Erengrad

Originally built as a fortified harbour to land supplies and reinforce the crusaders in the area, Erengrad has since grown tremendously. It is now the largest city on the Black Gulf, sitting as its furthest point inland. It straddles the Bolgra river, spreading across both banks and into the estuary where the river empties into the sea. The city is well-fortified, to protect against Orc incursions as well as attacks from other city-states further down the Gulf. It has strong relations with the Dwarves of Irondeep, and exerts its political will over several vassals cities nearby. Its people are proud of the city, having an independent streak that has resisted any attempt to subjugate them. The city emphasizes its military might, using a strong navy to control others in the region. Its king, Sverisvoda, is the leader of the Erengrad Clique, which opposes the other port cities further down the Gulf.

Politics

The relationship between the trade ports in the Midlands is a contentious one. Split between two factions, Erengrad sits as the head of one. Combining the western ports of Dara and Kotor into a single bloc, they use their tremendous naval power to resist and restrict the influence of those eastern ports in the Hellainic League. This conflict is ongoing, occasionally disrupting trade in the region and ensuring that the Midlands remain a volatile realm for the foreseeable future. Erengrad is emboldened in their actions by the support of the crusader states and the Dwarves of Irondeep, with their position as the westernmost port granting them significant leverage over those realms. Linked by ideological as well as regional ties, these three groups are united by their hatred of the Kathak Orcs to the south, as well as by resisting Elvish influence over naval trade. All of this combines to make Erengrad the force that it is, backed by two powerful allies and arrayed against a series of smaller rivals. The only thing that it seems might be able to topple Erengrad’s hegemony would be weak leadership, something that King Sverisvoda has in spades.

Groups

Goldsmiths

The Goldsmiths are the most powerful trade guild within the city. Their hall is located on the northern bank, near to the King’s Palace. Once made up of smiths and jewellers, it has been taken over by bankers and moneylenders. By tradition, the guild master is always a craftsman, who is a figurehead for the true power invested in his deputy the Dean. The current master is Ursolo, an unusual Gnome tinkerer who fled his Elf masters and took up smithing in the city. His work is excellent, and he is pleasant enough to be around, despite his eccentricities. This, combined with his complete disinterest in the other affairs of the guild, has made him the perfect strawman for the rest of the goldsmiths. Their hall is a beautiful stone structure, acting as a bank and the city’s mint. The Goldsmiths exert control over the elites in the city through controlling loans and property rights, and can even curtail the Merchant King if they choose to do so.

Carriers Guild

The Carriers Guild is another powerful faction within the city. The guild represents the longshoremen and stevedores within the city, an exceptionally well-represented demographic in the port city. Its members are the merchants and associated ranks within Erengrad, with most living or working within the Harbour district having some sort of stake in its decisions. The guild hall is located in the High City, a handsome structure with a paved square in front of it. The Carriers are strong enough to resist the ambitions of the King, and have secured themselves certain rights and freedoms in the city. One of these is the ability to enforce laws in the harbour, having their own courts to see cases and pass judgements. The guild takes full advantage of this, and the courts have a reputation for bribery and corruption. Despite this, their size and strength has made it difficult to curtail their current position.

Shipwrights

The Shipwrights are the largest guild in the city, though it holds little political sway. The guild represents nearly all craftspeople in the city, except for the metalworkers. It has the largest membership in Erengrad, but its diversity means that its members seldom agree on a course of action. Their inaction means that they are consistently taken advantage of by the Goldsmiths or bullied by some merchant or another. Ineffectual at best, membership into its ranks counts for very little among the craftspeople of the city. Its current guild master Maksi, a Dwarf mason, is not up to the task of expanding his guild’s power. Too timid to take on the elite of the city, his rule seems doomed to mediocrity. Their guild hall is in the low city, a small and pitiful building on the north bank.

Landmarks

The Harbour

Erengrad’s harbour is a natural one, formed by the wide arms of the Bolgra’s estuary. Its weakness comes in a bank of shallow water that rises in the middle of the estuary, limiting the size of ship that can come inland. This has been remedied by building piers and jetties far into the sea, projecting off the beaches at seemingly impossible lengths. Warehouses and shops can be found perched atop these wharves, reaching ever closer to the traders who moor their ships. Despite the ramshackle appearance of these structures, the area is far from poor. Most businesses here do brisk trade, and its taverns are among the busiest in the city. The supports that hold up the structures rot in the sea water, and are not cheap to replace. As such, only reasonably wealthy merchants can actually live here, and many sailors and traders seek to retire here eventually. The largest structure in the harbour is the Temple of Vigge, an ancient ship permanently supported by large piers. At high tide, its keel sinks below the water, the old boards creaking as the ship lifts slightly. High Priestess Dovyn rules the temple, and wields considerable power among the citizens of the harbour. Despite this influence, she has little interest in politics, and continually resists and shrugs off the desires of any faction who seeks toenlist her support. Instead, she devotes all of her energy towards preserving the temple and ensuring Vigge receives his proper respect.

