Marcourt

Marcourt

Painting of Tranquility Plaza. Artist unknown. Map of Marcourt with highlighted districts.

Type

City

Location

Western Gallea, Iro

Marcourt (the City of Song, Collegetown, the Grand Stage, Dempel’s Bell, the Grove of Knowledge) is a city located within the country of Gallea in Iro. It is known for its numerous colleges, particularly its collection of bard colleges.

Demographics

Population: ~6000

66% human, 18% elf, 5% half-elf, 3% dwarf, 3% halfling, 2% gnome, 3% other

History

Nestled at the southern bend of the Dempel River, Marcourt was founded as Fort Marcourt in 1245 VR (23 of the 2nd Era IR), to be used as an elven military garrison for the border between old Valden and Yoren. For the next 3,000 years, Marcourt evolved into hundreds of different things—village, fort, bustling metropolis, ruins—its structure and population ebbing and flowing as much as the tide of war throughout Irolean history. The only reason it is still known as Marcourt, and even still exists, is its proximity to Gall, which makes it an important stopping point for whichever force controls Gall at any given time. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 3rd Era of Iro that Marcourt became what it is today—a prosperous college town. Ironically, this came about when Padorism swept through the country shortly after the era began; originally, a group of dissidents and Skallanites (worshipers of the Old Gods) met in what was, at the time, a far seedier and dirtier Marcourt, to discuss ways to preserve the old knowledge of Iro. They were concerned that King Locane II, a devout Padorist, would use his station to ban Skallanite worship. Their teachings were at first divine in nature, but over the years, they began to expand their teachings. In 3369 VR (39 of the 3rd Era IR), Storybearers set up a satellite headquarters in Marcourt to capture and record the teachings of Skallanite worshipers there, and within 10 years Marcourt had founded its first college--Fortuna College, cobbled together by the ragtag assortment of down-and-out bards, skalds, and minstrels in the city.

Currently, Marcourt remains a strong defensive garrison for Gallean troops, while also housing the largest number of universities per capita in Iro.

Map of Marcourt

Map of Marcourt with notable locations.

Points of Interest

Marcourt has seven inner districts, two outer, agricultural districts, and one unincorporated district, also outside the city walls. Each district (other than the unincorporated one) has a representative, voted on by the citizens there, who oversees that district in the municipal government.

Castle Ward

The seat of administration in Marcourt, Castle Ward encompasses the original Fort Marcourt and nearby residential buildings for those who work in the keep. A large courtyard park, the Amberglow Garden, sits in front of the entrance to the castle. The military garrison of Marcourt also lives and works out of the Castle Ward.

Representative: The mayor of Marcourt, Sir Eizen Faust (human, man, 50s)

Fort Marcourt

The current iteration of Fort Marcourt is a large stone keep that was constructed roughly 150 years ago. The walls that surround the keep are older than the keep itself, being roughly 500 years old. It is four stories tall with ceilings roughly 6ft high and beneath it is a much, much older dungeon known as the Verlies lies below.

The Verlies

A dungeon nearly 1,000 years old, if not older. It safely descends four floors before various cave-ins and other natural events have caused much of the lower portions of the dungeon to collapse. It is believed that below the Verlies lies horrors too terrible to speak of.

Lost Water

Also known as the Eastern Agricultural District, or EAD, Lost Water is one of the two outer districts charged with maintaining a stable agricultural crop in Marcourt. Its name stems from an incident in 3688 VR (3379 of the 3rd Era IR) where a canal was created to divert water from the Dempel to the southeastern part of the city, in an attempt to establish a Southern Agricultural District. The canal ended up diverting too much water, leaving the northern farmlands high and dry, and the soil to the south was too rocky and unsuitable for farming. (Also, people didn’t want a SAD.)

Representative: Helena Abberon (half-elf, woman, 40s)

Mooch Lane

Mooch Lane is the only unincorporated district because it is more of a shanty town than an actual district. It is where the poor and destitute artists of Marcourt tend to live, either working their way back to be able to attend college, or making a meager living off of their art. Many of the buildings here are little more than rundown shacks holding upwards of 50 people.  So named because the artists there are often known as Moochers. Mooch Lane has an unofficial district representative, chosen by inhabitants of the area, who is crowned “Mincemeat.” Mincemeat is usually found outside the South Gate meeting hall begging for change.

The Misery Gallery

An art and performance space. Typically produces art that is deemed unworthy of the traditional schools.

