Salisgrad

Salisgrad is a city-state in the River Kingdoms located between Razmiran and Sevenarches.

Demographics

• Humans: 85%
• Elves: 12%
• Tieflings and Infernal Beings: 2%
• Others: 1%

Government

The city-state of Salisgrad is ruled by Prince Eli Voronov. The prince has ruled since reclaiming the city of Dravograd in 4661 AR and renaming it after his slain parents.

Defences

City Walls and Gates: Salisgrad is encircled by high, sturdy walls constructed from massive stone blocks. Enchantments are woven into the walls, making them resistant to spells, siege weapons, and other forms of attack. These enchantments could include wards against teleportation, scrying, or elemental damage. The walls have battlements, arrow slits, and watchtowers at regular intervals, allowing defenders to surveil the surroundings and defend against invaders efficiently. The main gate is secured by both Black Gauntlets and Iron Guardsmen, who conduct searches of everyone entering the city. Secondary gates are used for more routine or common entry and exit. These are monitored by City Watch and Iron Guardsmen, who only allow citizens to use them.
The Iron Barracks: Home to Salisgrad's standing army. These soldiers would be well-trained and equipped to defend the city against external invasions or internal uprisings.
The Ziggurat Guard: A specialized unit dedicated to protecting the Great Ziggurat and the surrounding district. These consist of Black Gauntlets, both military and magical.
Magical Obelisks: Salisgrad has magical obelisks positioned throughout the city. They provide protective wards around key areas, scrying spells for surveillance, and magical barriers that can be activated in times of crisis.
The City Watch: A city guard responsible for maintaining law and order within Salisgrad. They would patrol the streets, manage crowds, and handle everyday criminal activities.
Surveillance Network: Prince Eli is believed to employ a network of spies and informants throughout the city known as "Watchmen" who monitor dissent, gather intelligence, and closely monitor potential threats.
Arcane Sentinels: Automated magical constructs or summoned creatures that serve as additional guards, particularly around sensitive or important areas like the Arcanum Archives or the palace.

Infrastructure

Runetech transportation throughout the city-state is free to all citizens who bear the Rune of Citizenship. Runecars (cableless cable cars) ferry citizens to the various districts. Visitors must pay to board the car.

Districts

1. The Ziggurat District: Centered around the Great Project (the Great Ziggurat), this area combines religious fervor and construction activity. It includes worker camps, supply depots, and administrative offices overseeing the project.
2. The Royal Quarter: Home to the Voronov Palace and the residences of the nobility and high-ranking officials. Opulent architecture, manicured gardens, and heightened security characterize this district.
3. The Arcane Enclave: A district dedicated to magical studies and practices, housing the Arcanum Archives, mage guilds, and alchemists' workshops. It's a place of learning, experimentation, and the trading of arcane artifacts.
4. The Market Commons: The economic heart of the city, bustling with traders, artisans, and merchants. This district is a colorful and noisy tapestry of shops, stalls, and taverns offering goods from across the region and beyond.
5. The Docklands: Situated along the river, this district is essential for trade and transportation. It includes the Leviathan Docks, warehouses, and fish markets. Seedy taverns like the Laughing Goblin often teem with sailors, traders, and travelers.
6. The Military Ward: Containing the Iron Barracks and training grounds, this district is dedicated to the city's defense forces. It's a place of discipline and order where soldiers train and devise military strategies.
7. The Alchemist’s Alley: A vibrant and somewhat chaotic district filled with the workshops of alchemists and potion-makers. The air here is often thick with strange smells, and the streets are lined with shops selling unusual ingredients and concoctions.
8. The Cathedral Precinct: Surrounding the Asmodean Cathedral, this district is a center for religious activities and ceremonies. It includes various religious buildings, housing for clergy, and pilgrimage hostels.
9. The Common Residences: Where the majority of Salisgrad's populace lives. This district features more modest housing and local businesses, serving as the backbone of the city's everyday life.
10. The Shadowed Quarters: Known for its narrow alleys and dimly lit streets, this district is a haven for thieves, spies, and those seeking to conduct business away from prying eyes. It's where one can find the Whispering Alley and other less reputable establishments.
11. The Undercity: A network of tunnels and catacombs beneath Salisgrad, known as the Labyrinth of Echoes. This district is a mysterious realm of its own, home to outcasts and secret societies and rumored to house ancient secrets.

