Bilgewater

Bilgewater is a haven for smugglers, marauders, and the unscrupulous, where fortunes are made and ambitions shattered in the blink of an eye. For those fleeing justice, debt, or persecution, it is a city of new beginnings; no one on the twisted streets of Bilgewater cares about your past. It's a melting pot of cultures, races, and creeds, alive with activity at all hours.
Bilgewater is a port city like no other - home to monster hunters, dock-gangs, indigenous peoples, and traders from across the known world. Over time becoming a vital stop for trade ships traveling near the Serpent Isles. Almost anything can be purchased here, from outlawed hextech to the favor of local crime lords. There is no better place to seek fame and fortune, though death lurks in every alleyway, and the law is almost non-existent. Nevertheless, come daybreak, the unwary are found floating in the harbor, their purses empty and their throats slit.
Bilgewater is a relatively lawless nation, particularly in the pirate-run slums. The majority of the island's denizens carry a variety of weapons, which range from cutlasses to pistols, in order to protect themselves at all times. Traditionally, Bildgerat warriors coat their weapons with the remains of their drinks the night before a battle or raid. This has the effect of increasing the pain of wounds caused and often spreads diseases such as gangrene, inhibiting their enemies' ability to fight back. Many of their larger ironclad ships are also outfitted with multiple cannons that can strike targets over long distances.
Massive sea monsters are a constant threat in the waters around Bilgewater and over the centuries, a trade industry has grown out of hunting and harvesting them. The nature of the beasts attraction to the islands is unknown, but their impact cannot be denied. Seeing behemoths rise from the deep is just part of a normal day for grizzled veterans of the criminal haven. Over the years myriad lucrative industries have grown out of hunting and harvesting the massive creatures. Vessels haul them back to port, to be rendered down into meat, oils, hides, armored scales—even bones and teeth—for sale at the thriving dockside markets.
As a result, sea monster iconography can be seen all over the nations structures and other everyday objects as part and parcel of Bilgewater's unique appearance.

Geography

Bainwater is a sprawling city that expands both vertically and horizontally across the cliffs that form Bainwater Bay. This urban sprawl is divided into several distinct districts, that host different types of residents and serve different functions.

Rat town

Teeming with scoundrels and filth, Rat Town is the largest slum in Bainwater. Here, thieves prowl the crooked alleyways alongside hoards of wharf rats, and exhausted slaughter fleet crews can grab a cheap pint before their next hunt. Rat Town occupies the majority of Bainwater's west side, ending at Butcher’s Bridge. On any given day, individuals ranging from weathered old sea captains, to Demacian runaways, to even a few excitable Yordle can be found along the district’s crooked streets. Due to this varied nature of its inhabitants, Rat Town boasts a myriad of architectural styles; tenements crammed into upturned Frejlordian logships sit against towering structures decorated with carvings of the Buhru, and you may even spot a tavern built from the bones of a long-dead sea monster.
Though many who live in Rat Town earn their keep as tavern workers or members of various slaughter fleets, more enterprising individuals may seek out the neighborhood's various notice boards. Daring mercenaries can find postings there for everything ranging from traditional martial work to underhanded black market deals, and even bounties for some of Bainwater most notorious leaders.

Fleet street

The raucous laughter from Fleet Street’s taverns can be heard all the way in the White Wharf. Pubs of all sorts fill this section of Rat Town, and you can often catch a retired chatting over a half-drunken tankard, telling tall tales of ages long past on the salty sea.

