City of Silverwater

Map Scale : 1" = 1000yds

The City of Silverwater grew up where the Imperial Road runs between Lake Silverwater and Castle Silverwater on its way west, to the Greater Farspar Pass. The castle sits to the north of the road, the lake to the south, with a walled town between. The city spreads out beyond the wall for some distance. Beyond that lie pastures, farms, and several satellite villages. The entire city and environs are surrounded by an old earthen berm and ditch, once topped by a palisade but now suffering the effects of time and neglect. The city is the ducal capital, and home to roughly 20,000 permanent residents. The city's economy revolves around trade, silver and coal mining, timber, and the needs of the nobility (in that order); the city's people are relatively wealthy.

Old Town is the heart of Silverwater, a cramped, bustling area enclosed within a moat and walls. The walls are about five yards high and two yards thick, surmounted by an battlement. The moat is twenty yards wide, and stone-reinforced. Along the length of the wall are numerous small towers, each capable of raining missile and gun fire down upon the approaches to or inside the city. Streets within town are cobblestone, with sewer drains and raised sidewalks. Alleys are generally bare earth. There are two large gatehouses, each a small keep on it's own, guarding the Farspar Road. Each of the smaller bridges has a small gatehouse, but all gates are normally kept open. The residents of Old Town are artisans, nobles, craftsmen, merchants, dignitaries, and officials. In the center of town sits Farspar Common, a vast field several hundred yards across. In addition to numerous shops, taverns, inns, and offices, many wealthy citizens have small manors within the walls. The southern part of Old Town, next to the lake, is generally more run down, and filled with bordellos and small cramped apartments.

Woodway is the largely undeveloped area directly north of Castle Silverwater. There is a large joust and tourney ground in the east. To the west, houses and numerous buildings have developed along the Tekmenal Road. The majority of land here is under cultivation or being used as pastureland. The Tekmenal Woods start just to the north this area is under protection of the Duchy, and is uncleared. Commoners are allowed to graze livestock, but only nobles may hunt here. A few miles beyond sight of the castle lies a broken area of high mana. It is claimed by the Silverwater Mage's Guild for sole use. The Chancellor of Silverwater, Lord Mahilian, has a large estate within the woods. People in Woodway tend to be suspicious and self-reliant, as many of them are grizzled woodsmen who maintain lodging on the settled outskirts.

Porter's Post is named after its former role as a caravan assembly point. Now it is the bustling west side of the city. Currently it is a center for merchant house warehouses and stockyards. Strangely, a heavily enchanted enclave of Pershamon merchants live in this district, behind high walls and guards. These manors go up the low, wooded hill to the west of the city. In the south part of the district are numerous foundries and smithies. Large piles of coal can be found on some street corners, awaiting use by the smithies nearby. Prevailing winds carry the soot to the southeast, fouling the air in nearby districts. The neighborhoods around the smithies are low class, dirty and crowded. A small population of humanoids, including orcs and a couple of ogres, live here. Their toughness and strength make them valued workers in the foundries.

Kimball used to be the village of Kimball, but has long since been absorbed into the larger city of Silverwater. Now it is the southern district. By and large, Kimball is a poor district, filled with businesses that are undesirable closer to the city. These include tanners, slaughterhouses, and other odoriferous trades. Fishing off the docks is still done, though the water is not so pure as it could be. On the outer edge of Kimball are numerous small farms, mostly tenants and freemen. Kimball is also the site of the city's main graveyard. Naturally enough, stories of ghosts and monsters abound here. There are a few unexplained disappearances, but investigation never leads anywhere.

Shendic Quarter was once a Sevastin village, abandoned long before the Keller ever lived here, but the stone monument they left still stands beside the Farspar Road. This district covers the entire eastern side of the city. It starts squalid and poor in the south, getting nicer as it goes northward. The area adjacent to the road is filled with warehouses and small inns, and other businesses focused on travelers. A number of temples have been built to the Keller pantheon on the northern side of the district. This area is called Temple Row.

Points of Interest

1) Castle Silverwater - A large concentric castle, built on top of a hill roughly fifteen yards off the valley floor. The castle itself serves as both the Duke's home and the center of government. The castle wall is ten yards high, and about five yards thick. There are usually about 100 soldiers and knights on staff at any time, garrisoning the walls and patrolling the lands around the castle. The hillside is rough and broken, a sheer cliff in many places. The only easy approach to the castle is up a causeway, well-guarded by several towers and gates. The castle is open to visitors during the day, but normally closed up at night.

