Unger
Contents
The Grey City of Unger.
At the Northernmost foot of Mount Jedinchel lies the city of Unger. With granite from the mountains, wood from the Wailing Woods nearby and the bravest men of all of Beluaterra guarding them, the walls are a sight to behold and all the area’s inhabitants flock behind them in case of danger.
The city was not founded by plan but after having suffered destruction by the undead in the Fourth Invasion, it was rebuilt along a star pattern by the surviving Thalmarkinians.
From five different gates to the surrounding regions, five columned boulevards lead to the central square in the middle of the city.
South of it stands the heavily fortified Ducal Castle and dug into the rocks next to it lies the Tomb of the Kings, the entrance guarded by crowned bears of stone. North the Great Beacon of Hope burns brightly with next to it the temple of the Order of the Golden Feather and the temple-barracks where the captains of the Eagles of Hope receive their stern training.
East the granite Royal Halls with majestic bears roaming in the gardens and the barracks of the Legion of the Wolf and West the Grand Wizard’s Tower.
The other fifth of the city serves as merchant’s quarter and houses, small and big, granite and wooden, are stockpiled against eachother in all sections of the city.
Each of the boulevards is surrounded by giant but simple granite columns with the names of the Fallen inscribed into them. At the gates you read the names of unarmed men, women and children but as you get closer to the main square you’d see the names of soldiers and later on those of low and high nobles. At the end of the road from Winifael, from where his body was carried into the city, the name of King Piru Petteri, who fell against the undead, is inscribed.
The main square itself bursts with small shops and taverns on the edges, separated from the centre by a circle of columns with at the top small statues of Bears, Eagles and Wolves in many different poses, each more ferocious than the last one, and at the bottom the granite skulls of men, undead and daimons.
In the middle of the square, five cases of stairs lead up a small, artificial hill where a giant statue of King Fingolfin the Great sits on a dark, black throne built out of the bones of hundreds of vanquished daimons. His two-yard-long feet rest on the weapons of defeated foes as well as horned daimon and black undead skulls. His right arms rests on the skull of Darkest Hour of the West and in his hand he holds a replica of the Sword of the Kings that stands in between his legs, blade first in the heap of trophies. His left hand lies opened on his throne, resting on the giant skull of Darkest Hour of the North and from his palm the magical Frozen Flame illuminates the square.
Around the throne the sentinel statues stand. Their heads turned sternly towards the city.
Before him rises King Lemon Tree Two-Face, Founder of Thalmarkin on his right and King Julma Jaune the Fearless on his left. Guarding his back stands Grand Marshal Rathe the Legendary on the right, Lady Rila Daybreaker in the middle and Sir Darius Dawnbringer left.
On his left stands Judge Pyrix Nightbane, resting his hands on a long axe and General Enzo, the Hammer of the North, holding the appropriate warhammer over one shoulder. At the foot of the Hammer of the North, three smaller statues stand proud. Left, under the soaring eagle, the names of General Selis Lapallanch, Marshal Cataryna Bowker, Vice Marshal Red Marlboro, Vice Marshal Annaej Urominiel and Vice Marshal Benedicta Marlboro are engraved, the last two with a sword next to their name, symbol of their glorious death. Right, the growling wolf stands above the names of Marshal Yusklin Melphrydd, Marshal Bergelmir Crownguard and Vice Marshal Immanuel. The majestic bear in the middle seems less weather-worn and does not have names to accompany it yet.
It is clear there is still much room for more statues to complete the circle.
At the foot of the hill, under the cold gaze of King Fingolfin, one can read an inscription into the rocks:
Here sits Fingolfin, King of Thalmarkin, Lord of the Frozen Wastes and Keeper of the Undying Flame on the bones of his crushed foes. Great were their ambitions, small their results. Once Horrors, now Decorations.
Thalmarkin does not move. Thalmarkin does not surrender.
We are Death. We are Glory.
Unbent. Unbroken.
Gaze upon the slain and know the faith of our foes.
The Throne Room.
1012
Heavy oaken doors, decorated by designs of black steel picturing hunts and battles stand wide open, two guards on each side, hands attentively resting on their long battleaxes. Silver handles in the shape of bear-heads judge all who enter with a stern and wild gaze. The throne room itself is a three-piece, left and right stand long banks reserved for veteran warriors of the Winter Warriors. On the black granite columns, blocking the grim light of the sun shining through the long, clear windows, giving a stunning panorama of the city below, the names of the Waking are engraved in silver letters.
The center of the throne room is a long, high hall, heavy wooden beams, blackened by the smoke and with sober candles hanging from them blocking the view of all the sooted banners of Dukes, Lords and Noblemen who serve and have once served the Crown of Thalmarkin, one more indistinguishable than the previous.
In the center of the room, a small but heavy column rises, a fire bristling on top of it, bursting through the holes in the black, de-horned skull of Overlord. Flames spring from his mouth and eye-sockets, and horns of fire soar high into the air.
Around this centerpiece, heavy oaken tables have been set, with leather seats reserved for all men of blood of the Kingdom. The table, though still a proud piece of craftsmanship, has started to show the cost of feasts with stains, cuts and holes covering it's sturdy wooden surface.
Finally, as one comes to the end of the throne room, the simple, black wooden throne stands on the rough white pelt of a ghost bear, dead eyes glowing in the flames. On each side, 3 smoking bowls of hot coal hang on solid steel chains from the ceiling on each side while above the throne the Silver Star of House Noldorin shines above the thin Silver Crown of Thalmarkin on a field of blue and gold, letting through light from the 6 feet tall, shield-shaped window behind, picturing the black and white bear of Thalmarkin in stained glass.
1020
Thalmarkin is an old realm, with a long history, and the blackened timbers in the old palace throne room showed every year that had passed. Several rulers over the years had had small changes made to the throne room, as well as several feasts, many nights of which lived on in the thick pillars, gouges and cuts darkening into a story as old as the realm itself over the years. The center of the room usually held heavy circular tables, and leather seats for all the Kin, scattered around an old stone plinth. To the left and right, large black granite columns covered in silver markings held the tall ceiling aloft. Beyond those, long tables were set out, a space for the common soldiers that had proved themselves in battle. Long windows let the early morning sunlight in, the city spread out below.
The back of the room held the centerpiece of the space, however. Up a pair of steps, a massive white stone throne sat, usually covered with the hide of a ghost bear, the skull of the Daemon Lord Overlord mounted to its top. The horns of the skull had been torn off, and usually the skull was lit from below, billowing out flame from the horn holes, the eyes, and mouth. Behind the throne, a stained glass window depicted the shield of Thalmarkin, the mountains of Jed picturesque in the background.
Legends and Rumours
Rumour says that Overlord, the Mighty Ruler of Netherworld and the Most horrifying Being to ever walk on the conitnent of Beluaterra, was slain in the city of Unger by Sir Pyrix Questor. His heart and horns were taken by Sir Walker, his scrotum to Sir Jaeger, and the other remains and his armour to Sir Hernfelk. All but the scrotum and the heart ended up with Duke Dunbor of Unger, who uses them or guards them for later use.
