Silverkeep

**Ruler**
 **Overlord**
 **Resident Houses**
 **Settlements**
 **Beliefs**
* Shamanism (secondary}
 **Founded**

**Silverkeep** is the capital city of the Barony of Middlehaven, and is the baronial seat in the County of Farburgh. Originally, this bustling node of trade was but a mere mining camp, but after the discovery of several extensive ore deposits, Silverkeep has become a city large enough to rival even that of Starkfeste, with it's own strong walls and four, great watchtowers at each corner of said walls. It maintains a healthy trade rivalry with the Nightport, and the current Count of Farburgh resides within.

## Culture

Silverkeep's people stick their noses up at other people within the Duchy of Zollern, primarily that of those who reside within the counties of Densewood Thicket and Northfront View, for to the 'elevated' merchant-burghers believe them to be lowly and backwoods peasants. With the heavy influx of trade and a route leading to Hearthglen, many travelers, traders, and merchants pass through Silverkeep, and thusly the worship of the Holy Light is more prevalent here than in anywhere else in Zollern.

The merchant-burghers enjoy a lavish lifestyle, financed by their rich ores, making them almost - some say indeed - wealthier than that of their overlords of House Hillegas. With such wealth, comes great power, and the rich bourgeoisie have hired their own private army of sorts, the forces manning their watchtowers, patrolling their streets, and guarding their walls and gates and checkpoints.

## History

### Founding

Silverkeep was originally a mining settlement, settled first by hopeful prospectors and denizens of the county who had moved ever westward from the originating point of Zollern. However, once the people found thorium, truesilver, gold, and silver, they quickly enacted a plan to construct their walls to greedily own the ores for themselves. When news broke of such riches to be had, many flocked to join in the "Ore Rush".

### Post-"Ore Rush"

After a steady population was maintained and the first walls were laid, the denizens of the still-unnamed mining settlement built their headquarters at the top of a hill closest to their most precious mountain. Then, construction was continued with the most essential necessities, and the wall was fixed up and properly built around these 'important' places. The rest of the town was built outside of the inner walls, and a strong, firm outer wall was then connected around that. With the primary layout of the town now finished, the soon-to-be merchant-burghers dubbed their newfound settlement "Silverkeep". They hired their private army and constructed their four, great watchtowers and have remained a trading and economic powerhouse in the Duchy of Zollern ever since.

### Present Day

Many of the greedier mercenaries and the once-displaced rich flocked to Silverkeep of old when Burchard and his loyalists reclaimed the Duchy of Zollern, and over time, have gotten the operation up and running again. Burchard has done well to remind the merchant-burghers who their overlord is, and how indebted they are to him for the campaign for Zollern. They tithe adequate wealth to Lord Hillegas, and export ores for several trade agreements. However, one cannot help but wonder if these aristocratic elites truly obey his command, or if it is masked with resentment. To help aid with such intrigue and to ensure loyalty of the city, Burchard proclaimed the House of Arcturus to be the new ruling house of Farburgh, making Caiaphas Arcturus the new Count of Farburgh. As such, their capital is Silverkeep.

## Houses

House Hillegas is the overlord of Silverkeep, as they reign control over the entire Duchy of Zollern. Until Lord Hillegas establishes a vassal in control of the County of Farburgh, the denizens of Silverkeep pay their taxes and tithes to House Hillegas directly.

A council of rich bourgeoisie, dubbed the Merchant-Burghers, control trade and politics in the settlement. They hold a monopoly of the resources within the mines that make up the territories of Silverkeep within Middlehaven, and their wealth allowed them to finance a private army/garrison to keep their order and peace intact.

House Arcturus is the current resident house of note within Silverkeep. They are the ruling house of the county entirely, with Caiaphas Arcturus being Count of Farburgh. Their loyalty is not just to House Hillegas, but all of Lordaeron itself, equally trusted by Burchard for their hatred of the Undead as well.