The Channels of Istadt
“You missed the best act,” cackled the weathered sailor as he clapped the boy on the back, making him spill his drink onto his shoes. “While you were gone, Virgil went up on-stage and pissed into the orchestra pit!”
Teodor winced as the entire group erupted into howling guffaws. All he could manage was a queasy chuckle and adjusted his grip on his tankard of watery ale. He was not in much of a position to complain since he did not pay for it… He lifted the rim and went to sip, just to get beat on the back again, and inhaled some of the foam. The young man began to cough and hack as it went up into his nose and the others around him continued to laugh drunkenly.
“A’right boy,” Ivan punctuated his slurred words as his hand clamped down on Teodor’s shoulder like a vice. He was used to it by now and just listened. “Let’s get ya to th’ Silk Umbrella and get ya in a girl!” A jeering cheer went around the crowd of grizzled river sailors as they lifted their drinks and began to guzzle.
All but one of them anyway.
The young sailor locked eyes with a fellow he knew as Mihail, knowing that the panic on his face was showing. The silvered sailor rose and pushed his cigar into his mouth and spoke up in his gruff voice.
“I promised the lad I’d take him to the card tables already.” He spoke in an assertive tone that brooked no argument, so the others let it go and began to disperse to their selected evening vices. Teodor felt he was shaking like a leaf in the wind and he was certainly sweating.
“Th-Thanks for that--”
“No need.” Mihail cut him off before he could continue. “They tried to do the same to me a couple o' years ago.” The man gestured to the door and took a puff off of his cigar before offering it to his companion. Teo shook his head and held up his hand; rather than pressing him, the bull of a man just shrugged.
“...Tellin’ ‘em I didn’t care for women was like pissin’ in their porridge,” Mihail said out of the blue as they stepped out onto the boisterous city street. The younger sailor tripped down the steps out of surprise, only to be caught by the scruff by a calloused mitt.
“Watch yerself.” He drawled around his cigar as he righted the smaller man. Teo could feel his ears burning with embarrassment.
“Er, loose… loose nail...” he mumbled and cleared his throat as they began heading to the gambling houses. Mihail chuckled dryly and cleared a path for them through the crowd clustered around a cockfighting pit a block down the way.
The Carovigian boy struggled to keep up with his newfound friend’s long stride so he took hold of his sleeve to not get separated in the churning masses. Mihail’s big hand pressed to his back between his shoulders and he pushed him forward. Teo felt the burning in his ears again and he tried to square his shoulders so he did not seem so short.
When they were free of the crowd, he struggled to speak his mind and Mihail watched him flounder for a bit as he opened and closed his mouth multiple times while struggling to start a sentence.
“S’alright. I knew ya didn’t wanna go ‘cause I can tell you’re the same as me.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke off to the side and a passerby walked into it, choking and cursing. “There’s a place for that round the way if’n ya wanna get your-”
“No!” Teo suddenly blurted, throwing his hands up before the fellow could say something vulgar. “Sorry, no, I just… I’d rather go to the card tables. With you.”
The gruff sailor raised a brow before slowly nodding. “You know how to play cards, son?”
Teo shook his head bashfully and managed the courage to speak up. “Could you… teach me?”
Mihail’s stormy green eyes slid over him in a way that made him feel flushed and warm and Teo found himself holding his breath while he waited for his answer.
“Aye. I could do that.”
Demographics
Istadt contains citizens from all across Ulvad due to its central location on the waterways of the country. Those that are not born within the city are most often from Halden, Sulaste, and Zafriste.
Government
Istadt is ruled by a council of representatives from members of the three nations that share a border with it.
Defences
Towers, raised bridges, and portcullises that constrict waterways are employed as public security measures. Mercenaries are often hired to defend important people as many people agree the city guard is deficient. Many members of the guard have national ties to one of the three bordering countries and may pick and choose who they will assist.
Industry & Trade
The most lucrative industry beyond the prominent shipping locale is pleasure entertainment in the form of brothels, animal fighting rings and races, liquor stores, and gambling houses.
Infrastructure
The most common civil structures within this trade city are cobblestone streets, open sewers, and watermills. Certain parts of the waterways are used for dumping waste where no sewers exist. Aside from this are shipping docks on the waterfront as well as numerous warehouses.
History
Istadt was established as a neutral territory for the people of the different nations were able to bring goods to trade without the hassle of sanctions on their wares. Since then, the city has developed a reputation for being particularly lawless with lax laws on many recreational activities. Since none of the surrounding nations have a full claim, council members rarely come to an agreement on what is banned since their own nations have differing policies on trade and morality.
Tourism
The sailors of the waterways are the most common patrons of the pleasures of Istadt. In the few days they pass through, they take advantage of the respite they are given.
Aside from this, the citizens will pay visits to this city to indulge their vices that are outlawed in their own nations. People from Halden are the most common because of the theocracy's strong moral restrictions on recreational activities.
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