Locations: Empire of Ralifon, Province of Sexeptum

Province of Sexeptum

Empire of Ralifon

Overview

     Sexeptum was one of the first provinces of the old Republic of Ralifon. The original city Arexium was founded by the Regent Marcus Flaqinus in P.U. 220 before the invention of the Gates. In P.U. 416 Arexium was burned to the ground and completely razed by the Xanda Tribe. Regent Nerva rebuilt the site of Arexium with the six Gates and named it Nervia. When Nervia expanded beyond the original walls Regent Tullius built new walls to protect the expanded populace, in an effort to raise his popularity. The walls were completed in P.U. 600 and Nervia was renamed Sexeptum.
     Sexeptum is not just an important city because of the five working gates. It happens to be at a crossroads of many important land routes through the empire.

Gates

     The six Gates of the province connect to Astakus, Danue, Qidron-Forum Sepentrio, Mons Domus, and Saloppidum. The gate to Qadar has been sealed since the gate was lost during the Flumen Magnum of P.U. 1000.

Temples and Shrines

     There are several temples in Outer Sexeptum. The northern part of Outer Sexeptum is where the temples of Erron of Solitude, Ralifon, and Amn are located. The eastern part of Outer Sexeptum is where the temple of Berrish is located. In the southern part of Outer Sexeptum is where the temples of Barbēlō, Oukranos, Wazirëkyn, and Ur & Thumm are located.
     There a small shrines throughout Outer Sexeptum to the various other gods. Some of the shrines are only known to true followers, such as the ones to Jorōgumo, Faliron, and Hisui no Majo.

Notable Cheesemongers

     There are four goblin families that produce cheese in the province. Within the walls of Inner Sexeptum is the Evreh family. They are the makers of Camembert, Époisses, Limburger, Valençay, and others. The Evreh are the fifth most powerful family in the Consilio ex Familia Quinque and they primarily cater to goblin tastes in cheese. The Evreh family has had a seat on the Council longer than any other family and they were at one time the most powerful family. The matriarch, Amara Evreh, is a dour and curmudgeonly gobliness who rules the family with an iron fist. She is a traditionalist and refuses to sell cheese to non-goblins, the younger members of the family are careful to sell outside the species without Amara finding out.
     The other three families have setup shop in Outer Sexeptum. They are the Domush makers of Acceglio in the north, the Tyrol makers of Alpkäse in the south, and the Zammit makers of Ġbejna in the east. Each of these three have contacts in the Evreh family and are resellers of their cheeses to non-goblins.

Notable Locations

     Within the walls of Inner Sexeptum is where the upper class makes their homes and businesses. The oldest and main road, the Via Flaqinus runs east-west through the province and is flanked by homes on either side. The Via Aemilius runs north-south and has most of the businesses flanking it. The favorite shops along the Via Aemilius are Vespasians Boutique, a high end clothier; Tadino's Fine Meats, a high end purveyor of salame and fresh meats; and Corso's High Spirit's, a popular drinking establishment with nightly wrestling and pugilistic matches. The center of Sexeptum is where the Dais of the Gates sits and is where all taxes and duties are figured and paid within the province. Those who live in Outer Sexeptum call it the Dais of the Usurer as they disproportionately pay more and higher taxes than those who live within the inner walls.
     Within the walls of Outer Sexeptum are more lively places. Urag's Pub is a raucous and dangerous establishment that caters to the more violent and bloodthirsty clientele, it has a reputation as a place where a slow night is only two murders. Near the southern gate is Maximus Meals, a legendary place to eat in the empire. Their portions are generous and the food is fabulous. It is said that the Regent David orders meals from here on a regular basis, as did his predecessor Eleazar.
     Just outside the southeastern gate is the area known as the Mongrels Pit. This area is home to a large population of Mongrelmen. The head of the Beggar's Union is said to live and rule here. The Beggar's Union is a very good place to go to gather information about the seedier side of life in Qidron as the beggars are everywhere and have their eyes and ears open constantly, their mouths are another matter altogether and useful information does not come cheap.

