The City of Sandas.
Near the northwest border of the Kingdom of Nlad, on the south bank of the Grande River, where the Old Dwarvish Road meets the main road south to Hork.
Population.
About 10,000, mostly Humans, but with a fair number of Dwarves, and a few members of other races (mostly Elves), too.
Geography.
A beautiful, quaint, walled city set
against a backdrop of mountains to the west, surrounded on three sides
by filthy, reeking disease and corruption infested slums.
The Area:
North: The Borderlands:
A questionable area, where a few hardy souls try to eke out a living
whilst simultaneously fighting raiding bands of orcs, bandits, and the
like. Several ruins lie in the area: the Caves of Chaos, the Black Keep, and the Temple of Tyaa. Beyond lie the Mountains of Nlad, infested with evil.
East: A broad, flat, fertile valley, well cultivated. Not much
adventure here, it would appear. Farther away to the northeast,
however, lies Strabath, a city of considerable size, straddling the Southern Road, where interesting things are always rumoured to be happening.
South: Hills and mountains, for the most part peaceful, no doubt due to
the fact that a very famous and powerful Paladin has his castle in the
area. Not much adventure in this direction, it seems.
West: The Old Dwarven Road leaves Nlad a few hours horse ride out of Sandas, and enters the Dwardarf,
the domain of the Mountain Dwarves. Here the Grande River flows down a
long, narrow valley, with ranges of high mountains on both sides. At
the border itself is one of the Great Towers which the men of the old Empire of Saltar
built to guard their domain, though now it houses a small garrison of
Nlad. Beyond, the Dwarves have many great mines in the mountains on
each side of the Grande, and have built a great underground city of
wealth and splendor, within Silver Mountain. Beyond the Dwardarf, a few travellers say, lies Dorian, one of the great Elven Realms.
The City Itself.
Sandas is built along the south bank
of the Grande River, at the confluence of a smaller flow, the Green
Oakley. It is surrounded by productive farmland, though to the west
this soon gives way to woodands as one approaches the mountains. The
city was founded some 900 years past, as a border post guarding the
boundary between the Empire of Saltar and the lands to the West. During
the Civil War which saw the founding of the Kingdom of Nlad, the Fort
of Sandas was the scene of a major battle, as the revolutionaries
defeated the Imperials, and drove the survivors back into what is now
called the Borderlands. By the fourteenth century, Sandas had grown
into a small city. Its economy is largely dependent on trade, both
along the River and along the Old Dwarvish Road. It is surrounded by
some of the most productive cattle and horse breeding ranches in the
Kingdom. The oldest part of the city is the military sector within the
wall in the northeast corner. Newer areas have grown up outside the
walls, especially near the main East and West Gates. For the most part
it is a prosperous city, with a large mercantile middle class. As
mentioned previously, though, there are some slum areas, particularily
outside of the walls, and within the riverfront district. A
distinguishing feature of the city is its large population of non-human
types, compared to other urban centres in the Kingdom. Thanks to its
proximity to the wildest borders of the Kingdom, and its nearness to
the Halfling, Dwarven, and Elven Lands, it has become the home of a
large number of demihumans. Even the occasional humanoid (usually
half-orcs) will be seen, though these sorts are not generally welcomed
by the populace. Also, thanks to its locale, Sandas has always been
something of a gathering place for Adventurers and would-be adventurers.
Features Of Sandas.
The City has most of the amenities
of a large city, including: a Sage, many magic user supply houses,
weaponsmiths and armourers of various specialties, many churches
devoted to various deities, a well known Arch Mage and several
Illusionists, excellent inns and many good taverns, several book
stores, a busy house of ill repute, many trades guilds, a Magic User's
and Mage's Guild, Illusionist's Guild, Fighter's Guild, and Paladin's
Guild.
Any adventurer arriving in Sandas will soon discover that the Inn of The Drunken Dwarf is favoured by adventurers, The Inn of The Former Virgin by merchants and traders, and the Sailor's Rest by seamen and thieves.
Deities Worshipped in Sandas
Tyr (greater god).
Votishal (demigod).
Forseti (greater god).
NG: Mielikki (lesser goddess).
Odin (Norse)
CG: Idun (Norse)
Magni (Norse)
Modi (Norse)
LN: Aarth (Nehwon)
Frigga (Norse)
N: Untamo (Finnish)
Death (Nehwon)
CN: Uller (lesser god).
Tuoni (greater god).
LE: Loviator (Finnish)
NE: Gods of Lankhmar (Nehwon)
Surma (Finnish)
Hel (Norse)
CE: Gods of Trouble (Nehwon)