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| Starglow
Fline |
Lamsin
Kaylim |
Bhym
Mentowne |
Starglow
Nearly as old as the world itself, the
magnificence of Starglow, the capitol city of the Lornian Kingdom, is unparalleled.
Golden spires reach high into the air, as is to commune with the stars.
The walls of the city itself are artfully engraved, inside and out, with
magical runes and glyphs, pictograms and murals. The city streets
are clean and well-laid, but always alive with the sounds of a living,
thriving city.
The Age of Shadow, though nearly a millenium past,
is still fresh in the collective memory of the inhabitants of Starglow.
Even during the direst hours of the Reign of Grüge, the magical city
of Starglow had remained inviolate. Yet, through sheer force and
the darkest of magicks, Baûl breached the walls and sacked the city,
slaying its people and raiding the royal palace. For centuries, the
majesty of Starglow was but a memory as the city was left as an empty,
smoldering husk. Consequently, the people of Starglow have worked
very hard to return their capitol to its former glory. It has taken
many human lifetimes, but yet again Starglow has become the cultural and
scholarly center of the elfin world.
However, the Sack of Starglow has also left its
people somewhat paranoid, even in the Great Peace that has followed the
Age of Shadow. Only citizens of Lorn may enter the city. No
one else may pass through the city gates, not even servants or guests of
citizens.
The lord.
King Hælor Luine came to power shortly after
the fall of Baûl, and is consequently old, even in elfin terms, frail
and not on his ability to rule. He remains a greatly charismatic
and highly perceptive man – an excellent judge of character with a great
sense of both justice and diplomacy. To many, he often seems indisputably
wise.
The single characteristic that has most marked Hælor’s
reign has been a fierce isolationism. Lorn has frequently gone far
out of its way to exclude itself from the affairs of other peoples and
nations. Under Hælor’s rule came the law that only elves may
be citizens and enjoy her full protection in troubled times; from Hælor,
too, came the decree that only citizens (and therefore only elves) may
enter the capitol city.
At present, what vexes King Hælor the most
is his lack of an heir apparent. The King has sired two sons, yet
the eldest was banished many centuries ago for a grievous transgression.
The second disappeared mysteriously soon afterward. In light of the
great tumult of Stephen’s last war for the crown, King Hælor is understandably
concerned as many nobles vie amongst themselves for Royal favor.
The people.
The inhabitants of Starglow are perhaps the most
model of Lornian citizens. Most tend to be older, establishing themselves
in offices and positions of state, the foremost artisans of the kingdom
and truly great and devoted scholars. Magic use is prevalent and
rather overt in Starglow and its magical academies are perhaps the best
in the world.
Fline
Like Starglow and Lamsin, Fline is one
of the oldest cities in Lorn, and hence in all Alina. Fline lacks
the golden splendor of Starglow, but little else. Great spires and
towers reach high above the forest; and enchanted wall surrounds the city.
The most striking thing about Fline is that it is very much integrated
with the forest that surrounds it: trees grow along city streets, and beside
or often within buildings, unperturbed for centuries. It is not uncommon
to see a tavern or shop for which an entire wall is a single, large tree.
Indeed, in the center of town is the Grand Arbé: an enormous tree,
easily 20 metres wide, which rises five stories into the air. The
Court of the Grand Arbé is the largest common-space of the city,
it has a daily bazaar and often hosts dramatic productions and large public
assemblies.
The lord.
Lord Aufen Kordor, mayor of Fline, is a distant
cousin of King Hælor, like many of Lorn’s minor nobles. Lord
Kordor is staunchly proud of his city, and touts that he has done more
to restore the splendor of Fline than either of his two predecessors.
It is true that Lord Kordor has placed a great deal of time and money into
the restoration of the city and the support of artisans of all types and
sorts. However, over the past century the Watch and public libraries
have fallen into semi-ruin and certain neighborhoods not under the watchful
eye of the mayor have fallen into disrepair.
The people.
Residents of Fline, like their Lord Mayor, are enormously
proud of their fair city. In fline, the Lornian xenophobic tendency
often runs horribly rampant. The majority of incarcerated criminals
are non-citizens, and those areas o city that Lord Kordor often ignores
are typically heavily inhabited by non-elves. All in all, Fline is
city of great contradictions: fabulous artistry, magical academies and
striking architecture stand side by side with squalid poverty and wretchedness.
