Vakland

From Legendarium

History of Vakland

In the days of old seven regions were united under the same banner of the legendary warrior king Gunnrik I. Farthest from its splendid siblings sits the region known to men as Vakland, and its eponymous capitol city Vaksten. The city's founding is a legend lost to modern man, and some believe the city itself was raised from the mists in the days of yore. Through the ages many unexplainable events have occurred there, such as the plague of water, and the year of no yield. Many attribute its current woeful status to its less then fortunate past and its black-sheep district, Trosk Hill.

Of the seven Electorates,Vakland is also known to be the one of the worst places to travel, settle, or just be in at all. The traveler has to keep continuous watch on their belongings, companions, and lives when on the dusty shadowy roads of Vakland. In its days of glory, Vaksten had busy streets and bustling neighborhoods. Unfortunately, a casualty of age old blacksmiths and a dying economy, it has become a ghost of its original splendor.

The Three Eras of Vakland

• The Old Kingdom: At the time of Gunnrik I's reign over Tolland, Vaksten was the second most heavily populated city in the kingdom. Each of its four districts had distinct, thriving cultures of their own. At the core of this great city sat a temple reaching high into the sky high above the surrounding scenery. The Great Temple of Siki, God of trade and well being, was a beautiful structure depicting the God himself on his royal vessel looking over the market below.

Old Kingdom Districts

• Sungvard: Being laid out as an almost perfect square (attributed to Siki) the Sungvard district is the Northern section. Winding through it's heart runs the Eastern Osk River, cutting it into two separate sub-districts (aptly named North Sungvard and South Sungvard) A single, broad, bridge connects the two sections and admittedly, creates two separate atmospheres unique to the Sungvard districts. In fact, during most sporting events, the two Sungvards are documented rivals in every entry.

• • North Sungvard: North Sungvard is the medical center for the people of Vakland. Said to be runby by a powerful Galdur, the Great Apothecary is by far the oddest building in Vaksten. Along its East Osk front is situated the Northen part of the Grand Market, founded by Grand Duke Olfar the Prosperous, in 88 AT. "Of all the mysterious happenings in Vakland, the Great Apothecary houses the most mesmerizing trickeries of them all." - Unknown author

• • South Sungvard: South Sungvard is one of the poorer sections in Vaksten. Its location does however, allow for its Southern Grand Market to thrive. Most of it long streets are crowded with layered housing (essentially apartments) that, although once a unique feature in Vakland, have been run down and since been occupied by the poorest knights that come just short of peasants. It is noted to be more or less the slums of Vaksten (not counting the outlying villages commonly looked down upon by the upper classes).

• Trosk Hill: Trosk Hill is the only district in Vaksten with a shrine to a God other then Siki. The shrine to Grohm the Wicked is often blamed (usually by Sikian Templars) for the city's current state. Despite its religious differences the overall setting in Trosk Hill is nothing out of the ordinary. Perched higher up and to the East of its counterparts Trosk Hill was the vantage point used to observe the famous Crown War Battle of Vakland Flats by the great poet Nori of Vakland.

• Ferl Meadow: The Ferl Meadow district is a fairly ironically named melting-pot for some of Tolland's most famous blacksmiths. In fact, being at the Southern tip of of Vakland and also having been situated only miles from the Black Path, it has become a smith's haven: the headquarters of the city's armament production and blacksmithing, and the residence and workplace of a class of master artisan smiths whose shop open upon to the street. The more famous, skilled, and goodhearted of these master craftsmen compete with each other as they yell taunts across the streets.

• Siki's Forest: Siki's Forest is the only wooded district in Vaksten. Built as an altar for Siki, it tends to attract the religious type, such as the Sacred Band. While the rest of Vakland is asleep and silent, Siki's Forest is still wide awake in its undying celebrations to its patron God. Due to its religious focus, it has very little to offer in terms of shops to its people. However, every bard's tale told throughout the world can only be complete after a mentioning of the tavern in Siki's Forest. The grandest building in the district stands at a full two stories high, and is said to fit a hundred men with ease. Built out of the six mightiest trees in the area, it appears to be a moderately sized fort, carved into a fat tree, complete with smoking roof-top holes and a large iron gate. Siki's Tavern is said to be one of the first buildings in Vaksten (though not any more definitely then the names of its founders) and is also recorded as the first outpost in the ancient Saga of Sjkirrik.