Heraldsport
Small City | Capital of Auredain
The capital city and the birthplace of the Kingdom of Auredain.. HERALDSPORT is a bustling city outsized in comparison to the remainder of the Kingdom. This is due to a confluence of factors. This population is active commercially and locally such that the Kingdom collects a significant amount of coin from those visiting, trading and conducting any other business. Ever since it was founded, HERALDSPORT has attracted an inordinate amount of travelers, riff-raff and those of a more sinister bend. The city has continued to grow at a rate nearly twice that of Auredain itself even in recent years. This has resulted in a city of a size that usually would not be able to exist based on the infrastructure and supply-chain capabilities of the surrounding lands.
This is one of the reasons that HERALDSPORT identifies as a “Free Port” despite being limited to the riverine and lake traffic networks. A Free Port is a maritime port that has been granted a charter for trade and commerce. In order to stimulate these areas and attract significant capital along with merchandise, these Free Ports would not charge duties on mercantile goods being brought in or out. While other settlements on DAEN LAKE can serve as a starting-off point for other vistas it is only in Heraldsport where one can truly access the markets of afar and spend coin in new and interesting ways.
Demographics
The city of HERALDSPORT boasts over thirteen thousand (13,000+) residents plus or minus a thousand or two wanderers and travels passing through its gates each day. The city itself is larger than conventional wisdom would say the Kingdom supported in truth and it has been that way since its founding over a century ago. HERALDSPORT has a historical cachet as being a 'safe place' and refuge from the depredations of The Taking. This reputation serves it well even today.
Where Heraldsport stands became the only refuge for many of those fleeing the Taking over a century ago. Those who made it here and survived began to rebuild their lives from this very spot and so the forced migration imposed a large population on the infant city and the nascent Kingdom from the first. In addition, the city is the principal trade nexus for the entire region and also has commercial sway in surround regions due to its access to DAEN LAKE and its tributary rivers. From Heraldsport, vessels and caravans travel east to the PERIPHERY and south to the REMNANT THRONES on a regular basis and so do new arrivals from these same regions.
As such, it is the site of a true intermingling of the many peoples in the Approach and from beyond. Some basic facts can be gleaned from the population:
-Heraldsport is dominated by the race of Mankind—over eighty-five percent of the population. This is similar to the Kingdom at large.
-The Shaelovanni peoples, long-time residents of the land and newcomers, are the 2nd most common Named People found in Heraldsport and the Kingdom.
-There is a growing number of Dwarven and Duergar Folk within the walls though many of these are traveling merchants or passing through on other business.
-Other Named Peoples are present within the city though in far smaller numbers. Some of these include Sylvanni Elvenfolk, Medusi and even occasionally a Border Hin.
Government
The city of HERALDSPORT is governed by the Office of the High Mayor. The OFFICE is a hybrid of a guildhall, feudal bureaucracy and street thugs.
LAW & ORDER
The WATCH, known more commonly as the FIRELIGHTS, are the civilian peace-keepers that patrol the streets and enforce the property rights of the Kingdom and wealthy individuals. They are officially armed with only banded-batons. The members of the WATCH, a stable but dangerous and not-very-profitable occupation, range from country youth seeking employment in the city to violence-prone thugs that were simply in search of an easier way to crack skulls and liberate coin from others.The WATCH operate in patrols out of three WATCH-HAVENS situated throughout the city districts and centrally from the Widowyard Cells.
Districts
The city of HERALDSPOINT is divided into several individual wards for political, public safety and financial reasons. The various districts have formal, or official, names but many of them also have a more common name that was awarded amongst the people. Those who are native to the city or familiar with this often forget to mention that to new visitors when providing directions or clarification within the capital. The apportionment of wards and specific functionaries, known as a Ward Legate, being assigned at a district-level enable the capital’s bureaucracy to respond to street-level issues and needs in an urgent fashion. While the locals of a ward will often advertise and encourage others to support a particular person for the Legate position—the public has no official say in who is appointed by the High-Mayor.
The city of HERALDSPORT is divided into wards within its walls with the addition of one other neighborhood just outside along the shore. Only some of these wards have official status although all of them have been part and parcel of the city for decades. Even the city officials will refer to THE PIT or SIDEWATERS despite there being no official ward bureaucracy within the city government.
RECOGNIZED WARDS (City Districts)
Cantward | The primary artisan and commercial ward that surrounds the Day-Market. It is an eclectic bunching of industries, financial interests, laborers, merchants, craftsmen and residents. Many of those who work in this ward also live here.
Docksward | The area encompassing the shore and the extensive dockworks, warehouses and joy houses catering to the lake and caravan traffic.
Highward | The Highward comprises the center of the city and holds the municipal government along with the royal government of the Kingdom.
Marketward | This ward is confined to the open-air Day-Market that takes place each day in the Day-Market Plaza.
Silentwalls | This ward is well-patrolled and kept in clear orderliness by dictate of its residents. There are several influential organizations that maintain halls within this ward. In addition, a few prominent and wealthy citizens of Auredain maintain residences here as well. There is minimal lodging and that which exists is often only available to those who prove legitimate business with one of the organizations or residents of the ward.
Southgate Ward | Southgate is predominantly tenements and journey-inns positioned to take advantage of the proximity of the southern gate entrance to the city. Most of the journey-inns hold small plots of land outside the city for the hitching of wagons and beasts while the caravan members stay within the city walls.
Westfort Ward | While not represented or administered as any other Ward, Westfort is a recognized city ward that is comprised of the fortress and military garrison within Heraldsport.
Maps
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HERALDSPORT
The capital of AUREDAIN and principal river port-town. HERALDSPORT has a population of approx. 14,000 people.
Founding Date
3
Founders
Alternative Name(s)
City On The Dain,
Type
Capital
Population
Est. 13,000+
Included Locations
Owning Organization
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