Narrow Meadow

The Western Agricultural District, or WAD, Narrow Meadow is named after a strip of land in the area that was once considered a narrow meadow, before it all became farmland. (Some of the more salacious bards of the town sometimes also use the phrase to refer to a woman’s nether regions.) Narrow Meadow is tasked with farming most of the city’s grain.

Representative: Gorik Bix (human, man, 40s)

North Town

North Town is a largely residential district best known for being the district with the oldest college in Iro, Fortuna College. It is a diverse district full of students, middle class, and upper class citizens. The notable kenku orphanage Deeproot Aerie is located here as well.

Representative: Hilda Royksopp (human, woman, 60s)

Deeproot Aerie/Orphanage

An orphanage for kenku, Deeproot Aerie is run by an enigmatic being known as The Keeper.

Fortuna College

A two to four year liberal arts university dedicated primarily to various bardic and music colleges. Most are nonmagical, though a few, like the College of Creation, do focus on harnessing magical prowess. Known as the oldest university in Iro.

Bardic Colleges

Creation, Eloquence, Glamor

Somerfeld University

A small, private college aimed toward history preservation. Also known as the Storybearer college.

Bardic Colleges

Lore, Spirits

Visionary Square

No one district controls Visionary Square, which is the main kiosk-based marketplace in Marcourt. Instead, North Town and Storm Orchard jointly control it. Most of the festivals and events of the city utilize Visionary Square, Tranquility Plaza, and the Main Bridge that separates them.

The Rocks

The smallest district in Marcourt, the Rocks is a slum of sorts and is known mostly for the School of Shale, a “school of hard knocks” that teaches a variety of trades, including a meager adventuring track. The Rocks also contains the “on the books” entrance into the Dry Sewers, where a few more infamous organizations, such as Poisonbow, the local thieves guild, are located.

Representative: “Big Jim” Galeroy (human, man, 30s)

Poisonbow

Poisonbow is supposedly the name of the thieves guild of Marcourt, and is allegedly located somewhere in the Dry Sewers.

Hundreds of years ago, Poisonbow was an assassin’s guild affiliated with the burgeoning Gallean nation as it attempted to secede from Yoren. However, after Gallea was established, the government disavowed all knowledge of Poisonbow, giving its members a severance package and kicking them to the curb. In return, Poisonbow members began to steal from the aristocracy and military higher ups, eventually becoming the premier thieves guild in Gallea.

Ranks are in descending order of how good they are. Analogous to how much poison would kill a foe.

Drops: The upper echelon. Cream of the crop. There are three in this rank total — One Drop, Two Drops, and Three Drops.

Vials: High ranking. Several members take on these ranks. First Vial, Second Vial, Third Vial. First Vials are usually leaders of guild quarters throughout Gallea, though smaller outposts might be helmed by Second or Third Vials.

Sedatives (or Seds): Mid level. The brunt of Poisonbow members. Seds are split into “hours”: One, Two, Four, Eight, Twelve, and Twenty-four. Can rank up as to Vial as early as Eight Hours.

Concoctions (or Cons): Entry level. New recruits, basically. First Con through Fifth Con, though can rank up to Sed as soon as after First Con.

School of Shale

The School of Shale is less a university and more an arena. Several trades are taught there, both above board and below, but its claim to fame are the barbarian and fighter tracks.

Bardic Colleges

Swords, Whispers

Classes (1st level)

Barbarian, Fighter

South Gate

A larger, more prosperous district, South Gate is home to much of the aristocracy of Marcourt. Wealthy merchants, important artists, and Gallean nobility all make up this district.

Representative: Illthena Henderwin (high elf, woman, at least 500)

Baldric Opera House

An opera house!

Derosia Academy

Located in the former manor of esteemed sorcerer Halavan Kerod, Derosia Academy is Kerod’s pride and joy: a small, but prestigious, wizarding college.

Classes (1st level)

Sorcerer, Wizard

Honeydrop Manor

Home to Klaus and Verin Honeydrop, the wealthiest people in Marcourt. The Honeydrops have been a part of Marcourt for over 10 generations and have a lot of clout in the city. Klaus is third cousin to Princess Amrose and enjoys the spoils of being royalty-adjacent.

Redwood Inn

A very nice, upscale inn and tavern.

Serenity Orphanage

An orphanage for all beings, Serenity was originally meant to be built in Storm Orchard, as the upper class of South Gate cringed at the idea of dirty orphans running around in their district, but notable (and wealthy) noblewoman Lystera Eckles donated several thousand gold in order to have the orphanage contained in her father’s decrepit manor, thus forcing the Marcourt government to renovate the entire building up to standards, saving Mrs. Eckles more gold than she spent in the process.

