Athadise

The city of Athadise is a city of varied races located to the northeast of Ereyn. The population is approximately 12,000 and is primarily human, with half-elves, halflings, half-orcs and dwarves falling behind them, while other races are found at ratios of less than 1%.

It was once regarded as a capital of its own growing kingdom until King Theinald lead a witch hunting expedition from which he did not return. The remaining noble houses of Athadise then consolidated power, replaced the theocratic monarchy with a purely congressional system. This broad series of changes resulted in a small renaissance, as wide, sweeping changes and revisions to local law allowed its citizens new freedom of expression.

[Hundreds of years] since that time period, Athadise now resembles a capitalist oligarchy. Wealth disparity is significant, giving rise to differences in education, quality of life, and access to basic goods & services. This, in turn, fueled the revival of religious fundamentalism, superstitions, discrimination, and even fanaticism in the lower classes. The ruling class has responded by expanding its ever-growing list of laws and ordinances, while dissolving its army to focus on policing the streets, maintaining order, and protecting the status quo.

History

The city of Athadise was founded [over a thousand] years ago when human settlers sought the location of a falling star. This uncommon, but unremarkable natural occurrence led to the creation of a mining town, as superstitious and rumor-prone individuals thought that the fallen star would grant them a wish. While no such 'star' was ever found, what instead resided beneath the earth were veins rich with iron and precious metals. As mining companies took root the then-township of Athadise, the rumor of fallen stars was quickly discarded for more tangible promises of wealth. Businesses expanded, residences were built, and even as the rush for riches trickled out, a permanent establishment remained.

[Hundreds of years] later, a pastor named Father Brecht claimed that he woke from a divine vision, and then traveled into the abandoned mines without aid or company. What he found there, if anything, is the subject of much scrutiny and debate, but upon his return he revealed a large piece of star-shaped metal that he believed to be the lost star from ages past. He declared that, in his vision, he was commanded by [a celestial being] to retrieve this object and fashion it into a crown, as it was by divine decree that a messenger of [religion] must lead the people to righteousness. This set a series of events in motion that would give rise to a theocracy within Athadise.

For generations thereafter, Kings and Queens in Athadise ruled through divine right -- each a direct descendant or intentional recipient to the Holy Crown.

The Last King & the Witch of Autumn

One Spring, near the neighboring town of Hermit's Hollow (a small extension of the city of Athadise), local farmers began reporting unusual agricultural activity. Flowers, trees, and even the soil itself seemed devoid of life. Crops seemed impossible to grow, and that which had already taken root had been withered away, or would do so if transplanted into the area. Peculiarly, the trees themselves bore only brown leaves, if any leaves at all. The land itself appeared to be blighted and cursed.

The news fell on deaf ears, resulting in an informal militia being formed to rout the source. The peasants who made up this band of would-be heroes did not return. The resulting panic and outcry for action was far more difficult to ignore, and it was amplified by the fact that the curse seemed to be spreading to other fields and crops. It was at this time King Theinald, in the face of a noble court (who served as a voice, but also a filter, for the concerns of the laboring class), took action. Gathering a contingent of his bravest knights and paladins, they took the woods where the corruption was rooted.

Bizarrely, as they did so, the corruption spread. It moved northward for a time, then up into the hills. Theinald pressed forward. Missives were received from his contingent that they had caught the trail of a witch with a bizarre aura of entropy. In his final letters, he declared that it claimed the lives of some of his men, but the righteous and pure remained to hunt her, and that they would do so until she no longer threatened Athadise.

Three years passed without word from King Theinald. The city was in turmoil, as critical and larger decisions needed to be made but could not without his authority. The noble courts took charge in his absence to form a congress amongst themselves, making any such decisions quickly and democratically. To do this, they officially declared that the King had died for Athadise in pursuit of the witch.

Theinald's body was never recovered, and he did not return to reclaim the throne. Furthermore, the last relic of Athadise's monarchy, the so-called "Holy Crown" was lost to time.