Southern Coast » Ilien » Free City of Ilien
Situated on the east bank of the Adele River and on the northern coast of the Straits of Aerele, the Free City of Ilien is divided into four wards: the Castle Ward, the Market Ward, the River Ward, and the Common Ward. Walls not only surround the city, but also enclose each ward. The wards are supervised by a chamberlain appointed by the Lord Mayor and approved by the Count of Ilien. Each chamberlain is allotted a portion of the city's treasury each quarter of the year to use in the district's upkeep. Upkeep costs include the distribution of subordinate's wages, guard's salaries and supplies, road and sewer upkeep, and tax and tariff collection.

The Lord Mayors are appointed by the Count to insure the smooth operation of the city by the chamberlains while the Count manages matters that concern the domain as a whole. The mayor is traditionally appointed from the ranks of the chamberlains or trusted relatives. The current Lord Mayor is Adash Cedrune (MAn; Rog 5; Scion of Anduiras; tainted; 5).

[top]Locations

[top]Castle Ward


This district is home to Castle Aglondier, a massive level 7 castle and seat of power for the regent of Ilien. Elevated towers rise above Castle Aglondier and can be seen from any part of the city. The castle and its interior enclose half of the Castle Ward, with the remainder for the homes of nobles, rich merchants, and visiting diplomats.

Taxes and prices in this portion of the city are somewhat higher than the rest of the city, a burden its inhabitants gladly bear because it keeps the streets clean and unwanted riff-raff out.

The ward also serves as the location for the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn's largest cathedral. The cathedral was built on land given to the Heart by Moeran Aglondier in 546 MR when the temple stopped the spread of a deadly plague.

The Golden Plumes, the elite of the city watch, maintain order in this ward and have been fiercely loyal to the Count of Ilien since their founding in 531 MR. Nine skilled warriors of the Golden Plumes are chosen to be the personal guard of the Count of Ilien when he is outside the castle.

The chamberlain of the ward is Conor Ja'teem (MKh; Nbl 2; unblooded), a former trader run out of business by the Port of Call Exchange.

[top]River Ward


This ward lies directly on the banks of the Adele River and serves as the location for the city's shipping industry. Much of the ward consists of boarding houses for travellers and warehouses for goods being imported to or exported from the Free City. Low rate taverns and inns are aplenty for those who dislike the crowded boarding houses.

Most of the warehouses are owned by rich merchants and nobles who use them for their own purposes or rent them to small businesses. Cargo rarely stays long in these warehouses, as it is quickly shipped out to other parts of Cerilia.

Peace is kept in the River Ward by Constable Klon Malcaene (MAn; Ftr 4; unblooded), and that is a difficult job indeed. The River Ward is the most riotous of the wards, with action centered around sailors and other travellers who pass through. Press gangs and roaming thugs are commonplace during nightime hours, especially during the spring and fall when the mists roll in from the sea.

The River Ward is home to the largest temple of the Eastern Temple of Nesirie in the Free City as well as the central headquarters of the Port of Call Exchange, ensuring that el-Hadid remains the most prominent resident of this ward.

The ward is administered by chamberlain Chylae Naentas (MAn; Ftr 4; unblooded), a former captain of the Dieman navy who fled to Ilien after growing tired of the current duke's martial policies.

[top]Market Ward


The lifeblood of the Free City, most of this district is devoted to an open air marketplace. The walls of the Market Ward are lined with permanent structures that house fixed merchants, while toward the center are the tents and shanties of the temporary and seasonal traders. The rest of the district is a maze of stalls, tents, booths, and shops of opportunity.

Most of the permanent structures in this ward are owned by el-Hadid, who rents their use out to other merchants. There are many who believe that most of the key figures in this district are in el-Hadid's pocket.

Of particular note in this section of the city is the street known as Baker's Row. Claiming to possess the finest bakeries in Anuire, the bakers of the street engage in a fierce but friendly competition, using the wheat yields of the country side to produce vast quantities of breads and pastries. One baker in particular, Ailene Duorael (FAn, 0 level commoner, unblooded) is known to make 'the best ham sandwich this side of the Maesil'. It is well known that the Count, in his frequent tours through the city, stops at this bakery and always asks for Ailene's ham sandwich.

Crime is controlled by Constable Cur Kalish (MV; Ftr 5; unblooded), a huge man of Vos ancestory. Cur's networks of informants keep him updated on illegal activities in the Market Ward and much of the rest of the Free City. The Constable's oftentimes harsh sense of justice is an excellent deterrent to crime, though it is somewhat of a ruse. Cur is a kind and caring man, and can often be seen giving beggars and the homeless a crown or two. The Market Ward is open only during daylight hours, and anyone found within its walls after dark are arrested.

Roannea Urdaen (FAn; Mag 1; unblooded) is the chamberlain here. Though a former student of Count Moeran, she is not a blooded scion and thus cannot wield true magic.

[top]Common Ward


The majority of the Free City's population lives in the common ward. In the years of Soleme Aglondier's reign, this quarter was a rat infested pool of filth and decay. Moeran's subsequent reign saw to it that the Common Ward was repaired, cleaned, and its residents given a second chance at life in the city.

Overcrowding is a serious issue here. A proposal is currently before the Count to tear down a section of the City's outer wall for expansion of this ward. The matter has yet to be ruled upon.

The chamberlain here is Londael Gant (MAn; 0 level commoner; unblooded), a man of common roots who understands the plight of the little person.

[top]Free City Bureaucracy


The Count of Ilien often leaves it to the Council of the Free City to directly govern the City because his attention is often required elsewhere. The council consists of the Lord Mayor, the four chamberlains, and representatives of the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn and the Eastern Temple of Nesirie. Together, these officials ensure the smooth operations of the Free City's government.

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