City of Issil

**Languages:**Issillian, Talashari, Tradespeak

**Coat of Arms:** Iron dragon, elm tree and crown on vertically divided blue and green shield.

The city Issil is the capital of the kingdom of Issillia, *the Emerald Kingdom*, but it predates that nation by hundreds of years. In the distant past, Issil was the capital of the Iltaan Empire, and the architecture of old Issil bears testimony to that fact with its high-rising greenstone buildings.

Issil is Issillia's center of power. It is in Issil that King Cale Doranis resides, along with all the members of the High Council. It is in Issil that the nation's largest army, the Iron Dragon Legion is stationed. It is in Issil that all the important decisions are made. So naturally, most of Issillia's important persons choose to live in Issil. That is not to say that there aren't important persons elsewhere, but when it comes to business and politics, Issil is the city where it happens.

## Economy

Issil's economy is based on trade. Issil exports ironware, silverware, pottery, weapons, carved greenstone, and the highly valued armor made of the fireproof bark of the Tangalorn tree in the Greenshade/Talashar forest. Its primary trading partners are Vyl Talashar , Tarnoth, Kholdrath and Brezzenta.

## Government

The supreme ruler of Issillia is King Cale Doranis , but he does not rule the city of Issil and the kingdom of Issillia alone. He is assisted in such matters by the High Council, which consists of the heads of the most important noble houses in Issillia.

## Geography

Situated in the Bay of Issil on the northern coast of the continent of Korthas, Issil streches five miles from Iron Dragon Keep to Castle Doranis and four miles from Westgate to Eastgate.

The Glimmering River runs through Issil’s Market District and Waterfront District before it flow into the Bay of Issil.

#### **Districts:**

##### **The Waterfront District**

The Waterfront District's sloping streets lead down toward a large sheltered harbor and an ishtmus reaching into the Bay of Issil. A great greenstone castle is built on the ishtmus. It is Castle Doranis, home of Issillia's ruler, King Cale Doranis . A great magical elm tree stands in the courtyard of Castle Doranis. The Unwithering Elm of Issil. It has never withered, and it is said that the nation won't fall until the tree withers. Each year the vylaan of Vyl Talashar come to Issil during the Festival of Gaundalur and gather in the courtyard where they perform the Greenkeeping Ritual on the tree.

The Waterfront District is cut in half by the Glimmering River. On the west side of the river's outflow into the Bay of Issil is the Docks, bordering the Commons and Market District, a place where the dock workers and sailors hustle and bustle in the day and get drunk and rowdy at night. Many shady dives can be found in the Docks, but it is also the place where great and magnificent issillian ships lay anchored. East of the river lies the Waterfront Promenade, a place where only the wealthiest nobles can afford to live. Expensive shops, cafes and art galleries line the Promenade along with beautiful houses.

##### **Dawnbringer's Heights**

The Dawnbringer's Cathedral towers over the city of Issil from Dawnbringer's Heights. Located next to the cathedral is the Guardian's Gauntlet, the keep that houses the Shining Swords, the paladin order of Auluras Amathane.

##### **Government District**

The Government District lies just before the ishtmus where Castle Doranis is. It is the administrative district of Issil and is centered around the impressive Council Hall. Many issillian nobles live in the Government District in large greenstone manors around King's Park. The temple of Gaundalur in Issil, the Great Greenhouse, lies in the Government District. When you enter the Great Greenhouse, it is like stepping into a small forest. The Green Glaives, the only existing paladin order of Gaundalur, belong to the Great Greenhouse in Issil, and they are lead by the vylaan Jhanavyr Chalavath, who is also the ambassador of Vyl Talashar .

##### **Malengarion District**

Named after the legendary iron dragon that protected the city of Issil in the Age of Iltaan, the Malengarion District is the military district of Issil. A large keep rises from the center of the district. It is the Iron Dragon Keep, home of the Iron Dragon Legion lead by Knight-Commander Rhildym Barldreth.

##### **Market District**

Market District is Issil's financial and mercantile center. It is built around a large marketplace, which the Glimmering River cuts through on its way to the sea. Its streets are lined with all manner of shops, from tanners to jewelers. The large marketplace itself is bustling with merchants and customers during the day, and at night there is different types of entertainment at the large stage in the middle of the marketplace. The city's largest inn, The Scarlet Tanager, can be found by Iridam's Bridge, the bridge in the middle of the Market District, which crosses the Glimmering River.

##### **Thaldon District**

Thaldon District is Issil's academic district where the schools, academies and universities are located. At its center lies Thandalyn's Grove Park, one of the city's beautiful parks tended to by the clerics of Gaundalur. The largest building in the Thaldon District is the Thaldon University, where students are taught history, finances, languages, military strategy, and magic. The district is named after the great aratheël scholar Thandalyn Thaldon who used to reside in Issil. The Whitestaff Tower rises high above the Thaldon District and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. It is home to Aldramath Whitestaff, the leader of the Issilian Mages' Guild. The Grand Mystic's Sanctum, the temple of Myrdin Many-Colors, can also be found in the Thaldon District. The priest in charge of the Grand Mystic's Sanctum is named Ghandil Tomestacker. The Thaldon District's largest inn is called The Solemn Scholar.

##### **Silvergleam District**

The Silvergleam District is named after Silvergleam Keep, the sibilunite temple, monastery and hospital which lies in the center of the district. It is a beautiful building and its bronze roofs glows in the moonlight. The leader of the sibilunites of Silvergleam Keep, who call themselves Sibilune's Daughters, is Alythera Caldara, and she is the high priestess of Sibilune in Issillia.

##### **Telmeth Commons**

Named after the legendary iltaani king whom Sibilune fell in love with (according to legend), Telmeth Commons is where the city's less wealthy inhabitants live. Telmeth Commons is the largest district in Issil and unlike the rest of the city, most of the houses in the Telmeth Commons are wooden.

##### **The Waterworks**

Sometimes referred to as the Ninth District, the Waterworks is the vast sewer system beneath Issil. There are entrances to the Waterworks all over the city, and many of Issil's less favorable elements reside in the Waterworks.

It is said that the Waterworks are home to thieves, were-rats, goblins and otyughs, and the city guard rarely ventures down there.

## History

Founded in -893 DE in the Age of Iltaan by Telmeth, the first king of Iltaan, Issil has existed for 2140 years, and is in fact the oldest city in the world.