Overview

Once a small town in the Commonwealth of Tangel, Sharolia has grown into its own prosperous city-state. Massive stones from Daboran make up an imposing wall surrounding about half the city. The other half, known simply as “The Markets”, spills out and around a massive hole in the wall that fell during the First Surge.

Sharolia is a populous city, with its only real contention being one starting to form with Krasslig. Tensions have begun to rise with the influx of crime within the city, which is rumored to be thieves from Krasslig. This has mostly remained unproven. Sharolia has very good relations with Daboran, Jast and The Greenwood Republic.

Located to the East of Dragon’s Tear Lake, Sharolia has access to a large supply of fresh water. Docks have been built along the lake’s banks, with fishermen frequently seen out on the water. It’s considered a good omen to see water elementals early in the morning as the sun rises - the fishermen say it indicates a bountiful day. It is also in an excellent position to trade with both Daboran and Krasslig. Sharolia’s primary exports are magical items and medicines. They import a significant amount of food, textiles, and stone. Being surrounded by forests in most directions, Sharolia has very little to worry about when it comes to foreign invaders.

Culture

The city is a place of duality, with the inner portion surrounded by the wall being an orderly place that is heavily guarded. Rich merchants and nobles dine outdoors on beautiful mezzanines covered in hanging gardens. At the center of the circular wall stands the Hall of the Ten, both a courthouse and temple to Totan. The Mage’s Guild is located close by near a large, public garden. The mages have performed rituals to allow plants that are not native to the area to flourish there. Cacti from Baswa can be found growing next to red trees from Mull and evergreens from Burcima. The outer portion is a hub for the occult, with strange oddities, magical trinkets and charms sold at multitudes of stands through tightly packed homes and tents. It is not uncommon to see people near the Divination Guild offering Tarot or Bone Readings. On the roof of the Divination Guild is an observatory where large telescopes help them draw star charts and decipher meaning from the sky. A Temple to Sarik known as “The House of the Dreamers' ' sits at the western edge of The Markets. Many worshipers come here to indulge in mind-altering substances and dream in prayer to their god. The School of the Mind is built right on the inner edge of the wall, on the cusp of where the hole is - known as “The Break '' to the locals. Nearby, a lounge known as “The Mind’s Eye” is where many share information pertaining to the occult and magical rarities. “Curious Imported Marvels and Wondrous Artifacts” is a shop run by a short, round Haroc named Gorbodon who specializes in strange items from around Ashriya. This two storied building is filled with all sorts of things, some of them quite dangerous.

Prior to the Breaking, the title of “Leader” - the official in charge of the city - was elected through a rigged process. Changes using magical verification processes have made it so elections in Sharolia are fair. All citizens cast their vote that gets checked for authenticity by three organizations: The Mage’s Guild, The School of the Mind, and the Hall of the Ten. This process has given the people of Sharolia exceptionally high levels of faith in their government structure. The current Leader, Demitrin Jull, is a Lyche two years into his first term. The Leader is voted on every 4 years. No Leader can serve more than 2 terms.

Historically, Sharolia has never maintained a standing army. The Sharolian Guard is a large force, but they primarily patrol the city proper. They are mostly graduates of the School of the Mind. The Markets outside the walls are often looked at with very little scrutiny, and guards are usually plied with bribes to stay out of the way. When anyone is brought before a judge in the Hall of the Ten, they are adjudicated almost always by a worshiper of Totan.

Many who grew up here know many of the old Dagon parables and fables. These stories have made many here superstitious. Some carry “Good luck charms” of one kind or another, or are quick to pull out items of religious significance to them when afraid. Around the city are statues depicting various animals that represent guardian spirits from ancient Dagon culture. These creatures are said to protect those who seek their guidance, and many myths say they once walked Ashriya, teaching mastery of the self to the Dagon of long ago.

History

Sharolia was founded along the Krasslig River in 125 AOD. A prophet by the name of Shara foresaw that the city of Sharolia would be built and the waters would return. Nomads were emboldened by her words and traveled past a giant lake bed known as Last Haven Lake. They traveled up the river and settled around an area that would eventually become rapids and were mineral rich. The city was built and the waters did not return, so the prophet Shara was burned alive as a sacrifice.

In 21 AR Sharolia joins the Commonwealth of Tangel, its longtime source of much trade. It was an easy decision for Sharolia and not much changed in the settlement, aside from lowered fees when trading with Tangel, and some increased military presence protecting the trade routes.

When Totansville fell in 58AR Sharolia welcomed the Dagon refugees to make the town their new home. At first it was chaotic as large numbers of people moved in, but the settlement expanded to make room. In 64AR Tangel called for soldiers to reclaim Alshambra, once the Commonwealth’s newly incorporated settlement of Totansville. Many from Sharolia enlisted, especially those who had once lived in Totansville. The War was lost, but those who survived it moved on to make Sharolia theirs, integrating the cultures of its citizens as the settlement became a city.

The 12 years of The Faceless were difficult for the newly established city. Although the Haroc and Undead had helped to build impressive walls around it, many faced starvation while under siege. Little help or aid could come from Tangel, and they were mostly left to their own devices.

In 161AR, a large section of Sharolia’s southern wall crumbled during a massive earthquake.

By the time the second surge hits in 198AR, the City has grown even larger, expanding out of the gap left by the earthquake during the first surge. This expansion of the city primarily became a booming trading market, importing goods from the west through Daboran and helping the exchange of goods and components between The Necropolis, Jast, and Krasslig.

The waters rose on the Krasslig River during the Third Surge, spilling over the banks and forming a large lake to the west of Sharolia. With this change also came a large population of water elementals, many of which were combative initially. Mages from Tangel, Crossroads and Alshambra were contracted to help deal with them, many deciding to stay and open shops once the work was finished.

The Fourth Surge brought many refugees who could no longer return home to Tangel. A small group of Sarik worshipers displaced by the surge say they had dreams of this becoming their home. They constructed a Temple to Sarik, called “The House of the Dreamers”. With Tangel gone, Sharolia becomes an independent City-State.

In the time since the Fourth Surge, Sharolia developed into a hub for the occult. Several things factored into this. The mage refugees who settled here expanded, and with the amount of components moving through the city, became known for their magical trinkets and oddities. The School of the Mind, an independent organization once affiliated with other schools of Psionics, became the premier school for the study of the mind. The House of the Dreamers became a well known location for “expanding one’s mind”, with many Sarik worshipers trying to elicit dreams through the use of components and plants with hallucinogenic properties.