Gyldengard
Gyldengard is a city in the Northern Reach, located in the Frostbelt Mountains. The city is dedicated to the god Fafnir and is ruled by several undead noble families. The city has become very wealthy due to the high number of gem mines in the surrounding mountains, and the legion of undead servants that provide cheap labor to the citizens. The living citizens of Gyldengard are in constant competition with each other to prove themselves worthy to their undead rulers, in hopes that they might stand out and be rewarded with immortality and entrance into the upper echelons of Gyldengard society. The city is one of the more prominent locations for magical research in the Northern Reach, and heavily specializes in necromancy.
Demographics
35% Various Greater Undead, 20% Human, 15% Dwarf, 10% Kobold, 5% Giant, 15% Other
Government
Gyldengard is ruled by it Jarl, though as the ruling family has been made up of undead since shortly after its founding the city has placed a limit of 500 years of rule for any individual. There are also several noble houses in the city that compete for control over the many different mines in the region. Wealth commonly correlates with political influence in Gyldengard, though powerful necromantic ability is also highly valued, as the more servants an individual can control the wealthier they can become.
The Nobility of the city is also largely led by various undead families. Those families choose individuals they believe to be worthy and convert them into greater undead forms so that they might serve the city's interests for far longer than they otherwise would. The different families are organized by the different types of undead. The most prominent houses are the House of Blood, led by vampires, the House of Spirit, led by the ethereal undead, and the House of Bones, whose rulers are typically powers liches and lead more physical undead.
The Nobility of the city is also largely led by various undead families. Those families choose individuals they believe to be worthy and convert them into greater undead forms so that they might serve the city's interests for far longer than they otherwise would. The different families are organized by the different types of undead. The most prominent houses are the House of Blood, led by vampires, the House of Spirit, led by the ethereal undead, and the House of Bones, whose rulers are typically powers liches and lead more physical undead.
Defences
Gyldenhall is protected by a large force of undead soldiers, and many of the citizens are powerful necromancers. This allows the city to maintain a much larger defense force than most other cities in the Lands Below, though it is not one that can be easily used for offence. The city is also located high up in the mountains, providing it many natural defenses as the terrain and weather make the surrounding area inhospitable to many. One of the most powerful defenses the city has is the ability to contact the god Fafnir, who will lend the city a powerful undead linnorm to protect it in times of extreme crisis, though this is incredibly costly for the city to do.
Industry & Trade
Much of the city's day to day operations are overseen by vast hordes of basic undead servants. They work in the mines, they clean the streets, and they make up much of the military force of the city. This allows the city to operate while only needing a small number of citizens working on the basic maintenance of the city, and the vast majority of them are able to pursue whatever paths they so choose. Many choose to support the city through the study of necromancy. To fuel the research into necromancy the city requires a constant influx of bodies, and while much of this need is fulfilled by the natural passing away of the city's own citizens, Gyldengard also regularly purchases corpses from other cities to ensure it never runs out. Less ethical citizens will occasional hire bands of raiders to ransack other settlements when there is a particularly high demand.
Much of the city's wealth comes from the many mines surrounding the city. Gyldengaurd is one of the chief exporters of gold, silver, and precious gems. Undead servants make perfect mines as they do not tire, do not require payment, do not need to be fed, and do not need light, so the city can keep a constant flow of new materials. Undead are also far less bothered by extreme cold, which serves as another benefit given that the city is located high up in the mountains. Gyldengard uses many of these treasures in exchange for food for its living citizens.
Much of the city's wealth comes from the many mines surrounding the city. Gyldengaurd is one of the chief exporters of gold, silver, and precious gems. Undead servants make perfect mines as they do not tire, do not require payment, do not need to be fed, and do not need light, so the city can keep a constant flow of new materials. Undead are also far less bothered by extreme cold, which serves as another benefit given that the city is located high up in the mountains. Gyldengard uses many of these treasures in exchange for food for its living citizens.
Infrastructure
While the city is naturally kept in a dreary darkness throughout most of the year, a sizable number of the city's inhabitants are vulnerable to sunlight, and as such the city has prepared a variety of shaded areas and tunnels to allow those citizens to move throughout the city during the few times a year the city has a sunny day.
Assets
Gyldengard is one of the wealthiest cities in the Northern Reach due to the high number of plentiful gem mines and its use of undead as a free source of labor.
History
The city of Gyldengard was one of the later cities founded in the Northern Reach, as the location high in the mountains was difficult to settle, but as the Reach became more established the allure of the plentiful gem mines attracted settlement to the area. The initial expedition was led by a human named Edwin Kvist, who initially found great success in the establishment of Gyldengard. The city was dependent on trade with the rest of the Reach to provide enough food, but the mines provided plenty of precious materials to trade for food with plenty of wealth left to spare. Edwin's lieutenants rose in prominence alongside him, and the city quickly began to prosper. Much of the credit was given to Edwin himself, as he wholeheartedly poured himself into working for the benefit of the city, and was completely devoted to the cities success.
