Trivium
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THE REALMS OF TRIVIUM
FALLS PALACE - THE CAPITOL CITY OF THE KING
Falls Palace is the capital of Trivium. It is situated just right above the Ducane Sea, and is sheltered from a water fall to the west. The only way to get to Falls Palace by sea is through Riverrock. The main city is surrounded by large pillars and surrounded by a wall, which is manned by the Royal Sentinel. Within the walls, the city's natural landscape is dominated by three hills, named after Talos "The Conqueror" Falls, and his two younger brothers, "Halos" and "Minkos". Most of the smallfolk live in each of these two hills, while the Talos section is for settlement and business purposes. Falls Palace is very populous, but that led it to rather unfit living conditions. That all changed once Vance Burke became king, as he was one of the few kings who took gentle care for the common people. However, recently, in the last 5 years he has stopped spending the coin in order to maintain the living conditions of the commoners, and the sections of Halos and Minkos are starting to return to former reputation. It was said when the Ashdown's were in control of the throne, that the stench of the city's waste can be smelled as far to Autumn Stone (Of House Dahl - No longer exists, whole family house executed by the Ashdown line).
The royal castle, called the "Blue Palace", sits on Talos Hill. The keep holds the iron throne, the seat of the monarch. Talos commissioned the throne's construction from the bones of the last of living dragons, in which he helped destroy. According to legend, he had the throne built right above the coals of the smithing forge because he believed that no ruler should ever sit comfortably (knowing they're on the hot seat), and never forget the threat of dragons. Centuries later, it is common belief that someone who complains about the heat of the throne is unfit to rule.
The city also holds the Great Senton of the eight holy gods (Talos (Strength), Indaryn (Love), Ary (Brave), Verena (Beauty), Aurel (Life/Death), Alina (Nature), Javhid (Wisdom), and Astrid (Justice/Mercy). It is the most holy grounds of the Eight.
There is roughly about 500,000 people living in Falls Palace.
The Dragonthrone:
List of Kings to last sit upon it:
299th: Vance Burke
298th: Voltan Burke:
297th: Nevon II Burke
296th: Nevon Burke
295th: Drake II Ashdown
294th: Drake Ashdown
293rd: Deamon "The Kinslayer" Ashdown
292nd: Daeron "The Small"Ashdown
291st: Maekon II Ashdown
290th: Maekon "The Cruel" Ashdown
289th: Onarys "The Beloved" Ashdown
288th: Duncan II Ashdown
287th: Duncan "The Slayer" Ashdown
286th: Harkos Falls
....
145th: Talos "the Conqueror" Falls
144th: Onyx Ashdown
BULLSRUSH - of House Sorenson
Bullsrush is located at the edge of the great waterfall of the western coastline, and also the ending point of the Madre River. It is located right between two vast lands of forest, though due to its location getting supplies from caravans are spaced out and too few to supply the castle on its own. Bullsrush relies on the hunting abilities to get its food, which is why they've always been known as the house with the best archer ability. However, this proves to be a great challenge when winter comes, when there are less game to hunt.
Bullsrush is known for its sickening executions, in which a criminal is placed on the edge of the stone that edges the waterfall. A firing squad shoots arrows at the criminal, to where they fall off the edge and fall thousands of feet to their death.
Bullsrush isn't a major city, but it has a strong last name in which House Sorenson has ruled the lands for centuries. When a Sorenson dies, it is custom tradition to put the body in a boat and coast it along the Madre River, shooting flaming arrows until it casts a flame.
Bullsrush is able to stay away from invasion due to its abnormal location, and it's two great pillars of bridges across the Madre River into the forest lands. It is said all it takes to defend Bullsrush is 25 men on each side, forming a huge chain of shields to push intruders off the edge, and down the waterfall.
It is believed for there to be less than 100 people in Bullsrush.
Dagger's Edge is the ancestral strongold of House Cartel, lords of the riverlands since the conquest of Talos. The castle is a massive structure of sandstone, triangular in shape, located at a fork of the Madre River. It is compared to that of a massive ship. It is possible to enter Dagger's Edge from the Madre, by ways of a waterway downstream, as well throught he main entrance. The castle is boarded on two sides, one by the Madre and the other by a manmade ditch, which is flooded to create a moat when the castle is under siege. Dagger's Edge is crowned by a massive watchtower, which allows defenders of the stronghold to spot enemies approaching for miles. This advantage, combined with the defensive barrier provided by the rivers and moat, makes the castle practically impregnable.
