Rakside/ The Rakes' Hide (Rack-side)

Originally called 'The Rake's Hide' this settlement was named after a family of fences and bootleggers who chose a defensible position at the crest of a waterfall. This would be a place to hide out from the law and use as an ungovernable base of opperations. as the family grew in money and power so too did the city develop.
Rakeside is now widely regarded as a hub of trade and the largest export place of grain alcohol. It is still affiliated as being a city of criminals as many come to the city to engage is illegal activities and the trade of contraband. Despite this the city has little friction with the royal government as it has become a linchpin of ecomonic growth and the capital city of Zentawen lacks the millitary prescence to police the happenings of such a large city.

Colloquial names

Although it's official name is still The Rake's Hide as listed on most maps and official documents, most commonfolk refer to it as the shortened monicker 'Rakside', the name chosen by someone is very telling about their status and where they come from.

Demographics

The settlement is primarily human, mixed with a small amount of travelling Orc merchants in clans, western goblins group, and an even smaller amount of orcs without clans. 
There are a few strange and fantastical beasts and sapiens who are being carted around by The Pit Fighters for popup fighting rings.

Government

The settlement is primarilt lawles, there is no policing force. people are entrusted to settle disputes amoungst themselves, there are various guilds in place for construction, merchants and farmers that help the city expand smoothly.

Defences

Rakeside is primarily defended by a militia squad based around the bottom of the falls where incoming ship traffic is forced to dock. there is a night and a day who take alternating shifts as well as a watchmen force who are stationed around a brick wall at the top of the falls. both the upper and bottom levels have a bridge built across the falls which sits above a portcullist that is only raised when the market is open.

Industry & Trade

Rakeside was build along a river leading to a waterfall. the waterfall makes it incredibly easy to manage trade routes as ships are forced to sail around the settlement to dock at the base of the falls. it connects to be the central hub of many rivers making it an ideal trading spot. It also sits along the Elven Network Trade Route which has been modified by humans to have a direct road to the town.
The settlement manages the export of illegal goods as well as several grain alcohols. As many people are coming into the city for trade and bussiness there are many thriving inns and restaurants. There's also a large industry of mercenaries and sellswords who operate within guilds creating income from memberships and licences.

Infrastructure

Rakeside is build around the western bank of a wide river and waterfall. the town is built into the upper district primarily with residential areas and the lower district which is primarily businesses and markets the two levels are connected with stone steps and cable cars. the city draws power from water wheels which are constantly moving thanks to the fast currents.

Districts

Rakside is divided into thwo districts upper and lower.
The upper district contains buildings that are not neccessary for the facilliataion of trade. and is broken into smaller districts for each side of the river, the west and east bank. The west bank contains farmland and fishing docs, the river banks make farming rice and rye optimal andlong with various fruites and vegtables. The West bank contains management of the waterwheels that power the city, as well as various artisinal and craft buildings such as weavers, potters, metalsmiths and brewers. this area contains the town hall and over half of the residential buildings.
In the lower district there are far more businesses neccessary to traders like tailors cobblers and blacksmiths, as well as a large number of Inns.
Rakside is unique in that it is one of the only larger settlements that were built entirely by human hands without Elven architecture.

Guilds and Factions

There are several small artisans guilds, brewers guild. Theres the merchant's guild which is broken further into two factions; those who residents of Rakside and those who are passing through to trade.
There's a mecenary guild and several smaller petty crime guilds.
This city also holds members of The Pit Fighters and acts as one of the bases for the Barrel Scrapers

History

The settlement began when a family of criminals chose the location to hideout from a group of bandits the location turned out to be extreamly defensible and so they continued to stay there turning it into a base and tradeing out from it. From there it steadily grew into a shanty town and then a settlement before becoming the large city it now is.

Tourism

There aren't a lot of tourist that come to Rakside to sightsee, everyone who enters is running from something or preparing to run to something else. It is a place of transcience, existing beneath the watchful eye of the monarchy and for engaging with unsavoury, or even magic practices. They say that if you need a problem to disapear to come to Rakside and have a poke around.

Architecture

The majority of the architecture is stone and brick held together with clay. the roads a tamped dirt and the buildings are squat, square and stacked ontop of each other. building wid their way up the cliff sides following the route of the dirt path.

Magic Status

Pro Magic

Alternative Name(s)

The Rake's Hide

Population

Approximately 90000

Inhabitant Demonym

The people of Rakside call themselves 'Siders'