Alexandros
The Central Heartlands
Capital: Alexandria City
Population: 1,643,840 (humans 64%, dwarves 10%, elves 8%, halflings 5%, half-orcs 3%, half-elves 2%, gnomes 2%, other 4%) Alexandria City, Metropolis, 243,768
Government: Oligarchy
Religions: All (especially Daeus, Althea, Reos, Ceinara, Kor and Dana)
Imports: grain, livestock, leather, exotic goods from all lands.
Exports: airships, ale, arms, artifice, clockworks, cloth, engineering, furnishings, leather goods, pottery, refined metals, ores, timber and all other sorts of finished goods.
Alignment: All
The land of Alexandros and the city of Alexandria are the prime setting for play on Emblem of Ea. Alexandria is a free spirited, festive city with lots of atmosphere, culture, exoticism and adventure but it was not always this way.
Local Region
The Central Heartlands consist of some of the most important independent cities, trading outposts and adventuring sites in the known world. It is a land that is characterized by both empty, monster-infested wild lands, places of great natural beauty and thriving centers of industry, trade and exploration that serve as hubs of civilization in what would otherwise be untamed lands. The IC City of Alexandria is located in the Heartlands in a regional community known as Alexandros. Nearly seven hundred years has passed since the founding of this nation.
Five hundred since the end of rule by House Aiglos of the Eldanar and the collapse of the Millennium kingdom. Since then House Alexandros ruled until the end of the old monarchy at the hand of The Charn. Prior to this, these lands were of grave importance to the political holdings of the High Artificers though records dating back to that time period are scarce. The end result is a region full of ancient ruins, buried relics and long forgotten artifice. Examples of this include the ancient magical city of Genrivia, the secret passages to Morduzum and Estania, lost lands of the ancient elves and dwarves and, more recently, the crash site of the unearthed floating city Merkabah which figured prominently in an event in recent memory.
Because of this, Relic Hunters thrive in this land and are a notable part of the population even though they are still a small percentage of big picture. The adventuring community here is strong and noteworthy but so are the more common people as well. Commoners see themselves as the last true independent people in the western frontier for beyond their borders lie the distant outlands of the east which are filled with Mana Rifts, desolate wastelands or exotic kingdoms and realms such as The Vast and Dran. Furthermore, the high magic, resources and the strategic location has made this nation the prize target of many a would be conquering force and several times in has Alexandros seen occupying invaders leave their mark in the past five centuries. More recenlty, The Empire of Charn held the City of Alexandria and used it to fuel its war efforts in the western lands. For ten years after that, Myrddion (which had liberated the city) maintained sovereign control over it. Today the border nation of Alexandros is an independent realm again, striving to find it's own identity in a changed world.
Alexandria is considered the Lord's City of Alexandros and was the ancient capital during the days of the monarchy and regional capital during the era of the Millennium Kingdom. Today the city maintains its authority though there is no ruling monarch at this time. A number of smaller communities and colonies have aligned themselves under the governance of Alexandria City. Alexandria City sits facing south against a narrow strait known as The Rift Sea which itself leads into a much larger inland sea known as the Gulf of Arcania.. A number of farming communities and smaller towns envelop the local countryside leading up to Alexandria but beyond that wild untamed areas await exploration and taming. Visitors to Alexandria City come by land, sea and air. A mountain range known as the Red Ridge Mountains anchors its way from north to southeast and touches upon Alexandria slightly.
Geographical Features: Alexandros is characterized by its warm coastal climate. Winter is short and mild though sometimes frequented by cold snaps that bring in freezing rain and heavy snowfalls that come from the mountains and The Desolation. This in turn leads to heavy late summer rainfall leading into the fall seasons. Alexandros has varied geographical features, which include great towering red-hued and snow, capped mountains known as The Red Ridge. These mountains shield the region from the ravages of The Desolation, which lie several days travel to the east of the mountains. Mountain Giants, Griffons and several humanoid fortresses dot these mountains that run from north to south and form the eastern backbone of Alexandros. The Eldwyn Forest is an outgrowth of the central forest belt of the Arcania continent and is one of the largest forests on Arcania. It contributes to the regions strong forestry industry and economy in addition to its powerful mining one but also houses a number of overgrown secrets and hidden areas.
