General:Dark Brotherhood Guide: Areas

Originally published April 28, 2016. The original article can be found here.

The Colovian coast between the Brena and Strid rivers, also known as the Gold Coast, is the westernmost region of the old Empire. Separated from the Colovian Highlands by Varen's Wall, the region is mostly protected from the war raging in Cyrodiil. Our Areas guide will help you find your way around this region with its pleasant climate fueled by warmer currents from the Abecean Sea. Explore the rocky highlands and low mountains dotted with trees or enjoy the bright sun and clear waves of the coast itself. Just beware of the monsters roaming the lands and the ongoing struggle between the law and order typified by Kvatch and the Cathedral of Akatosh and the more chaotic nature of Anvil and its collection of pirates and smugglers.

Here are just a few examples what to expect when you start to explore the Gold Coast:

1. Anvil 2. Kvatch 3. Hrota Cave

4. Garlas Agea 5. Enclave of the Hourglass

Anvil

The port city of Anvil serves as the gateway to the Gold Coast. Self-proclaimed Provincial Governor Fortunata ap Dugal controls this thriving cosmopolitan city with the help of the Red Sails pirates and a fleet of privateer vessels that makes her the primary power in the region. The city features the historic Anvil Castle, the Great Chapel of Dibella, the Anvil Lighthouse, and a bustling port and marketplace that can be as dangerous as they are vibrant. No visit to the Gold Coast is complete without taking some time to explore the streets and shops of Anvil. Just keep a hand on your gold pouch and watch your back!

Kvatch

The second major settlement of the Gold Coast, Kvatch tends to be more conservative and less frantic than the port city of Anvil. Famous as the one-time home of Varen Aquilarios, Kvatch has a reputation for pious, industrious, and proud citizens, though many outsiders consider them to be sanctimonious. The former Emperor's nephew, Count Carolus, rules the city from CastleKvatch, walking a fine line between Fortunata's ambitions and Primate Artorius's religious dictates. The city boasts two impressive landmarks—the Cathedral of Akatosh and the Kvatch Arena, where the otherwise sedate citizenship goes wild for blood and battle.

Hrota Cave

Just north of Anvil and off the Gold Road, Hrota Cave has a reputation as a dangerous and mysterious cavern beneath the hills overlooking the port city. Rumors abound of all manner of creatures and criminals that supposedly inhabit the series of natural chambers carved out of the rock and stone. Whatever the truth concerning the things that haunt Hrota Cave, most locals give the region around the location a wide berth. Recent reports indicate that the famed vampire hunter Mel Adrys has been seen exploring the area, but these might just be the exaggerated talk that commonly fills the drinking halls of Anvil.

Garlas Agea

Great stone arches and a huge statue mark the entrance to the Ayleid ruin known as Garlas Agea, which means “Cavern of Secrets" in the ancient tongue. Some secrets, however, are best left forgotten. The ancient halls of Garlas Agea have long attracted explorers, scholars, and criminals seeking either treasure or a hiding place, or both. Activity in the Colovian wilderness suggests that someone or something has taken up residence in the ruins, but no one has been brave enough to investigate the area to identify the inhabitants—or, at least, no one has survived to bring back a report.

Enclave of the Hourglass

The Order of the Hour, the warrior-priests charged with protecting the Cathedral of Akatosh in Kvatch, have a long and honored history in the Gold Coast. Many locations south of Varen's Wall have a connection to the Order, from Knightsgrave in the west to the Tower of Judgment in Kvatch. One site, sealed since the defeat of the Orc marauder, Baz Swordbreaker, in 2E 481, has shown signs of bustle and activity in recent weeks. The old fort known as the Enclave of the Hourglass served as the Order's headquarters in year's past. Now, a constant stream of supplies and the establishment of powerful siege weapons in the Enclave's courtyard, suggest that the Order of the Hour has reopened the fort and begun preparations to face a threat that no one else has yet detected.

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