This post covers one of the largest political powers in the
Green Coast: the city-state of Chor Kolav. For a description of what the
various modifiers and numbers represent, please see this page.
Chor
Kolav
LG large city
Corruption +2; Crime +2; Economy +3; Law +4; Lore +3; Society +3
Qualities academic,
pious (Kereskizac), prosperous, strategic location
Danger 10
Demographics
Government
autocracy (monarch)
Population 19,849
(15,680 dwarves; 1,786 humans; 992 gnomes; 595 halflings; 796 other)
Notable NPCs
Glaive-General Jarki Runesword
(LG dwarf fighter 4)
King Haukur Steelbrow
(LG dwarf aristocrat 5)
Lorekeeper Kaeso
Atius Colias (TN gnome bard [archaeologist] 4)
Marketplace
Base Value 10,400
gp; Purchase Limit 75,000 gp; Spellcasting 5th (Divine) or 4th (Arcane)
Minor Items 4d4; Medium Items 3d4; Major Items 2d4
Founded nearly 980 years ago, Chor Kolav soon rose to
prominence due to the ease of access to the Black Ash River and the bountiful
fishing within Caldera Lake as well as a gold rush early in their history. The city is located upon the inner slopes of an
extinct volcano, and the center of the caldera is home to the largest
freshwater lake in the Green Coast.
A Brief History
Chor Kolav was
officially founded in the year 123 of the Age of Black Sun, though dwarves had been
living on the banks of Caldera Lake for an untold amount of time prior. The plentiful fishing supplied food for the town as rich amounts of gold ore was discovered within the volcanic rock. Humans and dwarves from other parts of the Green Coast flocked to the new town, hoping to strike it rich.
When a series of ruins were discovered in one mine years later, a new wave of immigrants came to the now bustling city: gnomes. The gnomes almost completely ignored the gold veins and busied themselves in studying the ruins. Within six months of the ruins' discovery, the gnomes founded the Association for the Advancement of Archaeological Awareness. Most other races call it the Archaeological Society.
Nearly fifty years after the initial discovery, the gold within the mountain seemed to dry up. However, the city had flourished to the point that gold mining was only a small portion of their annual income. Fishing, diamond deposits, and trade with the burgeoning trade port at the far end of the Black Ash River allowed the city to accept the loss of the gold income.
Soon after, Chor Kolav was training a standing military force. River pirates and bandits were attacking their trade ships as well as the outlying farmsteads. The farmers brought their harvest to Chor Kolav to sell, and the bandits stealing the harvest was deemed unacceptable. Squads of soldiers were soon placed on all trading vessels under Chor Kolav's control, and outriders on specially bred war-rams were scouring the countryside for bandits.
Four hundred years after its founding, the king of Chor Kolav ordered the construction of the most ambitious feat of engineering to be seen on the Green Coast before or since: the Under-Road. A subterranean roadway leading from Chor Kolav to Glastig in the north. The road was a joint project between the two dwarven city-states, and best estimates put its construction at more than three hundred years. Both kings knew that they would not live to see the road's completion, but the Stormgale clan of harpies in the mountains south of Glastig were greatly hampering trade caravans and pirates on the seas were an ever present danger. In addition, it was seen as a great tribute to Kereskizac, the dwarven god of trade and engineering.
The Under-Road suffered multiple setbacks, from stumbling into kobold dens to an earthquake to a cavern filled with ancient ruins, but in the year 873 construction was finished. Trade immediately began to see a staggering increase in safety between the two city states, and when the hobgoblins laid siege to Glastig in 982 it was turned into a means of providing military and relief aid to the besieged city-state
When a series of ruins were discovered in one mine years later, a new wave of immigrants came to the now bustling city: gnomes. The gnomes almost completely ignored the gold veins and busied themselves in studying the ruins. Within six months of the ruins' discovery, the gnomes founded the Association for the Advancement of Archaeological Awareness. Most other races call it the Archaeological Society.
Nearly fifty years after the initial discovery, the gold within the mountain seemed to dry up. However, the city had flourished to the point that gold mining was only a small portion of their annual income. Fishing, diamond deposits, and trade with the burgeoning trade port at the far end of the Black Ash River allowed the city to accept the loss of the gold income.
Soon after, Chor Kolav was training a standing military force. River pirates and bandits were attacking their trade ships as well as the outlying farmsteads. The farmers brought their harvest to Chor Kolav to sell, and the bandits stealing the harvest was deemed unacceptable. Squads of soldiers were soon placed on all trading vessels under Chor Kolav's control, and outriders on specially bred war-rams were scouring the countryside for bandits.
Four hundred years after its founding, the king of Chor Kolav ordered the construction of the most ambitious feat of engineering to be seen on the Green Coast before or since: the Under-Road. A subterranean roadway leading from Chor Kolav to Glastig in the north. The road was a joint project between the two dwarven city-states, and best estimates put its construction at more than three hundred years. Both kings knew that they would not live to see the road's completion, but the Stormgale clan of harpies in the mountains south of Glastig were greatly hampering trade caravans and pirates on the seas were an ever present danger. In addition, it was seen as a great tribute to Kereskizac, the dwarven god of trade and engineering.
The Under-Road suffered multiple setbacks, from stumbling into kobold dens to an earthquake to a cavern filled with ancient ruins, but in the year 873 construction was finished. Trade immediately began to see a staggering increase in safety between the two city states, and when the hobgoblins laid siege to Glastig in 982 it was turned into a means of providing military and relief aid to the besieged city-state
Foreigners in Chor Kolav
Foreigners are welcome in Chor Kolav, and are greatly encouraged to visit the marketplaces. Each of the dozens of markets within the city has countless brightly colored stalls selling everything from food to cloths to trinkets to weapons to armor to services. Hawkers try to grab the attention of passerbys and criers call out the latest news.
The city guard strictly enforces the law at the markets, and before a merchant can sell their wares they must provide proof that they either harvested or made what they are selling or are closely associated with the one who did.
The city guard strictly enforces the law at the markets, and before a merchant can sell their wares they must provide proof that they either harvested or made what they are selling or are closely associated with the one who did.
Government
The government of Chor Kolav is a constitutional monarchy. The king is elected by the Council of Seven, a group of twenty eight individuals from each of the seven districts that make up Chor Kolav. Each district chooses four representatives: a Shield Marshal, representing law enforcement; an Anvil Master, representing production of goods; a Market Broker, representing economy; and a Faith Keeper, representing the temples.
The Council of Seven also elects a head of each of the four areas that the representatives oversee: the Glaive-General is in charge of law enforcement within the city and its territory, the Forge-Chancellor is in charge of the city's industry and production, the Vault-Chancellor is in charge of the city's economy and maintaining trade, and the Faith-Chancellor is in charge of maintaining the various temples as well as diplomacy that does not warrant the King's attention.
The Council of Seven also elects a head of each of the four areas that the representatives oversee: the Glaive-General is in charge of law enforcement within the city and its territory, the Forge-Chancellor is in charge of the city's industry and production, the Vault-Chancellor is in charge of the city's economy and maintaining trade, and the Faith-Chancellor is in charge of maintaining the various temples as well as diplomacy that does not warrant the King's attention.
Adventure Hooks
The Festival of
the Twin Moons is rapidly approaching. In one week both moons will be full on
the same night. Last Festival, the Red Irons torched the stalls in the Riverrun Bazzar, so extra protection will be needed.
A group of fishermen stumbled upon a new set of ruins on the lake bed while untangling their net. The Archaeology Society is offering a fortune for anyone willing to help them recover the artifacts to be found.
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If you like my work and want to support me, check out my homebrew race book here.
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