Itau

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Itau
46.jpg
Allegiance
Island
Realm
Dwilight
(rogue)
Statistics
Type
Weather
Economy
Population
Gold
Food
City
West Hills
Manufacturing, Trade
1

Emblem of Itau.

Itau is a city on the far western coast of the western island of Dwilight. In the past it was known for being a pirate haven, and was ruled by several bandit warlords, who conducted various dealings on in the interior of the ancient city fortifications. Currently it is held by Caerwyn and is undergoing a period of restoration and rebuilding. Though the stone walls of the coastal city remain in serious disrepair, and few peasants live in the city proper, more return everyday to the old quarters and, after a fire destroyed much of the shanty town by the pier, thieves, rogues and ruffians have flocked to the southwestern quarter in particular and have affectionately dubbed it "Hallow's End." While the origin of the name is unknown, the southwestern quarter is known for being the last bastion of lawlessness in Itau, as well as a refuge for free trade. Its winding, dirty alleys house crude brothels, murderers for hire, and brutal gangs.

In the past, the majority of the populace lived in the hills and valleys surrounding Itau, and most villages paid hefty sums to the bandits and pirates ruling the old city for "protection" against pillaging, looting and murder. Ironically, not much has changed for these outlying villages and burgs: much of the gold that had in the past went to the warlords now goes to the tax collectors of the region, and funds rebuilding and growth in the area.

The locals of the hills, mostly to avoid working in the middle of the day, have adopted the curious custom of sleeping in the middle of the afternoon, and conducting most of their usual business - eating, farming, herding, socializing - in either the early hours of the morning, or late at night. These "hill-folk" as they are often called live in mudbrick huts, or stone cottages, or wooden cabins - they are freemen, traders, farmers and herders.

A native may be determined by how they look: they have a particular, sunburned tinge, and are not a tall people, but rather slender and lean and made hard by the elements, their skin and faces wind-weathered and ravaged by time and toil. They are often a very simple, sparse people and do not favor ornament, but yet will also tattoo themselves in wild, tribal-marked ways, in bright ink.

Areas of Interest

Quarters

Northern Quarter

Itau
Crude approximation of where everything is in Itau. Expect this to change as the city does. If you're any good at art, feel free to make this look better. - Jenna

TODO: semi rural quarter, sections of the wall missing, population (mostly displaced farmers) have expanded beyond traditional city grounds. Somehow tie in Freil.

Southern Quarter

TODO: mixture of semi rural, slum and guildsmen/tradesmen. Not as wealthy as Alley of Lions; focus on trade, manufacturing, manpower for crewing of ships, etc.

Alley of Lions

As is often the case in Itau, how the Alley of Lions was named remains a certifiable mystery to most city-folk, and follows the (albeit, new) tradition of having also a street named after it (or vice versa, depending on whom you ask.) The quarter is one of the more prosperous regions of the city and has a relatively low population - merchants, or newly retired pirates charmed into a life of civility at the prospect of a noose, have made an effort to colonize this part of the city as their own and small but well-kept houses, often several stories high, border the winding streets and many shops have sprung up in the area as well. Its proximity to the ducal tower makes it a secure area, often patrolled by what guardsmen can be spared to it, and as a result it has been de facto the economy center of the city. Most guildhouses are located here, and several shrines to various faiths, with Verdis Elementum being - again - most prominent.

Hallow's End

Divided from the Southern Quarter by the Archon Way, and bordered to the north by the Alley of Lions, Hallow's End is a small but congested city quarter in the southwestern part of the city of Itau. Officially recognized shortly after Itau's incorporation into Caerwyn, the quarter is nonetheless still a symbol of the region's checkered past, and remains a dangerous, divided place.

Streets/Alleys

While there are numerous nameless streets, winding alleys and dirt roads in Itau, there are also the opposite: well-known streets, relatively well-kept, famous or infamous, or otherwise important, paths that deserve mention. The most important (that is to say, the most well-known of all) are listed below.

