Use these for guidance on word length and structure of the lore events.
Clar Karond serves as the Witch King’s chief shipyard, for it is here that the keels are laid for many thousands of raiding vessels. This is a more sprawling city than others in Naggaroth, stretching from the banks of the Redvenom River up into the trackless pine forests of the Duskridge. It is from these ancient woodlands that the Dark Elves harvest the black timber from which they build their sleek-hulled warships. The Naggarothi do not perform this work themselves, of course, for such labours are considered well beneath them, but instead set thousands of slaves to the task.

As the woodlands receded, their hearts torn out by hooked chains or consumed by dark fire, the ever-expanding streets of Clar Karond have spilled into the gap. Year by year, the city swells further, having growth fat on the labours of its slaves and despoliation of the surrounding land. Once, there was but one great tower looking over Redvenom River; now the Duskridge bristles with jagged minarets.

With each wave of expansion, new ramparts have been raised not only to protect the city as a whole, but also to defend each tower from its neighbours. As a result, Clar Karond’s streets are tangled and mazelike, marred by half-collapsed buildings, severed concourses, and entire districts buried forever as newer and more impressive fortifications are raised.

Itza was the very first of the temple-cities to be founded, and is home to the most powerful and ancient practitioners of magic to be found anywhere in the world. First among them is the venerable Lord Kroak, whose indomitable spirit has guarded Itza against the return of Chaos since the Great Catstrophe. The First City has never once, in over ten thousand years, yielded to an attacker.

Itza itself is one of the most impressive of all the extant temple-cities. The concentration of the most venerable of Mage-Priests at times causes the very air to seethe with arcing magical power, while at other times a palpable feeling of serene contemplation overcomes all who visit it. All around the high temple-pyramids gather flocks of Terradons, each carrying a Skink dignitary from a far distant temple-city. The wide avenues are crowded with scribes and artisans, going about the business that is vital to the running of such an important city.

And watching over it all are the warriors of the Host of Itza. The temple-city's armies are second to none, for they guard the First City, the sacred ground upon which the Old Ones themselves once walked, and perhaps one day may do so again. Beneath that ground in buried vaults are housed the most powerful of the Old Ones' creations, devices so potentially devastating that not even the Slann Mage-Priests dwell upon their nature for long.

Nuln is the Empire's second largest city and it sits at the heart of the Old World's southern trade routes. It stands as an imposing bastion, its fortified walls bristling with enough heavy artillery emplacements to arm a fleet of war galleons. In previous times, Nuln was home to the court of the Emperor and today it remains Altdorf's largest rival, both politically and economically.

North of Nuln, the River Reikk is too wide to bridge, and the great bridge at Nuln, whose central section can be raised and lowered through an ingenious mechanism, is one of the great marvels of the Old World. Though there are bridges at Altdorf, where the Reik divides into a number of lesser channels, it is a point of some pride in Nuln that none of the capital's bridges can be said to span the entire width of the mighty Reik.

Nuln's reputation as a city of learning precedes that of Altdorf, although it has been overshadowed by the new capital over the last few centuries. Nuln is most famed for being the home of the Imperial Gunnery School, a sprawling network of forges and smelteries where veteran gunsmiths manufacture and maintain the Imperial artillery trains.

Steam-powered air pumps work night and day to vent the acrid fumes of the blazing foundries, and portions of Nuln are forever wreathed in palls of choking soot and black smoke. Indeed, the dark smog clouds hanging over Nuln are such a permanent feature that many travellers use them to navigate. Many counts send their artillerymen to the Imperial Gunnery School to learn the art of ballistics, and crews trained in Nuln are highly valued.

Hanyu Port - The First Port

Located close to the headwaters of the Great River, Hanyu Port is arguably the greatest of the inland Cathayan ports, often being the final stop for maritime explorers travelling up the rivers of the Celestial Empire. Its strategic location has made it quite a valuable economic asset, with trade commodities produced in the westernmost parts of the Empire being loaded onto ships in Hanyu before being sent eastwards, sometimes to Lustria and the lands beyond the Jade Sea.

In addition to being a busy commercial port, Hanyu also often welcomes tourists, from within and beyond Cathay, who are eager to explore Great Cathay without getting their feet tired. As such, scores of boatmen and ferrymen can be found at the docks, advertising their services to any who would listen to them. Often, they would promise to ferry their passengers on a river cruise for a small sum.

