Gordon
The town of Gordon is built upon a junction of roads leading to the heartland cities, the Shin Empire’s border, and the towns along the Long Road. It has a fairly diverse economy, being a stop for trade coming from the south and east, while having a number of local mining and lumber operations for service. Therefore the economy in Gordon is one of the few that is doing well with the closure of the Shin Empire, but this has been marred by an incredibly hostile stance against dwarven refugees. It was made illegal for dwarves to spend the night within the city walls, causing many to move back east or on to Pegrama or other locations, rather than risk life and limb here.
The Ladies of Gordon belong to House Grivas, and prior to the Wingo War they were outspoken opponents of dwarven immigration to Alsona. Before the war, the House did much to reinforce the walls and expand the town guard to enable the defense of the city and the investigation of criminal activities. This was assisted with the construction of the Gordon Prison, which is known to be the most secure place in Alsona for the containment of prisoners, possessing both magical and mundane security measures. All of these measures proved vital during the Wingo War, as Gordon held off multiple assaults by elves and dwarves alike, preventing the prison from being broken open.
Demographics
The town of Gordon is entirely human within the community's walls. Other races are mistrusted and it is illegal for both dwarves and elves to be in the city past nightfall. Most inns refuse to let rooms to other races inside the town walls at all, and paranoia has been at a fevered pitch since the war. A handful of halflings and other humanoids do reside in scattered homes outside of the wall, but these remain few, with the exception of a single inn that caters to nonhumans visiting the town.
Government
The reigning noble of the region of Makriathea is the direct ruler over the town and its environs. She appoints any delegates or individuals required for solving problems relating to the town's administration, and over the years a form of bureaucracy has emerged for the purposes of defense and tax collection. Although the town's defense has recently been turned over to the Royal Army of Alsona in the wake of the Wingo War, law and order is still upkept by the countess' employees, including guards and appointed judges.
Defences
The walls of Gordon are some of the most impressive in Alsona. Built of solid stone and hosting an impressive collection of battle tested siege engines, these fortifications held their own against the best attacks that the dwarves and elves could launch during the Wingo War. The walls are supplemented by a strong castle build along the western gates of the town. The countesses of Gordon live there, and it is a marvelous feat of engineering, protecting against a variety of types of assault, while also housing local defenders in case of a siege. The levies of House Grivas were able to hold their own during the initial stages of the conflict, but losses on battlefields forced the house to turn over defense of the town to the Royal Army, which continues to this day. The monarchy's soldiers are only one line of defense, however, as the House Grivas continues to maintain its own personal forces for the preservation of order and security in the Gordon Prison. If push came to shove, they could also be used in the defense of the town, along with a sizeable militia of trained townsfolk.
Industry & Trade
The value of Gordon has always been in its location, positioned upon a nexus of trade and commerce among all of the Alsonan cities and towns. The importance of Gordon as a caravan stop and trade hub has only grown since the end of the Wingo War. The establishment of Highveldt and the increased amount of trade to the north, as well as the growing importance of the Long Road in international commerce has led to ever more caravans from increasingly distant locations using Gordon as a base of operations or as an objective. Plenty of deals are made and trade conducted in the taverns and inns of Gordons, presenting it as a center of economic activity. The amount of wealth has helped spur the service industry more than any other, as multiple organizations have established banks, trading houses, and other centers of commerce in the city's walls.
Infrastructure
Gordon is a well developed and maintained community which nearly swelled out of its own walls during the Wingo War. Refugees from the western Patridaxos fled to Gordon and its high walls as the conflict reached its climax. The roads are all paved, and ample lighting exists at night from street lamps. A sewer system offers sanitation, dating back hundreds of years in its use and operation. The greatest edifice that can be witnessed here is the Gordon Prison, which is protected by high stone walls, and is believed to be the most secure facility of its kind west of the Apps Mountains.
Assets
Gordon is a significant trading outpost, even today. Although the trade has slackened significantly during and after the Wingo War, it remains located upon the largest and busiest crossroads in Alsona. Trading caravans to the barony of Highveldt typically have their start here, setting out over the northern badlands towards the small settlement of Kingsward. Although caravans rarely head southbound, some still do, and Gordon has most luxuries and items up for offer at the shops present. If you cannot find what you need in the stores, typically there's at least one caravan either forming or arriving, and they often have goods from across Emicara available for purchase.
Guilds and Factions
House Grivas is the primary political force present in Gordon, as the owners of the majority of lands within and outside of the town walls. Their continued operation of the prison has given them extensive political influence over the monarchy and acts as a constant reminder of the strength of the family and their forces. An embassy of Highveldt is also maintained here, and the leadership of the barony has proven to be worthy of contesting Grivas' control over trade in the region, and a polite but simmering rivalry between the two forces has existed ever since the new nation was founded. Lastly, the Alsonan Rangers maintain their largest and most profitable center for recruitment and contracts in Gordon. Caravans frequently hire from the Rangers' outpost here, and adventurers of all stripes will stop in at the guild headquarters outside of the town walls for information on new jobs.
History
The town of Gordon has its origins in a trading post that was the first of its kind among the scattered city states of early Alsona. The wealth of trade between these communities led to the Gordonites becoming incredibly wealthy very quickly, and the town swelled to become a rival of Parthenonas. For a time, it seemed as though Gordon would be the center of Alsonan life and culture, but over the course of the feuds and conflicts between the two cities, Gordon ultimately lost its fight and was burned to the ground in a vicious reprisal for unrest and conflict against what would become the monarchy. The rivalry between the two towns never truly ended, and even to this day, the Gordonites speak of themselves on equal terms to the much larger cities to the west. Even during the war, the Gordonites thrived when other towns fell and burned to invading forces.
Points of interest
The Gordon Prison is the first stop for anyone seeking to take in the sights of this community. Once in competition with Wingo Mine as the most secure prison facility in Alsona, that changed when the Wingo War erupted, destroying the Crysos Mining Company's prison holdings and directly leading to the brutal and bloody war with dwarves and elves. The prison in Gordon, rather than working its inmates to death, has always been more focused upon keeping any threats contained permanently. The foulest and most dangerous monsters and humanoids have been locked away in the dungeons of this facility, kept in place by mundane and magical means alike. The finest illusions and enchantments that could be cast by some of the best bards in Alsona help to keep the convicts within and unable or unwilling to rebel or riot. The security of this prison is paramount to the interests of House Grivas, and the efforts of this prison have proven to be renowned among all would be wardens in Emicara.
Grivas Keep is another place to visit for wandering adventurers and travelers alike. If they are on good terms with House Grivas, the citadel acts as both defensive stronghold and museum, containing relics and collections from centuries of the town's history and Alsonan prosperity. Previous leaders of the house invested substantial wealth into the expansion of this collection, and the private Grivas Museum is said to have relics and artifacts dating all the way back to before the fall of the Nameless Empire. Only those willing to contribute a donation to the House or on particularly good terms with the town's leadership are allowed into the halls of this monument to past glories.
Founding Date
181 AF
Type
Town
Population
3,450
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Gordonites
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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