Darkshale
Situated on the western edge of the Lost Peak Mountains, Darkshale began as a small outpost used for Goliaths who call the treacherous range home, to trade and interact with 'flatlanders'. Located on a river, it allows for easy access either by land, or via small trading vessels sailing up from the Meridian Sea. Likewise, it is close enough to the mountains that Goliaths were mostly comfortable travelling to it, as their beloved mountains are close at hand. For decades, Darkshale remained exactly this - a small trading outpost. This began to change in the year 702 when a ill-conceived Kenku raid managed to raise the ire of slow-to-anger Goliath who were conducting business in the outpost.
Much as with all Kenku raids of the time, the bird-like folk descended upon Darkshale in the dark of night. To say that things did not go well for the raiders would be an understatement. When the Kenku descended upon the outpost, they did not find a sleepy little hamlet they could sneak through. Instead, they found a village that simply did not sleep. Darkshale, even today, has a reputation for being a place where the only thing more important than trade, is the partying that happens after a deal is made. There are many stories about the chaos that ensued as Kenku raiders set about their task. One even claims that a pair of powerful Goliaths pulled the raiding ship from the air by the very ropes the bird-like raiders used to descend upon the outpost. More likely, they climbed those same ropes and stormed the raider's own ship. In either event, the Kenku somehow lost control of the vessel and it slammed into a mountain side.
In the years that followed that event, many Goliaths, who had for so long been content living in their small communities, isolated from the lowlands, began to take an interest in learning more about the flatlanders. Darkshale began to grow as more and more Goliath drifted out of the Lost Peak Mountains to take up permanent residence in the small town.
Government
Darkshale's government is somewhat unique in Mistburn. It consists of a council made up of representatives of largest four trading houses in the city, which make up the Darkshale Governing Kelt, an arm of the Union of Trade Houses. Each year, a census is taken that evaluates each trading house on a number of factors, and changes to the council are made appropriately. Each house gets a single representative on the council no matter its size relative to the other four represented houses. A fifth member, known as the Kel'du, represents the remaining eligible trade houses and is selected by a common vote conducted by those houses. Oddly, this seemingly junior member of the council often wields significant power as their vote can often shift a decision one way or another, giving them significant leverage not normally associated with such a position.
Administrative needs of the city are assigned to houses by the council. There can be a significant amount of competition between the houses, as control over key administrative aspects of the city can help pad the house's coffers. However, any house who vies for one of these positions must, by law, accept whichever administrative role the council assigns them, no matter how disappointing, the assignment may be. Refusing can, and will, result in the loss of all credentials within the city.
Industry & Trade
Darkshale is a pure traders city. It has no real industry of its own, outside of that which is necessary to maintain the city. Many city-states use Darkshale as a neutral ground for conducting negotiations of all types. The Goliath's themselves, go to great lengths to maintain this neutrality, at least publicly, in order to encourage this sort of activity.
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