Anvilgard

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The city of Anvilgard
This is a legacy article for the fallen Free City of Anvilgard. You may be looking for Har Kuron, the current iteration of the settlement

Anvilgard, the City of Scales, was a heavily fortified port city that borders the sweltering jungle of the Charrwind Coast in the Realm of Aqshy also known as the Crucible of Life. The city was located in a strategic location which watch over both the Golvarian Passage and a highly contested and valuable stretch of the ocean filled with precious resources and long-lost treasures.[2][3a]

The nearby volcanoes are constantly erupting and drowning areas of the jungle in molten lava, which infuses the flora with Aqshyian magic causing the flora to grow back with unnatural aggressiveness. In order to stop the growth from overrunning the city noxious defoliants, developed by Ironweld alchemists, are released into the air by great dragonheaded guard towers causing plant life to wither and die. Although harmless to the city's inhabitants, it shrouds the streets in a semi-permanent grey murk.[6b]

Anvilgard was invaded by Daughters of Khaine led by the newly ascended Morathi-Khaine with the help of aelves of the Blackscale Coil during the Fall of Anvilgard, despite resistance from Stormcast Eternals, Freeguilds, Dispossessed and loyalist Aelves. The city was annexed into her new empire and was renamed Har Kuron.[10]

History

A city first founded under the direction of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer, growing from the fortified towns that were built after the Realmgate Wars. Surrounding Anvilgard on all sides is a dense, sprawling jungle that is further encircled by a series of active volcanoes. Into this wilderness, the Order Draconis ride out to test themselves against the ferocious monsters that populate the area.[1][5b]

At the beginning of the Time of Tribulations, Anvilgard's Swifthawk Agents are tasked with locating Lord-Ordinator Varangenesis, the scouts are led by Gossamon of the Winged Helm who dies from poisoned wounds after a successful engagement with a much larger force of Slaaneshi cavalry.[4]

The sea-lanes of Anvilgard were plagued by orruk pirates from a floating shanty-port known as the Blista Bakk and the shadowy cabal of criminals known as the Blackscale Coil pressures Anvilgard's Grand Conclave into launching a naval invasion. Scourge wolfships surround Blista Bakk and rain fiery missiles on its rusty ramparts while Freeguild marines are unloaded from steam-galleons with reinforced prow-rams that smashed their way into its harbour. After the docks are cleared the Scourge Privateers unleash several Kharibdysses driven to a mindless rage and soon the Blista Bakk sinks into the Searing Sea.[6a]


Locations

Docking area in Anvilgard

Anvilgardian architecture is characterized by its many tall spires, and the heavy use of curved and hooked design elements, creating many shaded nooks and crevices. The buildings lining the city's many winding pathways are often built from black volcanic rock or dark ebony wood.[9a] As a result of its turbulent and violent history, Anvilgard is a well-defended frontier city. Almost every wall or building is heavily fortified. Thick stone walls, reinforced doors, and small embrasure like windows are characteristic for even civilian buildings. Tall watchtowers and gatehouses watching over the city streets are just as characteristic of Anvilgard as its many markets.[9a]

The city of scales has grown massively since its founding, from the Square of the First Rite at its centre, to the Searing Sea on one, and the jungle of the Crucible of Life to the other side. This growth has been channeled into the form of concentric circles. The inner circles, with the First Circle at the top, representing the top of the anvilgardian society, while the ones closer to the edge are the home of the city's poor.[9a]

First Circle

The first circle is the founding part of Anvilgard and home to the city's higher echelons. Centred around the Square of the First Rite, most of the city's highest institutions can be found here.[9b]

