Bowlorn

Bowlorn, also known as Gutcutter's Den, is an independent city in northern Galessia, hidden in a valley between the forests, with Abingdon to the west and Estoria to the southeast. An anarchist city with no ruler or law and not participating in the Alliance of Overmyre, Bowlorn has long maintained a reputation as a haven for criminals and lowlifes of all stripes.

History

Two centuries ago, what is now the city of Bowlorn was the site of an encampment belonging to notorious warlord Usko Gutcutter, a storm goliath of immense strength and violent demeanor. He and his warband had separated from the theocrats of Abingdon, forsaking the religion of the North Star, which they saw as frivolous, in favor of accruing riches and power within the material realm. To that end, Gutcutter and his warriors regularly attacked Abingdonian caravans, hamlets, and citizens, murdering, pillaging and looting to their hearts' content. All this loot over time attracted daring and opportunistic merchants, capitalists, and adventurers - many of whom met a quick and violent end. However, for one of them, the tale went slightly differently.
Yuria the Descender, a renowned bard previously aligned with the Autumnflame Guild of Estoria, possessed the correct combination of traits to get through to Gutcutter and his men: unflinching, well-spoken, persuasive, and morally bankrupt. She arranged a parley with Gutcutter, convincing him of the potential of a safe haven for all who seek freedom from suffocating lawbooks and tyrannical regimes. This was self-serving for Yuria, too: she was a wanted woman in almost every jurisdiction she had ever passed through. Gutcutter, drawn in by the promise of more riches and underlings, allowed Yuria to attempt to make this a reality. Thus, the bard set out to recruit her criminal accomplices from across the realm, and less than a year later, the warrior den began transforming into a settlement of depravity.
A problem that Usko Gutcutter did not foresee was the problem of governance. The enterprising criminals that Yuria's message attracted didn't take kindly to his unchallenged rule, and unlike the individuals who approached his dens before, these criminals were often powerful and menacing enough to pose a real threat to him. Tensions soon flared, and blood poured plentifully in the new town. It took another parley from Yuria - who did foresee this problem; counted on it - to convince the various leaders of the path she had orchestrated: a jurisdiction without any ruler, merely the right of might. Anyone was free to do anything and do it to anyone, no exceptions. A city where the strong and clever would thrive, and the meek would die or bow. Thus, Yuria's vision came true, and Bowlorn was born.
Ever since, Bowlorn has transformed into a strange city. No guards, no walls, no amenities or paved roads, no taxes or tithes, no alliances or allegiances. It serves as a loose conglomeration of the headquarters of many criminal organizations, with everyone in charge of what turf they can maintain control over. Citizens of Bowlorn tend to be wanted in other nations or polities, and maintain themselves by being armed to the teeth and taking what they need from others. Many die here every day.

Physical geography

Bowlorn is located in Deathseeker's Valley, a secluded lowland between the Mute Forest of Abingdon and the Forest of Mielikki north of Estoria. There are no safe roads to Bowlorn, as none of the surrounding states have any desire to connect to the hive of scum and villainy. Therefore, the location of Bowlorn is difficult to reach, and even the few easier access paths that exist are made more difficult by plentiful bands of bandits and their traps.
Located not far from the northern coast of Galessia, Bowlorn gets a lot of rain from the Sea of Storms. The locals appreciate the rains for washing away blood from the streets, as well as providing the only reliable fresh water in the otherwise unwatered area. Food is often hunted for, due to the lack of reliable agriculture in the area.

Politics and society

As a city without any ruler, politics in Bowlorn are hard to define. Aside from Gutcutter's warriors, who even long after Usko's death still maintain a presence, the main factions within the city are the Obsidian Blades, the Blooded Unholy, various crime organizations and families, and sects to the Five Scorned and other extreme belief systems. Some factions are less hostile than others, but alliances in this city are fleeting and only ever born of opportunity.
Race is rarely a factor in Bowlorn, and aside from the exclusively storm goliath Gutcutters lending them a numbers advantage, almost every sapient species in Galessia can be found here in some number, as criminals and daredevils can come from all backgrounds. Worship of evil gods and godlike beings is common here: all of the Five Scorned have at least a shrine here, and the followers of Myrkul, Mask and Tarcal maintain temples here.

Bowlorn

Bowlorn's Bloodwarn, often hung as a warning to innocent civilians

Ruler
None

Armed Forces
Various