Shang Yang is the most western city in Cathay and is the final destination for caravans coming from the Old World. Many Tilean mercenaries will often be found for hire here as they guard caravans and travellers up and down the length of the Silk Road. A section of the college has been given over the guild of the Nightblades. Who will often send their youngest recruits to play for the college team..

History

Shang-Yang is the most western city in Cathay, and it is also the economical capital of Cathay, since the opening of the Silk Road by the Tileans Ricco and Robbio. The city of Shang-Yang is the final destination for the caravans which depart from the Old World in the hope to see the Empire of the Celestial Dragon. The great bronze gates from Shang-Yang which close off the pass are the strongest in all of whole Cathay, and thousands of Hobgoblins have crushed their skulls on these mighty doors.

The city of Shang-Yang was built in the war against the Hobgoblins to guard the pass, which is the only passage through the Mountains of Mourn to Cathay. When the Tilean brothers, Ricco and Robbio, arrived in Shang-Yang in 1699 they had not been permitted to enter the Empire of Cathay because, as the Cathayans had politely explained, they were hairy and uncouth barbarians. However, Emperor Wu had been intrigued by these strangers. He had been delighted with the return of the lost banner of his Palace Guard and was gratified to receive the submission and tribute of the entire land of Tilea. The Emperor agreed to hire the entire expedition as soldiers having been impressed by a mock battle in which the mercenaries had held off a small part of the Cathayan army.

Known Features

• The Silk Road - The Silk Road winds its way like a glittering promise across the wastes between the Old World and the Far East. Trading caravans go along this route very rarely and only a few reach their destination. Starting as the Old Dwarf Road in the Empire before becoming the Silver Road after the pass through the World's Edge Mountains, the Silk Road still forms the most secure method of land travel from the West to the East. The pass through the World‘s Edge is reasonably safe, but from then on the true perils begin. Passing through the Dark Lands, caravans must be weary of Hobgoblins and Chaos Dwarf slavers as well as attacks from Orcs and Goblins. The Silver Road then splits into two distinct paths; the Ivory Road which passes through the Mountains of Mourn to the east, and the Spice Route past Pigbarter and along the coast of the Sea of Storms which eventually leads to the Kingdoms of Ind. Once off the Ivory Road, the caravans still face danger in the form of the Ogre Kingdoms. To circumvent this, Ogres are often hired as mercenaries and caravan guards. For what better way to protect oneself than hiring those that might attack you to fight for you instead? When the lucky few to ever reach Cathay find themselves on the eastern slopes of the Mountains of Mourn and the gates of Shang-Yang, they have finally reached the land they seek. All that remains then is to trade their wares and make the journey home...