Carcassonne
Carcassonne, the City of a Thousand Oaths
Overview:
The City of Carcassonne, the city of chivalry and knightly honor, filled with many knight orders and royal house's, Carcassonne is said to be one of the most orderly cities in Thalgriel, especially after actions of the chromatic cult left the world scorched. Carcassonne is a city of lots of wealth and other pleasantries, selling many different spices and wines to even elegant clothing. While this place may seem good due to the many knights, that does not stop some crime from taking place, as some of the nobles have been able to use their sway to try and gain even more wealth.
Rising like a jewel from the ashes, Carcassonne gleams with marble towers, rose-stone ramparts, and gold-inlaid fountains. Its banners flutter proudly in the wind, each representing ancient knightly orders, noble bloodlines, and oaths sworn in the name of gods and honor. The city is divided into concentric tiers—the outer Lowring, the bustling Commons, the elegant Knightward, and at the heart, the Highcourt, where the great noble houses and royal decrees reside.
Once a shattered stronghold during the War of Embers—when the Chromatic Cult nearly burned Thalgriel to ash—Carcassonne rose from the ruin as a beacon of law, nobility, and knightly unity. Today, it is a center of commerce, politics, and chivalric idealism—but not all is as noble as it seems.
Districts of Carcassonne:
The Lowring
The sprawling base of the city, home to merchants, artisans, and laborers. Known for its open markets, taverns, and festivals.
Many knightly orders keep their barracks here, acting as protectors of the people—or enforcers, depending on the order.
The Commons
Where the rising merchant class and minor nobles reside. Silkroot dens operate in shadowed alleys despite knight patrols.
Home to the Velvet Hall, a notorious gambling and pleasure house secretly run by a noble family in debt.
Knightward
A ring of fortresses, training grounds, and courts devoted to the knightly orders. Temples to deities of valor, justice, and law dominate the skyline.
This district is host to annual tourneys and public trials of honor.
Highcourt
Gilded estates, white-gold spires, and marble courtyards. The elite rule from here, guided by the Crown of Carcassonne, a monarch supported by a noble council.
It is said the monarch’s throne room is guarded by golems carved from the same stone that rebuilt the city after the War of Embers.
Power & Politics:
Noble Houses:
Dozens of families vie for influence. Some are ancient bloodlines with ties to celestial pacts or knightly lineages; others are upstart merchant-lords who bought their titles after the war.
Behind the pleasantries, rivalries run deep—duels, assassinations disguised as accidents, and arranged marriages are all tools of the game.
The Crown:
Currently ruled by Queen Almyra IV, known for her diplomatic grace and secretive agenda. Whispers say she may be a former adventurer herself.
Her court includes advisors from both the knightly orders and the mercantile guilds, a source of quiet tension.
Knightly Orders:
Seen as the soul of the city, yet divided in purpose. While many uphold justice, others serve personal or political ends.
The rise in knight-led inquisitions and covert operations has citizens wondering whether the orders protect them—or watch them.
Shadows Beneath the Shine:
Silkroot , a narcotic stimulant, flows through the city like perfume on the breeze—addictive, euphoric, and whispered to enhance magical focus. Banned, yet widely distributed.
The Silkroot Syndicate, rumored to be protected by noble patrons, has ties to smugglers, illusionists, and even certain knightly houses.
Some say the Chromatic Cult was never truly defeated—and that relics of the dragons they once served are hidden beneath the city, sealed in forgotten vaults.
Adventure Seeds:
A new knightly order is rising fast—too fast. Are they truly holy, or pawns of a hidden force?
The queen’s crown has gone missing. The court claims it's under repair, but some believe it was stolen in a symbolic act of rebellion.
A ghostly figure in knight's armor is seen wandering the Commons, accusing nobles of forgotten crimes. Is it a spirit... or something worse?
Industry & Trade
Guilds and Factions
Carcassonne is known for its many Knightly Orders(Knights of Carcassonne:) and noble houses, mainly being filled by those of noble birth it would take one of great skill to become a knight without such royal acclaim.
