Estreoth/Morith

Morith is a city located in the Vehra Wasteland and is the oldest city in Estreoth. Following the fall of the Ancient Kingdom, Morith was one of the first permenant settlements founded and the only one to endure for any amount of time. The city, and the kingdom that would follow it, would be instrumental in rebuilding civilization following the Great Cataclysm.

History

Early History

Located along the fertile Neytus River, the future site of Morith was settled by the Morata tribe in around 40 BM. However the population was quite small, averaging around a hundred individuals at the most for the first forty years. By the time Aramathus Eidolon was born in 23 BM, the population had climbed to between one hundred and fifty to two hundred people. The settlement went mostly unchanged during Aramathus' campaign to conquer the Vehra and the other tribes.

Following the end of Aramathus' crusade, he returned to the settlement of his birth, which he named Morith after his tribe, and quickly instituted change. He instructed his followers in farming Periminion Grass, a wheat-like plant. Within fiveteen year, the young village of Morith had boomed from 37,000 citizens to over a hundred thousand. and produced enough food to feed far more that. By 200 AM, the city held over two hundred and fifty thousand individuals. For the next 1600 years, Morith would continue to grow, eventually reaching a population of just over a million individuals.

The Wasting

Throughout the 1620s, a combination of the rapid growth of Rune, poor crop yields throughout the Vehra, and a weak inefficient leader greatly diminished Morith's importance and power. In 1628 the crop failures had grown worse. Although there was no drought, neither farm crops nor even native plants could grow. The largest famine in recorded history gripped the kingdom.

Overnight, smaller towns and villages were abandoned as their citizens fled to Morith in hopes of finding relief. Unfortunately however, Morith was unable to feed its own population let alone that of the entire region. Many migrated west towards Rune. But many were too poor or too proud to flee their ancestral home. Over two years, several hundred thousand died.

Every day hundreds died of starvation or disease brought on by their vulnerable states. The citizenship of Morith, outraged by Antillus Bismark's inaction, executed the king on Canios 27th of 1629 as he gave a speech in the old city. The king was dragged through the streets and eventually strung up, covered in pitch, and set to burn. Fearful for their lives, many government authorities fled the city overnight. Complete anarchy descended upon Morith; Rioting and looting overran the city and entire districts burned to the ground. The nobility closed off the gates to the upper district, keeping the rioting and looting outside the impenetrable walls.

By 1630, a measure of order was restored to Morith when the mercenary army took hold of the old city. They coerced the nobles into following the rule of their mysterious leader, who took over the great palace of Morith as his or her own. Those living outside the gates were left at the mercy of the gangs of rogues, thieves, and murderers. The years that followed were not kind to the city. Today, Morith is a shadow of its former glory with an estimated population of roughly 15,000; a far cry from the former million citizens.

Overview

Today, Morith is a shadow of the former its former glory. With an estimate population of around 15,000, most of the cities buildings are either abandoned or collapsed. The city itself is typically divided into two main sections, the Inner city and the Outer City.

The Inner City, also refereed to as Old Morith and the Walled Section, is the oldest section of the city. Contained within the massive walls and imposing gate houses is the former palace of the Morithian royalty and the remaining nobility. Protected by a large group of mercenaries and financed by the mysterious warlord of the Upper City. Compared to the outer city, Old Morith is remarkably unchanged. Visitors to this section of the city often refer to it as ghost town. Although the noble courts are long gone, the rich inhabitants still go through the motions of a privileged life, seemingly incapable of dealing with their new reality.

The Outer City however, is what gives Morith its reputation as a damned city. All calls of thieves, bandits, and murders make their home here. Former districts of the city are divided up among the numerous gangs that vie for control. Occasionally one gang rises above the others and takes control of a majority of the district, but like all things in the outer city, this never lasts for more than a handful of years. Most of the Outer city is uninhabited. Large portions have been reclaimed by the infertile dust that fills the region.

Regardless of the district, Morith is not a safe town. Although the mercenaries in the Inner City keep order, they only allow merchants inside and have no qualms about killing.

Geography

Like much of the southern Vehra, the land around Morith consists mostly of flat plains interspersed with gentle hills. The most noteworthy of which is the one that the Inner City is built upon. Most of the Outer City radiates2 from this hill and stretches away from the heart of Morith. Along the base of this hill is the dried river bed that was once the Neytus river. The city wraps along the river for a good length, eventually falling off into abandoned farm houses and boat houses.

Economy

Despite the complete death of the land around it, Morith manages to sustain an small economy. A few mages of note still live in the Inner City and make a living selling various magical implements to the caravans that pass through Morith. The unknown ruler of the inner city is well known among caravan outfits for the magic gems that his men sell. These gems are apparently used to finance the mercenary army that polices the district.

The Outer city has no economy to speak of. However several countries such as Rune and Adal send monthly aid to the city.

Law and Government

Since the death of Antillus Bismark, most of Vehra has been ruled by anarchy and Morith is no exception to this. The Inner City is ruled by a mysterious individual known amongst the merchant caravans as The Wizard, chiefly for his export of magic gems, and his or her army of mercenaries. Few have ever seen the wizard and many in the lower district believe he is a myth. His enforcers are very real though. Although they rarely venture out into the lower district, the Old City is completely dominated by their iron fists. They are well armed, well trained, and extremely vicious.

The Outer City is far more chaotic. Street gangs control most of the district except for a small joint outpost held by merchant groups and defended by a combined garrison of Rune soldiers. The disposition of the gangs vary wildly; some possess a measure of honor but most are fine with robbery, murder, and rape in copious amounts. Every few years one gang gains power over the others and begins to dominate the district. Raids by the gangs against the upper district are common but to date, not a single attempt has breached the Old City's massive gates.

Notable Inhabitants

• Kaeden Mathias - Famous throughout the lower district for his fighting prowess.
• Wizard of Morith - Mysterious rule of the Old City.