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<center>'''Avlis Countries:''' {{AvlisCountries}}</center><br>
<center>'''Avlis Cities:''' {{AvlisCities}}</center><br>
<center>'''Seven Cities:''' {{SevenCities}}</center><br>
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On the western tip of Avlis sit the Seven Cities. Known for their racial diversity, the cities are home to orcs, humans, elves, halflings, gnomes and other races.  
{{NationInfo
|NationTitle = [[Image:SevenCities.JPG|thumb|300px]]
|NationIcon = [[Image:SevenCitiesMap_Detailed.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
|NationIconCaption = Map of The Seven Cities
|NationName = The Seven Cities
|NationAlias = The Confederation
|NationSize = 6,384,000
|NationCapital = City of [[Crosstreams]]
|NationArea = 15,000 sq. miles/39,000 km2
|NationRegion = Western [[Negaria]]
|NationRuler = Lord Heiram Sleighton (Governor of Crosstreams)
|NationGovt = Confederation
|NationMilitary = Confederate Army of Bulwark, Andarr Confederate Navy.  Each city has its own independent militia that can be called upon when the city is threatened.
|NationRaces = 30% Human, 20% Orc, 25% Various Half-Races (Half-Fey, Half-Orc, Half-Elf, etc.), 10% Dwarven, 5% Gnomish, 5% Elven, 10% Other 
|NationLang = Confederate Common, Royal Dobrekanic
|NationReligion = Nearly every faith on Avlis is represented in The Seven Cities
|NationImports = Foodstuffs, metal ores, luxury goods, lumber, cotton, etc.  
|NationExports = Manufactured goods, weaponry, luxury goods, ships
|NationTrade = [[Kurathene]] Empire (major trading partner), [[Brekon]] (major trading partner), [[Dubunat]] (minor trading partner, frequent enemy), [[T%27Nanshi|T’Nanshi]] (minor trading partner), [[Deglos]] (major trading partner), [[Galdos]] (minor trading partner), [[M%27Chek|M’Chek]] (major trading partner), [[Toran Shaarda]] (major trading partner)
}}


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== The Cities ==
[[Image:Sevencitiesmap.jpg|thumb|500px|Map of the Seven Cities]]
The names of the cities are Redgate, Andarr, Dormiria, Stalwart, Crosstreams, Malekia and Bullwark. From these cities streams the second largest system of trade in all of Avlis. Information on some of the cities follows:


''“No place is home to more beauty and more squalor, more virtue and vice, more good and evil than the Seven Cities. It is where diplomats, soldiers, merchants and wanderers make their home away from home. It is a place for new beginnings, old friendships and converging paths. This is the Seven Cities.”'' –Khaled Thamaea, A Chronicler’s Tales of the Confederation
''The Seven Cities Confederation'' known colloquially as '''The Seven Cities''' is a collection of semi-autonomous city-states located on the western coast of [[Negaria]]. The Confederation sits at the cross-roads of [[Negaria]], where individuals from all over the world gather in pursuit of their ambitions. Each of the Seven Cities represents a distinct synthesis of regional cultures and their uneasy internal politics is a microcosm of the continent as a whole. Filled with opportunities and pitfalls, the Seven Cities Confederation is the destination of adventurers, gamblers and those simply looking for a new way of life.
==History of The Seven Cities==
Western Negaria has been a major center of civilization and conflict between the great powers of Avlis since the Age of Immortals. The creation of these charter cities made the region a center of commerce that has straddled the influence of major empires to the north and south. The wealth of The Seven Cities and its cultural diversity has also made it an attractive target for ambitious rulers. As a consequence the history of this region is one of intrigue and conflict. The region that is now occupied by The Seven Cities remained sparsely populated early in the history of the mortal races. Sporadic populations and villages emerged after the orcs had been driven to the west coast during [[The Great War]], however the region around the Divalok River where the cities are located was never heavily populated.
===Early History (Age of Dawning – 14th Century A.O.D.)===
''“With the firm belief and conviction that upon the foundation and strength of trade that a nation’s fate rests, I, Heneage Mantith Arvanos, Marquess of Arvanos, Earl of Pleides. hereby petition His Imperial Majesty Emperor Joral Kuras the First, Defender of the Faiths, and Lord Protector of the Amelede Islands to a Crown Charter to establish a city upon the Western Coast of Negaria…”'' –Heneage Arvanos
The region now known as the Seven Cities remained sparsely populated well into the Age of Immortals. Small fishing settlements emerged along the Blood Coast after the orcs had settled in Western [[Negaria]] after [[The Great War]], but the Divalok River Delta was left untouched. The Golden Scythe offered a more comfortable climate for orcs with rich farmland, unhindered by the memories of the imminent destruction of their race.


===The City of Red Gate===
Settlement of the banks of the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]] began in earnest around the 3rd century A.O.D as the rise of the Bandit King [[The’ton]] in [[Dubunat]] became a menace to the [[Kurathene|Kurathene Empire]] along its land routes.  The increased importance of sea lanes combined with the short range of ships of the period created a need for a safe harbor between the [[Kurathene]] ports of Kalionin in the [[Trenium]] fiefdom, Brescant in the fiefdom of [[Arvanos]], and the southern nations. The Blood Coast was viewed as an ideal location for a harbor, given its natural depth and easy access to the freshwater from the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]]. Temporary trading settlements appeared along the coast, but there was no concerted effort to expand these into permanent ports. Starting in 317 A.O.D., the emperor gave out six imperial charters to the six most prominent noble families involved in foreign trade:  the Tochi’larian, Arvanos, Crullath, Clairvont, Al’Aere, and Tyeduan families, who established the cities of [[Andarr]], [[Dormiria]], [[Red Gate]], [[Stalwart]], [[Bullwark]], and Conselia (later [[Malekia]]) respectively. Despite competition between the six cities, it was eventually [[Andarr]] and [[Red Gate]], one with its access to a natural deep water harbor, and the other with its access to land routes to [[Brekon]] that came to dominate the delta.
Red Gate is the easternmost city of the confederation making up The Seven Cities. Its gigantic red northern gate, for which the city is named, is always open and facing the orcish capitol city of Brekon. At all hours of the day and night, there is traffic coming in and out of the gate, mainly in the form of caravans carrying goods to and from Brekon.


Because of its location, Red Gate serves as the lifeline for Brekon to the rest of the world. Goods made in that country are brought here so they can be distributed throughout the world, and outside goods are bought here so they can be carted back to the villages within Brekon.
With this growing dominance, the other four cities slowly found other specialized areas of focus. Nearly all of the cities began to offer land to patrician families in The [[Kurathene]] Empire, and it was in the early 5th century A.O.D. that a young knight named Sir Jayden Mourden purchased a tract of land by the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]]. The Mourden family acquired influence over the next two centuries, eventually acquiring their own charter, establishing the County of Crossing Streams in 643 A.O.D.  


The Divalok River runs through the middle of Red Gate. It enters from the east gate and leaves through the west gate where it goes on to flow through the cities of Crosstreams and Andarr, where it terminates in the ocean. This river acts as a natural water highway responsible for driving much of the economy of the Seven Cities and northern Avlis. Goods from Brekon and the other cities are taken down by barge and by ship to Andarr where they are put onto ocean faring vessels and transported to other parts of the world. Red Gate is located at one of the first staging points where the river becomes deep enough for ship travel, and is therefore one of the first places from which goods are shipped.
The volume of trade between the Charter Cities increased exponentially over the next several centuries. Much of it flowed through the County of Crossing Streams in the form of raw materials and manufactured goods. These goods would then be shipped out into the wider world through [[Andarr]] by sea and [[Red Gate]] by land, creating an economic hub that accounted for nearly a quarter of the Empire’s total trade by the 12th century.


