Setting

Qashara, the City of Sails

Overview

The city of Qashara sprawls across the banks of the Bay of Narshal. Once the gateway to the nation of Al Amet, The City of Sails is now the last truly independent city-state in the civilized world. The city has managed to retain its independence by virtue of its economic power and it's position as the hub of trade to the civilized South.

Climate and Geography

Qashara's port is busiest during the hot and dry Summer months, although some of the braver captains maintain the sealanes during the vicious storms of Winter. The climate becomes much more harsh to the South of the city itself, quickly giving way to hundreds of miles of barren desert before crossing the Parnathean Mountains and into the green grasslands and forests which make up the bulk of the lands controlled by the Imperium Coelanthium and the Twilight Empire of the Elves, respectively.

To the north lies the Sea of Marush, and beyond that, the Barbarian North. Little is known about the lands to the north, save by the sailors willing to brave the treacherous oceans in order to bring back exotic goods from those strange places. "Barbarian" is something of a misnomer. Rather, the Qasharim consider all foreigners to be barbarians, although many of the lands to the north are quite civilized by their own standards.

Government

Qashara has traditionally been ruled by the two noble merchant houses, House Khemet and House Pharaxis. The balance of power between the two houses was maintained by the division of influence; House Khemet controlled the majority of the shipping lanes, while House Pharaxis owned - or was a major partner of - the trading companies who would send caravans of trade goods out to the landlocked nations and settlements on the continent.

Times, however, have changed somewhat. A new house has appeared in recent decades, sprung from an independent shipping company. This new House,  calling itself House Marcineus, has forced the two Great Houses to recognize its nobility by buying up property in the Old City, and renting the space to merchants for a cut of thier profits. So far thier plan has worked - goods imported by House Khemet are purchased by merchants renting from the Marcineans, who then sell them to House Pharaxis, who, in turn, sells the goods to the settlements on the established trade routes. By acting as a middleman, House Marcineus has wedged itself between the two Great Houses, thus splitting the power in the Qashara three ways instead of two.

However, there is yet a fourth House, this one an upstart, established by the bastard son of a House Khemet nobleman. Calling itself House Omid, the bastard house has slowly been stealing business from both of the Great Houses. The Omidean merchants have purchased a small fleet of ships, and, while not as numerous as the fleet of House Khemet, has managed to cut in significantly on their business by aggressively undercutting thier prices. They've used the same tactics against House Pharaxis to great advantage, hiring the less well-off independent traders and undercutting the Pharaxian companies.

The Noble Houses

House Khemet

House Khemet is now, and has long been, the name in the shipping of goods from foreign ports to the civilized world. They have held dominance by having the largest and most reliable fleet of merchant vessels known in the world, and are regarded by their customers and clients as being both ruthless and fair in their dealings. House Khemet has always maintained its policy of never breaking a contract or treaty, which makes them well-respected in most parts of the world, and for retaliating against an oath-breaker swiftly and mercilessly, for which they are feared.

As mentioned, House Khemet has been having problems with the upstart House Omid, who has been aggressively stealing away business from them. However, the bastard house has not done anything outright illegal, and thus, any overt attack against them would severely damage their reputation, and thus, their profits. Coupled with that, the Imperium has been showing more and more of an obvious presence in Qashara, which causes the Patron of the House no end of unease.

House Khemet is known coloquially as the First House, an informal title no doubt propagated by the House's own members. It's current patron is Amir ben Aten Khemet, an elderly but shrewd businessman, who maintains a tight reign over his control of the sea lanes. His sons Khalid and Hakim administer the families holdings. It is rumored that Khalid is the father of Ibrahm Omid, the head of House Omid.

Characters

The Story So Far

Actual Play Reports