Storm Row

Storm Row is the central docklands district of Arc 's waterfront. It stretches from the piers and jetties of the Great Arc Docks that extend out into the city's deep water harbour, all the way back for a quarter of a mile into the streets and alleyways that teem with taverns and ale houses.
In the back rooms of many of the inns of Storm Row, the guildsmen and women of the House of Sail meet, mercenary deals are made and smugglers import their wares. The Young Lords of the Port, arrogant noblemen whose fathers underwrite every ship that sails, hold forth in taverns. The district at first glance appears to be well garrisoned with the city watchmen, but this is really an illusion. There is a great deal of criminality, intrigue and espionage in Storm Row and the authorities are not blind to this. Running inwards from the waterfront are the three great avenues of Arc, the Ordrish, Starrander and Dures Roads, which run to the Three Sisters, the great stone stairway arches that connect Arc to the continental overland trade routes.

Taverns of Storm Row

The drinking houses of Storm Row are the first points of refuge for sailors, buccaneers and sealords who have moored their ships in Arc's harbour. They invariably make for the first hostelries that sit on the waterfront, or weave through the tight knit network of lanes in Storm Row to find relief from the hardships of sea in drink. Each year, during the festival of Red Sails, Storm Row becomes a sea of drunkenness for nine days, as the tavern fill with sailors who sing their dues to the sea god, The Old Man, thanking him for sparing them or cursing him for the storms that swept their friends away. A Storm Row tavern owner, it is said, has to look in two directions at once; ahead and out to sea because their customers arrive by ship from the four corners of the world, and also behind them, because the greatest threats to their livelihood exist on dry land. The gangs that populate Storm Row attempt to exert control over the district and extort protection money from the district’s innkeepers. The most powerful band of gangsters and brigands on the waterfront is the notorious Five Towers Gang. Some taverns rely on their patrons to fend off the predations of gangsters, and others affiliate themselves to various squadrons of Corsairs who anchor their ships in Arc, offering free ale to anyone who can break a few skulls. Some innkeepers are not quite so lucky in their allies and are forced to succumb to the control of the gangsters.

The Old Man's Rest

The Old Man's rest is the most famous waterfront tavern in the Greater Arc Sea and arguably in the world. It is a vast complex of ale houses, knocked through and built into one. It is owned by Jayk Tharus, a craftsman from Gol who lost his hand when he was captured by Aysran slavers. He built for himself a mechanical fist and has used it once or twice to crack the heads of rowdy sailors in his tavern. The tavern is also part shrine to the feared spirit of the Greater Arc Sea, that was once written off as a superstition but some are now less sure. The Five Towers gang do not dare to step foot in Jayk’s tavern, and those who seek refuge from the gang will often appeal to him for work sweeping the floors and pouring flagons of ale. The smoke filled air of the tavern’s tap room is often full of the mournful but beautiful songs of Gol, which was devastated by a tsunami three centuries beforehand. Jayk is the eyes and ears of the Golan legate in Arc, Kerrith Karthvan, and both of them are well aware that Storm Row is a conduit for smuggled Golan artifacts. In fact, just three streets away from The Old Man’s Rest is the Gonderwyle Emporium, a tiny, narrow, cramped shop in Gonderwyle Lane, owned by Yalik Khogan. It sells artefacts and curios from around the world, particularly those plundered from Gol. Jayk is well aware of the Yalik’s trade and intends to pay the hustler a visit soon.

The Portside Company

The Portside Company is the branch of Arc’s city watch that patrols Storm Row. Many Arcites imagine that the soldiers of the company answer to the Protector of Arc himself, but this is not quite the case. The Portside Company was established during the reign of the Lunar Kings, when Arc was experiencing relative decline, and struggling with diminishing wealth and lawlessness. It was decided between the merchants in the Azure Chamber that the port was the city’s biggest asset, and as result it needed to be protected by those with the deepest pockets. The wealthy oligarchs who dominated the Azure Chamber made sure that the soldiers they hired to patrol the docks looked like the regular city watch, but they answered not to the Emperor of Arc (or later the Protectors), but to the merchants who paid them. This distinction is lost on most Arcites, but Storm Row’s residents understand it well and they know who is really in charge of the docks. The Protector can request that the Portside Company enforce his rule over any part of the city, and in most instances the company will comply, but they always ask their real masters in the Azure Chamber first. The existence of this autonomous group of law men and women was the result of the rising power of the merchant classes in Arc and the relative weakness of the imperial throne and later the Protectorate. Portside Company men and women are often susceptible to bribes (rather like the rest of the city’s garrison), but they are also useful sources of information. They listen to the talk of sailors, thieves, beggars, smugglers and fences in the taverns and alleyways of the docklands, and often know more about the rest of Aestis than seasoned diplomats.

