Walled Cities

(Left to Right): Oteslia, Manus, Salazsar, Pallass

The Walled Cities are the dominant Drake cities located in the southern part of Izril.

Background and Layout

The Walled Cities are super-cities like Chicago and are surrounded by three-hundred foot walls, which are enchanted with magic that hardens the stone and self-repair. The magical enchantments radiating out from the walls fortify the ground around the Walled Cities making them impenetrable by conventional tools or siege equipment. Even Antinium Workers are incapable of digging into the ground.

Each Walled City maintains massive stockpiles and are able to grow, produce and even herd animals within their massive confines, making it extremely difficult to wear down on supplies.

The Walled Cities of Izril speak of an era long past, when Drakes fought their distant ancestors from atop those battlements. However, of all the Walled Cities from older times, only the six remain.

Salazsar, the youngest of the Walled Cities, was built 21,000 years ago, after the initial founding of other cities. In this time, the Witch of Webs was already infamous, and the Plain's Eye Tribe was already prominent.

Government

Walled Cities are not all ruled by the same methods of government. Some espouse an elected official, while others are managed by a body of powerful individuals or, in some cases, a hereditary leader.

The Walled Cities have protocols for immediate group [Messages] in the event of emergencies.

Military Strength

Oldblood Drakes Battalion:

One of the things that separates the Walled Cities from the lesser Drake city-states, is that only a Walled City has the population and the pure bloodlines to field an entire battalion of Oldblood Drakes warriors.

The Six Walled Cities

Coats of Arms in tower shield format for the six Walled Cities, by Enyavar

1. Fissival, the City of Magic (Famous for its magic, having an academy that rivals Wistram)
2. Manus, the City of War (Famous for its soldier and military tradition)
3. Oteslia, the City of Growth (Famous for its food production)
4. Pallass, the City of Inventions (Famous for its potions, weapons and inventions)
5. Salazsar, the City of Gems (Famous for its finances and gem mining)
6. Zeres, the City of Waves (Famous for its ships)

Rivalry

The residents of all Walled Cities are often comparing their cities against each other, finding strong points in their home city where other cities are lacking. This (often justified) local pride can turn to contempt for other Walled Cities among the nobility, especially with regard to long-time rivals. Salazsar and Pallass are currently considered such rivals, as are Oteslia and Zeres. The tendency of Drakes to insult each other often leads to wars against between the cities.

A common ranking order of the Walled Cities in economic/financial issues would be from richest to poorest: Salazsar, Zeres, [placement of Pallass and Fissival unsure], Manus, Oteslia. Another ranking order according to military strength places Manus and then Zeres as strongest ones, while Fissival and Oteslia are considered weakest. A rank by age is not possible due to a lack of undisputed records.

Establishing such pecking orders are, however, only of interest for Drakes inclined in ranking each other: A "lesser" Drake city couldn't ever compete even with "weak and poor" Oteslia.

Fallen/Lost Walled Cities

• Grunvel, the City of Pacts (The only Walled City built out of friendship with the Dwarves)
  • Located in the north of Izril.
  • Fell after Mershi and Imlerith at least.
• Imlerith, the City of Crossroads
  • Still exists within the Crossroads of Izril, where it is sealed by ancient magic.
  • Located in the south of Izril, at the northern edge of the Great Plains.
  • Fell after Mershi did, but before Grunvel.
• Irvoryth, the City of the Branch
  • Founded on the branch of a World Tree - likely the Tree of Vale.
  • Ten times the size of Oteslia.
  • Located, presumably, in northern Izril, within the Vail Forest.
• Lesegoth, the City of Shields
  • Was besieged for 30 years by a coalition of armies, including immortals and the greatest [Alchemist] of that age.
  • Ultimately destroyed by one of the few Tier 9 spells to have ever been cast.
  • Some survivors fled to the Crossroads of Izril, where they were hunted by Bograms.
  • Snatcher was present when it died.
  • Located in southern Izril; it is north of Imlerith and the Great Plains, but south of the Bloodfields.
• Mershi, the City of Stars (Where the Blade of Mershi originates from)
  • Disappeared under mysterious circumstances when a magical darkness fell over the land for a hundred years.
  • Fell prior to the arrival of Humans in northern Izril.
  • One of the first of the Walled Cities to fall.
  • They were grand and powerful even among the Walled Cities.
• Naamreles, the City of Purity
  • Presumably located in northern Izril.
  • Their tools and methods of purification helped to repel the Putrid One.
  • Must have fallen within the last 10,000 years, after the era of the Putrid One.
• ???, the City of Dreams
  • Former home of a famous [Dragonbane Swordlegend].
  • Likely the Walled City that was destroyed by the Putrid One, between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago.
• Liskaldreth, the City of Graves (currently Liscor's Dungeon)
  • Waged war against the other cities, including Mershi.
  • The fallen city of Imlerith denied entry to its citizens and attempted to drive them away.
  • Created Skinner, Snatcher, and Stalker and used them as creatures of war.
  • Entombed themselves along with their great treasures, and built a labyrinth of traps and monsters to defend their fallen city.
• ???, unknown Walled City located east of Imlerith, within the Crossroads of Izril.
  • Possibly the ruins of the City of Dreams.

Trivia

• Although no army has ever taken a Walled City by siege, several coups and betrayals from within have been the only way for the famed cities to fall over the millennia.
• Pallass is the most northern of the current six Walled Cities.
• Walled Cities origin dates past recorded history.
• The nobility of the Walled Cities always hire high-level [Chefs] with the [Expert Cooking] Skill.
• Pisces believes that the walls of the Walled Cities contain Dragon bones in them, as only they could hold such enchantments without waning in power.
• The current Walled Cities' soldiers wear color-coded armor, except Fissival's who wear robes. Pallass is yellow, Manus is orange or red, Oteslia is green, Salazsar is purple, and Zeres is blues.