Black Steel's home base is the largest island in a small archipelago in the western reaches of the Broken Sea, near the center of the region bounded by the Grat'han jungles to the south, west, and (on a large peninsula) southeast; the Shalasa desert to the north; Port Alseyn to the northeast; and the Anvil Strait to the northwest. (See regional map) Much of the trade between Korv and the lands surrounding the Broken Sea now passes through The Scabbard, whether as a way-point or as a center of trade, and it has become the largest center of commerce between the Grat'han jungles and the northern world outside of Havandia itself. Increasingly, the trade of the eastern Broken Sea with distant lands like Eastport or even near ones like Arasta and Espava, has been passing through the Scabbard too, taking advantage of the Anvil Strait when weather or politics render passage through the Channel Strait too fraught with risk.
Population: Over 8,000 official citizens, including humans, elves, goblinoids, and several varieties of beastmen, plus a few very small minorities. The actual population at any given moment is usually above 10,000 if merchants, ships' crews, and other visitors are included.
Government: 100-man Town Council, its members elected annually with Council voting power proportional to the number of citizens who voted for them. 10 Daily Council members are elected from within the Council as a lawmaking committee, and a Head of Council is elected from among these ten to chair both the full Town Council and Daily Council, and serves personally and with an appointed assistant in the federal Cabinet as well.
National Affiliation: The Scabbard-Edge Federation (AKA Black Steel)
Chief Exports: Carvings and carpentry, especially of rare woods; wine; fine jewelry, especially of coral and pearl; worked metal, especially weapons of highly carbonized steel.
History
The island on which The Scabbard is built, with its small natural harbor, was probably first colonized from Grat'ha by canoe or raft many centuries ago, and repeatedly in the ages since. Sometime within the past few generations, it was discovered by Arastan sailors -- victims of a shipwreck, according to the local story -- who built a village at the mouth of the island's little stream, sheltered within its natural harbor. The local stories vary, but the then-existing human population of the island was presumably absorbed, slain, or driven into the woods, where goblinoids and elves -- having presumably crossed the sea by the same means as early Grat'hans -- already had established firm footholds. Kerriville survived primarily as a fishing village, with only occasional contact with Korvan or Havandian merchants or Shalasian patrols, until the arrival of Black Steel.
The Black Steel ships that arrived at Kerriville harbor were the longships Blade and Mask, preparing to establish a base in the region for operations in the Broken Sea. The forces aboard the ships had been trained by pirates to raid, sack, and destroy towns and villages far better defended than Kerriville, and were heavily armed, supported by catapults in the ships' bows and their people's sorcerous powers. Moreover, they were expecting the arrival of reinforcements in the longships Mayhem and Siren before many more days could pass. Then-Captain Glaxtiks, commander of the Blade and the local fleet, regarded the battle as already won, if battle there would be, but decided to parley in spite of this. Never renowned for his skill with words or diplomatic savvy, he nevertheless arranged to speak personally before the people of Kerriville at the traditional site of their village councils: The church of Thesmos that dominated the Kerriville skyscape. Glaxtiks gathered a group of officers he regarded as capable of fighting their way free of any ambush, and went before the gathered people of the town. There, Glaxtiks made his famous speech -- famous for its bluntness and since-proven honesty -- in which he explained Black Steel's intention of building a large, wealthy, thriving, and powerful community on the site of Kerriville, and described the alternatives faced by the people of the village: They could become the origin and center of the new community, ruled lightly and helped to grow and develop by Black Steel, or they could perish under Black Steel blades so that the new town might be built over their dead bodies. Glaxtiks famously didn't stay to listen to the debate, but gave them time to decide their answer. He was gratified when they agreed to all his terms.
Since then, The Scabbard -- renamed some time after Black Steel's arrival -- has lived up to Glaxtiks's promise. With trade and immigration from around the Broken Sea and beyond, it has grown into a cosmopolitan city of nearly ten thousand humans, goblinoids, elves, and beastmen of various kinds, with many more passing through each month, and though it now addresses the outside world -- which it almost never did at all in its years as Kerriville -- as part of the larger Scabbard-Edge Federation, in which the old Black Steel forces play a leading role, The Scabbard itself is still ruled by its people -- among them, its longest residents, many of them prominent citizens, who form the nucleus around which the city has grown: The people who once were citizens of Kerriville.
Important Landmarks:
Canal Network: A series of deep, artificial saltwater canals lead from the harbor into the heart of The Scabbard's commerce district, used primarily for business dealings between the people of the city and the harbor's merfolk colony.
Church of Thesmos: Still the most popular center of worship in the city, much expanded since its days as the town center of Kerriville, the church is still presided over by High Priest Skeltzi, as it has been for a generation.
Demon's Circle: According to local legend, the Shalasian arch-wizard (and itinerant entertainer) "Magnifico" Mandello summoned a terrible demonic being in the center of this clearing, then banished it from the world for another century. The ground still shows char-filled ravines scored -- at least so the tales claim -- by its claws in an attempt to break free.
Fenris Amphitheater: A large and beautifully-appointed outdoor theater at the heart of the western "resort" section of the city, set a little apart -- but readily accessible -- from the just-completed villas and other upper-class guest lodgings. The Fenris has lately drawn quality performers from around the Broken Sea as well as the Scabbard itself, and while standing-room tickets are very affordable, the theater's private boxes are a hot commodity.
Guardian's Bronze: A sculpture on the harbor's breakwater depicts one of the city's recent heroes: A rough-looking woman with a broken nose, facing into the prevailing winds with a look of defiance, apparently in the act of working sorcery.
Merfolk Colony: A thriving community of merfolk has been steadily growing along with the Scabbard's land population, inhabiting the deeps of the harbor, ever more cooperative and involved in Scabbard politics and trade. Their kelp farms and nets, and some of the larger stone and coral structures of their village, can be seen from the water's surface around low tide when the winds are calm.
Scabbard Keep: The seat of the Scabbard-Edge Federation, functioning primarily as a meeting place, garden, and indoor theater, and the residence of official heads of state, but designed to take in and protect the citizens of the Scabbard in case of siege or other emergency.
Scabbard University: An increasingly important center of higher education with a sprawling wooded campus and a growing library. The university is heavily subsidized by the federal government, and the most knowledgeable Cabinet members offer semi-regular guest lectures in their fields of expertise.
Storytellers' Circle: The Scabbard's circular "town square" has become the site of a growing bardic tradition, with nightly performances by amateur tale-spinners and local favorites, organized by some of the city's leading citizens.
