Knightsdale

City Description
Aka The City of Snow. Knightdale is home to whom the people of Ellarith called their king. That’s made of a white stone like substance that can be dug up from the ground around the city, hence people giving it the name city of snow. It has been a place of peace and the city citizens really try to personify the human spirit.

It is lead by the man the humans and anyone who lives in the Dalian Fields call their leader, King Olin who for a long time was beloved and became a living legend. Yet over the past 4 years times have changed. The king went to help a dwarven village who was under attack from the under dark and but once returned everything changed. He turned wicked and cruel and ever since the city has gone into disarray. Once known for being a place of peace and fellowship Knightsdale is now seen as selfishness and militant. There isn't much need for a thieves guide in anymore because certain family's have taken over that role over the years who grew closer to the king. It is also the linchpin of the Coalition of Kinship and since Knightsdale has been drawn down so has the other towns around.

Districts
Castle District - One a place full of people and just audiences, now a ghost town the entrance to the fortress is heavily fortified and not many people are seen coming in or going out, The king has locked himself away and now only speakers or captains relay the kings orders, expect on big degrees and then the king will summon everyone to hear it.

Rose Patch - Named the rose patch due to beautiful looking exterior but also connected to a stem of sharp thorns. it represents how the high and mighty live in this district however to get there you have done/do morality questionable things and had to lie, cheat or steal to get there. This is where the richer members of the city live and unlike most of Knightsdale now is clean, safe and appealing to look at.

The Grand Exchange - The market district for the city, a place people come to peddle their goods or wares some in caravans or stalls and some in their built up businesses for coin but lately a rise in straight swap of goods or materials has been occurring as certain supply are becoming scarce.

Gray Cottages - A residential district where most of the cities citizen live, the homes are rather nice to live in but the rich named it gray as a sort on insult as its not white like theirs and makes the city of snow white look dirty. However many of the commoners dont care as the know without them the rich would be helpless.

Geography
Knightdale has made itself into a formidable city by creating not just a a huge mote around the castle but around everything, therefore there are only 4 entrances to the whole city. Outside that there is a forest to the east and south and some small mountains to the east. The rest is farmland. A city so large it has to be well connected it has villages and that was never more evident when The Coalition of Kinship was signed and all the villages and towns banded to help each-other like Hayhill and Millstand and even Gaterlin. Now however they are forced into giving crops and livestock. Further out out Stagborn and Oakenheart are close but normally stick to themselves.

Weather
Unless you're in the far north or deep south the weather isn't that bad in Ellarith. It goes through the season like most places do, hot in the summer and it can get cold in the winter however its not life threatening. It can rain a lot but nothing that needs to take drastic measure against. Mostly just normal cloudy sky's.

Gods
The gods worshipped here were no different to what is normally worshiped in common big citys or towns those being Pelor, Ioun and Erathis, however since the kings gone mad no one worships in the open, the shrines and churches now lay barren. The Oracles fight on the side of Tyr god of justice.

City Life
City life as drastically changed over the last decade, at the start the king and queen ruled fairly, they were loved and started raising their children who the people adored. They would send their troops out to support whoever needed it. The commoners were happy enough, times could get hard in the winter but they always pulled through, easily as someone was always their to help. Now sadly it's the complete opposite. Queen is dead and Price Therion is suspected to also be dead (A body way never found) Olins second wife Ellara who the people also loved is apparently in a never ending sleep. The King is hated in secret as freedom of speech has been crushed and any bad word against the king is met with execution. Instead of helping its people the King takes and adds to his own fortune. The military that once would help save or liberate people now operate and enforce the military crackdown that takes place in the city. Taxes have never been higher and it's hard to find a way out the city. Some have taken advantage of this situation and have ended up in the Rose Patch but many haven't, people have tried to start rebellions but is often squashed quickly.

