Adina was the largest settlement on Thule Island long before the Imperial take-over. The city was the capital of Westerness (the Keltoi kingdom) and sported an amazing concentric castle (straddling the line between Wall Ward and Old Town Ward, the remaining fortifications will be covered in Part 3) When the Imperial forces arrived the Adina Town Council surrendered and let them into the city. The King locked himself in his castle and prepared for a long siege. The Imperials had cannons and thousands of blood crazed templars so the Siege wasn't that long and the king and his family were killed to prevent threats to Imperial power.
The local town council formally petitioned to have Adina declared a Free City within the Empire. The Emperor agreed as this would provide a balance agains the power of the March Lord on the island (and he could change the city status if they misbehaved).
They didn't misbehave, and subsequent Emperors have not changed the contract. The Free City had the same tax status as the rest of the March which promoted trade and they promoted religious tolerance to encourgage trade from nations that didn't ordinarily trade with the Empire because of the religious intolerance. This combination enabled the city to prosper. They were soon associated members of three different trade leagues and the cities port was expanded and warehouses built to accommodate the influx of trade. Before long carracks from halfway around the world docked at Adina as the city became the middle-man for trade with the Empire.
Adina has grown by leaps and bounds since becoming a Free City. It is now comprised of five wards. Each ward has an alderman who is elected on new years day and who represents the ward in the City Council for that year. Most of the current Aldermen have served for over a decade.
The Wards are:
- Rathouse Ward (Adina Part 2)
- Canal Ward (Adina Part 2)
- Old Town (Adina Part 3)
- Wall (Adina Part 3)
- Outside the wall (Adina Part 3)
Sanitation
Back in the day human waste and garbage was dumped into the water features around the city. This led to disease and horrific smells. Once the Imperials took over the Templars of Lough insisted this be fixed and the water features were drained and Gog farmers were hired to clean out the gardrobes in the wall towers, now they clean out barrels of waste collected in each ward.The Bogbreath brothers are the Gogfarmers for the city and they smell like it. They clean the gardrobes in the city towers every season, empty barrels of dung from each City district every day, and prowl the streets daily looking for horse dung. Their efforts combined with the sea breeze have spared the city the typical medieval stench and not that anyone knows about such things but has gone a long way towards preventing cholera as well.
Geographic
- Dunkle River - The Dunkle river is wide and navigable until about three hundred yards upstream. It is generally filled with the masts of hundreds of ships. The open sea is just south of the map.
- North/Moat/South pond - The water features were built long ago as a defense against raids from the subterranean dwellers and as part of the cities sewage system. Once they were open sewers but now they are clean and nice.
- The Canal - The canal was carved into the limestone at the same time the city was built. The limestone removed was used to build the lower levels of most of the buildings. The Canal allows ships to have a calm spot while loading and unloading cargo or during a storm.
- The Fish Pond - Fresh water fish are kept in the fish pond.
Geographic
- Dunkle River - The Dunkle river is wide and navigable until about three hundred yards upstream. It is generally filled with the masts of hundreds of ships. The open sea is just south of the map.
- North/Moat/South pond - The water features were built long ago as a defense against raids from the subterranean dwellers and as part of the cities sewage system. Once they were open sewers but now they are clean and nice.
- The Canal - The canal was carved into the limestone at the same time the city was built. The limestone removed was used to build the lower levels of most of the buildings. The Canal allows ships to have a calm spot while loading and unloading cargo or during a storm.
- The Fish Pond - Fresh water fish are kept in the fish pond.
The Militia & Guard
The Militia are comprised of every able-bodied townsman within the walls. They are equipped and trained (barely) with spear & shield. They train monthly under the instruction of the City Guard.
The Guard are the cities permanent 'police' force. They are entirely comprised of the Layerthorpe mercenary company led by Donjo Layerthorpe. They are equipped and trained with sword & shield and gambeson armor. Leaders may have mail. The watch are based out of the wall towers. Both gatehouse towers have a number of 'bottle-neck' cells for troublemakers and most of the other towers contain living quarters.
The Guard patrol within the city walls and are pretty lax about that in some areas. They all carry horns to bring reinforcements (including nearby Militia or mercenary security or templars) to handle anything they can't manage.
The Guard headquarters is Vulture Gate. When patrolling outside the city they tend to have lances, sabers or shortbows. The Guard patrol the coastal roads. They used to go on raids outside the city although that has been replaced by bounties encouraging mercenaries and adventurers to do that work on their behalf.
North Wall
[A2] Clock Tower - A water powered clock with bell. The clock is visible throughout the city and keeps good time. The Clock Tower has a bell that rings hourly.
