Westcrown: What's in a (nick-)Name

[W E Ray]

Why was Westcrown known as 'The City of Nine Stars'?

I can't find any reference to the origin or reason for that nickname.

Renaming it 'The City of Twilight' after Aroden's death makes sense (Shadow Creatures, you know) -- but why originally 'Nine Stars'? (And if there is a different reason for "City of Twilight"....)

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Um, less importantly, why is it "West"crown?
It's not west; it's central. I mean, I don't think they should have named their city, "Middlecrown" but still, it's not west.

[The Raven Black]

Maybe the most beautiful/powerful city in the western part of the Taldan Empire ?

[zimmerwald1915]

The Raven Black wrote:

Maybe the most beautiful/powerful city in the western part of the Taldan Empire ?

This, but also, it was also pretty far to the west of post-Taldan Cheliax (which, remember, at its peak stretched from Korvosa to the eastern frontier of Galt).

[W E Ray]

Oh I wished I hadn't even mentioned that it's in the middle rather than west of Cheliax.

Any idea of why Westcrown is (was) The City of Nine Stars?

I'm starting a Council of Thieves campaign and I'm hoping to know.

Nine is the number of Circles in Hell. But Westcrown was founded long, long before Cheliax was diabolical.

[zimmerwald1915]

W E Ray wrote:

Oh I wished I hadn't even mentioned that it's in the middle rather than west of Cheliax.

Any idea of why Westcrown is (was) The City of Nine Stars?

I'm starting a Council of Thieves campaign and I'm hoping to know.

Nine is the number of Circles in Hell. But Westcrown was founded long, long before Cheliax was diabolical.

I don't think the name's ever been explained anywhere. But some intriguing possibilities:

There are nine cards in a harrow spread, and stars are a harrow suit. Perhaps Westcrown's founding involved a harrow reading that revealed nine star cards.

Westcrown was also a central site in the Starfall Doctrine, a series of prophecies involving Aroden (of whom Westcrown was a center of worship), of which there might or might not have been nine.

The Western order of the Knights of the Ioun Star came to serve Aroden for a time after Earthfall and before dying out. There may or may not have been nine prominent ones.

[Claxon]

Maybe long ago there were 9 famous people from Westcrown that formed an adventuring group which later became known as the 9 Stars.

And later, the city became known as "The city of 9 stars".

[The Raven Black]

Blame the Bard. It always works.

[W E Ray]

But Raven, you're the best Bard on The Boards -- if you can't give us a genius reason why Westcrown is The City of Nine Stars, hope is lost. Help us Raven Black; you're our only hope.

[Lathiira]

In one world, there were nine Rings of Power. Here, a far more benevolent deity (Desna) shone nine stars down over the site of this future city, and people paid attention.