Reaper's Port
"Gold buys silence, fear keeps it. If you seek law, look elsewhere. If you seek power, you’ve already arrived."
—Anonymous Dockside Inscription
General Overview
Reaper’s Port, formerly Port Solmara, is a city of vice, trade, and power located on the western coast of Granheim, nestled along the treacherous waters of the Arashi Depths. A city that once stood as a thriving, albeit lawless, free port, it was forever changed when Orlann 'Black Tide' Veskar seized control in 452 AEL, reshaping it into the stronghold of the Dread Reavers and the pirate lords of the Black Council.
A place of danger and opportunity, Reaper’s Port is where gold flows like water, where smugglers, privateers, nobles, and outlaws rub shoulders, and where the only law that matters is the one enforced by Orlann and those he allows to wield power.
The city is divided into two distinct sections:
The Walled City – A fortified district of wealth, power, and politics, home to the Black Council, pirate nobility, and the elite merchants who thrive under Veskar’s rule.
The Outer City – A sprawling mass of slums, shanty towns, and cutthroat commerce, where those not privileged enough to live behind the walls must fight to survive.
Few cities in Veth’Arden rival Reaper’s Port’s notoriety, and none have matched its balance of ruthless order and utter lawlessness.
Founding Date
452 AEL – Orlann Veskar seizes Port Solmara, renaming it Reaper’s Port and establishing it as the seat of his power.
Prior to Veskar’s conquest, Port Solmara had existed for over a century, serving as a merchant hub, black market stronghold, and pirate haven.
A City Built on Power and Fear:
Reaper’s Port is a place where ambition thrives and weakness is swallowed by the tide. It is a haven for the damned, the exiled, and the ruthless. Under Orlann Veskar’s reign, it has become more than just a pirate city—it is an empire of salt and blood, a kingdom where the strong rule, the cunning survive, and the desperate vanish beneath the waves.
Demographics
Pirates, Smugglers, and Privateers (25%) – The heart of Reaper’s Port’s identity, including members of the Dread Reavers, Black Council-aligned fleets, and unaffiliated crews.
Merchants & Black Market Traders (20%) – This includes both legal and illicit traders, many of whom operate off the books to avoid taxes from larger governments.
Laborers & Craftsmen (20%) – Shipwrights, dockworkers, blacksmiths, and others who serve the city's functional needs.
Foreign Nobles & Exiles (10%) – Wealthy outcasts, wanted criminals, and those seeking sanctuary from rival nations.
Servants & Slaves (10%) – While slavery is not publicly endorsed, it is a reality in the underbelly of the city. Many are indentured servants who will never be free.
Others (10%) – A mix of refugees, informants, and mysterious figures who have vanished into the depths of Reaper’s Port.
Government
De Facto Ruler: Orlann 'Black Tide' Veskar
Ruling Body: The Black Council, a loose coalition of pirate lords and influential figures who meet under Veskar’s authority.
Enforcement:
The Dread Reavers – act as Orlann’s personal enforcers, ensuring his will is unquestioned within the city.
The Black Guard – A rough, unpredictable police force based in The Bastion, responsible for keeping the slums from total anarchy.
Laws & Justice
Gold or fear dictate justice—those with money or power walk free, while those without are left to the mercy of the sea.
Murder, extortion, and theft are tolerated as long as they do not threaten the Council’s control.
Defences
While Reaper’s Port lacks a traditional navy, it is far from defenseless, relying on a combination of fortifications, alliances, and its reputation for retribution.
Dockside Defenses
Harbor-Mounted Ballistae & Cannons – Positioned along the Grand Docks, The Iron Wharf, and the Saltwind Pier, these defenses can cripple any ship foolish enough to attack head-on.
Reef Barriers & Hidden Traps – Parts of the harbor entrance are lined with shipwrecks and submerged spikes, making direct naval assaults treacherous.
Patrolling Warships & Privateer Fleets
Black Council-aligned pirate fleets constantly patrol the waters near Reaper’s Port, ensuring that no foreign force can approach unchallenged.
Independent pirate crews, smugglers, and mercenary vessels have a vested interest in keeping lawful navies at bay, making them unofficial defenders of the city.
