Hill District

The Hill District straddles the western slopes of “The Hill” – the tallest of the hillocks that surround Mirror Bay, the city’s natural harbour. In ancient times, a Fomorian homestead was built on the summit. When the original wooden fort was transformed into a stone fortress, slave camps and work compounds spread across the hillock. Later, during the Nithian reign, another generation of labourers built a massive tomb on the remains of the earlier fortress. Once the tomb was complete, all the surrounding structures were levelled to the ground. Rumours persist that there is at least one secret tunnel running from the depths of the tomb under the slopes to a concealed entrance beyond the old worksite. After the departure of the Nithians, the tomb fell into disrepair, with only its top half showing above the ground. The slopes began to be used as grazing land by farmers. It is not until the first century AC, when Marilenev grew and prospered as the major trade centre of Traladara, that a new palace was built on the Hill as a seat of power for the newly created Banate of Marilenev. The ground level remains of the old Nithian tomb were demolished in the process. Various buildings were erected on the Hill during subsequent centuries. Following the arrival of the Thyatians in AC 900, the Hill area changed significantly. A new castle to house the Provincial Governor was built on the site of the former Marilenev palace. The older buildings on the slopes were levelled and new residences erected in the style of the Thyatian upper class who sought to live in close proximity to the Governor, along with prominent Traladarans who pledged support to their new rulers. With the formation of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos in AC 970, portions of the Governor’s Palace were rebuilt to provide a stronghold for Duke Stefan. By AC 1000, The Hill is the posh area of town - the streets are all brick and it is broken up into numerous small walled estates. These estates belong to many of the more powerful citizens. Two of the major Guilds have their headquarters here. There are the embassies of the foreign powers that Duke Stefan has initiated diplomatic relations with. The residents of the district are served by two markets that provide goods of both a higher quality and of a more exotic and wider range than might be found “down town”. Unless they have been invited (or perhaps their visit is of a more clandestine nature), adventurers will not normally spend time on The Hill. Many adventurers may find themselves feeling awkward and out of place in the elite surroundings, others may fit in easily due to their background prior to their current career. But the Masters of the Moneychangers’ and Goldsmiths’ Guilds may have certain missions requiring the expertise of an adventurer to succeed. A wealthy noble may require a special item obtained or retrieved. A foreign embassy might find it more politic to employ an independent group to undertake a task which might ruffle another nation’s feathers. The Torenescu clan, once a powerful faction controlling the everyday business of the city, still has a great deal of political influence and discreet control on “The Hill”. The family wants to return to its former glory and is biding its time.