There have been numerous complaints by foreign visitors about these Cathayan guides charging them ransom-like sums of money, but the local authorities have yet to act in any meaningful manner against these rogues. Rumour has it that the authorities may have a cut in any proceeds these errant boatmen earn through their unscrupulous practices.

Qiang - The Empire's Edge

Given its location at the very edge of the Celestial Empire, the residents of Qiang live rather precariously. While the military garrison here is often adequate enough to ward off attacks from marauding brigand bands, the town is often the first target of any army marching into southern Cathay through the Gnoblar Country. For that reason, very few live here permanently.

Named after a nomadic tribe which had a strong presence here, Qiang is often the first sign of proper civilisation visitors from the civilised west will come across after a long, perilous journey through the Dark Lands and the Mountains of Mourn. The few Cathayan residents of Qiang thus often operate inns and stables to welcome these tired travellers. In times of peace, the town can be a good place to live.

In times of war, however, Qiang is often at the forefront of the conflict. There have been numerous occasions where the Dragons themselves would headquarter within the town, wanting to be as close as possible to the frontlines. The latest of these was the Iron Dragon himself, who has contributed quite generously to the town’s coffers, denoting it as an important lynchpin of his domain’s defence.

Xen Wu - The Cursed Town

Xen Wu is often spoken of in hushed voices, with few eager to talk about the cursed town openly. Though no one talks about it, very few are unaware of its unhappy fate. Even the residents of the town themselves are reluctant to discuss much of their settlement’s history with others, or even each other. In all fairness to them, their reluctance is justified, since they can never tell if beady red eyes are trained on them at that very moment.

When people do talk of Xen Wu, they often refer to the settlement built at the foot of the Mountains of Mourn. In truth, there are two Xen Wus, with the first and the original one being little more than ruins located southeast of the present-day Xen Wu. There have been many a times when foreign visitors enquire as to why the first Xen Wu was abandoned. The answers provided by the locals vary, ranging from an earthquake to a plague.

The brave, or the very foolish, can find out for themselves the truth if they venture out to the ruins in the cover of darkness. If they stay very still and very quiet, they may just notice movement within the ruins, the occasional chitter of vermin and inhumane shrieks coming from beneath their feet. Those who know the truth are few and those who discover it sometimes do not live to tell the tale.

Haichai - The Shipyard of the Great Explorer

Located in the very north-eastern corner of the Celestial Empire, Haichai has the strange reputation and honour of being simultaneously the most protected and the most vulnerable port of Cathay. To its north is the Great Dragon River, a magical waterway which kills any who dares enter its waters. A useful defence against the horrifying creatures from the Chaos Wastes on the opposite bank, no doubt, but recent events have shown that it is not immune to invasion either.

Haichai has long been valued by the seafarers of Grand Cathay, with its port facilities and dockyards being among the best in the empire. It was for this reason that the great explorer, Jueng Huo, assembled his great treasure fleet. With Haichai being his base of operations, he set off to explore the world, his travels taking him as far as Araby. Thanks to his travels, tales of the Dragon Emperor’s glory and the Celestial Empire’s splendour spread far and wide.

Unfortunately, those tales also reached the ears of more unscrupulous beings. In recent years, attacks by Druchii pirates have been mounting, with the defences of the city being increasingly worn down by incessant attacks. Some fear that the Dark Elves plan to use Haichai as a springboard for a potential invasion of Cathay, a terrifying fate if it were to succeed.

Zhi-Zhu - The Great Reformer's Legacy

Despite its unassuming appearance, Zhi-Zhu happens to be the centre of Grand Cathay’s growing book industry. With many parchment workshops operating within the town, it only made sense that publication houses would also set up shop here. And as any visitor to Zhi-Zhu would tell you, the town’s link to Cathayan literature cannot be underplayed.

The shadow of Wang Zhanshi’s Library often looms over the town and it is a reminder of Zhi-Zhu’s importance to the world of Cathayan literature. Wang was a scholar who served the Cathayan court for much of his life. During his public service, he advocated for and executed several reforms which greatly improved the livelihoods of the peasantry. It was thanks to him that the lowest of Cathayan society are able to fend themselves from the excesses of the upper classes… theoretically.

In addition to his humanitarian efforts, Wang never abandoned his duties as a member of the educated class. The school which he founded in Zhi-Zhu still stands and houses many an aspiring poet. During his time, Wang had advocated that students be taught to interpret the texts they were reading, rather than just memorising them. It was a highly contested stance then, but it has since proven beneficial in the long-term.