Guilds and Factions

• The Crimson Glove - criminal organization based in Salisgrad. They wear a magical crimson glove that covers the Rune of Citizenship on the left hand of members.

History

Founding of Dravograd

Dravograd was founded in 4571 AR on the border of the Arch-Duchy of Melcat. It was a strategic settlement in the heart of the River Kingdoms, considered a sister city to the nearby city of Xev. It was once a peaceful place that thrived on the banks of one of the region's many rivers near Lake Enchartha. Still, it suffered from the constant turmoil and warfare that characterized the River Kingdoms. Its founders sought to establish a city to serve as a bastion against the region's constant conflicts and power struggles.

The Birth of the City-State

The Salis bloodline, known for producing charismatic and ambitious leaders, rose to prominence through a series of political maneuvers and strategic marriages. Prince Eli Voronov's ancestors played key roles in uniting noble houses and establishing Dravograd as a dominant power in the region. Eventually, through tactful negotiation with Deuke Melcat, Dravograd separated from the Arch-Duchy and became a city-state unto itself. Cynthia Salis was a practitioner of the old ways, a druid who communed with the spirits of the river and land, and her husband, Werner, was a healer of great renown. Standing alone between the druidic nation of Sevenarches and the progressive Arch-Duchy of Melcat, Dravograd would act as a gateway between the two.

Tragedy and Knowledge

In 4661 AR, Cynthia was executed under suspicion of witchcraft by a rival warlord who sought to claim Dravograd. Werner was imprisoned and tortured, inflicted with some mysterious curse that consumed him. Eli watched as his father's body decayed while remaining alive. Driven by grief and anger, Eli promised to reclaim and protect his land against threats such as the one that had deposed his family from their throne.

Reclaiming Dravograd

Returning as Eli Voronov, the prince used his newfound demonic powers to liberate his home, which he renamed "Salisgrad," asserting it as a free and independent power among the River Kingdoms. He fortified its borders with arcane protections and mechanical sentinels, creating a small but unassailable kingdom where he rules justly but with an iron fist.

Goals and Ambitions

Prince Eli's ambitions extend beyond his borders. He seeks to expand his realm and impose a new order upon the chaotic River Kingdoms. He believes his rule could bring peace and stability to the region. To this end, he explores the dark tapestry of the River Kingdoms, searching for arcane secrets, powerful artifacts, and potential allies—or thralls.

The Days of Joy

Prince Eli's rule, which he ironically refers to as the "Days of Joy," began with a facade of prosperity and stability. Public celebrations, grand festivals, and displays of power became regular occurrences, masking the undercurrents of fear and oppression that permeated the city.

The Infernal Transformation

A large section of town had been razed on the prince's orders. Those who had the misfortune of having homes there have relocated to other locations in the town. A lucky few had some of their costs subsidized by the prince, but most of these displaced citizens were forced to fend for themselves. Prince Voronov began constructing the Great Project in the cleared area, an immense ziggurat he hoped would ensure his entrance to paradise. He first saw this structure in his dreams — a great tower rising into the heart of a storm, but soon, these dreams began to come to him while awake. In time, these visions convinced him that he was the son of Asmodeus and that his entrance into paradise at Asmodeus’s side depended on the construction of the ziggurat.

