Stockcross
The capital city of the Kingdom of Breaton and largest within its domain.
Demographics
Being the capital of the largest kingdom in Beru, Stockcross is filled with every race on the peninsula and some from further afield.
Government
Due to its size and importance the city is run by three Ministers all reporting to the ruling monarch.
Defences
Due to its size and importance the city is filled with castles and towers to defend it. As the city has grown over the centuries these bastions have been enveloped by homes and business. Looking at a map of the city you can track the outlines of its ancient boundries including the most recent addition: a massive wall erected in 1154, 19 years after the start of the War of Tears, though this has now become redundent as homes and businesses have spralled outside the wall.
This wall is filled with towers and gatehouses to observe the countryside and it took the city less than eight months to complete the project due to the looming threat of the war on the kingdoms borders. Two river-spanning keeps were also built, one where the river exits the lake and another half a mile along the Pelen. These were built to prevent a navel invasion should the war turn against the kingdom.
Infrastructure
This city is densely packed with roofs that overlap and buildings that are stacked atop one another, cobbled streets run in a maze of dead ends and alleys. On the western edge of the city is a network of docks and shipyards that supply the city with fish from Lake Fymorrh. Trade ships navigate the deep waters on their path towards the Pelen Way and the sea. The eastern side is filled with markets and storehouses that receive goods from the verdant fields. Along the shores of the river is a series of foundries and workshops that refine raw materials into usable goods.
Districts
The eastern ward is known locally as Tellers Field, a slang shortening of Tellurayve, patron god of hunters and farmers. This area contains the storehouses and markets and you can find imported goods from across the lands here. There are also several urban farms and stables that tend to various animals used within the city.
In the west of the city you can find The Scales, a network of shipyards, docks and wharfs that service the Fymorrhan ships and fishermen. This part of town often has a foul smell of fish and lake water, as a result residents from this part of town are often mocked for their scents.
On the northern shore of the river you can find a collection of homes and businesses, the area is given the uninventive nickname Northshore by the residents.
At the heart of the city you can find the Fillifield Palace, home to the Breaton royal line for over 600 years.
Architecture
Many of the older homes here are constructed from timber and stonework with thached roofs that give the city a perpetual golden hue, though the newest buildings are almost enterily out of stone with steep slate roofs to help mitigate the buildup of snow. There are several grand arches located around that recount famous historical events such as the Stockcross Rebellion and Breaton War of Succession.
Geography
Being located on the shores of Lake Fymorrh and the Pelen Way has ensured that the ground under the city is soft and malliable, composed of greensands and and siltstone. Patches of Fymorrh clay are dotted around and this is where you can find many of the larger buildings, for throughout its history attempts have been made to build grand stone structures in the wrong place which resulted in the structure sinking.
Climate
Stockcross enjoys a mild climate due to its location. Lake Fymorrh bathes the city in gentle fog in the cooler months and rainstorms throughout the year. Lady Darella's Wood acts as a shield against harsh storms from the north and Mount Ruin's distant plume of ash can drift northward if the wind shifts. In the winter snowstorms can blanket the city in a carpet of white, the cities numerous gutters and sewers draining the meltwater into the lake causing the river to swell.
Natural Resources
The Fymorrh clay that is mined here is highly prized for its unique texture and purity. Potters from across the lands cherish it as when fired it has a somewhat luminous property, glowing ever so softly in the darkest spaces.
Founding Date
641
Type
Capital
Population
Around 250,000
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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