The Eldwyn: A great vast mosiac forest of a number of mixed species and wildlife with large sprawling sections of forest woodland, evergreen and shrubland. The great depths of which have overgrown ancient cities, cradle forgotten mysteries and embrace the concealing of forgotten magicks and enchantments which it yields only from time to time. Further divided into a number of seperate woodlands given it vast size. Formerly a part of the continental forest belt which included the great Periantha that lies hundreds of miles to the north and the western woodlands of Myrddion. Parts of The Eldwyn include Mythwood, Felwood and the Feywood.
Mythwood Forest: The Elven forest of Mythwood is an oligarchy that considers itself bound by blood to the elvish queen and court of Llyranost but distant enough from them to retain a sense of autonomy and freedom. Dealings with Llyranost are rare though not turned away when they come for the elven nation is one and not as sundered as many other cultures. An oligarchy, Mythwood is ruled by a council of a few representatives from various small towns built into, above and around the trees of this forestland. Mythwood itself is primarily characterized by its population of Grey and Silvan Elves which contrasts with the normal nomadic behaviors and tendencies of those cultures.
Mythwood came to exist due to elves returning to Estania's ruins and finding evil there and the plundering of the old lore of the elves. Versus risk this from happening again, they weaved a powerful enchantment over the wood, not unlike The Veil of Llyranost. They then established powerful border guards known as The Elven Wardens who existed to protect Estania from plunder and any evil that had gathered in those ruins from effecting other lands. By doing so, they also twisted the roads leading to Morduzum, the ruined dwarven kingdom that once stood side by side Estania. Aluvielethar Ashalveren is the leader of Mythwood, which has several small villages and towns. Ylvaliel (Small City, 4,366) is the border trading town and has the most contact with outsiders. Marniar'nir (Small City, 6,888) is deeper in the forest and is a tree-city of surpassing beauty. A total of five cities comprise the whole of Mythwood with at least two council members from each.
The Felwood: Five hundred years ago the great Daemon Wars gripped much of the continent and the taint spread by the princes of darkness corrupted much of the land. It is believed that The Felwood, the north eastern most aspect of the greater Eldwyn Forest, was due to this. A deeper and darker forest then most, a near ever-present mist pervades much of this woodland that grows more and more dangerous after nightfall. Formerly vibrant and beautiful, it resists any efforts to cleanse it and has steadily grown in size, encroaching on safer woodlands and paths in the southern reaches of Eldwyn. Evil festers here in a number of different incarnate forms and a number of ancient secrets have been swallowed up. Attempts by Druids to heal the forest or Rangers to successfully root out wickedness within it tend to fail. In recent years, Myrddion has sponsored ongoing attempts to cleanse the woodland but has met with limited success.
The Redridge Mountains: An enormous mountain range known for it's rustic red colors, overhangs forming roofs over mountain paths, lone spires of rock and ancient shrines left behind by the Eldanar civilization of the ancient Millennium Kingdom. Many of which bear operations and slumbering magics unknown to the knowledge of men. A number of rich mining colonies exist here as well, the most noteworthy of them being Mythril Lode which is a vast colony built into a great sinkhole that extends miles into the earth. Tombs of forgotten kings and ancient passages and roads that lead to the Frontier beyond persist. The mountain range follows the continental divide and anchors itself in a south to north direction, acting as a sort of backbone spine to the region of Alexandros. It's high peaks shield and impenetrable walls shield the nation from adverse conditions that rise up from the depths of The Desolation and refute invasive forces that must cross its passes in order to enter from the east and the south. The range cuts north and west to cradle the northern portions of the Eldwyn Forest and then it diminishes into foothills and rocky terrain of red earth and hardened soil between Alexandros and Bludgun. Roads through here are often fraught with peril as bandits, pirates and monsters use the terrain to their advantage. A number of ancient mysteries abound within these slopes including the ruins of the ancient weapon of artifice known as The Planar-Disjunction Cannon
Regional History
The central heartlands of Arcania have always been considered regions rich in diversity, magic, history and opportunities for exploration. In ancient times the domain that lay between The Red Ridge Mountains and what would later be known as the nation of Myrddion was full of lush untamed forestlands, sprawling mountain peaks and great rivers and ruled over by dragonkind of a multitude of colors.
