Sterlingstead

The Pearl City

The Pearl City is a trade hub, facilitating vital maritime trade between Arkanmere, Vraya, and Korolevia. It is also the most popular port of call for sailors from Funanori and Okkrgoth. Its portside pubs and inns are well known for their rowdy atmosphere, while the landside offerings are more subdued, even genteel. Sterlingstead was founded shortly after the Dominion of Arkanmere to service nearby Fort Ashbreak and the lingering Arkanmeran armies under the control of the King.
Decades later, locals discovered rich deposits of an iridescent ore known as meridium beneath the waves of The Witch Tides and used it to make corrosion-free maritime tools such as tridents, hooks, and weapons. Sailors, merchants, and navies immediately realized the value. Wealth and resources began to pour into the port, catapulting Sterlingstead to the fore of the world's cities practically overnight. With their newfound wealth and power, the city's leaders shaped the portside town into a gleaming, whitewashed city. They built magnificent Taqqadiyan marble buildings capped with meridium spires and wide, clean boulevards with gutters and sewers. After noticing the similarities between the glinting meridium atop the municipal buildings and the shine of pearls, visitors and locals alike began to call Sterlingstead "The Pearl City."
Sterlingstead was founded by an enterprising trapper from rural Alandr named Kisdanrak Sterling. Shortly after breaking ground on a long-since demolished town center, he contracted pneumonia and died. Without a designated heir to run the city, the King appointed an undine human named Inaad Corel as governor. Corel's children eventually inherited their father's role as steward of Sterlingstead and ruled benevolently for some time. In 522 YGP, however, one of Corel's descendants contracted an unknown plague that shattered his mind. A brief and bloodless coup toppled the Corel dynasty and replaced it with democratic rule for 7 long years. During this time the city's prestige plummeted without a wealthy and noble patron to guide it. In 529 YGP, the Council of Sterlingstead nominated Bardim Castel as Duke of Sterlingstead, which the King shortly confirmed. Thus, House Castel assumed control of one of Verda's most vibrant cities.

Demographics

Ancestry	%
Human	28
Halfling	24
Gnome	20
Dwarf	12
Elf	6
Other	10

Government

The Pearl City is governed by the Duke of Sterlingstead. All municipal employees serve at his pleasure. The Duke signs or vetoes policies suggested by the Sterlingstead Council--a group of eight public servants appointed by each of the city's districts. In the modern era, the role of the Duke is largely ceremonial: suggestions brought before him are rarely vetoed.

Industry & Trade

Sterlingsteaders primarily sell fish, meridium ore, and meridium tools. This brings in enough money to allow the city to import foreign commodities like marble, gold, food, wine, etc.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure in Sterlingstead could be accurately described as impeccable. The city is quite clean and beautiful. Most homes are constructed from whitewashed wood and stone while businesses, municipal structures, and the noble mansions are made from imported Taqqadiyan white marble.

Districts

• The Market: the eastern part of Sterlingstead is made up of sprawling farmer's markets, inns, and lower-class homes. The Market has very few buildings more than one-story and is studded with city guard towers topped with flapping banners.
• The Fairs: this expanse of middle-class homes is verdant and beautiful. Most homes are whitewashed with dark roofs, but some buck the trend and use the Okkrgothian half-timber style. The narrow, cobbled streets are shaded both by tall oak and maple trees and the dense, two- and three-story structures that loom overhead. Multicolored banners hang over the streets.
• Doghall: the western edge of the city is quite affluent despite its name. Here, the various noble houses reside in their mansions. The boulevards here are wide, shaded, and swept daily. Just north of where Doghall meets the ocean lie most of the city's forges, smelters, and other industries.
• Trade District: the beating economic heart of Sterlingstead. Fish markets abound, as do general stores, blacksmiths, and trinket shops catering to visitors and sailors.
• Pearl Village: by municipal decree, all meridium trade must be conducted in Pearl Village under the watchful gaze of Bayshore Fort. Here the town's artisans turn meridium into tools, finery, and weapons.
• The Port: Sterlingstead's shallow port means the docks had to be built far out into the sea. The longest dock stretches a quarter mile into the surf.

Guilds and Factions

Noble Houses

• House Castel: the ruling house of Sterlingstead beloved by most
• House Corel: a former ruling house of Sterlingstead jealous of House Castel's prestige; they wish the return of their perceived birthright
• House Glaimond: a minor, but wealthy, noble house that controls much of Sterlingstead's meridium refining capability
• House Proudberry: a minor, halfling noble house that operates most of the city's fishing vessels
• House Crawstrong: a minor noble house fighting a hostile takeover of their meridium mining company (Crawstrong Mining) by the CIT

Companies

• The Consortium International of Tradesmen (CIT): the most powerful company on the planet; they want to control meridium mining, refining, and manufacturing in the city; they currently own about a third of each industry
• The Salt & Pick Refining Company: a meridium refining company owned entirely by House Glaimond
• Crawstrong Mining: a meridium mining company undergoing a hostile takeover by the CIT

Underground

• The Salamander Court: a council of professional thieves, thugs, and rogues hellbent on draining the city of its capital--and therefore its prestige.

Points of interest

• Bayshore Fort near the port is a popular tourist attraction. It guarded an early variation of Sterlingstead's port before falling into disrepair and ruin.
• The Castel Mansion is an iconic city landmark. Its brilliantly white, four-story, marble walls, and meridium spires are visible from anywhere in the city.
• The Levans Gallery is a popular destination for creative types. It houses hundreds of paintings, tapestries, and one of Argea's best examples of pre-Divine architecture: the Primordial Pyramid.
• Beer'n'Berry Pub on the west side of town is an upscale pub known for its fruit ales, vegetarian fare, and lively atmosphere.
• Crown & Castle Alehouse in The Market is a tavern that caters to Sterlingstead's upper crust. It provides fantastic food and service at a commensurately high price.
• The Crooked Hook is a portside alehouse that is a destination in and of itself for many sailors. Festooned with a hodgepodge of kitschy sailing items and themed drinks and meals, most sailors stop by the alehouse for a drink before settling down with some hired company at Lippyhip's Ladies nearby.

Natural Resources

The world's largest deposit of meridium.

Level 11
LN City
Government Duke, primogeniture
Languages Arkann, Aquan, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, Halfling
Religions Church of Ilíos, Luminicism

Threats An ancient evil threatens the city and its meridium trade.
The Pearl City Sterlingstead's architecture shines brightly in the near-constant sun. It is a happy, just city.

Founding Date

26 YGP

Founders

• Kisdanrak Sterling

Alternative Name(s)

The Pearl City

Type

Large city

Population

14,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Sterlingsteaders

Location under

Verda

Owner/Ruler

Roland Castel

Ruling/Owning Rank

Duke

Owning Organization

House Castel

Characters in Location

• Basil Proudberry
• Belland Crawstrong
• Cirel Castel
• Dajihn Corel
• Dill Proudberry
• Emmond Saltbeard
• Ford Dench
• Garec Castel
• Habrian Castel
• Iain Castel
• Jai Corel
• Jerdam Castel
• Kaza Castel
• Lacor Tinzimire III
• Land Proudberry
• Merem Castel
• Nissar Castel
• Rhaj Corel
• Roland Castel
• Runih Castel
• Sha Yuen
• Stormfarer, Lord of the Salamander Court
• Thrakkis Thesk
• Tripp Proudberry
• Xavier Glaimond
• Yalca Proudberry
• Zel Sunsmitten