Silver from the Far Mountains and the southern mines, tin from the Bol'y Moz, and gems from the Sko valley. There are also furs & pelts of all kinds: forest bear, wolves, hares, deer, elk, and the distinctive Mozdeer. In the early autumn, Far Hunters will return as part of their annual trek - delivering polar bear furs, scavenged moonstones, and secret caches of psychedelic bluefern.
Most of the tin arrives unprocessed - it is bought in bulk and shipped west to make light Bolmor bronze. Some amount of silver and gems arrive unprocessed and support the industry of Guthrum's gate directly (principally this is the output of the mines owned personally by the Alderi kings). Between the city limits and the Ribet are the Silver Pits - royal refineries smelting silver ore into bullion. This is transported into the city, either to the Mint or sold to silversmiths. Most of the rest of the silver and gems, though, are processed in the towns closest to the mines - silver arrives largely as bullion, gems polished, but rarely pre-carved. There are many skilled native silversmiths across the Dominion, but their work is rarely appreciated by outsiders, and is sold to the Alderi upper classes.
Founding Date
After 4000 AH
Founders
Alternative Name(s)
Krem Ald; Alder's Gate; Izl Guthret
Type
Citadel
Population
~20,000
Owning Organization
Comments