Ancient History
A mysterious culture known only as the People of the Gods dwelled here during the First Age of the world and they built many great temples and made offerings to the many ancient Powers that were still incarnate flesh in those days. In time the Holy Land that these people dwelled in became lost and forbidden and great magicks were used to seal the paths that lead to them. Elves and Dwarves were among the many Elder Races that seeded this area as well and in the early years of the second age, their own events were of considerable impact but it was not until men begin to rise into their own accord that this land began to truly be tamed. The later years of the Second Age saw the rise of the Artificers of Kulthus and a changing world. During this time, efforts at studying the divine energy of the Eidolon Court began a new and the High Artificers established a great floating city to reign over the denizens of the heartlands. Great and terrible vaults of artifice and weapons of destruction were created in this land including Planar Disjunction Cannon and many other weapons of great power.
In the end, the hubris of the High Artificers saw an end to their war and the ushering in of a time of chaos and death known as the Time of the Sword as a result of The Sundering. What would later come to be known as Alexandros grew out of the destruction of The Sundering as many local communities ended up banding together in search of solace and protection. The first signs of this community took place in The City of Genrivia, which nine hundred years ago fell prey to wicked magic. Following this, The Millennium Kingdom of Aegena began and those who had formed into a unified community following the end of Genrivia, willingly gave fealty to the surviving life honoring descendants of The Eldanar and Alexandros as a liege-nation came into being seven hundred years ago. When Aegena herself fell to pieces and the end of the rule of House Aiglos, being the reign of the ruling descendants of Aiglos the Patriarch of the Eldanar, came upon the world, Alexandros fell to full sovereingty of House Alexandros and the days of the Old Alexandros Kingdom began.
Five centuries passed under the absolute rule of this noble line and the story of Alexandros became the story of three cultures as new nations established themselves and new trade efforts began along with new conquests. Trade goods and many routes frequented the gates of the capital city of Alexandria bringing in culture and goods from Vantyre, Western and Eastern Arcania and even Cellene by means of the great gulf. Furthermore the city served as the main throughway route to the frontier lands which included The Desolation, The Vast, Dran and beyond. Diversity became a halmark of the nation with the capital city bearing many signs of this diversity with an eclectic mix of architecture, festivals, religious observerances and more becoming the status quo. All was not well for at several times in her history Alexandria fell under sway of foreign leaders as distant wars and the struggles in the west and in the east impacted the land due to its central location. However, most of her reign was characterized by peace and non-involvement in the wars of the west save for times when it had to raise arms to defend itself.
The Crown Wars and Sorceress Wars
When the Crown Wars began, Alexandros' original position was that of neutrality but their location geopolitically between the continents of Arcania and Vantyre meant that one way or another they would be forced to get involved. Eventually in the name of right and good, Alexandros' current king, Regendus Dan'Alexandros, allowed Myrddion to use their territory as a staging ground for confrontations with Charn but stipulations were involved and the nation's own troops remained largely committed to securing their own borders versus wars in distant lands.
During the year of ascension, a sacred season for the people of Alexandros, a double tradegy struck the nation. The Great Plague had begun sweeping across all of Arcania, likely brought about or encouraged by the destruction of the Crown Wars. Alexandros was not spared this and the streets of Alexandria were filled with the sound of the suffering and those in mourning. Following on the heels of this, the war was brought to their very doorsteps. The neighboring nation of Celidun fell to Charn, giving them access to ports across the Inner Seas and following that a mysterious ally of Charn, the Witch Altima, struck the nation of Alexandros. Though expecting such an attack they were unprepared for the sheer power and ferocity of The Sorceress Queen who wielded magic of unforeseen might and overturned Alexandria's armies with her own assault of beasts, monsters and strange magical-machinery. For two years, Alexandros fought back and resisted and even gained ground but eventually they fell and the king was slain and the nobility of House Alexandros scattered to the four winds.
The Sorceress Wars
For fifty years, Altima reigned as Charn's general-queen over the region of Alexandros and she began to scour it for the secrets of the Old World. The elves of Mythwood shut away their forest using their own magic but knew that it was only a matter of time. The dwarves disappeared into the Red Ridge Mountains and other monstrous races soon allied themselves with Altima versus risk destruction. Within Alexandria itself, resistance groups began to form. Myrddion and other nations began to secretly submit to these groups. War-Golems, weapons, magic, soldiers and funding in order to bolster their efforts to battle the queen and destroy her.
