The Cross Roads

The Free City of Zobeck shares borders with three nations: the Dragon Empire to the west, Novigrad to the southwest, and the Dark Kingdoms to the northeast. Together, these regions and nearby areas constitute the Crossroads of Midgard. The regions of Midgard spin around the Crossroads like spokes around a wheel. Everything that goes from north to south and east to west passes through the Cross Roads, all with their own difficulties and dangers. But the nations that thrive in the heartland know how to spin copper into gold and how to turn a sinking barge into a prince’s ransom. Though they borrow language, customs, tools, and even gods from all their neighbors, the Crossroads have their own code, their own pride, and their own way of doing business. Welcome to the beating heart of the world.

Zobeck

Population. 16,000 (12,000 humans; 850 dwarves; 2,800 kobolds; 200 gearforged; 150 other)
Government. The city is run by a mayor and a city council.
Defense. Gearforged and enlisted soldiers protect the city.
Commerce. Being the center of trade in Midgard almost anything can be bought here.
Organizations. Merchant companies and mercenary companies find much work within the city. The Free City’s feudal history explains the city’s current freedom-loving citizenry. After suffering under the long, harsh reign of an aristocratic family, the people of Zobeck have little love for nobles or the institution of feudalism. They have vowed to never again accept a lord’s yoke. Instead, commerce and the ability of every man and woman to grab life’s wealth with gusto rule the Zobecker spirit. Free to make their way in the world, Zobeckers work to secure a living in whatever manner they see fit—though some occupations clash with the city’s laws— and answer to no one but themselves. Still, certain citizens are not as free as others. The kobolds fought alongside the rebels to emancipate Zobeck and thus gained a seat on the Free City Council, but the kobolds remain very much second-class citizens. They do not experience the same uplifting spirit of freedom as their dwarf or human neighbors, or even the gearforged. Those formerly flesh-and-blood beings now living in metal bodies hold more privileges than any kobold in the greater city. For all their help in the Great Revolt, the kobolds have been relegated to their own little ghetto and the most menial professions. Life remains harsh for the small folk who once steered their own destiny and mined freely in service to a proud kobold king of these lands. Kobold politics is obsessed with the futile effort to reassert their ancient claims to rule the city.

Goverment

The Free City Council, consisting of the Free Mayor Olleck and 11 other consuls, rules Zobeck. The sitting consuls choose the mayor from among their peers to serve a 10-year term, though some have held the position for life (either dying in office, or refusing to yield the position). Consuls serve 5-year terms. The Free Mayor oversees the administration of justice by appointing Zobeck’s judges, establishes and provisions the army, appoints all knight-commanders, and commands the Free City’s militant orders.

Crime

Being that this is a place of major commerce, crime can range from petty to major. For the most part during the day enlisted soldiers are on the look out for crime but during the night crime is much more likely to go unnoticed.

Geography

The city itself borrows architecture design from many of its neighboring nations. The city is a hub of mixed culture and it shows.

Order of the Griffon Riders

These interesting soldiers are an elite unite that operate from the city. They ride war griffons that they use to protect the city and to protect merchants and caravans traveling to and from the city from dangerous threats.

Districts

The Free City encompasses ten main districts, each briefly described below.

Citadel District

Located in the northern part of the city, this section contains the walled Citadel and its highly skilled Griffon Knights, who protect Zobeck’s uppermost river entrances. The King’s Head tavern and the White Rose tavern both reside in this district. The former caters to average soldiers, while paladins and priests of Khors and Perun patronize the latter.

COLLEGIUM DISTRICT

As its name suggests, this district’s greatest feature is Zobeck’s famous Arcane Collegium. Scholars, scribes, mages, students, and alchemists frequent this district and often gather at the Hedgehog tavern or peruse the shelves at the Book Fetish.

DOCK DISTRICT

Also called the Gullet—and one of the busiest areas of the Free City—the Docks along the Argent River are the center of the city’s trade, just slightly eclipsing the Great Northern Road. Its wharves, alleys, and thoroughfares see traffic from merchants, bargemen, and stevedores at all hours. Its taverns, gambling dens, and bordellos stand beside warehouses, dry docks, and other industries of the water trade. Brawls are common, and the Watch tends to patrol the area heavily to ensure the smooth continuation of commerce.

