Central Watch
The central town of the three tundra outposts of Ikitur is one of the most isolated places in the world. Because much of the land surrounding it is tundra, there is very little farming to be done, so all wheat and grain needs to be brought in on the trade road from the Eastern Watch. A combination of the frozen ground and constant threat of undead attacks make travel on this road agonizingly slow and imminently dangerous. The other sides of the town are covered by dense, oppressive forest and mountains, with part of the town even being built into a small cave. The inhabitants of Central Watch can go weeks or months at a time - depending on weather and snow accumulation during winter - without seeing outsiders other than the undead they are meant to track and defeat.
Before the modernization projects of Peter VI, the town located at the base of these mountains was known as Gortuun, roughly translated to mountain tundra as those were the two dominant features of the landscape of the early settlement. As the town began to grow and expand beyond its original borders, it quickly reached the outskirts of the forest, which provided additional means of livelihood for the town but was also oppressive and ominous. The corner of the forest nearest the mountains does not have many springs or creeks, so wildlife and game animals tend to avoid this area of the forest. This lack of game creatures renders the forest relatively quiet, which combined with its very densely packed conifer trees makes for an eerie environment for hunters and foresters.
Central Watch is the only place in Ikitur with mine entrances inside the town proper; Gorville's mines are located much further afield from the city in the mountains, as are the ones near Sam's Respite. The Central Watch has one great entrance in the small cave that functions as the city's central district, and from there the mines split into different tunnels. The ore mined here goes directly to the smelters of the town to be refined and hardened for weapons and tools, which are then distributed throughout the town and to the "neighboring" Eastern Watch. The mines here are not very rich in gems or precious metals, but they contain an abundance of iron, tin, copper, zinc, and nickel - all of which are made into various alloys to be used in swords and projectiles. Because of the mines and forest, the Central Watch has the largest population of the three tundra towns, though it also has the highest number of military and mercenary forces since the town is responsible for patrolling the most area and is geographically the closest to Eiselberg Keep.
Demographics
The denizens of Central Watch are predominantly dragonborn, though they comprise just over half of the population. Humans, dwarves, gnomes, and huundari each make up significant portions of the populace, and there are even a number of elves who primarily specialize in forest operations and professions. Most are simple laborers and earn an honest, though meager, wage. It is enough to secure food and lodging, however, so many are content to live in a place where their jobs' impact can be directly seen. Like those of the other tundra towns, the commanders of the various military groups here in Gortuun play politics among themselves, and the more senior and successful ones lead lives that more closely resemble minor nobility or middle-class merchants in larger cities; however, in Central Watch they are the sole aristocracy.
Government
The kingdom of Ikitur appoints leaders of the various military units stationed at Central Watch but does not dictate a hierarchy among those commanders; they are expected to work together and figure out themselves how best to protect their town and the kingdom at large. This leads to a heavy amount of politicking and favor currying, and he who is liked by the most troops and mercenaries wields power similar to that of many towns' mayors. The other commanders function as advisors and scheme amongst themselves to be more senior and ready to take over once the current leader retires, steps down, or is stationed elsewhere. The various mercenaries who are hired to be in the town are also put under the control of one of the military commanders, though they wield a bit more autonomy than the conscripted or volunteer troops from the kingdom.
The only office in Central Watch that is directly appointed by the kingdom's central government is that of the town's chief judge. The seven town and city leaders of Ikitur gather to appoint all judges in the kingdom, and there is no limit to the number of years or terms a judge can serve if the council of leaders believe he or she is still performing admirably.
Defences
A good portion of Central Watch has natural defenses in the form of the mountains - be it the caves and tunnels or the physical exterior of the mountains. For the rest of the town that is "outside" of the caves, a thick stone perimeter wall encircles the perimeter and is constructed actually into the mountain at the wall's edges. This exterior wall has only one gate, where the trade road comes into town from the east; it is from this gate that all hunting parties, foresters, trade caravans, and hunters of the undead pass into the harsh tundra. All along this wall, every 200-300 yards is stationed a watchtower with ballistae and a hefty stock of arrows and crossbow bolts. The main gatehouse in the east houses a single arcane cannon that can swivel and tilt to hit any target that isn't directly underneath it.
All of these defenses are manned by the conscripted and volunteer military of the kingdom of Ikitur, augmented by mercenaries who come seeking battle or steady pay. Most are trained in ranged fighting and engage the undead from a safe distance upon the walls of the town. In the somewhat regular occasions where a large or exceptionally agile group of undead are spotted, teams of more robust infantry are sent out to deal with them head-on. These infantry groups usually include a front row of shields, which can pivot and cover all flanks if necessary, and a second row of spearmen and javelin throwers. They fight with the purpose of keeping as many soldiers alive as possible, not necessarily to kill undead in a quick or flashy manner.
Infrastructure
Central Watch is, in many ways, a stratified town, though not on an economic or caste system as that term implies. Instead, one's experience in the town depends solely on which part of town one encounters. The "outside" part of the town has but one paved road: the main trade road coming into town from the east. The rest are a mix of dirt roads and rough gravel, with traversability heavily dependent on the season and weather. In contrast, the "inside" part of town - i.e. the part inside the mountain cave - is fairly modern and comfortable, with all its streets cobbled and in good shape. The area near the mines entrance also features a massive blast furnace for smelting whatever ores are discovered under the town; the smelted ore is then sent to smiths in various areas of the town to work into weapons or tools for the people of Central Watch and their neighbors at Eastern Watch.
The town primarily gets its fresh water from underground springs and pools, though there is a small pond just outside the town's walls that collects snow melt and rain runoff from the mountains. People in the exterior portion of the town occasionally trek to this pond to fetch jugs of clean water for their homes.
Architecture
The portions of the town not underneath the mountain feature very practical and unadorned buildings, many of which what one might call brutalism but with rough stone instead of concrete. A good portion of the houses are built of wood instead, though they are also simple and pragmatic dwellings. Inside the cave, however, the buildings become slightly more adorned and architecturally interesting. The main barracks and training facility are imposing, almost Neoclassical structures that invoke authority and dominance. The commanders' houses are relatively simple stone and wood, similar to Tudor architecture, but with ornate filigree and flourishes on the eaves reminiscent of Baroque buildings. They are not flashy by any means, but they definitely stand out from the rest of the comparatively drab and mundane buildings.
Founding Date
1726 1A
Alternative Name(s)
Gortuun (gor-toon)
Type
Outpost / Base
Population
7,259
Inhabitant Demonym
Gortuunites
Owning Organization
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