Signet

Signet is known as the gateway to the east, and is a bustling port city. Sanwiched between the swan's feet, it is home to traders, sailors, and soldiers. Originally a military outpost to guard against invasion from the eastern reach, Signet is a walled city and still holds the largest garrison of troops outside of Capital city.
New visitors to Signet will find it to be an unwelcoming city, in part due to the layout. When it was originally constructed as an outpost, preventing invasion was one of the key priorities. As such, the city is a labyrinth of tight streets, dark alleyways and dead ends. It is said one can live in Signet their entire life and still get lost while navigating its maze like streets. Some have even postulated that the layout of the city is not static, and a deep magical enchantment on the city rearranges its streets.
The layout is not the only unwelcoming part of the Signet, new visitors are advised to keep their heads down and conduct their business quietly. The royal guard has a strong presence in the city and troublemakers are not tolerated. What constitutes a troublemaker is largely unknown to any except the royal guards themselves, and many are of the belief they change the definition to suit their own needs. Crime is punished severely in Signet, both corporal and capital punishment are standard practice, with public executions taking place in the central plaza every friday.

Government

Signet is operated as a military outpost, even with its large merchant and civilian population. All trade in the city is taxed heavily, and black market operations are dealt with swiftly and mercilessly. The leader of the city is the highest ranking military official, so that in times of crisis there is always a capable general. The day to day running of the city is delegated to a council of military officers, with each one in charge of a ward of the city. They are responsible for the policing, taxation and defence of their respective wards.
Signet has never had an election, and citizens have very little power to affect change in the city. There is one group operating in the city that seeks to increase the influence of the citizens, they call themselves the Grey Ducks. As one would expect, any individual found to be a member or sympathiser of the organisation is treated with extreme prejudice by the military government. Anyone suspected of collaboration with the organisation is arrested, tried before a military court, and publicly executed.

Defences

Signet is one of the most heavily defended cities in the kingdom, second only to the capital. It is surrounded on all sides by large walls, and the royal guard patrol the city regularly. The walls are outfitted with artillery in the form of catapults and trebuchets to ward off incoming warships, and the royal guard ensure that these are manned at all times. Magical defences are also in place, Signet is the only location outside the Capital with a permanent regiment of battlemages. The battlemages are considered the last line of defence if pirates from the eastern reach breach the walls of the city, and each battlemage is rumoured to be capable of taking out an entire squad of troops on their own.

Industry & Trade

Even with the incredibly strict trade laws and taxation, Signet is a centre of trade. The eastern reach has a plethora of exotic and valuable goods that cannot be acquired on the continent, and many in the Capital region do not mind paying a premium to obtain them.

Type

City

Owner/Ruler

Elizabeth Lovell