  • Square of the First Rite:
  • Black Nexus: Standing at the very heart of the city is a Stormkeep of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer. The imposing fortress has walls made of the black volcanic stone commonly found across the Charrwind Coast and hidden within it are four Realmgates leading to different Realms. Gaining entry into the Stormkeep is difficult, as only a Stormcast Eternal can pass its thresholds.[9b]
  • Dauntless Hall: Seat of the Conclave, a bleak building whose foundations were laid by the Anvils of the Heldenhammer long ago.[8a] Protected by many watchtowers and other fortifications, this building towers over most of the First Circle, only second to the imposing Stormkeep of the city's Stormcast Eternals. Admittance to the buildings many chambers and offices is by invitation only.[9b]
  • High Temple of Sigmar: One of the most impressive buildings in Anvilgard. Built from white azyrite stone, the temple stands apart from the dark and gloomy buildings in the rest of the city. As a symbol to their faith, the sigmarite temple is highly decorated. Large statues of Sigmar line the outside walls, while carvings on the inside tell the stories of the fights and victories of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer, as the large stained windows bask the inside in heavenly light. Every day the area around the High Temple is swamped with the faithful, penitents and pilgrims.[9b]
  • The Valiant Chambers: A dark building situated in the shadow of the Black Nexus. The seat of Anvilgard's High Arbiter and the center of law and justice in the city. Most of the floors are occupied by various holding cells, courtrooms and libraries.[9b]
  • The Vaults: Located underneath the Square of the First Rite, the Vaults are a collection of tunnels and chambers first laid down during the city's earlierst days. Once used to travel between the buildings located around the square, the Vaults later became home to the many documents produced daily by Anvilgard's government. After a campaign of theft, tunnel collapses and other acts of sabotage by the Blackscale Coil, most documents were moved out of the vaults. Nowadays, the almost abandoned tunnel have taken on a more dark and dangerous atmosphere.[9b]
    • Vault of Maegrek: One of the remaining Vaults used by the Conclave. Protected by a thick steel door, Freeguild patrols as well as magical traps and wards, the Vault houses the Conclave's treasures. From mountains of Gold to be used to buy the services of Fyreslayer mercenaries, to gemstones, weapons or stranger items, like a complete Bastiladon skeleton.[8e]
  • Firstwall-on-the-line: This district is home to the mansions of the city's elite. Grandiose buildings, and tall spires are erected to show of their owners wealth. Firstwall-on-the-line is also home to some of the few gardens in Anvilgard. Everyday hordes of gardeners pour out fortunes of Aqua Ghyranis across the small private gardens, or replace plants wholesale to counteract the effect of the city's defoliant.[9b]
    • High Arbiter Concelius Gour's Estate: One of the most fortified mansions in the whole district, the home of the paranoid High Arbiter is well equipped to withstand even a small siege.[9b]
    • House of Mirrors: The nickname given to a mysterious manor in Firstwall-on-the-Line. It stands further away than the other houses. A wild garden growing between the street and the front of the house. The House of Mirrors gained its name from the shimmering, mirror-like, substance that coats the outer walls. While the owner of the house has never been seen outside, but shadowy schemes appearing behind the houses many dark windows make it seem occupied. Despite its obvious existence, the archivists of Anvilgard claim that no record of the house's owner, construction or history exists.[9b]
The Sylvaneth embassy of Spireroot above the roofs of Anvilgard
  • Spireroot: Built from living vines, and imported ghyranite soil, the Sylvaneth embassy hangs between three of Anvilgard's tallest towers.[9a] Many of the surrounding buildings have long been abandoned, as many of the Anvilgard citizen fell uneasy living close to the alien Sylvaneth and their Spite companiens.[8d] The Spireroot Sylvaneth are lead by a trio of Branchwyches specially crafted by Alarielle to live next to the mortal inhabitants of the city of scales, Joy-Branch, Spite-Branch and Sorrow-Branch. [8d]

