Kirkwall
Introduction
Kirkwall is a military hub, where a large part of the Royal Blakfort Army is garrisoned. It is built upon the remnants of a conquered dwarven fortress city, Thugaz Arakor. It can be divided into three parts. The districts outside the mountain and the two levels of the internal settlement.Districts
Treffol - The richest district of the city, it is home to nobles and wealthy citizens.Whillisk - Located next to Treffol, but within the mountain, Whillisk is the trading hub of the city, where the majority of traders live and set up shops.
Upper Whillisk - Located above the trading district of Whillisk, this area of the city is home to workers and the more nefarious side of society.
Arakor - The oldest part of the city filled with large families and artisan guilds.
Newmine - Maybe the most 'traditional' part of the city, Newmine is home to miners and researchers, many of whom are dwarves.
Outer Jerosk - Similarly to Treffol, the other external district is home to wealthy citizens and the upper-class.
Jerosk - It is home to the wealthier middle-class.
Upper Jerosk - Mostly serving the wealthy citizens belows them, Upper Jerosk houses traders and workers.
Thugaz - The central, fortified structure of the city, the Thugaz (meaning 'fort' or 'castle' in dwarvish) is a tall construction which oversees both the outside of the city and the internal parts of the city.
History
Kirkwall, or Thugaz Arakor as it was named originally was a dwarven fortress founded centuries before humans arrived and captured it. For a very long time, it retained its name and status as a highly valued fortification in the area and often served as a capital city for its owners. A few decades before the rule of Kirk 'the Patriarch', the ruler of Lacager took over the city and with that, its importance began to diminish as Austium and Orilum became more dominant due to their more centralized locations. During the Orilum Rebellion, Thugaz Arakor joined the Kaolite rebels and served as a safe base for them. That was until the majority of the rebels were defeated by Kirk and Thugaz Arakor was besieged. The city was eventually captured and the rebels slaughtered. To make sure that the event remained in the mind of people as a reminder, Kirk renamed the city to Kirkwall and the mountain range it is located in to Kirk's Edge. Since then, Kirkwall saw very little in terms of important events. Thanks to its highly defensible location in the Kirk's Edge mountains, it was rarely targeted by attacks and this made it a perfect place to serve as a garrison for the Royal Army. The city changed ownership throughout its existence, mostly due to the intertwined noble houses within the realm, but the city finally fell into the hands of the Usti family when its previous owner's father was found guilty of treason in 1056. Having died himself, Odon Blakfort punished his son by giving the title to a loyal noble. The Usti family managed to hold onto the city ever since. While the original layout of the city didn't change much since its establishment, humans added quite a few features to it. Originally there was only one way to the upper levels of the city, but throughout the centuries, humans added several small pathways to make the city easier to navigate. Eventually, the population of the city outgrew its confines and it spread outwards with Outer Jerosk and Treffol districts located entirely outside of the mountain.Points of Interest
Thugaz - The 'keep' within the city, the Thugaz is a large structure that is located on the highest level of the city which it overlooks. It also provides extra defenses to the gate.The Large Gate - The entrance of the city is a large, slightly open gate made of stone, recessed into the settlement. Its look can be deceiving, however, as the gate itself is only a carving. The actual gate is located between the two sides of the Large Gate.
Governance
Kirkwall is the property and home of Beinon Usti, a high-ranking noble and Father-in-law of Bernard Blakfort.Unique Features
- The city is built into the side of a mountain, on 'top' of an old dwarven fortress. As a result, it is separated into three levels that are above one another.
- The city is home to a large Blakfort Royal Army garrison.
Founders
Type
City
Population
~4500
Location under
Characters in Location
Comments