City of Spire

Old capital of the Kingdom of Merthiorn

Shield of Merthiorn

Located northwest on the Thaur Island, the city of Spire is past its golden days after it was replaced as the capital of the Kingdom of Merthiorn in favour of the newly built City of Goldwaste in 2961 E.Alz.
Up until that point, Spire housed the royal family of Merthiorn and most of the most important governmental buildings, diplomats, and aristocratic families, with the city itself receiving the name of one of the Merthiornite Queens.

Due to the short distance between it and the port of the City of Vythlan, Spire's location was strategic for the control of the Red Crest Islands prior to their "independency" in 2985 E.Alz.

Onnamar

With the government having moved and the colony of Red Crest having turned into a principality, Spire's activity and importance shrunk during the 53 years that Goldwaste stood as the Merthiornite capital, catching some wind in 2998 E.Alz after a flood destroyed the town of Deep Cue Garn.

Spire's history

Spire is believed to be one of the oldest major settlements in the Haan Archipelago standing today, with some records dating of more than 3400 years ago.
Traces, signs and remains of roughly concentrical walls suggest that the city has been fortified for many centuries, with the walled area being expanded and upgraded alongside the city.
Having run through many through its hitory, the city received its current name in 2524 E.Alz, commemorating the coronation of Queen Spire of Merthiorn who was 22 at the time.
Around the decade of 2920 E.Alz, at the height of their power, the Merthiornite monarchy decided to move their capital with the express purpose of showing their power by building a city in the mountains. Goldwaste was completed in 2961 E.Alz and with it all of the monarchy and most of the aristocracy leaving for it, Spire lost most of its high status, and reverted to more of a trade hub coastal city.
During 2998 E.Alz, a flood covered the neighbouring town of Deep Cue Garn. Many of the survivors took refuge in Spire, raising the activity of the city.
The High Rust in 3014 E.Alz destroyed the city of Goldwaste and its people. In just a couple of months, Spire received hundreds of the wounded and dying, as well as almost all of the unscathed ones.
While the city would have had a chance of restoring its status as the kingdom's capital after the Rust, it was replaced by the City of Birdland as Merthiorn fell and the Kingdom of Thaur took its place.

The Knowledgeholders

Ethel by Naelin

Spire is now mostly known for the group that has it as its headquarters, The Knowledgeholders, a gubernamental organization dedicated to registering knowledge and history, by accumulating, storing and cataloguing historical records, encyclopaedias, journals and other texts of interests, including every edition of each article ever published in the famous Book of the Habits and Beasts.
The Knowledgeholders are a state-funded organisation, and it passed hands after The Rust from the fallen kingdom of Merthiorn to Thaur, keeping it as the intellectual pride of the archipelago.

Shield of Spire by Naelin

Type

City

Location under

Thaur Island

Included Locations

• The Spire

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Thaur

Related Historical Events

• 110 E.Alz
  Birth of Onnamar of Merthiorn
• 418 E.Alz
  The Knowledgeholders are founded
• 490 E.Alz
  The city of Spire receives its current name
• Circa 1280 E.Wr
  First records of the settlement of Spire

The Haan Archipelago

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Danae by Naelin

The cartographer Danae from the City of Birdland in Thaur was commissioned to draw a map of the Haan Archipelago for the second edition of The Book of the Habits and Beasts, published in the 3rd of Birthing, 3 E.Ru.
Danae took advantage of the enclyclopaedia's team of researchers to gather precise information and went himself into research expeditions to survey remote areas. His work resulted in what is considered the most accurate and widespread map of the Archipelago to this day, which details even most of the coasts of the Savage Isles.