Kowloon
Kowloon is an island city-state situated at the southern mouth of the Strait of Kowloon, a vital yet treacherous waterway linking Jur'am to Shang and Ryūshima. Known for its crowded harbors and bustling markets, Kowloon attracts all manner of greedy merchants, shifty smugglers, small-time pirates, and eager adventurers. The city’s skyline is a chaotic blend of towering pagodas, stately manors, and stout dwarven stonework, reflecting its melting pot of inhabitants and varied history. Narrow streets buzz with activity as merchants hawk goods from across the seas, while the scent of spices, salt, and gunpowder fills the air.
Once a pirate haven, Kowloon’s hidden coves and labyrinthine streets served as a hideaway for outlaws who preyed on the shipping lanes of the strait. Decades ago, the East Caspian Company (ECC) launched a ruthless campaign to subdue the island, executing pirate lords and drafting others into service as privateers. Those who posed no threat were allowed to remain, filling the ranks of dockworkers, merchants, and tradesmen. With the pirates broken and the island secured, the ECC established a puppet government and transformed Kowloon into a critical node in its expanding trade network. However, remnants of the island’s lawless past linger in the tunnels beneath its streets and lay low in its seedier alehouses and brothels.
Kowloon’s government is a facade, with Governor Edmund Harrick serving as a mere figurehead and executor of the will of Sir William Smythe, Director of the ECC. The ECC's private military force patrols the streets and docks, ensuring trade flows smoothly and dissent is quickly crushed. The city’s laws prioritize ECC profits, leaving many inhabitants—particularly the working class—at the mercy of corrupt officials and merchants. Despite this, Kowloon’s multicultural population finds ways to thrive. Native Shānrén humans and Zhūru mountain dwarves bring Shangese traditions to the city, Tyrennian and half-elf merchants from Western Vidrea dominate trade networks, and sea dwarves and green orcs work the city's docks and frequent its taverns.
Kowloon is a city of contrasts. The Old Quarter, with its twisting alleyways and vibrant street markets, retains the soul of its pirate past, while Governor’s Hill showcases ECC opulence with grand mansions and fortified headquarters. The docks hum with activity as cargo is loaded and unloaded, feeding the insatiable appetite of distant markets for exotic goods from Shang and Ryūshima. Yet, the city teeters on the edge of rebellion. Smuggling rings and whispers of resistance grow bolder, and the populace grows weary under the ECC’s exploitative rule. Despite its tensions, Kowloon remains a city of opportunity and ambition, where adventurers and merchants alike seek their fortunes amid its glittering harbor and shadowy alleyways.
Alternative Name(s)
九龍
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