Anchorage

Anchorage sits on the southern shores of the province. It is protected by impossibly thick stone walls, older than the city itself. ~~Nine~~ Eight merchant lords, each residing over a mercantile monopoly, rule the city as a council, from the Lord Home. Trade and commerce is the language of Anchorage, and anyone with skills or knowledge is welcome to bring their value to the city, *"work is gold, and gold is power".* Anchorage sits off a body of water known as Auremeg's Gulf. This once acknowledged the powerful Dragon Turtle who protected the waters, but now only serves as a reminder of the dangers against which the shores are now unguarded.

Across the sea, beyond the Countless Isles, is the home of the orcs. From there, half-orc refugees often flee, ending up within the walls of Anchorage for safety. Due to this, Anchorage sees the highest proportion of half-orcs in the province.

## Important Places

### The Lord Home

The center of the city houses a great marble building, whose doors are ever-guarded, and whose torches are ever-lit. Nine thrones sit high in the great hall of the Lord Home, and in these is always sat at least one of the Merchant Lords. Often critical advisors stand at the unoccupied seats, unable to sit, or pass judgement, but who can record proceedings, and relate them to their lords. The Lord Home is Anchorage's seat of power, and the court in which all public disputes are held.

### Mobal's Creatorium

The Merchant Lord of magic and lore is known elsewhere as the province's foremost expert in conjuration and necromancy. Due to this, his district rests beneath his great stone tower.

## Important People

### The Merchant Lords

#### ~~Fracus, the Lord of Waves~~ (deposed)

The once Monopolist of Fishing and Boats. His ploy for power was discovered and thwarted, leaving control of the docks in an uneasy alliance between the 8 remaining Lords.

## History

### Ancient History

Long ago, in the Kingdom before Kings, a great sailing ship made of stone sailed ashore in Auremeg's Gulf. The minutia of its crew and purpose were lost to time, but the stones of its great hull still stood. The deck collapsed, the hold filled with soil, until all that remained were its stone walls. In the 3rd era, peoples sailing on the sea, escaping their own foreign horrors, landed within the protection of the great walls and found a mountain of gold beneath the surface. Continuing their excavation, they unearthed a massive iron anchor, and kept it untouched, half buried in the ground. This place they called Anchorage, and themselves they called Lords.

### Modern History

In recent times, the protection of the Gulf has altered, though the namesake is kept. Auremeg abandoned his gulf in search of more fertile waters, and in his wake, savagery spawned. Sahuagin raiders, orcish pirates and Kua-toan cultists roost in the vacuum left in Auremeg's absence. All that is left to protect the shores is the crew of The Bolt, and the fleet who follow them.

Fracus, the Lord of Waves, was partially responsible for Auremeg's absence, and he paid the price for his dark plot. His death left the port without Lordship, and instead of a new Lord being named, the remaining Lords split the value of the port amongst themselves, sharing in an uneasy alliance for its control.