Helmfirth
Major Settlement in the Lowlands Region
Helmfirth is the hub of the Lowlands region – once the fortress of the King of the Lowlands, it is now home to a distant descendant of Clarenbald the Heartbreaker. The city is under heavy guard at all times, other than in the Barrioward, and with the recent successes by FIST in the region, the guard are understandably jumpy. Demographically the city is heavily human and Elven - an imbalance that worsens as you move inside the original wall.
Wards of the City
Verdantward
Outside of the city walls, the Verdantward consists of farms for both livestock and grains. A small ‘village’ of small buildings on the outskirts is known informally as Worksford, and houses the farmhands that are communally hired by the Rural Guild. Some of these workers are freemen, who get paid a living wage, while others are slaves, fed and cared for, but slaves non the less. Many of the owners of the farms reside within the city walls rather than on their farms.Gateward
Originally on the outskirts of the city, the construction on the Secondwall meant they went from being less defended to being prime real estate. Divided into East and West by the Silver Road. Home to many of the farm owners, as well as the higher ranking members of the guards, the shopping district of the Gateward features high class clothing, expert smiths and other high level tradespeople. Beside the original gate lies the barracks and jailcell – located in the centre of town making escape neigh on impossible. In the northern end of the Gateward lies a small park – once the sight of the execution of King Strome. Many have attempted to build on this site, only for projects to be waylaid by deaths of workers, hauntings and apparitions.Barrioward
The glitz and glamor of the Gateward fade quickly for those that leave the Silver Road. Shops and middle class homes lose their sparkle -and their size, before rapidly degrading into small, cramped homes. Even the guard avoid travelling to the Barrioward too much, and those on the border of the Gateward are constantly suggesting to ‘Build a wall’ to contain the residents of the Barrioward – who they think of as criminals. In reality, the people who live in the Barrioward are the attendants to the rich – cleaning their homes, making their meals, and steering their carriages. The most racially diverse of the wards, it is not uncommon to see Dwarves living shoulder to shoulder with Elves, Halflings and Gnomes. Those who venture into the Ward may find themselves at the Old Guard Tower – a famous inn built in (shockingly) the old guard tower. Featuring an odd job board, the Old Guard Tower provides lodging for travellers, safe (if cramped and dingy) rooms, and (allegedly) the best & strongest Firewhiskey in the land.The Town Green
An open park on the edge of the Gateward, featuring a man-made lake and trees. Occasionally travelling carnivals will set up here, to the delight of the children of the town.Firstwall
The wall that runs through the centre of Helmfirth is the original outer wall of the town. Access through the old gate into Oldtown is strictly regulated by the town guard.Old Town
The original homes and shops of town, one could rapidly find their coppers gone – the ‘Old Town Tax’ is very real here. Those inside the Firstwall look down on those outside of it, beleiveing themselves to be the betters.Jaloward
Administratively one ward, there are two ‘Islands’ of homes in the Jaloward. Those in South Jaloward are the heads of the various guilds – The Rural Guild, the Merchants Guild, The Treasurers Guild, The head of the Guards and the City Head (Viscount Bardolf) all live in this island. There is a Large Park featuring a statue of Talos, where the local nobility hold weddings in sight of the god. The North Jaloward are the original noble families, taken in by the original King Strome. Allowed to remain in their lands at the behest of the King, they form the city council. Also home to The Silver Waters of the Trostenwald Inn – accommodation for visiting noble and wealthyThe Estate
Home now of the General of the Silver, who is a distant heir of Clerenbald the Heartbreaker. A cruel and heartless man, he rarely partakes in the happenings of the town, spending his days touring the region and battling off FIST. A large, natural lake sits on the property, and the Trostenwald River runs through the town. Only two bridges go into the estate, each guarded by a team of handpicked guards. His staff all reside on the property, and can be recognised by the twisted Phoenix head masks they wear.Demographics
Human: 55%
Elf: 15%
Halfling: 10%
Dwarf: 5%
Tiefling: 2.5%
Gnome: 2.5%
Other: 10%
Government
Defences
The original township was surrounded by a high wall (now known as the First Wall) - this wall still stands surrounding the Estate, Old Town and the Jalowards. The secondwall was built at a later date, incorporating the Barrioward and the Gateward as the city grew in the years after the fall of the Lowlands Empire.
