Crowhaven (krow-hey-ven)
Crowhaven, also monikered as the City of the Truly Free, is a settlement located within the Freelands. It is infamously known as a place of refuge for the pariahs of society and where most criminals call their home. Crowhaven houses the most dangerous individuals in all of Alluvia.
Structure
A Lawless Land
Crowhaven is a state without laws, so no official authorities keep the peace within the city. In the City of the Truly Free, one can do anything they wish per the moniker, provided they can survive the consequences. No lawmen or government will levy on a citizen's actions; the populace passes judgment on them. If an individual can conquer the judgments of their fellow men, one deserves the power and privileges that come with it.
Contrary to the popular belief of outsiders, Crowhaven itself is not an anarchy but an anarchistic society. An anarchy is a society devoid of a governing body and rejects all traditional hierarchies, but an anarchistic society is a community where its constituents are self-governing. While the city lacks a traditional, structural hierarchy, its people inevitably categorize themselves under groups of people that ascend based on the power structure that Crowhaven's culture of social Darwinism enforces.
Hierarchy
From small adventuring parties, gangs, and mercenary groups to larger enterprises like crime bosses and syndicate lords. All are classified into such groups.
- Small adventuring parties and mercenary groups are the lifeblood that sustains the economy and labor structure of Crowhaven. Adventurers and mercenaries looking for work inside Crowhaven are presented with many opportunities to make money and, in turn, provide their services for gang leaders, crime bosses, or even syndicate lords if they deem their services well enough.
- Gangs are the base military strength of Crowhaven; they are groups that follow a certain task within Crowhaven's labor structure. While adventuring parties and mercenary groups are hands for hire, gangs are usually affiliated with syndicates or independent crime bosses and swear fealty to them. Their main jobs are keeping the peace, muscle for their respective crime bosses or syndicate lords during gang wars, and, if needed, can become a militia to defend against invading outside forces.
- Crime bosses are organizers of gangs. They are in themselves a large gang, so to speak, who commands and controls smaller gangs within their sphere of influence. Crime bosses operate on a wider scale, and their members inhabit other civilizations where they can exercise their control from under the law's reach. Often, they create gangs in other nations as well. The network of a crime boss is near limitless, depending on their power and position. Crime bosses may or may not be affiliated with a syndicate lord; some tend to be independent with the intent to challenge a syndicate. But a syndicate lord always has crime bosses under their chain of command.
- And lastly are the syndicate lords, the strongest, most powerful, and most influential people within Crowhaven. Syndicate lords stand atop this social hierarchy; they control multiple crime bosses in their realm of specialty. A syndicate lord is identified by the number of crime bosses they control and is known for controlling one type of necessity or amenity. Stronger syndicate lords can even have a monopoly of two types of amenities if their power allows, but some reigns are short-lived as other syndicate lords will band together to try to balance the scales of power. Syndicate lords meet the requirement to handle the most delicate and intricate subtleties of Crowhaven politics. One wrong decision or move a syndicate lord makes would topple their empire, and the social Darwinist system will find a worthier candidate to put on its throne. The title of syndicate lord is not given lightly; most inhabitants in Crowhaven consider them the city's rulers. Regardless, most of the ambitious people of Crowhaven seek to topple their enterprise either way. Syndicate lords hold respect, but they aren't safe from usurpation.
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