The eastern side of the city is a gigantic riverfront marketplace, where goods from all around the continent can be found at various points of their journey to wherever they are going. This marketplace is directly connected to the northern section of Red Gate which is set up as a caravan jump-point. This area is constantly packed with beasts of burden and caravans in various stages of assembly or disassembly. There is no clear demarcation between this section of town and the marketplace. One sort of flows into the other. Beasts of burden slowly give way to storefronts and barge-docks in a seemingly never-ending sprawl of economic activity.
Because of their tolerance of races as a business strategy, the Charter Cities began to attract settlers from all across the continent in search of wealth. As these new citizens assimilated with the existing population, the cities themselves began to incorporate a variety of foreign customs ranging from religion, language to art. With their emphasis upon different trades and types of immigrants, each of the cities began to form their own cultural identities distinct from the Empire.


The center of the city is walled off and reserved for the noble families that run Red Gate. It is usually referred to as the Palatial District, and currently, the noble families there consist mainly of humans, orcs, and elves, though there are a couple of influential halfling business families there.
The volume of trade among these colonies grew further as the years progressed, and in the 7th century the city of [[Crosstreams]] was founded in the County of Crossing Streams at the center of the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]] delta  to better facilitate organization among the various trade guilds and merchants that operated in the region. The cities began to attract more foreign shipping and merchants, as the size and profitability of the ventures committed there rose with every passing year.


The southern district of the city is generally reserved for families with money, usually consisting of successful merchant folk and minor nobles. This part of town is set up so those people can keep themselves occupied with drinking and partying as well as their day-to-day business dealings and living.
This also meant the locals gradually began to assimilate more foreign influences. Everything from racial customs, such as those brought by the dwarven, elven, and gnomish immigrants, to acceptance of foreign religions such as [[Maleki]] and [[The Harpinger]] was incorporated into the existing culture. Each of the Seven Cities began to develop its own distinct cultural identity detached from the [[Kurathene]] Empire, and as the population diversified and grew, the percentage of humans originally from [[Kurathene]] plummeted dramatically.


The general "rabble" of the city lives on the western side and northwestern edge. At the extreme western edge of the city is a small shipyard where ships can be repaired and barges can be fabricated.
Taking advantage of the momentary weakness of the [[Kurathene]] Empire in the 14th century A.O.D., each of the Seven Cities officially declared its independence from the Empire, with Conselia changing its name to [[Malekia]], and each adopting a new and independent form of government distinctly different from its predecessor. The fact that many of the Empire’s legions had been exhausted during the wars with [[Dubunat]] and [[Tyedu]] forced it to acknowledge its cities’ independence.


Because of the nature of Red Gate, it has an extremely diverse population. There are a very large number of orcs living there peacefully, and where there are orcs, there are always goblins and giant-kin as well. Another large portion of the population is made up of gnomes, many of them businesspeople from Deglos who have settled there over the years. Additionally, there are many humans, halflings, elves, dwarves, and a small number of dracon. Fairy races are not common in Red Gate, except for the small pockets of urban sprites which exist in every city on Avlis.
The cities originally were content to consider themselves independent city-states with no central obligation to one another. However frequent attempts by both [[Dubunat]] and [[Brekon]] to annex them began to increase the necessity for a full-fledged confederacy. Thus in 1520 The Seven Cities formed a confederacy, with [[Bullwark]] becoming the acknowledged center for the new Confederate Army and [[Andarr]] the newly established navy.


This racial diversity gives way to religious diversity as well. Red Gate has a shrine to just about any deity you can think of. It has large temples to Valok, Gorethar, Hurine, Aarilax, Fegall, and Berryn. There are also some very small temples to Toran, and Dra'Nar. The temples are located throughout the city in various places.
===Independence and Rise of The Confederation (14th Century – 22nd Century A.O.D.)===


Red Gate's atmosphere is that of a bustling trade center and caravan jump-point. It is an area where east meets west and north meets south, and they all come together to exchange their goods. The attitude of folks in Red Gate is that trade is everything, and anything that disrupts trade is generally not appreciated. They are aware of all the various racial and religious difficulties that abound, and the nobles of Red Gate often go to great lengths to stifle such things and cover them up as they happen.
''“We the Representatives of the Estates of the Charter Cities, hereby Decrees that members of this Assembly Shall take an Oath, Never to Separate nor to Rest until the Constitution of this Realm is Established and Freely Independent from the Crown of the Kurathene Empire.”'' –The Oath of Hawks, 17 Officilun, 1362


The gradual drift away from the [[Kurathene]] Empire came to a head in the 14th century. As the original human population of the Charter Cities was now a minority within the realm, many of the recent immigrants began to question the need to pay taxes and tithes to the Imperial Crown. This agitation was particularly strong in [[Crosstreams]], [[Red Gate]] and [[Andarr]] which had long since shed the vestiges of Imperial nobility in favor of a merchant led oligarchy.


===The City of Andarr===
The Charter Cities had established their own Provincial Council in the 12th century, and had begun to take many of the functions of government from the traditional estates. With the outbreak of war with [[Dubunat]] in 1320, the Council elected to form the Charter Militia Legion, an army independent of the Imperial Army detachments. Over the next two decades, the Council expanded its privileges as the Imperial government became increasingly bogged down in the war in [[Dubunat]].
Andarr is the westernmost city of the confederation making up The Seven Cities. This city serves as a major year-round port for virtually the entire western coast of Avlis. While other cities in the confederation, such as Stalwart and Melekia, have ports of their own, only Andarr's is large enough to accommodate the huge amounts of trade going in and out of the region, and only Andarr's port has all the necessary technology for building, repairing, and maintaining ships of all sizes. In the port of Andarr, you can find ships from all nations conducting trade. Goods from inland areas come down the Divalok River and land in Andarr where they are loaded onto their ships and taken away. Conversely, ships from elsewhere come into Andarr and unload their goods where they are carted up the river to the inland areas. A good portion of these goods are also known to go directly out the northern and southern gates of the city as well. As most citizens will tell you, "Everything stops and starts in Andarr."


Some of the major features of Andarr are that it is bisected by the Valokian River into a northern and southern half, and each of its districts is completely walled in and separate from all the others. The creators of the city felt that this would make it more easily defensible against invaders from the sea who might try to establish a beachhead there. Anyone coming in from the ocean would need to take each district separately as if it were its own tiny little city.
When the war with [[Dubunat]] ended in 1360 with the Empire’s defeat, the Provincial Council led by Governor Sir Michael Hawke of Crosstreams took the first steps toward independence. In 1362 he and the Council signed an oath affirming their commitment to the independence of the Charter Cities. Later in the same year, the individual estates of each city ratified the call for independence.


The docks district is one of the larger sections of Andarr. This area is located on the western shore of the city and serves both as a trade depot and a military rally point for all manner of naval activity. The docks district is so big that it stretches from the northernmost tip of Andarr to the southernmost tip. In effect, the entire western piece of the city is made up of docks and dock-related buildings.
On the first day of the new year in 1363 the Provincial Council of the Charter Cities, with Governor Hawke in the lead presented their declaration of secession to the Imperial Army garrison commander, Legate Warren Hale. Rather than risk bloodshed, Hale accepted the declaration and departed with his garrison for Brescant. When word of the declaration reached the ears of Joral Kuras, he paused, nodded his head and was the first leader to acknowledge the independence of the city-states of [[Andarr]], [[Bullwark]], Conselia, [[Crosstreams]], [[Dormiria]], [[Red Gate]] and [[Stalwart]].