The Black Guard & Enforcers
The Black Guard – Based in The Bastion, these warriors serve as Orlann Veskar’s enforcers, ensuring that order—however brutal—is maintained.
The Slumlord’s Forces – While more akin to a gang than a military, the Western Slums’ enforcers keep the less fortunate in line while feeding information to Veskar.
Informants & Spies
The Black Council maintains a vast network of informants, spies, and bribed officials in other cities, merchant fleets, and even enemy navies, ensuring that Reaper’s Port is rarely caught off guard.
Industry & Trade
Reaper’s Port thrives on contraband, black-market trade, and mercenary work, making it one of the most profitable—if unstable—economic hubs in Veth’Arden.
Primary Industries
Smuggling & Black Market Trade – Everything from exotic spices and enchanted artifacts to weapons and stolen treasures flows through the city's markets.
Privateering & Mercenary Contracts – Pirate lords often hire out crews for naval warfare, assassination, and escort missions.
Ship Repair & Modification – While not known for shipbuilding, Reaper’s Port boasts some of the finest shipwrights for repairs, modifications, and hidden compartments.
Alchemy & Poisons – Many underground laboratories create and distribute potent elixirs, illegal narcotics, and deadly toxins.
Slave & Indentured Servitude Trade – While slavery is not publicly sanctioned, coerced labor and secret auctions are an open secret among the wealthy elite.
Key Trade Partners
The Al-Muru Daxin Contingent – An uneasy alliance that allows Dread Reaver ships to pass through Al-Muru territories in exchange for protection and bribes.
The Dominion of Kafka’s Corrupt Magistrates – While Kafka wages war on piracy, certain corrupt officials secretly do business with Reaper’s Port.
Districts
The Walled City (Inner Reaper’s Port)
1. The High Tide Keep (The Black Council’s Stronghold)
A fortress within a fortress, this heavily secured northeastern district houses Orlann Veskar’s estate, as well as the manors of the Black Council’s pirate lords.
High-walled, well-guarded, and off-limits to all but the most powerful figures.
Hidden tunnels and escape routes lead directly to the harbor, ensuring that no pirate lord is ever truly trapped.
2. The Gilded Quay (Merchant & Affluent District)
Located just north of the docks, this is where the wealth of Reaper’s Port is flaunted.
Houses black market shops, high-end taverns, noble-owned estates, and the headquarters of Reaper’s largest merchant guilds.
Guards patrol more frequently here, keeping violence to a “controlled minimum.”
3. The Iron Wharf (Elite Docking Area)
Exclusive mooring for Veskar and the Black Council.
Only the most powerful and feared ships can anchor here.
The Outer City (The Slums & Unwalled Districts)
4. The Maw’s Rest (Eastern Slums)
The oldest and most densely packed slum, known for its hidden alleys, backroom deals, and frequent fires.
Controlled by warring gang factions, though the Black Guard exerts its influence when necessary.
Many beggars, informants, and desperate criminals call this place home.
5. The Gutterdocks (Western Slums & Smuggler’s Haven)
This district includes ramshackle docks used by smugglers and pirates unwilling to dock at the main harbor.
Known for its illegal fighting pits, hidden whorehouses, and underground trade routes.
6. The Bastion (Black Guard Stronghold & Slumlord’s Domain)
A fortified barracks district in the northwest of the Outer City, housing the Black Guard and the Slumlord of Reaper’s Port Draeven "The Hollow Hound" Kaelthas.
Built atop the ruins of an old fortress, with hastily added wooden ramparts and patches of stone from previous structures.
The Slumlord is Orlann’s eyes and ears in the Outer City, keeping the slums chaotic but not rebellious.
7. The Skyward Walk & The Ridge (Cable Car & Merchant’s Quarter)
A towering structure in the Walled City supports a massive cable car system, ferrying wealthy merchants and minor elites over the slums to The Ridge, a secluded neighborhood on a hill northwest of the city.
The Ridge is home to traders, foreign dignitaries, and individuals too important for the slums but not influential enough for the High Tide Keep.
The cable car ensures these individuals never have to step foot in the slums.
Harbor & Docking Areas
The Grand Docks (Main Harbor): Stretches from the westernmost to easternmost city walls, serving as the commercial heart of the city.
