Escadia
One of the most powerful of the western City-States, Eskadia has the singular distinction of being one of the deadliest cities in all of world. Trade barons and guild-masters constantly vie for power and control over shipping and rights to raw materials. Sweatshops and workhouses crank out finished goods and crafts to be traded and sold throughout the continent. Every guild-master seeks to be an officially recognized representative to the Western League, and earn the coveted title of PRINCE OF ESCADIA.
Demographics
Population 81,000; Integrated (45% human, 20% halfling, 15% half-elf, 9% gnome, 5% dwarf, 3% half-orc, 2% other).
Authority Figures: Prince Cordero, Captain Donalbray, Captain Archer, Bishop Arnaud
Population: Eskadia has a standing population of 81,000 permanent residents with a constant flow of foreigners comprised of mercenaries, merchants, travelers, explorers and the like at any given time of the year adding another 10-20,000 to the steady population. Thus the on-average population of Eskadia is roughly 100,000 persons.
Eskadia is home to a good percentage of foreign residents due to its capacity as a port upon the ESCADIAN SEA. Although the majority of the population is human, there are large numbers of Halflings, Gnomes, half-elves, and dwarves. Most of half-elves in Eskadia live as humans do, for those who choose their elven heritage tend to do so away from the cramp and squalor of the city. Gnomes calculating minds and skilled fingers have made them many inroads to power in Eskadia, as they work almost exclusively for the Usurer’s Union, causing a growing though thus far silent sentiment of anger and racism towards these diminutive folk. Dwarves are rare, as the sea holds no secrets which they wish to delve, though they do sometimes come down from their deep mountain holdings to trade. Most dwarves found in Eskadia are outcasts from their clans, living the life or a mercenary or craftsman. As with the dwarves of KARBOSK, they are distrustful of one another, though welcoming of all other races.
The human population is diverse, with its elite claiming to be descendants of the refugee founders and its ruling prince. While this claim may be accurate, none can truly claim any direct descendancy from the true noble line. In other words the blending of Eskadia’s original settlers with folk of ARTUNIA, Karboskian Merchants, local fishermen, pirates, and Shandimar’s tyrannical invaders has proven quite complete, for the most common of street beggar is as likely descended from the original Prince of Eskadia as the current Prince of Eskadia is.
Government
Oligarchy, with a low law level.
Industry & Trade
All manner of goods move through the city: ivory, bone, sealskin, furs, fish, cheeses, and hard earned adventuring gold. Crafted goods ranging from barrels, ships, chests, clothing and tools are also produced here. Primitive cannon, arms and armor, and weapons fuel wars on distant shores, as specially brewed and concocted reagents and components contribute to arcane research which stretches even beyond the realms of mortals.
Unless otherwise noted, prices of goods and services range from equivalent to prices listed in the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook, to 5-15% less, as the amount of trade and quality of production results in heavy competition amongst the various trade unions and shop owners.
Guilds and Factions
Eskadia’s guilds, some of which are quite powerful in this independent and commercially dominated oligarchy. The constant shifting of political and profitable alliances have made this city like that of all the Western region, a hot bed of small wars and the home to hosts of mercenaries as the guilds vie for commercial control. Every trade or craft finds itself represented by a guild, from fishmongers and stone cutters down to the Rafters’ Guild that plies the waterways beneath the city.
While there are few limitations to one’s livelihood within a guild, there are many benefits and assumed risks. Political power amidst the citizens is determined by the success of the business and the overall might of the guild one belongs to. This also means certain guilds are targets of others, and even select businesses are in turn targeted by ones own guild members should they seem to advance too fast and not have the physical or monetary backing to keep their elevated status.
Those that seek to open a business had best make plans on finding out which guild they fall under, for of all craftsmen, those not in a guild are quickly eliminated. Should one not be a citizen and have still secured the rights of their business by their new guild representative, then they are considered apprentices until the business has lasted six years. Apprentices have little power in the political scene; they are mostly concerned with surviving their apprentice term, before worrying about other things. Gold moves the process along however, and bribes to the right guild members and other officials may sharply reduce the length of apprenticeship.
History
Eskadia was founded nearly 400 years ago by a colony of refugees who were brought to the shores of the Western Sea after a failed rebellion against the RODENSIAN EMPEROR. The refugees, led by their great prince quickly subdued and subjugated the surrounding region that they chose for their new world. Alliances were formed with those powers of the ancient lands which could not easily be dominated, namely the various fey and elvish folk of the central highlands and the native human clans. Eskadia maintained alliances with the semi-civilized DUCHY OF KARBOSK, and accept trade from its folk to this day. These defensive alliances held against hobgoblin raids from the hobgoblin Fortress of YULGUM KAK, and incessant attacks on shipping by The PIRATES OF UMBREGO COVE from the southern isles of the WESTERN SEA. Eskadia, backed by the prince’s powerful navy quickly established itself as a powerful force. With the backing of troops from Karbosk on the ground their knights showed valorous and nearly unstoppable in ground campaigns against the hobgoblins, saving the growing city many times from total destruction. Despite their alliance of self defense, Eskadia remained largely neutral in most other affairs, contenting itself with the growing wealth that a powerful port city commands.