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Barrel Lane

The alleyway behind the row of taverns on Storm Row is known as Barrel Lane. It is a busy and bustling place, filled with the sounds of clanking barrels and the chatter of the porters and vintners who roll them endlessly up the lane to the iron cellar doors where inkeepers take delivery of ale and wine. Thieves who have just stolen purses from the taverns use the alleyway as a useful hiding place for their ill gotten gains. The alleyway is narrow and cramped, and the old ale barrels that are stored here give it a musty, pungent smell.
Despite its seedy reputation, Barrel Lane is a popular destination for many of the thieves in Arc. It is the perfect place to hide stolen goods, and the thieves who frequent the lane know that they can count on the ordinary citizens who live in the houses backing onto the alleyway to turn a blind eye to their activities. Not only are there serious repercussions for anyone who is thought to be an informant, but the entire culture of Storm Row is mistrustful of the law, and not without good reason.
Barrel Lane has long been a place where thieves and other nefarious characters congregated. It was a valuable spot for them to hide stolen goods and conduct their illegal activities without being bothered by the authorities.
However, as the criminal underworld in Arc began to become more organized and hierarchical, control of Barrel Lane became a valuable commodity. Two powerful crime lords Isfar Jaran and Jolir Hade, respectively known as known as "The Snake" and "The Rat," began vying for control of the alleyway.
The Snake was the leader of a large and well-organized criminal organization, while The Rat was a smaller, more nimble operator. They both saw the potential value in controlling Barrel Lane and its network of thieves and fences, and began a quiet war for control of the alleyway.
The Snake ultimately emerged victorious, and he took control of Barrel Lane and the surrounding area. He set up a network of protection rackets, charging the Taverns on Storm Row for "protection" and extorting money from the thieves who used the alleyway to hide their stolen goods. The Rat, meanwhile, vanished under mysterious circumstances and was eventually presumed dead.
Despite The Snake's iron-fisted rule, however, there are still pockets of resistance in Barrel Lane. Some thieves, like Jena (see below), refuse to pay the protection money and continue to operate in the alleyway without The Snake's permission. And there are always whispers and rumors that The Rat may still be alive, biding his time and waiting for the right moment to reclaim his territory.

NPCs in Barrel Lane

NPCs who can be found in Barrel Lane include:

Gurn, the barrel maker

Gurn is a gruff, burly man with a thick beard and a perpetually sour expression. He spends most of his days repairing and rebuilding barrels for the Taverns on Storm Row, and is often seen dragging a barrel or two through Barrel Lane.

Jena, the pickpocket

Jena is a slender, agile woman with a quick wit and a sly smile. She is one of the most skilled pickpockets in Arc, and is often seen slipping through the crowds in Barrel Lane, her pockets bulging with stolen goods.

Rolfe Ryler, the fence

Rolf is a large, muscular man with a shaven head and a scar running down the side of his face. He is the go-to guy for thieves looking to sell their stolen goods, and can often be found haggling with thieves in the dimly-lit corners of Barrel Lane.

Gurn and Jena's Story

Gurn and Jena grew up together in the rough-and-tumble streets of Arc. Gurn was the son of a barrel maker, and from a young age he learned the trade from his father. Jena, on the other hand, was orphaned at a young age and was forced to fend for herself on the streets. She quickly learned how to pick pockets in order to survive, and became one of the most skilled pickpockets in the city.
Despite their different paths in life, Gurn and Jena remained close friends. Gurn often provided Jena with shelter in his workshop when she needed a place to hide, and Jena would bring Gurn any interesting trinkets or items she came across in her thieving endeavors.
As they grew older, Gurn took over his father's barrel-making business and Jena became a full-time thief. They both ended up spending a lot of time in Barrel Lane, with Gurn repairing barrels for the Taverns and Jena using the alleyway as a place to hide her stolen goods. Despite their criminal activities, they remain close friends to this day.

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