Points of interest

• The Great Ziggurat (The Great Project): Prince Eli Voronov's immense, visionary construction, believed by him to be his gateway to paradise. A towering structure rising dramatically into the sky, it is a symbol of his power and supposed divine destiny.
• The Voronov Palace: The lavish and fortified residence of Prince Eli, combining luxury, state-of-the-art defenses, and numerous arcane enchantments.
• The Arcanum Archives: A vast repository of magical and historical knowledge, this library is a closely guarded and curated treasure trove for scholars and mages.
• The Market of Shadows: A secretive marketplace where rare, exotic, and often forbidden goods are traded. This place is a hub for those seeking items of unusual and mystical nature.
• The Asmodean Cathedral: A grand and imposing cathedral dedicated to Asmodeus, reflecting Prince Eli’s belief in his divine lineage and serving as a center for his religious followers.
• The Alchemist's Quarter: This district is bustling with alchemists, potion brewers, and apothecaries, renowned for its exotic concoctions and mysterious remedies.
• The Leviathan Docks: Named after a legendary sea creature, these docks are a lively trade hub with a reputation for mystery and danger.
• The Iron Barracks: The main military establishment of Salisgrad, showcasing the city’s martial prowess and the discipline of its soldiers.
• The Gilded Gardens: A series of beautiful, luxurious gardens offering a peaceful respite for the city's elite and featuring rare botanical specimens.
• The Hall of Justice: The center of legal and judicial authority in Salisgrad, known for its strict adherence to law, which in Eli's reign, might be quite severe.
• The Whispering Alley: A narrow and convoluted alleyway infamous for being a hotbed of rumors, espionage, and secret dealings.
• The Labyrinth of Echoes: An underground maze of tunnels and catacombs beneath the city, shrouded in mystery and rumored to be home to both the supernatural and the illicit.
• Aiudara Elf Gate: A mysterious and deactivated portal from the time of the ruined elf city that Salisgra was originally built. The Aiudara Elf Gate is a silent enigma; its activation method is lost to time. Positioned strategically on a ley line nexus, its potential destination is unknown. Scholars, adventurers, and mages are drawn to the gate, seeking to unravel its secrets and unlock the mysteries of what lies beyond. The gate is adorned with ancient elven runes and intricate carvings, hinting at the magic and knowledge of a bygone era.
• The Halfling Hearth Tea Room: A cozy, family-run tea house known for its hearth-baked treats and warm atmosphere. It's also a place friendly to tourists and a potential source where adventurers can find work without having to deal with the burocracy of other establishments.

Geography

Verdant Vale

Location and Geography

Nestled in a lush valley a few miles from the walls of Salisgrad, Verdant Vale is surrounded by fertile lands and crisscrossed by clear streams. Its proximity to a dense forest provides both resources and natural protection.

Primary Resources

• Agriculture: The village specializes in cultivating magical and medicinal herbs, along with staple crops resistant to pests and diseases, thanks to the nearby magical obelisk.
• Lumber: The forest provides high-quality timber, carefully managed and harvested to maintain the balance of the ecosystem.

Magical Obelisk: The Obelisk of Growth, located at the village's center, enhances crop growth and forest regeneration, making Verdant Vale a key provider of food and wood to Salisgrad.

Governance and Protection

While the village manages its daily affairs through a council of elders, it falls under the jurisdiction of Salisgrad. The Crimson Glove occasionally targets the village for resources, but the presence of Salisgrad's patrols, drawn by the obelisk's surveillance capabilities, provides a deterrent.

Ironforge Hamlet

Location and Geography

Ironforge Hamlet lies at the foothills of the mountain range bordering Salisgrad. Known for its mines and forges, the village is built on rocky terrain, with roads leading directly to the city-state for easy transport of goods.

Primary Resources

• Mining: The hamlet's mines produce iron, silver, and rare minerals. The quality of their metal is unmatched, thanks to the smelting techniques enhanced by the village's magical obelisk.
• Craftsmanship: Skilled blacksmiths and artisans in the village create tools, weapons, and art from the metals mined locally.

Magical Obelisk: The Obelisk of the Forge, situated near the mines, not only strengthens the metals extracted but also protects the miners from underground dangers. It serves as a beacon for Salisgrad's protection and oversight.

Governance and Protection

Governed by a committee of the village's most skilled artisans and miners, Ironforge Hamlet has a strong relationship with Salisgrad due to its economic contributions. The village's strategic importance means it's well-protected, but it also attracts interest from external threats looking to control its resources.

Founding Date

4574 AR

Alternative Name(s)

New Dravograd

Type

City

Population

8250

Location under

River Kingdoms

Included Locations

• Halfling Hearth Tea Room

Owner/Ruler

Prince Eli Voronov

Characters in Location

• Aleyd Burral
• Bishop

Related Reports (Primary)

• Masters Session Five
• Masters Session Six