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> Bildteve, West Coast
Stevelouch
post Dec 14 2007, 11:58 AM
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Steve Louch
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"Bildteve, the doorway to the west. The city is the main port on the western coast of the Empire, and it shows. While the classic Imperial culture prevails it’s touched by northern, Ishmaic and yet further influences. A hotpot of cultures melted together as traders, and travellers pass through sometimes returning to settle here in their later years. This merging of cultures caused problems in the past, but under the guidance of former Governor Kilijan the city reduced crime, and continues to drive it down. This mixing has lead to greater religious, and racial tolerance in the city with most religions have some influence over the city, those a few stand out (The Green Mana Dragon and Talthar specifically).

All in all the city of Bildteve is building on its strong position
and seeking to grow as a community and a city.
Bildteve the city of tomorrow, today!"
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BBB
post Mar 17 2008, 05:03 PM
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Final Dawn IM 1007


Perhaps unnoticed by the general hubris of the Mercenary Caste the Empire’s only westerly city had quietly prospered greatly during the year. Its trade needs taken care of by its Craftenguilder and noted Merchant, Thor. Its vast territories and lands defended and staked out by its Commisent Arcane. The people itself taking the matter of faith very seriously leaving very little for its stadtus, Nadriel, to deal with and the matter of crime being dealt with by Watch Captain Marius and his Watch Sergeant, Narjith. All under the watchful eye and firm guidance of the Baron of Felldrakken Isle, Lich, Senator and Governor of Bildteve, Ashgaroth

However, not all was well in the city, for some time it had been descending into madness, a madness so great as to register as a significant threat to the safety of the city. The source of this madness only guessed at, or whispered at, or sensed in terrible dreams. And as if in some sort of symbiosis a raging Maelstrom that had been boiling across the seas some way from the city had grown and been drawn to the city.

The Maelstrom was fierce but Governor Ashgaroth and his council had been prepared and the great gates of the Harbour were sealed against the onslaught, protecting not just the naval craft around the city but completing a ritual shield that offered some degree of protection from the storm.

At the height of the storm, whilst many joined with Prince Mammoth to dance and scream and howl in the storm and be at one with madness as if the very end of the world, Thor held service for his faith, Talthar. As the final Dawn began a single prayer and a sermon was shared with his brethren in the Cathedral in Alguz and the light of his faith shone through the dark corners where madness stalked and in the souls of the people that had been gnawed away by the insanity preying upon them.

The city was battered, and bruised but, testament to its people and the foresight of its Governor it survived and as the Final Dawn unfolded the madness that had so struck at the city abated just as did the Maelstrom. Leaving a hopeful and thankful populace to congratulate them selves on surviving and commiserate over the damage to property but even there the Governor had already made provision to help the citizens disadvantaged by the storm and it is anticipated that within a few short months it will simply be a dull memory.

What is of some concern however was the split between City and its lands. No longer a single integrated whole the scribes perceived them as two things. Ultimately what this means no one knows or at least those who may are keeping silent. There are those who would remind that at one time, during the height of power of the Magiocracy of Kesselharn, a similar division had been present. It is theorised that the City Spirit itself brought about this division by sealing the gates of the city at the Final Dawn and cutting it off from its lands.


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BBB
post Jun 13 2008, 01:26 PM
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Events in Bildteve ~ Martius IM 1008


This month the Empire, in the form of the Lord Executioner, Parmonian, made quite clear its position on slavery with the summary execution without trial of an Ishmaic Merchant. A Merchant who was very much a Slaver. The more cynical might note that the confiscation of said Merchant’s goods and ship would provide the 101st with a fine means of reaching the Needle Isles, where they are reportedly waging a campaign, but such thoughts are unworthy of the Hand of The Empress and there are few subjects that unify opinion in the Empire quite as solidly as that of slavery.

There will, no doubt, remain some “diplomatic issues” between Bildteve and Ishma, this could be unfortunate as much of Bildteve’s recent gains in wealth and stability relies greatly on Sire Thor’s work on improving the relations with Ishma. It is somewhat interesting that the Empires greatly improved relations with the Baronies is in part down to Sire Thor’s actions, especially given the mutual attitudes of the Baronies and Ishma.

