The Pearl Rebellion
Revolution
Dewshore’s economy thrived on pearl diving and marine resource trade. Wealthy merchants prospered from pearl exports, while divers and sea workers faced high mortality rates and dangerous conditions. When taxes forced the merchants into difficulty, they turned the rumor mill on the Dewshore leaders and a Rebellion forced them to lower the increase in taxes. The grudge of this event still lives on.
The Pearl Rebellion remains one of Dewshore's most defining and turbulent uprisings, deeply rooted in the city’s economic backbone and the lives of those who dwell in the Pit. In 5186, Dewshore’s economy was reliant on pearl diving, with the clams just off its coast producing a unique, coveted kind of pearl that bolstered the city’s trade. The work was dangerous; divers risked their lives with every descent, facing the crushing pressure of the deep and the unpredictable nature of the sea. Wizards were essential, casting spells to enable breathing underwater and providing magical protections. Because of the job’s danger and magical requirements, a pair of major groups owned and managed all pearl diving ships, monopolizing this crucial industry and controlling its workforce.
In 5186, Dewshore’s council, seeking to boost city revenue, imposed harsher taxes on all seabound goods, directly affecting the fishermen and particularly devastating the pearl industry. The additional taxes strained the Pearl companies, who began to suffer financially. To avoid ruin, these companies spread a dire warning through the pit: if the taxes remained, they might be forced to shift the burden to the divers, potentially paying them based on daily yield. This change would mean that divers, who were already at great physical risk, could go without pay on a bad day. This rumor spread quickly and ignited public dissent, turning the discontent of those in the Pit into a simmering rebellion against the council’s new laws.
Over the next four years, resentment grew. In the cellars of taverns and behind closed doors, the people of Dewshore’s Pit organized, and by 5190, their rage boiled over. Storming the gates to the Heights, they burned the palisades that divided the wealthy from the working class and laid siege to the castle. The council quickly responded, deploying the city guard and enlisting their private forces. Outside reinforcements were teleported in, and within days, the rebellion was forcibly suppressed. However, the council conceded a partial victory: they agreed to reduce the tax on seabound goods, though it remained higher than before the initial law. Some citizens saw this as a victory, while others remained dissatisfied, feeling their needs had only been half-met.