Tai Tzu - The Backwater Town

When compared to its populous neighbour of Shang-Yang or to mineral-rich Xing Po, Tai Tzu is almost a backwater town. The only reason it is not called as such is because it still remains, nominally, under the rule of the Iron Dragon and to imply he has neglected his duties in developing it could be interpreted as personal insult.

The economic situation of the town can largely be blamed on its unfortunate location. Geographically placed at the very western edge of the Warpstone Desert, Tai Tzu is surrounded by many mountainous pillars. While these are pretty sights during sunrise and sunset, they make the growing of crops an arduous task. Thus, much of the town’s expenses are spent on bringing in food from more fertile settlements, often at inflated prices.

Unlike Xing Po which has the privilege of sitting on a diamond deposit, the town of Tai Tzu depends on exports of building material to get by. Limestone is often mined from the surrounding mountains and shipped off to Shang-Yang to be distributed to other parts of the empire. For that reason, most of Tai Tzu’s residents are simple miners, with little to their name to speak of.

Nongchang - The Peasant City

Located close to the centre of one of Grand Cathay’s most fertile basins, Nongchang is an important agricultural centre of the Celestial Empire, with a massive population of peasants living within its walls. If you have been enjoying a good Cathayan meal, chances are that the ingredients used originated from Nongchang.

Given the extremely different climates of northern and southern Cathay, different staple crops are grown in different parts of the country. In the colder, arid north, fields of millet and wheat are common sights. In the south, rice is the staple crop. Rice grown in the fields around Nongchang is famous for its mildly sweet taste, with a certain fragrance released when steamed long enough.

While the agricultural products of Nongchang are respected, the people living within are often not afforded the same respect. Despite the fact the people of the city are varied, they are often entirely written off as simple farmers, even if they are in reality, scholars or engineers.

Cruel jokes about the intelligence of Nongchang residents are plentiful, with allegations of inbreeding among other things. The administration of Nongchang has been torn between ignoring or rebutting these claims, though it seems more concerned that the upper classes of Nongchang are being depicted as little better than the peasantry they lord over.

Shiyama's Rest - The Shiyama Massacre

There was a time when Shiyama’s Rest was known only for its ceramics market, where visitors could find and buy adorable porcelain figures or practical long-lasting cookware. That time has passed and the town now has a dark stain on its history that cannot be washed off even with the passage of time.

Northeast of the city is a collection of megaliths, arranged in a vague circle of sorts. Who had placed them there, no one knows. But it has long been regarded as a place of power and that belief has proven true on multiple occasions. It used to be that the place was treated with some reverence. Nowadays, the Standing Stones are treated with fear and caution.

An incident took place during the dark days of the Monkey King’s reign, when the people of Shiyama’s Rest unintentionally summoned a Bloodthirster through their depraved acts of human sacrifice. The massacre which followed is not recorded in the town’s official history, but any who visit the stone circle today can still find traces of human remains splattered across the tainted grounds.

Li Temple - The Mountain Temple

Tucked away in the mountains of southwestern Cathay, Li Temple is among the most famous spiritual places in all the Celestial Empire. Hundreds of pilgrims make the arduous journey here each year, and many more visitors from far-off realms visit for non-spiritual reasons.

The settlement shares its name with the famed monastery built on the slopes of sacred Mount Li. Here, hundreds of warrior-monks are housed and are trained in ancient martial arts. Their training regimen is tough, to put it lightly, and out of every ten men who enter its doors, only one will leave as an ordained monk of the order. For all their endured hardship, however, they do end up with the deserved reputation of the best mortal fighters Grand Cathay has ever birthed.

Many foreign visitors do pay the temple a visit to observe the monks of Li Temple for themselves. The nearby settlement thus offers accommodation to these travellers as well as trinkets to bring back home for the family. These include miniature Jade Lions, which are comparatively harmless to the ones used by the temple to cleanse corrupted souls!

Li Zhu - The Sailor's Shore

The port town of Li Zhu often draws many a passing sailor. Not because of its strategic location by the Red River, nor for its beautiful seaside sceneries. On the contrary, access to cheap Cathayan booze tends to attract these seamen, even more so than any brothel available in the Celestial Empire.

While farmland in this mountainous region of Cathay is sparse, the cool climate has allowed for vineyards to be established in the few patches of fertile land available. While some farmers grow imported Bretonnian grapes for brewing purposes, many more stick to their traditional rice wines instead. These are often sold to crewmen of passing ships, for relatively cheap prices as long as the transaction was done away from the prying eyes of the port authority.

