Albar
From Illapedia
Contents |
[edit] 1 The Albarians
[edit] 2 Religious directions
[edit] 3 The names
[edit] 4 Cities
[edit] 4.1 Albar
[edit] 4.1.1 The city
Located submontanely of the foothills of the Aramon Mountains, the city of Albar is well known for it's silver mine (or notorious, because the miners of the according pit don't work voluntarily). Albar itself has about an age of 4000 years, and is assumedly the fountain of albarian culture.
The city is edified on a wide knoll and considered impregnable, because of the tactical deposition and the enormous fortifications. The surrounding lands are frequently cragged because of the slight mountainous locality and the soil is not throughoutly fertile. Albars publicy displayed wealth is founded on the nearby silvermines and the digging of blackstone and valuable red marble. The nobleness of the eastern estates of the town is also known for its traditional raising of horses.
Albar is, like most albarian cities, segmented to multiple segregated quarters. The palace of the albarian High King is enthroned above westernmost parts of Albar, on highest position of the hill, median of palace quarters. Gilded walls and towers rise above blackstone shrouded walls. The ample parkway girdling the palace complex is surrounded by a fifteen foot sizing ringlike, polished red marmoreal wall, enclosed by a paved circular road. The whole palace quarter was erected about 900 years ago, when growth of city increased enormously and the old district grew too cramped. Supposably also the matters of security played a role, because the old palace was located too proximal to the quarters of “common” populations and all noble families from abroad the city had to inhabit buildings within it, while visiting Albar. Collocated circularly around the palace road are the nine smaller palaces, used by the high asristocratic families. Between them are the numerous mansions of other noble families. Almost every exclusive family of the Albarian Realm, carrying certain weight, holds at least one villa in Albar.
The foot of the hill is surrounded by further parks and commodities and the so called Inner City Wall, encasing the overall palace quarter. The whole area inside this wall may only be entered by persons from nobility or their attendants, except in case of a siege. In the west this wall is moated by a fell trench, dug into the shoulder of the nearby mountain, continuously expanded whilst the past centuries.
In the city's south is located the trader- and workerquarter. The north is thoughoutly a business- and leisuredistrict. Centrical of Albar is the Old Palace, inheriting the newly founded Albarian Academy, where young nobles from allover the land, may learn to handle magic and science, subject to beeing talented enough.
[edit] 4.1.2 Land and people
The young Great King of Albar, Kerrim Alganshar Karnberra of Albar, treat into the footprints of his great-grandfather, the last High King Isarim Kerrim Karnberra of Albar, after the death of the Witch King and several ensanguined skirmishes. In defiance of his exiled upbringing in the Norodaj city of Karras and the fact his mother beeing a Norodaj, his legacy was accepted and asserted by the fast strenght regaining gentry.
During his coming to power, the reputation of beeing a lion-hearted Fighter yielded favour from the crowd, despite of his nobility. Kerrim Alganshars policy is displeasing the many high aristocratic families for him conversing several realignments, curtailing their prerogatives (for example he permitted the use of draught cattle, and even mount to the serfs, increasing the productivity of according farmers and also improving contentedness of nobleness). Furthermore, he released the magniloquent title of “prospective conqueror of Salkamar”, inherited by every High Regent of Albar poorly in vain, for almost 2000 years.
[edit] 4.1.3 Characteristics
Though in all cities of the realm common situation, in the whole city are no beggars. Begging is strictly prohibited and vagrant people often are immured for days, if not able to produce a legal breadwinning. The gaols of the city are located beneath a part of the Old Palace, yet since prospection of a silver deposit in the mountains, corvee is prefferd to incarcaration of delinquents. Since the new High King came to power, arbitrariness and venality of the custodies have decreased sturdily.