On the other hand whilst there will, no doubt, remain some “diplomatic issues” between Bildteve and Ishma it is perhaps fortunate that Ishma has probably made recent gains in measures of wealth and stability through its trade with Bildteve, and thus might be willing to overlook the death of one of their own who knew the risks of such trade in the Empire. Still, you never know with these Ishmaics…

It would appear that the Mennihaft, Lord Hadensford, was visited by one of the seemingly numerous scions of House Majius, The Baron Wither. Hadensford and Majius of course being linked by marriage, whether it was merely a social call between one Noble to another or a matter specific to one Noble and his Mennihaft who knows.

At Corger’s Croft, in the Fens the Ashgaroth and Nadriel took battle to an enemy of the city. Unfortunately a slight lack of preparation lead to an ignominious defeat at the hands of the Liche known as Coras Mor. How the Lord of the Felldrakken Isle will take such a knock back remains to be seen but no doubt he will make further forays into the Fens for such a power as Coras Mor cannot be left to grow. Still the Bildteve Regulars, Militia lead by the Commissent Arcane, handled themselves superbly. Given that as Militia they would more normally be expected to man the city walls not traipse around the fens they performed admirably under excellent leadership.


--------------------
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Pants
post Nov 4 2008, 12:18 PM
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The Citadel of Correction


Within Bildteve streets have been bought and shut off, the catacombs beneath mined sealed. Large grey faceless walls rise the area and the screams of the damned can be heard. The Citadel of Correction, or the Pit as the locals calls it, is a terrible place for the crimonal. The hell inside is what the scum make for themselves, and the threat of it is enough to make a grown man weak.

To retrieve anyone from within is much more of a rescue mission and anyone entering of their free will would be mad to do so without the watch, militia or indeed a warband around them for protection.


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Stevelouch
post Nov 10 2008, 01:34 PM
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Bildteve - A modern View


Bildteve is located on the West coast of the Empire, nestled between the large tracts of lands known as the Broken lands to the south and West and the South reaches of the Sheddeff Forest to the North. To the West is the sea and East the Rorthril Fens and the Felldraken Isle (Zombie Isle) and the lake that surrounds the Isle.

It is no surprise that due to strong links with other lands, stemming from both The Cities nature and the standing of both the Craftenguilder and the Governor with Foreign Nations, that Bildteve is now a thriving centre of trade.

This is greatly helped by the recently built Western Masters Port and various other buildings like Trade Enclaves, Bargee and Merchant Guildhalls.
Bildteve has recently become one of the richest and fastest growing Cities in the Empire, helped by the above obviously but also by the huge investment in its infrastructure. Tax has recently been lowered to 2% which is a record low for the Empire, and its many guilds are growing rapidly. It has the best Sailors guild in the Empire and Bildteve is a diverse City that accepts all people of any Faith, in fact most people worship many different Faiths, just in case. Well you never know when a prayer to different Faith may grant what you want. The City is very loyal to the Empire helped greatly by the presence of The Church of Iron and Empire.

In the City you will find a wide mix of people, made even more diverse by the constant stream of Foreign Traders.

Lord Ashgaroth of the Isle
Governor and Baron of Bildteve
Centeriarch of Bildteve
High Priest of The Church of Iron and Empire
Senator for Foreign Affairs
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Stevelouch
post Nov 10 2008, 01:57 PM
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Major Rural Places of Note


The Felldraken Isle


More commonly called the Zombie Isle; The Felldraken Isle resides in the middle of an inland lake. The Isle once was attached to the mainland but sank many years ago and then was raised during the height of power of the Kesselharn Magiocracy. The Lord of the Isle is Lord Ashgaroth, Senator for Foreign Affairs, Baron and Governor of Bildteve. The Felldraken Isle was formally gifted to the current Lord by Will of the Empress originally as a Barony in IM1003. The Empress rewarded him with a Lordship of the Land later in IM1007.
At the centre of the Isle, The Dark Arc causes the skies over Bildteve and its immediate rural territories to grow cloudy, never clear so that the area never entirely enjoys the benefit of direct sunlight. About Rorthril and the great lake there the clouds are more dense, black and boiling and rise to great height over the area to crackle with seething power.
Always roaming the Isle are the Maledictive Guard. A held of fearsome undead protect the Zombie Isle against those attackers that come in strength. Not easily classified in the common ranks of the undead, they are a mix of material bone and calcified flesh with spirits akin to wights. Certainly they are garbed in the torn armour and crested helmets of lost champions and fight according the direction of the Will of those that rule the Isle.