Inner City

  • The Waterway: Named after the amount of Aqua Ghyranis that changes hands here, the Waterway is the largest market in Anvilgard. Located between the First Circle and the Bleakscale Harbor the market streets are tightly packed with stalls, selling everything from fresh fish, to weapons, to stolen goods.[9b]
  • Chapel of the Sacred Flail: This simple chapel, erected by the Devoted of Sigmar stands apart from the other buildings in Anvilgard, as it's built out of wood, and not the black stone common in the rest of the city. The only stone inside has been importet from Azyr to build an altar and a single statue of Sigmar. The chapel also serves as lodging for pilgrims coming into the city or the most devoted Sigmarites. Often, some of those devoted travel through the city towards the High Temple, to flagellate themselves in front of its stairs.[9b]
  • City Archives Office: The city archives are located just outside the first circle. The low-rise building, richly decorated with carvings of scholars, books and scrolls, represents only a fraction of the full complex. The main portion are the underground vaults. Everything that happens in the city, from birth to death, is documented and stored here. To prevent any damage to these vital documents, the vaults are kept in perpetual darkness. While the Grand Conclave relies on the documents stored here to govern the city, getting information has become more and more difficult. Long-standing feuds between the archivist have turned the vaults into mazes and the creeping influence of the Blackscale Coil has resulted in valuable documents going missing, and outright forgeries appearing inside the City Archives Office.[9b]
  • Court of Knaves: While the Court of Knaves is a simple building, with space for around 500 watchers on simple wooden benches, the Court is one of the most famous theatres in Anvilgard. From epic tales from the Age of Myth, Ulgian Shadow theater, to simple comedies, the Court offers something for everyone. But the theatre is not famous for its plays alone, but for the eccentric troupe of playwrights, stage magicians, musicians and actors that perform on the Courts stage. Known for its strange recruitment process, only those skilled enough to overcome the troups many tests are allowed to join.[9b]
  • Naila's Smokehouse: Most anvilgardians would agree that the meat of the great jungle beasts is an acquired taste. The establishment run by the Aelf Naila found a way to make them at least more eatable, as a result, the smokehouse is always filled with people.[9b]
  • Hag's Sacrament: One of the largest arenas in Anvilgard. The edge of the red sands of the arena are lined with observation decks, allowing for hundreds of visitors. While the khainites of the Khelt Nar temple allow visitors, betting on the ritual fights below are strictly forbidden.[9b]
  • Bleakscale Harbor: Built into the lagoon in Anvilgards north, the Bleakscale Harbor is the largest docking area in Anvilgard. A large number of ships and other vessels are tied to the many piers and docks lining the edge of the lagoon. The area around the harbor is home to many warehouses, taverns and inns. Towering over those are large stone watchtowers protecting the harbor waters. While the Bleakscale Harbor is well protected, only small ships and the lighter aelven vessels can enter the shallow waters of the lagoon. Large merchantmen or big-bellied galleons have to moor further out. Relying on small boats to bring their wares into the city.[9b]
    • Bleakscale Harbour Tavern: Situated at the end of a pier in the Bleakscale Harbour, the tavern is almost as old as the city itself. Founded for the many sailors flocking to the newly founded city and looking for a way to spend their hard-earned coin. The patrons of the tavern are a close-knit group, newcomers are swiftly escorted from the premise, if needed by force. Violence is a common occurrence at the tavern, brawls among the regulars, as well as clashes with the patrons of the taverns rival, the Crow's Nest[9b]
    • Last Stop: Located below the cannons of the harbour's fortifications, the Last Stop is specialized in selling a wide variety of goods to time-pressed sailors, while making sure to charge extra for their quick service.[9b]
    • Gurntok's Geegaws: Located on the Bleakscale Harbour road, and behind a thick vault door is Boldag Gurntok's workshop. The duardin produces and sells high quality vaults and safes for the rich and wealthy of Anvilgard. Rumors have it that he also helps with disabling the products of his competitors, for the right price.[9b]
    • Crow's Nest: Situated between the fortifications at the end of the Bleakscale Harbour, the crow's nest is a cramped place, full of sailors looking to get drunk on the taverns cheap ale. Next to raiding the Nest's rival, the Bleakscale Harbour Tavern, knife games are a popular past time in the Crow's Nest. More than one unsuspecting victim has suffered a knife related accident in the Crow's Nest. And for the right price, the owner Teegan Stonebrow, makes sure that they are never seen again. [9b]
    • The Beached Mermaid: Run by the Meli and Kala Newtorn, the selection of fresh baked goods and the friendly atmosphere makes the Beached Mermaid one of the most popular establishments in all of Anvilgard.[9B]
  • Fine Outfitters: From the outside, not different from the many other warehouses on Bleakscale Harbour road, the fine outfitters is both a meeting place of seasoned explorers, hunters and travellers, as well as a store speciliazed in selling all kinds of equipments for anyone daring to venture into the Crucible of Life. From tents and blankets, to navigational tools and rations, the Fine Outfitters sells everything one could need in the wilderness of Aqshy.[9b]
  • Hammercroft:
    • Anvil's Hammer:
    • The Armoury:
    • Dum Duraz:
    • The Fyrepits:
    • Heartrock's Hearth:
  • The Shifting Scales:
  • Office of Tithes and Duties:
  • The Bellows:
  • Eight Winds University:
  • Guild of Certified Thaumaturgists:
  • The Hookhouse:
  • Lady Vespril's Infirmary:

Outer Walls

The poor neighborhoods around the outer edge of the city are also known as The Gullies. Small wooden huts are common there, with only a few stone buildings in between. The streets are littered with stripped carcasses of great beasts. Now only used as playgrounds by local children.[9b]

