Overview

On the western side of the Pillars of Krokus, the town of Darkstone is primarily a trading post at which goods created in the Orcish territories are traded with the Riding. The town is marked by large bazaars and establishments that cater to caravans from The Riding.

The city of Darkstone is located immediately west of the Pillars of Krokus. The architectural style is dominated by large, solid, geometric shapes. Obelisks are located at the intersection of the major thoroughfares as landmarks, official buildings tend to be massive and blockish in nature, and temples and monuments are ziggurats. The pillars and stone buildings are carved from dark granite, thus resulting in the name of the city.

Current (164 AFE to present)

The city is closed to outsiders and is an important outpost for the Ancient Dominion. All trade has ended. The city is closed to outsiders.

Previous (up to 164 AFE)

Economy

Previously, caravans from The Riding would terminate their journeys in Darkstone. Only a few caravans, typically populated entirely by half-Orcs, are willing to pass through the Pillars of Krokus and enter the Orcish lands. Now, the caravan traffic has been stopped.

Gold, silver, iron and other metals are not found in The Riding but instead need to be imported from mines located within the Orcish territories in the form of bars and ingots. In addition, the craftsmanship of metal objects produced in Orcish territories and exported through Darkstone are superior to anything typically found in the The Riding. In particular, Orcish weapons from Darkstone are particularly sought after.

The vast majority of trade in Darkstone is between its Half-orc inhabitants and merchants native to the The Riding. The bands of full orcs that occasionally appear seem to have little interest in trade.

The Southern Mercantile Company has yet to make an appearance in Darkstone and instead prefers to purchase goods from Darkstone at the cities in the headlands of the Green River. This provides a small niche for Riding folk that wish to maintain a certain level of independence.

Government

The inner workings of the government are uncertain, but it appears that day-to-day management of the city is in the hands of a council of Half-Orc merchants that run the larger bazaars and provide security forces to ensure that trading interests are not disrupted. Occasionally, bands of full-blooded Orcs enter the city and they appear to exert a superior authority over any of the local forces.

Population

The native population of the city of Darkstone is predominately Half-Orc, although small ex-pat communities of humans exist within the city. Humans with elvish features suffer in the city and quickly acquire the impression that they are unwanted.

Pillars of Krokus

Large pillars adorned with indecipherable hieroglyphics that mark the boundary at which the Orc tribes claim complete dominion. The trading town of Darkstone lies just west of the the pillars and the sole known road leading into the Orcish territories leaves from the eastern gates of Darkstone and passes between the pillars.