Géshtei Castle

at, is a which sits on the  along the western border of the. It is the capital of and headquarters of the, but the feud brewing between the magistrate and marshal threatens the settlement’s peace and prosperity.

History
The history of is dominated by “Mother Thârd,” the great river that brings both good fortune and disaster. Like other settlements along the river, Géshtei owes its existence and its success to the “strong brown god” that flows beside it.

There have been human settlers in the Géshtei area since 1000, attracted by the lush agricultural lands of the , as the angle between the and s is sometimes called. By the 2nd century, these people had come to be called the and the. They became part of the expanding when their lands were annexed by  in 339. So quickly and thoroughly did the Gesain and Imri assimilate into the empire that little is now known of them. They were probably little different from their Corani overlords, and various archeological observations suggest that they had substantial blood. Among the few things known about them is that they worshiped the river; the term “strong brown god” is of Gesain origin.

In 345, Lobir built a major stone fortification at Géshtei on the site of a much older. The settlement grew quickly and, for a brief period near the start of ’s reign, was second only to in population. With the conquest of the lower Thârd valley, Géshtei’s importance declined. While it remained a major fortification and trade center, Géshtei was gradually overtaken in size by, , and Merethos, now called.

In the late spring of 521, the Great Flood occurred, devastating the Thârd valley and changing the face of the empire. Thousands drowned as flood waters overwhelmed their homes and thousands more starved in the that followed. Many river settlements were saved from destruction only by the frantic efforts of imperial troops. At Géshtei, the floodwaters rose halfway up, covering almost all of the present settlement. Several hundred residents perished and the damage to crops and property was extensive.

The imperial response to this disaster was surprisingly good, considering the of the day was  “the Fool,” an imbecilic puppet. Substantial monies were expended to restore Géshtei, including the construction of a great on both sides of the river to protect the banks from further erosion by future floods.

Géshtei surrendered to the forces of the in 564, one year before the empire fell. Most of the traditional were exterminated by ian inquisitors during the  that followed, leaving a power vacuum when that regime collapsed in 588. Throughout much of, emerging merchant clans had the wealth and power to restore a semblance of order. In 621, the clans of Géshtei joined with those of Côranan to form the. Over the past century, the town has prospered from road and river trade.

Current situation
Géshtei has been unsettled since took the office of, as he and   do not get along. Their plotting against one another ripples out from the caer all the way to the in, as each man’s  seeks to rally support from other major clans and religious organizations.

Géshtei is the strongest Republic fortification on the river downstream of Coranan; in the event of war with, it would likely be among the first castles attacked. The seizure of the Republic’s keep at by  in 708  increased the prospect of such a war. Thémeson is now held by the, and Karel Delvenau, deputy of the , their sponsoring , has held secret negotiations with certain key senators for the return of Thémeson to the Republic and a seat in the senate for herself. Unbeknownst to either marshal or magistrate, Saldrine Kosawhyn, an influential noblewoman, has offered to host the next round of talks in Géshtei.

Réthem’s eyes the Thârdic border with wariness and the large  with dismay. He desires peace and prosperity for his lands, a state he feels is threatened by the civil war brewing in his own country and the ambitious saber-rattling of degenerate Thârdans. Similarly, the in  is aware that some of his countrymen desire a war of revenge against the Republic and fears that his lands may be the first targeted by Thârdic forces. Both men have a stake in continuing the feud in Géshtei, as it keeps both marshal and magistrate occupied.

Government
Géshtei is the capital of, run by Marshal and Magistrate.

Jithias, 20, owes his position to his powerful uncle Quertena, a former who was assassinated in 719. Although Jithias commands the largest legion in, the Mariams, whose power base is in , fear for the young man’s safety. He is associated with the faction of the Senate and his position on the  border concerns the more restrained factions; there is some lobbying to replace him.

Jithias is prone to youthful rashness and exuberance. There have been several minor incidents on the frontier, and some believe that he seeks to provoke war with Rethem. He is jealous of the skills and popularity of, who holds the office of both and  of , and would like to see his own military star shine as brightly.

Borisir Wytel, 57, is a sensualist, although his enemies usually refer to him as degenerate or perverted. Borisir resents the intrusion of the upstart Jithias into the district that he and his nephew, the legate, dominate. Borisir sends frequent unfavorable reports about the marshal to the Senate.

Although Borisir is an ardent member of the faction, his enmity for Jithias is said to have far deeper roots than politics. It is whispered that shortly after his appointment, Jithias scornfully rejected Borisir’s offers of personal “friendship.” Few people would be surprised if one of the two men assassinated the other.

Military forces
Caer Géshtei is the headquarters for the but only three companies are stationed here. The legion’s 25 companies are scattered throughout the province. The remaining eight companies of the are based at  and four other s. The legion’s other cohorts are  (3 companies), (6), and  (5). None of these companies are at full strength, ranging from 12 to 19 men. The marshal spends more time concocting grandiose campaigns than he does in running his legion, and he does not have the full loyalty of his cohort commanders, all of whom are older than he is. The senior cohort commander is a thorough professional but lacks influence. In the event of a Réthemi or Kándian attack, a coordinated response is unlikely to develop quickly.

Of the three companies at Géshtei, two comprise the castle garrison. The third escorts the marshal when he visits and inspects the remainder of his command. These 18 men, commanded by Gaery Baral, owe their position to the marshal and have been picked for their loyalty and skills. Their combat skills can best be described as “untested.”

Sixth Floor
This floor houses one of the two. The company has 14 men and is commanded by Haeri of Sosaldas, who has quarters in the southwest tower. He is a cousin of Captain Faerin, to whom he is intensely loyal; he expects to rise along with his ambitious cousin.

The second garrison company is housed in the and towers of the. This unit of 17 men is commanded by Banis of Yemala, whose family connections exceed his limited intelligence. His men often take advantage of his credulity. Most recently, they have him believing half the company suffers from and that Patreek of Oban has set up an infirmary to treat them at the Castleroad Inn.

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