Teleth
Map created using Project Deios by Dungeonfog.
History
Founding
A Corsair Haven
Before it was a city, Teleth was the base for a ruthless band of corsairs that terrorized the southern reaches of Isilmar and even the northwestern shores of Eldaria. With the advent of sea travel earlier in the Golden Age of Ascension, these pirates' reach and control of the waters was unfathomable, and few vessels could escape unscathed. These raiders' camp became a centralized hub for villainy and a haven for criminals seeking refuge from the law. Over time, the village became known as Port Defiance. In 1414, the Paragon of Pavlona named Teleth Delvorin issued a call for the northern settlements to create an army and fleet that could crush the burgeoning corsair village. His desire was to fulfill the Goddess of Journeys and the Sun's divine will for travel to be safe for all threatened by the corsairs. While the settlements promised to aid, their forces alone were vastly outnumbered by the corsairs. Terrified of waging a fruitless war, the settlements refused to send their warriors unless a more sizeable force could be found. Over the course of a year, Delvorin sought a sizeable mercenary force to supplement the army before acquiring the support of the Vandris Company from Vanheim. The leader of the company, Rafenda Vandris, was an experienced derivos warlord and a devout follower of Vladian, and she saw an opportunity to significantly expand her mercenary group's prestige. For a sizeable sum of gold, she agreed to join the fight against the corsairs, but only if she was granted unilateral control of the entire army and navy. The settlements nearly balked at the requirement, but when Rafeda refused to aid without this, they at last conceded to her will.Attacking Port Defiance
The assault began in spring of 1416 with a devastating surprise assault from the ocean. Rafenda's fleet sailed under cover of darkness and through a terrible storm to ambush the complacent pirates in the bay. Although a number of her vessels sank when they crashed into the island in the bay, she managed to secure the ocean and destroyed nearly three quarters of the fleet. Simultaneously, Rafenda led the assault against the palisades of Port Defiance. However, the corsairs had regained their wits and repulsed the attack. Rafeda withdrew her forces to a safe distance and began a siege of the port.
The blockade did not perform as hoped. Storms lashed the vessels blocking the bay, dashing many of the ships on the island at the mouth of the bay. Meanwhile, the corsairs, well-used to the region's summer squalls, waited for their opportunity to
Return to Corsair Point
Over the next two years, Rafeda plotted a return to Port Defiance to finish what she started. The appetite for the other cities to join the cause had soured, however, which forced her to rebuild her reputation as a powerful warlord and recruit her own army. In 1419, she approached the new Paragon of Pavlona for aid. The new Paragon was less militant than her predecessor, however, and aid was denied. Seeing no alternative, Rafeda led her army under cover of darkness in an unsanctioned attack.
After several years of impunity, the corsairs had fallen into infighting amongst themselves and grown lax on defending their own territory. Continual flooding from the heavier rain than normal likewise led to loss of life and property as the rivers flooded their banks. The lack of trust amongst themselves led to delays in reports of the approaching army, and Rafeda arrived at Port Defiance. Though outnumbered, the dwarf mercenary managed to mount a successful attack due to the coordination of her forces versus the pirates. Many of the corsairs escaped out to sea, yet the survivors would not reform a criminal haven in such prominence ever again.
Golden Age of Ascension
Early Years
It took nearly a quarter of a century for Teleth to gain prominence as a port city. Spring floods from the twin rivers devastated the farmlands and prevented them from maintaining a favorable harvest each year. Squalls pounded the fledgling settlement and forced construction to a crawl. Amidst the dismal situation, many questioned whether Rafeda had used good judgement in her determination to eliminate the pirate threat and establish a new port in its place. Yet new innovations improved life for the denizens. Improved damming in 1437 slowed the rivers each year to allow crops to establish themselves better, and engineers constructed rock walls along the riverside to alleviate the situation. They then piled a mix of sand, soil, and clay to elevate the city above the banks. With defenses now in place, the city leaders directed their attention to expanding trade routes and drawing merchants to the new city. Over time, ships began to use Teleth as a major stopping point on their way north, and it grew into a bustling cosmopolitan by 1480.The Covetous Revolt: 1499-1543
The Sack of 1535
The Covetous Revolt was centralized in other regions of Isilmar and the other continents, allowing Teleth the illusion of being protected from the revolution. Yet all of this changed when Grishtar rose to power and targeted the settlement with the intention of disrupting trade and terrorizing the civilians.
In 1535, Grishtar's forces arrived at Teleth. The city's wooden wall offered it minimal defense from them, but worse still was the assault from the sea. Within hours, much as the corsairs experienced before, the city's vessels were destroyed, and the bulk of
Reclaiming Teleth
As the tides of war shifted, Grishtar's focus drifted from holding his conquered land and to his final goal. By 1539, he abandoned the south of Isilmar and consolidated his strength in southern Eldaria. The nations of Isilmar saw an opportunity and led a successful counter-assault to reclaim the ruined city. Little of the old settlement remained from the sack, but this did not deter the intrepid army and returning citizens. They managed to restore much of Teleth before the Era of Ruin arrived and drove the city once more to the brink.The Era of Ruin: 1543-2185
The centuries-long ice age that hammered Taermidra after the fall of Grishtar did not spare Teleth. Frigid blizzards covered the earth and withered crops. Trade slowed as icebergs dotted the seas and threatened vessels that drew too close. Daily life became a struggle compounded by starvation and despondence.