Dagger's Edge is the central city of Trivium, which separates the North from the South, and the East from the West, even though House Cartel currently holds the title of Warden of the East. It is directly under The Divide, which is a lake between two great chains of mountains of the Bronze and Black Mountain.
Dagger's Edge is named after Dagger Cartel the 1st, where as the legend goes, was able to sneak into the castle via the waterways, and slay the evil ruler Nirari who was famous for necromancy and worship of the dead. He was then able to open the gates to allow his men to pass through, taking over the city. Before Dagger Cartel's invasion, it is believed that the forbidden Vul-Nirari religion was practiced here, in which even centuries after, there are ghosts roaming the great keeps of Dagger's Edge.
There is believed to be about 5,000 people living in and around the outskirts Dagger's Edge.
Dragonspawn is the southernmost land of Trivium, as it sits off at the edge of the Southeast, in the Claw region. It is secluded from the rest of the realm due to the Mirage Desert, which falls right between the high mountains of Mount Elder and Mount Dragontooth. Due to its location between the desert and two mountains, it is often given the nickname "The Dragon's Throat". It stretches from the desert to the southern coast of the continent. It is the hottest kingdom in Trivium, and features the only desert in the continent. "Ashmen" have a reputation for hot-bloodedness as well. They differ both culturally, ethnically, and religiously from the other Trivium cities due to the historical immigration of the Draco Dominion, who worshipped dragons instead of fearing.
Dragonspawn was the only kingdom in Trivium to successfully resist Talos's conquest and defeat of dragons. It was never officially apart of the realm until Duncan the 1st slew Harkos Falls, and became the king of Trivium. It has since stayed assembled in the realm, even after the successful rebellion of House Burke to overtake the Dragonthrone in Falls Palace. It has also been able to succeed in maintaining a small measure of independence due to its location and marrying into other houses of Trivium. Lords of Dragonspawn still call themselves "Prince" and "Princess", like when they had control of the throne.
Dragonspawn itself is a massive, forbidding fortress. The castle is unique in that the masons of the Draco Dominion carved its towers and keeps into the shapes of dragons, and made ferocious gargoyles to cover its walls. The castle's lower levels are warmer than the other sections, for there is still some volcanic activity deep below the keep. Of the 40,000 that live within Dragonspawn, the majority are warriors because Ashdown's have forever only kept people around that can serve the castle in battle if need be, or through sorcery and worship of the Vul-Nirari (Dragon Gods).
The Throne of Dominion:
The King of the South would sit on this throne in time of warfare against the crown in Falls Palace. Ashdown's of the last generation have sat upon it willingly, but have not declared war.
Recent Lords of Dragonspawn:
46th: Rowan Ashdown
45th: Drake III Ashdown
LIONSPORT - of House Kahne
Lionsport is located just beneath the great fortress, and is surrounded by mountains and vast grasslands. It is sometimes called the "Meadowlands". Lionsport has been the home of House Kahne for years now, which the orgins of the castle are still unknown. However it is known that the house before Kahne, House Wright was obsessed with puzzles and mazes. A great maze still stands as a detour from the main entrance. Lord Ryder Kahne greatly admired the architecture of House Wright, and it has been a tradition to trim the maze when need be for years now.
The city itself has two layers of walls, and a great watch tower for locating intruders. The Kahne's happen to be the richest family in Trivium, so maintaining their great castle is never a problem. The civilians live best of any out of the great castles of Trivium, and there is to be about 5,000 of them.
RIVERROCK - of House Crimson
Riverrock is located on the western coast of Trivium, and is the furthest west city of any in the land. The city is built on a cape of the mouth of the Ducane River, and has a port on the river itself.
Part of the reason for the militarism nature of Riverrock is that of itself, which is set upon a great stone arch that towers above the mouth of the Ducane river, and surrounded by the soaring peaks of the Elder Mountains. Not only is it the the biggest fishing market in the land of Trivium, but it is also the 2nd-richest city in Trivium behind Falls Palace. (Not to be confused with most rich houses - House Martyn is the richest while House Crimson is 2nd.)
It also happens to be the 2nd biggest city of Trivium, right behind Falls Palace. It is divided into four sections, one of the common area for houses, the 2nd for militarism where there is a great fortress and headquarters for the crown in times of war, the 3rd being for religious purposes, where ALL forms of worship are welcomed, The Eight, the Old Gods, and even the Dragon Gods. The 4th section is the great palace itself, known as the "Red Hold", which is where House Crimson calls home.
