Freehaven
The Birthplace of Peace
Ruler: The Havenlords, Lord Lancelin
Economy: Trade, services, manufacture, of all manner of goods, shipbuilding.
Militia: Thought to be 1,200 Guard Soldiers, —heavily trained, fully armored men-at-arms, and 1,600 Watch that act as lightly armored police. The Watch may search any person, place, or container without hindrance or warning.
Points of interest: Freeport, The Promonade, City of the Dead, Mount Sinatur, Castle Freehaven (Havenlord's Palace), Algorythm Tower (mages tower/tomb), The Barracks (Guard Soldiers), Yeksab's Tower (home of the sage Pahadron Tabbris), The Dawnspire (temple), Highway of Heroes (temple), Moonhome (temple), Hands of The Wonderworkers (temple), Tower of Luck
Freehaven is the most important and influential city of The Frontier, and arguably the whole world. Also known as The Birthplace of Peace it has a standing population of well over one hundred thousand that rises to over a quarter of a million individuals or more during a prime trading season. It is located on the Western Coast north of Athon and is reached by paved, well-patrolled roads or by vessel from across the Platician Sea. It is the hub of trading from the mineral-rich lands of the north, the merchant kingdoms of The Heartlands to the east, The Commonwealth to the south, and across the ocean to the kingdoms and traders of Lungshi in the Far East.
The city proper is governed by the Havenlords, men, and women from all walks of life who rule fairly, yet remain unknown by the people of the city. Being the largest city of The Frontier, and perhaps the world during trading season, just about anything one could want can be found in this mighty seaport— and trading nexus, if the price is right. The sprawling walled city contains folk of all races and all professions. Most religions have shrines here and many have large temples. There is a saying, "“As goes Freehaven, so goes the North".”
Freehaven controls most of the trade in the North; almost everything grown, mined, or made in The Frontier is eventually taken to Freehaven before finding its way farther south with —few merchants willing to travel the wild overland routes, though an intrepid few take the chance of making good profits if they survive the savagery of The Frontier. Employers who seek adventurers’ aid look to Freehold first, and if one must spend a winter in the North, Freehold is the warmest, though not necessarily the safest, place to do it. Deep winter rarely lasts longer than two-and-a-half months here (much shorter than the rest of the North).
Freehaven is guarded by great walls with high towers, magical wards and barriers, and by sheer 100-foot cliffs. Four gates pierce the wall: South Gate, River Gate, Northgate, and Westgate. Sprawling construction is nearly constant in one form or another except where it is banned by the edict of the Havenlords’, such as the City of the Dead, The Promenade or busy public streets. The city is built upon rock and rubble mined from the innards of Mount Sinatur, atop which Anulil declared an end to The Godswar in ancient days. The city is divided into seven districts or wards. They are Castle Ward, which contains Lord Lancelin's palace, army barracks, and the homes of the wealthy; Sea Ward, along the seacoast, which contains The Promenade, most temples and the homes of nobility; North Ward, a nice district where the best inns can be found; The City of the Dead, a great walled cemetery where none may live or even spend the night; Trades Ward, the commercial area of the city— and home of the well-to-do merchant class; Southern Ward, a poor but honest district where most trading companies and caravan masters have their offices; and Dock Ward, a rough district which encompasses the city’s vital trade commerce and its shadier population. At least three networks of underground passages are known to exist beneath Freehold'’s busy streets. Dynamic Earth, a many-leveled former dwarfhold and mine of great antiquity, lies largely beneath Mount Sinatur being the largest and most famous. The Dungeon Crypt, so named for its entrance in the City of the Dead, lies under North Ward and is less spoken of. The third labyrinth is the city sewers, which links much of the city with its vast, damp and smelly conduits. Freehold's navy patrols its huge, walled harbor and mermen guard the underwater areas. Many of these armored ships sail the Ocean Merchant Convoy Routes to and from Lungshi to keep pirates, or worse, at bay. Within its walls, when magic wards fail to keep the peace The Watch is ever-present and quick to respond to any emergency, many before they even occur.
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