The City of Merciwyne
Merciwyne Crest
Demographics
- 35% Human
- 25% Dwarf
- 20% Elf/Half-Elf
- 20% Other (Half-Orc, Gnome, Tiefling, Dragonborn, Aasimar)
Government
The city of Merciwyne is best classified as a bureaucratic militocracy. A city council oversees various departments that are responsible for a specific aspect of rule. The Iron Guard, while under the umbrella of The Merciwyne City Council, maintains authoritative rule under the careful direction of the Duke. A strong military presence exists as an after effect of wartime, as well as to maintain peace and order amongst the various races and types of people that exist in a city of this size.
Industry & Trade
Merciwyne is a mecca for trade. For centuries, their primary export has been the Mercylberry, the highly coveted fruit that is utilized in the manufacture of the alcoholic drink that shares the namesake of the city. Other key exports include silver, tin, faewood, crimson spice, plumed onions, and wet water parsnips. Key imports include gold, moonwood, greenwood, camarina beans, and beyla fiber.
Many of the residents in the city hold jobs working in the various shops and stores; retail is a primary source of financial stability. There is another small percentage of the populace that makes a living as a career soldier, employed by The Iron Guard. It is also common for some of the citizens in the lower district to work as farmhands in the drier lands south of the city.
Infrastructure
The city of Merciwyne is unique in several facets. Firstly, the simple fact that a major river flows directly through the heart of the city makes it stand out as unique. The Orset River originates in the northeast portion of The Carigon Mountains, and runs all the way through the lands below, where it bisects Merciwyne and eventually empties into The North Sea. The river narrows considerably around the city, it is the narrowest part of its entire run from the mountain to the sea. Several bridges span the river throughout the city, wide enough to comfortably allow the passage of foot traffic, as well as caravans and trade carts. Each bridge offers a lookout/observation spot on each side of the bridge to allow passersby to stop and admire the vista of a gently downwardly sloping city with the rush of a major river.
A second unique feature making Merciwyne stand out is it's horseshoe-shaped inlet and lower district on the north side of the city. As you approach Merciwyne by boat traveling up The Orset River from the North Sea, it is hard to ignore the beauty and unique architecture of the lower district. Quaint homes have been built into the sides of the waterfront steeps, with narrow paths leading down to the marketplace below. The marketplace surrounding the inlet is host to several small taverns and general stores, but mostly is populated with covered trade carts, caravans and vendors peddling wares by foot. Trade ships, galleys, and larger merchant ships are docked on adjacent ports outside the horseshoe-shaped inlet that stretch down the shores of the river. Smaller fishing boats and dingys are able to dock inside the horeshoe along the coastline market area. There is a small island in the middle of the inlet that has ferryboats coming to and fro every so often. Standing proudly and 20 feet tall is a very old looking statue resembling the dwarven goddess Frira. The statue depicts her standing amid a pool of crystal clear water, wearing a dress and donning a somber expression, the palms of her hands turned upwards, her gaze staring straight ahead. Believed to be as old as the city itself, this statue is a place of quiet devotion, as two armed guards stand adjacent to one another, and demand silence for any who step foot on the island. There are several small devotional areas for worshipers to kneel and make offerings, and the bottom of the pool that the statue is sitting in has many gold coins resting in it. Beautifully manicured flowers and foliage adorn the shrine, and several flat stone benches line the outer arc of the island. The visage looking north towards the sea is breathtaking from this island holy site.
The narrowest part of The Orset River's long journey from mountain to sea is right in the heart of the upper district. At this narrowing stands a towering statue, some 40 feet tall, depicting a dwarf in plain clothing wielding an axe in his right hand. Sitting atop an elevated stone platform with a small pool inside, this monument is one of the focal points of the entire city. Meant to symbolize both the original founders and architects of the city, as well as the steadfast defense of the mountain that the dwarves maintained for so long, locals warmly refer to the monument as "Old Bolûr" (in reference to a famed dwarven warrior from ages past).
Districts
Lower Merciwyne - home to much of the city's industry and trade, several smaller taverns, general stores, and a host of other shops and artisans. Thousands of residents live in this district, and sprawl outside the city's walls in tightly packed clusters.
Upper Merciwyne - Located on the (appropriately named) upper slope of the city, the district is much more spaced out, buildings are larger and more ornately constructed. It is home to the middle-upper class citizens, as well as lower nobility. Further up the slope of the city into the rear of the district, the homes become larger still. The Duke's Keep is located here, as well as many of the homes of other wealthy nobles, council members, politicians and business owners. The Gilded Mare, the most upscale tavern and inn in the city, is located at the cusp of the lower and upper districts; it is unmistakable by it's lavish architecture and the bronze horse statue in the front courtyard area.
