Ceryl

Ruler: Duke Mayhew Dergeral, Earl of Oxmeath and Lord Mayor of Ceryl Population: 340,000 human (mostly Thurian, with a large number of Caspian and Midlunder 5,000 gobber; 1,000 trollkin; small Iosan community Military Presence: Ceryl itself is lightly garrisoned but can call upon the Fourth Army soldiers stationed at Fort Balton when in need. Ceryl is also the home of the Cygnaran Navy’s Northern Fleet and hosts many warships, including the great ironhull the Merciful Boon. The city employs 1,000 watchmen with access to warjacks. Ceryl is also protected by the arcanists of the Fraternal Order and the mercenaries under their employ. Description: Perched on the far western tip of Cygnar, the great port city of Ceryl is known for its long tradition as a center for the arcane arts. It is a huge city with all the appearances of a mountain built row upon row and street upon busy street upward from the crowded waterfront. Here and there the spires of churches and towers rise above the rust-colored tile roofs of humbler dwellings, and among them are the blocky white stone structures encircled by palisades of dark iron, homes of prosperous merchants and powerful magi. Just along the wharfs, the smoke of the sprawling factories is quickly swept away by strong ocean winds while everywhere whitewashed buildings gleam in the sun whenever the clouds break. The extensive Cerylian waterfront is every bit as busy as those of Cygnar’s two other great port cities, Caspia and Mercir. Steamjacks labor among the docks conveying endless supplies and crated goods along the thoroughfares and down to the paddlewheel steamships and heavily laden galleons with their broad flapping standards and sails. Vessels of every tonnage, rig, and calling populate the bay that also serves as one of the Cygnaran Navy’s major shipyards. Hence the masts, spars, and stacks of many great warships are seen here at any given time. Ceryl is known for its innovative cable cars. For three crowns, anyone in Ceryl can purchase a “day ticket” on an Omnibus Rail coach to be taken from practically one end of the city to the other for the entire day. These long cars are fixed upon rails and are moved along by metal cables propelled through a series of steam-driven shafts in various powerhouses throughout the city. Horse-drawn carriages are still plentiful throughout Ceryl, but the masses have quickly taken to “hopping the rail” to move about the city. Ceryl is also noted as a city of wizards, many of whom wield a disproportionate amount of influence. Ceryl houses the Stronghold, the headquarters for the Fraternal Order of Wizardry, said to be the true masters of the city, and all of the major arcane orders have a presence in the city as well. Ceryl was once home to the legendary Sebastien Kerwin whose writings and teachings were paramount in the understanding and application of magic and who established the Arcanist’s Acadame and the Circle of the Oath, both of which aided in the overthrow of the Orgoth. The Stronghold is a grim and impressive structure constructed as a bastion for the Fraternal Order in darker times, and its defenses are legendary. It is one of the few Order lodges that make no pretense at being inconspicuous; it is a fortress made of whitewashed stone, draped with golden banners, and topped by leering gargoyles. Although there is only a single massive set of doors through which outsiders are allowed to enter, it is rumored the Stronghold is riddled with underground tunnels and bolt-holes connecting it to the rest of the city. In addition to visiting arcanists studying at the Stronghold, the fortress is home to the six High Magi who rule the Order and their servants. At the center of the Stronghold is its most valued and well-guarded treasure: the Anthaneum—a library filled with singular rare tomes and ancient manuscripts. The only structure to match the imposing edifice of the Fraternal Order’s lodge is the great Thurian Palace. One of the few buildings of that empire to survive both a fall from power and the subsequent Orgoth Occupation, it has never been totally destroyed, though often it has suffered great damage only to be repaired and restored to glory. Its primary structure is a great rectangular building, open through the middle and affording a view of its wide, gardened courtyard. Various wings, bridges, and polygonal towers have been added during reconstruction, though the palace retains much of its symmetrical shape. It is, like any ancient palace of this enormity, riddled with hidden chambers, many of which are unknown to its present inhabitants. For generations upon generations, the Thurian Palace has served as the ostentatious living quarters of Thuria’s rulers, and it hosts frequent parties and feasts where crucial political arrangements are made and unmade. Both the Order of Illumination and the Order of the Golden Crucible have substantial branches in Ceryl. The city has a reputation for dark and insidious dealings beneath its bright and clean exterior, with rumors of dark cabals, infernalism, and other practitioners of black magic. Certainly this is one reason the Order of Illumination has moved into the region in such numbers, eager to root out any such corruption. Nonetheless, the Fraternal Order of Wizardry is a major player in regional politics and has considerably more clout than the local Church of Morrow. Ceryl is also home to the Smokehouse, one of the largest commercial markets for high quality blasting powder and firearms on the western coast. It sits at one corner of Ceryl’s arena-like market adjacent to the local Golden Crucible guild hall and workshops. Mercenary companies travel here from far and wide to pick up arms, ammo, and blasting powder for the campaign season. Although the relocation of the headquarters of the Order of the Golden Crucible to Ord has opened up new markets, the Smokehouse remains an important destination for powder speculators and a vital branch of the order in northwestern Cygnar. After sunset the market arena is sometimes chosen as the backdrop for deadly duels for both sport and honor. At present, the politics of the city are primarily concerned with seeing a rail connection laid between Ceryl and Point Bourne. The aristocracy of the city and the arcanists of the Fraternal Order are in full agreement that a rail line would dramatically increase trade to Ceryl and allow them to circumvent the dangers of piracy and weather that threaten trade by sea along the Broken Coast. However, the cost of laying track through the Gnarls, to say nothing of the dangers presented to rail engines by the barbarous tribes of that region, present a serious challenge to the project. Further, shipping concerns in the city oppose the idea, recognizing the potential loss of profit. The bright surface facade of Ceryl with its white stone, clean streets, and thriving docks and markets conceal a dark underbelly. The city has its share of organized crime, and some say the corruption extends to the highest levels. But such petty crimes pale in comparison to the occult matters transpiring here. The thirst for lore and knowledge in this city has occasionally resulted in severe transgressions. It is said the Fraternal Order is rife with conspiratorial cabals, some of whom are too power hungry to temper their research with considerations for morality. Disappearances at night sometimes result in corpses appearing days later bearing the evidence of ritual murder. Several well-organized septs of Thamar have strong memberships in the city, including those who encourage research into necromancy, and others who those who have chosen to practice infernalism. The Vicarate Council of Ceryl has done what it can to stamp out these cults, but it has not been effective. The Order of Illumination has a small branch in the city to investigate allegations of black magic, but they are far less influential than the Fraternal Order, which takes care of its own and does not appreciate outsiders prying into their affairs. A subtle shadow war is being fought in the dark alleys and sewers of Ceryl, and the Morrowans fear they are losing the fight.

Type

City