Crowngate
Sentinel of the Abyss
Fortified City, Gatekeeper of the Underdark
Settlement Summary
- Population: 70,000 (primarily elves and dwarves, with a mix of humans and halflings)
- Government: Ruled by King Harmon Greigfort, with the Crownguard Council managing military and civic operations
- Alignment: Lawful Neutral
- Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven
- Notable Locations: The Crowngate Fortress, The Abyssal Watch, The Vigilant Keep, The Echoed Market, The Monastery of Shadows
Notable Features
- The Crowngate Fortress: A colossal obsidian and gold structure sealing the largest known entrance to the Underdark. The fortress is heavily guarded and reinforced with arcane wards.
- The Abyssal Watch: An elite barracks and training ground for the Crownguard, designed to prepare soldiers for combat against Abyssal monstrosities.
- The Vigilant Keep: The administrative heart of Crowngate, where King Harmon resides and oversees both civic and military matters.
- The Echoed Market: A cavernous marketplace where traders exchange rare metals, artefacts, and supplies needed for the city’s operations.
- The Monastery of Shadows: A secluded enclave where monks study stealth and Abyssal magic, lending their expertise to the Crownguard.
Special Qualities
- Abyssal Expertise: Crowngate’s proximity to the Underdark has made its inhabitants some of the empire’s foremost experts on Abyssal creatures and tactics.
- Fortified Position: The city’s walls and natural location make it one of the most defensible settlements in Kyneshelm.
- Underdark Resources: Artefacts and rare metals recovered from expeditions provide a unique, if limited, source of trade and study.
Defenses
- The Crownguard: 10,000 soldiers trained for stealth and mobility, specialized in combating Abyssal threats and maintaining constant vigilance.
- Reinforced Walls: The city’s fortifications include layers of stone, obsidian, and magical barriers, ensuring resilience against incursions.
- Arcane Wards: Powerful enchantments protect the Crowngate Fortress, preventing Abyssal creatures from breaching the barrier.
Notable NPCs
- King Harmon Greigfort: A reclusive and aging elven ruler, Harmon’s unwavering dedication to the Crowngate defines his reign, though his isolation has led to concerns about his mental state.
- General Taryn Nightshade: A stoic elven commander of the Crownguard, known for her tactical brilliance and unyielding discipline.
- Archivist Lirien Duskwatch: A dwarven scholar and keeper of the Abyssal Codices, which document centuries of Abyssal incursions and Crownguard tactics.
- Master Whisperer Kaelen Blackstep: A halfling monk who leads the Monastery of Shadows, training Crownguard soldiers in stealth and silent combat.
- Merchant Garrek Forgebellow: A human trader managing the Echoed Market, ensuring supplies flow into Crowngate and rare finds flow out.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Abyssal Threats: The constant danger of Abyssal incursions requires relentless vigilance and often pushes the Crownguard to their limits.
- King’s Isolation: King Harmon’s reluctance to engage with the empire’s political processes has caused tensions with the Lordsmeet and strained relations with Lordhelm.
- Limited Economy: Crowngate’s remote location and focus on defense limit its economic diversity, making it reliant on external trade for survival.
- Artefact Potential: The rare artefacts recovered from the Underdark offer opportunities for both trade and innovation but also risk drawing unwanted attention.
The Crowngate Fortress
"Seal of the Abyss"
The Crowngate Fortress is a marvel of engineering and magic, its massive obsidian doors warded against even the most powerful Abyssal forces. As is well-known by citizens of Crowngate, the massive walls of the city are designed for containment more than they are repulsion. Should abyssal threats breach the lines of the Crownguard, it's imperative they remain as contained as possible.
The Abyssal Watch
"Training for the Shadows"
The Abyssal Watch is where Crownguard soldiers hone their skills, preparing for the unique challenges of combating Abyssal creatures. The creatures of the Abyss are unique and terrifying, and training loud, clanking soldiers to wander the caverns is a death sentence. The Crownguard are trained in subterranean stealth combat, and are some of the deadliest combatants in Raethil. Their effectiveness is one of the reasons many believe King Harmon gets away with what he does.
The Monastery of Shadows
"Masters of Silence"
The monks of the Monastery of Shadows specialize in stealth and counter-Abyssal magic, lending their expertise to Crownguard operations. It is rumoured that the Monastery is run by a Gods, whose name has remained hidden and secret, but explains the unique knowledge and techniques that are taught within its walls.
Life in Crowngate
"A Life of Duty"
The people of Crowngate live under constant vigilance, their lives defined by the ever-present threat of the Abyss, and the ever-present awareness that should the worst happen, they are penned inside with death itself.