For some time, these resistance groups lacked unity until the appearance of a new group who was symbolized by The Scythe as an intention of judgement against Altima and a symbol of the common man; a farmer's scythe. The name of this group was The Phalanx Falcis and their leaders include members of the old noble houses, including a members of house Alexandros which people had believed utterly destroyed up until that moment. When Myrddion had gained enough ground against Charn and pushed that empire back, Charn found that Altima had turned against them due to having stumbled across a means to assure her own power. Now the allied lands turned to the freeing of Alexandros and in the wake of this the Phalanx Falcis' tactics rallied other internal rebel groups and the formation of a people's army began to successfully throw off the shackles of Altima's reign. Her War Golems were destroyed, though the price was heavy, and from the north Myrddion's own armies drove inward and began to destroy the monstrous armies that had long held the land.
But the end did not come until a specialized group of Phalanx Falcis members drove into the heart of Alexandria's castle and after a pitched battle with great losses she was slain by Augustus who wielded a scythe of blazing light. Though they had taken heavy military losses, Myrddion routed the remains of her armies and the Sorceress Wars came to an end. Alexandria City was in ruins, however, and the lands of Alexandros bore the scars of machines, magic and warfare. Myrddion would take Alexandros as a liege land for the purpose of rebuilding it, bolstering its defenses and creating a strong unified presence to protect against would be predators in the aftermath of such a terrible series of wars. Augustus Alexandros - he who would have been king - had vanished.
The Watchful Peace
Ten years passed and Alexandria still remained under Myrrish control and guardianship but now unrest had developed for the time where the city and nation was due to proclaim it's own sovereignty had come and gone and Myrddion retained control. The old nobility were still scattered and though they wielded power of commerce they lacked true political control. Augustus re-appeared and denounced Myrddion for their activities but when he re-instated the Phalanx Falcis, they were now seen as terrorists and not freedom fighters and their activities grew increasingly dangerous and desperate.
The actions of Augustus ushered in a new era of tension, strife and instability. Augustus attempted to gain the power to overthrow the Myrrish but at the cost of his own sanity and that of those closest to him. When defeated, his actions caused the near destruction of the holy site known as the Eidolon Court and brought in a time when Myrddion and Alexandria, once allies, looked at each other with eyes of distrust.
Such events would reach their peak when the late summer and fall of AR 1003 brought upon the city an event known as the Merkabah Siege. The Eidolon Court was revealed to be the same fountain of divine energy of the days of ancient Kulthus and a surviving High Artificer of those days was revealed to have been posing as the Myrrish Governor and to have been responsible for much of the tensions and policies that had existed.
The Merkabah Siege, wherein the floating fortress-city of Merkabah was raised from the sea and an army of constructs and undead and cult members of The Illuminated Order descended on Alexandria, brought about a great change in the region. Much of the city was destroyed and many lives were lost but in the end, Saluven the High Artificer was defeated and Merkabah crashed into the mountains beyond the city. The following winter, during an international summit that discussed these things, Myrddion agreed to restore full sovereignty back into the hands of Alexandros' ruling merchants, guild leaders and remaining nobility and the confederacy known as the Argent League was formed.
Modern Day
Recently, hostilities between Myrddion and Stormgarde led to open warfare and then the empire of Bludgun took advantage of this and attacked the Myrrish nation of Sendor, conquering it and beginning a new season of warfare. At first this seemed to have little impact on Alexandros which again sought to maintain a distant stance out of necessity for needing to rebuild in the aftermath of the Merkabah Siege - but this could not be maintained as Bludgun, near to her borders, continued to threaten the land and refugees from Sendor poured, creating difficult living conditions. Finally, after an attempted hostile take over of the city perciptated by mercenaries implanted in Alexandria under the pretense of coming to her aid, Alexandros declared open hostilities against Bludgun. They have yet to march upon the nation and join their armies with Myrddion but military build up is ongoing as well as searches for powerful Relics that are within the nations grasp.
People
In general the people of Alexandros (and more specifically, Alexandria) consider themselves the major cosmopolitan power of this part of the world. The people who dwell within it know that Alexandria has become something of a marvel and is so life in it is at least better, if not more bizarre then most places in the world. Although not completely jaded or plagued by the 'Nothing New Under The Sun' way of thinking, the color, atmosphere and festive pace of the city causes the local inhabitants to be more tolerant of different beliefs, races and cultures then most areas of the world.
