Fort Valiance thrives as a metropolis of ambition and tradition, where diverse peoples coexist in a complex social tapestry. From the grand festivals that unite the city to the shadowy alleys where danger lurks, every district tells a story of survival, prosperity, and conflict.
Descendants of exiled nobles who founded Fort Valiance, the Valiants are the architectural and political backbone of the city. Ambitious, industrious, and inherently expansionist, they dominate positions of power within the government, military, and merchant guilds.
Character: Driven by ambition and legacy
Influence: Control most major institutions
Culture: Honor, advancement, competitive spirit
The original settlers—the First Men—Caledrians have inhabited these lands for generations. Now largely confined to the outskirts and the Old City, they maintain a distinct cultural identity and traditions that predate Valiant rule. Many view their circumstances as subjugation.
Heritage: Original inhabitants
Location: Outskirts, Old City
Culture: Tradition, independence, resilience
The grandest celebration of the year, Founders' Day commemorates the founding of Fort Valiance. The city transforms into a spectacle of pageantry and civic pride, with parades through the Main Thoroughfare, elaborate feasts in the Grand Plazas, and official addresses from the crown and council.
Highlights: Parades, formal ceremonies, competitive games, noble sponsorships
Mood: Celebratory, competitive, nationalistic
Celebrated in late autumn, the Harvest Festival honors the agricultural bounty that sustains the city and its hinterlands. Markets overflow with produce, wine, and goods; the streets fill with dancing, musical performances, and contests of skill and strength.
Highlights: Dances, games, contests, market celebrations, feasts
Mood: Joyful, communal, grateful
As winter settles over the city, the Winter Feast brings nobles and commoners together in unprecedented unity. Large communal gatherings are organized in major squares and temples, featuring shared meals, charitable distributions, and performances. For a brief season, social hierarchies soften.
Highlights: Communal meals, charity events, performances, gatherings
Mood: Warm, communal, unifying
A sophisticated system of dwarf-engineered conduits and reservoirs ensures fresh water reaches the city. Public fountains and wells dot every district, providing free access to the citizenry. The system is a point of civic pride and a testament to engineering prowess.
Public bathhouses operate throughout the city at nominal cost, and night soil collectors maintain streets and alleys. Waste is composted or disposed through the sewer system, a major undertaking that keeps disease relatively at bay compared to other cities.
The wealthy enjoy superior amenities: running water supplied through engineering and magic, private bathing chambers, and magical waste disposal systems integrated into their estates. These luxuries are visible reminders of class distinction.
Oil lamps illuminate main thoroughfares and common areas. Wealthier districts feature magical lanterns powered by enchantment, casting steady light throughout the night. Poorly lit alleys remain havens for criminal activity.
Large plazas and green spaces serve as civic centers where citizens gather to conduct business, socialize, and celebrate. The Grand Plaza stands as the heart of public life, flanked by important civic buildings. Smaller squares serve individual districts, fostering local community bonds.
The visible face of law enforcement, the Open City Watch patrols streets, responds to crimes, and maintains public order. Organized hierarchically with Watch Captains overseeing districts, supported by Watchmen and Patrol Officers, they operate from multiple watchhouses throughout the city.
Training: Combat and law enforcement
Hierarchy: Captains → Watchmen → Patrol Officers
Base: Distributed watchhouses
Operating in shadow, the Covert City Watch pursues secretive operations beyond public view. Led by the enigmatic Master of Shadows and reporting directly to council and crown, these agents are trained in stealth, intelligence, disguise, and assassination.
Training: Stealth, intelligence, disguise, assassination
Leadership: Master of Shadows
Scope: Political operations, espionage, elimination
Corruption
Both branches of the Watch are susceptible to corruption. Officers accept bribes, overlook crimes for payment, and exploit their authority for personal gain. The Covert Watch, with less oversight, poses particular risks—agents leverage their untouchable status for blackmail and extortion.
Military Coordination
The Watch maintains distinct roles from the city militia. While the Watch polices internal affairs, the military handles external defense. During emergencies and sieges, both forces coordinate, though friction between them is common.
Beyond the well-lit thoroughfares, Fort Valiance harbors a network of dangerous alleys where law barely reaches and fortunes are won and lost. These notorious locales are whispered about in taverns and feared by citizens after dark.
Cutpurse Lane
Pickpockets congregate near the Marketplace, targeting wealthy merchants and travelers.
Whispering Way
Behind the Merchant's Quarter, illicit deals are brokered in shadowed doorways and hidden alcoves.
Shiv Street
Named for the knife fights and brutal brawls that erupt regularly, drawing blood and drawing crowds.
Gutter's End
Squalid conditions mark this alley that runs along the sewer line, reeking of filth and desperation.
Rat's Nest
Illegal gambling dens and underground fighting pits operate beneath the notice of the Watch.
Beggar's Alley
A concentration of homeless, dispossessed, and desperate souls seeking survival.
