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

222 Iron Kingdoms
108.1.141.197
years ago when the southern tower and curtain wall
collapsed into rubble after a violent earthquake—a
happenstance which Porsk and nearby Skirov
periodically endure. The city still uses the citadel as a
storage facility for surplus goods and as extra housing
for troops, but most soldiers quarter at Rivergate.
Rivergate Bridge: This bridge extends across the
Bitterock River, and it is covered with a long narrow
building housing the controls for the first lock leading
into the city. Rivergate also serves as the main barracks
for the city’s garrison of Winter Guard. Built to house
far fewer troops, the barracks provide only cramped
quarters, but with soldiers constantly coming from
and going to the front, Queen Ayn has no plans to
renovate the facilities despite officers’ requests. The
lock controls here are actually a combination of gears
and levers only a skilled technician should operate, as
a novice could open the wrong gate and run a ship
aground—or worse flood half the city. For this reason,
only the seven chief mechanics who live in Porsk carry
key-gears.
Temple of Salvation: A small temple to the
Lawgiver, it once held services and housed a written
copy of the Canon of the True Law. It has graying stone
walls, a rounded apex with a weather-worn menofix,
and room enough for perhaps fifty patrons. Now
the small building stands practically empty save for
straggling Menite worshippers making occasional
prayers and offerings. No services currently exist
however, for the temple’s priests have answered the
Hierarch’s call. The authorities now seek them, for it
seems they took valuable relics and artifacts along with
them on their pilgrimage.
Port Vladovar
In Power: Posadnik Ysak Smyvalov, backed by
Bolshik Marshall Piotr Ustinov
Population: 250,000 (human, mostly Khard), 2000
trollkin
Military: Port Vladovar is a major naval port housing
the bulk of the Khadoran fleet. The city has a large
permanent garrison of Winter Guard and a moderate
contingent of warjacks. In times of need, reinforcements
can be called in from nearby Borstov.
Imports: Textiles, vegetables
Exports: Fish, whale oil
Centuries ago, Ord occupied Vladovar and called
it Radahvo, but negotiations with the current queen’s
namesake, Ayn Vanar V, resulted in Khador formallly
annexing the port in 313 AR. Today Port Vladovar is
the largest naval base in the Motherland, and only
Ohk surpasses it in marine trade. The port is never
slow, and naval sloops direct the heavy ship traffic to
avoid messy collisions or clogged seaways.
The city itself is treated as a naval fortress. Three
heavy artillery batteries protect Port Vladovar,
stationed at a Khadoran fortress known as Borstov
Landing. The batteries can quickly move to any
position along Kulvorn Bay thanks to a modified set
of railway lines specially built for this purpose. If the
threat of these hull-splitting cannonades does not sway
a seaborne threat, the dozens of armored warships
always present in the bay should. By land the port is
no more vulnerable. Winter Guard and their warjack
allies are always prepared to meet any adversary, while
a dozen heavy mortar emplacements on the city’s walls
can pound an enemy as they advance.
Besides the normal trade and military ships
flowing in and out of the quays, a number of whaling
vessels operate out of the port. Whale meat and oil is
processed at the farthest end of the docks and makes
for a very lucrative business for those who can stomach
the work. Among the whalers is a kriel of trollkin who
approach the hunting and harvesting of whales as
an almost holy undertaking. They tattoo and brand
themselves as marks of honor to signify their kills and
follow a thuggish trollkin named Rathroar.
Vladovar has direct ties to Ord and sees a great deal
of traffic from the infamous city of Five Fingers. Ordic
crime families have several footholds in Vladovar,
but none of them have any particular semblance of
control as of yet. Khador has far too strong a military
presence to harbor the kind of organizations plaguing
Five Fingers, but cutthroats and pirates still frequent
the seaside and other rundown sectors. “Only a fool
travels alone in the Port at night.”
Winds of War
the khadoran navy is preparing to join the Battle Whether
called against ord or cygnar. they have no target yet, But
arming and Wartime training has Begun in vladovar. drills
take place at all hours, and cannon practice rings across
the Bay at staggered intervals. ashore the marines are
edgy and spoiling for a fight, Waiting for the day the Bells