[edit] 4.2 Ann-Korr
[edit] 4.2.1 The city
Ann-Korr is a very old albarian harbour town. It also is the biggest town of Albar. The town is located in a valley at the outward opening of the river Erenin, which floats into the Shard Sea (also called Island Sea). The settlements covers both sides of the shores and parts of the hills. Like in many albarian towns, the settlement is divided into several districts, which are separated by walls and town gates on their own.
Besides the seaport, the town also has another port in the western parts of Ann-Korr, which is used for shippings going deeper into the continent by using the river. In the middle of the town where the Erenin narrows, three large bridges span the river.
The town is generally seperated into the uptown and the downtown. The area directly at the shores of the river between the two harbours is called downtown. Here, free workers, seamen and merchants are living. Downtown is characterised by many warehouses and market places, which partly have been built on pillars reaching into the water. In the south of the seaport there is a special port for fishers as well as a market place which is called the fish market.
The five districts above downtown located on the smoothly rising hills is called Uptown. The Merchants' District, the Crafters' Districts as well as the Market District are located in the southern parts of uptown. While many stores and a huge market place characterise the Market District, huge mansions and impressive buildings can be found in the Merchants' District. As the name implicates, crafters and their workshops are mainly located in the Crafters' District.
The northern part of uptown is divided into the Nobles' District and the Palace District. The lower and middle nobles live in the Nobles' District, though the dwellings here are not half beautiful as the manisons in the Merchants' District. The nobles pay extra guards for making their district at least as safe as the Merchants' District is. Different from the merchants, every noble own armors and weapons or is able to cast magic. In Ann-Korr as well as in the rest of Albar, the use of magic is allowed for nobles only. In the Palace District, there are six huge palaces which are owned by the wealthy nobles and the rulers of the town.
[edit] 4.2.2 Land and people
Prince Amalrich Iskendrin of Siebenreich is the ruler of Ann-Korr. Siebenreich is by far the largest shire in the region. Although Ann-Korr is a lively port town, law and order are respected by the majority and there is only little crime. This is due to high penalties even for little actions of crime. There are rumors, that if the jails are full, criminals are “disposed” into the docks. However, fact is that there is a guild of thiefs and assassins in Ann-Korr. It is even said that this guild has some influence on decision makings in town. Town guards are many in numbers and well equipped but not very well paid. Consequently, caught thiefs with rich friends often are free after quite a short time. The inhabitants of Ann-Korr mostly are middle tall and slim, with light skin and dark hair.
[edit] 4.2.3 Characteristics
Close to nothing is known about the foundation of Ann-Korr, since this is supposed to had happened more than 3000 years in past. The very first foundation walls – enormously big, cubic blocks of Granit – even are expected to be even much older. One can still see them in the town's catacombs. In some of those granit blocks, narrow corridors, chambers and mazes can be found. Once they obviously had been built directly into the stone and thus remained undestroyed for hundreds and thousands of years. Many of those catacombs still are not explored and there are many locked and hidden doors in there. The catacombs are supposed to have been used as cellars and store rooms. As the town constantly grew, however, these catacombs have been built over with new houses, lanes, streets and sewers. Between the years from 1530 till 943 before the fall of the Witch King Mordak Al'Kharud, the town Ann-Korr was capital and seat of government of Albar.
[edit] 4.3 Fennsworth
[edit] 4.3.1 The city
Fennsworth is situated, as Albar itself, at the foothill of the Aramon Mountains. The in the Albarian Empire traditional town districts for dividing the different population levels is very distinct in Fennsworth, as every district describes a small town in itself.
The center of the town, in which the palaces of the noblemen and the old temple district can be found, is built on a mountain spur and towers above the rest of the town.
The inner fortress and fundaments of the noblemen palaces have directly been worked out of the mountain’s stone. The old temple district, where nowadays mainly overgrown, decayed ruins can be found, once used to have the triple size of today and used to hold one of the world-wide largest Oldra shrine, as well as each one glorious temple of Malachín, Zhambra and Adron. However, after the banishment of the Oldra followers due to the prohibition of worshipping female divinities, the priests and monks of the other three temples demonstrated against the demolition of the Oldra temple. This initially peaceful protest, in which many inhabitants participated, soon turned out into almost three years lasting riots, having been quelled with vast bloodshed. After the final execution of many priests and several folk leaders also the remaining temple buildings have either been demolished or walled up.
