Hale's Landing
They hall and hallow, high uptowering,
gleaming-gabled, golden-posted,
rock-hewn ramparts reared in splendor,
forge and fortress framed immortal
--Hymn of Hale, Stanza 3
The Warrens
The Warrens welcome no one. The labrynthine ghettoes wind their way around Glasspeak, which looms far above. The high black walls of the Warrens are coated in a thick carbonic sludge built up over years of poverty and industry. Beggars and theives line the streets and shadows. While the Warrens house many, they are home to none.
Districts
The Billows
Plumes of greyscale smoke hundreds of feet tall enshrouds the Billows district in a particulate haze. The sea abuts these alleyways, and the docksmen wear their throatscarves pulled up over their mouths. The reduced visibility makes the Billows amongst the more dangerous districts in the Warrens.
Guildsway
Guildsway plays two roles in the Warrens' society. Officially, it is the place of business for Hale's Landing many guilds. Unofficially, it is the epicenter of the Warrens' illegal activities. Human trafficking, drug running, protection racketeering-- these all are organized in the Guildsway.
Shoppers' Lane / Scalpers' Lane
This wide street bisects the Warrens, tracing a concentric circle around Glasspeak. At first glance, Shoppers' Lane gleams against the backdrop of the ghetto. At second glance, that first impression is carefully curated to dupe the wealthy-- what money you bring to Scalpers' Lane, you will not return with.
Rats' Nest
Rats' Nest has earned its name. The heart of the ghetto surrounds three-quarters of the city, and is a sort of quarantine for ratters-- Hale's Landing poorest. At the same time, the Glass Guard rarely ventures into the Nest-- the tension is palpable, and occasionally boils over.
Gods' Rest
Named with typical Warrens' bleak humor, Gods' Rest houses the temples and graveyards of the city. The stench of overflowing cemeteries lends an air of hopelessness to shrines, which lie for the most part empty. Life is harsh in Hale's Landing, and it has not made the poor more pious.
Factions
The Glass Guard
The "protectors" of Hale's Landing lost that reputation long ago. Viewed as an arm of the nobility of Glasspeak, the Guard exists mostly to profit and oppress-- or at least that's what ratters would tell you.
The Docksmen's Guild
Responsible for trade and shipping in the city, the Docksman's Guild wields a great deal of power. If you need something (or someone) to end up somewhere, the Docksmen are the group to talk to.
The Scalpers
The Scalpers and the Docksmen maintain an uneasy partnership-- the Scalpers sell what the Docksmen ship. Although they occasionally infringe on the other's territory, for the most part the Scalpers roam in and around Shoppers' Lane, stealing as much as they sell.
The Whispers
Often, in the Warrens, information is more dangerous than a sword. The whispers do not just dispense information: they control its flow. The group has a reputation as subtle manipulators of Warren politics, and not as people to cross.
Glasspeak
Glasspeak exhales wealth like smog, and chokes the ratters in their Warrens. Far above the ghettoes, the nobility of Hale's Landing hold court. The stone surfaces of Glasspeak have been wrought into cyan glass, hence the name. The sorcery is more decorative than practical, and requires a hefty upkeep. To the ratters, it is a constant reminder of the excess of the nobles.
Trines
Seaside
Seaside overlooks the Billows, and beyond it, the Bight of Rebirth. Seaside is younger than the rest of Glasspeak, and as a result, is often at odds politcally with the established denizens of Stoneside and Skyside. It is also the cultural center of the arts in Hale's Landing.
Stoneside
Constructed first among the districts of Hale's Landing, Stoneside has long been it's primary seat of civic power. As old as the district is, it maintains an air of mystery. Intrigue in Stoneside operates on the scale not of weeks, but of years.
Skyside
Skyside is synonymous with government in Hale's Landing. The twin councils of Glasspeak, the Ministry and the Senate, oversee civic affairs. The Divinity regulates the practice of religion in the city.
Glass Spire
Known to the ratters as Glass Gutter, this long, winding ramp snakes up the side of Hale's Hill, the mountain into which Hale's Landing is built. Climbing to the top is notriously difficult, unless someone is carrying (or dragging) you.
Education in Hale's Landing
The disparity amongst the fortunes of the inhabitants of Glasspeak and the Warrens stems from a wildly unequal education system. Nobles are schooled by private tutors in arithmetic, language, combat, and, in the case of the wealthiest of houses, magic. In contrast, most ratters are illiterate, have never held a weapon, and have only an intuitive understanding of basic magic.
Factions
The Senate
The Senate is the seat of elected power in Hale's Landing. Made up of 20 representatives voted in by the members of the noble houses of Glasspeak, the Senate is responsible for the day-to-day economic, legal and political policy in Hale's Landing.
The Ministry
The Ministry, on the other hand, is a coucil of elders. The patrons and matrons of each of the noble houses of Glasspeak and the Obsidian General (head of the glass guard) hold permanent seats on the council. Thanes of Hale's Landing hold temporary positions, some more honorofic, others practical.