House Crimson allows any form of worship because they are the descentants of both House Ashdown and House Falls. Due to this, their house sigil is half blue, and half red. So they are believed to share the dragon blood like house Ashdown, and also have the blood of the great warriors of the native land, House Falls. There are two ways to get to Riverrock, either through sea via the western coast, or by land, however there is a great wall that is guarded 24/7, in which makes invasion rather impossible from either sea or land.
For Riverrock itself, it is believed that 250,000 people call it home.
SILVERPOINT - of House Watt
Silverpoint is a city situated in the southeast of Trivium. The large city is bisected by a large canal that used to serve as access for small cargo boats, but lately the moat has overflooded with great storms over the past decade. The city is located on the grasslands just to the edge of the beautiful Autumn Forest region of Trivium.
It has been the home of House Watt ever since the conquest of Talos Falls. Watt and Falls were always great friends, and often served hand-to-king. When House Ashdown stormed the city with a surprise attack through Lionsport to get to Falls Palace, Silverpoint
immediately put up their banners and waged war with the new kings of Trivium. However they lost this war, but the lord of Ashdown spared the heirs of Silverpoint if they agreed to kill their fathers who took part in the rebellion. Bad blood between the two houses would carry on for centuries, until the 2nd Burke Rebellion, this time involving Nevon the 1st, in which he was able to kill King Drake and put an end to the Ashdown kingdom.
The city itself of Silverpoint has four great watch towers, which watches over each direction in chance of invasion. Silverpoint lacks the great walls of other cities, but it is always prepared once battle partakes. Silverpoint is a rich city, and still has great influence on Trivium even given their recent troubles with the weather. Normally the King's younger brothers and sisters will become lords of Silverpoint, as the King sits on the Dragonthrone in Falls Palace.
There is believed to be about 150,000 people living in Silverpoint.
SINCOLN HARBOR - of House Mercer
Sincoln Harbor is located on the western coastline of Trivium. It was handed down to House Mercer by Rowan Ashdown, after the former owner's of the castle, House Volken, had its family line perished.
Sincoln Harbor carries military responsibility should the Kasek Men ever decide to invade. It is 500 leagues away from the land of Kasek, and is one of the few strongholds to keep the Kaseks from invading landward. Otherwise, the Kaseks would have to travel all the way south to battle 40,000 Ashmen of House Ashdown, or go north and battle the northern cold no matter the time of year.
Sincoln Harbor is said to have 200 ships and 20,000 men.
WINTERBONE - of House Riggs
Winterbone is the name given to the ancestral castle of House Riggs. It is located in the cold North, and it is heated by hot water from the spring beneat the castle, which is piped through its walls. The castle has deep catacombs where the bodies of Riggs are buried. Statues mark the crypts of former lords of Winterbone, including Kings of the North Diedrich Riggs and Eldrich Riggs. Diedrich was the last king of the north, where he surrendered to King Drake the 1st, to make Trivium a united realm once and for all again. The Riggs originally created a rebellion against the crown when House Ashdown slew House Falls to take control of the Dragonthrone.
Winterbone has two sets of walls in case for invasion. Winterbone also has a great bridge guarded by men night and day, and is too small for any catapaults to drive through. It is right beside a mountain side, which helps create a little lake behind the grand hall. Winterbone runs right through the Grove and Coinston Rivers, which makes Winterbone a rich city that is never short of supplies, even in the harsh winters. Nobody ever travels north of Winterbone anymore due to rumored end of Bronzehaven, so the travel of ships past Winterbone is no longer needed. It is seen as the capital of the North even by having the smallest population of any of the royal cities. It has been given the nickname the "Steel City" due to Winterbone being the biggest manufacturer of Steel, which it mostly sells to House Cartel, the family most known for smithing.
There is speculated to be around 2,000 people living in Winterbone and the Winterbone suburbs.
The Steel Throne (Common for the King of the North in times of rebellion against the Ashdown line and before the first conquests) It is now sat upon by the Warden of the North.
List of Kings of the North
17th: Diedrich "The Kneeler" Riggs
16th: Eldrich "The Tormenting" Riggs
15th: Edrick Riggs
14th: Darnik "The Mad" Riggs
13th: Kennik Riggs
12th: Stahl "Stonebeard" Riggs
11th: Hornik Riggs
....
1st: Jerrick "Steelhands" Riggs