Near the center of the city, and immediately east of the docks, is the Smithing District. The other major commodity which Andarr is known for is metal goods. The government of Andarr is a major importer of iron ore, which is fashioned into all manner of metal implements by the smiths in the smithing district. Many know that the dwarves are the best smiths in the land, but the people in Andarr would argue that that's only true if the dwarf is Andarrian. A large portion of the smiths in Andarr are orcish, and there are even some human and elven ones. Truthfully, the smiths of Andarr are of all races, and no matter which race they are, it is generally accepted that their goods are superior to all but the finest from Galdos and Deglos.
With independence the Provincial Council quickly found itself superseded by local interests. The city of Conselia was the first to secede from the alliance as it renamed itself [[Malekia]]. It was quickly followed by [[Dormiria]], [[Red Gate]] and [[Stalwart]], who sought to avoid paying the costs associated with maintaining the army. With the obligations to the central council removed, the cities quickly started to squabble with one another, leading to an escalating round of trade barriers and skirmishes over territory lines.


To the north and south of the Smithing District are residential areas where the large population of Andarr makes its go at living. The two residential districts, with the Smithing District in between them, are all adjacent to the docks. East of these districts is the largest district of Andarr, the Business District. The bulk of Andarr's economic and governmental activity takes place here. Goods that are brought down by boat are sold in a small market if desired. However, the majority of the space in this district is used by trading companies who conduct imports and exports. The sprawling mass of buildings in this district goes for the entire length of the city from north to south.
The nations of [[Dubunat]] and [[Brekon]] found the squabbling city-states in the Delta to be an attractive prize. Over the next century and a half, both nations sent expeditions to annex one or more of the cities, which were driven off repeatedly by a coalition of militias from [[Crosstreams]], [[Bullwark]] and [[Andarr]]. After a particularly large invasion attempt in 1518 by [[Dubunat]], the Lord Governor Curtis Allendale of Andarr proposed that the seven city-states form a confederation as a common defense against their enemies, and to mediate disputes between the cities. Six months of tense negotiations later the final Confederate Charter was ratified by all seven cities.
With their security assured by their shared commitment to defense, The Seven Cities steadily gained influence and wealth. The death of Joral Kuras in 1815 and the subsequent collapse of the Second Imperium helped fuel this growth. By the end of the Age of Strife in the 22nd century, The Seven Cities Confederation had become the center of civilization and culture on Avlis, the envy of all civilized nations.


East of the business district are two more walled-in sections, one to the north of the river and one to the south. Both are residential in nature, however the one to the south tends to include houses of wealthier families. In the northeastern residential district, there are many taverns and other establishments for fun and pleasure, and the residents of Andarr often refer to this place as the Tavern District, though officially it is still known as the Northeastern Residential District.
The prosperity of The Seven Cities led to the flowering of egalitarian values, particularly within [[Crosstreams]]. Though the wealthy mercantile families had steadily entrenched themselves as new nobility, there was a gradual move toward creating greater political opportunities for the common class. The governors of [[Crosstreams]] and [[Dormiria]] became positions chosen by popular vote, while the Confederate Estates-General was diversified with the addition of a third estate made of tax-paying citizens, with the franchise opened to all citizens of the Confederation.


As in all seven cities, the population of Andarr is diverse. However, because of Andarr's strategic location, there is a lot of outside influence from other governments. The lords of Andarr are closely tied to various Kurathene nobles, such as the goodly Lord Arvanos, and the much defamed Lord Crullath. It is not uncommon to see ships from the various Kurathene nobles docked at this port. For many, Andarr is the stopping point along the journey to the Kurathene from points south, and it has gained a reputation as a decent place to make business transactions and dealings between multiple parties. For everyone wishing to make their presence known in The Seven Cities, Andarr is one of the best places to start their work. Its central location lends itself to this.
==Major Geographic Features==


[[Image:Sevencitiesmap.jpg|thumb|500px|Map of the Seven Cities]]


===The City of Dormiria===
The Seven Cities occupies a delta where several rivers branching off from the [[Spriteblood River]] flow out to the ocean.  As such, it contains lush vegetation and fertile soil that was carried westward from farther inland.  Its location also makes it a major crossing point for trade goods going out to and coming in from ships, which then proceed either northward to The [[Kurathene]] and [[Tyedu]] or southward to [[Toran Shaarda]], [[Mikona]] and beyond.
Also known as The City of Refugees, Dormiria is located on the northeast corner of the land that contains The Seven Cities right on the border with the orcish nation of Brekon.  


Dormiria is a popular place for those who are fleeing the laws of other nations or groups because it has a very lenient government that does not look kindly upon intrusions by outside forces to affect their own justices. For orcish refugess it is especially popular because it is easy to get to, yet not as frequented by orcish officials as the city of Red Gate, which is much closer to the orcish capitol city of Brekon.
===Blackwater Fenn===


This makes the city a breeding ground for all those who are disaffected with deities like Valok and The'ton, and those who wish to engage in activities not looked kindly upon by the orcish nations. Many of the rising numbers of orcish mages can be found here because of that, and some of these folk are managing to gain a foothold in the Dormirian government as well.  
Blackwater Fenn is one of the largest forests on the delta containing [[The Seven Cities]] and home to what is thought to be the largest population of fairy-kin in the area.  This makes it a popular camping and expatriation site for settlers that come from [[T'Nanshi]] and [[Elysia]], but the cover of the woods also makes it a dangerous haven for bandits and those that live outside the law. Criminals fleeing justice from [[The Seven Cities]] frequently band together here and ply their trades of murder, robbery, and pillaging.


Naturally, this neutrality and seeming propensity to harbor outlaws puts Dormiria at odds with its orcish neighbor, and quite a few skirmishes have broken out in Brekon's attempts to force its way in after one of its interests. Because of the position it enjoys as part of the condederacy of The Seven Cities, Dormiria is unafraid of Brekon and uses these benefits to its solid advantage.
===Blackwater River===


The term "refugee" does not describe objectively whether a creature is unseedy or benign whatsoever. Thus, personalities and races of all kinds can be found in Dormiria. Unfortunately, many of them are paranoid in nature, but they currently have confidence in the government to protect them from outside nabbers.  
The Blackwater River is a branch of the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]] that splits off right in the middle of the City of [[Crosstreams]] to terminate at the ocean on the western coast of [[Negaria]] within the City of [[Andarr]].  Its depth allows it to carry heavy ship traffic back and forth between the two cities and as such it acts as a major trade and defensive artery for the confederation.


On the other hand, this paranoia is also counterproductive to Dormirian culture and economics. The city port is used more often to smuggle persons out of the area than it is used to bring in goods for sale or trade. A large personal protection trade has risen up because of this, and many of the best bodyguards and caravan protectors can be found here, which makes them Dormiria's largest export.
===Blood Coast===


Some of the refugees have managed to piece together a small merchant economy inside the city, and a market district of sorts has sprung up in the city within the last few decades. One can also find some fairly nice houses in the center district which house the nobles of the city and its government buildings. There is also a highly developed town watch police force based in the east of the city that works to keep meddlers from other governments out of the city, and it is rumored that some of these are actually "secret" guards that go in plain clothes and get involved in underworld deallings in order to pre-empt outside interference.
The coastal area outlining the western edge of the delta where [[The Seven Cities]] reside is known as the Blood Coast.  The name is taken from the bloody battles and wars, both declared and unknown, that have traversed the area. Most of these can be traced back to the competing influences of The [[Kurathene]] and [[Dubunat]]. Notably, a great number of these battles were at sea and not on land.  For most of the way up and down this coast, the beaches are sandy and quickly give way to forested plains, except near the points where rivers empty into the ocean.  Those spots are occupied by cities, like [[Andarr]] and [[Malekia]] where the coast can support embankments and docks.