  • Anchor Point: A fortress cut from black stone and built into the hills at the edge of the city. While smaller than the Black Nexus, Anchor Point is a formidable fortress in its own right. Its walls are home to a substantial garrison of Freeguild regiments and warriors of the Stormcast Eternals.[9b]
  • The Kraken's Arms: Located near Anchor Point, this tavern is very popular with Anvilgard's soldiers, making it one of the safest establishments in the city of scales.[9b]
  • Burnished Gate: While many gatehouses line the walls of Anvilgard, none is as large as the city's main entrance, the Burnished Gate. The gate is so large, a full Cogfort can walk under the massive Kraken’s Head relief. During the Necroquake, while the walls around it crumbled, the Burnished Gate remained standing, proudly displaying the symbols of the city.[9b]
  • The Cage: Anvilgards largest debtor prison. The cage is, like its name suggest, a single, open-topped cage. Rows of iron bars, inscribed with laws and prayers of penance, keep the prisoners locked up but also exposed to the elements. Debtors are forced to work of their debt by aiding in the production of the defoliant used to keep the jungle outside the walls at bay. Ironweld Arsenal engineers insist that the defoliant is harmless but many prisoners in the cage have developed a persistent cough, bloodshot eyes or bleached, almost transparent skin.[9b]
  • Beasthive: To avoid beasts rampaging across the city, the aelven beastmasters of the Scourge Privateers were forced by the Grand Conclave to keep their monsters in a single location, far away from the inner circles. As a result, the Beasthive was built. A squad stone building full of cages of different sizes to house the various beasts. Parts of anvilgardian society have come to see the Beasthive as a kind of Zoo, and the beastmasters have started charging them accordingly.[9b]
  • Teeth and Bone:
  • The Oculus Ignus:
  • The Red Hand:
  • Defoliant Production Facility:
  • Gileo's Maps and Cartography Supplies:
  • Ironweld Watchtowers:
  • Mathlos Crematorium:

Hidden Places

  • The Lanes: The lanes are a unknown number of small roads and paths branching of the main pathways. They snake their way through the city in unpredictable patterns. Some lead down into the catacombs below the city, while others seemingly end in random dead-ends. No one has yet explored and mapped every single lane in Anvilgard, making getting lost in them very easy.[9b]
  • Shaded Quarry: During the founding days of Anvilgard, this quarry was used to mine the dark stone used in the city's defences. Back then it was situated outside, away from the city's walls. Since then the Anvilgard has grown and swallowed the quarry whole. To not waste any usable space, the quarry was sealed, and built over. What remains is a large stone cavern. Forgotten by most, but now home to the outcasts of society.[9b]
  • Lacoi Kindra: Officially an elegant, aelven tap house, this establishment hides a bloody secret. Down in a hidden basement, khainite worshipers regularly engage in ritual combat. Less elegant than their fights in the area of Hag's Sacrament, but not less violent. Blood runs freely, seeping into the stone walls and floor.[9b]
  • The Mistings: Said to be built where the fog covering Anvilgard is the thickest, the Mistings is an unremarkable inn. Avoided by most of the common anvilgardians due to the heavy defoliant mist in the air, the Mistings is secretly controlled by the Blackscale Coil. The inn above is a meeting place for secret agents, trading goods and messages, while below the floor, in the extensive network of catacombs an impressive gambling den has been built. In case of a raid by the local guard, a number of emergency exits lead into the tunnels below Anvilgard.[9b]
  • The Obsidian Catacombs:
  • The Silent Auction:

Military

Anvilgard has a powerful navy with steam-galleons as well as wolfships of the Scourge Privateers. It has numerous Freeguild marine regiments such as the Rumrunners. [6b] On the landward side, Anvilgard is protected by its high walls and a number of Ironweld Arsenal watchtowers. Additionally, three Cogforts are patrolling the jungles surrounding Anvilgard. The largest and most prominent of the three is the ancient Old Firesnout.[9c]

They also employ members from the following armies Stormcast Eternals, Dispossessed, Devoted of Sigmar, Darkling Covens and Order Serpentis.[3]

Politics

The city is ruled by the Grand Conclave of Anvilgard. However a cabal of outcasts known as the Blackscale Coil manipulates the conclave using a combination of blackmail, threats and murder. This organisation is ruled by a shadow council of aelves including Fleetmasters of the Scourge Privateers, Sorceresses of the Darkling Covens and Beastmasters of the Order Serpentis and has agents of all races in every military and social stratum of the city.[6b]