Low City

The Low City is built on the beaches and lowlands of the city itself. The poorest district in Erengrad, it is prone to floods at high tide. The occasional storm that reaches the city tends to cause significant damage here, the shoddy houses crumbling beneath the might of the wind and waves. The region is prone to flooding from two directions, the tidal floods and the seasonal floods of the Bolgra. As such, the closer to the water one lives, the poorer they tend to be. The poorest live in tents, able to pick up and move when the flooding gets too bad. The further inland one goes, the more desirable the land. Despite this, these parts of the Low City are also dangerous, full of gangs and criminals eager to prey on the poor and working class.

The Low City makes up the bulk of Erengrad, spread across both banks and dominating the south bank. The hills that ring it make up the High City, but the majority of people live in the borders between the two. Life here retains a certain level of normalcy, as people go about their daily lives and try to avoid the corruption and violence of the city around them. The most notable feature of the Low City is the Grand Market, located on the northern bank, near to the shore. It rests on slightly higher ground than the rest of the district, and is therefore safe from most floods. Exceptions to this are the seasonal floods of the Bolgra, when the shopkeepers typically pack up their tents and goods and retreat to warehouses until the waters recede. The Grand Market is the busiest and most defining centre of shops in Erengrad, and the main reason most travellers come to the city. Anything from around the known world can be purchased here, even risky goods barred from elsewhere. The King of Erengrad’s soldiers patrol the market in force, and all entrances to the district are kept carefully guarded. The result is a marketplace devoid of any violence, though corruption and swindlers still reign supreme.

An unusual part of the Low City is the Gnomish Quarter, tucked up against the docks on the south bank. Here, a growing population of Gnomes take refuge, hiding from their Elf masters and trying to start a new life. The district is very poor, with gnomes stacked into small wooden tenements on a stretch of beach which floods regularly. A few humans bordering the quarter run boarding houses, renting them out to Gnomes who can afford to get out of the squalor. While not luxurious, for many it is much better than a life of servitude. Gnomes who land in Erengrad can expect a warm welcome in the district, and will quickly find a place to stay and work in the city. Gnome labour is prized, for their ingenuity and deft hands. Smiths especially seek out their work, and a disproportionate amount of them work for the Goldsmiths.

High City

The High City is where the upper class of the city reside, in permanent stone buildings far from the flooding. The High City sits like a crescent surrounding the bay, resting atop hills that stretch on either side of the Bolgra. Its position provides an attractive view of the bay, shelters the houses from the sharp southern and eastern winds, and allows any of its waste to flow downhill into the Low City. Despite its wealth, the political climate of the city has meant that much of the region is disorganized, built up over time and by people with competing views or ideas. This disorder makes it slightly difficult to navigate between the great houses, especially for those new to the area. Whatever chaos exists in the city planning, the wealth of Erengrad is on full display here, with many merchant houses seeking to display their full splendour to their neighbours.

Chief among these is the palace of the King, a large wooden and stone house stretching up towards the sky. It is not a fortified castle as one would expect, though it is surrounded by a guarded curtain wall. The palace is home to an elaborate garden, and seems much more like the domain of a merchant prince than an actual king. Yet it is the residence of King Sverisvoda, who takes great pains to keep the abode in excellent condition. His own gaudy tastes have influenced the home of his forefathers, with gilded decoration and marble fountains added to the gardens. Many of the old families in Erengrad mourn the current state of the home, preferring the simpler structure it once was.

The crowning jewel of the High City is the citadel that dominates the southern bank, looking out towards the Badlands. The stonework bears obvious Dwarf inspirations, the Dwarves of Irondeep having had a hand in its making. It towers over the Low City, its shadow reaching far across the decrepit buildings. Erengrad’s standing army resides here, on constant alert against Orc assaults. The citadel has seen much action throughout its history, having been one of the first permanent structures in the area. It has since been expanded and built upon, and shows many influences from each era of its construction. Near to the citadel, tucked up against its northern walls, is the Dwarf quarter. Well protected, the squat stone structures house the bulk of Erengrad’s Dwarf population. From here, they manage the trade of their hold’s goods and act as ambassadors for the settlement.

The Gardens of the Dead are an unusual feature of Erengrad, not strictly part of the city. They stretch on the south side of the city, beyond its walls. They are surrounded by their own palisade, and watched by a few guards throughout the day. At night, however, the area is abandoned, left to the dead who rest there. A strange magic surrounds the area, an aura that infects all who stray through it for too long. The relative inhospitality of the area makes it the perfect location for a graveyard, as few can brave it for long. The aura causes an immense sense of dread and physical weakness in those who try, and is therefore rightfully ignored by most of the city. The cause of the aura is unknown, but it serves as useful for the city, acting as an additional defence against the Orcs beyond.