The town has one of the most productive ore mines and forges of Albar. Nevertheless trading is no strong economy branch in Fennsworth, as weapons and armoury are exclusively sold to noblemen and even traders must not transport them. Also tools are only manufactured for use in the near surrounding.
[edit] 4.3.2 Land and people
Prince Gan-Kalahar of Fennsworth is said to be a tyrant as hard as iron, keeping up the old traditions of the albarian noblemen in high esteem and keeping down the simple folk as much as possible. He was the one fulminating most vehement against the young High King’s claim of sovereignty and coronation, calling him a Norodaj bastard in front of all attendees and challenged him to a duel. Though neither his blade (which was rumored to be poisoned) matched the strength and agility of his opponent nor his magical abilities could harm him.
Rumors also said that Gan-Kalagar challenged the young emperor and lost purposely in order to strengthen the latter’s position towards traditional powers, which however he vehemently denies. His only daughter Erinn being married to the High King is by some seen as a proof of this rumour, others however assume a diplomatic stroke of the High King himself. Again others suspect Erinn of Fennsworth being a shifty spy and the reason that courtly intrigues always turn out in favour of the High King, and there are as many rumours as assumptions of the way in which the High King has been introduced to his latter spouse, as she was said to have appeared at his side several times already long before the marriage.
[edit] 4.3.3 Characteristics
Fennsworth is known for its emphatic refusal of other races. Elves, dwarves, fairies, goblins, gnomes, lizards, orcs and others may only enter the town as slaves being accompanied by their “owners” and they have to stay away from public places.
Husbands not keeping their wives and daughters at a chain or line in public places have to pay a fine of three silvers. Slaves addressing a villain or citizen or looking into their eyes, are punished with ten whippings, their “owners” have to pay a fine of ten silvers.
Delegates of non-human races or foreigners who are caught without owner or royal permission within the town walls are immediately beheaded and impaled. However, this has happened least decades ago, as there is almost no appeal for non-Albarians to travel to Fennsworth.
[edit] 4.4 Kang-Arr
[edit] 4.4.1 The city
The seaport Kang-Arr is the most northerly town of Albar. With it's founding about 1700 years ago, it is the youngest town, too. It rests on a craggy cliff with its remarkable port beneath. While being dominated by fishing boats, it is presumed to be the most important port for trades between Albar, the dwarves of Arn-Gharrach and the northeastern Norodaj people.
The town was built as a stronghold. There are no – possibly because of the limited space upon the cliff – separate districts as known from the older towns of Albar. In fact Kang-Arr is affected by Norodaj culture. About 40 percent of the inhabitants see themselves as Norodaj. The stone houses are built with the blue to white-coloured rock found nearby. Many wooden gables of these houses are adorned and ornate in Norodaj manner. One will find broad shoulders and the red, light brown or blond hair more often on the remaining denizens and even on the local nobility than the more graceful build and the dark hair typical for Albar.
The cliff bearing a good portion of the town is fully developed as a fort. To reach the town an aggressor would have to fight against higher located defensive fortifications. The castle itself is connected by bowden cable with the harbour. The harbour is guarded by the natural rocks surrounding it. In case of a siege the natural and developed caves built in the cliffs serve as refuge and storage room for denizens and inhabitants of nearby estates.
[edit] 4.4.2 Land and people
Kang-Arr's nobility is known for being more related to the ordinary people than in other albarian towns. The gentry is more in bond to the towns people than it is in bond to the other albarian nobility. Both nobility and inhabitants of Kang-Arr were almost hostile in the past concerning the albarian royal dynasty (but with the accession to the throne by High King Kerrim Alganshar Karnberra, whose mother was a Norodaj, this factor inverted to the contrary). The old Prince Aramar Ingelfsen of Kathun is considered to be strongest ally to the albarian High King.