The issues with the city arose in the year 2842 of the Fourth Age, when Edwin died from a sudden illness. In his devotion to the city Edwin had never taken the time to start a family, and he had never declared a successor before illness took him. This led to a succession crisis as his former lieutenants turned on each other in their attempts to take power over the city as a whole. Eventually the issue escalated into open fighting between several different factions in the city. The situation continued to worsen as the fighting disrupted mining operations, and cut off trade with other cities. With the loss of its source of food and income, Gyldengard began to starve.
The situation in Gyldengard continued to worsen with no end in sight, until an individual named Henrik Bach decided to take action. Henrik was a young man whose family had worked for Edwin before being killed in the conflict that arose after Edwin's death. Henrik deeply respected Edwin, and believed that he was the only who could save the city of Gyldengard before the infighting completely destroyed it. He prayed to the gods to return Edwin, and found his prayers answered by the goddess Chrylistia, who taught him a ritual to revive Edwin and grant him eternal life so that he could always serve Gyldengard. Henrich performed this ritual in secret, reviving Edwin as a vampire, and swearing loyalty to him as long as he could restore order in Gyldengard.
Edwin was outraged by what his former lieutenants had done to the city, but knew he had to work in secret and gather allies before he could retake the city. He begin seeking out those who truly worked for the benefit of the city, and began to recruit them in secret, turning several others into vampires. When he had gathered enough loyal allies he began to more directly oppose the different factions fighting in the city, weakening their forces, breaking their alliances, and looking for more weaknesses, all while gathering more allies in secret. Eventually he set up a plan where each of the former lieutenants would gather together for a final battle, and when they were all distracted fighting each other he struck, wiping them all out.
In the aftermath of the battle Edwin declared that he was retaking control of the city, and that as punishment for the damage they caused during their lives, his former lieutenants and their servants would serve the city in death. The combatants were raised as lesser undead, and put to work repairing the city. The citizens accepted Edwin as leader despite his status as an undead being, and celebrated that their struggles were coming to an end. Edwin adopted Henrich into his family and declared him his successor. He turned Henrich into a vampire as well, and announced that he would step down after five hundred years of rule. The other cities in the Northern Reach were initially quite hesitant to resume trade with a city ruled by undead, but they knew it would be costly to invade Gyldengard given its position in the mountains. An accord was signed between Gyldengard and the other cities placing a limit on the number of powerful undead they could raise, and requiring a strict oath that none would be converted to undeath without their explicit consent. In exchange trade would resume, and the undead would be allowed to keep a home in Gyldengard.
The issues with the city arose in the year 2842 of the Fourth Age, when Edwin died from a sudden illness. In his devotion to the city Edwin had never taken the time to start a family, and he had never declared a successor before illness took him. This led to a succession crisis as his former lieutenants turned on each other in their attempts to take power over the city as a whole. Eventually the issue escalated into open fighting between several different factions in the city. The situation continued to worsen as the fighting disrupted mining operations, and cut off trade with other cities. With the loss of its source of food and income, Gyldengard began to starve.
The situation in Gyldengard continued to worsen with no end in sight, until an individual named Henrik Bach decided to take action. Henrik was a young man whose family had worked for Edwin before being killed in the conflict that arose after Edwin's death. Henrik deeply respected Edwin, and believed that he was the only who could save the city of Gyldengard before the infighting completely destroyed it. He prayed to the gods to return Edwin, and found his prayers answered by the goddess Chrylistia, who taught him a ritual to revive Edwin and grant him eternal life so that he could always serve Gyldengard. Henrich performed this ritual in secret, reviving Edwin as a vampire, and swearing loyalty to him as long as he could restore order in Gyldengard.
Edwin was outraged by what his former lieutenants had done to the city, but knew he had to work in secret and gather allies before he could retake the city. He begin seeking out those who truly worked for the benefit of the city, and began to recruit them in secret, turning several others into vampires. When he had gathered enough loyal allies he began to more directly oppose the different factions fighting in the city, weakening their forces, breaking their alliances, and looking for more weaknesses, all while gathering more allies in secret. Eventually he set up a plan where each of the former lieutenants would gather together for a final battle, and when they were all distracted fighting each other he struck, wiping them all out.
In the aftermath of the battle Edwin declared that he was retaking control of the city, and that as punishment for the damage they caused during their lives, his former lieutenants and their servants would serve the city in death. The combatants were raised as lesser undead, and put to work repairing the city. The citizens accepted Edwin as leader despite his status as an undead being, and celebrated that their struggles were coming to an end. Edwin adopted Henrich into his family and declared him his successor. He turned Henrich into a vampire as well, and announced that he would step down after five hundred years of rule. The other cities in the Northern Reach were initially quite hesitant to resume trade with a city ruled by undead, but they knew it would be costly to invade Gyldengard given its position in the mountains. An accord was signed between Gyldengard and the other cities placing a limit on the number of powerful undead they could raise, and requiring a strict oath that none would be converted to undeath without their explicit consent. In exchange trade would resume, and the undead would be allowed to keep a home in Gyldengard.
Founding Date
Year 2803 of the Fourth Age
Founders
Type
Large city
Population
24,000 + a fluctuating umber of mindless undead servants
Inhabitant Demonym
Gyldenman/Gyldenwoman
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
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