Couthshou

A wide wall of stone looms around the great river, Feln's Tear, surrounded on all sides by rolling hills of knee high yellow grass. Beyond the walls can be seen a great domed structure looming tall, the Judicial Building- Althome; home of The Mayor.
Couthshou, or as it's often referred to as: The City, is one of few pre-Shattering cities to exist north of the Kal'Toak Forest which separates the northern reaches of Helfdome from the southern lands of Aldabryn. Founded in the year 200A3. The City rose to prominence in the aftermath of the event known and recorded as The First Sin War wherein the Archefiend Sin, The Absent Ruler of Malboge, along side the betrayer god Cicero of the Elves waged a scheme to weaken and gain control of all of Helfdome. Rallying the Thriband cultists and the elven (both high and dark) followers of Cicero to form a great army he marched south towards Aldabryn with the intent to put all before him to the sword.

A group of adventurers, allied with the Trumpet Archon Dar'xel and his lover Darling one of the last three known pixies in existence rallied the forces of Embram to the south, the seat of the Sun Empire's power, the human armies of Hellsmere and the Dark Elf houses of Terranzeroak which existed deep beneath the southern reaches of the great forest. Together these three armies joined alongside these adventurers and managed to, at great expense, break the armies of Sin and separate the Fiend from his body.

Around the site of the battle survivors who wished to aid the Archon constructed a great city, and over the course of four years thanks to the aid of powerful wizards, including Gizzengulp of the Wandering Tower a famed gnomish archmage, The City came into existence over the pit where the body of Sin was buried. There Dar'xel performed a ritual sacrificing two things, his own name and the name of The City itself to put up a nigh impenetrable barrier that the soul of Sin, if ever freed, could not pass through.

The City remained a seat of power for nearly two-hundred and fifty years, the Empires of men and elves both respecting it's independence and aiding its once ally wih great caravans of resources through the roads that had been crudely constructed through the great forest.

It's independence however faltered around the year 449A3 during which time the Cult of Cicero (The Laughing Jokers) instigated the remaining thriband tribes to the north of their masters revival. This cult worked hard to dissolve the barrier around The City or to sneak the reclaimed soul of Sin inside the barrier so that he may be returned; and though their plans were delayed by natural disaster and a wandering group of citizens from The City the barrier did fall and the released spirit of Sin was able to reclaim his body.

Culminating in a more brief Second Sin War, The Mayor, Dar'xel created a much smaller barrier to prevent the spirit from reclaiming its full power as long as he could while the military force of the city struggled to hold back the hordes of orcs and elves. In secret from Sin a group of adventurers discovered a ritual to bind the fiend into a phylactery, a weapon, and hurriedly risked a long abandoned mine inside Feln to fetch adamantine capable of surviving the force of the ritual.

During this final battle, Althome was destroyed by Sin's resurrection and battle between the archfiend and the archon were resumed once again. While the two titans clashed the group of adventurers carried out creating the magic circle while carrying the pair of adamantine swords forged by Gru-lak Thren. Managing to complete the ritual, Sin and Dar'xel were both locked inside the swords and with the loss of their master for a second time the armies of Sin routed and peace, though sorrowful, fell upon Couthshou.

In the Post-War wake the City's leadership passed to the advisory council that had for a long time served as the advisors to The Mayor, under the head of Ohm Sandalfoot, a halfling who had immigrated to The City some twenty-five years earlier. In order to secure safety in the north and recover from their position, Ohm entered talks with the new Emperor of the Jaral Empire, Wistendauntaless the First about turning the area around Couthshou into a country under the umbrella of the empire.

Demographics

The City boasts a wide mix of races and ethnicity as it acts as an independent city state separate from he wars of the empire it serves as a safe haven for those who seek a place to belong.

Government

Originally Couthshou was run by The Mayor, a celestial being who oversaw all decisions in The City with a council of nine advisors. In the post-second sin war climate when The Mayor is no longer available the Council elected a new mayor-prelate, or Council Director to rule, but the overall city remains very democratic with a voting system in place between the nine council members.

Defences

The City's primary defenses are a twenty feet tall, eight foot thick wall of stone that surrounds it. Often patrolled by soldiers and with select crossbow slits throughout. Internally a second wall exists around the garrison where civilians can fall back to in an emergency. 
Also the 'Broken Tower', a mage stronghold exists very centrally within the walls.

Industry & Trade

Mostly craftsman or farmhands, the citizens of the city survive by making produce and wares for the city. Almost no export is done at least before the Age of Separation. Imports often include fine silks and spices from the south, things that are harder to replicate in the northern climate.

Infrastructure

Much of the city's in-wall land s dedicated to farms and ranches, or housing the people who work those farms and ranches. Feln's Tear, a great river also bisects the city powerng water mills to grind grain. Roads are cobblestone and stone bridges reinforced with iron cross the river at key intersections.

Assets

The main assets of The City are its people, skilled craftsmen, hardy workers and powerful casters. Beyond this the city is mostly self-sustainable, the fresh water from the river and the mass farmlands provides most of its resources.

Guilds and Factions

Jaralian Merchants Guild has a strong home in The City as well as several smaller unions of workers. 
Beyond this Ohm Sandlefoot, the halfling member of the council controls a powerful underground network of spies, assassins, and thieves who keep other criminals in check. 
The Military is controlled by Eric Frault, the High Commander. He and his fellow officers control the militia and city guard.

Geography

The City is surrounded by rolling hills that are filled with knee high yellow grass. To the south and north mountains loom within a days travel from the city proper.

Alternative Name(s)

The City

Type

City

Population

50000