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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1703853" data-attributes="member: 6783">rangerjohn, thanks for the encouragement. I've been travelling a lot over the last six weeks and between that and not liking the first two drafts of anything I've written, I missed your post.  It got to the point that I was avoiding the SH forum just so not to remind myself that I wasn't writing.   :\ I think I started to find my stride again.  Here's a short update, but I have the next couple mostly written, hopefully to be posted by Saturday.---------------A Description of CorleanThe Empire of Shtara is not the first body to hold the lands west of the Laren Mountains; merely the latest.  Approximately two-thousand years ago a conflict now called the Takeel Wars raged across the entire continent and nearby waters, shattering the kingdoms and empires of the time.One kingdom, that scholars now called Dor-Heiravan (though it may have been an empire – the records are unclear) controlled the High Pass during the time of the Wars.  Then, as now, the High Pass was the only easy access to the lands north of the High Mountains.  Unlike now, the High Pass was wider then and not very defensible.  When tensions rose and the sparks that started the Wars flared, te Dor-Heiravan’s used their engineering knowledge and magical arts to make their end of the High Pass a virtual gatehouse.Under the onslaught of wizards and priests, the mountains on either side of pass’ mouth were ‘encouraged’ to grow higher and closer together.  The few alternate routes that existed at the time were shattered and lost.  Within only a handful of years the south end of the High Pass was bracketed by walls of raw granite which soared hundreds of feet into the air.The lands just south of the pass for miles around was leveled and raised, using both labor and magic, creating a flat landscape suitable for some farming to support the full time garrison that was stationed there.  Using clever tricks, water from the yearly snow melts was diverted to underground aquifers that eventually passed around the garrison; neatly negating the possibility of flash floods during the spring.When the soldiers of the Shtaran Empire surveyed the High Pass hundreds of years later, they found that the High Pass was easily defensible and recommended the building of a keep upon the nearby ruins, and the creation of a wall to control access through the Pass and thus stop the occasional raiding from the northlands.  The surveyor’s report claimed that Sarath himself must have created the High Pass, it was so suited to defense.Now, Corlean lies squarely in the mouth of the High Pass, her eastern and western flanks protected by the tall granite walls of the mountains themselves.  The North Wall of Corlean is the shortest in length, only about two thirds of a mile long, but rising some forty feet over the ground with only a single gate allowing passage.  The South Wall is longer than the northern one, actually protruding out past the towering walls of the Pass.  Ostensibly the South Wall was constructed to protect the merchants and farmers from the creatures in those early days of imperial expansion.  An argument has been made that the soldiers just disliked not having walls all around them.  Regardless of the reasoning, the South Wall runs well over a mile in length, but is only twenty feet high and three gates allowing entrance.Carved into the granite walls flanking the city are two large shelfs which overlook the city.  The western shelf is walled and houses the Duke’s residence and keep.  From here he administers the city and his lands.  The eastern shelf, also walled, houses the Emporer’s soldiers, both those that are stationed in Corlean and those that travel through the city.  A single broad path leads up to each of these shelves, but both paths are easily defended by the keep each one leads to.  In the center of Corlean is ‘The Square’, a large parade field paved with well worn flagstones.  The expanse of The Square is broken only by three large and magnificent, white marble fountains.  The Square was designed to allow all the troops in the city to congregate; a function it still performs to this day.  Standing on the west side of The Square is the city’s cathedral to Latina.  The Chuch-Keep of Sarath, called the Sword House, stands opposite the cathedral on the east side.  The empire is not given to large populations in her cities, and despite being a trade town, Corlean has only around twenty-five thousand permanent residents; though this figure climbs significantly during the summer and fall seasons.  In general, the landed knights, earls, counts, barons, and the wealthiest of merchants live on the west side of the city, within low-walled residences, between the Duke’s Road and the cathedral.  Most merchants reside on the east side, while traditionally soldiers and city guardsmen live to the north.  Caravaners are most prevalent near the North and South gates.  The poorest areas of Corlean are in the northeast and southeast, well away from the low walls of the nobles.Unlike the cities to the south, Corlean still holds proudly to its military past, catering to the soldiers and tradesmen that streams through it.  While gambling and prostitution are frowned upon by the upper class, both are legal and regulated in order to protect the soldiers.  Even the carrying of weapons is accepted though they must be peace-tied if not currently on active duty or a member of the watch.  Meanwhile, most of the silver and iron used in the northern duchies make their way through Corlean.</blockquote>

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