History of Tiangchou  Before the Scourge Tiangchou was a jewel of Korresh, built after the race wars finished it was sited to command the river basin and control the surrounding territory. It was assumed impregnable by its ruler. The first ruler hired dwarven craftsmen to fashion the concentric walls, six in all were made, the inner ring and the palace within were built of a white marble that was ferried down the river. Whilst the remainder was of grey granite found in the bedrock beneath the hill itself, mined out by the dwarves. The palace atop the city was beautiful, its water garden was renowned throughout the land as a thing of wonder.  Then came the Scourge, the enemy launched attack after attack at the walls but were unable to penetrate them. Finally Cryon arrived to personally oversee the siege. The losses had been horrific and yet dwarves and men fought side by side and died side by side to stem these attacks. Cryon called upon the powers of his master though and shattered each wall in turn. His troops charged as soon as each wall collapsed trapping, killing and capturing many, the lucky ones were killed.  Finally only the inner wall stood, this wall was the most powerful, the marble was strong and protected by strong dwarven magic that had been woven into the stone at its building. Cryon's magic could not defeat and destroy this inner wall so easily, his forces were unable to capture the final barricade by stealth so he plotted and planned. First he protected Tiangchou from rain, so that no rain could fall upon Tiangchou and none did so from that day for many years. He then found the underground ducts that fed the water from the river up to the water gardens of the palace and poisoned them with the venom of some of his troops that would kill humans easily and dwarves in time. His final act was to seal the city in and out so that his forces could be spared to march on Maston.  Over the next few days the remaining defenders died, some at the barriers others in their own houses all hideously screaming as the poison destroyed them. The rearguard of the Dark ones army laughed at the defenders as they sought with bare hands to break the barrier that had been created. So Tiangchou died. After the Scourge was defeated there were only the few scattered people in the area to rebuild what had once been. These soon formed themselves into distinct tribal groups. On the river, closest to Tiangchou, the rat tribe established itself. Named after the giant water rats with whom they shared the river side, this tribe were hunter gatherers, living in small family units within the swamps, they lived on wild rice and tubers near the river, fish, birds and the various wildlife that lived in the swamps. Raids upon the nearby Rooster tribe enabled them to capture food and hone their fighting skills. They never united in larger groups as it was hard within the swamp to gather food for larger numbers.  The second tribe could be found in the flood plains of the river valley that flooded twice each year, they lived in small villages on the small hills that could be found scattered through the area. This tribe followed the rooster totem, revering the rooster as a fighter and master of the weaker hens. They were rice farmers, working in the paddy fields to produce two crops each year. Each village ruled by a lord, who was trained as a fighter to protect the village. The larger villages has several such families. The entire tribe was ruled by the Shogun, the martial leader who would protect the tribe as a whole from larger attacks and would launch small raids against the rat tribe, gathering various family warriors to form his unit. In the steppes the horse tribe lived, living virtually all their life in the saddle, they lived in separate clans, each ruled by a khan. They roam the hills searching ever for fresh grazing to feed their flocks and horses. Meeting other clans to fight or share campfires or both. They ranged far and wide. It is believed that the horse clands predate the scourge and they themselves certainly claim to have existed that long. In the dark woods that bordered the steppes, the Snake tribe lived. This tribe practised magic openly, the only tribe to do so. They lived by hunting what food they needed from within the forests and they rarely ventured outside. Their chief was nominally in charge, however it was the shaman's that were the power behind the throne. The shamans, revelled in blood magic and controlling the clans under their sway. No one really knows the aims of the snake shamans, but some feel that they work secretly to restore the Dark one to the world.  The last tribe in the region could be found in the stark hills, the lizard tribe. The Lizard tribe are recluse, living in small family units that roam the sandstone hills that are riddled with caves. They are rumoured to use huge liazards as pets and mounts, but so sitings have been heard of. Very few people venture into the hills, for the Lizard tribe are cannibals. They prey on intruders, but also eat one another. Such feasts of the flesh are common, as those that die naturally are ritually eaten. The tribe forbids any fighting once the cooking has started. Beside gathering some food where they lived, the tribe would frequently raid the Rat tribe the snake tribe and the horse tribe, aiming to get stragglers. Once every seven years the tribes would meet in council around the city of Tiangchou, this custom evolved to meet the need to mix the blood of the tribes and to meet relatives who had been together. Rarely did the snake tribe attend in force, but always a shaman and his retinue came, sometimes leaving with people of other tribes who chose the dark woods rather than face staying within their tribe another year. Most switched tribes for marriage, but there was no discrimination in this, sometime girls left to join new husbands and sometimes boys left to be with their future wives. Many horse tribe sons left to join the family of a Lord of the Rooster tribe and there were several other traditional movements. In this way each tribe grew strong and no great war was fought between them due to the family alliances between them.  About 500 years after the scourge the magic's protecting Tiangchou weakened, the rain began to fall again within the city. Helped by the rain washing it away, the poison within the water supply dissapated and though the barrier still held it was growing weaker. In fact the Rat tribe were the first to enter Tiangchou. A family leader, a woman by the name of Lo Cha, saw that some rats had entered the city for the first time and resolved to find the entrance. After several failed attempts she finally managed to follow a rat up one of the water tunnels from the river. The route was passable as the summer had been long and dry and the water levels lower than normal. She wandered from the palace opening the still functioning gates and broke the spell that had blocked off the whole city. Gathering her family she then set about uniting the rat tribe in their driest home ever and over the next six years was able to bring order to the city and with the treasure she and the others found began to rebuild parts of the city. One of her wisest decisions was to travel to Maston and swear allegiance to the empire in return for a certain autonomy and protection of some Imperial forces. To this day there is a regiment of Imperial troops garrisoned in Tiangchou When the next tribal meeting occurred and the other tribes found the city not only open, but occupied by the rat tribe lead by a strong leader backed by Imperial troops. Over the next few hundred years systems became established and the status quo of the area changed significantly. The rat tribe gained in power as they established the city in the area opening up trade to distant realms and cities. Dwarves returned to the city as rumours of its reopening spread and the caverns beneath the city were reopened and building works began. Lo Cha founded the laws that would govern the city for years to come.  A female always rules the city and her government is always men, however it is from the wives of her ministers that she chooses her successor. The tribes still meet every seven years but now several tribes have semi-permanent camps outside the pens near the city. Over the years, the city has grown to include many who deem themselves tribe-less within the city, inhabitants of the city rather than of the rat tribe, the ruling caste however still remember their roots and revere the rats that are allowed to roam the city. Smaller rats are treated as vermin however and are killed. Time Line of Tiangchou   AS 0 End of the Scourge AS 50 Leshya dies in Maston and her son Rinoth I ascends the throne AS 103 Rinoth I dies and Kyrand I ascends the throne AS 201 Five tribes commence 7 year festival outside Tiangchou. AS 502 The plague AS 530 Magic weakens, rain begins to fall in Tiangchou AS 530 Lo Cha enters Tiangchou for the first time AS 535 Lo Cha invites Imperial Army into Tiangchou AS 570 Dwarves return to Tiangchou AS 704 Fan Chia introduces paper money AS 1000 Current Day