Brazen hydra

Perhaps the most famous tavern in Fleet Street, the Brazen Hydra is a popular destination for sailors, gamblers, and mercenaries alike. Built inside the upturned hull of a former slaughter fleet ship, an intricate carved figurehead of a many-headed serpent towers over the tavern entrance.
The tavern itself spans three stories: the bar and kitchen occupy the ground floor, while card games and pool tables fill the second floor, and the top floor consists only of smaller private meeting rooms reserved for mercenaries and business deals. Though a few patrons visit the establishment during the day, the Brazen Hydra comes alive once the sun has set, and the exhausted ship crews pile in for a meal and a drink after a long day at sea.
Horvon Beck (neutral, male human berserker) runs the Brazen Hydra. After an encounter with a legendary sea monster left him unable to walk, Horvon personally carved himself leg braces from the bones of the vile monster and dragged the remains of his ship to shore to built the best pub Bainwater has ever seen—at least, that’s the story he likes to tell any bar patrons willing to listen. Many disregard his tale as an old sailor’s legend, but the jagged ivory sheen of his leg braces (and the festering bite marks on the tavern’s outside) suggest otherwise.

Raiders Hold

If you’re looking for a place to sleep and keep the greedy wharf rats at bay, Raider’s Hold is your inn. While not one of the nicest flophouses in Rat Town, Raider’s Hold is infamous for its more flexible housing rates. The elderly pirate who runs the place, Captain Breanna Zyll (chaotic neutral, female human veteran), is well-known throughout Bainwater for dealing in favors instead of silver serpents. She will gladly provide you room and board for a week in exchange for hunting down a debtor or ensuring one of her rivals falters on their next voyage. Because of this, Breanna’s bounty is one of the highest listed on the Bainwater notice boards, and yet, none seem keen to take up arms against her, as everyone knows she has many powerful figures in her debt.
A few residents claim to have spotted the tidal trickster Fizz haunting the flophouse’s halls some nights, but none have ever produced any evidence beyond their tall tales of his presence.

Butcher's Bridge

Butcher’s Bridge sits on the far end of Rat Town, connecting the slum to both the Eyries in the upper parts of Bainwater and the Temple of Nagakabouros. Made of ancient stone, Butcher’s Bridge is one of the oldest structures in the city. The weathered cobblestones still bear the scars from Harrowings past, and a heavy wooden gate at its Western end is used to barricade the upper levels of the city against threats coming from port.

Slaughter Docks

The Slaughter Docks form one of the coastal districts of Bainwater. This area is composed of carving bays, killhouses, butcheries, and other places that service the booming monster-hunting industry. The streets of the slaughter docks often run with blood and other viscera following productive days of work, and its stench is infamous. The buildings themselves are a testament to their trade, usually designed to resemble fearsome sea-beasts and built using the skins and bones of their likenesses.
The waters surrounding the docks are tinged with red and poisoned by runoff, which drives any passing sea monsters away from Bainwater shores. This fact has increased tensions with the Buhru of Bainwater, who depend on the sea monsters to provide aid when the Harrowing threatens the Serpent Isles.

Carving Bays

These massive docks are equipped with cranes and towers capable of hoisting even the most colossal monsters from the water. Captains with corpses to sell can expect to haggle fiercely for the service of a trustworthy bay before their catches rot in the water. Since profit depends on fresh material, the carving bays often boom with activity both day and night.

Killhouses

The killhouses of the slaughter docks are smelled long before they are spotted—these large warehouse-like buildings coated in the blood and slime of their trade. Once a corpse has been carved to pieces at a bay, it goes to these warehouses.
Killhouses process these body parts into valuable skins, armor scales, and oil. They also clean and prepare sea monster bones and teeth to sell.

Butcheries

Particularly salvageable chunks of meat find their way from the carving bays to the butcheries of the Slaughter Docks. These butcheries sell any edible pieces of the latest kills to the people of Bilgewater.

Bid House

The Bid House is a warehouse turned meeting hall. This impressive structure rests inside the ribcage of a titanic whale with a spiraling pearlescent horn. The Bid House bustles with constant activity, throughout the day and night, captains and bay workers pass in and out of the massive structure hoping to close the best deals of the day. It is here that the owners of the Slaughter Dock carving bays and killhouses meet to set their prices and negotiate with the monster hunters looking to sell their latest catch.
There is no formal union that rules the slaughter docks, but Junie Smith (lawful neutral, female human commoner) is regarded as an unelected leader of the dock workers. Junie calls frequent meetings at the Bid House to gather the business owners of the docks, so they can agree on general price points and warn each other about dangerous clients.
Characters looking to secure the services of a reputable carving bay or killhouse must come to the Bid House to find one. The Bid House is also a prime source of bounties in Bainwater. The business owners who meet here, are quick to post rewards for the apprehension of any person who threatens them, goes back on a deal, or makes underhand deals with docks not approved by Junie.
Junie carries a vast amount of influence in the Slaughter Docks; both Miss Fortune and Gangplank have tried to garner her support for the rule of Bilgewater. Junie has turned them both away, openly claiming her loyalty is to the workers of the Slaughter Docks and no one else.