Worse still, monsters began to emerge from their slumber, quickly adapting to the drastic drop in temperatures. While many of these creatures had been driven into the wilds as the Era of Birth came to an end, the consolidation of settlements and minimal travel across the lands gave creatures an opportunity to resurge. Between ice giants and monstrous drageras, Teleth struggled to maintain a
Government
Ervaldi
Ervaldi Sofien Halen
Sofien Halen was appointed Ervaldi by Reini Dalena Vilondil. While she is ostensibly in charge of military matters, she also takes precedence over the rest of the city's Paerdimeiner ("council of leaders"). Some have questioned whether her appointment by the queen was because of favoritism rather than merit.
Sofien's focus has been on establishing law and order within Teleth. Criminal elements, particularly the Blackthorn Syndicate, had been slipping through for the past decade under her predecessor's leadership, and Reini Dalena Vilondil selected Sofien to replace them for that reason. However, this has put a strain on Sofien's relationship with the paerdimeiner and caused challenges to her goal to uproot the Blackthorn Syndicate. This has led to her issuing multiple vetoes that the paerdimeiner, through a shared dislike of her, have overturned just to spite her.
Paerdimeiner
The paerdimeiner is a council of elected officials. One representative is selected from each of the four factions that are represented in the city:The paerdimeiner elections are handled at the start of every year. Any member of a faction, as long as they are at least thirty-five years of age, can be nominated by their faction to run against the sitting member. A vote among the members of the faction is then held, and the member with the most votes is raised to the council for their year-long term. The leader can only be removed from their position by a vote of no confidence by their peers. Throughout the year, the paerdimeiner vote on decisions for the city and advise the Ervaldi on various actions they can take. In most cases, the ervaldi does not participate in the votes unless there is a tie. In such a case, the Ervaldi makes the final decision on implementation and execution of laws, initiatives, or judgements. The council can also be disbanded during times of war or emergency, but the latter can only be maintained for a period of five weeks without the consent of the paerdimeiner.
Current Members of the Paerdimeiner
Ascendancy
Rajiya Nalath
Rajiya rose to prominence as the Paragon of Sekhrinna. When not present at council meetings, she can be found guiding the faithful at the Light of Sekhrinna Cathedral and influencing the citizenry with her charitable donations.
Citizenry
Bertrand Goran
Bertrand was elected because he promised to support workers striking at the docks until they received better pay. This promise never led to anything, and the threat of a no-confidence vote hangs over his head.
Maegus
Nefreni Calendis
A prominent academic on the influences of fiends in Taermidra, Nefreni is known for asking tough questions. Her cat Vandra is perhaps the most unnerving of the pair with her unflinching stare.
Merchantry
Luka Jair
Luka rose to prominence with his management of the Jair and Elventra Exchange in Vandikir Wharf. Rumor has it that his influence on trade caused the threatened dockworker strike to never materialize.
Defences
Stone Walls
As Teleth grew during the Golden Age of Ascension, the need to protect its denizens seemed unnecessary due to the prosperity shared across Isilmar. A simple wood wall surrounded the majority of the settlement, but no leaders had any ambition to expand beyond that. This led to Grishtar's easy sacking of the city in the winter of 1521, as the meager defenses did little to deter his military. The city was left a ruin until 1535, at which time Grishtar's army was in retreat and it was deemed safe to resettle the location. During the Era of Ruin of 1543-2185, the interminable ice age weakened the city's capabilities considerably and slowed its return to greatness. As monsters long thought driven into the wilds resurged as the dominant creatures, the need for improved defenses drove the leadership to requisition stone from the nearby mountains to craft thick walls. The process took more than eighty years to complete the external wall, plus an additional twenty to partition the interior for added defense. This last became necessary when scholars reminded the paerdimeiner of the city's sacking during the Covetous Revolt. After the creation of the wall was complete, the ability to isolate invading armies and restrict the flow of persons within the city marked it as a key element of Teleth's design.City Watch
Sofien Halen's attention to crushing crime led to a significant increase in the city watch's funding. Under her instruction, the defense force grew to a force of approximately 3,600 members that are spread across the entire city. While most of these members serve full-time, she has arranged a rotation of approximatley 1,000 that perform duties for a period of two months for half shifts. These soldiers are used to support and are selected randomly by draft.Districts
Corsair Point
Docks District
The central docks feature considerable space for storage and as the primary area to service visiting sailors. Many of the taverns take advantage of foreign travelers by partnering with nearby houses of leisure (fancy names for brothels) to attract visitors and keep them engaged for hours into the night. The area is also cordoned off from the rest of the city by a thick wall that is accessible from the northern side only. Less effort is put into maintaining the area, allowing refuse to pile up and an ever-present stink to pervade the area..Dawnlight Yard
(Dock/Slums District
The majority of housing spans this massive district, which is likewise the most congested region of the city. Most of the homes are smaller and more affordable, yet that brings with it many other challenges like illness and excessive noise. The southern docks always bustle with trade and work, providing consistent patronage to the nearby taverns, inns, and brothels. Most notably, the bridge leading to the heart of the city is blocked on the far side by a massive stone gate, ostensibly to prevent invaders from gaining access easily (but just as easily this can be used to control traffic from this section of the city.Everlit Quarter
