Dragon's Lair

Red dragon emblem of the House of Drake, rulers of Dragon's Lair.

Dragon's Lair is one of the largest cities in the Northwestern Empire and one of the foundational Imperial cities in the reigon.

History

The history of Dragon's Lair coincides with the history of the other major cities in the Northwest: Illikon, Eloh, and Gryphon's Roost. Four major Imperial noble families spread out in conquest, and while some changed over time, ultimately those families became the houses of Illikoni, Drake, Marks, and Kallistos. Dragon's Lair is the city established by the Drake family, set southward of Illikon along the more treacherous, swampier coast. The city grew quickly into a bustling center of activity and now boasts a place among the major Imperial cities.

Reputation

Regarded as a place of old Imperial values, wealth, and great warriors, Dragon's Lair is known for sending many fearsome knights and soldiers to bolster the defenses of the Northwest. The city is considered impenetreble, a bastion of protection to any weary traveler. However, Dragon's Lair is not without its softer side, known in particular for its beautiful bathhouses.

Structure

Dragon's Lair is an extremely defensible city with high stone walls dotted with even higher towers. A major road runs out of the city, though it turns to a dirt road as it expands into the relative wilderness of the Northwest. The city is decorated considerably: grotesques, gargoyles, and mosaics, mostly of dragons, with some depicting heroes as well; there are also many colorfully painted statues. The architecture of Dragon's Lair looks more like something from the Imperial Heartland than the Northwest: many buildings are constructed with great columns and high ceilings, covered in intricate imagery.

Religion

Dragon's Lair has several temples, the greatest of which is dedicated to the favored goddess of the House of Drake: Athena. Other temples to other Olympians exist, however, such as one to Mercury, as well as one to Zeus. One of the grandest temples in the city, however, is dedicated to the hero-god Hercules, and Dragon's Lair also reveres other great Golden Age Imperial heroes such as Achilles. Some say this might be why Tom Drake admires the old-age heroes so much.