Cymilsport
Sitting across Lake Berring from Cymilard, Cymilsport is a fishing village that has grown into a city. Originally simply a place where river boatmen gathered to take on cargo brought overland from Craghold to the south, the natural harbor attracted free fisherfolk to settle here. Many of the bargemen came as well, and the village began to grow. Within a few generations, it eclipsed the other landing points along the southern shore.
Fearing one of the fractious nobles of the region would lay claim to this growing free holding, the people of Cymilsport petitioned the queen to become a royal demesne. For a century they enjoyed direct royal rule and an appointed mayor, usually a former aspirant to the throne who had retired and married. Twenty years ago, a massive nomad raid broke through into the interior of the kingdom. Cymilsport had never had a wall, and the town lay directly in the path of the wild horsemen. Many panicked, and the mayor fled with her entourage. Andreu the Bold, one of the common boatmen, rallied the town’s defenders and encouraged them to build a hasty barricade. As the assault came, this band of rabble were unable to hold back the nomads, but they did hold them off long enough for many to escape the city. As the day ran short, the barricades failed and Andreu led a desperate battle in the city’s streets. Rumors flew that help was coming from the east, but the defenders could fight for only so long against experienced warriors. Driven to the docks, the citizens of Cymilsport readied for a last stand and died keeping the nomads away from the river barges. When the defense at last collapsed and only a few remained, Andreu set the barges alight, denying the enemy the chance to cross the lake to the capital. He died in the inferno, shooting arrows at the nomads even though pierced by a dozen of theirs, and was last seen yelling threats from a flaming barge. The next morning, a large force of knights arrived and easily dispatched the weary and now-drunken raiders. In recognition of this heroism, the queen elevated Andreu’s eldest child to the nobility, granting him the title for the city his father died defending. The people of Cymilsport supported one of their own as their new lord, even if the child was only 11 years old. Now approaching 40, Lord Andreu has proven to be well suited to the task, and the city has recovered from the calamity that took his father and changed his stars.
Fearing one of the fractious nobles of the region would lay claim to this growing free holding, the people of Cymilsport petitioned the queen to become a royal demesne. For a century they enjoyed direct royal rule and an appointed mayor, usually a former aspirant to the throne who had retired and married. Twenty years ago, a massive nomad raid broke through into the interior of the kingdom. Cymilsport had never had a wall, and the town lay directly in the path of the wild horsemen. Many panicked, and the mayor fled with her entourage. Andreu the Bold, one of the common boatmen, rallied the town’s defenders and encouraged them to build a hasty barricade. As the assault came, this band of rabble were unable to hold back the nomads, but they did hold them off long enough for many to escape the city. As the day ran short, the barricades failed and Andreu led a desperate battle in the city’s streets. Rumors flew that help was coming from the east, but the defenders could fight for only so long against experienced warriors. Driven to the docks, the citizens of Cymilsport readied for a last stand and died keeping the nomads away from the river barges. When the defense at last collapsed and only a few remained, Andreu set the barges alight, denying the enemy the chance to cross the lake to the capital. He died in the inferno, shooting arrows at the nomads even though pierced by a dozen of theirs, and was last seen yelling threats from a flaming barge. The next morning, a large force of knights arrived and easily dispatched the weary and now-drunken raiders. In recognition of this heroism, the queen elevated Andreu’s eldest child to the nobility, granting him the title for the city his father died defending. The people of Cymilsport supported one of their own as their new lord, even if the child was only 11 years old. Now approaching 40, Lord Andreu has proven to be well suited to the task, and the city has recovered from the calamity that took his father and changed his stars.
Settlement
Cymilsport, City of
Type
City
Owning Organization
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