Coldhaven (Cold-HAY-ven)

Past the northern outposts of Stillport and Burfell, a teeming city of several thousand lies under the looming shadow of a simmering volcano. Originally the seat of power for the independent Kingdom of Ehrethir, Coldhaven is now the seat of power for a Lord who serves at the pleasure of the King of Avateyne. Meanwhile, below the city, a hive of criminals, monstrous races, and nefarious spellcasters are given free reign. In Spellhaven, the dregs of society see this place as a chance to gain wealth and power. The Underlords of Spellhaven jockey for position, while any number of illicit schemes hatch under the noses of polite society.   Coldhaven was given it's name for being a warm respite from the harsh, environment that surrounds it. The north breeds a tough people, and despite the untamed wildlands that pick off easy prey from the northern outskirts, many proud hunters, trappers, and skinners have risen to become prominent traders and merchants in Coldhaven. Nobility from the South have begun to organize and civilize life in the Upper City, hoping to bring a modicum of law and order to the "Ehrish degenerates", while many locals fight to keep their culture and heritage, undermining these attempts to "tame the Northerners" with violence. In many ways, Coldhaven is less of a city, than a collection of tribes. A furnace, in which some day a city might be forged.   Many who choose to live within Coldhaven do so to avoid the close eye of the Avateynian empire, while others have a taste for the simple lifestyle afforded by a harsh and unforgiving landscape. Professions in the city range from artisans and craftsman to farmers, mercenaries, shopkeepers, and entertainers. However, the most profitable entrepreneurs in the region are the thieves, hunters, and scroungers who brave the Briarwood and the ruins of the Scaldcliffs. Powerful beasts yield hearty meat and furs, while recovered relics and lost magics fetch quite the price in distant markets. The struggle over these prizes often grows bloody, as the Lightlifters and the Black Skulls battle to gain control of these trades, while also competing with the duergar of Forgetown who wish to reclaim their heritage and lost lands.

Demographics

66% humans, 5% gnomes, 14% halflings, 15% other races

Government

The Ehrish were conquered some years past by the Avateynian Empire. The Ehrish King was deposed and the Avateynians installed a Comital Fiefdom, with Coldhaven as the seat of governmental power. The current ruler of Ehrethir is Marcount Uthric Nethergrey. He has a son Ethered, his only legitimate heir.   The Marcount keeps a Personal Council, made up of a selection of confidants he considers his allies. In addition, the Marcount allows the middle class to elect a Mayor who oversees the various City Committee Conveners. The Mayor and his Conveners handle matters and day-to-day activities considered beneath the Council. The current Mayor is Benn Chichester, but he is being challenged by the new Trade Convener, Duncan Witherborn.   In Spellhaven, four organized crime syndicates and a powerful archmage vie for control of the city, while a force of unthinking, uncaring golems roam the streets in an effort to prevent complete chaos. The undercity has no central government or laws. It is held together by a vague sense of “live and let live,” broken by occasional bursts of “take what I want.” If violence spirals out of control, the golems step in and beat everyone involved to a pulp. It’s not uncommon for careless folk to wind up dead in an alley, stripped of their goods and left to be eaten by wild dogs. Denizens of the Spellhaven learn to watch their backs and never go unarmed.

Defences

The City Guard is led by an elite knighthood known as the Firebrands.   Under the city, the syndicates each employ personal soldiers and bodyguards, while the golems defend the city at large.

Assets

In Coldhaven, most anything can be bought and sold. There is a burgeoning technological trade that exists in the city, as a clan of rock gnomes from the Stoneclave have brought with them the worship of the god Bruch. Lord Uthric, who mistrusts anything with the taint of the arcane, has begun to implement some taxes and restrictions on magical goods, but so far, the Mayor has managed to keep these laws at bay within the city walls.   In Spellhaven most general and magical goods are available, and rare imports and stolen commodities are sold and auctioned in secret. Many taverns, inns, and places of vice are open to the public.

Guilds and Factions

Under the city, most business is run by one of the syndicates, even if alliances are hidden. The city has scattered, humble temples.   Currently, Spellhaven is divided between five competitive factions: the Black Skulls, the Lightlifters, the Church of Luna, the Forgetown Duergar, and the Arch-mage Alessker Vallon.

Geography

What began as an extended string of shanties and shacks built along the southern treeline of the Briarwood has turned into a sprawling city, built around a winding river, lined with buildings and streets. The neighborhoods on the southern side of the city are the more impoverished and least maintained areas of the city. Under the shadow of Mount Coldhaven, on the northern side, live the more wealthy and powerful denizens of the upper city, including most of the newer Avateynian noble families, who live in various mansions and small strongholds.   The southeastern end of the city, known as Driftwood Row, is home to the hunters, fishermen, and farmers who do their best to coax the harsh lands of the cold north to produce food for the people of Coldhaven. The original town square, is named Coldhaven Commons and marks the seat of power for the municipal city government. In the western River District, all manner of shops sell their goods and wares to rich and poor alike. The southern side of the city also houses the local cemetery, known as "Coldhold".   On the northern side of the city, the Portside Vicity is the home of Portside Pond, and the northern edge of Wolfshead Bay. Portside is home to most of the city's upper class, who live in towering apartments and smaller mansions. The next wealthiest nobles live in the Nightshard, so called because it exists in a state of perpetual shade, underneath both the high wall of the city and the looming shadow of Mount Coldhaven. The northwestern city is called the Templesmith Parish, and is the religious and intellectual center of the city. Emerald Keep sits high upon Emerald Hill overlooking the City.   Hidden in the Scaldcliffs north of the city, there is a secret cove, which serves as a secret entrance for smuggler's ships that wish to enter Spellhaven. For the majority of people though, secret ways in may be found in seedy taverns, back alleys, and sewer drains.

Maps

  • Coldhaven
    The City of Coldhaven, on the continent of Ehrethir.

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