The Rorthril Fens

The fens were not hotly declaring for the Empire but that did not make them a separate kingdom. The rivers ran through them, indeed they were evil because they soaked up much of the evil of the Empire that came to them along the rivers. They were a sponge, a filter. They were also, like the mountains and the Broken Lands and any place not cleanly dominated somewhat larger than they seemed by the very dint of the fact that no one knew what was there so tales and troubles made them that much larger. They might be conquered, but that would be an enormous effort. And despite what the whiter of heart might think, apart from a few raids they were not threat to the Empire – and indeed some good as they leached evil away. So they were a threat, so they were a place where adventurers might tread – so what? It was a wild land and ever would be. Here at least they knew where the worst of it was.

Information on other Rural places of Note

Scrag Farms

These farms are to be found in the Town of Ulken’s Field Villages of
Islena and Pod. Well renowned in the local area these huge scraggy sheep can be found not only in thse places of note but also in the broken lands as wild herds!. Those that don’t make the grade are shipped in to the city as herds. The west coast of the Empire is a wild place of broken country, deserted valleys and displaced tribes and yet more monstrous creatures. It is therefore something of a miracle that the local sheep have not only survived but managed to cling tenaciously to their traditional grazing lands.

Quarries
Several quarries can be found in the rural areas of Bildteve, these are at Ashabat's Head, Horling Line and Jeson. The quarries are a formal stone face. Open to the elements, the quarry looks like a long, low slope ending in a squared face from which the stone is cut and removed in a series of shallow steps.

Dark Riders and Scavengers

Make no mistake, the territory of Bildteve is not a safe place. The villages are large enough to avoid too much harm but no one travels at night from amongst the rural folk and fear stalks the land.
The darkness that lies over the Zombie Isle infects the territory about it, so that nights are long and the daylight seems weak. People draw in close to the large villages and townships, travellers hurry from place to place.
Whether called by the spread, or created by the will of the Isle it is hard to say but across the land dark riders are spotted. Hunched in their saddles, the flesh that occasionally peeks from their robes is gaunt. Scraps of armour garb their bodies and faces and their spears and swords are of an old, archaic design.
There are other types of ‘fiends’ (as the rural folk call them) – some are packs of lob limbed and ferocious beasts, others still are simple hooded travellers that roam the roads and haunt the corners of Inns.
These creatures seem to ignore the locals and only pester those travelling at night who are not akin to the area. Infact they serve as a very good watch to anything moving out of the Fens.

One piece of advice is stick to the roads do not cross the moors or Fens

Roadhouses

Spread around the rural areas these roadhouses have a good ditch, palisade, and a couple of local tough's to man it when the Watch/Militia are not directly fighting rural crimes. It is a fairly comfortable proposition with the main hut being reinforced with local stone and even a decent stove installed so that soldiers can sit about it on cold nights and grumble about 'blasted keen young Commisents'. Perhaps most importantly, it also acts as place where wandering travellers, mercenaries, peddlers, traders and tinkers can pass on snippets of information that make the Commisent's life so much easier (for a suitable fee, naturally.)


Beacons

Located at all the rural places of note, the warning fires are tended by a series of otherwise local, retired mercenaries and has a shelter, storage for the wood, braziers and all the trappings of comfortable outside life. The rural citizens are regularly visited by the Beacon guards for food and the odd evening amongst the dim lights of country hospitality. They get to know them and the land such that when raiders are sighted and the beacon lit more of them are likely to escape such an attack.

Fortified Villages

Investment has been carried out to protect the villages and towns.
Having enhanced the basic palisade the walls ahave been sunk into rubble foundations and the logs used for the wall are both solidly banded together and buttressed. The stone is not exactly the best, being whatever is locally found but it is certainly good enough to avoid the attentions of common brigands. The solid log walls that surround the actual dwellings of the villagers and townsfolk are ditched and gated. Their fields are open of course but given sufficient warning they can drive their livestock within the walls – though the village is hardly equipped for a siege! It was lot of work to put together but comparatively easy to maintain now.

List of all Rural places of Note

Due to recent expansion out into the rural areas many more places of note have fallen under the auspice of the City. Bildteve has the biggest territory surrounding it because it is the only City in the Western part of the Empire

Rorthril
Ulken’s Field
Islena
Pod’s
Lok’s Pond
Zombie Isle
Rethrun Gorge
Besen Source
Two Sog
Jeson
Horling Line
Ashabat's Head
Fowls
Rertin Once
Masender's Mound
Three Tree
Cockle Bay
Horse Bay
Foaming Crest
Cobblestone
Pin Reach
Cross Garter
The Shallows
Body Rot
Shallow Valley
Turlins Standing
Ghulston
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Stevelouch
post Nov 10 2008, 02:00 PM
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Steve Louch
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Nightsoil Guild