Scholar/Trade District
One of the primary trade centers of the city, the northern gate allows easy access for travelers from Nimras and the surrounding villages to enter Teleth. Middle class society often settle in this area, and more diligence is paid to keeping the area clean and inviting. Atop a hill near the center of the district is the Light of Sekhrinna Cathedral, an opulent jewel that shines above the rest of the city. With the high amount of foot traffic that passes through, the city watch maintain a vigilent presence at all times.Myrdi Corner
Arcane District
While less sparsely populated, the educational corner of the city features several prominent magic education establishments. Specialists in the arcane arts and researchers of all types flock to this district, but the majority of houses in the area are managed by the university to provide room and board to enrollees. The narrow wall along the south border provides a decorative separation from the rest of the city, and is guarded by members of the city watch during the day.Naigreldi Gardens
Botannical/Highborn District
A dense park spans the center of the quarter, providing a recreational space for residents and an attraction for tourists. While the space is for public use, the majority of homes in this area are much more expensive, making them more accessible to the upper class. A number of inns and eateries have set up shop in the area to cater to travelers and residents with more sophisticated palates.Rafenda Heights
Administration/Highborn District
The civic center of Teleth trades living space for official and state business while also providing space for religious worship. The city hall serves the dual purpose of housing the Ervaldi and providing the paerdimeiner a location where they can meet to discuss matters about the city. Only highborn members of society who have been granted special permission by the ervaldi may own property in this district due to the focus on governance. For added protection, traffic in and out of the district is controlled by gates guarded around the clock.Vandikir Wharf
Merchant/Trade District
A more upscale economic center of the city, Vandikir Wharf is specifically named from the Aeldrus word for merchant. It is the trade center of Teleth and home to most merchants' stores and warehouses. Pavlona's Torch, a lighthouse atop the harbor hill, helps illuminate the bay at night to ensure no late-arriving vessels are in danger of crashing. Because of its proximity to the docks, the northern wall separating this district from the rest of the city can only be accessed from the other side, providing additional protection in case of an invading force or locking down the area to prevent thieves from escaping.Beyond the Walls
Barrow Hills
Burial Ground
To the north and east of Teleth stretch a series of rolling hills. Yet beneath the surface lies the hidden barrows filled with generations of the dead. The barrow hills have communal burial grounds for the rank and file, while several of the upper class have requisitioned private crypts and mausoleums for their families.Maerkinet
Village
Maerkinet Village serves as the focal point for Teleth's lumber trade. Many of the villagers are employed at the mill and in charge of collecting lumber and wood for shipment. The challenge is that the city has ordinances against chopping down wild trees within a mile of the city walls, forcing the villagers to travel further inland for resources. Once trees are felled or sawn into planks, the materials are ferried down the river and let through the portcullis so that they can be collected at the docks. Another delicacy is also grown beneath the trees: Nimras truffles. Easily confused as belonging to the capitol city in the north because they bear the same name, the truffles are actually named for the nation of Nimrahild. Truffle farmers carefully guard the secrets of their process form prying eyes, and many have prized pigs used specifically to root out the tasty morsels.Maivoyedeini Island
Fortress/Prison
Rafeda Statue
Landmark
A hill overlooking the north road features a prominent statue of a Rafeda, depicting her in her armor staring stoically to the north. Many have criticized the sculptor for taking liberties to soften Rafeda's historically sharp features, yet for Vandris Village and inbound travelers the statue serves as a guidepost for how close the city stands.Vandris
Village
While a larger village just outside the city walls, Vandris has little claim to fame aside from the Vanderfolk Vineyard. Wine produced from grapes grown within the walls of the vineyard develop a deep purple color and a fruity smell. Although it is not the drink of choice for highborn society, the sweet taste makes it an attractive and affordable option for the rest of society.Waelstin Shoals
Hamlet
A modest fishing hamlet, Waelstin Shoals manages to provide Teleth with fresh fish on a regular basis. However, it is primarily known for a considerably darker feature: the Waelstin Quarantine. The city-run center offers free medical attention for the ill or injured when they cannot afford a doctor or apothecary. However, anyone who visits may be detained for several days, sometimes weeks, if a medic determines they may have a communicable disease. Any quarantine restriction placed is enforced by members of the city watch to ensure epidemics are not spread throughout the city.Queendom of Nimrahild
Maps
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Teleth
Map created using Project Deios by Dungeonfog.
Founding Date
1419
Type
City
Population
~24,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Telethans
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Species
Painful that the first strike failed and they laid siege too long, but hey, they managed in the end! And the place has gone through a lot of challenges since then, nice to hear it's still standing despite its political squabbles.
Too low they build who build beneath the stars - Edward Young