Lamsin
A medium-sized town of perhaps 10,000 inhabitants,
Lamsin is the commercial center of the Glaethur Province. The city
rests upon the crossroads of the Elfin Way (which leads north into Kizle,
and, more importantly, south and east in the human kingdom of Stephen)
and the Rût, which winds its way all across Lorn to the great harbor
of Mercer. Lamsin has become a favorite meeting place for merchants
to exchange goods and stories. Taverns, inns and shops of every imaginable
shape and size fill Lamsin. The city has been chosen not only for
it convenient location, but also for its security: Lamsin is walled and
well-guarded by not onlya rabid Watch, but a contingent of the Royal
Army as well.
The lord.
Lord Quingli Trest has only recently been appointed
to his mayoral post, but he realizes the good thing that he has received
and does little to upset anything as it has been working for three hundred
years. Lord Trest has one passion: the hunt. It often tales
him away from the city for a fortnight at a time, but he allows things
to run as usual – in the capable hands of the Captain of the Watch.
The people.
Lamsin always seems to be much larger than its census
will ever reveal, for the visiting population of merchants and travelers
almost doubles the size of the city. The permanent inhabitants of
Lamsin are no fools, and actively take part in a bizarre sort of tourist
industry: blacksmiths and taverns, brothels and inns that charge exorbitant
prices to drain as much money from the merchant and traveler as possible.
Kaylim
The town of Kaylim lies deep in the heart
of the forest, far removed from the heavy traffic of the Rût or the
Elfin Way. Much like the city of Fline, the presence of the Great
Forest not only dominates but invades the town proper. Ancient trunks
and fallen trees constitute a good deal of the simple but elegant architecture
of Kaylim. The toen is relatively small, removed, and peaceful.
Even the most recent threat to its peace and happiness, the proximity of
Darkwood and its evil priestess, has been vanquished twenty years ago by
the great Leo Thisselnot.
The lord.
An old elfin wizard by the name Qusityf Starbound
has been the sole mayor of Kaylim for centuries – indeed, he founded the
town with his family and a small collection of friends, servants and like-minded
wizards. Quistyf is an elemental wizard of great power and finds
the quiet peace of Kaylim most conducive to his studies and research.
AS a mayor he is fair and just, but rules mostly by laissez-faire.
The people.
The people of Kaylim are quiet, back-country folk,
though deeply steeped in the magic of a few powerful wizards who make the
town their home. Most inhabitants are content with their simepl life
close to the land the forest and view outsiders and change with great deal
of suspicion and criticism. Many inhabitants are servants or associates
of Mayor Starbound and often aid him in his research and study.
Bhym
Bhym is little more than a glorified fortress
and trading post. Set upon a large hill just outside of the Great
Forest, the village is dominated by a formidable and ancient fortress.
The edifice, from which the town takes its name, houses a full regiment
of the Royal Army at all times during the year. Fortress Bhym dominates
the Elfin Way, the path of easiest travel between the gnomish lands of
Kizle and the Kingdom of Lorn. While Kizle presents no kind of threat
to Lorn, the officers of Bhym regard the branch of the Ire-dae and its
foothills to the north with wariness: that is known orc country.
Other than the fortress, the are only a few merchant tents and shacks,
which shift and change from time to time, and a few surrounding farms.
Bhym serves as a popular trading post for elfin and gnomish merchants,
and a meeting place and welcome sanctuary for many travelers.
The lord.
Bhym has no proper mayor, but most inhabitants defer
to the Captain or even General in residence. At present, Freyr Karmzov,
a captain, is the ruling officer in Bhym. He is incredibly loyal
to King Hælor and like sto think that he takes his duty very seriously.
However, Captain Karmzov is getting on in years and tends to treat the
frontier more like a vacation spot rather than a border fortress.
The people.
Bhym has only a handful of permanent residents –
the few families who farm the surrounding area, and perhaps a priest or
two. Beyond that, merchants and travelers come and go, and from time
to time even the regiment in fortress changes.