02 - Iron Kingdoms W.. - Captain Spud Is Amazing

178 Iron Kingdoms
108.1.141.197
Orgoth in origin although most scholars dismiss this
as nonsense. Others claim it is an invocation circle for
dark summoning. Whatever its original purpose, it is
now a popular tourist attraction, and couples often
come here to pledge their love, believing the ring
brings good luck.
Mercir
In Power: Lord Mayor Smeaton Bolder, the
Mercarian League, and Duke Waldron Gately
Population: 185,000 humans (mostly Caspians),
10,000 trollkin, and a few hundred dwarves, gobbers,
and ogrun
Military: In addition to the Cygnaran naval vessels
stationed here to protect Mercir’s docks and trade,
roughly a thousand soldiers garrison the city. Mercir
is also a port of call for ships patrolling between
Caspia and Highgate and hundreds to thousands of
additional troops could be in port at anytime. The
safety of the citizens is entrusted to local watch and
several mercenary companies hired by the Mercarian
League and other trading enterprises.
Imports: Many
Exports: Fish, exotic crafted wares, trade goods
All ships rounding the southern cape stop in
Mercir. Though remote and difficult to reach by
land, it has become one of the busiest ports in
Cygnar and serves as a hub for commerce between
Caspia and all points beyond. Mercir’s bustling docks
are always crowded, forcing ship captains to perform
daring maneuvers simply to find a safe berth. Ships
from rival companies often race to beat one another
to the markets, and such activity results in accidents
or fights now and then. A well known standing
rivalry exists between the local fishing fleets and the
merchant captains.
Mercir has a somewhat troubled history, starting
as an obscure fishing village and growing to a major
city during the Orgoth occupation. Much of the old
city burned to the ground in the great fire started by
the city’s most notorious historical figure, Sc. Stacia,
in 415 AR. Great cost and effort went into rebuilding,
and thousands of trollkin, drawn from independent
bog villages in the Ditches, answered the call for
cheap labor. For this reason, Mercir has a very large
population of trollkin who have mostly settled in a
southern neighborhood named Fornby, sometimes
called “trolltown” by locals.
The city is roughly divided. The eastern half is
nicknamed Waterbourg and is devoted largely to the
docks, warehouses, shipping companies, and the many
taverns, inns, and dens of ill repute which service
them. These are busy and lively neighborhoods, but
they are also dangerous for the unwary, filled with
cutthroats and the occasional press gang looking for
recruits. The western city is more sedate and upscale
with large estates belonging to the influential. The
diverse variety of foreign people and assortment of
exotic wares and goods in Mercir is bewildering for
newcomers. Recently the city has been buzzing with
wild rumors about Zu, the southern continent. Given
their remote location, it is no wonder these exotic tales
find more interested listeners than stories about the
far away invasion of Llael.
Noted Persons
Duke Waldron Gately of Southpoint, Earl of
Fennmar (male Caspian Ari8/Ftr2): Although
frequently away in Caspia attending Leto’s court,
Duke Gately is the most powerful noble on the
Mercarian peninsula. He is a stern man who brooks
no outside interference with the shipping trade—the
lifeblood of the region. His estate is a restored keep
atop a low hill overlooking an apple orchard and is
located just north of the city. Despite his enormous
influence, the duke leaves most city matters to the
mayor and city council, but he expects his requests to
be heeded when asked. The Gately family has been
inextricably linked with the Mercarian League since
its founding and remains one of their most influential
backers. The duke is a member of their ruling board
and in frequent contact with Lord Ethan Starke, the
chief alderman (see Mercarian League, pg. 72). His
own duties leave him little time to follow the myriad
details of its daily business, but he is one of their
advocates in the Royal Assembly.
Locales of Mercir
Dhunia’s Hold: This completely circular graniteblock
church dedicated to Dhunia was erected by
the trollkin populace around 455 AR. Inside, four
enormous granite columns support the round-arched
vaults. The church is built near a sand beach on