===Cape Cold===


===The City of Stalwart===
The portion of land jutting out from the northern reaches of the delta is referred to as Cape Cold for its cold water currents coming down from the oceans near [[Tyedu]] and for the occasional Tyeduan raiding parties that have made their way down the coast. This is the farthest known southern point of a Tyeduan raid, since the oceans north of the delta have been patrolled and cleared by the navy of [[Andarr]] since recent memory.
On the northern branch of the Divalok River sits Stalwart, the City of Rich Pleasures. Among all the Seven Cities, Stalwart occupies an interesting position. To the south are three heavily defended cities (Bullwark, Malekia, and Crosstreams). To the west is Andarr, a mighty naval power. To the east are Red Gate and Dormiria which act as a barrier against Brekon's intrustion. Because of the great protection offered by these cities over land and by sea, Stalwart needs to put almost no resources into defending itself. In fact, the city has no walls to speak of.  


When a city does not need to spend large resources to defend itself, and when the river running through a city is not deep enough for large ships, the atmosphere is not good for the business of commerce. Consequently, Stalwart does not have a large port and does not see much ship traffic. This tends to make the goods in the city a little more expensive than elsewhere, and that often makes the city attract a higher class crowd, because many of the goods that do make it in are of very special quality.
===Divalok River===


This combination of factors over the years has turned the city into a sort of playground for the wealthy and adventurous. In Stalwart, the theatre and music may not be as beautiful as in the bardic districts of Crosstreams, but the sheer number of establishments is magnificent to behold. A noble with enough cash in Stalwart can attend to any kind of vice or pleasure he or she wishes. There's gambling, high class prostitution, the finest wines and perfumes, and any other kind of luxury imaginable.  
The [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]]  refers to the largest branch of the [[Spriteblood_River|Spriteblood River]] that flows within the confines of the confederacy. This river is deep and thus is able to carry a great deal of boat traffic from both nations. It is naturally capable of supporting some of the largest merchant ships in service, and the extensive canals that have been dug by each of the cities in the confederation allow it to be used as the primary form of transportation within the region.


Residents in Stalwart tend to have a lot of money compared to commoners in other cities and live in opulence. The entire city looks as if it is one large noble district peppered with carpeted inns and taverns.
===The Hidden Isles===


Naturally, this makes the place a good meeting site for nobles of the other cities who often congregate there to discuss business in comfort. Even nobles from as far away as M'Chek are often found there relaxing or using the city as a meeting point to negotiate with far away counterparts over marriage deals and treaties. For nobles at war, Stalwart has even been used as a place to reconcile or engage in diplomacy. The noble families in charge of the city have recognized this and tried to stay neutral in all outsider matters in order to foster this atmosphere.  
Off the northern coast of the delta, near the City of [[Stalwart]] is a cluster of islands that were unknown to sailors until the founding of that city.  Prior to [[Stalwart]]'s establishment, the islands blended in with the land behind them and sailors passed them by, thinking they were the coast of the mainland. However, once the city's founders selected its site, they noticed that the islands were separate from the land. Because of their location, the islands have become a haven for smugglers looking to move their goods. At times, certain islands in the area have been taken and held by organized smuggler and pirate groups against the authorities of [[Andarr]] and The [[Kurathene]].  Inevitably they are dislodged, only to pop up on other islands.  It has become a general thorn in the side of the naval forces over the centuries.


Stalwart is not known for its temples and religious nature, however there is a large temple to Mishlekh and some small temples to Kelvos, Wilsash, and Ingoren.
===Irsenkline Hills===


The population in the city has no dominant racial type, though it possesses a high proportion of gnomes who tend to be one of the only "more serious-minded" folk among the other races in the city.
Prior to the arrival of The Wight Lord [[Jorbaren]] in 1,405 A.O.D., the area now known as the Irsenkline Hills was flat farmland along the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]]. During the spell rituals that erected [[Jorbaren]]'s Peak, however, residual magic brimmed out from the central target area and rippled the land with slowly rolling hills that gradually increase their frequency until they reach the foot of [[Jorbaren]]'s Peak.  Despite the changes in the landscape, the soil in the area remained fertile, and some hardy farmers still make their living there because of its proximity to the City of [[Crosstreams]] and the ease of reaching its markets.  Problems sometimes occur when the denizens of the nearby mountain dungeon flow out through the area, and the local farmers frequently call upon the aid of the local militia and intrepid adventurers to ensure their safety.


===Jorbaren's Peak===


===The City of Crosstreams===
As the tallest geographic feature on the delta, [[Jorbaren]]'s Peak looms 2,000m above the City of [[Crosstreams]].  It is thought that the mountain is mostly hollow because it houses a massive fortress and dungeon built by Jorbaren The Wight Lord's minions after 1,405 A.O.D when he rose up out of the [[Underdark]] and sacked [[Crosstreams]] and began his campaign to take over [[The Seven Cities]], [[Brekon]], and [[Dubunat]]. The fortress at the top of the mountain and the prisons within are officially abandoned which makes them prime real estate for evil creatures that wish to lurk out of sight.  However, it also makes for a popular spot where adventurers go to test their mettle against said lurking creatures.
As it flows from east to west, the Divalok river splits. One portion continues off towards the city of Andarr and the ocean beyond. The other portion flows southwest towards another city called Malekia. Crosstreams sits right on top of that split.


While the cities of Andarr and Redgate act as hubs coming in and out of the region of the Seven Cities, the city of Crosstreams acts as the hub within the region. By far, Crosstreams is the largest known city on the continent, and with that distinction comes many other properties. Culture is at its highest here. The most cosmopolitan and openminded ideas begin here among the many centers of learning, music, and art within the city walls.
===Loxtran River===


Some say that entering Crosstreams is like entering another reality, for the pace of life has a whole other purpose unakin to the outside world. Traders abound here, but more for the purpose of pleasure rather than business. They can be seen attending the theatres and pubs that are plentiful. Both freelancing bards and the followers of The Harpinger, who has his largest temple here, are freely encouraged to make their living entertaining people. In Crosstreams, there's a festival almost every week, depicting some event that happened in the past, or commemorating one of the gods. Though the population is made up of all the major races, and most of the minor ones, tolerance is dominant as a social attitude, and religious expression is appreciated.
The Loxtran River branches off from the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]] and the [[Spriteblood_River|Spriteblood River]] within the City of [[Red Gate]] on the eastern side of the delta where [[The Seven Cities]] reside. It acts as the major artery of trade and transportation between the City of [[Dormiria]] and the rest of the confederation, connecting directly between [[Dormiria]] and [[Red Gate]]. Like the other rivers of the delta, it runs deep and allows some ship traffic, though it is not as capable of handling the amount of traffic as either the [[Divalok_River|Divalok River]] or the Blackwater River.


For times when religions just can't help but conflict, Crosstreams possesses one of the most skillful city guard units in the world. They are able to enforce the peace and diversity of the place without causing too much unrest, and for some reason, they seem to even have crime well under control. People question everything here, but for the most part they are happy with the government and nobles of the city, so they don't dig too deep on this particular issue so much.
===The Shifting Woods===


Pretty much any god's worshippers can be found in this city. The Harpginger's temple is among the largest, but there are also temples to The'ton, O'Ma, Mikon, Hurine, and a few others. Shrines of other gods abound in the Religious district as well. Crosstreams is laid out in three major sections connected by bridges. The city is shaped like a "V" laid on its side with the point of the "V" pointing east. The splitting river creates the "V".
The woods south of [[Crosstreams]] takes their name from several weird qualities and occurrences associated with the area. Proximity of the forest to a settlement known as Lycanhaven, where those infected or born with the curse of lycanthropy are known to settle and congregate means that there are often denizens of that village cavorting through the woods, especially during a full moon. The sheer numbers of them running through the forest on those nights are said to look as if the trees themselves are shifting in motion.  Another aspect peculiar to this area are reports of occasional portals that open through unknown sources of magic.  No one knows if they are created through deliberate wizardry or if they appear naturally, and they are never permanent. However, rumors have told that these portals can lead to other areas of [[Negaria]], both far and near, or to other planes of existence entirely. The third peculiarity that may give The Shifting Woods their name is the high number of changelings that inhabit the area. They seem to prefer the relative solitude to the bustling cities, and can often be found wandering in the area.