The Eyries

There is a commonly accepted truth in Bilgewater: the higher you climb, the less likely you are to drown. Because of this, the highest levels of the city, known as the Eyries, are home to the wealthiest taverns, theaters, and dice houses in the city. Those lucky enough to have some extra coin often make the long journey to these upper levels and relish in the fine drinks and luxurious company the Eyries’ provide—though it’s just as common for a sailor with too greedy an eye to lose their savings at one of the Eyries’ high-stakes card tables, and be back at the Slaughter Docks the next morning.

Cardsharp Walk

Though many dice houses and gambling halls can be found throughout Bilgewater, none have the high class and even higher stakes of those along Cardsharp Walk, the Eyries’ primary gambling neighborhood. Glittering with the allure of golden krakens, Cardsharp Walk boasts overflowing game tables rife with opportunities for quick riches. Surprisingly, cheating is almost tolerated here, so long as you’re not caught red-handed in the act. After all, pulling a good con is just one way of winning the game.

Fortune’s Glory

Marked by the Freljordian architecture on its front and the gold-painted sign swinging idly above the entrance, Fortune’s Glory is one of the most popular destinations on Cardsharp Walk. Though some come to the gambling hall to bet their life savings on the roll of the dice, just as many come to spectate; Fortune’s Glory has garnered a reputation for hosting some of the most intense card games Bainwater has ever seen.
The sly Zarcon Brath (chaotic neutral, nonbinary bandit captain) currently serves as master of ceremonies for the establishment, though a few sailors dissatisfied with Zarcon’s tolerance for a good con have been plotting to remove them from their position.
The gambling house has also been said to be the preferred gambling den of the infamous Twisted Fate, though the scoundrel himself hasn’t been seen on the premises since he won against the merchant Henmar.]

Songbird’s Row

For those who prefer not to lose their money to a hand of cards, the theaters and pubs of Songbird’s Row provide ample entertainment for patrons of the Eyries.

The Garnay

A lavish nightclub, the Garnay boasts some of the best performances in Bilgewater. Lithe dancers take to the lacquered stage while brewmasters serve experimental concoctions to the enraptured crowd, and no show at the Garnay is ever performed twice.
Dame Lue Rhodenhart (chaotic good, female human mage) runs the establishment. Known as one of the most generous and creative souls in Bainwater, Dame Lue is always looking for new talent to flourish in her cabaret.

The Temple of Nagakabouros

Though not technically part of the Eyries, the Temple of Nagakabouros sits at the midpoint between Rat Town and the upper levels of Bainwater.
Standing for over a thousand years, this sprawling temple of the Mother Serpent is one of the best-maintained structures in the pirate city. Its front windows overlook the churning waters of Bainwater Bay, and at its heart sits a large courtyard shaped like the fanged mouth of a leviathan. Inside, acolytes pace the flame-lit halls and fill offering bowls with various fruits for Nagakabouros. When not wielded by Illaoi, visitors can also witness the gleaming Eye of God sitting on a central dais in the temple.

White Wharf

The White Wharf is a section of Bainwater where the dead rest in floating graveyards. These graveyards are calm sections of water, where casks attached to grave-buoys are left to float. These buoys serve as markers; some made of wood simply carved with a name, and others are elaborate sculptures. These corpses attract plenty of scavengers, and the gulls crowd the wharf. The white wharf got its name from the enormous quantities of bird excrement left by these scavengers.

