Avaldsnes (Royal City)

The Coat of Arms of the Royal City of Avaldsnes.

A view of the Royal City of Avaldsnes.

The city of Avaldsnes in the very early days of the tenure of Count Harald of Wintergleam.

Avaldsnes, also known as the Royal City of Avaldsnes as well as the Sea Shrine City, is the capital of the Bailiwick of the same name as well as the capital of the Royal Precinct which is known as the Federation of the Seven Ports.

About

The Sea Shrine City is bustling hub of trade and commerce, which still has managed to maintain a romantic and picturesque atmosphere.

History

Avaldsnes was founded by the Valtian chieftain Augvald Holmfastsson of the House of Tysvær as a trading post and way-station of the coast of Winter Bay in the Wintergleam area of what was millenia later to become the Duchy of Goldshire. The colony grew slowly during this period, not ever exceeding the size of midsized village, as it was hard to find adequate labour for what most Valtians considered a not too attractive outpost of the Valtian Empire.

After the destruction of Valtia and the subsequent collapse of the Valtian Free State, Avaldsnes received an influx of refugees made up of people driven out of other former Valtian colonies, allowing it to grow to the size of a small town.

For most of its post-Valtian history Avaldsnes managed to chart a semi-independent course for itself throughout times, owing to a combination of:

• being sheltered from raids carried out from its hinterland by the inaccessible pre-Great Thaw frozen interior of Wintergleam;
• its robust coastal defences and being one of the few places of knowing the secret of making the formidable weapon which is known as Valtian Fire;
• clever diplomacy, including stiking mutually beneficial deals with Raynor as well as various Dukes of Goldshire;
• keeping a low profile to avoid attracting unwanted attention, including bribing cartographers to keep Avaldsnes off their maps.

Trivia

• The Hertugstekja of Duke Harald of Froyalan was held at the Shrine of the Sea in the city of Avaldsnes.
• The baby-welcoming of Princess Esther of Anglia took place in the Sea Shrine City, in the temple from which the Royal City of Avaldsnes derives its nickname.
• Avaldsnes is the site of many a walk of joy by female members of the Royal Family of Elwynn, such as Princess Fjǫrleif of Amokolia and Queen Æsileif of Ravaria.
• The Stortemplet in Avaldsnes is the place where ever since the Ducal Reign of Harald of Froyalan the Ducalia are kept.

Sites of Interest

• Althingshǫll, seat of the legislature of the Seven Ports as well as of several Royal Courts of Justice.
• Avaldsborg, the seat of the Jarl of the Seven Ports as well as the Seat and Chapter House of the Froyalanish Branch of the House of Ettlingar Freyu.
• Eldgammela Kryptar, a maze of subterranean vaults connected by underground passageways which holds incredible valuables.
• Froyahǫll, annexe of the Valfreyja Chapter Hall.
• Haraldsveggir, the gargantuan walls surrounding the city.
• Hertug Haraldsmál College, a college of the People's Academy of Elwynn.
• Höfnvígi, an ancient harbour fortress.
• Odinhof, temple dedicated to the Æsir God Odin.
• Shrine of the Sea, the second most senior Vanic temple of the Flower of the North.
• Stormarkshǫll, the Elwynnese headquarters of the SEKEF.