The northern side of the "V" is mostly a residential area, though there are quite a few good taverns there. The southern side of the "V" contains mostly merchant housing, and a small district known as the Instrument Quarter, where the finest crafters of musical instruments base their trade. In the middle section, between the two rivers, there is the Capitol District right at the pinnacle of the "V". Beyond that lies the Theatre District, which is fairly small. To the west of the Theatre District lies the Religious District. At the far western end, the city is capped off by an area of Parks, and then another residential district.
===Stormrift Bay===


Stormrift Bay is the main inlet leading to the City of [[Dormiria]].  Due to the shape of the land around it and its deep waters, traveling in and out of the bay during rough weather is especially precarious.  Rumors hold that a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water exist at the bottom of the bay, but this has never been substantiated, even by the nearby nixie population of Qwandlerine.  Adventurers attempting to make their way down there have never returned.  Nevertheless, the depths provide good clearance for large ships to enter into the port of [[Dormiria]] and the fishing industry of that city continually prospers.


===The City of Malekia===
===Tugaguk Woods===
On the southern branch of the Divalok river sits the largest city on the continent dedicated to the forces of evil, the City of Malekia.


From an outsider's perspective, the city streets are a tangled and twisted mess of dead end alleys with curious slots in the stone walls, and strange paths leading into courtyards surrounded by towers. For those familiar with the design, Malekia is a death trap for any invading army. Though the city walls are not strong, the layout of the urban anomaly is roughly in the form of concentric rings filled with twisted passages in between. The passages seem random, but they are actually designed to make an invading army become quickly lost and divided in the streets, where the defenders can use the towers and wall slots to murder them as they meander aimlessly.  
Over the course of history at various times, the slave trade between The [[Kurathene]], [[Brekon]] and [[Dubunat]] has waxed and waned. During some periods, cities like [[Malekia]] and points farther south were involved in it as well. Inevitably, as the crackdowns occur and slaves rise up aided by the forces of good to crush the slave traders, there are casualties and forgotten souls of those conflicts.  Many of them wind up in Tugaguk Woods. Predominantly populated by giant-kin, these forests are just to the southeast of [[Red Gate]] and act as a first point of escape for fleeing slaves originating in [[Brekon]] and points north.  Though these ex-slaves can come from any walk of life, most are generally unhappy with their situation and often turn to banditry or raiding of caravans to make a living.  It is regarded as a dangerous area barely under control of the armed forces of [[The Seven Cities]] in a given year.


The residents of Malekia are largely followers of Maleki, though there are significant numbers that follow other gods like The Harpinger, Evrak, Wilsash, Xenon, Kelvos, and Paragus. The second largest following in the city is that of The'ton. Each of these gods has at least one temple in the city, though there is no discernable temple district.
==Points of Interest==


In fact, Malekia has no discernable districts at all, because of its nature.
===Bandit's Rest===


One would imagine that such a city would be a playground for Thieves guilds, and that the city would contain many of them. However, the term "thief" is rather moot in Malekia, and their "guilds" are basically just "the government". The "guild leaders" are technically nobles, and win their place by many means, usually by right of succession of family, or by combat. Each noble has his or her own police force that patrols certain sections of the city that are accepted to be under their faction's control. However, these areas, or turfs, change constantly.  
The area around these woods south of [[Red Gate]] near the border with [[Dubunat]] is called Bandit's Rest. As the name implies, this is a major jumping off point for organized banditry originating from [[Dubunat]], sometimes sanctioned by the government there. Attempts by the military of the confederation to subdue the area are often met with force from [[Dubunat]]'s military, leading to brinksmanship and at times war. This lawless area close to the edge of the delta's influence to its extreme eastern border is therefore overlooked. Problems are contained using forces from Fort Valan, but the bandits still manage to fatten their purses through raids in the delta that originate here.


Malekia does have laws, and oddly enough the laws make no race subject to another strictly on a racial basis, and they outlaw any kind of political coup or toppling of one noble by another. Of course, this does not preclude doing these things without getting caught. There are of course strict penalties for any noble found in an attempt to destroy another.
===Fort Valan===


The population of Malekia is as diverse as any other of the Seven Cities, though there are fewer goodly races and more of the less scrupulous kind present. Outside of Brekon, Malekia possesses the highest goblin and giantkin population of any other place in Negaria. Humans, halflings, and the occasional dwarves can be seen mucking about as well, with a healthy number of orcs present as immigrants from Dubunat which lies only a few miles to the south.  
Though there are many forts around the delta populated by the armed forces of the confederation, Fort Valan is the major resupply and staging point for defense of the southern borders.  Facing [[Dubunat]], the fort watches for invasion from that area into the eastern reaches of the delta. Since this was a common route of invasion in the past, the fort is well stocked and provisioned and houses some of the most well trained soldiers out of [[Bullwark]].


Malekia recognizes that it owes its existance to the confederation of The Seven Cities, and generally does not try to overtly control or disrupt the entity. Of course, many things happen behind the scenes, and there are always attempts to 'extend the confederations holdings into Dubunat', but the orcs of Dubunat take it in stride. In either case, Dubunat encroaches on the affairs of Malekia just as often because it sees the city as a jewel for the taking. Like all the other cities in the confederation, Malekia sends its emissaries to vote on council matters and supply troops to the pool of confederaton soldiers, but the emissaries themselves always change because of internal situations.
===Klal Village===


Technically, Klal Village lies over the border in the neighboring country of [[Dubunat]], but through various times in history the [[Kurathene]] military has taken control of it and held it.  As a battleground village, this settlement is accustomed to war.  In times of peace, [[Dubunat]] uses it as a staging ground for its perpetual aggression toward [[Malekia]].  Additionally, Klal Village is a pilgrimage site for those faithful to [[Valok]] because it is thought to be the site where [[Valok]] once rested during his battles with The [[Negerai Prime]].


===The City of Bullwark===  
===Lycanhaven===
The city of Bullwark is the southernmost city of the confederation known as The Seven Cities. It is the only city in the confederation that does not have access to a major watery thoroughfare, yet it is highly regarded as the glue that holds the confederation together.


Bullwark is the smallest and youngest of the Seven Cities, yet its troops make up the largest percentage of the Confederated Army. This is because all males of fighting age that are residents of the city are required by law to serve in the military. This is at times hard to enforce because record-keeping can be difficult unless magic is employed to help, but luckily for Bullwark, strict measures for enforcement are not necessary. The citizens of Bullwark are incredibly nationalistic and proud of the Confederation. They take great pride in being allowed to serve in its armed forces, and it is thought that this pride partly rubs off on the other cities to solidify their confederation.  
Originally a leper colony, Lycanhaven became a safe place for those afflicted with lycanthropy to live normal lives and receive accommodations for their curse during their changes.  Over time, it also became home to natural lycanthropes that wish to live a civilized life during their humanoid days. Due to its stigma as a curse-bearing population, most residents of [[The Seven Cities]] avoid Lycanhaven for fear of catching the disease. However, for those brave or foolhardy enough to mingle with the packs and clutches that dwell there, it has a charm and political web all its own.


