Sunhold

Sunhold was the first human city in Frigus and was the capital of the Kingdom of the Sun from the time it was founded until the kingdom was dissolved and the city itself was destroyed. At the time of its destruction the city was estimated to have a population of around 300,000 and had an area of around 140 square miles.

Before the Night's Voyage
Sunhold was founded in 2950 BU by ancestors of the original humans who decided to give up their nomadic lifestyle and return to their ancestral birthplace. The construction of the city began with the Great Hall on the Cliffs Above the Sun (commonly known as the Great Hall) which served as a worship hall, a gathering place, and a living space for the original leaders of the city, King Caolan Odarson, King Lorcan Theonson, and Queen Muirne Rennley. After construction of the Great Hall was finished the people of Sunhold began building a variety of other buildings like better homes, an actual worship hall, fishing huts along the shore of the lake, and farms.

The tradition of having two kings and a queen in Sunhold persisted for a very long time, succession was based on the familial lines. However, eventually the tradition was sacrificed in favor of three kings which continued until the city was destroyed in the War of the Kingdoms.

In 2925 BU the worship hall was finished and named the Sun's Temple. Priests of the Sun would live and die within the confines of this temple, and it was those priests who began the tradition of recorded history. They wrote the history of their society as they knew it. They documented Sunhold during this time and said that it had a population of 40,000. It was also around this time that trade became a major aspect of life in Sunhold. There were still a few groups of humans that were existing as nomads who would come to Sunhold to trade with the citizens. Trade would allow for Sunhold to grow rapidly and eventually expand into the Kingdom of the Sun.

The idea of expansion came up in 2900 BU and in 2899 BU the leaders of Sunhold sent three of their most trusted advisors to found new cities that would be loyal to Sunhold. The first of these advisors, Lord Brandubh Dunn, traveled east with 600 people and founded the city Riverhold at the estuary of the eastern Ray River in 2898 BU. Next, Lord Kameron Ramsey traveled west with 700 people until they hit the western Ray River where they founded Starhold in 2896 BU. Finally, Lord Ailein Stevenson traveled south with 350 people until he hit the Atimar Sea, and he founded Dawnhold in 2984 BU. These new cities remained loyal to Sunhold and their creation marked the official creation of the Kingdom of the Sun.

Sunhold and the other cities existed peacefully for hundreds of years. More cities were created and the kingdom flourished. During this time Sunhold became increasingly powerful by implementing trade across the kingdom along with a monetary system.

The Night's Voyage
In 2381 BU the Night's Voyage arrived in Sunhold to ask permission from the three kings to travel north of the Rays. The common belief at the time was that the territory controlled by the Kingdom of the Sun was blessed by the sun and the territory beyond the Rays was tainted. The three kings refused to allow the expedition. This, of course, didn't stop the Night's Voyage, and they left anyway. This sparked debates in Sunhold about the possibility of expanding their kingdom, this would lead to an intense period of civic discourse within the city.

Geography
Sunhold was founded on the southeastern shores and bluffs of the Sun's Lake. The terrain in and around the city was quiet hilly with large bluffs along the lake.