150 years ago a comet flashed across the western sky, most focused in the constellation of Jokashka, and viewed by soothsayer and seer as an omen of bad tidings. The sighting was followed quickly by earthquakes, and dangerous tides.
viewed as both a blessing and a curse. It was in these days that SAERDIAN, upon being visited by an evening of prophetic dreams, whispered to her lover ELIUS that the goddess was angered with their affair and had sent these sigils as prelude to Saerdian’s own destruction. She claimed that the goddess was displeased with worshipersand that this destroyer would bring about a new age of sorrow where Jokashka would reign over a world of magic and tyranny.where Jokashka would reign over a world of magic and tyranny.
A year and a day after the sighting of the comet a fleet appeared off the shore of Eskadia under flag of truce, in a fine vessels of unknown make and design. The great high decked galley pulled into the harbor, rowed by unseen slaves. From the ship was born a man on a golden palanquin dressed in silks of scarlet, adorned with embroidered hounds of gold and silver thread.
He announced himself as SHANDIMAR and made great gifts to the Prince of Eskadia. Courteous and wise, he showed himself to be a wielder of great magic and soon had the whole of the court of Eskadia under his spell, leading as a kindly shepherd does, the lambs thus charmed by his devices to their ultimate slaughter.
Seeing an opportunity to establish a stronghold for his dark mistress in the fertile coastline, Shandimar conspired to seize Eskadia for his own black ends. Shandimar succeeded in his venture and dominated the city through sorcery and deception, without so much as a dull whimper from its stunned populace. A beach-head for his
mistress’s black ambitions thus established, it was only a small matter for him to shower the nobles of the region with gifts and praise.
Only when it was too late was it revealed that Shandimar was none other than the fiendish consort of his true mistress SHAMBERE, Maiden of Shadows, daughter of Jokashka, the QUEEN OF THE RAITH CUIRTHA. His ambition was no less than the opening of portals that would allow his mistress to unleash her reign of shadow upon the land. Within a year, Shandimar and his fiendish allies had seized control of the city.
Shandimar had also sent emissaries to the DUKE OF KARABOSK and beyond but there was less trust across the seas and into the East for magic baubles and other such things that had crawled up out of the West. DUKE MANDRAS KARABOSK II denied the gifts outright. Hence-forth Shandimar sent his trained assassins, the KNIVES OF SHAMBERE against that Duke, attempting to destroy with blade and venom that which he could not buy with magical treachery.
Shandimar’s War
The deposed prince of Eskadia, having barely escaped the clutches of the fiend sought refuge amongst the courts of Karbosk, seeking aid from the Duke Mandras Karbosk II.
The fiendish Shandimar was not silent during this time and made an unholy alliance with the HOBGOBLINS OF THE NORTHERN STEPPES, promising the chieftains of Yulgum Kak that he alone through the powers of the goddess Shambere, could draw the SEVEN AND NINE with him into the world and lead them in conquest of the mortal realms. Their allies would ascend to god-hood in the new order, and the old gods be cast down. Legend has it that Shandimar labored
over the ritual for three days and three nights, binding the powers of the courts of Hell to mortal vessels.
Within weeks the hobgoblins had landed on the northern shores and had driven south into the Haunted Highlands, but met great opposition there. Much has been made of the battles that were fought in the UGASHTAN HILLS and the war that was waged is epic in the re-telling but its outcomes were thus.
Legend has it that Shandimar met his fate and was somehow overthrown by an unknown band of heroes just prior to the BATTLE OF MAYFURROW. Despite the loss of their sorcerous master, the combined armies of Shandimar and his hellish allies yet proved a mighty challenge for the unified armies of the west. It wasduring this epic struggle that the avatar of Shambere was cast down by Mandras II, but only after the Hobgoblin warlord had cut down the Prince of Eskadia in vicious fashion. It is rumored that the wizardry of the ELVES OF AMYAN JYMOON brought about their disappearance from the world at this time.
In the end, Eskadia was freed of the yoke which Shandimar had placed upon its shoulders. The cult of Shambere was driven underground and the hobgoblins who survived the battle, returned once more to their high fortress to plot and regroup. The Prince and most descendents of the knights who had once ruled over
the original settlers of Eskadia were lost. The Duchy of Karbosk, which had once held much promise of crawling from barbarism, was greatly diminished in power and authority. With the strength of many of its nobles dead in the Battle of Mayfurrow it would once more be known as a wild border march upon a dangerous frontier. The heir to the previous Duke would come to power knowing that he now commanded little actual land than could be seen by a sharp eyed sentry atop the VULTURE'S TOWER. Mandras turned south with half of his surviving hosts, in bitter victory.
Recently
For Eskadia, the time since the wars drastically changed the heroic idealism of its founders dream. Though many claim to be descendant of the original prince of Eskadia and his noble lineage, in truth the title prince of Eskadia is now only semi-hereditary. Instead the ruling of the city has fallen to a consortium of thieves’ guilds, mercenary bands, and the ever present guilds structure put in place by the wealthy merchant elite.
Eskadia is known for deception, thievery, and murder. Trade Barons and petty nobles vie for control of the vast wealth that pours through the gates from many lands. Ambitious statesmen see Eskadia as the center of a great kingdom, if only its equally ambitious rivals may be taken out of the equation. Added to these problems are rampant prostitution, runaway drug trafficking, state sponsored child slavery, and a growing feud between two of the most powerful noble families of the city, fueled
in no small part by incessant rumors being spread by all sides.
Type
City
Population
81,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Escadians
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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