GEAR DISTRICT

The city’s dwarves dominate this district, which houses many trade guilds, like the Geargrinder’s Guild, Foundryman’s Guild, and Steamworker’s Union. The area is awash in tin, iron, and brass creations, and the sound of dwarves striking anvils carries throughout the streets. Many gearforged frequent this district.

KOBOLD GHETTO

Zobeck’s hard-working kobolds reside in this section of the city. Their many kings hold sway in this small realm, and any Bigs or Too Talls entering the Ghetto have to submit to the kobold border authority, paying taxes on declared goods and often bribes just to gain admittance. The Ghetto’s streets are narrow, crowded, and often trapped. Nonkobolds are walking targets for pickpockets and gangs.

LOWER ZOBECK (ASHMILL)

Ashmill is home to the Free City’s poor and unskilled working classes, though a few merchants, like the Kappa family, have purchased large chunks of space here. Lower Zobeck also houses the Wheatsheaf tavern, a favored drinking hole for smugglers and rogues. Merchants selling foodstuffs, livestock, and spices do brisk business in this district.

TEMPLE DISTRICT

Temples to the Free City’s five main deities—Lada (The largest temple in Zobeck), Perun, Rava, Volund, and Khors comprise the extent of this district. The structures surrounding the temples house their staff or store goods and livestock to support the clerics.

MARKET DISTRICT (VINEYARD DISTRICT)

Merchants selling carpets, cloth, leather, wine, weapons, alchemical powders, poisons, goods from other lands, and even otherworldly goods from the Realm of Shadow hawk their wares from tiny stalls in this district. Most anything can be found for sale here.

MERCHANT DISTRICT

Weavers, cobblers, coopers, carpenters, jewelers, armorers, and other skilled workers have shops lining this district. Some of their wares are sold in the Market District, supplementing their income, but these craftsmen generally work to order and keep quite busy. Many merchants reside in the upper levels of their shops, though the wealthier ones have residences in Upper Zobeck. Rest up among the shops at the Greasy Cog, a friendly inn run by the female dwarfe Ossi Otterborn

UPPER ZOBECK

The Free City’s government centers, including the Council Hall, City Archives, the Redrock Bailey (jail), and the Civic Courthouse, cluster in this district. The opulent, painted-brick houses of the city’s richest and oldest families stand in the Crown Square portion of the district, where the great Old Stross Clock tolls the hours.

Altbach

A small town at the crossroads, just as Zobeck is, but with much less drive and ambition and with more waterwheels driven by streams coming down into the hills. Its people seem content to hammer gold leaf, forge peculiar springs, master button-making, and otherwise specialize in fields too obscure for Zobeckers to pursue.

Freehold of Obertal

The Griffon Knights of Zobeck have recently opened a new freehold upriver from the city, to prevent banditry and secure the lines of communication with other settlements. This small hill fort is the Freehold of Obertal, currently housing a half-dozen dwarven crossbow archers, a handful of Zobecker outriders on tough steeds used to long travel, and a dozen kobold cooks, servants, and grooms. The freehold is ruled and run by a wedded pair of griffon knights, Sir Gismondo, and Lady Edeltraud. These two are always looking for a fight, and sometimes amuse themselves by demanding tolls from travelers. So far, this abuse of their authority has not landed them in trouble, but as soon as word reaches the Mayor’s ear or someone tells the Knight Commander, they might find themselves serving in a much more onerous position as scouts helping against the dragons. They might not mind this change of venue.

Neuradell

At the heart of the Smolten Hills wine region, Neuraddel produces barrels, wagon wheels—and huge vats of wine. It once sold its wares as far north as the Northlands. A circle of mountain druids keeps a sacred tarn in the hills above the town. The town’s leader is Vasold Crisenso who might sample too much of his own wine; his wife Keterlyn Crisenso takes on the responsibility of striking deals with drovers and teamsters to haul the Neuraddel wine to market.

