The Royal City of Aubeville is a huge city situated in the South Neumark. It is a mighty city with high grey stone walls and towering buildings. It is built on several tiers, each with higher walls than the last. The first tier is on a level with the river, and is made up of bustling merchant districts full of exotic wears and docks swarming with workers unloading cargo. The second tier is slightly raised, sitting at the bottom slopes of the hill around which the city is centred. This tier has an indistinguishable border from the first, but it is mainly a residential area, in which the poorer cityfolk live. The third tier sits atop high cliffs, and as such dominates the skyline of the city. Here, the wealthy make their home, and it is from here that most of the cities administration is handled in the building known as 'The Tower of Aubeville', a squat stone keep with a curtain wall, surrounded by a moat, that protrudes one large round tower from its roof. It is from here that the Grand Prince rules his city, and gazes in lust at the castle of the King. The Castle of the King is a mighty and towering creation. A huge stone keep, accompanied by 2 sets of walls and set atop the highest part of the plateau, it is unreachable save for by its one access road, due to the cliffs that surround it.
White is open ground, blue is the river. Grey is cliff, black the city, with the black gaps in the cliff being the roadways up to the next level. Red is walls, towers, gatehouses, etc...
The current Grand Prince, Karl Valten, has little Royal blood in him, and neither did his father, the first Grand Prince of Aubeville. The Valtens had always been powerful rulers of Aubeville, holding the title of Lord High Mayor of the city, but it was not until King Roland's father fell into heavy debt during his war with Gallus that they achieved their current title. Heavily in debt as he was, the King had no choice to accept the offer made by House Valten; that they would pay off all his debt with their mighty mercantile wealth, in return for him elevating them to the status of Grand Prince of Aubeville, a hereditary title that made them equal or higher to all save the King.
On the back of its new status and prestige, House Valten made sure that Aubeville's already bustling trade boomed, with its harbours and markets multiplying in size time and time again over the recent decades. Aubeville is now the richest city in the Empire, and from its high walls the banners of House Valten fly proud.
Grand Prince Karl Valten of Aubeville is 57 years old, and has 4 children. His 3 daughters, Aliet, Adele and Charlotte are 40, 37, and 25 respectively, and are all married to wealthy merchants from Aubeville. He has a son, Friedrich, 35, who is currently serving as the Master of the Guard.
Aubeville is protected by a 2 sets of walls, one at the edge of the city, the other around the edge of the rich quarter, running the top of the first set of cliffs on the plateau. Aubeville is also protected by the Castle of the King and the Tower of Aubeville, which both provide tough last defences for any would be attacker. The defence of Aubeville is the task of the city militia, who are equipped with high quality arms and armour. They favour the use of Halberds and Crossbows, and whilst they do not train regularly, their high quality equipment, paid for by the vast coffers of House Valten, makes them some of the most formidable troops around. As House Valten well knows, it pays to be protected in the merchant business, and even more so when you are at the top of the chain.