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

180 Iron Kingdoms
108.1.141.197
New Larkholm
In Power: Earl Harlan Mosley of the Cloutsdowns,
Commander Ratcliff
Population: 55,000 humans, a couple thousand
gobbers and trollkin
Military: New Larkholm has a small garrison
of troops. Hundreds of additional soldiers and
mercenaries repeatedly pass through by ship.
Imports: Textiles, wheat, wood
Exports: Coal, gold, iron, manufactured goods
The very spot where the city of New Larkholm
stands has been the site of more than one terrible
tragedy. During the Orgoth invasion, thousands of
the conquering foreigners devastated the town of
Larkholm with their magic and might, murdering the
residents and burning the buildings to the ground.
In time, the skulls and ashes were cleaned away and a
new city arose on the site of the previous settlement. In
242 AR, Cryxian reavers sacked the place and started
a fire along the waterfront that spread throughout the
entire city. Once more, Larkholm burned down to
mostly frames and ash. A royal decree was thereupon
issued by King Woldred in 277 for a new city to be
constructed on the remains of the old, this time with a
massive hill fortress overlooking the sea. The fortress
was placed under military command to dissuade the
Cryxians from ever again attempting to make forays
onto Cygnaran soil. This strategy seemed to work. Very
few invaders have tried to land anywhere near the fort,
and when they have, they have always been decisively
repelled.
Because of its position, New Larkholm is called
the “Gateway to the Seas.” The Mercarian League has
adopted the fortified and well-placed city as one of
its base ports, so New Larkholm contains hundreds
of luxuriant manors. Merchants feel that the harbor
is ideal for their purpose, and the League pledges
large portions of its resources to maintain the city
in exchange for royal tax concessions. As one might
expect, the League has gained considerable power
here and pushes smaller merchant companies to the
sidelines. Without a counterbalance to their influence,
Mercarian officials have become the unofficial rulers
of New Larkholm with the commander of the hill
fortress as one of their primary allies.
Recently though, the situation in the city has
changed. The current ranking noble of the region,
Earl Mosley, sees Mercarian power as a threat to the
economic stability; this has not made him fast friends
of either the League officials or the city’s commander.
At the moment the situation is quite unstable, and
the residents have become anxious with the ongoing
tension between the earl and the commander along
with his Mercarian allies. In fact, some observers
believe it is only a matter of time before outright
violence erupts in the city streets.
Noted Persons
Lady Haley Hadley (female Caspian Rog6): In
some circles, Lady Hadley is referred to as “the earl’s
good right arm” since she is Earl Mosley’s prime agent
in New Larkholm. She acts on his behalf in numerous
capacities including spying on the Mercarian League.
In this capacity she frequently employs outsiders to the
city, so the earl can plausibly deny his connection to
their activities. Lady Hadley is the earl’s lover as well as
a consummate professional who never does anything
that could adversely affect the earl’s reputation or
standing in Caspia. Even so, she is not above dirty
tricks to achieve her goals, and she encourages those
she hires to think similarly.
Prelate Phineas Herber (male Midlunder Clr7):
Prelate Herber heads the local church of New
Larkholm. His congregation is large, consisting
primarily of locals in addition to a steady influx of
sailors and naval merchantmen. Herber once served
in the Cygnaran navy himself, so he understands those
who make their living on the sea. For that reason he
is respected by Earl Mosley, which in turn puts him at
odds with the commander despite his best efforts to
maintain amity with him and his supporters. He can
often be found meditating in the chancel or visiting
with the monks of the priory.
Earl Harlan Mosley (male Caspian Ftr13): Earl
Mosley is the lord mayor of New Larkholm and
governs the entire Cloutsdowns province. He is a
former captain in the Cygnaran navy and his missing
right arm is evidence of how much he is willing to give
in defense of king and country. He retains a distinctly
military bearing and many of his intimates still address
him as “captain” rather than “lord.” Unfortunately,
Mosley is not much of a politician and is viewed as a