Riverside

Introduction:

A border town on the border between the Kuddo region of the Orc Domain and the Free Hills of the Unclaimed Lands. The town was initially founded by the Steel Company mercenaries and it has managed to survive despite the disolution of the company. Riverside is a popular trading hub for goods from eastern and southern Utican. In recent years Riverside has come into competition with the Free Hills town of Tharos. Tharos is planning to create an alternative route into Kuddo across the Lower Shugod River. This would break the monopoly Riverside has over trade flowing from the Unclaimed Lands into the Orc Domain.

Demographics

Riverside is predominantly inhabited by Carthan Humans. The Human population makes up about 50% of all residents with a majority of those humans being ethnically Carthan. The next largest group is Orcs and Half-Orcs and they make up about 35% of the population. The remaining 15% is a mix of Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, and other ancestries. There has recently been an increase in the number of Elves in Riverside due to the refugee crisis from the Shifting Badlands caused by the marauding Centaurs.

Government

Riverside is governed by a Commander who is selected by the leaders of the various mercenary companies that call Riverside home. This process for selecting an executive stretches back to the original founding of Riverside. Any policies or actions taken by the Commander must be in line with the laws of the Kuddo Region and the Orc Domain. Technically the Commander serves at the pleasure of the Orc Noble of House Galla, but a Commander has never been directly removed by a member of House Galla due to concerns of a mercenary revolt and the loss of revenue from Riverside.

Defences

Riverside is defended by a stout stone wall that encircles the town. The entrance into the town from Shugod Way is protected by a heavy iron portculis, armed guards, and a man trap where unsupecting scoundrels may be caught. In times of conflict the town calls upon the mercenary companies that call Riverside home and a militia is formed. In times of peace, the mercenary companies provide levies, usually from their rookie ranks, to serve in the guard on a rotational basis.

Infrastructure

The most impressive structure in Riverside is the Shugod Way. The Shugod Way is a great bridge that stretches across the Lower Shugod River and connects the Kuddo Region of the Orc Domain to the Free Hills region of the Unclaimed Lands. The bridge was a joint endeavor between Humans, Orcs, and Dwarves and features some of the finest engineering and craftsmanship from each ancestry. More importantly, Shugod Way allows traders to easily cross the otherwise difficult to navigate Lower Shugod River.

Districts

Riverside has three districts;

• Bridgegate: A district on the east side of town and the largest district overall. This district is home to most of the town's populace, the primary trade house, and the taverns and inns of the town. The most notable building in Bridgegate is Rhag's Rest, a famous Tavern and Inn frequented by many adventures over the millenia its doors have been open. The tavern has been renovated and rebuilt many times, but the general structure of the original built in 14,362, during the Rise of Heroes remains.
• The Arena District: The central district of Riverside that separates Bredgegate and Steelrise. The Arena District is home to the Proving Grounds, an Arena where mercenaries engage in blood sport for the entertainment of those in Reiverside. The Arena District is also home for many people in Riverside and is generally considered to be a more desirable district to live in than Bridgegate.
• Steelrise: A district on the west end of the town that cotains the Phalanx, a fortress built by the Steel Company that serves as the seat of power for Riverside. There are a handful of residences in Steelrise that are often the homes of mercenary commanders and wealthy merchants. The Barracks are attached to the Phalanx and serve as the housing and training grounds for the mercenary militia that protects and polices Riverside.

Guilds and Factions

Riverside is home to five major mercenary companies, and a handful of smaller outfits that come and go from season to season. The fiver notable merceary companies are;

• Archon's Warriors: Archon's Warriors is a mercenary company that operates throughout the Orc Domain. These mercenaries are the descendants of those that served the last Archon directly. When it became clear that a new Archon would not claim the Heavenly Throne soon, these warriors decided to form a company. When a new Archon sits on the Heavenly Throne the company will be disolved and each member will return to the Archon's service.
• Circle of Blades: A mercenary company founded by a druid who wished to return to civilization. Initial the druid wanted to start a circle within Riverside, but he found that there were too few with a talent for primal magic. Instead, the druid took jobs as a mercenary, made connections, and then founded his own company. The Circle of Blades favor jobs that concern hunting monsters, especially if those monsters are destroying the environment. In the past year the company has gotten a lot of work protecting refugees as they flee marauding centaurs.
• The Shining Steel Company: The Shining Steel Company is the most recent iteration of the Steel Company. Founded in 18,536 during the Imperial Dwarven Era, the Shining Steel Company has an impecable reputation. All the mercenaries of Riverside recognize the quality of the Shining Steel Company and many aspire to join their ranks. Their Commander, Arisha Coriender, is also the Commander of Riverside after she was selected unanimously by the other mercenary company leaders.
• Ring of Rogues: A mercenary company with a questionable reputation, the Ring of Rogues specialize in retrieval missions. The Ring does not ask whether or not the item being retreived belongs to their employer and emphasizes being discreet in their dealings. The Ring has been targeted by House Galla before for their conduct, but has managed to avoided losing its charter.
• The Sisterhood: A female mercenary group with a diverse group of capable mercenaries. The Sisterhood has a good reputation and is known to provide trustworthy and capable mercenaries. The Sisterhood has a strict policy against jobs that harm women and children. The only exception to this policy is when a sister is attacked first by a woman, she may defend herself. When attacked by a child the sister may defend herself but she must do so without permenantly harming the child.

Founding Date

5276

Founders

• The Steel Company

Type

Town

Inhabitant Demonym

Siders

Location under

Kuddo

Owner/Ruler

Arisha Coriender

Ruling/Owning Rank

Commander

Owning Organization

The Eupatridae