Richtersveld

City and slums of Richtersveld

The Capital of Arnstein where most of the court make their homes, as well as the dregs of the country. The city is split into several districts, the crown district, the Wards and the Underwards. Each are crowded with all differing types of people, with almost their own unique cultures. The Castle is set atop a hill in the Crown district the most downriver of river which flows into lake Halfrid, and the rest of  the city runs along on both sides in a haphazard array, with the Underwards spilling out in the flood plains to the north and even some built underneath the cities great bridges. There are many old walls built here and there showing the old city limits however no new ones have ever been built around the Underwards, the king electing to reinforce the castle walls.

## Places in Richtersveld

### Crownsview

(*Kronenansicht*) - burgandy

This sparsely populated section of the city is home to the nobility and ultimately the Monarch of Arnstein. Walled in by thick old walls are kept the manors and grand castle. This is the oldest part of Richtersveld, as well as the highest point. It is surrounded in part by the Gardenward and has acres of manicured yards. The other noble houses which have been built there are dwarfed by the size of the Castle.

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### Wallwards

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The places where the people of Richtersveld live. The housing here is mostly rows upon rows of townhouses most the nondescript from others.

#### Steinmarkt

The market of the town is located here as well as many of the offices of the general management of the country. There’s much to see here and large avenues of cobbled stone allow for several horses and carts to crowd the streets at once.

### the Gardenward (Wal Coetir)

green

The Gardenward is a neighbourhood of a perfectly manicured forest. It’s a green belt that hugs the westernmost side of Richtersveld creating a natural wall for that part of the city. The Gardenward was created by wild elves that, it is said, owed a great favour to the Forgotten King and had given their word that they would look over their kingdom until the forest no longer grew. It is also thought that they watch over the grave of that king, which rests under the great mother tree.

These Wild elves have distanced themselves from their ancient roots and traditions. They are the only part of the empire who can legally worship a god not of the approved three. Mieliki is their patron as they still continue to tether themselves to the wilds and nature. The followers allow others to join their ranks though they must pass rigorous tests to see if they are worth. These paladins are called the Shadoweir.

### The Underwards

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A place far hidden away from the castle’s sight, the Underwards provide the living quarters for the low life’s of the city. Most here are either trying to work their way out by living an honest life, or have accepted their situation and have doubled down. Most of the population here are made up of Unavowed Dwarves, Urban Elves, Kenku, halfers and the largest concentration of Tieflings in the kingdom. There are several gangs that vie for turf, the biggest being the Hunde family, and the Nieder family, one mostly elves the other a mix of Dwarves and humans. The Tieflings rarely get involved with that business but rather stick to themselves.

### The Vanir Institute

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The large university dedicated to learning and understanding the forces of the planes. It is the one place in Arnstein people are allowed to seek knowledge about the arcane but the school is not dedicated to it however there is studies there for mundane alechemy. There is a new faculty for invention of mechanics.

## Groups In Richtersveld

### The Shadow Court

The underground criminal organizations which have their hold on the seedier parts of Richtersveld and, for the more successful heads, the kingdom are referred to as Families. This term traditionally arose because the original organizations were a true family affair, mafia-like, but more recently and since the country fell to the Empire it is just a nod to that past. Most now are tight knit groups of individuals who have been recruited into the life when they were young.