The Saltwind Pier: Affluent docking area on the eastern peninsula.
The Gutterdocks: A chaotic smuggler’s bay on the southwestern coast, where ships in disrepair come to unload illicit goods.
Assets
"If you need it, Reaper’s Port has it. If you can't find it, you’re not looking hard enough. And if you take without paying… well, the sea’s always hungry."
—Old Merchant’s Warning
Reaper’s Port thrives on stolen wealth, smuggling networks, and under-the-table dealings, making it one of the wealthiest pirate strongholds in Veth’Arden.
Equipment & Weaponry
Dockside Ballistae & Cannons – Mounted across the Grand Docks and the Iron Wharf, these weapons can turn approaching enemy ships into splinters before they reach the harbor.
Armed Privateers & Mercenaries – Many skilled swordsmen, gunmen, and sorcerers call Reaper’s Port home, often hiring out their services to the highest bidder.
Pirate Armories – Each pirate lord maintains their own cache of weaponry, ranging from standard cutlasses and pistols to enchanted relics and experimental artillery.
Alchemical Supplies & Black Powder – While Reaper’s Port does not produce gunpowder at scale, it has the largest black-market stockpile of explosives and incendiaries in Granheim.
Hidden Smuggling Caches – Various merchants and pirates store illicit goods, treasure, and artifacts in secret warehouses beneath the city.
Stores, Treasuries, & Valuables
The Black Vault – A hidden treasury within the High Tide Keep, rumored to house the wealth of Orlann Veskar and the Black Council.
The Gilded Quay Markets – The most lucrative trade district, where merchants sell everything from rare spices to stolen royal jewels.
Private Merchant Stashes – Many foreign traders and nobles maintain hidden wealth within Reaper’s Port, stored in underground safes, fortified manors, and secured strongboxes.
Pirate Hoards – Every pirate lord within the Black Council has a hidden reserve of wealth, often scattered between Reaper’s Port and secret locations across the Arashi Depths.
Guilds and Factions
The Harlequin Brotherhood (Reaper’s Sect)
A mysterious and elite group of spies, assassins, and thieves who operate in the shadows of Reaper’s Port.
Their leader in the city, known only as “Jack”, is rumored to be one of the most dangerous men in the City.
The Iron Brand (Surviving Sect)
Once a powerful crime syndicate, remnants of the Iron Brand now operate from the shadows, serving as contract killers, slavers, and mercenary smugglers.
The Black Council tolerates them—for now—but tensions remain.
The Dead Alchemists
A secretive cabal of potion-makers, poisoners, and experimental alchemists who operate out of hidden laboratories.
Their products range from deadly concoctions to elixirs that grant temporary supernatural strength.
The Salted Bones
A mutinous cult of former sailors and pirates who believe in the inevitability of death and the supremacy of the sea.
They offer sacrifices to the depths and worship entities darker than any god.
History
452 AEL – Veskar’s Takeover – Orlann Veskar seizes control of Port Solmara, renaming it Reaper’s Port.
455 AEL – The Black Council’s Founding – Veskar establishes the Black Council, securing the loyalty of pirate lords across the Arashi Depths.
469 AEL – Treaty with the Al-Muru Daxin Contingent – A pivotal agreement ensures safe passage for Reaver ships in exchange for protection.
Points of interest
High Tide Keep – The fortified estate of Orlann Veskar and the Black Council.
The Gilded Quay – The wealthiest district, home to noble-owned properties, secret auctions, and elite merchants.
The Bastion – Headquarters of the Black Guard, overseeing “law enforcement” in the Outer City.
The Ridge & Skyward Walk – A secluded hilltop neighborhood where merchants and foreign dignitaries reside.
The Maw’s Rest & Gutterdocks – The most lawless sections of the Outer City, filled with thieves, slavers, and gangs.
The Iron Wharf – A private dock reserved for Veskar and his allies, heavily guarded and impenetrable to outsiders.
Founding Date
452
Founders
Alternative Name(s)
The Black City
Type
Large city
Population
Estimated 120,000–140,000, though census records are unreliable.
Inhabitant Demonym
Reapers (Common), Solmarans (Used by old families still holding ties to the city’s past), Dregs (Derogatory for the slum population).
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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