The City of Sharoban

The city of Sharoban is a mishmash of wood and stone, with the latter slowly replacing the former as the current Council which rules the city makes serious headway in their project to improve the city's defences. Everywhere stockades are dismantled to be replaced with stone walls. The new temple of Merida rises in the New City, half completed by the cult that serves the Guardian Maiden.

The city is divided into four distinct areas; the Castle, the Inner City, the Outer City, and the Shanties. Each section has its own identity, heraldic symbol and challenges. This week we look at Sharoban's castle.

The Castle sits in the middle of the city and was converted to stone a long time ago. The keep sits high upon an artificial motte; created by the Six's followers when the original fort was founded. This part of the Castle serves as the centre of government in the city, as well as providing the city's court and the living quarters of the Six's descendants, most of whom serve on the Council.

It also contains Alara's Tower, a somewhat ungainly addition that rises from the side of the keep, connected by a short stone span. The tower serves as the home of Alara, the last remaining member of the Six, whose longevity is starting to take its toll on her mind.

The bailey is uncommonly large, originally as a consequence of  providing refuge to merchant caravans. Today the bailey contains the Ice Walker's prison, the House of Fools and the headquarters of the Wind Strikers.

The first of these takes the form of a tall tower, carved with protective sigils. Nobody enters or leaves and the sole occupant is Sir Albrecht. One of the original Six, now several centuries old, Albrecht plays unwilling host to the spirit of the Ice Walker, an immense winter spirit that attacked Sharoban fifteen years after the founding. Whilst the spirit was defeated its power had to be contained. Albrecht offered to take the burden and agreed to be caged whilst the spirit persisted. Today little remains of the knight's mind, he roams the tower restlessly, muttering in a cold voice.

The House of Fools was founded by the Six for people who were determined to take to the road and earn their living as  a sell sword. It takes the form of a small school that trains Fools in basic combat or magic. In order to graduate from the House, the Fools must complete six tasks of the Fool Master's choosing. These frequently involve aiding the Wind Strikers, spying on merchants and other luminaries in the city, or undertaking short quests for the Council. In short the Fools often act as the city's special agents and spies, something that continues after they leave. Many of the 'letters home' are actually well observed reports on what is happening in the western and eastern kingdoms.

The current Fool Master is Nalla Light Fingers, sixth descendant of the original Nalla. A strong minded woman she treats each of the Fools as if they were her own flesh and blood, fostering their curiousity but also teaching them caution in a number of ways, some of them highly unorthodox. The Fools learn that even their beds may not be safe from Nalla's tricks. More than one has discovered that she has loosened the frame so much it collapses when they climb in, or woken in the middle of the bailey because she has arranged to have their bed moved during the night. In the most extreme case a student woke up on a caravan heading east with only a small note from the Fool Master explaining it was time for him to experience the big, wide world and not be cooped up in Sharoban.

Despite these tricks her students are surprisingly loyal and the 'letters home' tradition continues.

The Wind Strikers headquarters is a long, low building with a stable on the ground floor and the dormitories and meeting rooms above. Marked with the Strikers' scimitar symbol it serves as their home and centre of operations. There are usually fifty Strikers in residence, with a further one hundred out on the steppes.

The Wind Strikers' commander is Petrov, a young tribesman of a nearby nomad tribe. He joined the Strikers after an incident with the chief's son which saw him banished and the son hastily married off to another tribe, far, far away. Petrov does not discuss the incident, preferring to focus on his duties.

Next week we'll look at the Inner City.