Akerton
Akerton is a cliffside town on the northwestern corner of the continent. A half day's ride from the capital, Akerton is among the wealthiest settlements in the Empire. Functioning as a wealthy suburb for the Vezenhold elite, the small town is also the furthest one can get from the Fade without crossing a body of water. Most of Vezenhold's wealthiest and most influential families have estates here, a quiet and beautiful reclusive getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city proper.
Important People
Lord Reginald Blackwood
The Imperial Appointed Governor, Lord Blackwood has held the position of Governor over the Westcliffe County for ten years. Residing in Akerton and rubbing elbows with the city's elite has afforded him the clout and reputation he needs in the capital to maintain the cushy position, although most of the work that calls for his attention lies in the border city of Crest, to the north. His ability to charm the wealthy elite may be all that is keeping him in the highly sought-after position, however, as his reputation with the Seftmirian representatives in Crest is the complete opposite. Pompous, unreliable, and aloof, Blackwood is regarded as one more likely to hold a garden party for Vezenhold's upper class than to attend important trade meetings in Crest.
Mayor Abigail Fairweather
The elected Mayor of Akerton is one Abigail Fairweather, currently serving her eighth term in what is largely a symbolic, if not vestigial, position in the community. Elected representatives in settlements around the Empire generally serve important purposes of bringing the people's matters of interest or concern to the Governor and therefore the Empire - however the Vezenhold elite want for nothing; and many of them have a direct channel to Imperial authorities in the Capital should they require anything. Fairweather's position is a point of pride for her, however, and she enjoys her role as a glorified community organizer and clerk.
Sir Percival Hawthorne
The Hawthorne family has been a part of Vezenhold's nobility for centuries, and the Hawthorne name can be found in history books of both the Imperial Guard and the high ranks of the Church of the Creator. A loyalist, royalist, traditionalist family, as the current patriarch of the Hawthornes, Percival has done little to set him aside from his predecessors. Shrewd, intense, and steadfast in his loyalty to the Church and Empire, Percival Hawthorne is one both respected and feared by his contemporaries.
Isabella Sterling
A stark contrast to the pomp and pride of the "old money" elite in Akerton, Isabella Sterling's family are relative newcomers to the world of high society. The inventor of the Kuzmerand Hyper III drill, a steam-powered diamond bit drill which immediately outclassed, and outsold, all of it's competitors - her father's first purchase with his newfound wealth was a large piece of land on the edge of the town of Akerton. The Sterling family may not quite fit in socially with the rest of the residents, but that hasn't stopped them from claiming their place among them.
Roland Ironwood
A Captain of the Imperial Guard, Captain Roland is a seasoned veteran with a reputation for his unwavering commitment to protecting Akerton from external threats. He is a disciplined and respected leader, skilled in combat and tactics, and responsible for maintaining law and order within the town. Needless to say, external threats are few, and "law and order" within the town isn't something that consumes much of his time. Even so, it doesn't stop him from marching or standing at attention as though they were.