Citadel

Ruler: The Grothiáflóga Grand Marshal and the Parliament of Citadel Economy: dyes, fish, lamp oils, trade Militia: 500 Citadel Watch supplemented when required by up to 10000 Grothiáflóga Mercenaries Points of interest: Crescent Moon Harbour, The High Hall, The House of Wonders, Elfsong Tavern, The Blade and Stars, The Blushing Mermaid, The Helm and Cloak, Three Old Kegs
This port city of over 100,000 souls is both shelter and lifeline for the folk of the Vale running along and south of The Blackwaters. It is the only place to buy many luxury goods and offers the discerning shopper the widest selection of goods anywhere in The Frontier region though usually at prices higher than those in Freehaven or coastal Aquilowna. Citadel is a tolerant but well-policed city of merchants and quiet business is the usual general order of each day. Citadel, Freehaven, Aquilowna, Saelz, and Aethermyst are probably the safest settlements in all Ethigoviel. The Citadel Watch wearing distinctive black helms are the first local line if problems arrive to threaten this safety. Not only are the members of The Watch vigilant, enthusiastic, wise, and observant, but they can openly call on the Grothiáflóga Mercenary Company, over two thousand strong, is based in the city. Every tenth person or so is a member or a watch agent of the Grothiáflóga, skilled in battle and within a breath or two of numerous armed allies. The visitor can freely stroll and shop. If you can’t carry all you buy or need help to find your way, guides and porters can be hired at most street corners. These husky youths are known as lamp boys or lamp lasses because they carry lanterns at night to light the way for their patrons. This metropolis and city-state is located to the south of the great city-state of Freehaven and to the north of the fabled Safehold along well traveled and patrolled roads. In ancient times the seafaring human hero of The Godswar Dubglas departed with King Hvall during his trek to establishing the lands now known as Hauth with great wealth and prominence of his own. Dubglas used this wealth to build a wall at the end of what is now known as The Black Waters but originally named after Dubglas himself. Dubglas later vanished never to return. After Dubglas vanished, local farmers took control of the wall and begin to tax sailors arriving. These sailors eventually overthrew the ruthless farmers and the four eldest among them took control, calling themselves "dukes." Eventually, the city came to be called Citadel and was led by the Council of Four, the Four Grand Dukes of Citadel. The inner portions of the city were divided in twain; the first is where the wealthy live as the other filled quickly with the homes of the sailors, workers and priests. The city quickly became the most powerful force in Southwestern Ethigoviel and joined the Lords' Alliance. The city was only been recorded calling upon the Alliance once when the Black Horde attempted to invade. They sent their top military general, Eldrith the Betrayer to drive them off. While she experienced victory at first, she would eventually betray Citadel and be killed, but tales exist she was later resurrected, in the Marsh of Obrimas, otherwise known as the Demonfells. The Grothiáflóga began operating in Citadel a little over five decades ago during a major conspiracy to send the city to war with the nearby Borderlands of Rhigolia. The plan failed and within two years due to the sacrifice of a group of nameless heroes from Citadel. In recent years the Grand Duke Valarken, along with General Ikhal, attempted to usurp the leadership of Citadel. The failure of his attack would lead to the dissolution of the Citadel Police and the Council of Four. In its place, the Grothiáflóga’s Grand Marshal and the Parliament of Citadel came to rule. Since then Citadel has experienced a doubling of population and area. The new leadership worked well together and has been able to adapt to this change and has experienced relative peace ever since. Buildings in Citadel tend to be tall and narrow, with slit windows located high up and covered with shutters to block winter winds and nesting seabirds alike. Tall among them rises the grandly spired ducal palace of the four former ruling Grand Dukes known as the High Hall. Now a place for feasts, court hearings, and administrative business, it boasts a dozen meeting rooms that all citizens can wander in and use to conduct business unless someone else is already using them. To discourage the miserly from using these as permanent places of business, there’s a rule forbidding anyone who entered one of the rooms today from using it tomorrow.

Type

Large city

Location under

Ethigoviel