Spirit Well

Named after the Howling Well off Tallow Road, Spirit Well is a more arcane-focused side of town, while also containing the Ceruna Catacombs, the primary place to inter the dead. Aside from practicing spellcasters, Spirit Well houses mostly lower and middle class citizens who pay less for housing but have to put up with all the arcane nonsense.

Representative: Bjorn Byeorg (human, man, 70s)

Ruru Athenaeum

Named after Countess Alain Ruru, the Ruru Athenaeum is the main library of Marcourt. It is a deceptively small building, as much of the library itself is underground, where the books are better preserved.

The Secret Wife Inn

Technically outside of Spirit Well, the Secret Wife Inn is a bawdy, licentious tavern purposely built outside of the city so as to operate however it pleases. This has been met with disapproval by city representatives and citizens alike, but in the end, Marcourt has been unable to shut the place down, and it is as popular as ever. In fact, many of the students of Fortuna College perform there, usually satirical plays and performances about the Gallean crown.

Yeapwine

Taking up two town blocks, Yeapwine is a large arcane university, best known for training mages to enter into Gallean military service. As such, it reeks of military industrial complex, but it is one of the best places in western Iro to obtain a solid wizarding education.

Classes

Wizard (2nd level), war magic (3rd level)

Storm Orchard

A trades district, known as a mixture of residential and industrial buildings. Home to most of the lower class of the city.

The Klaecozaki

The Klaecozaki (kly-ko-ZA-key) is a non-denominational worship and faith center. It is actually quite a large building, with three floors and an enormous central worship chamber. Gods of all kinds are worshiped here, in accordance with the Child’s wishes at Ironrock: “Rejoice, that the Gods have alighted onto your land, and rejoice, that more may come from other lands.”

West Iro Trading Company

The brunt of industrial trading in Marcourt lies with the West Iro Trading Company, which operates over 90% of trading and mass mercantile business through their satellite office in Marcourt.

Whiteway

A smaller district, Whiteway is home to Whiteway College, a faith-based university. It also houses many of the clergy from the Church and the Klaecozaki.

Church of the Father

The primary center of Skallanite worship.

Whiteway College

A faith-based university, focusing on making priests and clerics for churches and temples across Gallea. Has a small paladin track for those who wish to provide divine oaths to one or all of the Old Gods.

Classes

Cleric, Paladin (1st level)

Government

Marcourt has a representative democracy, wherein each district has a single representative who acts on their behalf for municipal issues. Many of these issues are brought up in a weekly town hall meeting located in a meeting hall in each district. Representatives are elected every year. Marcourt also has general elections for a variety of overarching (or panmunicipal) roles, such as mayor, treasurer, and ombudsman. Each of these elected officials serves a three year term, and each official can only serve five terms total. Representatives work out of and meet in Fort Marcourt to discuss municipal laws and codes. Taxes are collected each year by the Treasury and are used to pay for various municipal things like garbage collecting, street maintenance, and fortification.

Military Presence

Marcourt has a significant military presence, being an important base for the nation of Gallea.

Celestine Guard

The Celestine Guard are a military force tasked entirely with protecting the Padorist clergy within Gallea.

Religion

The majority of Marcourtians venerate the Father, with the Mother, Sut, and then the Child following. In the past, Sut overtook the Mother for second worshiped, due to him being the patron deity of performers. Worship of him grows depending on the attendance of the various liberal arts colleges. While the Klaecozaki allows worship of any deity, most within worship either Padora or the Valwyran false god Pelor.

Magic

Low level magic is permitted within the walls of Marcourt so long as it does not pose a threat to any other citizen or the spellcaster. Permits for higher level spellcasting may be purchased at the Magewright Quarters in Fort Marcourt. Student permits allow spellcasting within a college campus.

Beings of Note

Agustin Dierton/The Keeper

Half-elf, lieutenant in the Gallean Secret Service, which is a subset of the Gallean Military Intelligence.

Rysela Iriador

Elf, ~800, major and director of the Gallean Military Intelligence. Very stoic and steely eyed.

Sippek

Kobold thief.

Falthen Myrkon

Human, bishop of the Father. Wears orange robes.

Eliza Vindel

Half-elf, mayor of Marcourt.

Berok Dangen

Human, garrison commander.

Adam Sorence

Human, bishop of the Child. Man in blue and gold robes.

Shank/Lambshank

Tabaxi, cheetah print, spy within the Biryellen Ministry of Secrets. Spying in Gallea.

Nofrey Godrick

Human, professor at Fortuna College. Old as hell.