Society

The morose traditionalism of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer has been sown deep into the soul of the city. Anvilgardians are dour and hardy frontier folk, distrusting of others and beholden to superstition and ancient folklore. Despite the intractability of its populace, Anvilgard draws many visitors from faraway lands. However behind the noble exterior the city is rife with illicit trade and criminality.[3a][6b]

Economy

The Free City of Anvilgard owes much of its wealth from the hides and scales harvested from the monstrous creatures that reside in the Searing Sea.[11a] Monstrous creatures from the surrounding jungle, rare and exotic bones and other creature parts, as well as dark and mysterious artefacts can all be bought, for the right price.[9a]

Anvilgard is a center of trade. The city's harbors and markets bustle with activity, with merchant fleets, nomadic tribesmen and foreign traders all flocking to the markets to sell their products or to barter of trinkets and artefacts looted from the scattered ruins of the Searing Sea[3a]. While Aqua Ghyranis is an accepted currency in many cities in Aqshy, traders coming from more distant lands often prefer to barter off their exotic goods.[9a]

The primary tradegood in Anvilgard are foodstuffs. Shipments of grain brought in by Kharadron sky-vessels[7b], and mountains of fresh fish or beast flesh caught by sleek Aelven ships flood the markets of the city everyday. From here they get shipped of to less fertile cities like Lethis in Shyish[9a] But not all trade in Anvilgard happens in well-regulated and policed market squares. Anvilgard is also home to an extensive network of hidden auction houses and shadowy black markets.[9a]

Notable

Gallery

See Also

Sources

Cities of Sigmar
Free Cities of Sigmar Fortress Cities Capital Fortress Cities ExcelsisHammerhal AqshaHammerhal GhyraLethisMisthåvnSettler's GainVindicarum
Seeds of Hope Greywater FastnessLiving CityPhoenicium
Cities of Flame AnvilgardHallowheartTempest's Eye
Free Cities of the Realms
Great Cities of Azyr AzyrheimGrimpeakHallowstarNordrathSkydockStardockStarhold
Cities of Aqshy AnvalorBrighthallBrightspearCallidiumDraconiumEdassaFort DenstIpsalaNew HarrazanRozhVandium
Cities of Chamon AnvilspireEshunnaGreenfireHelmgardRavensbachSephyrumTabarTansisUliashtai
Cities of Ghur AccarBilgeportCarthaColonnadeConcordiaEarthquake CityEsthu'dorEverquake CityIzalendMatarkaSeven WordsShu'gohlSkyheldSkythaneSundsforTantalumThornwallVeldtwend
Cities of Ghyran ColostrumDagolethDruhiel of the PinesEverythFort GardusHeldenhammer's TriumphHoundsgateKernelstoneKranzinnportKurnotheaLifestoneOak's HeartSlicstonSludgemootSupcliffeXil'anthos
Cities of Hysh City of PrismsTor Limina
Cities of Shyish ArbitriumAstronicaAventhisCity of SighsCotherquillGholdenhalGlimmerheartGlymmsforgeGravespurnGravewildLugolMonsam SpireMhurghastThanator's ManseOasis of GazulPort SorrowTwinned Towns of Belvegrod (EastdaleWestreach) • VeilgardWestport
Cities of Ulgu Barbed PromiseDarkdelveDesperanceDuskhengeGaolintarGreyspireHarkraken's BaneHollenwaldMurmurusNew SadoriaScant HopeTarnastipolUmbramox
Unspecified AlshimeAnvilheimBlackwallBleinhamCatransaCelestriusFarcragGaldheartHeldeliumHoldashPilgrim's ReachShanskirSigmar's ReachTabernaTallowreachThraesh
Factions Collegiate ArcaneDarkling CovensDevoted of SigmarDispossessedEldritch CouncilFreeguildIronweld ArsenalLion RangersOrder DraconisOrder of AzyrOrder SerpentisPhoenix TempleScourge PrivateersShadowbladesSwifthawk AgentsWanderers
Background Aqua GhyranisAzyritesGrand ConclavesReclaimedSigmar's EmpireDawnbringer CrusadesFree AnvilgardGoldjacketsMotor VehiclesSigmarite Strongpoint
Artwork