Alexandria benefits from an excellent harbor, the protective embrace of the High Kingdom of The West, a powerful magical school, several prominent temples, an active sea harbor and a bustling air-station which in turn contributes to artifice, industry and technology. It is said by some that if you look hard enough, you will find that Alexandria contains at least one of everything. Tolerance is a virtue here though some age old prejudices to continue to exist. People are not allowed to conduct themselves in a manner that is harmful to other races and the centuries, sometimes millennia, long history of violence and ill doings by some causes even the most well meaning of their races to be scrutinized and watched closely. The sight of a Lizardfolk mercenary or an Orc dock worker is not impossible though still exotic when witnessed but generally the more known a race is to be uncivilized the more the city guard will keep them under close watch.
Races: Predominantly human, Alexandria's view of the rest of the world is seen through human eyes and human eyes of a primarily western philosophy and way of thinking. Human culture here shares many similarities with nations such as Dragonier, Myrddion and areas of The Vast. One could say that Alexandrians are far worldlier then these other lands and that they value their freedom more. There are still a few elderly humans who can still remember when Altima's armies broke through the city gates and rushed through the streets and many more can remember the accords with Myrddion.
Humans comprise the bulk of Alexandria and so control most of the commerce and their viewpoints on things color Alexandria's laws, morality, justice system and general hierarchy of politics and government. Dwarves are not an impossible sight in Alexandria due to the presence of the industrial district and the fact that Alexandria grew out of a mining settlement and those mines are still functional. Many dwarves work in the number of smithies and foundries that line the Industrial District or work with the magitech equipment that provides Alexandria with what magical energy it has.
Elves are a much rarer occurrence within the city. Sometimes the streets of the High Quarters contain the arrival and progression of elvish dignitaries from lands as far away as Llyranost but few elves actually move to settle here outside of adventurers seeking to make a name for themselves or elves summoned here for missions by their superiors. Otherwise, elven kind tends to view Alexandria like they do most of the major human cities, seeing it as overcrowded and over indulgent in many ways.
The small folk of the world - being Gnomes, Halflings and Goblins - also find much to do in Alexandria. Sections of the Southwest side have been taken over by groups of Goblins that migrated to the city for reasons known only to them. Halflings are often scattered throughout various parts of the city and Gnomes typically congregate themselves near the Guild Centric areas near the Academy of Sages or in the Industrial Row.
Regarding exotic and monstrous races, Alexandria has at one point in time seen them all with the exception of the truly rare and exceptional. Lizardfolk caravans from enclaves in The Desolation are a seasonal occurrence as explorers and traders with their great thunder-lizard mounts sometimes enter the city to barter and trade.
Daily Life: Daily Life in Alexandria is rarely boring but not necessarily difficult. A bustling center of trade, commerce, different races and a central headquarters for many guilds, living in the city provides for a plethora of events and situations. The warm climates and comfortable springs and hot summers mean that much activity is spent outdoors though to be certain there is much to do within the colorful buildings that dot the area. Alexandrian families share a closeness that many other settlements lack. The humans here have been through much within the past three generations and those who have survived and continued on have close bonds with one another, born from battle, loss of freedom and revolution. Alexandrian society is not as patriarchal as some societies although men are expected to be the breadwinners of a given household. The women are allowed the same rights as men are but girls are typically raised to assume their expected roles as women of western society.
Food and drink in Alexandria tends to vary from common to more exotic than most have the stomach for. The number of diverse races that travel through here for various reasons force the different taverns to either adapt or bar certain races from coming there. For the typical Alexandria, meals tend to be full and hearty with roasted meat, sharp cheese, stews and berries being plentiful. The dense forestland is prime hunting ground for a number of hunters and so there is no short supply of various forms of venison. For the hearty, cooks specialized in preparing Orc-Style meals, baking dwarven Stonebread or brewing Dwarven Spirits do exist and are willing to challenge a daring connoisseur of foreign foods.
Festivals and Entertainment: From gambling at one of the city's numerous gambling halls to playing a strategic game of Thas (a popular chess-like game brought from Myrddion) to performances in The Fernwood or just evenings in the city's Memorial Park, Alexandria has things to do to take the common mans minds off of things. Spending evenings in one of the famous local taverns is probably among the most popular of these things. Of these taverns, Fernwood is most likely the most popular given its focus on music and entertainment and performances. On any given night anyone from a Bard to a strongman taking challenges from the local populace can be seen in Fernwood or just infront of it. On some evenings a contest known as The Long Dance is held in the Pub to naturally see which couple can hold out the longest and keep up with different tunes and songs brought in from all manner of different cultures. Alexandria's popular Red Light Districts hold a number of forms of entertainment and the abundance of engineering and artifice in the city makes many wonders possible.