Outside the Walls

     The seven roads of Sexeptum lead to various important locations in the province as well as to neighboring provinces. Starting at the north on the western fork of the Via Aemilius five days march from Sexeptum is the foot of the Aegis Mons and the Fortress Aegis that denotes the border of the Province. The Fortress Aegis houses 300 Legionnaires that take twelve month posts here and drill constantly in mountainous maneuvers and survival tactics. Many of the best officers are forged here and a decent number of Praetorian guards as well.
     A single days march south along the road is the Shire of Nurqia. This shire of around 2,500 hobbits farm several grains and vegetables that are used to nourish the Legions as well as the hobbits. They also export a fine soft wool with a slightly golden sheen that is sought after by the rich elite.
     Two days march further south is the river town of Xaldarine on the banks of the Fluvius Cymatilis. This small town of roughly 200 persons is dominated by water wheels that constantly turn the grindstones that process the grain from the surrounding areas. Xaldarine also uses the water wheels to run cold forges that manufacture iron bars for use in other parts of the empire. The iron comes from a mine upstream in the Aegis Mons peopled almost entirely of dwarves called Arca Durusium. The dwarves of Durusium are a xenophobic lot and only tolerate the presence of the Legions because they have no choice in the matter.
     Starting north from the eastern fork a four days march from Sexeptum is the coastal shire of Fabrico Gnavis. This shire of hobbits is famous for their acumen as shipwrights. They manufacture the best ships in the Qadar Sea, vessels capable of going for several days out of sight of the shore and weathering the unpredictable storms of the Qadar. The Gnavis Hobbits, as they call themselves, have constructed a grand temple to Oukranos fashioned to appear as a half-sunken shipwreck. The lower half of the temple is completely underwater and rumor has it that there are magnificent treasures hidden within it.
     Two days march south from Fabrico Gnavis through the Praeteritus Woods is the fort called the Outpost of the Damned. This fort is a remote training ground for the Mortiferium, arcane spell casters who train to become a part of the Legions as special commissioned forces.
     From the Via Flaqinus heading east from Sexeptum goes for fortnight into the province of Erilaus. Halfway between them is the River Erilaus and is the border mark. There is a large stone and rebus bridge crossing the nearly half mile span of the river. There are twin villages on either side of the bridge that are composed of farmers and fishers. Both of the villages go by the name of Rivertown, the western side is called Sexeptum Rivertown by the villagers on the eastern shore. These towns have a friendly rivalry going between them and are quick to come to the aid of their twin in case of emergencies or raids.
     From Rivertown all the way to Sexeptum are farms that grow grains and are fed by irrigation ditches along the Via Flaqinus from the River Erilaus. There are no proper towns or villages just farms and the occasional inn run by an enterprising farmer rich enough to own many slaves to work his fields.
     From the Via Pauper heading along the north branch from southeastern Outer Sexeptum through the Mongrels Pit a two days march from the city is Tenebrae Lautumiae. This marble quarry has been active for over a thousand years. Tenebrae Lautumiae is a prison as well as a quarry, those who are sentenced here are serving a life sentence and life is very short here. Most prisoners die within the first two years of their bondage here and it is usually a terrible debilitating disease that claims them.
     From the Via Pauper going east for a three days march is the mining town of Ralifon's Hoard. This town is owned by a single family, the Aurifex, and is peopled almost entirely by slaves. At the base of the mountainous town a fully staffed Legion garrison that protects the mine shipments and surrounding area. Ralifon's Hoard is a very important site because the stone needed for making the Gates is found here as well as a rich veins of gold, copper, and silver. The labyrinthine tunnels of the mines are extremely difficult to navigate for anyone not familiar with them, gnomes and dwarves have been known to get lost when first working the mines. The overseer slaves are all strong dwarven warriors who help not only maintain order among the slaves but also protect them from some of the monsters, umber hulks being the more dangerous ones, that somehow manage to find their way into the tunnels.
     From the Via Pauper going along the southeastern branch the road skirts the mountains and crosses the River Qet and goes directly to Qidron Proper. There are many small hamlets along the Via Pauper, most of them are grain farms that trade with Sexeptum. On the southern side of the River Qet the lands are all imperial farms owned by the Regent in the name of Ralifon.
    From the southern gate of Sexeptum the Via Aemilius forks to the southeast and the southwest. Along the southeast branch a single days march from the city is a small foot path that is very well worn and goes deep into the foothills to a stone circle. This is an ancient holy site dedicated to the god Beowa. Further along the Via Aemilius another two days march from the foot path is the town of Qet. This town is on the banks of the River Qet and has many waterwheels to grind grains from the surrounding farms into flour. The bags of flour are then loaded onto river barges that are sent downstream into Qidron Proper.
     From the southwestern fork of the Via Aemilius the road curves slowly from the southwest to the west. Two days march from Sexeptum is the shire of Siligo. The hobbits of Siligo grow a very hardy strain of wheat with very large seeds that yield more flour than any other wheat. They also grow a pipe weed that is fashionable among the wizard's of the empire and gives the hobbits a very good income. Further to the west another four days march is the Oculus Corruptus, a marshy land that is fed from the northwest by the river Corruptus. The road ends at the Garrison of the Argenti, an outpost of the Legion that protects the surrounding land from foul creatures that find their way out of the Oculus Corruptus. The marsh is said to be the resting place of the foul god Faliron from when he was defeated by the god Ralifon.
     From the Via Pauper heading southwest the road turns to the west. Four days march down the road there is an abbey dedicated to the goddess Erron of Solitude. The abbey has a great many pilgrims that come to it to train with the Priests of Erron in the ways of combat. The abbey has a small gladiatorial pit and wagers are made on the outcomes of the battles. None of these battles are to the death, though there are occasions that it does happen. Beyond the abbey along the game trails, a two days hike, is an ancient copse of olive trees that have been left wild. Here there resides a spirit that if appeased will grant the petitioner a single seed with which they can grow an olive tree from that will always bear olives no matter how dry the weather.
     Five days march along the western Via Flaqinus from Sexeptum the road leads to the Stibium Fortress. This fortress and the surrounding town of Stibium is a hilly area rife with mines that produce antimony, coal, copper, iron, lead, and tin. The stream that runs through the town of Stibium is pristine when it enters from the north but is extremely polluted when exiting in the southwest. This is from all of the refining of these ores and the production of useful ingots or finished items. There are a great many dwarves and gnomes living here working in the mines, foundries, and forges. The humans tend to be more than happy to leave that work to them and focus their attention on selling the fruits of their labors in the Forums of Qidron.
     Two days march from Stibium is the shire of Calpar. Calpar has a population of 900 hobbits and they are producers of wine grapes. The Wines of Stibium are highly valued by wine connoisseurs and their neighbors a days march to the east are happy to trade cheeses with the Calpar hobbits.
     The neighbors of Calpar, as mentioned reside a days march east. These goblins are members of the Bloodhand tribe and are wild goblins who do not pay tribute to the Consilio ex Familia. They live in the caves of the hills and it is uncertain how numerous their tribe actually is. They trade regularly with the hobbits and to the orc tribes in the mountains north of the hills. They will occasionally trade with individuals from Sexeptum but not with the goblins, they consider them to be heretics twisting the word of Berrish. These goblins are not foolish enough to attack the heavily armed and armored Legions and the Legions let them be as they know it would be suicide to attack the goblins in their own territory.