Vertigen

Large duchy and most powerful vassal of House Lorriaga. The current duke Francés Cortadel is highly dissatisfied with his liege King Numitor Lorriaga III of the Kingdom of Tessuris for having the tiefling Duarte Lorriaga selected as heir to the throne.

General layout

Vertigen is located on the crossroads between the Kingdom of Karessia, the Kingdom of Tessuris and the less frequently travelled road that leads to Osoris on the southern border of the Wildshire Vale. On the exact crossing of these roads is a large square that is used for markets, large public events and other festivities. Next to this square is a large temple dedicated to the Old Gods. Opposite the temple is a walled-in castle that is the seat of power of the city. This square, temple and walled-in castle are surrounded by another wall. In these districts are most of the homes of the city located, intermixed with smaller squares, temples and other amenities. Another wall separates the city from predominantly farmland in the east, south and west, and in the north the outskirts of the Wildshire Vale. An ever busy road leads from the north east towards the harbour town that is on the shores of the Great Lake.

Society

Vertigen is home to humans, elves, and halflings, and to a lesser degree dwarves and gnomes. Dragonborn are surprisingly absent from the city, and the few that come to the city, oftentimes leave again shortly after. The city's location to the Wildshire Vale with its ties to the Feywild means it is also home to races belonging to this plane: Firbolgs and Satyrs are more common here, but thanks to the existence of the Scourge of the Wildshire Vale  in the forest, they are not as prevalent as in, for example, or Eveasson or Merridan. Its proximity to the Western Wastelands mean that races such as Tabaxi and Aarakocra are more common than elsewhere in the city.

History

Vertigen has a rich history, many of them involving conflict. Originally, the city was founded as the first stop for the caravans travelling through the Western Wastelands somewhere in E2 to have a comfortable rest, and it quickly developed in a market where their exotic goods were traded amongst the populace. The influx of these wandering traders meant that the Pantheon of the New Gods quickly took root here and spread quickly throughout the Eastern Realms, to the dismay of the followers of the Old Gods. While religious freedoms did still exist at the time, the two religions frequently clashed in minor skirmishes. They were put violently to an end during the Frosian conquest of the Eastern Realms  and the Age of Seven Emperors, where worship of the New Gods was violently suppressed. The end of control by House Frose and the subsequent rule by the House Marishta during the Marishtan Dynastic Age during E4 did not ensure that this belief was restored however. Its proximity to Girones further ensured its belief in the Old Gods.

The Scourge of the Wildshire Vale

After rest had returned to Vertigen, yet another disaster hit the city and its surrounding lands. The Scourge of the Wildshire Vale claimed the Wildshire Vale  in the summer of E5Y378, after which a 10-year long struggle began. Traders travelling to and from the city that travelled through the forest were attacked on sight, causing a depletion in travellers and taxes. The duke paid anyone brave or foolish enough to come up with a solution to the problem, and eventually supplied his armies with spell casters armed with fire elementals. They attempted to burn the forest to cinders. In response, the Scourge attacked the city in the event known as the Sack of Vertigen . Agosto Gavras set out to find a solution to prevent the complete destruction of the city, and convinced several dragons to convene in the Dragonmoot of E5Y389. The outcome of the Dragonmoot ensured that the Scourge of the Wildshire Vale allowed a small stretch of land bordering the Great Lake to be used for sentients to travel, in exchange for claiming the enitre rest of the forest for his own to do as it saw fit.
Agosto Gavras and his blood received the title "Of the Blood of Dragons", which started to manifest itself as draconic sorcery in his bloodline. Besides this, Gavras' offspring soon after laid claim to the throne of Vertigen, and his bloodline became a de facto synonym with its rule over the duchy.

War of Regrets

Vertigen remained a stronghold for the worship of the Old Gods. As such, they quickly chose the side of king Kalistenes Lorriaga during the War of Regrets. While Vertigen did lose the war, they remained largely unscathed, having only supplied materials and voluntary troops. The resulting power vacuum within the Kingdom of Tessuris was subsequently used to further cement Vertigen's power in the kingdom.

Bloody Ches

In the year E6Y533, disaster struck for House Gavras. In a series of 'unfortunate' accidents and downright blatant murder that spanned the entirety of the month Ches, the entirety of House Gavras was murdered or found their death otherwise. The 2 year old Janna Gavras was the last surviving member, but she was carried straight into the Wildshire Vale by a trusted knight. The knight was soon after killed by pursuing troops, but of Janna was no trace. It is believed that she fell victim to the Scourge of the Wildshire Vale, but a reward is still offered if evidence of her death can be delivered. After the murders, House Cortadel succeeded, and Francés Cortadel became duke of Vertigen.

Recent events

Francés Cortadel is haunted by night terrors, and has again placed a bounty for finding the whereabouts of Janna Gavras, as he believes she is not dead. Besides this, several rumours circle around the city, for one that he hates his liege King Numitor Lorriaga III for having designated his tiefling son Duarte Lorriaga as heir to the throne of Tessuris. As such, the rumours tell that he is planning open revolt against his liege, with full support from Girones. Next to this, plans are made to chase away the Scourge of the Wildshire Vale from the forest and reestablish Vertigen's claim on the forest once more. These plans are kept much more secret, though, as it is feared that these plans might leak out to the Scourge itself.

Location under

Kingdom of Tessuris