Stavian's Hold

Stavian's Hold is a large town on the Whistling Plains, located on Taldor's eastern Porthmos Prefecture. The establishment of the settlement was motivated by Grand Prince Stavian III, who saw the project as a means to strengthen the power of the crown when he came to power, as well as divert the attention of his critics.

Government

Leadership This town is overseen by Baroness Diddima Ennoi, who was appointed by Stavian III, a sop to a rival that also took her far from Oppara and has saddled her family with supporting this prestigious but costly project.

Defences

Military Stavian's Hold stands as a defensive bastion on Taldor's easternmost border, watching for possible invasion from Qadira. It boasts extensive earthen defenses, and is home to several legions of Taldan Phalanx.

Guilds and Factions

Organizations Baroness Ennoi, who is also a wizard, has recently opened the Eastern Front Academy. The Eastern Front Academy is a school of arcane magic and alchemy located in the far-eastern Taldan city of Stavian's Hold in Porthmos Prefecture. It was founded by Baroness Diddima Ennoi to try and provide a local industry to the isolated town. Given its location on the fringes of the nation, the school only attracts those whose parents cannot afford to send them to the more prestigious schools in the west, as well as the non-inheriting sons and daughters of local artisans and merchants.

History

The current Grand Prince's father, Stavian II, accomplished little during his reign. He spent most of his years on the defensive, placating powerful nobles and members of the senatorial class, and fell prey to many petty grievances. Stavian III wished to avoid his father's fate and restore power to the Primogen Crown, and therefore instituted a massive public works project and military campaign early in his reign: the protection of Taldor's eastern border and the creation of a new town to serve as its defensive linchpin: Stavian's Hold. He appointed Baroness Diddima Ennoi, one of the crown's most ardent critics, to oversee the project, assuring her and others that supporting the patriotic effort would grant them great honor. This had the effect of drawing much of the nobility's wealth and attention away from Oppara, allowing him to consolidate power.

Geography

Stavian's Hold is comprised of a frontier town and keep that possesses a commanding view of the Whistling Plains due to its location on the highest hill for hundreds of miles around. It is geographically isolated from the rest of Taldor, but contact with the capital city of Oppara is maintained via a road leading to the River Porthmos. The town has several towers and is entirely enclosed in walls, but has few natural resources, industry, or trade. It remains a prairie town, busy, but dependent on continuing support from the Ennoi family and their allies in Oppara.

Type

Large town

Population

4,311