Personalities

Merchant King Sverisvoda

King Sverisvoda is the ruler of Erengrad, having inherited the position from his father. Despite being the only heir to his father, Sverisvoda is convinced that he inherited based on merit. He considers himself a shrewd businessman, insisting on taking control of the city’s stewardship and administration himself. In reality, he is a short-sighted buffoon, leaving political and financial errors in his wake. His advisors manage to contain much of this, and a delicate balance is managed to let the king believe he is empowered without giving him too much influence. What he cannot get by his limited charms, he tends to take by force, using his guards as a weapon against those who displease him. For the most part, King Sverisvoda remains in his palace, meeting with delegates from the largest merchant houses and living a life of immense luxury. He is middle-aged, with a receding hairline and thin black hair. His portly stomach comes from a life of rich, hearty foods. Despite this greasy appearance, he wears fine clothing and prefers flashy jewellery.

Andreas Hedengelt, Guard Captain

Andreas is the captain of Sverisvoda’s guard, and a powerful commander within the city. His roots in the area go back to the time of the crusades, and his family has lived in Erengrad for much of that history. He was one of the bodyguards for Sverisvoda when the King was a teen, and the two have a close relationship. Andreas is very similar in disposition to the King, and has enjoyed a long career of benefits and gifts from the ruler. In exchange for this, he completely obeys any order the King commands, even if it might be unjust or unethical. An unpleasant man, he tends to be selfish, arrogant and sometimes cruel, believing himself above the law in service to his King. He is tall and thin, with a wicked smile and an aquiline nose. His armour is gilded, and his sword pommel is a large emerald.

Ursolo, Master Goldsmith

Ursolo is a Gnome jeweller who, quite accidentally, was named the Master of the Goldsmith’s. He came to the city after a shipwreck in the Gulf, where he was travelling with his Elvish master. His master was a fine silversmith who employed gnomes as apprentices to round out his workforce. The only survivor of the shipwreck, Ursolo was rescued by a human vessel near Kotor, and eventually ended up in Erengrad. Here, he set about practicing the only trade he knew, and eventually developed quite the reputation. He is jovial and friendly, and singularly focused on his profession. This passion endeared him to other craftsmen, and also made him an easily guided figurehead for the Guild. He enjoys the prestige his position brings, but has little time for any of the actual duties. This arrangement suits his deputy and the other Goldsmiths quite well, and lets them run the day-to-day activities in secret. He has a tightly trimmed goatee, and a small flourish of green hair on his head.

Dovyn, High Priestess of Vigge

Dovyn is a human woman, and the most powerful of Vigge’s cult in the Midlands. The cleric is an old woman, gnarled and twisted by the sea air. Her hair is braided with seaweed, and she dresses in old fish nets and torn sails. Her eyes are clouded, yet she still moves around her temple with deft agility. She has been granted miraculous powers by her god, some even saying she has the ability to call upon storms. Whatever the case, Dovyn is widely respected in the city, especially among those who live near her temple in the harbour. Despite her influence, she has resisted the pressure to politic in the city, refusing any factions who try to enlist her support. She is firmly devoted to the sea, and rejects any ambitions to rule on land.

Maksi, Freemason

Maksi is the leader of the Shipwrights, the largest but least influential of all the guilds in Erengrad. While not a particularly bad leader, Maksi is simply average. He struggles to balance the day to day administrations with managing his own work and apprentices. He is a Dwarf of normal proportions, with a series of geometric tattoos on his arms. A long braided beard, stained grey with dust, reaches past his waist. While he would never admit it, he regrets taking the position, and feels more stressed now than he ever has before. To make matters worse, the guild is facing increased amounts of internal strife, as the different professions each seek more representation within the guild itself. It seems like the Shipwrights need a strong leader to unite them against their enemies, and Maksi knows that isn’t him.

Etsuko, Elf Infiltrator

Etsuko is one of the few Elves living within Erengrad. While not outright barred from the city, the abundance of Dwarves and the conflicts with Elf allied cities means that few feel comfortable within its walls. An exception to this discomfort, Etsuko lives in the Harbour district, with her address constantly shifting. She is somewhat of an enigma, acting as an infiltrator for the Elf lords in the distant Kodno. She is their agent in Erengrad, working to spy on and undermine Erengrad’s military forces and trade efforts. She is masterful in her work, and has avoided detection by any of Erengrad’s elite for the time being. She uses primarily outside help for her missions, hiring adventurers new to the city to accomplish her goals. She is tall for an elf, and could be mistaken for a short human woman. She has long hair she keeps draped over her ears. Her main targets are Dwarf merchants, and she has regularly stolen or sunk shipments of their goods abroad. Aside from this, she also works to retrieve Gnome runaways for their Elf masters, smuggling them out of the city and back into slavery.