Valsport

The City of Priests and Thieves

Written by David_Ulph

Demographics

Approximately 13,500 peasantry, with 1,620 of that number being Guardsmen or other members of the Warrior Class; Approximately 3,060 nobility, comprising 19 Noble Houses (15 Knightly Houses, 3 Noble Houses, 1 True-Noble House), and 30 of that number being various Lawmen; 900 Merchants and Artisans are registered in the City; 540 Clergymen, with 11 of that number being Priests and an unknown number of Clerics of Light.

As a major city in the Great Western Empire, Talvel's Point does have a small community of Dagor Humans, with the city having a small "Dagor Town" where the generations have congregated. There is some culture clashes between the Dagor minority and Midden-Frosian Korg majority, as open courtship is frowned upon in "Dagor Town" but highly encouraged in the rest of the settlement. As the second major port of Skìrah, almost all demographics of the GWE are represented here.

There is an infestation of Boavan Vampyres across Valhol Hold, with the prime Bloodline having a foothold within Valsport, operating out of an abattoir far away from the heavily policed shorefront.

Government

Ran by House Valaesmirr, who are cadets under House Aesmirr of Dun Eldear. They rule from the Underkeep and a total of 18 other Houses reside within the city. Corruption is rife throughout the city, and the true governship is split between the Thieves' Guild and the local Temple dedicated to the chief deity of the Elder Pantheon.

Upholding Imperial and Korg laws is the local council of 30 Imperial Lawmen drawn from various noble families. The Bailiff is a criminal lackey, who works for currency to support his addiction of smoking opium. His most notable feature is a burn scar across the entire left side of his face he received for messing up a delivery to the Thieves' Guild. He will often wear a steel mask to cover his scarred face, a coat of plates emblazoned in the iconography of his status as Bailiff and of the GWE, a yellow chaperon, a chequered yellow-black hood covering his shoulders, and a tight grey hose. He wields a Bailiff's Mace with a heavily ornamental head.

Defences

No proper outer walls protect Valsport due to a variety of factors. For the first part, during raids and over time they have degraded and crumbled apart from very few places, but no parts going lower than a Korg's chest still allowing for some individual defence. Secondly, House Aesmirr is renown for their neutrality and the area which surrounds Valsport has been at relative peace for a long time by the end of the Third Age. Thirdly, walls are expensive to upkeep and the Houses that inhabit the cityport are economically biased and so all major funding goes toward the extensions and defence of the ports and Frozen Sea.

During the time of the Civil War, a Company of 1,620 guardsmen upheld law in the city, led by an outcast noble from House Frost of Roghavern Hold. The 1,620 guardsmen under him are respectful and business-like with their Captain, as he is in the pocket of the highest Thieves' Guild members. The guardsmen are clad in gambeson armour and yellow sercoat all marked with a black saltire across the chest. They are armed with halberds and crossbows. During the Imperial era, corruption and taking of bribery amongst watchmen in Valsport was extremely high, moreso than any other Korg city, having a law amongst themselves.

Valsport is also militarily defended by the 19 Houses which inhabit the city. Each House by Imperial Law must provide one Knight to the Imperial Legions for 40 days a year as well as a third of the levy they are expected to raise during war-time. There are 15 Knightly Houses that produce 1 Knight and a handful of loyal lowborn, 3 Noble Houses that produce 1-3 Knights, dozens of Personal Guard and a levy of around 112 lowborn, and 1 True-Noble House that produce up to a dozen Knights, hundreds of trained militia and a levy of around 1200 lowborn. This provides 30-36 heavy mounted knights to the defence of Talvel's Point during siege. An unknown number of the 540 Clergymen in Talvel's Point are also Clerics of Shyracon, the God of Light, and will defend their Temple to the last soul.

Industry & Trade

Outside the walls are acres of farmland that support the population of Valsport, although the majority of support comes from trade. There are approximately 20,000 livestock both within and without the city, with approximately 13,600 fowl, 4,000 cattle and 2,400 pigs.

Guilds and Factions

Since the ruling House Valaesmirr have turned the Great Barrow into their underground and highly defensible fortified hall, the Old Keep that sits atop it is no longer directly connected to it and has since been restored by the merchant class of the city to act as the Guildhall for the various Guilds represented here. The secret passageways built by the old Midden royalty have similarly been restored by the local Thieves' Guild, turning Valaesmirr into the capital for this Guild in Skìrah.

History

Valsport grew because of it's advantageous position. Despite many successful ports further down the coast in Mylrondia, the cove in which the city sits on has created a safe haven from the usual dangers of the Frozen Sea. It prospered with the influxes of merchants especially during the reign of the Golden King much in the same way as Lionmidden blossomed.

Architecture

The buildings are mostly made out of quarried stone, the streets are on average in disrepair the further you travel from the dockyards, and there is a serious rat infestation. The waterfront streets are dotted with ornamental fountains depicting the various Survivor Gods of the Elder Pantheon.

Alternative Names

The Great Barrow, Stags' Port

Population

Approx. 18,000

Size

Approx. 295 acres

Demonym

Valsporters

Related Ethnicities

• Boavan

As of the 2100EM Imperial Census, the following demographics were present in the city and surrounding farmsteads;

• 58.51% / 10,532 Korgs

• 14.6% / 2,628 Dagor Humans

• 12.1% / 2,178 Bludalfar

• 9.7% / 1,746 Losalfar

• 4.8% / 864 Mordwynnian-Hellic Humans

• 3.6% / 648 Sanarosi Humans