Lorentainé (pronounced Lorent-ay-ne) is the capital city of the Kingdom of Lorent that sits on the banks of the Bloodwine River. It is known for its high red walls, high culture, courtly intrigue and impeccable streets.
History[]
Origins[]
The ancient origins of the city lie in the various outposts built by Castanor around the eastern reaches of the Bloodwine around 450 BA. These outposts were meagre at best and were said to be scouting and tradings posts for the local Lencori tribes. During this time Castanor had brought much of Escann and Dostanor to its dominion, and had founded great colonial cities like Vertesk and Damenath to exert its influence on the Dameshead sea, and the proto-Redfort lands served as a soft border for the empire.
Not much else is known of the coming and goings of the pre-Redfort sites, but it was only be under the Damerian Republic that Redfort grew to prominence.
Under the Damerian Republic[]
One of the founding cities of the Cerulean League, Redfort earned its independence from Castanor in 300 BA in the Second War of the Cerulean League, later forming part of the unification of the Cerulean League as it became the Damerian Republic in 288 BA. By this time the Redfort proper had been constructed and the Damerians had retained a trading policy with the tribes, mantaining cordial relations during this time and using the site as their main way to trade and recruit Lencori auxiliaries in case of war.
The Redfort, like it did for Castanor, proved itself to be a reliable base of operations for the Damerian Republic in their many attempts of conquering Lencenor and during the Lencori Wars in 78 the republic, along with the Gnomish Hierarchy, partitioned the region amongst themselves. This brought the rise of Redfort as a major city, serving as the regional capital for the republic.
During The Dragonwake[]
The city around the Redfort was burned in 474 by Nimrith the Red during the Dragonwake, leaving only a small portion of the fort itself intact. Many refugees eventually sought refuge with the Rubenti tribe downriver that had been granted settlement and vasalan status by the republic, migrating to the city of Lorentei (modern-day Lorentainé).
Lorentish Kingdom and High Kingdom of Lencenor[]
In 523 the lands around the Redfort became the heartlands of the Lorentish Kingdom founded by the warlord Lorenan the Great, with its capital in the Lorenti city of Lorentei. Only two years later Lorenan was elected as High King of Lencenor and the city tripled in size, and became the de-facto capital of the entire region.
War of the Three Roses[]
The city of Lorentei was caught right in the middle of the war, changing hands at various times during the 22 years of conflict. The Ruby Crown was brought to the Redfort for protection, and the capital of the High Kingdom suffered greatly with the various assaults and counter assaults as it was used as a staging ground for the various Entebenic sieges of Redfort.
Years of the Broken Rose[]
Being part of the lands assigned to the Lord Regents of Lencenor saved the city from the conflicts that plagued the neighbouring realms, and the importance of Lorentei as the economic and cultural capital of Lencenor was recovered despite it not holding any royal court and the Lord Regents ruling from the Redfort itself. Most reunions between the rival kings took place there, as it was considered neutral ground, and the weddings that started the Spring of the Three Kings took place here as well.
Era of Black Ice[]
The city was left undisturbed for most of the Era of Black Ice, despite it feeling the reduction of trade and the insecurity brought by the coastal raids. Ironically, the population of Lorentei grew as a result of this, with the outskirts of the city growing to accomodate the population that the southwestern Caylenath (future Kyliande) couldn't handle.
The invasion of Derhilde "Reaverqueen" saw the city used as a base to besiege the Redfort once again after the city surrendered to her.
War of the One Rose[]
Derhilde's troops were quick to retreat from Lorenan's Demesne when the war was declared and the combined might of Redwood, Enteben and Carneter-Dameria threatened to surround them east of the Bloodwine river, and thus Lorentei escaped the fate of other important cities like Rewanwood or Daromath, which suffered long sieges to be recovered from the reavers. This changed, however, after Lorenan III's betrayal of Redwood and Enteben, as the city was now the center of operations from where the king tried to bring the other two kingdoms into the fold.
Panic ensued after the Rubentis defeat at Lorenan's Rest, only a few days away to the northwest, though the retreat of the Damerian forces first and the Redforter and Carnetori ones a month later saved the city from proper military actions. Lorentei opened its gates to Lorevarn II of Redwood, who took it without bloodshed or violence despite the long war that had been fought just to get to its gates.
On the first of Castanmark of the year 900 After the Ashes, Lorevarn II Rewantis was crowned King of Lorent at the temple of Highcour, and it was there where he proclaimed the refoundation of the house of Lorentis. For the first time since the death of Ruben II in the year 600, Lorentei became the capital of the Rose Kingdom, a role that it never lost again.
War of the Sorcerer-King[]
During the War of the Sorcerer-King Lorentei was a major city and one of the last bastions of freedom in the war. It is said during The Battle of Lorentei, when the recently landed elves and their allies in the League of Free Realms relieved the besieged city, that the Bloodwine River that it sat on lived up to its namesake.
The city's modern day name was also coined shortly before the battle, with an unknown elven soldier calling it by its elven name: Lorentainé. The relieved Lorentish peoples welcomed the Free Realms and these strange saviours with open arms, and in the victory banquet that followed it is said that Rewan VIII Lorentis, the famed Thorn of the West, proclaimed:
"We are indebted to you, Dameria, and our strange saviours - who hath spoken in such strange and melodial tongue! I shall name this place as your people call it: Lorentainé, for it is now forever bound to both yours and mine"
The city was never captured by the Sorcerer-King and many Lorentines today hold that title with pride.
Ioriellan Renaissance[]
Areas of the City[]
- Threeflowers: named after the three kingdoms of the War of the Three Roses
- Highcour: the temple district, houses the main temple to Adean in Lorent
- Red Walls of Lorentainé: both a strong defence and a symbol of pride for the city, the Red Walls have been rebuilt and expanded multiple times in the history of the city, always being outgrown by its population. The modern red walls, outgrown centuries ago, correspond to those built immediately prior to the Lilac Wars, as the posterior artillery-proof fortifications were demolished to build residential areas.