Mordâd
"We do not bow to the inevitable."
~ Strategos Dravan, inscribed over the gates of Mordâd
Nearly all agree that the Empire died in the weeks following the sack of Istragos, nearly all. But there are always those who refuse to admit when they have lost, and sometimes those hardy souls make a life of that refusal. So it is with the Imperial Army, Northern Command. Through long generations the Strategoi of the Northern Command have held, adapted, and strengthened the defenses of Mordâd, and endured attack by rebels, monsters, marauders, and of course dragons. Indeed the improbable success of the defenders is proclaimed by the broken bones of dragons that litter the ground at the foot of the walls, and the massive skulls that decorate the bastions. In all lands, the Empire recedes from memory into lore and legend, but in Mordâd the records are kept, the names of Emperors remembered, and Imperial law holds sway.
~ Strategos Dravan, inscribed over the gates of Mordâd
Nearly all agree that the Empire died in the weeks following the sack of Istragos, nearly all. But there are always those who refuse to admit when they have lost, and sometimes those hardy souls make a life of that refusal. So it is with the Imperial Army, Northern Command. Through long generations the Strategoi of the Northern Command have held, adapted, and strengthened the defenses of Mordâd, and endured attack by rebels, monsters, marauders, and of course dragons. Indeed the improbable success of the defenders is proclaimed by the broken bones of dragons that litter the ground at the foot of the walls, and the massive skulls that decorate the bastions. In all lands, the Empire recedes from memory into lore and legend, but in Mordâd the records are kept, the names of Emperors remembered, and Imperial law holds sway.
Government
Mordâd is considered to be under martial law according to its ruler, the Strategos. It is still said that when the emergency has passed, normal life will resume under the benevolent rule of the Empire. But generations have passed since the last Emperor burned, and it is hard to believe that any still anticipate a restoration. In spite of this, proclamations and judgements are still carried out in the Emperor's name and under the Emperor's seal.
Structurally, Mordâd is an elective monarchy with the Strategos chosen by the senior officers of the garrison. Traditionally, a Strategos will resign when age begins to take its toll, but if not, they may be relieved by the officer corp. In practice then, the officer corps of the garrison are an aristocracy, and while any member of the garrison may reach that lofty rank by merit, it is remarkable how many officer's children are found rich in merit. The current Strategos has spoken against this nepotism and claims to intend to reform the promotion system. Time will tell whether he will find resistance among the privileged officer corps.
Since the city is under martial law, decrees from the Strategos are legally binding until rescinded either by the Strategos or by their successor.
Structurally, Mordâd is an elective monarchy with the Strategos chosen by the senior officers of the garrison. Traditionally, a Strategos will resign when age begins to take its toll, but if not, they may be relieved by the officer corp. In practice then, the officer corps of the garrison are an aristocracy, and while any member of the garrison may reach that lofty rank by merit, it is remarkable how many officer's children are found rich in merit. The current Strategos has spoken against this nepotism and claims to intend to reform the promotion system. Time will tell whether he will find resistance among the privileged officer corps.
Since the city is under martial law, decrees from the Strategos are legally binding until rescinded either by the Strategos or by their successor.
Defences
Mordâd has survived because the garrison has adapted with remarkable speed to the growing dangers of the world around them. The first generation of defenders survived by endurance, but as the dragons turned on one another or spread across the lands, attacks became less constant and thought was given to countering the dragons. Strategos Dravan - who held that post at the time of the Dragon Madness and has achieved legendary status among the citizens of Mordâd - had long ascribed to a faction of the Imperial Army that argued that aerial defense should be considered. After all, what if an enemy came with it's own draconic allies? Others felt that preparing defenses against and airborne enemy would be offensive to the Empire's allies. Quietly and without much paperwork, Dravan had reworked the battlements of Mordâd to include spaces cut into the walls where soldiers could shelter from dragonfire, and the weapons on the walls were arranged in such a way that they could be elevated to aim skyward and rotate in a full circle. These were enough to survive the first wave. Records claim the first dragon will killed two months after the fall of Istragos. While imperial military records are usually meticulous - where they survive at all - Dravan apparently ordered the names of any dragons struck from the reports. No fame even in death for the betrayers of the Empire.
In the generations since the defenses have improved even as the other elements of Imperial gloss have worn away. Dwarven work is much in evidence in the mighty bombards that stud the walls. Dragon skulls are mounted at each cannon port so that the weapons appear to fire from within the dragon's mouth. Battlements now rise higher and curve back, overhanging the defenders and providing cover from above as well as without. Ballistae are mounted on rotating platforms in the larger towers and the city pays dearly for good steel and dwarven runecarving to make weapons that can pierce a dragon's scales.
In the generations since the defenses have improved even as the other elements of Imperial gloss have worn away. Dwarven work is much in evidence in the mighty bombards that stud the walls. Dragon skulls are mounted at each cannon port so that the weapons appear to fire from within the dragon's mouth. Battlements now rise higher and curve back, overhanging the defenders and providing cover from above as well as without. Ballistae are mounted on rotating platforms in the larger towers and the city pays dearly for good steel and dwarven runecarving to make weapons that can pierce a dragon's scales.