Only seen in those cities that have developed a culture of acceptance and integration of the Nightsoil, the Guild outwardly looks if anything even more respectable than other Guildhalls. The members take tremendous pains to not only fit in but to become the very epitome of the perfect citizen. It is true that this actually helped by a presence of certain ritual power, but it is not something that cannot be done without. The Nightsoil at this stage band together, help their lesser up out of the gutter and typically leave all the scum jobs for orcs to get on with. Though the Nightsoil have changed in the wake of the Final Dawn they hold firm to the title as a badge of pride. They may no longer be undead but they went through much, dying for the Empire and then being rewarded years later for the faith they kept in the that nation.

The Wondrous Lair

The Wondrous Lair is a place of such gathered magic and art that its very size varies within as to the nature of its stock, the time of year and even the person who comes to visit. Not just a purveyor of wonders but also of displayed curiosities, beasts and samples of goods and life from a dozen different lands and as many worlds again. Varying in appearance within from a dark and gloomy, glittering and spicy to light and majestic depending on the city in which it is based the Wondrous Lair draws the minds of the people towards magic and the mysteries that without their otherwise gloomy lives.
Within The Wondrous Lair many treasures from lands afar may be found due to the amount of foreign traders coming to the City.

Canker Halls (advanced Work houses)

Bildteve is home to the rare sight of canker halls. With the system of work and worker that is encouraged here the City Workhouses cater for 'Cankermen*'. They are extremely skilled at knowing what temporary employment can be founds within their quarter and they spend a great deal of time entertaining the Guilds, traders and other sources of day-by-day work in order that they can get the right skills in the right place at the right time. This allows for many jobs that are normally left unattended to be filled and ensures a good work ethic in the City.

*Those who grub for a living are known as 'cankers' in Thimon and the word spread during the early days of the Empire.

Tower of the Kesselharn Dead

The Tower is an exultation of the city’s culture and history regarding the undead. It focuses especially and in these recent times upon the returned Nightsoil, and holds those banners and standards that were held at the Battles of Rorthril and the Doom.
Much of what was once Kesselharn is gathered here, and the old ways are held forth as revered. Little problems like the people living as virtual slaves of Necromancers and at the very whims of the dead are firmly glossed over. The victories of the old Magiarch’s are elevated, and a sense of pride instilled in the old culture of the city – when it was great and powerful.


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Stevelouch
post Nov 10 2008, 02:04 PM
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The Health of the City

Bildteve has had invested much time and money invested in it by the Council. One of the many benefits is that it is one of the cleanest Cities in the Empire. With its Aqueducts, Finely Cobbled streets, Grave Scatters and Honey Courts the slurry and detritus of the city is neatly washed away from the areas that it would cause harm


Aqueducts (Advanced Wells)


Aqueducts are rather grandiose structures of stone that
convey water from the cities river directly into the city proper.
Impressive to look at they are so solidly built that the Craft Guilds
actually have to do little to maintain the structures (due in part to
the mystic relation between the rivers the city and the Spirit).

Finely Cobbled Streets

The Streets in Bildteve are finely cobbled and angled so the waste and water runs in the gullys to be collected and channelled away.


The Honey Court

In Bildteve with the benefit of a strong Nightsoil citizenry the slurry and detritus of the city is not merely channelled into the nearest river but is viewed as a thing of use, or worth. For so long did the Nightsoil work in such places that it is hard for many to stop now. Indeed, there’s decent treasure to be made in the dung of the city. So much so that with the rise of the Nightsoil it has become strongly territorial – and to avoid fights and worse, the city has funded the Guilds to establish a Honey Court. With authority to divide up the streets and lanes into Honey patches it makes the horrid work into something that people want. And it does offer rich rewards to those that win such licences.

Healers Hall

Healers Halls actually attract those within or even transient to the City who are prone to acts of curing. It is large enough to hold people with more dire needs should a spiritual healer not be available and acts as a focus for the Chirugeons within the city or province.


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Stevelouch
post Nov 10 2008, 02:06 PM
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The Docks/Port

The West Quarter has basically become the Western Master’s Port, infact the Port is now actually bigger than the city itself. Listed below are brief descriptions of the main structures in the Port

Western Master’s Port

Though other cities might attain a port of this effectiveness, based on their size and geographical nature the Master’s Port is that which is first built on the West Coast and which garners the most benefits. The harbour is divided with many internal walls and quaysides growing within the once natural space. People come from other ports just to work and serve there and the Master’s Port is the very hub of that coasts harbours. Larger in size than the city it serves, the Port allows craft to dock in great safety and for the defences of the city to be made, from the sea, formidable indeed.The Harbour has been improved also and the surrounding beaches and coves have been marked out and developed.

