Friþleas

X Worldbuilders:

GM James R

Friþleas (Pronounced "Frith-less") was a port city in (and capital city of) the Champerty kingdom.

About

Arrival

Travel to Friþleas was typically done using Teleportation Circles, of which the city had innumerously set up around the perimeter, complete with a standard check-in and customs for each tourist and traveler. Though not as common, the city also had fortified gates with customs tents set up for less magically inclined travelers.

Part of the arrival checks included stripping visitors to their garments (removing all bags, armor, and items) and scanning for any invisible items or weaponry. Items that show up in a Detect Magic aura are identified before they can enter the city.

Laws

Visitors to the city can only have 1 magic item on them in public, while citizens of the kingdom can have up to 3.

The Eternal Hunters

The City Guard of Friþleas were known as The Eternal Hunters, based on their magical ability to avoid ever having to retire to beds for the evening. These highly trained citizens were required to be elf-blooded by nature, or at least have some form of trace-like sleep. Even when trancing, Eternal Hunters had trained themselves to "sleep-walk" the city, providing a low level of surveillance even when technically asleep.

Arcane Tricksters

Despite being a small city, Friþleas was home to many nefarious gangs who called themselves "Arcane Tricksters". Replacing the typical rogue factions that live in cities, Arcane Tricksters were twice as dangerous, as they employed mystical powers to dupe people out of their goods or money (or lives) without them even retaining memories of the encounter. It was easy for them to simply use mind games and trick pawns into following them to back alleys.

Notable Locations

The Amnesia

The Amnesia was a public-ownership tavern

Mindquarters

The Mindquarters was the name of the capital building, a cylindrical building approximately 6 stories tall (which of course was massive for an era where buildings rarely rose more than 2 stories), the Mindquarters housed most of the offices for the city's leaders, and a number of important persons for the Champerty kingdom as a whole.

The Mindquarters was partially destroyed in 10 PR after a surprise attack by the Shogun of the Troverth Kingdom, later known as Breakwater's Bamboozle. He had allowed himself to be caught in order to smuggle black powder explosives (which did not show up in the city's magic detection) and blow himself up while in the courts located on the ground floor of the Mindquarters. This explosion was notable as both Julian McFlair and The Oathwielders both risked their lives running into the explosion to save lives---leading to the former formally joining the latter.

Department of Foreign Relations

The Department of Foreign Relations was an embassy located near the Mindquarters. In 10 PR the consul of Foreign Relations was an elf named Thurden Presmaris.

Asaku's Travel Journal

The sixth day of the fourth tenday of Junonia, 117 PR

I have many a question about the nature of this place, but in a way, it is not so different from the home I am used to. They have a need for control. I can respect a need for control, but it is my job to think, and it is my job to help. I do question why magic is the focus of their control?

I can understand the basics behind having a fear of magic, but letting it get so far as to affect a daily way of living is an interesting perspective, for I personally am of the belief that it is not magic that can be evil, but the people who use it. But as I am familiar with the brief history of Troverth, I can understand caution if an incident has happened here before. Perhaps I shall spend some times in the local libraries and museums examining the history of such a place.

In any case, I was quite starving, so I stopped at a local street cart to try some food. I could not tell you what it was I ate, but it was sweet and salty. I would guess it was some kind of dairy, but not any kind I've ever seen before. Truth be told, I don't know what any of the ingredients were in it, but it was delicious. I should try and learn how to make it sometime.

I have heard tale of a nearby magical university in the town over, called the University of Xyrneiros in Presmarivale. Such a concentration of magic next to somewhere that opposes it so vehemently will be an interesting dichotomy to study. I do not know whether or not they yet exist in peace, but I cannot wait to spend my days until elderhood assisting the people of these two cities.

一明・朝来