Hawksholme
"This city in which we're sittin'," began Buck as he packed his pipe, "is the capital o' our great land of Keledon. Lodhualed we call it in our tongue, meanin' Hawksholme. but she's also called
Kindem Hua, meanin' "City o' the Hawk" in Alinduryi and Hualed, meanin' "Eyrie" in Draeg. It be the home o' our noble Queen Heulyn II of House Halad, of course, and that means it's the seat where power resides in the realm. When ye look out the window ye can see the wide lands around 'ere, being the Reach o' Kingsland, which the Queen rules directly and through her vassals."
Government
"Now, bein' that runnin' an entire kingdom is a busy enough venture, the Queen is still queen o' the city too. But bein' wise enough she delegates a lot o' the work to them lads on Queen Heulyn's High Council, and that includes runnin' the day to day affairs o' the capital. The Lord High Steward, an' that be the Duke o' Gwyneþ, Maeglin, o' House Kurdwyn , handles much o' the daily affairs, and reports t' Ademar Halad , him bein' the Lord High Chancellor o' the Realm."
"The City Watch I now ye've seen, bein' those lads in the red surcoats and golden hawk o' the Crown. They report to the High Steward, and their job it be t' keep order. Truthfully, some of 'em be better by far than others, so ye've gotta be careful when dealin' with 'em until ye know which kind o' man ye got. Now, if ye run afoul o' the law, ye'll end up in front o' the courts. Oft times it be a local Druid who'll preside over things, but if the matter be a larger one, one o' the nobles. If ye end up before the Queen, then right sure I am ye be accused o' something proper fierce and ugly. That bein' said, she does at times hear cases and pleas from the people too."
Defences
"Now, ye can't miss the white walls o' the city, or the hawks carved all along 'em. They keep the Southern Ward protected, and should trouble arise, hopefully as many commoners as kin get in. The castle, she's surrounded by several walls, and bein' perched up there on th' hill, very hard to attack or approach. Now the river, that's a way someone might try to approach the city, but it's blocked off a ways down river at Hawksbridge. It be fair t' say the castle is more n' secure enough. "
"An' bein' that the city is in the heart o Kingsland, it'd be a long fight for anyone t' get here in the first place.
Industry & Trade
"The city, now, she be a wealthy one. All the land about here is fertile, and it gives its crops right easily. Livestock flourish here, and so there's wood and leather aplenty. The river gives a route to the ports o' Kalabar down south, and the Darkling leads further north, as far as the edge o' The Haft. All that means that when merchants come from elsewhere in the realm, or other nations, everything ends up here. Ain't much you kint find here in the city if yeh look for it."
Districts
"The heart o' the city is Hawks' Hill, and ye can't miss it of course, being that we're right in it's shadow. The royal castle is built atop it as ye kin see from here, and the rest of the Old City is bound here within the great white walls that are older than ye think. Everything inside those walls be the Southern District, and here ye find the wealthier citizens and finer estabishments like this one,"--he waved his hand about proudly--"as well as Bethan's Hall, the Stone Market, and so on."
"Once ye head north through the gates ye're in the North District, which we sometimes call the Lake District, bein' that it runs up to the shores o' the Darkling. Much o' the city lives and works there, especially those who do their work on the lake, or on the Grayflood, bein' the river flowin' south from here. But head t' the east of the Lake District and ye come to Rock Bottom, the East District. That be the truly poor part o' the city, and it's best ye not be caught there after dark. Especially in the Noose, bein' the most dangerous part o' town regardless o' the time o' day. Y can also cross over the bridge to Eyas on the west side o' the river. Most of the folk there are rivermen and women, or work on the farms n' markets further west."
History
"The city itself, she was founded by old King Sothar back in 941, when first 'e became king o' the realm. Bein' that the hill was easily defended and well connected to other parts o' the land, and surounded by good and fertile soil, it was the best choice. It couldn't have been easy to build, away up there on the hill, but he built it and the walls. And as the kingdom settled and got peaceful a village grew at the base o' the hill, then grew into a town. Aelfeth II, bein' the first o' the Blathen dynasty, he expanded the walls o' the castle, and built the ones around the Old City too. But I'll tell ye more o' the history later."
Points of interest
- Hawksholme Castle - The residence of the monarch of Keledon and therefore the center of political power and authority. Perched atop the hill from which the city takes its name, Hawksholme Castle commands a view of the city below it as well as the open land to the south.
- Bethan's Hall - Located in the Southern District, this grand hall of stone and wood was completed by Queen Bethan the Light in 1382 AS. Its purpose was to offer an urban alternative to the stone circles and fire rings of the country side, especially for celebrations of Endless Day and Longest Night. Bethan's Hall features large windows oriented to the sun, as are the stones of the kingdom's henges, and a deep pit in the centre for the traditional celebratory fires. The Hall is also used at times for weddings, trials, and other functions.
- Stone Market - Located in the Southern District, the Stone Market is well known for its variety of goods on offer and the constant entertainment offered by performers
- The Golden Hawk - An inn and tavern located in the Southern District. Its owner, Buck, is a well-known figure in the city, famous for both his home-brewed beers and ales as well as his incredible knowledge of the kingdom, its history, and many other parts of the world. The Golden Hawk was once known as The Beast, but that establishment burned to the ground. Upon rebuilding it, Buck changed its name in a moment of patriotic pride.
Architecture
"The walls o' the city, the castle on the hill, and many of the buildings in the Southern District are built of gray or white stone. The houses of the lower classes outside the walls are made of wood, especially oak, pine, and similar woods found locally. Ye kin see also how everythin' is decorated and painted in the old style, with the knotwork, spirals, animals, and all the other images from proper Keledoni art everywhere."
Founding Date
940
Founders
Alternative Name(s)
Kindem Hua (Alinuri, "City of the Falcon"), Hualed (Draeg, "Eyrie")
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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