Guilds and Factions
The Guilds
The Rural Guild
The farm owners, both locally and those with holdings beyond the city, hold a guild to push for their interests. Some members of the guild still actively work on their farms, while others live a life of comfort and decadance on the back of the hard work of their employees or slaves. Guild Head: Tasar Ularoris - Tas for short, he is a half-elf, strongly intwined with the local clerics of Chauntea. Deeply passionate about agriculture, he takes his role as head of the guild extremely seriously.
The Merchants Guild
The various shopkeepers, tradespeople and service providers of the City banded together long ago to influence local politics in their favor. Guild Head: Harbek Fireforge - A taller-than-usual Dwarven Male, Harbek is the grandson of the original Guildmaster of the (then) Smiths Guild. When Harbek came to leadership, he united the other merchant guilds under one banner, of course taking leadership for himself.
The Treasurers Guild
Never the most popular guild in the best of times, recently taxes have risen further as the General of the Silver commits more resources to dealing with FIST in his region. Guild Head: Sanwrick Tealeaf - Unusually for this city, a halfling rose to power at the head of the guild. Fiecerly smart, his lack of social graces often leaves those he speaks with baffled as to his success. His ability to simply look at a series of numbers and do complex maths is legendary.Other Organisations
The Fifth Brotherhood
The Fifth brotherhood see themselves as the loveable rogues of the city - a collective of thieves, assassins, mercenaries and others engaged in semi- or illegal trades. They took the name 'The Fifth Brotherhood' in reference to the 4 'estates' - the political three being the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners, and the fourth being the cryers. Centered in the Barrioward, they guide and shape the city from the shadows as much as possible. They've carved out a niche of power, but the recent crackdown by the City Guards in the wake of the successes of FIST has left a splinter in the Brotherhood - those that believe in the cause of FIST, and those that would see them defeated to maintain their own powerbase in the city.
The City Guards
Members of the City Watch are all members of the Royal Military Almost all of the guards, and all of those of higher ranks, have spent time in the villages and towns before being summoned to Helmfirth. Because of the highly trained guards, the townsfolk lack a formal militia. Officially lead by the General of the Silver, in practice they are lead by Godfrey the Hawk, an highly experienced Half-Elven Knight. When the General is in residence, Godfrey and a squad of his men are based on site with him at all times.
The Council of Talos
Headed by the Prists of Talos, this council serves all of the religious organisations within town. Heading up those of relgious as well as magical talents.
The Cryers
A loose collective of the town printing press and the town cryers shouting out the latest news of the realm.History
“…until at last the sounds of battle drew quiet. For a full 4 seasons, the Kingdom of the Lowlands held out against the combined might of the Tonnerre Empire. But with each passing day, as surely as the sun would rise, the battlelines would constrict. The borders of the Kingdom would become smaller, as the Empire would push back the forces of the lowlands, winning a skirmish here, a battle there. Like a noose tightening around the neck of a condemned man, the warhorde of the Tonnerre slowly collapsed. Cities, towns would fall, the banners of the house of Helmfirth replaced by those of the Tonnerre. The final, bloody, winter of the war consisted of the siege of Helmfirth. Supported by far greater resources, manpower and filled with the near deification worship of King Noah, the Tonnerre waited out King Strome. His eventual defeat symbolising the end of the Kingdom of the Lowlands. The end of the Unification of Thunderia.”
Extract from History of Helmfirth and the Kingdom of the Lowlands
The Original Six Houses
House Acer
Human The farmers - still looked down upon by the other families for working in the 'unskilled' trade of farming, the Acer family are still tightly involved with the Rural Guild and many of the local farms.
House Ursa
Human The original hunters, their family name meaning 'Bear' in the old Lowlandian dialect
House Fusce
Human The family of medicine and religion, their family name roughly translates from Lowlandian as 'Clinical'
House Rubrumalis
Dwarven The smiths - builders of the wall and many of the buildings, and still tightly connected to the smiths and stonemasons within the city. Took the clan name Rubrumalis which, in Lowlandian, suggests their original arrival on great winged eagles with red feathers.
House Wokonza
Elven Originally scouts and military, House Wokonza consisted of an war band of Elves from across the seas who came to Thunderia and fell under the banners of the Tonnerre Empire. Given the home and assets of the head of the original military within town, they now exert their influence over the guards
Comments