General info

Ishar serves as the center of the Ishar region, situated in the heart of Kildar’s central farmlands at a crossroads that links many cities and towns. At its core stands the castle of the local lord, with a modest town clustered around it. The surrounding lands are entirely agricultural, home to plainspoken and hardworking rural folk. Under different leadership, Ishar might have grown into a far more advanced and prosperous settlement—was it not for the persistent shortcomings of its local lord.

Approximate Ishar region controlled by the lord.

Economical importance

Ishar and its surrounding farmlands hold a crucial role in the region. Two neighboring settlements can produce little food on their own. Brell lies within an area plagued by wild magic, which drove its farmers away long ago. To the other side stands Ironhold, a typical dwarven mining town. Both rely heavily on Ishar’s harvests to sustain their populations. In addition to its crops, Ishar also supplies fresh fish from a nearby lake and river, adding another staple to the region’s diet.

From a trade perspective, Ishar is equally important. For those unwilling to risk the ruins of Torrica or the dangers of the wilderness, it is the only viable overland route between Ironhold, Brell, and the wider realm. Yet, this strategic advantage is poorly used—squandered by the shortsighted decisions of Ishar’s lord.

Governance and its consequences

Ishar and its surrounding lands are ruled with the iron grip of a greedy lord whose policies in recent years have left deep marks on the region. Upon taking power, his first acts were simple but devastating: raise a loyal standing army and force local farmers to sell their harvests to him at low prices, which he then resells to Brell and Ironhold at inflated rates. With both settlements lacking other stable food sources—and able to pay—his scheme was guaranteed to profit.

Unsurprisingly, this sparked conflict with the leaders of the farmers’ and merchants’ guilds. But the lord’s power grew so quickly that those voices of opposition soon vanished—some literally.

The real problem is that few outside forces care to intervene. The region is poor, offering little to most guilds. The knowledge guilds care only that Brell gets its food, while the Eldritch inquisition - was preoccupied with the “Grandmother” crisis - only ensures Ironhold remains supplied. Most of the other commerce guilds see no reason to involve themselves; after all, what use would the jewellers’ guild have here? That leaves the farmers’ and merchants’ guilds to resist, but they are undermined from within: the Bankers guild backs the lord, issuing cripplingly expensive loans to farmers, which are swiftly recouped through his schemes with the help of the lord. Many farmers end up not only penniless but also heavily indebted—practically bound to the lord in economic servitude.

The wealth remains locked in the lord’s treasury, shared only with his army. This brings mixed consequences: the region is safe from bandits—but then, who needs bandits when the lord himself plays the part? Meanwhile, the people are powerless to resist, unable to stand against a trained and well-funded force.

Recent changes

The merchants’ and farmers’ guilds have grown weary of the lord’s stranglehold and have begun discreet talks with the Mercenaries Guild, hoping to enlist their help in toppling him. They know his castle is defended by trained soldiers, but it is not an impregnable fortress—and with the likely support of the local population, a determined siege could succeed.

Unfortunately, the bankers’ guild caught wind of these whispers and promptly informed the lord. His response was swift and calculated. He banned all taverns in the region and expelled adventurers outright, supplementing the roads with extra patrols. While he does not expect a full-scale siege, his greatest fear is an assassination attempt—a small, well-trained squad of hired blades slipping inside the castle to kill him. Adventurers, he knows, prefer to gather in taverns; cutting off their meeting places would make such plots far harder to organize.

The tactic proved disturbingly effective. Taverns had always been the perfect cover for quiet conspiracies—crowds come and go without raising suspicion. By contrast, any unusual gathering in a private home is now immediately suspect to the patrols.

However, this ban has further strangled Ishar’s already fragile trade. Passing merchants must now beg for lodging from nervous locals—who may be too frightened to agree—or camp outside in the wilderness. Either way, resentment is growing. For the first time in years, multiple guilds beyond the farmers and merchants are beginning to take an interest in Ishar. Something is brewing, and when it comes, it will not arrive quietly.