Coombe
Government
While most other cities and towns have multiple levels of leadership, Coombe only has one single de facto ruler: Sheriff Rena Lawrence. Sheriff Lawrence and her deputies keep the town in line, often seen patrolling the streets to enforce their laws. There is also a council of elected representatives, eight for each quarter, and four for the Flats, and Coombe’s council is considered one of the least gridlocked in the country. Unlike many of the other regions, Coombe doesn’t have an attorney as few people trust the position, and there is widespread scorn for the region’s governor, who was placed by Arcadia. The mayor, an elderly dwarf man named Luther Firetankard, however, is highly respected in the town.
International politics with Coombe are complicated, to say the least. Rena refuses to do any significant business with any political entity that is under the thumb of the Monroe Corp., which, unsurprisingly, doesn’t encourage good relations with the majority of the other regions of Union. Coombe has a particularly antagonistic relationship with Arcadia, which has tried to impose laws on the town, and, failing that, enacted a 15 year embargo that is still active today. True to form, the people of Coombe don’t pay much attention to the embargo, engaging in trade with the region anyway. The relationship with Gravesend is surprisingly good despite Gravesend being the headquarter of the Monroe Corp. On more than one occasion, Rena has expressed her support of Severance, the resistance movement with a large presence in the city.
Infrastructure
The nature of the town makes a normal setup impossible for Coombe, and the security throughout the town is extensive. Nearly every street crossing is a gatehouse in which deputies watch the streets for any sign of trouble — trouble outside of what is normal. There are 4 major quarters in the town, and a less populous neighborhood outside the main settlement.
UNION SQUARE
The name Union Square is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek joke for the people of Coombe; it is the largest plaza in the town and functions much as any town square would function. Home to a large outdoor market, airship docks, and a multitude of taverns, this region of the town is often one of the busiest and most diverse. The night life in Union Square is rowdy and exciting, and often exactly what the bravest of tourists look for.
Most visitors don’t travel far from this quarter, and few people actually live in the area. Those that do often live above their own shops or in bunk houses and apartments. It is the safest area of the town, as well, as tourism brings a significant amount of income for the town that neither Rena or Luther are willing to lose.
DUSTY BLUFF
Unlike Arcadia or Gravesend, there isn’t a stark separation between the upper and lower classes in Coombe. Wealth is relatively even throughout the town, but there are still several households that hold more wealth than others, and those people tend to live in the Dusty Bluff quarter. This quarter is primarily residential; Rena’s home is in this quarter, as well as Luther, and there is a house owned by the brother of the Kostov Patriarch of Lyvsk.
The quarter isn’t entirely residential, however. The Ruby Roost Theater is located in Dusty Bluff, as well as The Bouquet nightclub. The quarter isn’t often visited by tourists, and most establishments in the area are locals-only.
STEELCROSS ROW
Any person entering Coombe from the road is first greeted by Steelcross Row. This area of the town resembles a traditional town more than anywhere else in the town. There are three major temples, one to Tymora (goddess of good fortune), Sylvanus (god of wild nature), and Mask (god of thieves). The plaza is also the largest gathering area for traveling merchants, and is notorious for its abundance of snake oil vendors.
Steelcross Row is also considered a hospitality district, with a large, luxurious hotel and spa, several high-end bars, and a large casino.
DRYRISE QUARTER
The Dryrise Quarter is another primarily residential area, this time to the poorest of Coombe’s residents. Rena is often seen walking these streets, speaking directly to those who may cause her the most trouble. Dryrise is often where new arrivals make their first home, and it’s strongly suggested that people avoid the district, especially during the night. Rena and the deputies do their best to keep the peace in Dryrise, but the most violent brawls tend to happen in the area, despite the deputies’ best efforts.
There are businesses in Dryrise, but the area gets a bad reputation for swindlers, even for Coombe.
OATFIELD FLATS
Oatfield Flats has the lowest population of the whole town, and isn’t technically considered part of the main town. This area is very quiet, with most residents living peacefully as farmers or ranchers. They export their goods to the markets for relatively low prices all while ignoring the chaos of the main settlement. The rule of thumb for Oatfield Flats is not to ask questions and leave the residents alone.
History
Coombe is one of the youngest settlements in Union, only totaling about 250 years old. It started as a boom town with a population of about 10,000, built outside of a prosperous mine dug into the walls of The Divide below it, but after only 50 years, the mine dried up. Most residents escaped to Arcadia or Gravesend, and those that remained survived as an airship stop between the northern regions and Deltrie. 15 years later, the few remaining residents left.
The skeleton of the town became a haven for outlaws and criminals of all kinds, gaining infamy as the place honest people avoid. Perhaps sensing an easy conquest, the Monroe Corp. moved into the area about a century ago. They used the town as a southern base of operations for their attempted takeover of the Crescent Isles, though when their campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, they abandoned the town.
The next 30 or so years was a turbulent period for the town. Its reputation had grown to that of a good place to hide when Rena Lawrence and her deputies rode into town. Rena’s intentions are ultimately unknown, but it isn’t a secret that she saw Coombe as both a challenge and an opportunity. Rena and her deputies have overseen the town with somewhat of an iron fist for the past 25 years. Compared to the relative “society” of Arcadia or Belcarra, Coombe is still a lawless place, but only because outsiders can’t see the structure.
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