City of Seles

Founded in the 36th Century before Dorian’s Shadow, Seles was originally known as Gultodier, a city founded by Dwarven settlers to tap the reserves of Adamant present in the ground, accessible through a deep cave network under the city. Today, Seles is at the centre of the Noble Republic which bears its name. It also serves as a bulwark against the necromantic corruption directly to the north from the region known as Ruins of Dernaval. Many guilds base themselves out of the city, giving it a greater sense of importance in regional politics.

History
Founded in the 36th Century by Dwarven settlers as a mining outpost, then known as Gultodier, Seles would slowly grow until the 34th Century when the settlement would be wiped off the map by the enraged Dragon known as Renneorruss the Pale Red. The Adamant mines underneath the city, having begun to yield lower returns, pushed survivors to migrate inland as they eventually settling in the future Stronghold of Birdahn.

The ruins of the city would see intermittent habitation until the 21st Century before Dorian’s Shadow when the Selesians, fleeing persecution in the south, would settle the site again. The settlement would flourish for a second time and see the rediscovery of Adamant veins underneath the city. However, the operation proved more difficult than in past centuries. Encounters with unknown people deep in the mines, later known to be the Drow, would forge the Selesians into hardy, militant people. The discovery that the city’s immense cave system opened into the Undercroft seemed of little surprise to the city’s government who had many connecting tunnels collapsed in an unspoken war against the under-surface dwellers.

By the Dragon’s Bane of the 14th Century, Seles has risen to prominence as a centre of trade and strong military power. It would join the battle against Belhemat bringing to bear one of the best-equipped armies of the classical world. One of the heroes who would help to slay Belhemat, Aerus of Seles, was a general of the army. With Seles at the peak of its artistry and power, Aerus was forged a suit of Adamantine Plate known as the Bulwark of Seles which was laced with Dwarven deep magic.

The city would suffer a major blow near the conclusion of the conflict as Belhemat hoped to break the morale of his opposition, he overextended himself to attack and destroy the majority of the city. The dragon Rotienth, a companion of the Demi-Goddess Vydiolat, would take to the field to delay the colossal dragon. In a battle which lasted an hour, Rotienth was felled moments before the Dragon’s Heroes arrived. The group would manage to repel the dragon with the help of arriving armies. However, the city would be a burned shadow of its former self. Despite the destruction and the loss of Rotienth, Belhemat would be wounded by the heroes who arrived to oppose him, proving that the Grand Shadow could be slain.

As the war moved onwards, Seles struggled to recover and entered a spiralling decline. Aerus would return after the conclusion of the conflict but even his influence could do little to save the city. By the 5th Century before Dorian’s Shadow, the decline had stagnated as the slow process of reconstruction began. Seles would have a series of kings before the 1st Century if Dorian’s Shadow when a revolt by the nobles, mirroring similar revolts across the region, established the Noble Republic of Seles.

Seles would continue a steady rise, now contending with the Frontier known as Ruins of Dernaval which had subsumed a nearby kingdom with undeath during the revolts. Steady growth would become nearly meritorious in 842 DS when veins of Adamant were rediscovered underneath the city, alongside the tunnels to the Undercroft.

Government
Seles is, like most of the Noble Coast, a Noble Republic. Suffrage is extended to landowning citizens, those born or naturalized into the city. However, people don’t simply vote from among themselves. Instead, the noble families which have existed for hundreds of years make up the pool of candidates. Over time, this narrow group has slowly expanded to include landowning elites, specifically wealthy merchants.

Despite the majority of government positions being occupied by the nobility and merchant elite, a large people’s assembly exists to manage the more mundane, daily activities of the city. Charisma is often the deciding factor for this group, which meets in a large public area outside the Great Citadel. The assembly has been described as “ineffectual” and as a “moshpit of disparate ideas.”

Security
The Seles City Guard is an extension of the city’s standing army, which is supplemented by citizen-soldiers in times of war. As a result of the practice of citizen-soldiery, many within the city have received some military training and are expected to purchase equipment of a higher quality than what they are issued. In times of great emergency, mercenaries and non-citizen soldiers may find themselves conscripted or hired by the city.

The Dragonborn and Dvati are often brought in as leaders in both the Guard and Citizen-Army given their rich history and training.