Initially, Bullwark was set up as a fortress to guard against the onslaught of orcs that came into the region during the Great War. Since then it has always remained relatively stout and efficient, which has enabled it to keep Dubunat, the orcish nation to the south, at bay except for minor periods where wars were fought between the southern orcs and The Seven Cities.
===Qwandlerine===


Bullwark makes only what it needs in terms of goods and services, and it exports little. Much of its wealth, whatever meager wealth it contains, is imported from elsewhere, usually the other six cities. The center of the city is a vast fortress run by a series of generals who double as the nobles of the city. These nobles are not just responsible for military matters, but also for making laws and running the day to day operations of the city. For the most part, this task is not difficult for them internally, because most citizens of Bullwark understand the nature of the law and follow it accordingly. Those who don't are either expelled or imprisoned.  
The nixie village of [[Qwandlerine]] is located under the waters just north of Stormrift Bay and the City of [[Dormiria]].  It acts as a small hub of trade for the nixie population and has close relations with the much larger settlement of [[Qwandovia]] to the north. At times the relations with the nixies and the delta have been contentious, but in general the water fairies are neutral with regard to the surface complications between the orcs, confederates, and the imperials that surround them.


Off to the northern side of the city is a vast training ground and military base that is used to train the Confederated Army. Soldiers from all Seven Cities come there to train and learn the ways of combat. The fortress and the base together are considered the military center of the confederation. To the east of this complex is the Confederated School of War, where officers are trained for the Confederated Army. This school is not directly controlled by the government, however, and is often known to take students from any place in the world who can afford the fees. Many Kurathene Nobles have sent their sons there, as have M'Chekian nobles, and even some sons of Toran Shaarda.  
== See Also ==
* [http://www.avlis.org/viewtopic.php?t=130 Source]


Surrounding these areas are the residences, usually made up of functional homes with little austerity. There are a decent number of inns and other establishments but rarely does one find the shady places that are so common in the other cities. The residents of the city are much like the noble. They tend towards kindness and the desire to help others, with a healthy respect for the law.


Racially, Bullwark is fairly diverse. Initially, the city was largely human, but over the centuries many orcs have made their homes there from either Dubunat or Brekon. There are even a fair number of dwarves and halflings in the city that contribute immensely to the local culture. Less common races would include elves and goblinoid, but there are plenty of token examples, as always.


Religion is not such a prevalent force in Bullwark as is nationalism, but there are sizeable temples in the city to Dra'Nar, Dre'Ana, Gorethar, Toran, and Senath. Smaller shrines to other deities are also fairly common.
[[Category:Nations|Seven]]

Latest revision as of 00:20, 4 April 2017

Avlis Countries: Atlas | Blandenberg Protectorate | Brekon | Deglos | Drotid | Dubunat | Ferrell | Galdos | Jechran | Khanjar Kuro | Kurathene | M'Chek | The Seven Cities | T'Nanshi | Toran Shaarda | Tyedu | Underdark | Wastelands


Avlis Cities: Andarr | Brekon | Bullwark | Crosstreams | Dormiria | Elysia (city state) | Grantir (city state)| Kitanya Hill | Kuras | Le'Or T'Nanshi | Malekia | Mikona | Myleah | Qwanderal | Qwandovia | Red Gate | Sharis | Stalwart | Toostan | Verloghokbol | Visimontium (city state)


Seven Cities: Andarr | Bullwark | Crosstreams | Dormiria | Malekia | Red Gate | Stalwart



Map of The Seven Cities
The Seven Cities
Geography:
Other Names: The Confederation
Capital: City of Crosstreams
Territorial Area: 15,000 sq. miles/39,000 km2
Region: Western Negaria
Society:
Population: 6,384,000
Races:
30% Human, 20% Orc, 25% Various Half-Races (Half-Fey, Half-Orc, Half-Elf, etc.), 10% Dwarven, 5% Gnomish, 5% Elven, 10% Other
Languages: Confederate Common, Royal Dobrekanic
Deities Worshipped: Nearly every faith on Avlis is represented in The Seven Cities
Politics:
Head of State: Lord Heiram Sleighton (Governor of Crosstreams)
Government: Confederation
Military: Confederate Army of Bulwark, Andarr Confederate Navy. Each city has its own independent militia that can be called upon when the city is threatened.
Commerce:
Imports: Foodstuffs, metal ores, luxury goods, lumber, cotton, etc.
Exports: Manufactured goods, weaponry, luxury goods, ships
Trading Partners/Alliances: Kurathene Empire (major trading partner), Brekon (major trading partner), Dubunat (minor trading partner, frequent enemy), T’Nanshi (minor trading partner), Deglos (major trading partner), Galdos (minor trading partner), M’Chek (major trading partner), Toran Shaarda (major trading partner)




“No place is home to more beauty and more squalor, more virtue and vice, more good and evil than the Seven Cities. It is where diplomats, soldiers, merchants and wanderers make their home away from home. It is a place for new beginnings, old friendships and converging paths. This is the Seven Cities.” –Khaled Thamaea, A Chronicler’s Tales of the Confederation

The Seven Cities Confederation known colloquially as The Seven Cities is a collection of semi-autonomous city-states located on the western coast of Negaria. The Confederation sits at the cross-roads of Negaria, where individuals from all over the world gather in pursuit of their ambitions. Each of the Seven Cities represents a distinct synthesis of regional cultures and their uneasy internal politics is a microcosm of the continent as a whole. Filled with opportunities and pitfalls, the Seven Cities Confederation is the destination of adventurers, gamblers and those simply looking for a new way of life.


History of The Seven Cities

Western Negaria has been a major center of civilization and conflict between the great powers of Avlis since the Age of Immortals. The creation of these charter cities made the region a center of commerce that has straddled the influence of major empires to the north and south. The wealth of The Seven Cities and its cultural diversity has also made it an attractive target for ambitious rulers. As a consequence the history of this region is one of intrigue and conflict. The region that is now occupied by The Seven Cities remained sparsely populated early in the history of the mortal races. Sporadic populations and villages emerged after the orcs had been driven to the west coast during The Great War, however the region around the Divalok River where the cities are located was never heavily populated.

Early History (Age of Dawning – 14th Century A.O.D.)

“With the firm belief and conviction that upon the foundation and strength of trade that a nation’s fate rests, I, Heneage Mantith Arvanos, Marquess of Arvanos, Earl of Pleides. hereby petition His Imperial Majesty Emperor Joral Kuras the First, Defender of the Faiths, and Lord Protector of the Amelede Islands to a Crown Charter to establish a city upon the Western Coast of Negaria…” –Heneage Arvanos

The region now known as the Seven Cities remained sparsely populated well into the Age of Immortals. Small fishing settlements emerged along the Blood Coast after the orcs had settled in Western Negaria after The Great War, but the Divalok River Delta was left untouched. The Golden Scythe offered a more comfortable climate for orcs with rich farmland, unhindered by the memories of the imminent destruction of their race.

Settlement of the banks of the Divalok River began in earnest around the 3rd century A.O.D as the rise of the Bandit King The’ton in Dubunat became a menace to the Kurathene Empire along its land routes. The increased importance of sea lanes combined with the short range of ships of the period created a need for a safe harbor between the Kurathene ports of Kalionin in the Trenium fiefdom, Brescant in the fiefdom of Arvanos, and the southern nations. The Blood Coast was viewed as an ideal location for a harbor, given its natural depth and easy access to the freshwater from the Divalok River. Temporary trading settlements appeared along the coast, but there was no concerted effort to expand these into permanent ports. Starting in 317 A.O.D., the emperor gave out six imperial charters to the six most prominent noble families involved in foreign trade: the Tochi’larian, Arvanos, Crullath, Clairvont, Al’Aere, and Tyeduan families, who established the cities of Andarr, Dormiria, Red Gate, Stalwart, Bullwark, and Conselia (later Malekia) respectively. Despite competition between the six cities, it was eventually Andarr and Red Gate, one with its access to a natural deep water harbor, and the other with its access to land routes to Brekon that came to dominate the delta.

