Cheshire is known as the jewel of the Great Kingdoms. If that is the case, then Shire is the perfect diamond in that collection that makes up Cheshire. Seat of the kingdom, this massive city is where the Argent Throne resides. King Armer XI and his wife Queen Selene Armbrose reside in Shire Castle, as do their son Malcolm, and their daughters Talynn, Bethany, and Meredith. They are advised by the Magistrate Talos, also known as Talos the Mad. That description is not based on his sanity, but on his unrelenting pursuit of justice.
Shire is surrounded by cities of great wealth. The duchy is accepting of all races unless given a reason not to. Thus any sentient creature can make a name for him/her/itself if they apply themselves, and overcome any discord that may crop up. For example, I myself hold sold out concerts in Shire at least once a year. Not bad for a minotaur bard eh? One of the captain of the guards in the commons district is Nog, a bugbear, not known for his mercy or sense of humor. Still he is highly respected.
The cities surrounding Shire are Asai to the north, Tourla to the northeast, Vann to the east, Tora to the southeast, Linn to the south, Morad to the southwest, Kol to the West, and Blum to the northwest.
Blum is the border city between Shire and Castin. Thus it looks at threats coming from the north most seriously. Other than that, it’s a bustling town that features lumber goods heavily, due to its proximity to several woods. Blum and it’s sister city Asai is currently in the process of becoming a fortified city.
Asai is another border city that is arguably as serious as Blum. It is a reason they are called the Eyes of Shire. Like Blum, Asai is under construction, becoming a fortified city. Its primary source of income is fishing.
Tourla is another farming city. It boasts the Temple of the Fallen Moon, a monastery dedicated to the goddess of the night. To the east is the Shire woods, teeming with lots of wild game which makes it a popular hunting spot.
Vann is a bustling city known more for its bar fights than anything. This is because of its proximity to the Temple of the Rising Phoenix, a monastery dedicated to Aeruus, the sun god. Monks of the Rising Phoenix have an intense rivalrly with the monks of the Fallen Moon. Due to this, a lucrative fighting circuit has made Vann quite a bit of money. The monks of both rival clans join to have a legal excuse to prove their martial arts superiority.
Tora is another city that made its money based on its resources. In this case, both farming and fishing. The earth genasi druid Genn heads the the farming and fishing guild, ensuring that the balance is never broken.
Linn is a city known for its craftsmen. It is also home to the headquarters of the Ironguards for Shire. All Shire recruits start here, then get assigned throughout the kingdom.
Morad is a border city being the first city one comes to via the Vaxin duchy. Lake Tyn is to the south. The lake is teeming with especially productive oysters. Unfortunately it’s also home a particularly nasty group of sea elves. Due to being close to the southern edge of the Forest of Souls, Morad tends to be fairly serious. Lizardfolk have recently spilled from the forest to cause havoc in the area.
Kol would be just another city except for its proximity to the Forest of Souls. Undead and demons have spilled forth from the forest in recent times. Kol has since become quite adept at weaponsmithing, but boasts a strong faith based culture devoted to the sun and nature gods. The Oakenshields, a druid order has a chapter here since their circle is believed destroyed. This tends to be the launching point for adventurers to head into the Forest of Souls seeking fortune.
The Forest of Souls is a large swath of woods that had been corrupted due to an event known as the Corruption. For the last thirty years the forest was closed by an unknown force, letting nothing in or out. The champions that had gone in to thwart the Corruption succeeded, but at the cost of their own lives. Among those lost are the ranger guild the Wyldfires, the Oakenshields druidic order, and the the spire elf city of Kor’korai. Recently the field has lifted, and undead, demons and worse has spilled forth from the forest. Among the rumors about the cursed woods include a black dragon taking up residence in the southern portion, a banshee haunting the northern portion, and an outpost of rune elves somewhere in the center. The forest itself is worthy of a more detailed report. I may consider doing that at some point.
This concludes my tour of the kingdom of Cheshire.
A Darkness Rising 