Mark’s Spot

Mark Lorkas (chaotic neutral, male human commoner) is an artisan who makes his living carving the buoys that commemorate the dead in the white wharf. His home on white wharf doubles as a studio and store where the people of the city can commission these floating headstones. His business is well known, and since the death rate is high in Bainwater, he turns a hefty profit.
Since Mark deals in death, he is an excellent source of news and rumors. In addition to his sales, Mark also sits on the bankroll for several powerful criminals in Bainwater. He plays a role in ensuring only the right bodies are discovered and is not above switching grave buoys to conceal evidence where needed.

Ecosystem

Wildlife diversity is rather low in Bainwater; you are most likely to see wharf rats, segualls and scuttle crabs. Various monsters from around Senterra are sold through the black market as commodities for entertainment, industrial use or simply as underlings. As is the principle in the black market trade, those who pay more Krakens undoubtedly get better monsters than those who pay less. Examples of these mercenary beasts are: Ironbacks Ironbacks, Ocklepods Ocklepods, Plundercrabs Plundercrabs, and Razorfins Razorfins.

Localized Phenomena

The Harrowing

The Shadow Isles were once a beautiful realm, long since shattered by a magical cataclysm. Now, Black Mist permanently shrouds the land, tainting and corrupting with its malevolent sorcery. Those who perish within it are condemned to become part of it for all eternity... and worse still, each year the Mist extends its grasp to reap more souls across Runeterra.
At times, the Black Mist reaches across the seas — and the spirits of the dead go with it. The harrowing strikes most frequently in Bainwater. Those slain by the spirits during the Harrowing are damned, their souls dragged back to the Shadow Isles when the Black Mist retreats.
While weaker spirits may only be able to manifest during a Harrowing, more powerful entities can always do so, sometimes even venturing beyond the Shadow Isles.

Natural Resources

In the waters surrounding Bainwater many seabeasts roam, the parts of these seabeasts are an expensive commodity to the point where Bainwater is famous for its monster-hunting trade with it's economy build around this industry. The seas that surround the Serpent Isles are teeming with sea-monsters of every size and description. These monsters make travel around the city quite dangerous, but crews of monster hunters have turned this peril into profit. These individuals, sometimes referred to as 'serpent hunters,' embark on missions to hunt these monsters, slay them, then bring their corpses back to Bainwater to sell to the highest bidder. Entire regions of Bainwater host facilities built to process these corpses into food, treasures, and other sellable resources. A comfortable living can be made by hunting these monsters, or by working amongst the docks that process them.

History

The city of Bainwater began as an inhospitable stretch of land begrudgingly gifted by the Buhru to a group of refugees. These refugees sought to escape the oppressive rule of the mainland factions, wishing to start anew. Through luck and tenacity, these refugees built a life for themselves, and news of their new settlement began to spread. The cove that now forms Bainwater was well hidden, dotted with spots to dock vessels, and better yet covered in abandoned ruins for shelter. These qualities made it an ideal hiding place for ships, and the settlers' resentment of mainland law made it an attractive port for pirates. As piracy ebbed and flowed in Senterra with the rise and fall of factions, the cove remained a safe base for those evading the iron fist of naval forces. Inevitably, as more crews began to use the cove, the settlement began to expand. Traders willing to deal in stolen wealth, and entrepreneurs ready to cater to these crews set up shop amidst the ruins of the cove. The hardy settlers began to construct more permanent buildings, using found materials to build on top of the ruin foundations.
As the population of Bainwater began to grow, the Buhru natives, once again, were forced to act. They approached the people of Bainwater and held council with those most influential in the settlement. The Buhru agreed to allow the expansion of Bainwater, on the condition that the city would never expand beyond the bay's confines. The people agreed
to the terms, and with this victory in hand, Bainwater began to flourish.
In the years that followed, a pirate captain named Gangplank came to serve as the unofficial ruler of Bainwater crowning himself the Reaver King.

Alternative Name(s)

Pirate haven

Type

Island

Included Organizations

• Fortune Rebels

Owner/Ruler

Gangplank

Contested By

• Fortune Rebels