With this growing dominance, the other four cities slowly found other specialized areas of focus. Nearly all of the cities began to offer land to patrician families in The Kurathene Empire, and it was in the early 5th century A.O.D. that a young knight named Sir Jayden Mourden purchased a tract of land by the Divalok River. The Mourden family acquired influence over the next two centuries, eventually acquiring their own charter, establishing the County of Crossing Streams in 643 A.O.D.

The volume of trade between the Charter Cities increased exponentially over the next several centuries. Much of it flowed through the County of Crossing Streams in the form of raw materials and manufactured goods. These goods would then be shipped out into the wider world through Andarr by sea and Red Gate by land, creating an economic hub that accounted for nearly a quarter of the Empire’s total trade by the 12th century.

Because of their tolerance of races as a business strategy, the Charter Cities began to attract settlers from all across the continent in search of wealth. As these new citizens assimilated with the existing population, the cities themselves began to incorporate a variety of foreign customs ranging from religion, language to art. With their emphasis upon different trades and types of immigrants, each of the cities began to form their own cultural identities distinct from the Empire.

The volume of trade among these colonies grew further as the years progressed, and in the 7th century the city of Crosstreams was founded in the County of Crossing Streams at the center of the Divalok River delta to better facilitate organization among the various trade guilds and merchants that operated in the region. The cities began to attract more foreign shipping and merchants, as the size and profitability of the ventures committed there rose with every passing year.

This also meant the locals gradually began to assimilate more foreign influences. Everything from racial customs, such as those brought by the dwarven, elven, and gnomish immigrants, to acceptance of foreign religions such as Maleki and The Harpinger was incorporated into the existing culture. Each of the Seven Cities began to develop its own distinct cultural identity detached from the Kurathene Empire, and as the population diversified and grew, the percentage of humans originally from Kurathene plummeted dramatically.

Taking advantage of the momentary weakness of the Kurathene Empire in the 14th century A.O.D., each of the Seven Cities officially declared its independence from the Empire, with Conselia changing its name to Malekia, and each adopting a new and independent form of government distinctly different from its predecessor. The fact that many of the Empire’s legions had been exhausted during the wars with Dubunat and Tyedu forced it to acknowledge its cities’ independence.

The cities originally were content to consider themselves independent city-states with no central obligation to one another. However frequent attempts by both Dubunat and Brekon to annex them began to increase the necessity for a full-fledged confederacy. Thus in 1520 The Seven Cities formed a confederacy, with Bullwark becoming the acknowledged center for the new Confederate Army and Andarr the newly established navy.

Independence and Rise of The Confederation (14th Century – 22nd Century A.O.D.)

“We the Representatives of the Estates of the Charter Cities, hereby Decrees that members of this Assembly Shall take an Oath, Never to Separate nor to Rest until the Constitution of this Realm is Established and Freely Independent from the Crown of the Kurathene Empire.” –The Oath of Hawks, 17 Officilun, 1362

The gradual drift away from the Kurathene Empire came to a head in the 14th century. As the original human population of the Charter Cities was now a minority within the realm, many of the recent immigrants began to question the need to pay taxes and tithes to the Imperial Crown. This agitation was particularly strong in Crosstreams, Red Gate and Andarr which had long since shed the vestiges of Imperial nobility in favor of a merchant led oligarchy.

The Charter Cities had established their own Provincial Council in the 12th century, and had begun to take many of the functions of government from the traditional estates. With the outbreak of war with Dubunat in 1320, the Council elected to form the Charter Militia Legion, an army independent of the Imperial Army detachments. Over the next two decades, the Council expanded its privileges as the Imperial government became increasingly bogged down in the war in Dubunat.

When the war with Dubunat ended in 1360 with the Empire’s defeat, the Provincial Council led by Governor Sir Michael Hawke of Crosstreams took the first steps toward independence. In 1362 he and the Council signed an oath affirming their commitment to the independence of the Charter Cities. Later in the same year, the individual estates of each city ratified the call for independence.

On the first day of the new year in 1363 the Provincial Council of the Charter Cities, with Governor Hawke in the lead presented their declaration of secession to the Imperial Army garrison commander, Legate Warren Hale. Rather than risk bloodshed, Hale accepted the declaration and departed with his garrison for Brescant. When word of the declaration reached the ears of Joral Kuras, he paused, nodded his head and was the first leader to acknowledge the independence of the city-states of Andarr, Bullwark, Conselia, Crosstreams, Dormiria, Red Gate and Stalwart.

With independence the Provincial Council quickly found itself superseded by local interests. The city of Conselia was the first to secede from the alliance as it renamed itself Malekia. It was quickly followed by Dormiria, Red Gate and Stalwart, who sought to avoid paying the costs associated with maintaining the army. With the obligations to the central council removed, the cities quickly started to squabble with one another, leading to an escalating round of trade barriers and skirmishes over territory lines.

The nations of Dubunat and Brekon found the squabbling city-states in the Delta to be an attractive prize. Over the next century and a half, both nations sent expeditions to annex one or more of the cities, which were driven off repeatedly by a coalition of militias from Crosstreams, Bullwark and Andarr. After a particularly large invasion attempt in 1518 by Dubunat, the Lord Governor Curtis Allendale of Andarr proposed that the seven city-states form a confederation as a common defense against their enemies, and to mediate disputes between the cities. Six months of tense negotiations later the final Confederate Charter was ratified by all seven cities. With their security assured by their shared commitment to defense, The Seven Cities steadily gained influence and wealth. The death of Joral Kuras in 1815 and the subsequent collapse of the Second Imperium helped fuel this growth. By the end of the Age of Strife in the 22nd century, The Seven Cities Confederation had become the center of civilization and culture on Avlis, the envy of all civilized nations.

The prosperity of The Seven Cities led to the flowering of egalitarian values, particularly within Crosstreams. Though the wealthy mercantile families had steadily entrenched themselves as new nobility, there was a gradual move toward creating greater political opportunities for the common class. The governors of Crosstreams and Dormiria became positions chosen by popular vote, while the Confederate Estates-General was diversified with the addition of a third estate made of tax-paying citizens, with the franchise opened to all citizens of the Confederation.

Major Geographic Features

Map of the Seven Cities

The Seven Cities occupies a delta where several rivers branching off from the Spriteblood River flow out to the ocean. As such, it contains lush vegetation and fertile soil that was carried westward from farther inland. Its location also makes it a major crossing point for trade goods going out to and coming in from ships, which then proceed either northward to The Kurathene and Tyedu or southward to Toran Shaarda, Mikona and beyond.

Blackwater Fenn

Blackwater Fenn is one of the largest forests on the delta containing The Seven Cities and home to what is thought to be the largest population of fairy-kin in the area. This makes it a popular camping and expatriation site for settlers that come from T'Nanshi and Elysia, but the cover of the woods also makes it a dangerous haven for bandits and those that live outside the law. Criminals fleeing justice from The Seven Cities frequently band together here and ply their trades of murder, robbery, and pillaging.

Blackwater River

The Blackwater River is a branch of the Divalok River that splits off right in the middle of the City of Crosstreams to terminate at the ocean on the western coast of Negaria within the City of Andarr. Its depth allows it to carry heavy ship traffic back and forth between the two cities and as such it acts as a major trade and defensive artery for the confederation.