Obersteinau Mine

The Free City has always had mines such as Obersteinau, which predates the revolt. Originally a kobold copper mine, it was taken by the old Noble House as a private holding and later freed. It is governed by Ruland Luipold, with the maddening advice of a council of kobold mine bosses.

Remmauer

This small fortress sits on a small stone spire, separated from a hilltop by a chasm; its green roof and red flag can be seen for miles around. It is accessible via a drawbridge or by climbing a steep set of limestone cliffs. To date, sieges of Remmauer have proven useless. The fortress protects a major road into Zobeck. The posting is considered a quiet retirement sinecure, and it is currently held by an eccentric gear mage, Volanda Tockson.

Lillefor

The kobold city of Lillefor lies near the Dark Kingdoms. Lillefor is a haven for the small races: dark creeper bandits sell their ill-gotten gains, dwarves sell ore or ingots, and goblins hire themselves out as bat riders or scouts. The kobolds discourage Big Folk (and gnomes) from visiting. The kobold King Kekarrac rules from a central square inside all those trap-riddled tunnels. Appropriately sized and diplomatic creatures can wrangle a short pass to visit the city for 8, 12, or 24 hours (depending on the size of their bribe). Larger travelers can enter Lillefor but must constantly squeeze through the passages and doorways and can never escape observation or suspicion. The kobolds of Zobeck think the Lillefor kobolds are a bit foolish for living so close to the Dark Kingdoms, but they also seem slightly envious that (whatever the dangers of rampaging vampires or purple worms) they are at least independent.

Margreve Forest

The Margreve Forest is ancient, already old when most of the gods were young. In time immemorial, it cradled the great spirits of nature, and its loam felt the footfalls of the ancient gods of elves and treants. As millennia passed, its roots swallowed rivers, its canopy stole the sun from vast tracts of land, and its groves crested mountains that have since weathered to hills. In all that time, the Margreve has changed little. History transpires around it, lapping at its edges like the sea at the shore, but never truly invading. Though kingdoms rise and fall beyond its borders, the Margreve remains a world apart—a place where memories and old magic linger in the rings of trees and new ideas and ways never take root. A strange realm that lives by its own rules, the Margreve harbors wonders and horrors in equal measure. Those few regions humans know well have an evil reputation, not worth risking to gain the potential rewards. Every year, however, a few brave souls decide to ignore the old stories and cautionary tales. Most never return.

Ironcrag

Population. 316,000 (306,000 dwarves, 10,000 goblins)
Government. Ruled by noble dwarven houses that elect a king to rule them.
Defense. Dwarven Legions, Automatons, and Siege Equipment all help protect the city.
Commerce. Many weapons, armor, and ore can be purchased here. Mana crystals may also be purchased.
Dwarves think of their House first, their race or clan second. The House is home and hearth, family and wealth, and safety from an uncaring world. These traits do not guarantee greater harmony or joy among the Dwarven Houses than among other races. Indeed, Ironcrag dwarves are notoriously dour, fractious, and opinionated about everything. Dwarven Houses unify only in the presence of some external threat. This is the way of Ironcrag.

Government

Ironcrag is ruled by twelve dwarven houses, all of whom serve under one king that they elect. However because each House is greedy and only looks out for themselves, the election process to actually put a king in place can be long and drawn out. A king will typically serve until he or she dies and then it is time to put another king in place.

Crime

There is little crime committed in Ironcrag, however there are groups and individuals who commit crimes to further their House's status or decrease it if they are caught. The slums of Ironcrag typically have the most crime than anywhere else in the city with the Scorch Brothers (a goblin gang) and the Durin Banes (a dwarven gang) currently fighting over territory.

Geography

Ironcrag sits deep within a mountain, light is dim only being lit by torches, braziers, and flowing rivers of lava. The city itself sits atop a plateau within a massive cavern with only one bridge being able to access it.

The Old Roads

The Old Roads may be accessed from here, they are massive underground roads that lead all throughout Midgard but have been lost to hoards of undead, corrupted dwarves, and other vile creatures. These loads can eventually lead to passages into the Underdark. The Ghoul Imperium uses these old dwarven roads to attack their underground cities.

