The great city of Dorchak is second only to the City of Silverthorn itself in size and population. Located on the east bank of the Silling River where it meets the Red Flood of the North, also known as the An’Ran’Ildiin. The city itself stands upon the ruins of numerous other tradecities, and was once the city of Dorcha established by the Empire of Lassa.
The enormous granite walls stand a bit under twenty paces high and seem to brood over the surrounding plains. The forest has been cut back from the city for miles in all directions, both by inhabitants gathering wood, and to keep the monsters that dwell in the forest at bay.
Inside the city buildings are a hodgepodge of brick, stone, and hald timber construction. They are for the most part roofed in slate or wood slats, though most of the low town (read slums) outside the city walls have thatched roofing. Fire is a constant hazard, and arson is punishable by death in the city.
Beyond the city proper stands the great inner wall and the Fasthold of Dorchak. The inner wall is of well laid granite, cut to precision and unmortared. It stands nearly thirty paces tall and is capped in turrets and crenelations. Beyond the wall, separating inner-city from outer is a great dry moat, ten paces deep with steep stone sides. The moat bottom is laced with stone and steel spikes and can be filled with water from the river to clean out refuse or wash away invaders. The gates to the inner city are guarded by two units of Dorchak guards (Twenty men) and their cavalry officer. The gates themselves are of dwraven stone set on steel runners and swivels. If not for the subtle lacing of Dwarven stonework with alchemical brew they would be too heavy to even move. The gates are only closed during a time of war.
The inner city contains the residences of many nobles, as well as the great library of Dorchak, a large guard barracks, a parade ground, some storage facilities, and the Embassy buildings for the houses. Of coarse the view is dominated by the massive square stonework of the Fasthold.
The Fasthold took nearly a century to complete and was made entirely of stone, engineered by the best Gnomish craftsmen to appear brutal and oppressive. The great fortress is the seat of government for the entire frontier region and can be seen from any point within the city. Its bulk rises as much a ten stories into the sky.
The Houses
DeVris
Dorchak is the traditional capital of House DeVris and they hold tight to its fastness. The ban on magic within the city is partly due to DeVris dislike of magic and their influence on the council. From this city all policy within DeVris and interpretations of the kings law are carried out. Here the seat of house DeVris makes his home and maintains connections with all of the DeVris magistrates scattered throughout the kingdom.
The DeVris cavaliers also call Dorchak their home. The headquarters for their organization lies just inside the walls of the inner city, where a full legion of DeVris most skilled and dangerous lawmen can be found drilling and studying at any time.
As this is the seat of House DeVris, several other powerful individuals can be found here as well. This usually includes one second and two or three third rank members of house DeVris. In addition there are nine district Magistrates that run most trials in the city. There are three for the inner city, three for the outer, and three for the ‘laborers’ region.
Toevass
House Toevass is represented on several levels within Dorchak. They are responsible for care and maintenance of the great library and its vaults. They also have a House Embassy within the inner city and several scribes and astrologers working throughout the city proper.
Jakoric
The exact amount of influence Jakoric maintains within Dorchak remains a mystery to most. It is known that they have a House Embassy building, as well as maintaining several tavern’s and small shops. The exact number of house members here fluctuates rapidly and none but those within the highest ranks of the house know exactly how many eyes and ears are present within Dorchak. What is known is that Jakoric has recently stepped up its interactions with the merchants guild, and seems to be paying a great deal of attention to internal witch-hunts. They seem to have had trouble with the loyalty of their membership recently.
Mandalor
The merchants house lacks some of the power here that it holds firmly elsewhere within the duchy. In fact, due to the power of DeVris and the respect of the townfolk for the magistrates, the merchants guild has stepped lightly. They greatly fear the offense of the House of DeVris who could make it very difficult for the house to carry out their tax collecting duties.
The emissary from the headquarters of the merchants guild in Bonnifuss has recently changed. It seems that the previous one was unable to accomplish the necessary profits in Council that the house required and was replaced. The new representative is married to one of Duke Mandolin’s many grandchildren, lady Kayla Na’Landly.