Keshte



Dragon Overlord: Davnrog  - White Dragon

Founding
Built high in the mountains that border the Dwarven Kingdom of Falkruun, Keshte the White City is one of the oldest settlements in the Empire. In fact, it was the frozen city that sent envoys to the other great cities to propose an alliance that eventually lead to the creation of the Arkoshian Empire. The true story of founding of the city has been lost to time, but the most widely accepted story (or myth) is that a family of Dragonborn was fleeing pursuing ogres over the mountain when a young white dragon swooped down from the heavens and destroyed the pursuers. It was here that the first settlers formed a bond with their matron Davnrog and then settled in caves that protected them from the elements.

Architecture
The White City is not a city, per se, but rather a menagerie of districts encased in huge caverns. Each district in connected to one another via tunnels dug into the rock. With the developed tunnel system and harsh weather, many inhabitants of the White City do not see the sun until adulthood and even some who live in the slums die without ever leaving their cavern homes. Very little can be said about the originality of the White City’s architecture. Most homes and public buildings are just hallowed out sections of cave that have small tunnels leading to the surface to allow smoke to escape and provide fresh air and the others are rectangular stone buildings. However, a few buildings such as Davnrog’s personal chamber and the temple to Bahamut are of Dwarven craftsmanship, gifts of the nearby Dwarves for years of friendship and alliance.

Culture
The White Dragonborn are the most closed off of the Arkoshians. Being so high in the mountains and separated from the rest of their kind, the White City’s people have a knack for self-reliance and are seen by others in the Empire as rude and unfriendly. Called “gix tundar”, literally “claw dwarf”, by many in the Empire, the White City Dragonborn are often strangers in their cousins’ lands.

Current Events
Recently, diggers have managed to tunnel to the base of the mountain. This has opened the city to the rest of the empire, much more than the older generations remembers and caused an unprecedented shift to “modernize” the customs of Keshte to that of the rest of the Empire.

Local Color
Population: 25,000 Dragonborn, 1,000 kobolds

Ruling Clan: Frostclaw Clan

Districts: Dwarven Quarter, Kobold slums, Metalsmith’s District, Armor-Smith’s District, Market District, Dragonhome

Taverns: Dwarven Brewery, Stone Ale, The Frozen Chalice