Caisleanarnoc ((Kay-sleen-are-knock))

Caisleanarnoc spreads across the banks of the Slogtha River, among the fertile plains of the Southern nation of Ardetus. From an old watchtower erected on the banks of the river expands the town, its buildings growing sparser and sparser as fields of crops intrude on its construction.   With its centrality to the breadbasket of Ardetus, Caisleanarnoc has access to the wheat and potato farms as well as the chicken and pig ranches. With so much food for so few people, it is no surprise that smart traders travel up and down the Slogtha river to barter for the farmer's product.   In 10 M, near the beginning of the first territorial war, Ardetus realized its vulnerability to incursions using the Slogtha River and the connected Eadomhain Lake as a means of transport. With the proximity of the lake to vital trading and transport routes, a project focused on protecting the river began. Outposts were erected along the length of the waterway, short stone towers staffed with mages and bored soldiers. While most of the outposts fell into disrepair after the end of the first war, one outpost became a hub of trade and culture in the breadbasket of the plains. Caisleanarnoc was born in 22 M from the interactions of traders, soldiers, and farmers trying to sell their products. In 56 M a rampant Automata resembling an oversized bison rampaged through the southern plains before coming across Caisleanarnoc and wreaking havoc on the small town. The artificial creature was defeated when it burst through the bottom of one of the docked boats and fell to the bottom of the river. While this did not more than slow it, the thick muck allowed a group of mages to arrive and prepare. Pelting the creature with spells as it emerged from the water, the mages suffered only a few casualties before the Automata was destroyed. The unnatural bison has since become a reoccurring motif in art from Caisleanarnoc, bright blues and grey stone replacing the usual brown fur.  In 381 M, the first recorded instance of a Titan generated south of the Slogtha River. Constituted of the element of water, the coming of the rampaging titan was heralded by the river swelling and rising until it laid shallow in the streets. The decaying effect of the titan caused buildings to crash in on themselves, and the old guard tower wavered as its stones began to shift subtly. The titan smashed through the heart of the town, its element storm sending walls of water crashing into whatever buildings that had managed to remain standing. Some tried to fight against the monster, slinging spells at the stone flesh, but most cowered in their homes until the titan had passed. The town was left in shambles, even as the titan suddenly and inexplicably crumbled into ash. Since then, Caisleanarnoc has slowly been recovering, though they have left many of the massive footprints, converting most into ponds.   The name of Caisleanarnoc is a tale in itself. As the outpost that would become central to the town became a hub of trade, many farmers of the plains -who have never seen a castle nor any building over twenty feet- made voyages there to sell their products. They came home to their families and communities talking about the 'castle on the hill' they had found, or in ardetinian: caisleán aren chenoc. Over many, many years, the phrase 'caisleán aren chenoc' was melded by clumsy tongues into 'Caisleanarnoc'.