The territory within the great Aegis wall, comparable in size to the state of Maryland, is divided into five districts. These are called the Palace District, the Forest District, the Market District, the River District and the Shadow District. The four larger districts - Forest, Market, River and Shadow - form a rough circle around the central Palace District.
The River District, which is bisected by the east-west flow of the Fastheld River, is north of the Palace District. The Lightholder River winds south from its meeting place with the Fastheld River at Darkwater Junction, past the Shadow District sitting west of the Palace District, through the Lightholder Crossroads in the shadow of Caryas Hill and Fastheld Keep, then south through the Palace District into the Forest District.
The Forest District is south of the Palace District. The Market District is east of the Palace District, just south of where the Fastheld River ends at Providence Inlet.
The Palace District is the seat of power for the entire realm of Fastheld. The Emperor rules from the castle atop Caryas Hill. The Imperial Thoroughfare forms a sort of spidery road network from Lightholder Crossroads, heading south toward the Forest District, northeast toward the River District, west toward the Shadow District and southeast toward the Market District. The Palace Road leads due north from Lightholder Crossroads, over a bridge that spans the Lightholder River, and then winds up Caryas Hill to the palace proper.
The Forest District, south of the Palace District, is roughly bisected by a north-south Imperial Thoroughfare, which runs about parallel with the Lightholder River to the east. This district is the primary power base for the six Noble Houses, which control several major townships in the region. However, some small towns, such as Apple Village, are fairly independent, home to freelanders with allegiance to no one Noble House.
Roads dedicated to the Noble Houses branch off from the Imperial Thoroughfare. The northernmost section of the Forest District sees Lomasa Road stretching west from the Imperial Thoroughfare, while Kahar Road leads east. Further south, Zahir Road winds west while Nillu Road works its way to the east. And, in the southernmost section of the district, near where the Lightholder River ends in a reservoir that's near the base of the southern Aegis, Mikin Road leads west and Seamel Road heads off to the east.
Townships associated with the Noble Houses are located along these major roads. So, traveling down Seamel Road will lead people eventually to the town of Silkfield, while Mikin Road eventually finds its way to the brushy mesa that's home to the ruins of Light's Reach. While most of the roads are fairly easy to navigate, Zahir Road - the route to Hedgehem and Fanghill - is a single notable exception. It is a byzantine affair, with many confusing twists and turns. Learning the route requires patience and concentration.
The River District, north of the Palace District, sees a mix of noble-controlled townships and freelander holdings. The Imperial Thoroughfare leads into the district near the Nillu-controlled town of Hawk's Aerie. River Road leads from Hawk's Aerie to the docks along the Fastheld River and then to Fastheld Bridge, which spans the Fastheld River and connects Hawk's Aerie to the Aegis Road. The Aegis Road runs parallel to the north shore of the river, from the soldier-populated town of Road's End beneath the western Aegis, past the Church of True Light's bastion known as Sun's Keep, through the Mikin-controlled town of Wedgecrest and the Lomasa-controlled town of East Leg. There, the road shifts southeast, becoming Market Road as it passes the Kahar-controlled town of Eastwatch and approaches the Market District to the south.
The Market District, east of the Palace District, is the commercial heart of Fastheld. It's home to auction houses, a sprawling bazaar, headquarters of the major guilds, and the Fahral Mikin Trade School. Roads lead west to the Palace District, north to the River District and south to the Forest District.
The Shadow District, west of the Palace District, is a walled section within the western region of the walled city-state. It's a grim, miserable place. The scum and detritus of Fastheld accumulate in the ramshackle quarters of this area, whose most distinguishing landmark is probably the massive landfill that serves as an exclamation point on the condemnation of the Shadow District as the dumping ground of Fastheld. The impoverished, the landless, the moneyless, the ruthless - all make their nasty existence within the Shadow Wall. Only one road leads out of the district, and it is regularly guarded by the Imperial Watch. That road leads east from Shadow Gate into the Palace District.
Perhaps the easiest way to think of the realm is as a wheel. The Aegis is the rim, with the Palace District as the hub. The top of the wheel is dominated left to right by the River District. The bottom of the wheel is dominated left to right by the Forest District. A smaller piece of turf right of the hub is home to the Market District. The Shadow District takes up a modest amount of territory left of the hub.
It is possible to walk upon the Aegis and around its inner base, but it takes days to do so on foot. It is a significantly faster prospect on horseback. Trusty steeds are a favored mode of transport in the realm of Fastheld, but they require stabling and feeding. Some citizens prefer to spend Kahar Imperials to charter carriages, which can carry them to specific destinations within each district or, at the interdistrict stops, they can hire carriages to go to an entirely different district.
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