Industry & Trade
Metalwork is the primary industry of the city. The Imperial forges have been maintained and quality weapons and armor are still readily available. Since the garrison maintains their gear well, the city can afford to sell the surplus. Imperial coin is still accepted by the merchants of the town, but as currency has become less common much barter is done in the cities markets.
In addition to exporting metalwork, Mordâd is nearly the only haven for anyone brave or foolish enough to travel into the Dragonwaste or ply the Bay of Ashes. Adventurers seeking treasures from imperial ruins can find few better places than Mordâd for outfitting and information. In addition, the Strategos pays well for any artifacts from the old empire and often hires mercenaries to deal with dangerous beasts or bandits that threaten the city's farmlands, reserving the garrison for larger threats.
In addition to exporting metalwork, Mordâd is nearly the only haven for anyone brave or foolish enough to travel into the Dragonwaste or ply the Bay of Ashes. Adventurers seeking treasures from imperial ruins can find few better places than Mordâd for outfitting and information. In addition, the Strategos pays well for any artifacts from the old empire and often hires mercenaries to deal with dangerous beasts or bandits that threaten the city's farmlands, reserving the garrison for larger threats.
Infrastructure
However much the leaders of Mordâd might wish it were not so, the old imperial infrastructure failed long ago. Aqueducts no longer bring fresh water and the road is no longer in good repair beyond a few miles from the gate. The ramshackle port at the foot of the bluffs on which the city is built does brisk trade, but as reaching it involves sailing the Bay of Ashes, that trade is always precarious.
Guilds and Factions
As a city under constant threat, a strict division of labor quickly arose in Mordâd in the early days after the Fall of Istragos. While things have loosened somewhat over the generations, those old divisions of labor have solidified into guilds within the city.
The Guild of the Anvil is responsible for providing the garrison with arms and armor, and does good business with travelers and merchants selling the surplus and buying up metal. Over time the guild has become more and more dominated by the dwarf families of the city - Mordâd has reputedly always been home to a large number of dwarves - but other ancestries are well represented and anyone can apply for an apprenticeship in the guild, regardless of class or lineage. While skilled craftsmen are valued in all places, the prominence of military concerns in Mordâd elevates this, and those who reach the rank of Master in the guild have a position of prestige.
The Hunters Guild organizes expeditions beyond the city to keep watch for dangers. Apart from dragons, plenty of monsters - man-shaped or otherwise - creep in off the smoke-shrouded moors of the dragonwaste. These are a threat to the city's most precarious resource - food. You cannot really fortify farmland against fire, and so the Hunters guard the land around for the city. The Hunters Guild frequently employs traveling adventurers.
The Reclaimers are a faction within the Officers Corp that advocates for an expansionist policy. They claim that simply defending Mordâd is not enough. Instead, the garrison should be expanded and a new field army created to begin reclaiming Imperial lands, beginning with the few independent havens that cling to life among the ruins and rocky hills at the edge of the Dragonwaste.
The Guild of the Anvil is responsible for providing the garrison with arms and armor, and does good business with travelers and merchants selling the surplus and buying up metal. Over time the guild has become more and more dominated by the dwarf families of the city - Mordâd has reputedly always been home to a large number of dwarves - but other ancestries are well represented and anyone can apply for an apprenticeship in the guild, regardless of class or lineage. While skilled craftsmen are valued in all places, the prominence of military concerns in Mordâd elevates this, and those who reach the rank of Master in the guild have a position of prestige.
The Hunters Guild organizes expeditions beyond the city to keep watch for dangers. Apart from dragons, plenty of monsters - man-shaped or otherwise - creep in off the smoke-shrouded moors of the dragonwaste. These are a threat to the city's most precarious resource - food. You cannot really fortify farmland against fire, and so the Hunters guard the land around for the city. The Hunters Guild frequently employs traveling adventurers.
The Reclaimers are a faction within the Officers Corp that advocates for an expansionist policy. They claim that simply defending Mordâd is not enough. Instead, the garrison should be expanded and a new field army created to begin reclaiming Imperial lands, beginning with the few independent havens that cling to life among the ruins and rocky hills at the edge of the Dragonwaste.
History
Mordâd was once a large commercial center and a waymeet of the Imperial highways. As Headquarters of the army's Northern Command, it was home to the northern Strategos and the regional administrative center for imperial government. Ruins stretch far beyond the walls today, a testament to the once vast scope of the city. The much diminished population now dwells entirely within the citadel of the old city.
Architecture
Almost nothing is built in wood in Mordâd. Thick stone buildings with small windows dominate the city's architecture. The graceful arches, domes, and spires of the old imperial buildings have largely fallen during the many attacks on the city, replaced with simpler structures better suited to enduring assault.
Geography
Mordâd was once a land-locked city set amidst a large and fertile farmland. But when the Sea Wards fell, Mordâd was only barely spared. Much of the city flooded, but the elevated citadel on its rocky outcropping survived, and when the waters settled into what is now called the Bay of Ashes, Mordâd found itself a coastal city sitting on a rocky bluff over the waves. The once fertile farmland has given way to ash-strewn wastes, though the Mordans have managed to irrigate enough land to provide for the city's needs.
by MidJourney
Alternative Name(s)
"The Last City"
Type
City
Population
8,000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Mordan
Owning Organization
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