The sun dipped below the jagged mountain peaks, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and purple.
After hours of asteady trekking, punctuated by a few swift, decisive skirmishes against hungry beasts, the weary travelers finally saw it: the sprawling silhouette of Derier City.
Its colossal walls, dwarfing even Eclipse Keep, rose from the flat plains like an ancient sentinel, pierced by four massive gates.
Each of the city's four gates served a distinct purpose: three provided the main entrances to the territories of the great Shield Families. Luthaire, Viremont, and Fenvar, while the fourth led directly to the Iron Throat Pass, connecting the region to the rest of the kingdom.
Officially, the city was under the Viremont Family's jurisdiction, but governance was shared, with a neutral city lord appointed to maintain balance.
At least on the surface.
