Castabriel

Castabriel sits atop a low ridge in the eastern Castali Riverlands and serves as the political heart of the Kingdom of Castalshar. The city rose to prominence after the old ducal seat at Relan Cor was abandoned, when the Dukes of Castal relocated to a new fortress-keep on the ridge and built the capital around it. When the great keep at Castabriel was completed, Relan Cor was demoted to the Castali War College. With the coronation of King Rard I, the city was elevated again — this time to capital of the unified kingdom.

Geographically the city is well-watered and mercantile, with libraries, palaces, the royal court, and the headquarters of the Arcane Orders. The famous libraries of Castabriel are celebrated across the realm. The city hosts coronations, royal tournaments, and the Arcane Orders' annual convocation, and is home to fashionable shops where visiting squires have been known to buy absurdly expensive riding boots.

Castabriel suffered grievously during the undead assault on Darkfaller and the wars of the later reign. Much of the city was left "half in ruin," and the sewers and shadowed quarters were still being cleared of pockets of goblins, undead, and spiders years afterward. Reconstruction under the crown is ongoing, and the city remains the seat of Rard, Queen Grendine, and the royal Curia.