Geography
Changing little in the millennium since its founding, the region around Seles has only changed significantly when considering the flow of the River Haber. The region has always been forested with a handful of small grasslands. Around Seles itself, the land is fertile and mostly flat. The climate is temperate with mild to light winters, although it has become colder in recent centuries.

Layout
The actual layout of Seles has shifted dramatically over its nearly four-thousand years of existence. A fact that is even more evident with the city being resettled and redeveloped several times in its history. One thing, however, has remained consistent during the entirety of the city’s lifespan. The Great Citadel, originally constructed by the Dwarven inhabitants thousands of years ago, sits near the centre of the city.

The Great Citadel
Originally constructed by the city’s first Dwarven inhabitants, the Great Citadel has morphed dramatically in its structure over the millennium. It would eventually become the palace of Seles’ first monarchs, seeing massive expansions and reconstruction efforts. With the Noble Revolt of the 1st Century DS, the palace would be converted into a governmental building. Over time, with the expansion of the city’s voting population, more open spaces would be incorporated into the Great Citadel which now has large open spaces dedicated to political discourse, courts, and other functions.

The River Haber has, over time, shifted from the south side of the Great Citadel to the north side, although a moat has been constructed in recent history which has seen the flow of the river encompass the new island. Bridges connect it on either side to the rest of the city. Rumour has it that a secret passage under the Great Citadel leads directly into the Undercroft.

The Public Forum
Located on the south bank of the River Haber, across from the Great Citadel, the Public Forum is a large, open space slightly larger than a sports field. Thousands upon thousands of people pour into and out of the Forum every day to do business in open markets and stores which skirt the edge of the area. Others entertain, beg, give public notices, and perform a variety of other activities. Over time, smaller forums similar in design have appeared across the city to serve the large population. However, many still prefer going to the Public Forum as anything said there is more than likely to spread widely across the city.

Temple of Dorian
Constructed sometime during the 17th Century before Dorian’s Shadow, the temple fell into disrepair as the city shrank in size. Today, however, reconstruction efforts over the past few centuries have made the temple complex the centre of religious life in the city. Despite its name, the temple grounds host shrines to most major and minor deities worshipped by the city’s denizens.

The Bee and Barley
One of the most popular taverns in the City of Seles, the Bee and Barley is, in actuality, a tavern chain owned by a single family and is used to sell their alcohol brands. There are, at least, five different locations throughout the city. The chain is especially popular among travellers and adventurers, serving as aggregators of information and jobs for individuals and assisting groups, such as Guilds, in a similar capacity.

The Underferry
Serving as the notorious underground of the city, the Underferry is a sprawling underground network which stretches through sewers, artificial basements, and the Undercroft. A variety of nefarious shops and bars exist in the Underferry. However, travel is often restricted by underground gangs and organizations which have staked a claim over this region.

Dwarven Quarter
Despite being the city’s original inhabitants, Dwarves have become a smaller portion of the population after the city was resettled by Humans. While Dwarves are not confined to the Quarter, they tend to coalesce around the area. The most skilled Dwarven artisans in the city can be found in the Quarter.

Dragonborn Clanhouses
Much smaller than a Quarter, Dragonborn Clan Houses, also known as estates, can be found in select locations throughout the city. They are typically fairly large as the independent nature of Dragonborn often lends to strong entrepreneurship. Within the estates, for high sums, one might even be capable of purchasing guard drakes or even wyverns if the clan possesses a rookery.

Dvati Colony
Located near the Docks, the Dvati Colony in Seles has existed peacefully within the city for decades, lending their expertise. However, there are few real reasons to visit the colony unless one has specific business with the Dvati or seeks to train as a Disciple.

Shifter Clans
Thanks to its proximity to Durnaval, Shifter Clans of the Order of the Ghostslayer have taken up residence in the city. Their Clanhouses are located along the northern sections of the city, close to the gates. While mistrusted by the locals for their use of dark magic, they are often involved with the Guard when it comes to incidents of undead within and around the city. Clan Raufort is the largest clan in the city, using their size and seniority to mobilize and organize the clans in the city.

The Docks
As Seles has grown, so too has its port, now, it is one of the most prominent in the Noble Coast. Everything from bawdy pubs, to shipwrights, to storage exists along the stringed multitude of docks and quays.

The Slums
Although many would deny it, not all within the city live lives at or above a level of true sustenance. The buildings in this area are typically ramshackle and house anywhere from ten to thirty percent of the population.