Demographic
The population has reduced over the past few years but Knightsdale is still one of the more populated areas for the landmass being as small as it is compared to the forests of Ezleases or the desserts of Al Caresh. The total number is around 12,700 people. Mostly Humans (62%) but you do see some elves (7%) and half elves (8%) in the city. dwarfs are also seen a bit, Tough races like Dragonborns (6%) and Half orcs (4%) are scares but are there and lastly the smaller races like Gnomes and Halflings the big walls but enjoy their freedom so are quite rare in (6%). A number of ther races make up the rest (7%)

Notable Locations and Buildings
Shops/ Buildings

The Subtle Servant - An Apothecary.

We Got It, Goods - General store.

The Dailian Trust - Bank/ Money Lender.

George's Forge - Stranded Blacksmith.

The Second Griffin - Underground market secret from authority.

Piece of The Pie - A Bakery.

Men of Arms - Weapon specialty for more higher class or specialist equipment.

Pressure Plate - Armour specialist with better craftsmanship.

The Nicked Apple - A seedy-looking shop sells drinks and food. It also buys items of questionable legality, - and is in fact an undercover guard, and the whole stall is part of an elaborate sting. Locations

Knightsdale Palace - Not as open to the citizens as it once was the palace still is greatly well kept and almost tripled in defence. The only time people are allowed in is for when the king makes his declarations. With the tower made from the same stone as the city walls its been nicknamed the ivory spire and can be seen for miles around.

Knightsdale Cathedral - Once one of the busiest and stunning buildings in Knightsdale now sadly left to crumble. Since the king has not openly outlawed the worship of gods but is highly frowned upon the cathedral is now almost always empty and looks near abounded and derelict.

Witherwin Institute of Knowledge and Lore - A bard collage where people from Ellarith and Zephra would come to tell their stories, now sadly its not half the school as it use to be and a lot of the bards sing propaganda for the king.

Sell Sword Garrison - A mercenary guild and the HQ for people of that line of work to come and stay, train or learn from each-other. Also a place to come if you need the assistant of one.

The Pale Gardens - Graveyard, a flower is placed every-time someone is killed in the city

Redfield Work Camp - A relatively new site in Knigthsdale this work camp is a prison but instead of doing nothing a high majority of the time is spent forced into labour either in mines, building city defences or picking crops.

Military
Knightsdale has a very strong military presence, hence why they are able to oppress the citizens so well and are powerful enough so other cites or towns dont to get involved and risk all out war. The Kings solider's are known as The Kings Crops however you dont see too much of them nowadays as most have been pulled into the guards for Knightsdale and the other towns in the Dailian Fields, those are named The Kings Guard. There is also a specialist elite unit that can sometimes be Olin's personal guard or brutal enforcers known as the Black Guard. However over the years the numbers of soldiers has slowly dwindled down. From people losing faith in the king to to dying in the line duty the king has resorted to hiring mercenary's or employing sell sword company's for certain tasks he doesn't want to risk Kings Guards for 1 one in every 6 solider's in the kingdoms forces is some sort of mercenary.

The Crowns Corps - Slightly more trained than the normal Guards the Crowns Corps colour an equal sage and white breastplate, The infantry are split into close quarters and ranged. The firsts standard issue is a longsword and shield and the latter is a heavy crossbow and short sword.

Kings Guard - Donning a majority white chain-shirt with and sage trim, the cities guards have a standard issue spear, shield and light crossbow with Knightsdale coat of arms also painted onto the shield.

Black Guard - As stated the blackguard often wear all black plate armour and each has a specialty in a certain weapon, from glaives and longswords to heavy crossbows, these are the more elite units

History
Knightsdale has one of the oldest history's In Ellarith, The humans that reign over the Dalian fields have been there a long time, they were also the first humans to settle in Ellarith, a millenia before Thel Tan. It all started as a simple village of settlers that possibly immigrated down from the Taviriom Empire. It was a simple little village in a very unexplored frontier. They would often get raided by orcs and goblins until one day the Emperor sent down a knight Lady Madeleine Pendleton. As a prize for winning on of his tournaments she was award the ladyship of a village. However the emperor wasn't happy with a woman winning the tourney so he sent her down to the struggling village thinking she would die down there or be forgotten about.