More potent than most standard wines, Cathayan rice wines are one of the few beverages that come close to matching the quality of the legendary Bugman’s Brew… Or so say the people selling the stuff. No one has actually asked the Dawi what they think.

Shi-Wu - The Dark City

When in Shi-Wu, always expect your movements and conversations to be monitored. As long as there is a shadow in the room, there is no conceivable way that you are not being watched. Hence, only a fool would let their tongue loose whilst within the city walls. And even beyond, there’s a chance something will follow you all the way out of the city.

For foreign visitors, Shi-Wu is the centre of the Celestial Empire’s obsidian trade. Close to the city are mines rich in the volcanic ore, which is a highly desired mineral by many of the races in the Old World and the New World. While Cathay itself has little use for obsidian, the existence of ready customers in ports abroad makes its mining a lucrative trade. Hence, every day, ships loaded with obsidian sail out of Shi-Wu, bringing their goods to all corners of the world.

The city holds a different significance for Cathayan citizens, however. Shi-Wu is the headquarters of the Onyx Crowmen, servants of the Moon Empress. While her imperial majesty is revered by all, her servants are far less loved. Their base of operations, the Crow’s Nest, looms over the city, reminding all that traitors and troublemakers have no place in the empire. A harsh response, perhaps, but given the threats faced by the Celestial Empire, a justified one.

Fu-Chow - The Great Port

The seat of power of the Sea Dragon, Fu-Chow is among the most vital military ports in all of Cathay. It also happens to be one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the entire world, with many foreign communities living and thriving within its walls. The security offered by said walls is often dwarfed by the sheer firepower provided by the Great Dragon Fleet, which in times of peace is harboured within the city.

Placed at the mouth of the Red River, Fu-Chow’s dockyard is a perpetually busy place, with ships of all shapes and sizes docked next to each other. It is not uncommon to spot a Dwarfen dreadnought refuelling right next to a Bretonnian galley. With harbour fees being charged for each vessel that comes seeking refuge from the storms of the Jade Sea, Fu-Chow’s coffers are unsurprisingly bursting with coin. Said coin, of course, is often requisitioned by the Sea Dragon, Yin-Yin, who is responsible for the maintenance of Cathay’s fleets.

With its vast size, Fu-Chow is divided into several districts and quarters. Some of these are inhabited by different races and nationalities, with the Asur district being particularly large. There is also a sizeable population of Dwarfs here, though they are kept a safe distance away from the High Elves to minimise their grumbling.

Chimai - The Town of Two Rivers

Located at the confluence of two major rivers, Chimai sees a substantial amount of traffic passing through its waterways on the regular. As such, it posits itself as a final stop for vessels which would then proceed to head northeast to Beichai or east to Fu-Chow.

The town itself is a pleasant albeit boring place with few geographical wonders or historical sites to speak of. This fact is sorely felt by its residents who often comfort themselves with the knowledge that they are, at least, not from Nongchang. Young residents are rare sights within Chimai, with most of them travelling to the bigger cities close by in search of work. It is not uncommon to find that over half of the town’s current inhabitants are grey-haired elderly folks.

Despite the town’s problems, its magistrates have tried to push the image of it being the next up-and-coming riverside settlement to the rest of Cathay. Promises of gorgeous and sizeable manors sold at ridiculously low prices have been made to many citizens living in the crowded cities. Whether these promises of cheap property will finally bring prosperity to this sleepy town remains yet to be seen.

Beichai - The City of Cults

With its highly defensible position, it is little wonder that Beichai is among the most-populated cities on the coastline of Cathay. On land, the city is accessible only through a route that snakes through a mountainous pass. Any land invasion force would have to secure the pass to access the city, which itself is heavily fortified.

However, while the cannons of the city point outwards, threats have frequently bloomed within the city itself. Beichai is notorious among the Cathayan intelligence community for being a hotbed of cult activity. Chaos worshippers are numerous and they hide within the city’s vast population. The Onyx Crowmen work tirelessly to weed them out, but Chi’an Chi’s machinations are often hard to uncover until it is too late. At one point in its history, the city’s aristocracy gave into Tzeentchian temptation. A thorough purge was conducted to eradicate the existential threat.

While the Changer of Ways has been foiled for now, the other Chaos Gods continue to influence the hearts and minds of the citizens of Beichai. Rumours about the Cult of the Painted Skin have been growing for some time now, and reports indicate that these brand of cultists do not swear their allegiance to Chi’an Chi, but rather a different nefarious deity. Their goals and operations remain the subjects of investigation by imperial agents.