2) Silverwater Tourney Grounds - A large meadow, several hundred yards on a side within sight of the castle. It is used for various tourneys and fairs throughout the year, and as a marshaling area during wartime. A large pavilion with stadium style seats lines part of the southern edge.

3) Eastern Fens - The marshy areas along both sides of the Tekmen River, which feeds into Lake Silverwater. They are mainly occupied by small fishing piers and hovels built by the destitute. The Eastern Fens usually have a distinct aroma befitting the main waterway of a medieval city, best left to the imagination.

4) Shendic Market Grounds, Giant Statues - Two giant statues sit to one side of the Great Road, surrounded by a large open-air market. This all marks the center of the Shendic Quarter. The statues predate the city, and are assumed to be built by the Sevastin. As every attempt to damage or destroy the statues has lead to disaster for all involved, the statues now sit unmolested. It is said that the spirits within the statues will not allow Silverwater to fall as long as proper respects are paid; gifts of flowers and foods are usually left at the base of the statues, periodically to be removed by local residents.

5) Temple Row - North of the Imperial Road, this stretch of neighborhoods is dominated by shrines and temples to all manner of gods, both Keller and foreign. The largest structure is the Radiant Hall, a large domed temple to Aurintuli. Smaller chapels can be found in most neighborhoods, but this is the center for the duchy.

6) Necropolis of Kimball - Due to certain odd local customs, all of the deceased of Silverwater City are interred here in the Necropolis of Kimball. This huge graveyard is a maze-like warren of crypts, masoleums, and smaller family graves. The cemetery is surrounded by a high wall, and patrolled by night watchmen. Despite this, it is a popular location for various nocturnal activities by criminals, illicit lovers, and other less savory things.

7) Oldtown Docks - The primary docks for the city, the southern end of Old Town is dominated by numerous small and moderately sized docks, warehouses, and other businesses oriented towards sailors and merchant ship crews. Crime is very high here, especially after dark. The city walls end in large towers bristling with siege engines, but by and large this is the weakest section of the city defenses.

8) Western Greens - A large and thick stand of trees, this area was left intact largely due to the fact that it is elevated, rough terrain. The trees are very thick and wild, despite being surrounded by the city, and nature-focused magic is widely regarded as somewhat easier to cast here. Along the streets running through the Greens are various small estates and salons frequented by the city's upper crust; this is considered a somewhat elite neighborhood.

9) Enclave of the Persha - This collection of Persha-style dwellings, barns, and semi-permanent tents is a bit of home-away-from-home for the Pershamon community in Silverwater. Several of the wealthiest merchants, their servants, some diplomats, and clergy live here. They are allowed to run their own affairs by the Duke, so long as they pay a rather steep tax and do not attempt to meddle in local politics. The area is not walled off from the rest of the city, but is isolated by large fenced pastures and guarded by Pershamon guards.

10) Farspar Gate -  The entrance to the city along the Farspar Road is guarded by a single stone tower, used primarily for customs and taxation purposes. This is a relatively busy gate, and the road is surmounted by a large stone arch. This arch, a gift to the Duchy of Silverwater from the Pershamon rulers of nearby Susa, proclaims welcome and friendship to all travelers on the road.

11) Kimball Gate - This road leads to the southwestern domains of the Duchy of Silverwater, and sees somewhat less traffic than the two largest gates. It is protected by a large wood and stone structure.

12) Shendic Gate - This road leads to the south, through Sarradastros and eventually to Gemric. This entrance is guarded by a single stone tower, used primarily for customs and taxation purposes. This is a busy gate, less secure than some, so there are generally a lot of city guardsmen posted at the tower here.

13) Fortenbras Gate - The primary link between Silverwater and the rest of the Keller Lands, this gate is guarded by a partial stone wall and impressive looking gate. It is isolated and primarily for appearances, but it does manage to look imposing. Security at this gate and most of the road it opens to are handled by the Barony of Fortenbras, a courtesy granted by the Duchy in the past to House Fortenbras. Silverwater's city guards generally handle affairs within the walls, and there is always friction between the baronial troops and the ducal troops.