Known in the native tongue as Sommarandning, Summer’s Breath is one of the largest cities in The North and the main seat of the Tribunal of the 5 Kings. It sits along the Eastern edge of peninsula along the waters of the Baltic Sea.

Maps: Labelled / Bare / Nearby

Summer’s Breath has existed, in varying sizes, for thousands of years. Its position along the Cold River continues to be a useful source of fresh water year-round, as well as allowing agricultural efforts to improve the neighboring areas.

Points of Interest

The Cold River

The Cold River flows from glaciers many hundreds of miles away, carving a wide path through the peninsula and ending at the sea around Summer’s Breath. It has a number of up-river tributaries and forks, but relevant to the city:

The Wise Fork cuts West-East just to the North of town. It splits just before Firebringer Tower and cuts a deep and fast-flowing path down through the foothills and out to sea. Notably, one small stretch of the Wise Fork is especially treacherous: Astrid’s Snare. There, the width of the crossing narrows to a deceptive 4-6 feet across. However, the water below has tunneled underneath the banks. Anyone who falls in is unlikely to be able to pull themselves from the rapids without any reachable standing. The banks there are prone to collapse as well. Finally, the Wise Fork passes under two bridges: one for the railway and then as it nears the sea, under the King’s Bridge.

The Cruel Fork cuts South, and takes the larger volume of the river through the center of the city.

Everbarrow & The Witching Hills

Northeast of the city lies a dense and bewildering maze of rocky hills. The land is churned and broken: jagged spurs of rock lance out at odd angles, sudden crevasses split deep into the earth, and gnarled trees leave most passages in shadow even on the brightest of days. The Witching Hills have long held an ill reputation, though to the residents of Summer’s Breath the tales are heard mostly to scare children. Few have any reason to attempt a visit. Nothing of use grows there, and what managed to take root is quickly devoured by wild goat packs that rove undisturbed.

Story has it that in ages past, heroes and kings were buried in a great hall deep in those mountains. Back then the hills were not so dark, not so impassible. The Firebringer’s daughter, fair of voice and first Queen of Summer had a keep built there overlooking the Cold River. It was said to be a solitary place, one for her to retreat to when needing to be alone. She had it built at the mouth of a spring that trickled down into the Wise, by then not much to notice but damp earth underfoot. Hers is the first body to be laid to rest in the barrow, though some rumor that her father was placed there too—among those that believe the Firebringer mortal. Her beloved, a fearsome Valkyrie, is interred there as well. Their adopted children, and many generations of Summer rulers continued the tradition. Eventually it gained the name Everbarrow.

The tales diverge as the barrow moves from myth to history: to be sure, the actual location in the Witching Hills has been lost to time. Some believe the earth swallowed it up, others say its hidden deep in the winding paths and its halls are filled with treasure of old, and some voices hold that it never existed in the first place.

In recent years the lower hills have become useful boltholes for freedom fighters and revolutionaries fleeing The Crown’s heel. In the couple years immediately following the 15 Day War skirmishes occurred in the Eastern hills. The ensuing bombardment by Crown airships was instrumental in the later construction of the train line, since much of the blasting necessary for a North-South path had been done already.

Lyn’s Respite

Hidden in the highest spire of the Witching Hills, Lyn’s Respite is reachable from the exterior by a long technical climb to its balcony. Alternatively, there is an internal spiral staircase accessible from a hidden tunnel.

Firebringer Tower

Firebringer Tower stands prominently at the fork of the Cold River, just North of the city walls. Built originally around 160 B.H.A under the Summer Queen Helena’s rule, it has been maintained across the ensuing generations; a symbol of pride in the myths of the North and their people’s heritage.

The is an offering and remembrance of The Firebringer, a historical/mythical figure of the ancient past who—as the stories tell—gifted fire to the first peoples by summing a great arc of lightning from the sky to sunder and ignite a tree. Some stories say the tower was built on the site of that tree, other contend it the event was much further North.

The local Midwinter celebration commemorates this event. Tradition holds that a fire is lit at in the tower, then distributed to the people for them to use to feast. Across the years the tradition evolved to include significantly more ceremony, recently (under the reign of Summer King Anselm) adding a boat parade down the Cold River.

Odal Farm

The largest single farming development near Summer’s Breath, the Odal Farm comprises most of the usable farmland immediately North of the city for miles. It is bordered on the West by the Great Road, on the East by the Baltic Sea, and on the South by the Cold River. To the North it peters out into scrub and forest. While generally fenced, the land is large and easy to travel across as long as one is willing to get a talking-to by one of the Odal sons.

On the cityside of the plot, the family farmhouse sits high, overlooking the most prize fields. Many travelers along the road buy produce for their travels here.

Grim Street Station

The railway station and trainyard are relatively new additions to Summer’s Breath. Started as one of The Crown’s first infrastructure projects after occupying The South, Grim Street Station officially opened in the spring of 154 H.A. Initially the project was highly unpopular with locals, both because of its association with the occupying army and with its “inappropriate” proximity to Firebringer Tower. Quickly though, its usefulness in trade and travel has won many hearts and minds among the populace.

The station itself is an example of Crown industrial pride. It bears construction and repair hangars, large well secured warehouses and an elegant terminal for passengers. Two parallel tracks lead North and connect to a growing rail network across the peninsula.

Maps

Labelled

Bare

Surrounding Area

Fort Miray