Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Locations: Province of Astakus, Empire of Ralifon

Province of Astakus

Empire of Ralifon

Overview


     The Province of Astakus is a growing province. The old temple of Barbēlō, closed for many long years, has been revitalized and with it the province has started to flourish. The River Astakus runs right through the province to Lake Auroralis, the largest lake in Rhun. Fishing the lake provides Astakus with its largest source of wealth, the second largest source comes from the Palus Senatorium to the northwest in the form of coal being brought in via the lake. The Faerie's Grotto (at the bottom of the above picture) is a source of magical power that members of the local Societatem Magis will occasionally venture into for mysterious wizardly rituals.

Gates


     The ten Gates of Astakus provide the province access to Aestus Mulie, Bazle, Caesai Oculis, Castroflumine, Koravie, Luqbinum, Qidron-Forum Arcanum, Sexeptum, Vexetus, Xaelatores.

Temples and Shrines


     The most notable and largest temple is the Magnificum Templum Barbēlō. This huge temple complex is the second largest temple and is the largest money changer in the empire. It is a very somber place during the day when the priests are conducting banking transactions. At night the priestesses are out in force and the temple complex becomes the largest brothel and casino in the empire. So large is this complex that they have a gate on the temple grounds that is quite busy at any hour of the day!
     The other temples in Astakus are ones dedicated to Wazirëkyn, Oukranos, and Mellart. There are smaller shrines dedicated to Beowa, Berrish, and one secreted away to Hisui no Majo.

Notable Cheesemongers


     The most influential and powerful of the goblin families calls Astakus its home, the Tesremos family makers of Cheddar cheese. Within Astakus they maintain a small and quaint factory within the city. Their main compound is on the shore of Lake Auroralis to the north of Astakus in the town named for the family.
     Surprisingly there is another family of goblins operating within the city, the Bulsian family makes a cheese called Kenafa. This cheese is used primarily to make sweet desserts by the Bulsian family. So popular and good are these desserts that the Tesremos matriarch, Hephan the Corpulent, is the best customer of the Bulsians. Therefore they stay small and specialize in their cheese-based desserts to avoid direct conflict with the Tesremos.

Notable Locations


     Beyond the Faerie's Grotto and the Magnificum Templum Barbēlō is the Dulce Domum et Bulsian. This popular cheese house is where the Bulsian family makes their desserts. The cheesecake is definitely worth the expense, they run from 10 to up to 100 gold coins. They also make frozen cheeses, that rumor has it is a favorite treat of Ralifon.
     If one is not disposed to partaking of the Magnificum or the Dulce Domum there are quieter establishments. A popular place is Hu's House along the northern docks. It is said that Hu was once a guard to the Emperor Chi'in but was banished for some kind of vile deed. The stories vary on what Hu did but they generally agree that he is not someone that any sane person would want to pick a fight with. The local constables avoid this establishment so it is a good place to find persons of ill repute.
     There are two towers that the Societatem Magis have constructed. The western tower is open to the public as the local temple to Wazirëkyn. The eastern tower has no doors or windows evident on it. There is a very fine curio shop near the eastern tower called Mirandus's that caters to the local mages. Sellers will get a fair price for bringing Mirandus interesting items and if she does not want them will be happy to find a buyer for a standard finders fee of 20% of the final sale price of the item(s). She is a well known and liked individual that would never strike someone in anger, as she is charming and beautiful enough to disarm even the most fearsome villains. For those who are in need of special services she can broker an introduction to the local Witch of Hisui no Majo for a much smaller fee.
     The aforementioned Witch does not see anyone who does not first get an introduction from Mirandus. Unlike many of her sisters she operates within the walls of Qidron, she is a secretive and powerful witch who is careful to not be caught by the constables or the Legionnaires, as her services are illegal within Qidron. This is why most Witches operate in more remote areas.