Guilds and Factions
Prominent factions, guilds and organizations holding influence in Merciwyne:
- The Duke Rommus Wessel
- The Merciwyne City Council
- The Merchant's Guild
- The Adventurer's Guild
- The College of Mages
- The Dûnadaïn Conservatory
History
Constructed almost 1,000 years ago by the original dwarven refugees of Dorûnde in The Carigon Mountains, Merciwyne has become home to an extremely diverse populace over the years. While some of the original dwarves remained in The Iron Keep of Dorûnde, the vast majority vacated and scattered. A small tribe of several hundred dedicated and determined dwarves headed north towards the sea, and began work on what became one of the largest trade cities still in existence today. A new life of promise ahead of them, their storied past was but a painted smattering of a distant peak on the southern skyscape.
Much more temperate (and significantly more humid than the chilly peaks atop the mountain), Merciwyne gets its name from the famed wine that is crafted using the region's native Mercylberry. Found primarily along the coast of the North Sea and the lands thereby, this precious commodity is guarded and highly valued for its use in the ubiquitous beverage. The berries were first harvested by the earliest elven settlers from the north, and they kept them closely guarded in remote communities and villages. When the dwarves first arrived in the lands below The North Sea and began to settle, they quickly learned how territorial the elves were, and boundary lines were established. Over time, mercylberries began to grow inside the dwarven settlements. Once the dwarves got a taste for the delicious berry and discovered that it could be used to make wine, they sought a larger crop to farm. The dwarves ventured out of Merciwyne to the countryside and the marshes, but soon discovered they had infringed on lands occupied by the elves.
The elves responded to the trespassing dwarves with a stern warning to stay off their lands, and in a rare bit of parlance, the dwarves negotiated a deal. The elves agreed to allow the dwarves access to several hundred acres of the treasured berries, without restriction. With this newly granted access, the dwarves were able to happily acquire enough crop to make as much merciwyne as they liked. In exchange, the dwarves offered the elves asylum in their newly built city, and access to different kinds of medicines and salves that they badly needed. While advanced in their agricultural methods, the elves sorely lacked a reliable means to combat sickness and disease that was an ever-increasing problem among their people.
A tenuous peace was struck between the two races, which lasted for almost 500 years, until race relations deteriorated entirely, and a century of war unfolded between the dwarves and the elves. Racial superiority and hatred became the doctrine of several evil dictators that had assumed power and driven their tribes and their people to a bloody, hate-filled period of warring. It took three generations before an insurrection overthrew the tyrranical, hate-filled leaders, and another period of peace was established. But this new treaty had a different, more bitter feeling than in the past. The days of happy coexistence seemed eons in the past, and even to this day, dwarves and elves hold a cautious tenuousness to each other. That is not to say there is not civility, but the periods of warring and the deep-seeded hatred are certainly not forgotten. Constant reminders are seen almost daily in a culturally diverse city like Merciwyne.
Architecture
The city was originally built just shy of a thousand years ago using dwarven architecture. Over the years, time and age took its natural toll on buildings and bridges. As more humans and elves began moving in to the city, their influence was seen as infrastructure was repaired and rebuilt over the years. Many buildings and monuments still maintain their original architecture, due to the meticulous upkeep of historians over the years. Harsh storm systems and a few fires over the years damaged some parts of the city, and caused irreparable damage to other buildings, which required full rebuilds, specifically in the lower district. Many of the well kept areas that maintain their original dwarven architecture are in the upper district.
Climate
The seasons are drastically varied in Merciwyne. The wintertide season can get bitterly cold, and it gets brutally hot at times during the dead of the summertide. Although rare unless the winter season is unusually cold, Merciwyne is susceptible to snow squalls and storms due to it's proximity to The North Sea.
Natural Resources
Mercylberries, faewood, silver and tin. Some of the most plentiful resources, also happen to be some of Merciwyne's primary exports.
Founding Date
Approximately 1480 AD
Alternative Name(s)
The First City
Type
City
Population
Approximately 17,500
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
THE FOLLOWING ARE LAWS TO BE ADHERED TO WITHIN THE WALLS AND CONFINES OF THE CITY OF MERCIWYNE
(all penalties listed are for first time offences, subject to further punishment and/or fines, depending on the discretion or interpretation of the arresting officer)
- Brandishing of a weapon, unless under direct threat of attack or invasion, is strictly forbidden. (50gp)
- It is illegal to be outside at nighttime after dark without a torch, or other magical light source. (25gp)
- Any wagon or caravan transporting dead animals or otherwise, must be covered at all times. (25gp)
- All horses are to be double-knotted to hitching posts, no exceptions. (25gp)
- Bowing and/or tipping of the cap in the presence of The Duke is required for all citizens. (10gp)
- Flatulence or burping inside of a holy building is not permitted. (10gp)
- Practicing magic of any kind in public is not permitted. (25gp)
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