[A3] Astrologer's tower - Previously called the North Tower, the Layerthorpe Mercenary Company hires Yorr the Traveler, an astrologer who spends most nights looking at the stars. The lower levels are filled with shelves of books. The other members of the guard tend to avoid the tower when possible.
[A4] Barkers tower - The town once had guard dogs which were kenneled in this tower. The guard dogs are long gone as Donjo Layerthorpe doesn't like dogs much.
[A5] Kitchen Tower - Most of the guard towers have limited cooking facilities except for Vulture Gate. Kitchen Tower provides food for the Vulture Gate complex.
[A6] Vulture Gate - Vulture Gate is the main entrance to the city and serves as the headquarters for the city guard. The Gate complex is also where armaments for city defense are held and the horses are stabled. The gate gets its name because back in the old days the heads of the executed were put on spikes on top of the gate.
[A7] Wind Tower - The wind hits all the towers the same but three banners atop wind tower are used by the ships in harbor to judge wind direction.
[A8] Prison Tower - Prison tower is the only one of the walls towers with long term holding facilities. The basement of the tower has three cells that have been used over the years but which have been empty for over a decade.
[A9] Salt Tower - Salt Tower and Northwest Tower are where the bulk of the veterans in the Layerthorpe Mercenary Company are housed. Despite the name salt has never been stored in the tower.
[A10] Layerthorpe Tower - Donjo Layerthorpe is the name of a mercenary captain that runs the Layerthorpe Mercenary company. The tower acts as the headquarters and offices although the administration is handled by a single person.
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| North Wall and Towers |
West Wall
[B1] Northwest Tower - Northwest Tower and Salt Tower are where the bulk of the veterans in the Layerthorpe Mercenary Company are housed.[B2] Well Tower - The well goes down deep and is waterproofed to ensure there is no seepage from the moat o the water table. A tunnel connects the basements of Red tower, Bootham Tower and Well Tower.
[B3] Granary Tower - Sacks of grain are kept in the tower in case of siege. The sacks are constantly replaced to ensure they are fresh. The top level of Granary tower has an oven for cooking bread and a baker is contracted to bake bread daily.
[B4] Schanzturm North - The tower is only a shell with the city side open to the elements.
[B5] Schanzturm Center - The tower is only a shell with the city side open to the elements.
[B6] Bootham tower - Bootham tower acts as the primary barracks for the guards assigned to the West wall. A tunnel connects the basements of Red tower, Bootham Tower and Well Tower.
[B7] Ivy Tower - This tower is covered in ivy. The ivy has been burned off twice but grown back. The guards in the Ivy tower are known as the Dog Squad and they act as the enforcers for the Mercenary band, covertly doing whatever dirty deeds might be asked of the Guards.
[B8] Schanzturm South - The tower is only a shell with the city side open to the elements.
[B9] White Tower - Not actually white but called that because of its proximity to Black Tower. White Tower has a double-sized barracks because none of the guards want to stay in Black Tower. Because of the crowded conditions the tower is considered a punishment post by the guards.
[B10] Black Tower - The black tower was burned out thirty years ago, the interior floors have been replaced but the smoke and soot damage on the stone is still obvious. Black Tower is considered cursed by the guards and none will sleep in the tower (and few want to stand guard atop it).
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| West Wall |
South Wall
[C1] The Red Tower - The tower is not actually red but the roof and cornerstones are. The Red Tower acts as the primary barracks for the guards assigned to the South wall. A tunnel connects the basements of Red tower, Bootham Tower and Well Tower.[C2] Tiny tower - The basement of the tiny tower is filled with gunpowder barrels..
[C3] Cistern Tower - The cellar and bottom level of this tower are waterproofed with tile and used as cistern. The cisterns are filled whenever it rains by gutters on the roof and along the nearby walls.
[C4] Merchant Tower - The Merchant tower abutts the Merchants Guild hall, it is kept well staffed at all times. The guards don't patrol but pretty much remain lady to ensure there is no trouble at the Guild hall.
[C5] Stench Tower - Named because of the smell off of South Pond long ago, the stench is gone but the tower has kept its name. The guards of Stench Tower are responsible for keeping the peace at the neighboring market. They don't actually do much but support the mercenary security that tends to be around the more valuable market stalls.
[C6] Southgate Tower - Southgate was destroyed during the Crusade but one of the towers survives and keeps the name alive. Southgate tower is the major holding area for runs and petty crooks in Old Town. The guards are believed to be in the pay of the Thieves Guild, either that or they are well intimidated as known thieves rarely stay long.
[C7] Water Gate - The cities second and smaller gate, called the water gate because the lower level floods during storms. The gate once had canons to provide defense but the gunpowder got wet more than once. Previously the gate was connected by a drawbridge but now a permanent bridge has been constructed which prevents any threat by water from entering the South Pond removing the need for the Southgate.
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| South Wall |
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