Editing Heros Paths. (section)

==Background==

Three towers is a bustling little port town/city on the Southern shore of the old Polis, a home to some 5000 souls. It is an old town as things stand...the walls are over 500 years old and the city has been governed by the Three towers for most of that time.
The towers are three orders of Mages - White, Grey and Black - who together form the governing body of the town. They have a commons council that handles the actual running of the city [elected by popular vote every five years], but deal with the overall policy and diplomatic ties of the city.
The orders, despite their colors, are not directly aligned to any of the great forces - the white order deals with protection and nurture, the grey order progress and understanding, and the black order with the otherworldly. There is some correlation between Good, Balance and Evil and the orders, in that many who profess to these aligning and are touched by the Magic- users path are drawn to their respective colors, but all are loyal to the orders and what evil is allowed is strictly controlled - necromancers may be dire, but they are a necessary defence against the remnants of the shattered past. 
These matters rest far above the heads of the common folk, however, who see only that the three orders work together to the common good of the city and keep it free of the depredations that could befall it without them.
The chief temple of the city is the Veil of six cloaks, though there are also temples to the Founding Mother and the Three sons, local ancestors who have grown to be worshipped across many of the settlements in the old ruins. The old Mann of the Sea is also well represented, and there is an avenue of prayers where prophets and followers of half-a-hundred gods and spirits compete for followers.

Every citizen of Three towers must serve military duty to remain so, and every clan or family must provide a full-time Guard, by blood or payment. The Guard are responsible for the outer defences of the city and fields, while the citizens watch provides internal policing.

Foreigners from across the oceans may be found visiting here for the lucrative if irregular trade in ancient relics and treasures, stone and minerals, exotic furs, pelts and animals as well as locally caught fish and fish oils. Finely made local crafts [often using exotic techniques] and the trade of Cliff hill are a secondary but growing market.

Cliff hill is a Dwarf dominated community - much of the actual settlement is underground. A community of 3000 hardy souls lives here, with a peoples government and no royal line. Though lacking the magical power of Three towers, the cunning traps and fortifications of the mixed community, as well as a strong warrior ethos, keep the worst the ruins have to offer at bay. The temple to the founding mother is larger here than in Three towers, and the sons are represented by three fighting orders. The town has alliances with many of the 'good folk' - those faeries and such who live mostly underground, such as Knockers and Piskies. It produces extremely expensive and high quality weaponry and armour for trade, as well as ores and metal goods. 

The two enclaves are close allies but engage in constant friendly rivalry, including touneys and sporting/athletic events. 
every time in the last 300 years that one city has been attacked or warred upon, the other has come to its aid. Despite this, there has never ben any desire for the two to join as one.