Deadman's Walk
Multiple unsolved murders haunt this stretch; locals claim spirits linger among its stones.
Smuggler's Passage
Hidden tunnels network beneath the city, used to move contraband away from prying eyes.
Harlot's Haven
Brothels and illicit establishments cluster near the docks, servicing sailors and merchants.
Fool's Folly
Con artists, charlatans, and swindlers ply their trade, preying on the naive and desperate.
Those who move in and around the City Watch develop their own vernacular—a coded language that allows officers, criminals, and informants to communicate without drawing unwanted attention.
Candle
A watchman on patrol
Dark Lantern
A covert agent
Dock Rat
A dock thief or waterfront criminal
Shadows
Covert operations or agents
Tin Star
A badge or officer
Scales
Bribes or corrupt payments
Whisper
Secret information or intelligence
Grim
A tough or hardened watchman
Clean Sweep
A raid or mass arrest
Nest
A hideout or criminal base
Cold Iron
Weapons, especially bladed ones
Street Sweepers
Patrol watchmen who keep order
Ghost
Someone who vanishes without trace
Guttersnipe
A street urchin or vagrant
Silk Gloves
Handling a situation delicately or carefully
Black Hand
A criminal enforcer or assassin
Night Owl
Night shift watch officer
Rat
An informant or spy
Lockbox
A jail cell
Shadow Dance
A covert operation or espionage activity
Pedestrian
The majority of citizens travel on foot through cobblestone streets and footpaths.
Horse & Cart
Common among nobles and merchants for longer distances and hauling goods.
Water Routes
Boats and barges navigate the harbor and nearby waterways.
Magic
Minor magical means available to the wealthy, though rare and expensive.
Main Thoroughfares: Well-maintained roads through the city center, patrolled by Watch.
Docks & Waterways: Busy transportation hubs with established protocols for goods and passengers.
Public Transit Points: Hostels, stables, and gates where travelers gather.
Security: Caution is warranted in unfamiliar areas; theft and violence occur regularly.
Common Arms
Professional Arms
Restricted
Common Armor
Professional Grade
Availability
Weaponsmiths and armorers operate throughout the city; quality varies with cost and craftsman reputation.
Formal Dueling
Nobles settle disputes through sanctioned duels following strict codes of honor and conduct.
Public Combat Events
Tournaments, exhibitions, and fighting circles draw crowds seeking entertainment and glory.
Street Violence
Brawls and violent confrontations are common in lower districts, though the Watch attempts suppression.
The official newspaper of Fort Valiance, backed by the crown and council. Published in broadsheet format, the Herald announces proclamations, reports on major events, celebrates civic achievements, and generally reflects the government's preferred narrative.
Stance: Pro-government, official
Readership: Educated classes, merchants, officials
Reliability: Filtered information, official perspective
An independent underground publication, the Quill specializes in gossip, scandal, and exposés of corruption. Operating under precarious conditions, it circulates through networks of readers hungry for truth beyond official channels. Its sources are often unreliable but provocative.
Stance: Cynical, anti-establishment
Readership: Common folk, reformers, the curious
Reliability: Mixed; entertaining but not always accurate
A clandestine Caledrian resistance publication, the Voice reports anonymously on injustices against the First Men, advocating for Caledrian independence and rights. Dangerous to distribute, it nonetheless circulates in the Old City and among sympathizers throughout Fort Valiance.
Stance: Pro-Caledrian, resistance-oriented
Readership: Caledrians, sympathizers, radicals
Reliability: Passionate but potentially biased
The premier theater of Fort Valiance, the Grand Lyceum stands as an architectural marvel in the Noble Quarter. With ornate decorations, premium seating, and state-of-the-art staging, it hosts major cultural events, celebrated performances, and official ceremonies. Attendance is a mark of prestige and wealth.
Location: Noble Quarter
Capacity: Large, tiered seating
Atmosphere: Formal, prestigious, exclusive
A smaller, more intimate venue dedicated to experimental and avant-garde performances. The Nook attracts artists pushing boundaries, young performers seeking experience, and audiences interested in unconventional work. More accessible to common folk than the Grand Lyceum, it fosters a vibrant cultural undercurrent.
Location: Merchant Quarter
Capacity: Small, intimate
Atmosphere: Experimental, accessible, bohemian
Fort Valiance, as a cosmopolitan city shaped by trade and diverse populations, exhibits greater tolerance for diverse orientations and gender expressions than smaller settlements. While traditional gender roles remain prevalent in society, with expectations of noble women maintaining propriety and men pursuing ambition and power, these norms are increasingly challenged.
Social Attitudes
Same-sex relationships exist within established families and merchant guilds, though public displays remain circumspect. The city's cosmopolitanism allows various identities to coexist, especially among the wealthy and educated.
Institutional Influence
Guilds, adventuring companies, and merchant houses employ people of various genders and orientations in roles previously restricted. These organizations provide alternative power structures that sidestep traditional family hierarchies.