Liem

Liem, the walled city at the center of the continent of Anoria, is possibly one of the most important cities in the known lands. Many argue that its position on the Rojal Pass through the Grey Mountains, and its politically neutral status, has made it integral to maintaining the tenuous peace between the North and the South.   The founding of Liem is lost in antiquity, though the architecture of the stone buildings of "Old Town" points to clear dwarven influence. However, the dwarves of the Greysmere Covenant have never laid claim to the city, despite its choice location, and so there are those who have whispered that perhaps it was instead built by duergar slavers. Regardless of its origins, those original stone structures were already abandoned when the humans of Anoria began using the site as a waystation and trading post. These original human settlements have been thought to date back as far as the First Age.   Over time, the number of traders who laid claim to their own pieces of the Liem settlement increased to the point that a form of organized governance was inevitable. The first record of a city council in Liem dates to around 2496 CE. This is also the first record of the settlement being referred to as "Liem," a name whose origins are also lost.   Liem remained a small but prosperous trading town, a dot on the map, for almost 900 years, until the coming of Tarrus the One-Eyed, a man whose story is intrinsically tied to that of Liem. Within days of his arrival, the charismatic sorcerer had gained an uncanny amount of influence with those who ran Liem. Within 5 years, he was running Liem as its Lord High Councilor. This title, shortened over time simply to Lord Tarrus, would remain his for another 200 years. In that time, he would oversee the construction of Liem's walls and the introduction of a strict system of tariffs that filled the city's coffers and allowed Liem not only to thrive, but to hold a place of power. But it was his reputation that safeguarded Liem's newfound prosperity and protected it from the hungry eyes of the rulers of the Seven Kingdoms. For Tarrus made no effort to hide either his magical power or his unusual longevity. Instead, through cunning and demonstrations of his power, he created not only an almost cult-like adoration from Liem's citizens, but a fear of reprisal should any dare to attempt wrest that power, which none ever have.   Now, under Tarrus's continual rule, Liem remains an independent city-state and power unto itself. By controlling the trade between the North and South, he has also maintained an uneasy truce between the two regions. It is widely agreed that should Tarrus, and by consequence, Liem, ever fall, it will be the end of peace in Anoria...