4th Day of Monarn in the 690th Year of the 4th Age
To his most noble lordship, Baron Shajosî by the grace of the Qin lord of Brownkeep and Lord Marshal of Silvermoor, Student Chosî of Auchvine Springs sends greeting.
In your great and mighty wisdom my lord you sent this poor and unworthy student to learn of the art of war from the Neran of Munzo. My last letter to you my lord was sent, as you may remember, from an inn within the town of Silveramber Village just within the duchy itself. In these previous five days, I have taken an indirect route to the capital itself so that I may recount to you my lord the lands and character of this martial domain.
The grasslands are very different from our home duchy but are fertile and prosperous nonetheless. Along the lesser roads of the duchy one can see golden barley fields stretching to the horizon while the stout peasants of the region work the fields. These fields are occasionally broken by a lone, often walled, farming homestead or hamlet or village. In almost every village there stands a mustering field and training area where the citizens of the duchy train themselves in basic martial arts. While the popular image among the playwrights of every mann womann and child in Munzo being a trained soldier is untrue, certainly a greater proportion of the population has access to training than in other duchies.
Stretching through the domain the Duke of Munzo maintains several large highways called Ducal Roads. These roads seemed optimised for the movement of both goods and soldiers stretching as strategic arteries throughout the domain. Along these roads, it is not uncommon to see merchants with covered carts sharing space with marching columns of pikemen and for mounted knights and goods laden peasants to share a brief moment of roadside camaraderie. The towns along these roads are paragons of martial industry, barracks and stables exist so men and mounts may rest while travelling through the duchy, training and mustering areas sit at the heart of these towns and martial affairs are linked to the daily life of the citizenry.
What few cities there are in Munzo have large warehouse districts where reserves of grain, meat, weapons, armour and raw materials are stored, ready to supply the soldiers and citizens of the duchy during as one warehouse guard put it, famine, flood, fire and fighting. Of one such city, I must talk of in detail for it is where I will reside for these next few years. The city of Deikun’s Promise, named I am told for a lord the ruling Zabis were once stewards to, is an interesting contrast. Formed of several wards surrounded by walls the city intends to weather storm and siege with equal gusto. The outer wards have wide streets and a planned gridlike pattern broken only occasionally by the residences of some rich aristocrat or noble or the training and housing compound of some regiment or another. During the day even the widest of roads can be thronged with the bustle of commerce while the market plazas hum with the sounds of people and are bathed in scents. Spices from Nirath to be shipped north through Anor to Demalion beyond the sea conflict with the smells of local fish and leather all the while stallholders and shop barkers call for attention from the crowds filled with locals and visitors alike. At night these outer wards resound with the sound of revelry and the scent of street food fills the air. The inner wards are much more chaotic a maze of narrow streets and twisting paths leading eventually to the inner keep where the Zabis, their court and their academies look out over the city. During the day these wards ring with the sounds of industries and at night they fall mostly silent aside from the taverns and inns that cater to more wealthy transient merchants and travellers. According to my guide, hidden among these winding streets are the city’s wealthiest homes and most exclusive shops, though only a true local would be able to navigate to them with any ease.
These which I write to you my lord are only but a few of the things I have seen, for the hour grows late and I must present myself to the Lord Marshal of Munzo on the morrow. I beseech my lord to remember his faithful servant with kindness.
Liu Chosî