Blood Coast

The coastal area outlining the western edge of the delta where The Seven Cities reside is known as the Blood Coast. The name is taken from the bloody battles and wars, both declared and unknown, that have traversed the area. Most of these can be traced back to the competing influences of The Kurathene and Dubunat. Notably, a great number of these battles were at sea and not on land. For most of the way up and down this coast, the beaches are sandy and quickly give way to forested plains, except near the points where rivers empty into the ocean. Those spots are occupied by cities, like Andarr and Malekia where the coast can support embankments and docks.

Cape Cold

The portion of land jutting out from the northern reaches of the delta is referred to as Cape Cold for its cold water currents coming down from the oceans near Tyedu and for the occasional Tyeduan raiding parties that have made their way down the coast. This is the farthest known southern point of a Tyeduan raid, since the oceans north of the delta have been patrolled and cleared by the navy of Andarr since recent memory.

Divalok River

The Divalok River refers to the largest branch of the Spriteblood River that flows within the confines of the confederacy. This river is deep and thus is able to carry a great deal of boat traffic from both nations. It is naturally capable of supporting some of the largest merchant ships in service, and the extensive canals that have been dug by each of the cities in the confederation allow it to be used as the primary form of transportation within the region.

The Hidden Isles

Off the northern coast of the delta, near the City of Stalwart is a cluster of islands that were unknown to sailors until the founding of that city. Prior to Stalwart's establishment, the islands blended in with the land behind them and sailors passed them by, thinking they were the coast of the mainland. However, once the city's founders selected its site, they noticed that the islands were separate from the land. Because of their location, the islands have become a haven for smugglers looking to move their goods. At times, certain islands in the area have been taken and held by organized smuggler and pirate groups against the authorities of Andarr and The Kurathene. Inevitably they are dislodged, only to pop up on other islands. It has become a general thorn in the side of the naval forces over the centuries.

Irsenkline Hills

Prior to the arrival of The Wight Lord Jorbaren in 1,405 A.O.D., the area now known as the Irsenkline Hills was flat farmland along the Divalok River. During the spell rituals that erected Jorbaren's Peak, however, residual magic brimmed out from the central target area and rippled the land with slowly rolling hills that gradually increase their frequency until they reach the foot of Jorbaren's Peak. Despite the changes in the landscape, the soil in the area remained fertile, and some hardy farmers still make their living there because of its proximity to the City of Crosstreams and the ease of reaching its markets. Problems sometimes occur when the denizens of the nearby mountain dungeon flow out through the area, and the local farmers frequently call upon the aid of the local militia and intrepid adventurers to ensure their safety.

Jorbaren's Peak

As the tallest geographic feature on the delta, Jorbaren's Peak looms 2,000m above the City of Crosstreams. It is thought that the mountain is mostly hollow because it houses a massive fortress and dungeon built by Jorbaren The Wight Lord's minions after 1,405 A.O.D when he rose up out of the Underdark and sacked Crosstreams and began his campaign to take over The Seven Cities, Brekon, and Dubunat. The fortress at the top of the mountain and the prisons within are officially abandoned which makes them prime real estate for evil creatures that wish to lurk out of sight. However, it also makes for a popular spot where adventurers go to test their mettle against said lurking creatures.

Loxtran River

The Loxtran River branches off from the Divalok River and the Spriteblood River within the City of Red Gate on the eastern side of the delta where The Seven Cities reside. It acts as the major artery of trade and transportation between the City of Dormiria and the rest of the confederation, connecting directly between Dormiria and Red Gate. Like the other rivers of the delta, it runs deep and allows some ship traffic, though it is not as capable of handling the amount of traffic as either the Divalok River or the Blackwater River.

The Shifting Woods

The woods south of Crosstreams takes their name from several weird qualities and occurrences associated with the area. Proximity of the forest to a settlement known as Lycanhaven, where those infected or born with the curse of lycanthropy are known to settle and congregate means that there are often denizens of that village cavorting through the woods, especially during a full moon. The sheer numbers of them running through the forest on those nights are said to look as if the trees themselves are shifting in motion. Another aspect peculiar to this area are reports of occasional portals that open through unknown sources of magic. No one knows if they are created through deliberate wizardry or if they appear naturally, and they are never permanent. However, rumors have told that these portals can lead to other areas of Negaria, both far and near, or to other planes of existence entirely. The third peculiarity that may give The Shifting Woods their name is the high number of changelings that inhabit the area. They seem to prefer the relative solitude to the bustling cities, and can often be found wandering in the area.

Stormrift Bay

Stormrift Bay is the main inlet leading to the City of Dormiria. Due to the shape of the land around it and its deep waters, traveling in and out of the bay during rough weather is especially precarious. Rumors hold that a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water exist at the bottom of the bay, but this has never been substantiated, even by the nearby nixie population of Qwandlerine. Adventurers attempting to make their way down there have never returned. Nevertheless, the depths provide good clearance for large ships to enter into the port of Dormiria and the fishing industry of that city continually prospers.

Tugaguk Woods

Over the course of history at various times, the slave trade between The Kurathene, Brekon and Dubunat has waxed and waned. During some periods, cities like Malekia and points farther south were involved in it as well. Inevitably, as the crackdowns occur and slaves rise up aided by the forces of good to crush the slave traders, there are casualties and forgotten souls of those conflicts. Many of them wind up in Tugaguk Woods. Predominantly populated by giant-kin, these forests are just to the southeast of Red Gate and act as a first point of escape for fleeing slaves originating in Brekon and points north. Though these ex-slaves can come from any walk of life, most are generally unhappy with their situation and often turn to banditry or raiding of caravans to make a living. It is regarded as a dangerous area barely under control of the armed forces of The Seven Cities in a given year.

Points of Interest

Bandit's Rest

The area around these woods south of Red Gate near the border with Dubunat is called Bandit's Rest. As the name implies, this is a major jumping off point for organized banditry originating from Dubunat, sometimes sanctioned by the government there. Attempts by the military of the confederation to subdue the area are often met with force from Dubunat's military, leading to brinksmanship and at times war. This lawless area close to the edge of the delta's influence to its extreme eastern border is therefore overlooked. Problems are contained using forces from Fort Valan, but the bandits still manage to fatten their purses through raids in the delta that originate here.

Fort Valan

Though there are many forts around the delta populated by the armed forces of the confederation, Fort Valan is the major resupply and staging point for defense of the southern borders. Facing Dubunat, the fort watches for invasion from that area into the eastern reaches of the delta. Since this was a common route of invasion in the past, the fort is well stocked and provisioned and houses some of the most well trained soldiers out of Bullwark.

Klal Village

Technically, Klal Village lies over the border in the neighboring country of Dubunat, but through various times in history the Kurathene military has taken control of it and held it. As a battleground village, this settlement is accustomed to war. In times of peace, Dubunat uses it as a staging ground for its perpetual aggression toward Malekia. Additionally, Klal Village is a pilgrimage site for those faithful to Valok because it is thought to be the site where Valok once rested during his battles with The Negerai Prime.

Lycanhaven

Originally a leper colony, Lycanhaven became a safe place for those afflicted with lycanthropy to live normal lives and receive accommodations for their curse during their changes. Over time, it also became home to natural lycanthropes that wish to live a civilized life during their humanoid days. Due to its stigma as a curse-bearing population, most residents of The Seven Cities avoid Lycanhaven for fear of catching the disease. However, for those brave or foolhardy enough to mingle with the packs and clutches that dwell there, it has a charm and political web all its own.

Qwandlerine

The nixie village of Qwandlerine is located under the waters just north of Stormrift Bay and the City of Dormiria. It acts as a small hub of trade for the nixie population and has close relations with the much larger settlement of Qwandovia to the north. At times the relations with the nixies and the delta have been contentious, but in general the water fairies are neutral with regard to the surface complications between the orcs, confederates, and the imperials that surround them.

See Also