Outside the Walls


     The province of Astakus is both large and small. Large because Lake Auroralis is entirely within the borders of the province. Small because it takes up two thirds of the province. Within Lake Auroralis there is ample fish to feed the entire province for generations. There are also crustaceans and special clams deep within its waters. Fishermen tell tales of beautiful maidens that swim near the center of the lake who will sing to unwary sailor and charm them into diving into the water. Once there they take them to their deaths deep under the dark waves.
     There are other tale that tell of beautiful night maidens who dance in the sky upon wondrous sheets of light and will sit upon the mast of fortunate sailors and leave a short bright glow at the top of the mast as a gift of good luck to those worthy of their attentions.
     Five days march north of Astakus on the Via Astakus, the road that follows the shore of Lake Auroralis, just at the foothills of the Adewliess Mountains and a day east of the Palus Senatorium, is the town of Horologium. This town of about 5,000 individuals, mostly gnomes and dwarves, produces high quality mechanical devices. They are most known for their giant water clock, the Horologium, that stands a full fifty feet in height. They produce technologies utilizing wind and water power for large scale applications.
     The smaller devices they produce can tell time, navigate by the stars with the twist of the facing, as well as many other small automata. These devices, known as Horologia, can be extremely intricate and function almost as if magical in nature (they are not). They are made from alloys (such as brass, bronze, and pewter) and other materials that have not been duplicated outside of the town.
     The leading Horologist is known as the Master Craftsman. The current Master Craftsman is a dwarf by the name of Rhidameces. The Master Craftsman takes on only two apprentices at a time and is expected to produce at least one amazing Horologia a decade to keep the post. Rhidameces recently created an Horologia called the Sicarius (same stats as a Thanatar). This fifteen foot long war machine needs to be wound by a team of four dwarves before being released to fight (it takes a full turn to wind up and fights for up to 6 turns before becoming inactive).
     Two days march south from Horologium is the Town of Tesremos. This sprawling agricultural area produces the majority of the cheddar cheese for the Tesremos family. The town is partially underground and is peopled by goblins and hobbits with a large human slave population working the fields and herding the cattle, goats, and sheep. The Tesremos family has exclusive rights to the entire town and fields for a full days march north, south and west by order of the Regent and approval of the Senate. As such the entirety of the town is considered private property. The roads through the township are built and maintained by the Legions and are considered public property much to the annoyance of the Tesremos family (they would love to charge tolls for using the roads). The other major annoyance to the Tesremos is that the lake immediately adjacent to their lands are also public property and they cannot refuse a vessel harbor on their shores nor can they charge for use of landfall that has not been developed (meaning they can charge docking fees for using docks built for harboring vessels).
     The caves of Tesremos are arched affairs with well built twelve foot tall ceilings, they are well ventilated, have drainage grates, and lit by sconces of brightly glowing fungi (equivalent to torchlight) set at regular intervals. These caves are designed to keep a well regulated temperature and relatively constant humidity. There are several storage areas for cheeses to cure and age. The Master Cheesemongers are present at all times of the day or night doing their rounds and inspecting the products. Many of the above buildings have been designed to have easy access to the underground as they process the various milks from the surface.
     The Tesremos Palace is set just south of the town and they have a private dock with a half dozen pleasure vessels for use by the Matron and her immediate family (a total of 15 children, small for a goblin family of repute). Hephan the Corpulent's grandmother had managed to convince the previous Magi Magni, Broos the Undying to build them a personal gate. This smaller gate gives the palace access to two of their other strongholds, one is near the Imperial Palace and the other is in a remote mountainous area. All of these gates lead to their counterparts forming a small secret trifecta. The very high cost of these gates nearly bankrupted the Tesremos but with Hephan's brilliant leadership and ruthless utilization of blackmail, assassination, and brutality she has brought her family greater riches than they ever had previously imagined.
     A single days march from Tesremos is a small fishing community, about 25 families, of humans and hobbits. This community is an extremely poor one that has fallen on hard times since the Tesremos expanded their fishing operations in the lake.
     Five days south of Astakus along the Via Astakus, in the foothills of the Adewliess Mountains about a three days march west from Horologium through the Palus Senatorium, is the Demergo Fortress. This fortress is set on an artificial promonotory of limestone left in the area by an ancient giant aerie that crashed into the Palus Senatorium thousands of years ago. The Demergo Fortress guards the entrance to an important underground network of coal bearing caves that provide the local economy with its primary source of wealth. The mines are entirely worked by criminals, sentenced to hard labor for periods of five years to life, and slaves. These mines are owned by the senate and profits are used in public works projects, as well as paying the legionnaires stipends.
     The fortress is placed in clear view of the lake and the mouth of the swamp. The legionnaires send scouting patrols out to the swamp to hunt and kill dangerous predators, such as large cats and trolls, that would otherwise endanger the mines and workers. The docks of the fortress are constantly busy with ships being loaded with coal or unloaded with supplies and workers. The mines are dangerous and Horologium has sent several engineers to help shore up the mines as well as place water removal devices, such as screws and reverse overshot waterwheels.
     Two days march south, towards Astakus, from Demergo Fortress is the shipyard town of Arboretum Latebros. This town of 1,000 persons, mostly humans and elves, harvests the large Arboretum trees in the nearby forest to build their ships. The Latebros Forest goes west towards an arm of the Adewliess Mountains. There are stories that deep in the forest there is a grove where beautiful maidens gather at night to dance and frolic. It is said that their beauty is so great that they will enthrall any man who sees them.
     The extensive dock system of Arboretum Latebros places a great portion of the town actually on the water and not on land. This town is able to build a large ship every month, due to there being thirteen ship builders and several shops specializing in other maritime accoutrements such as ropes, block and tackle, lanterns, bells, sails, et cetera.
     Two day march from Arboretum Latebros is Austershire, a farming village of about 100 families of hobbits. This quiet village utilizes a sophisticated irrigation system to water their crops and they have a few families that have large herds that graze the southern grasslands around the village and along the River Astakus. The herdsmen have several helpers that gather barrows full of manure they then bring back with them to the fields of Austershire to assist in extending the growing seasons. This practice has helped the hobbits increase their food production and thus their wealth.

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