Hub

On the southern coast of the Three Lands (as the continent is generically known) where all three lands meet a city has grown up out of necessity over time. This city has become known as the Hub, or Hub, as it is a relatively neutral ground where all three races come to trade and meet. It is also the main port for travel to and from other distant lands and strange and usual races wander the streets.

Hub is a roughly semi-circular city, with three distinct segments each nearest to the land that they grew up from. There are living areas between each district, as well as around the city walls, the lower classes between Market and Dagger, the upper between Market and Flash, however outside the walls the city’s denizens mix and mingle and the poor and homeless create shanty towns against the walls.

Flash

To the west lies the mage Third, which also houses the wealthy, the upper class and the priests.

This is where the magic users of Hub experiment, blow themselves up and attempt to find new and interesting ways to make the world a better place dependant on their preference. Magic in general can be viewed as good, bad or neither depending on the observer’s personal beliefs, and you may find those working with the dead for the benefit of the races left alone as often as not.

Flash is also the Third where priests and shamans may come to train and learn, as well as the main location for the upper class drinking houses, shops and establishments.

Market

To the north is Market with the great Plaza of the City and the middle classes’ houses and shops. Over time, and with the arrival of the docks that span the base of the cliffs the city borders, Market has extended to encompass the base of the Hexad’s Tower and the top edge of the cliff face where sailors and captains book cargos and sell goods and merchandise is lifted from the docks below with giant cranes.

Here experienced adventurers ply their trade amongst the trading off the goods that arrive off the ships and barges into the city via the docks. The Plaza is bordered by shrines to the many deities, creatures and spirits worshipped by the inhabitants and travellers.

Dagger

To the east lies Dagger, the main sell-sword area and where the best weaponsmiths will be found. The most famous (but not reputable) taverns and brothels lie mixed between hiring stalls and blacksmiths. Stables for warhorses and nags also line the streets.

The Hexad

Where the three Thirds meet on the cliff edge is the Tower of Justice. This name is now a misnomer after a mage-induced hurricane destroyed the tower 1,500 years ago. It was then some abandoned tunnels were discovered in the cliff itself, and the Tower, now much more defensible, has been housed there since.

From the Tower rule the Hexad. These are six people, two from each race, one male and one female, who are sent to Hub by the ruling bodies of the Three Lands to ensure fair treatment of their race and people within Hub. There are many reasons used to choose the pair to join the Hexad ranging from wanting to give rivals honour while keeping them out the way, to volunteers who wish to leave their society and see the world. However, the Hexad never leave Hub and have too many responsibilities to go adventuring. The Hexad act as judges, law-makers and organisers of Hub, and are traditionally only changed every ten years to ensure some stability in a potentially unstable city.

The current Hexad of seven years is:

      Lady Iswilen d’Oesril and Lord Rylandis s’Elridon of the elven Conclaves.
      Sechna and Emikk of the orc Tribes
      Arina of the Shining Light and Sir Jonn Croft of Winterholm of the human Kingdom.

The Hexad has, in the past, been called a puppet council, but the duties of the Hexad are to rule a complex and heaving city which is almost a country in its own right. In the past there have been attempts to ‘free’ Hub from the influence of the racial rulers and create a city-country, so far all have failed.