Kang-Arr is the only town of Albar, where a Tanora shrine is tolerated by the nobility. While the proud Norodaj never ceded the right of bearing an axe or even a sword and the most guards belong to the Norodaj anyways, it is common for ordinary people to wear both armory and weaponry and even to ride mounts. This bending of the albarian laws arranged for a little economical advantage especially for the countrymen. Contrary to Ann-Korr which is afar ten travelling days by horse and ruled with an iron fist, the farmers of Kang-Arr are free and no bondmen. However every male will be trained with sword and bow and might be called to arms for defence. Affected by the Norodaj most of them see themselves as warriors and are too proud of it than to realize a possible posed threat by the military service. The countryman can be considered comparatively free but the climate is rough and the in many places meagre ground long frozen during winter.
[edit] 4.4.3 Characteristics
Kang-Arr is the only large city of Albar where foreigners like Serinjah, Norodaj, dwarves and even elves do not need a written permission by a noble to enter the town. There even are hostels and inns for “foreigners”.
[edit] 4.5 Oldford
[edit] 4.5.1 The city
From the town Kang-Arr a little bit to the south a gurgling smaller river winds in the splinter sea. This is the Andrin, a branch of the Erenin which seems to detour in more northern fields without big haste, before it flows into the sea. It is just big enough to obstruct the way to travelers, so that wading the Old Ford here, shortens trips to the sea by a few days. As the trade route between Kang-Arr and the other Albarian metropolises won in meaning, a smaller settlement here before which was called Old Ford was set up. In the course of the time originated first a caravan depot and ferry services. Bit by bit a small place and the caravan depot developed became a fine hostel.
Today the houses are built from bricks, so that Oldford may be called a provincial town. A greasy stone bridge stretches over the Andrin and instead of the hostel, an infamous inn “The Grumbler's Head” whose name should still be from his time as a caravan depot heartily stands.
A specific feature is that the small town has spread out only on the southern side of the river. Thus it comes when one stands directly in the main square of Oldford the grubby bridge and points to the north and the houses crowd in the semicircle around the bridge. Typically for the small town are the gray-red clay bricks with which all houses were built and even the lanes were laid out. The tone comes from the area and does above all a rather dirty impression when it rains. The lanes look winding and more shady than it to quite a lot of is dear. Merely one bigger street writhes through the town and leads, in the end, to the south.
[edit] 4.5.2 Land and people
Oldford is a principality of the Albarian empire. The direct environs as well as the town belong to the Oldford principality to which the first lord of the manor (prince) projects. Since the first Ferry was furnished, ruled Albarian lord of the manor over the land in the Andrin. As the small town which was developed merely on the trade route from the south the political possibilities of the princes limit themselves mostly to praising flattery of the big and important towns of Albar.
In the land around Oldford some smaller fields economize where one holds sheep primarily. However, quite a lot of the noble lord of the manor has if he holds something on himself, a court stable where horses are bred. The complete Albar knows ford horses have a strong build, and have penetrated, robust and weatherproof builds. However, one also says that they fall ill in especially warm-humid areas easily.
Present prince is Cadogan Kehl, commander of the Oldford awake regiment and lord of the manor above big surface land in the south. This awake regiment is rather one on surrounding Landscape and houses a vast town guard than one standing army. However, the men of the regiment are trained conscientiously and are supplied with right equipment and corrupted guards and customs officers keep to a certain extent.
[edit] 4.5.3 Characteristics
In Oldford one seems to find partly fallen Norodaj names which are interfered then with the family names of Albar. Further non-noble unities of the awake regiment with horses are also trained to be able to protect the environs. Light cavalry from Oldford is pulled on occasion in the war service and it means, these men would connect norodaj talent with Albarian discipline and are determined fighters.
