Town - Market town in the Upper March of al-Andalus
Alagón sits at the strategic confluence of the Ebro River and Jalón River, approximately 25 kilometers northwest of Zaragoza. The town occupies a commanding position where the Jalón Valley opens into the broader Ebro corridor, making it a natural crossroads between the Pyrenees to the north, the coastal routes to the east, and the interior meseta to the southwest.
Part of the Upper March (al-Thaghr al-A'la) of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba, with Zaragoza serving as the regional capital. The town is governed by a local Qadi of Alagón appointed by the Emir's representatives in Zaragoza, though day-to-day administration falls to the castle's Garrison Commander of Alagón and the town's prominent merchant families.
Overlooking the town from elevated ground near the river confluence stands a formidable fortress of ochre stone. Built on earlier Roman and Visigothic foundations, the Castle of Alagón has been expanded by successive Muslim governors. Its thick walls and square towers dominate the skyline, visible for miles along the river approaches. The castle houses a small garrison, administrative offices, and cisterns fed by ancient aqueducts.
Alagón's prosperity shows in its well-maintained streets and bustling markets. The town sits largely on the right bank of the Ebro River, protected by walls that follow the old Roman circuit with Muslim additions and improvements. Narrow streets wind between whitewashed houses with interior courtyards, their flat roofs accessible by exterior stairs.
The Almozara Canal - an ancient irrigation canal possibly dating to Iberian or Roman times - still functions perfectly, bringing water from the Jalón to feed the town's gardens and the extensive agricultural lands beyond the walls. The sound of running water is constant, channeled through smaller acequias that branch through neighborhoods and fields.
The town's principal mosque stands near the market quarter, its square minaret visible above the rooftops. The call to prayer echoes five times daily, mixing with the sounds of commerce, the bleating of livestock, and the creaking of water wheels along the rivers.
Alagón's position at the river confluence makes it an important market town. The suq draws traders from Zaragoza, the Pyrenean valleys, and the interior regions. Goods flow through here: grain and livestock from the fertile valleys, iron and timber from the mountains, textiles and luxury goods from Zaragoza and beyond, salt from inland sources. The Alhóndiga of Alagón (funduq) near the main plaza provides lodging for traveling merchants and storage for their goods.
The town commands the northern approaches to Zaragoza along the Ebro River. Any force moving between the Christian territories in the Pyrenees and the Muslim-held Ebro valley must either pass through Alagón's territory or make a significant detour. This makes the town both prosperous (from tolls and trade) and strategically valuable.
The river crossing here is one of the more reliable fords in this stretch of the Ebro River, especially during late summer and autumn when water levels drop. The Roman bridge foundations remain, though the current crossing uses a combination of maintained stonework and wooden additions.
In 894 AD, Alagón's population is predominantly Muslim, with a significant number of Muwalladun (Iberian converts) among the agricultural workers and lower classes. A smaller community of Mozarabs (Christians living under Muslim rule) occupies a quarter near the eastern walls. A handful of Jewish merchant families maintain houses near the market quarter.
The town has a reputation for:
The town is tense. Word of The Prince Assassination in Zaragoza has reached Alagón, carried by merchant boats and riders. The garrison has been reinforced. The Qadi of Alagón has issued orders to watch for suspicious northerners, particularly armed bands.
There is increased scrutiny at the town gates and the river crossing. Travelers are being questioned, and the Alhóndiga of Alagón is rumored to have informants watching guests. The Garrison Commander of Alagón has sent riders both north and south along the Ebro River, coordinating with other garrisons.
Despite the tension, commerce continues. Market days still draw crowds. The muezzin still calls the faithful to prayer. But there is a watchfulness in the streets, a wariness among the guards, and whispered conversations that stop when strangers approach.
Some of the older residents, those who remember earlier troubles, speak quietly of omens: unusual silence among the birds at dawn, water in the cisterns that ripples without wind, and strangers who ask too many questions about routes north through the mountains.
For those seeking passage toward the Pyrenees, several routes depart from Alagón:
Intelligence suggests that Halfdan the Red, the Norse warrior in service to the Emir of Valencia, is actively hunting for the perpetrators of The Prince Assassination. More ominously, there are whispered reports of a powerful djinn traveling with him - a being whose presence brings unnatural stillness and compels obedience.
The party's situation in Alagón is particularly dangerous: they are wanted fugitives in a town designed to watch the northern approaches, with both mortal and supernatural hunters closing in.