Chesed

Chesed

(City)

LN

Metropolis

Nation

Numeria

Region

Sellen Hills

Size

Metropolis

Population

59,690

Demographics

41,783 humans, 7,163 dwarves, 4,775 halflings, 597 androids, 5,372 other

Government

Overlord

Alignment

Lawful neutral

Ruler

Councilmaster Harpram Gavers

Source: Numeria, Land of Fallen Stars, pg(s). 15 (1E)
They Watched the Stars, pg(s). 75 (2E)

Positions conflict on published maps. See Talk:Chesed/Conflicts.

The huge city of Chesed (pronounced CHES-ed) is the last port of call on the River Road and the final port (or first, depending on the direction of travel) along the length of the Sellen River, located where the river meets the Lake of Mists and Veils.✝ For most pilgrims heading to the Mendevian Crusades, Chesed was their last peaceful stop before they reached their final destination of Mendev.

Because it is so near the lake, the city is often shrouded by fog. In addition to the mist, unregulated waste disposal into the lake has led to the waters up to a mile away from the city being highly toxic, to the point that oozes are often created when the waste combines with runoff from the Chymist's Ward.

The city has a blend of alien technology, as well as stark social inequality, resulting in peoples' perception of the city being very different depending on who you talk to. Some former crusaders have found their way here, spending their money on squalid gambling halls and old taverns while reflecting on the consequences of their wartime experiences.

Government

Chesed is under much tighter control by the rulers of Numeria than some of the other cities like Castle Urion and Hajoth Hakados, which belong to Numeria in name only. As the last city that pilgrims visit in Numeria, the Black Sovereign, ruler of Numeria, sees this as the last chance to squeeze every drop of money from the visitors. The Technic League, who once supported the Black Sovereign, employed a variety of methods to separate the pilgrims from their money, including gambling houses, crooked merchants, and river bandits. It is not uncommon for a pilgrim who has visited Chesed to arrive in Mendev with nothing but their weapon and faith, and even that was often shaken by their experiences along the Sellen.

Sable Barrow

Sable Barrow is a hill located outside of Chesed that was the site of a miraculous appearance of the Lawgiver, the herald of Abadar, in 4309 AR. It appeared the night before a slave revolt was about to happen, and seemed to indicate that the god would smite the city if its citizens did not reform. After the slave revolt did not occur, the golden herald disappeared.

References

Paizo published a major article about Chesed, including a city map, in Numeria, Land of Fallen Stars.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.