Iron Gate
This is a fortress town that formerly served as the stronghold of the Kingdom of Zareb. It is now controlled by Lord Averos of Lao who seized control of the town after hearing that Zareb had fallen to Empress Atheneis and the Alyites. Averos was able to take the town with no loss of life as the Garrison Commander General Arla Aslinn was his lover and conspired with him. Strategically she saw this as a way to prevent the fortress from falling into the hands of the Majaran Empire or the Alyites. With the town firmly in Averos' hands, the Alyites and the Empire were unwilling to pay the blood price to take the town and decided to concede it to Averos control.
Demographics
The town is populated by a mixture of Mountaineers, Northrons and Northron Corgerians.
Defences
The southern approach to the town is defended by a strongly built citadel with cliffs making three sides almost impossible to approach. The town is walled and itself is protected on three sides by cliffs. It an only be approached from the valley below by a road carved into the cliff face thar can be swept by missile fire from above.
Guilds and Factions
The Zalrites continue to have a covert presence in the town by agreement with Averos.
History
Built shortly after the Zalarites founded the Kingdom of Zareb, the citadel was meant to protect the Kingdom's main approach from the south. The town grew up on the plateau adjacent to the Citadel. The town and citadel have been besieged three times by the Alyites and held out every time.
Architecture
The town walls and citadel are made from large blocks of cut granite quarried in the surrounding mountains. The town's houses are typically tall, narrow townhouses and tenements made from the local stone and roofed with bluish local slate. Homes and commercial buildings have their windows protected by heavy wooden shutters. The town has numerous cisterns fed by rain and snow.
Geography
The town and citadel are located on a stony plateau overlooking the road between Zareb and Upper Lao. The approaches to the town are black by cliffs averaging 200 feet in height. The eastern approach gives way to rugged mountain terrain crisscrossed by ravines and small watercourses.
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