Archon Way

Gallows Road

Cobblestoned in parts, and mud in others, Gallows Road is a relatively narrow, often-travelled thoroughfare that runs from the center of the city to the eastern gate. Originally used solely to ferry convicts and prisoners to the gallows for execution, it has since, with the growth of the city, been opened to travellers, merchants and common men. Its morbid past has not been forgotten, however, and this strip of street is relatively abandoned and few shopfronts line it, despite its position as a vital lifeline into the city. While most dignitaries prefer to enter the city through the grand northern gate, soldiers and the more soldierly sort often enter Itau through the eastern gate, and consequently through Gallows Road.

Alley of Lions

This street shares a name with the city quarter it borders to the north, Alley of Lions, and intersects Pierstop and Tower Circle to the west. To the east, it runs through Archon Way and narrows, becoming Gallows Road. It is cobble-stoned, but in poor repair.

Dead Fish Narrow

Dead Fish Narrow is a wide, twisting alley that cuts through Hallow's End, and serves as the main street in that quarter, around which most hostels, brothels and butcher shops are located. The exact reason it is called Dead Fish Narrow is anyone's guess, but many speculate (and there's a good chance they're at least partially correct) that it has to do with either the long history of seafaring in the area, or else a noseless gang leader who (reputedly) had the sole distinction in the quarter of being beaten to death with a red herring by a rival gang leader. Corpses, filth and prostitutes are not uncommon sights along this street, and pickpockets, legitimate hawkers, and sellswords are as equally common crowding the muddy path.

Pierstop

This well-travelled dirt road borders the coast and is used to carry supplies and trade goods to and from the ships that land at the old harbor. While it is widely held to be one of the more poorly constructed roads in the city, it does not pose as many risks as Dead Fish Narrow does, and so remains one of the roads of choice in moving goods to the docks, and is still often patrolled by guardsmen, making it also one of the safer roads in the duchy. It is a short, straight-and-narrow line from the western gate of the city (often called Fisher's Gate) to the pier.

Tower Circle

Tower Circle is both a street and a quarter unto itself - as a street, it circles much of the city of Itau and is also known by such names as "Wall Road" or "Wall's Path" or "Trader's Road." True to these names, it borders the ancient walls of Itau and is often used to guide caravans and wagons from place to place without disrupting the flow of the city's interior. The street also borders the small northwestern quarter with which it shares a name: Tower Circle, the quarter, is the residence of the duke of the city, and where much of the courtly proceedings occur. A small garrison is stationed here, as well as the grand ducal tower, currently known to be undergoing repairs after it was damaged in the liberation of Itau.

It is in Tower Circle quarter that the temple of Verdis Elementum has been built.

Outlying Villages

Freil

TODO: largest of the villages, still very small population, rural, provides what small portion of food/grain Itau makes

Hauchburk

TODO: technically a part of Itaufield, and controversial because of the confusion of loyalty (Itau? Itaufield? etc.), sister-village to Casburk, younger of the two; generally looked down upon by those of Itau, seen as upstart and useless.

Casburk

TODO: not nearly as controversial as Hauchburk, larger and older than Hauchburk, mixture of tradesmen, woodsmen, farmers; village does not produce surplus to the city, fairly poor, and isolationist.

Dasi

TODO: tiny fishing village - handful of villagers at most; related to nearby knight's estate.

People of Note

Pirates, Murderers, Warlords and Thieves

The Hound

TODO: discuss brief history as warlord, hint at what he may possibly be doing still if not dead.

The Man with the Ruby Eye

TODO: needs a damn name.

Red Tucker

TODO: Hallow's End gang leader.

Caerwyn

Alinys Graves

TODO: first duchess, priestess who took over city.

Andrew Dolohov

TODO: claim to Itau, marshal of Logistics Corps, leading effort in rebuilding the city.

Other

Old Man Death

TODO: quasi-mythical, tie in with old RP where NPC old man conjurned a legion of undead.