Orlec City (Ore-Leck)

First and Last Free City of Cohnar

Founded in the closing years of the Arcane Age, Orlec City, most commonly shortened as simply "Orlec", is one of the oldest human-made settlements in the Cohnar Valley. It was initially founded as a strategic coastal fortress during the war with the Cohnarak Empire, and was originally part of the growing Kingdom of Korlech, but eventually seceded in 272 R.A. during the reign of King Ulesk "The Bull".

Government

The city of Orlec is ruled by a Lord Mayor, elected from among the city-state's nobility. Orlec's nobility are all direct descendants of Orrlings who, in times past, managed some great feat or accomplished some heroic deed, and were voted into nobility by the common people. Orrlings believe that heroism is inherited by blood, and therefore the descendants of heroes will themselves be heroes.

The Lord Mayor of Orlec is not elected on a regular basis, though the Council of Heroes can elect to remove a Lord Mayor from their post, should they prove unworthy. The new Lord Mayor is then elected, by vote of the common folk. Nobility may not vote in this election, though their considerable influence does mean they inevitably have an impact on the outcome.

Defences

Orlec was created as the finest fort of it's time and remains one of, if not the single, most defensible settlements in the Cohnar Valley. Its placement on the promontory ensures that enemy forces can only realistically assail the city from one direction, and even a naval assault is essentially impossible (on the walled portion of the city, at least). The City also has a series of walls running across its length, meaning that if one wall were to be breached, defenders could abandon that portion of the city and fall back to the next region. There are rumored to be a network of tunnels under the city, for the purposes of escape and resupplying the city in the event of a siege. Finally, the city's position means that it has a vantage point of all surrounding areas, and will be easily able to spot an approaching army.

Industry & Trade

In times past, the primary industry of Orlec was war. The city was renowned for the soldiers that hailed from it, and mercenaries were abundantly hired for foreign conflicts. Over time, the mercenary industry in Orlec waned, and the city fell back onto an agrarian centric industry supplemented by salt mining and fishing, as well as benefitting from being a semi-important hub for naval commerce. With the start of Dornham's  invasion of Ardon  in 754 R.A., Orlec has seen a rise in mercenary activity again, as Ardon struggles to repel Dornish forces.

Guilds and Factions

Orlec city is notably home to the Circle of the Fallen Tower, an order of mages that arrived in the city following their exodus from Ardon. They are focused on Abjuration magic, and strive to prevent the callous misuse of magic. The city was also previously home to the primary temple of a secret cult of Shaxbar before they were wiped out by the adventuring party known as The Royal Court. It is rumored that the cult still has some minor presence within the city, though confirmed reports are nearly nonexistent.

Points of interest

Plazas dot the city dedicated to the heroes that founded the many noble lineages of Orlec. Each of these plazas contain a statue of the founding hero. Until recently, the Blackblade plaza was empty after the family had their noble title revoked, but after May Blackblade redeemed her family name, a statue of her was put in place. Elderstaff plaza now lacks a statue, after the family's involvement with the cult of Shaxbar was discovered.

Geography

Located on top of a colossal limestone arch standing roughly 1,800 ft tall, the city of Orlec is at a high enough altitude above the city-state's holdings that someone standing on a watch tower in the city can view out to the far reaches of the city's influence before the land fades on the horizon. It oversees a bay that extends beneath the city itself, due to the city being constructed atop an arch. Due to the peninsula to the north of the city, the city is sheltered from northern currents and storms.

Natural Resources

The city of Orlec is situated atop a limestone arch that is incredibly rich in salt deposits, and as such benefits from the profits of a booming salt mine industry. Additionally, the bay surrounding the city has quality conditions for fishing, which contributes a great deal to the city-state's food.

Founding Date

863 A.A.

Alternative Name(s)

Orlec

Type

Capital

Population

38,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Orrling

Location under

Orlec