In recent years the fights at the Jailhouse Bar have evolved to promote the rise of The Armsmasters Guild and the Armsmaster Arenas. A type of gladiatorial sports competition, the Armsmaster Tournaments promote showmanship and exotic displays over actual blood baths and though violent they lack the brutality of to the death fights of gladiatorial circles in less civilized lands. This gives the Armsmasters some degree of protection under the law and contests, duels, games and matches among them are becoming increasingly popular with many individuals seeking fame, fortune and magic attempting to gain prestige as a champion duelist under such stables.
The Machinist Festival and Inventors Fair: Sponsored by the Engineering Enclave, this fair takes place in the month of Eatonis and lasts from the 12th through the 16th. They break on the 15th out of respect for the Daeus Holy Day of High Sun, which is considered the official ending of winter and start of spring in Alexandros. For the Machinist Festival, Inventors, Artificers, Tinkers and craftsmen of all walks of like showcase their newest works, the latest in technological and magical technological development and conduct demonstrations of all manner of variety from exotic displays of firearms to tours of Airships and more. All of this is an attempt to further educate the people on the wonders of technology.
The Revel: The Revel takes place on 30 Daeshen but it is typically several days long. This festival commemorates the spirit of Ceinara and is particularly enjoyed in Alexandria when circus performers from The Vast, illusionists and others come to give the city an opportunity to relax and unwind following what is typically a hard working summer. It also leads into the months of fall and is the last festival before Yule.
Life and Society
In terms of Alexandros as an entire region, it is largely a land of great hills, lonely forests, high moors, towering mountains and monster infested areas with pockets of strong civilized areas and well maintained roads cutting through this land and providing areas of sanctuary. Despite the dangers of living here the farmers, frontier folk, walled city dwellers and other hardy souls are strong and independent enough to carve out successful lives here on the edge of what is called The Frontier. There are dozens of walled cities, enclaves, farm towns, monasteries, fortified strongholds and more that call Alexandros home. Chief of these is Alexandria City itself, the Lord's City over the domain, retaining its role as capital despite the dissolution of the Old Kingdom at Altima's and later Myrddions hands.
In-between these centers of trade and thriving and bustling areas of activities are stretches of wild lands occupied by savage species and dotted with ruins and remnants of the previous ages and recent wars. As result, Alexandros welcomes ambitious explorers and adventurers as treasure troves of high and dangerous magic, nests of powerful and perilous monsters and ruins and mines that require mapping and excavating are an ongoing occurrence. Secondly the adventuring community tends to bring a sense of protection that the everyday armed forces of various cities and even Myrddion does not always offer. It is the adventurers who often willingly go in and root out infestations of trolls and ogres, rescue the farmers son from cannibalistic gnolls or offer exotic protection to caravans on both land, sea, and air that the normal armed forces do not provide.
One aspect of life in the frontier is the fact that it is often changing. Orc tribes move through the area at times, sometimes raiding, sometimes proposing tenants of honor and balance and sometimes just being general troublemakers. Trouble in nearby Bludgun has caused one tribe of Orcs to even settle in Alexandros itself and seek sovereignty within their own established domain. Their arrival certainly has affected trade routes, hunting territory and established borders and is just one example of how things change and change rapidly in terms of Alexandros.
The people of the heartlands tend to be stubborn, independent and proud of their abilities to thrive in challenging environments. One might say that there is a bit of a division between the people who dwell in the bustling centers of civilization such as Alexandria and the people who dwell in the trading outposts, farming communities and frontier towns which are clearly the majority of settlements. The people of the frontier consider those who dwell in the walled communities to be somewhat soft and given over to complacency. During the era of Altima, many of the rebel groups were formed by the people of the frontier and farming settlements while those in the cities were under guard and slaved away to sate the needs of the Witch Queen.
Nevertheless, despite all of this one might say that both city dwellers and folk in the frontiers tend to share the traits of friendliness to strangers. Each traveler, adventurer and merchant is seen as a potential allies and patron, customer and neighbor and even allies in a fight. Even those who enjoy the splendors of a city as well favored as Alexandria are often reminded that nothing is impenetrable and perfect and even though that Orc over there with the arms the size of your head may look frightening, he's probably a good ally to have.