Grand Explorers G’Hall

This guildhall dominates the skyline such that it is often the first things seen by a travellers as he approaches from afar. Sailors are drawn from throughout the Empire and further beyond, as the Guild does not only accommodate its own but acts as a fine place for others to come, to exchange knowledge and to speak of wider lands – not all of them to be found on Primus.
It is the pinnacle of guildhalls relevant to all forms of sailing and boats. With such an open expanse out to sea, the skills and experience of the sailors that gather here are always tested and as such is the main reason they are the best to be found in the Empire, if not Primus.


The Fishing Fleet

Commonly known as the Fishing Shoal, through a series of financial lures, long evenings in taverns, planning, practice and damn hard work the city has been able to organise its fishing fleet such that it hunts together and tracks down and pays a stipend to local, looking-to-retire adventurers to go with the fleet and provide whatever muscle it needs. Moving, acting and hunting like a shoal the Fleet protects itself from disasters such as piracy and raiders and even natural woes such as the weather, season and ritual.

Reeves Boatyard

One part of the port is set aside specifically for the purpose of boat building. It is fortified from the sea and baled of water allowing hulls to be built close to their eventual departure point. The Reeve’s Boatyard has not been seen in the Empire for many years, the insular nature of Amora’s Empire ensuring that such enterprises were heavily frowned upon. In Bildteve the Merchant Sires use the boatyard to patch up and generally tend to their precious cogs.

The Shoals (Fishermans Meeting Hall)

When the Shoal Fleet returns the many fishermen crowd into their steaming hall for a slap up feed and a tankard or two of good, rough wine and ale. It’s all pretty basic stuff but welcome after a hard trip. The men and women of the fleet like to keep to themselves in between tight trips, and the ship Masters to keep an eye on their crew. All they need is here – they can go home once they’ve finished their month’s work.

Port Sire

No matter the nature of similar men with equal status in other coastal cities, in Bildteve the Council choose and appoint a particular person to take on the mantle of Port Sire. So important is the Port that the Sire enjoys a status equal to the leader of a Guild of the same standard and runs the docks, quays and harbour of Bildteve as tightly as any Guild Master.

With the caveat that the Magistrate’s authority is always higher than that of the Port Sire’s, the city in effect grants the Sire similar powers within the Port Quarter and in the absence of the Magistrate the watch Captain (and associates) can certainly drag their duffed up victims to the Sire to be sentenced as he sees fit.

Sea Crones Gather


Nice though a Guildhall is, it’s not always convenient for one of the cities Wise Crones when somewhere is needed for the more risky aspects of midwifery. Where a city ‘Mother’ often holds the area in a wrinkly grip or a girl is even persecuted the Gather is a place where births can take place if there is suspected to be a risk involved.
The coastal cities of the Empire are not the same as the more landbound city and the Crones within are more ocean swayed than moon bound. They follow different patterns and guide the youthful and mature women in cycles of their own.
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post Mar 26 2010, 12:53 PM
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Just so everyone knows, we've lost two of the fleet this week in the seas around that ghostly isle that's appeared. I dont care what money is being offered, it's not worth your boat and crew. I'm going to talk to the Port Sire and see if we can get some sort of official statement or whatnot

Larriman (Captain, "Grey Goose")
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Pants
post Jul 26 2010, 08:56 PM
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The Tower

Rising high over the city, the Tower is an ugly, disjointed and unlikely looking edifice that defies nature and all good sense by remaining upright at all. Slick in the moonlight, dull and smoking slightly in the sunlight it troubles the eye and attracts every lightning strike that comes to the city from its regular storms.


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- Pants

"Stop quoting laws to us, we carry swords!" Pompey the Great 82BC

VENI, VIDI, NATES CALCE CONCIDI

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Stevelouch
post Sep 23 2010, 03:22 PM
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QUOTE(Pants @ Jul 26 2010, 09:56 PM) *
The Tower

Rising high over the city, the Tower is an ugly, disjointed and unlikely looking edifice that defies nature and all good sense by remaining upright at all. Slick in the moonlight, dull and smoking slightly in the sunlight it troubles the eye and attracts every lightning strike that comes to the city from its regular storms.


update to follow shortly
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