Port Penitent

Port Penitent was originally built as a penal colony, but over the course of many centuries has become a bustling trade town with fish markets and ships coming to and fro constantly. Port Penitent has become a safe haven for less savoury characters as well, hosting black markets and thieves guilds as well as allowing docking for pirates. The port is technically under the rule of Lord Commander Erhar Astigar, however as he is also the Commander of the Royal Army of Averlyn, he is very rarely present in the city.
The local crime lords have taken this opportunity to bribe the acting Steward of Port Penitent, Heliodora Swann, into allowing most crimes to go unnoticed. Three major criminal guilds operate in Port Penitent and although they pretend to have a peace treaty, they wrestle for power constantly in the shadows.
The first guild, the Dove Street Rumrunners, are pirates and street toughs. They manage most of the nautical trade in and out of the port and they brew their own alcohol in their breweries along Dove Street. The pirate captains that form their leadership expect bribes from every ship that enters and leaves Beggar's Bay or they'll sink them where they stand.
The second guild, the Honest Men, are a thieves guild operating under the guise of a clergy of religious men. In the forefront, their planted public faces are priests that look after the needy and homeless. Behind the scenes, they control a vast network of fencers, counterfeiters, muggers, pickpockets, and burglars.
The third guild, is rather mysterious. No one has ever met their leader before but they take on contract jobs from very high paying customers. These jobs range from kidnappings to killings and tend to not take morality into account. By far the most feared of the three, they are simply called the Open Hand.

Government

Erhar Astigar is the Lord of Port Penitent, but he spends much of his time managing the armies of the King, and as such has deferred the rule of the port town to his niece, who acts as Steward.
Lady Heliodora Swann has been taking bribes to overlook any criminal activity in Port Penitent and to lie about it in her reports to her Uncle Astigar. She remains in her manor and does not go out in public or see the light of day. Even the bribes she receives are handled by her maids and not her.

Type

City

Owner/Ruler

Lady Heliodora Swann

Owning Organization

Averlyn