Legacy of the Patriarchs: the city of Jimos

Name: Jimos

Population: about 2000 in the city and surrounding valley not including nearby tribes.

Founding: The founding of Jimos is shrouded in mystery. Many of the races present in the city claim to be the original founders, but none have enough proof to prevent arguments. Lengthy scrolls of genealogy and family history are used to trace families back to the founding. Differing accounts are common. The city has existed since sometime during the Demon Lord’s reign, and possibly earlier.

The city is predominantly constructed from stones scavenged from the ruins in the area. The city is not the first settlement to claim this location. Ruins cover the entire plateau. Their age is unknown, but they appear to be from a great fortified city. Jimos is built within the inner wall of these ruins. The remains of three more walls stretch out around the city, with the outer wall rimming the edge of the plateau itself. These walls are dotted with towers in various stages of disrepair. Some have been put to use by the locals, while others are still untouched. Little is known about the origin of the ruins. There is a surprising lack of any inscription or other markings of record. It is almost as if they have all been removed. What few markings have been found over the years seem to show dragons and draconic races. This has led to a theory that the original city was created by dragonborn. This theory runs up against genealogy however as the dragonborn population in the mountains traces back to a migration within the last few centuries.

Religion: One piece of evidence for the city existing before the Demon Lord’s reign is the long memory of its religion. All of the new gods are respected in some form, but they are often seen as upstarts and afterthoughts. The memory of the city recalls the days when its inhabitants worshipped the old gods before the Demon Lord killed the pantheon. Though there are no official temples to the old gods who have passed on, there are many who still revere them in secret hoping for the day they may return.

There is one temple dedicated to the new gods, with the largest section dedicated to Khasten. Four gods claim temples of their own. These are The All High, Arun, Grodge, and Tork. As the only surviving or returned members of the old pantheon, the city reveres them especially.

Government: A council of 13 elders runs the city. Membership on the council is for life, with a new Elder being elected upon the death of a current one. Members from a family are prohibited from becoming elders if there is already an elder from their family on the council. Votes for new council members are cast by the elder of each extended family. Other leadership positions within the city are appointed based on merit.

Law Enforcement: The city has a small force of full time guards that keep the peace when necessary. The citizens are invested in maintaining the city, and will step in when needed. There is no long term imprisonment for crimes. Minor crimes are typically dealt with by fining the person or requiring community service. Major crimes are evaluated on a case by case basis. Those individuals who can be dealt with and reformed are allowed back into society. Worse punishments range from banishment to death depending on the offense.

Economy: The primary occupation in Jimos is farming. Fishermen ply the river and hunters scour the valleys. Sections of the river flow year round due to the artificial deserts in the valley floor. Most of the trade is with the tribes in the mountains. During the summer they get a handful of merchants from outside. Primal glass is a popular export. Other common exports are stone, lumber, and furs. The city is self sufficient for the most part, but imports rare items and finer wares when possible.

Races: Despite the isolation, the city is quite diverse. The more civilized races all call it home: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Dragonborn. There are even a few Orcs and Goblins who live in bands which act as sentries outside the typical boundaries of the city. In addition to these races, there are also tribes of kobolds, lizardfolk and troglodytes that call the mountains home. A small handful live within the city. Many citizens show a mixed ancestry, owing to the diversity of races and the relative isolation. Half Breeds are as common as anyone else.

With the city’s age the races that live here have a long history stretching back before the racial cultures took their current forms. The races have the “culture of Jimos” more than the culture of their respective races. Over the last millennia cultural practices have made their way into the valley, but the races as they exist in the area are unique to themselves. They see only a handful of visitors a year. The rest of their interaction is with the other inhabitants of the mountains. What information they do have of the outside world comes from occasional traders and the rare travelers that make their way through this area.

Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, and Lizardfolk all trace their existence in the area to the earliest days of the city. Humans make this claim as well, but it is questioned by many. An alternate claim is that humans entered the valley during the Demon Lord’s reign as refugees that fled from the demonic forces. Terora came to the area during the Demon Lord’s reign as the isolated location was perfect for building an army in secret. Beast men migrated to the area early after the defeat of the Demon Lord and the Dragonborn population arrived around 500 years ago during a tribal migration.

The population of the city is predominantly Elven, Dwarven, Halfling and Human. The other races exist in the city, but in smaller numbers.

Tribes of Orcs and Goblins roam the valleys and have a neutral relationship with the city. They are often employed as forces to hunt down the more dangerous beasts in the mountains.

Lizardfolk and Beast men tribes in the area are more antagonistic, often preying on farmers and others living in the outlying areas.

Military: Jimos has no standing army. It relies on its isolation for protection. When a fighting force is needed a militia is called up. Many members of the community are proficient with basic fighting techniques and weapons from their life in the mountains and dealing with the dangers of the area.

Landscape: Jimos is located in the Ternock Mountains. The mountain range is a small section of a larger range, the largest in the world. The city of Jimos is isolated. Jimos is located on a large plateau in a mountain valley. The plateau is roughly two miles across and a mile wide. The rest of the plateau and much of the surrounding valleys are taken up by farmland. The plateau and surrounding area are honeycombed with caves and ruins that appear to be from an ancient civilization that has been lost to time. The eastern side of the valley is carved out by the Garfasrt river while the western side contains small streams.

The mountains themselves still show signs of some great event in the past. Entire mountain sides are melted into what the locals refer to as primal glass. Other areas, especially low valleys, are sandy and dry with lingering arcane energies that turn the otherwise temperate landscape into deserts. The locals have put these phenomena to use by taking advantage of the longer growing season that stretches into the areas surrounding these artificial deserts. Some farms are able to produce food year round.

Wildlife: Another strange feature of the mountains is the existence of creatures known as tisvelk iejir. The mountains contain the wildlife that is typical for a temperate region, but there are also twisted versions of many creatures. These tisvelk iejir are often covered in scales instead of fur or feathers. They all sport teeth and claws. They are stronger and more aggressive than usual members of their kinds, and they are all omnivorous, preferring meat to plants. On rare occasions a member of one of the local races will be born with these traits. These individuals are usually ostracized, treated with fear and suspicion.

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About the Author:

Stephen Mayo lives in Montana with his wife, daughter, and three cats.

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