Erdovar

This town once provided a great deal of timber and a rich harvest of walnuts and fine venison to towns farther into the Cross Roads heartland. It was burned out overnight, and the survivors spoke of a great cave dragon that burst in under the city walls—followed by hideous, reeking soldiers that slaughtered almost everyone. The town has been abandoned for decades.

Magdar

Population. 2,703,000 (2,200,000 humans, 250,000 dwarves, 210,000 kobolds, 40,000 centaurs, 3,000 gnomes)
Government. Magdar is overseen by a regional lord who answers directly to the king of Novigrad. The regional lord has a court that helps to advice them on governing the city.
Defense. The Novigrad army has many troops stationed here as well as hiring the service of the dwarven legion from Ironcrag.
Commerce. Many fine goods may be bought here at a reasonable price.
Organizations. The Order of the Undying Sun has its guild hall within the city.
Magdar is an essential city within the nation of Novigrad. It acts as an advantage point for both military and political purposes. Having access to the cross roads as well as having an advantage point against the Dragon Empire is crucial for Novigrad.

Government

Magdar is ruled by a regional lord and his or her's court of advisors. The regional lord is elected by the king of Novigrad typically from one of Novigrad's Noble Families. They serve their term indefinitely unless removed by the king personally.

Crime

Being as large as it is, crime happens occasionally and is scattered across the city. The troops of Novigrad do their best to quell any crime but the population is too big to oversee it all. Expect to encounter gangs or thieves guilds lurking within the city.

Geography

The city is massive sprawling across its land with towering walls, high towers, moats, drawbridges, and an architecture design reminiscent of medieval Europe.

Perunalia

Population. 190,500 (186,000 humans, 4,500 centaurs)
Government. The Queen has ultimate rule over the city and her daughters are the ones next in line to become Queen.
Defense. The city is protected by the countless number of female battle warriors who are ready to fight at a moments notice.
Commerce. Many exotic goods, foods, and divine magic is available within the city.
Organizations. Roaming bands of centaur clans are hired to help protect the city.
This nation of strong and beautiful women sits to the north of Zobeck. Perunalia is small but well ruled: rich in the trade of fish and oysters from the river mouth, in timber, in the crafts and fine jewel work, and in divine magic. None of these trades will ever raise the land to glory, but they keep its people happy, healthy, and give them time for reflection, trade, and the pursuit of art. Perunalia is the land most given to education, literacy, and the keeping of lore from ancient times.

Government

The city is ruled by the Amazons, a group of women who are said to be descendants from gods and demigods themselves. The family who's blood shares this divine lineage the most rules over the nation with their Queen. The daughters of the Queen are the ones who are next in line to take upon the mantle.

Crime

Crime is relatively non existent. The women of the nation have a strong connection to honor and faith and little need for petty personal gain. What crime does happen is swiftly taken care of.

Geography

The land itself sits next to a large river while the city is heavily inspired by greek architecture.

Men

Within Perunalia, men are treated as the weaker sex, more for their assumed mental abilities rather than their physical ones. The female rulers deem males too driven by emotions like envy, rage, and sexual desire to take up the serious duties of defense, war, government, and business. Men’s roles are therefore reserved for child rearing, maintaining households, and performing limited manual labor, in which their physical strength gives them an advantage. Hard work tempers them, gentling their emotions and making them more pliable for mating. Men may not own property or receive formal education. Merchant and artisan trades, mining, soldiering, scholarship, and most other trades are reserved for women, but Perunalia’s men do apprentice in certain allowable trades, performing jobs like blacksmithing, farming, shipbuilding, lumberjacking, animal husbandry, and the like. Their wives take care of the money gained from such endeavors, and they provide any needed protection.

Archery and Horseriding

The amazons are famed for their archery, especially while atop horseback. It is said that their archery rivals that, and maybe even exceeds, that of the elves. They live, eat, and breath archery as it is their main force of combat. Many competitions are held to show off ones prowess with the bow. Horseback riding is also thought to be a great skill any amazon needs to learn and it is seen as a great art form just as archery is.