Snakevein
Government
Stewards of the Serpent, a Council of the 12 Largest Guildleaders
History
Up in the northeast of Faerun, situated in a mountain valley of the Galena Mountains, lies the City of Snakevein. The city was founded originally as a mining settlement as they began excavating into a large hill that resembled the head of a serpent, believing it to be a divine omen. The discovery of rich veins, both magical and mundane, brought a large influx of settlers who invested in building it up into the flourishing cosmopolitan city that exists today.
The river flowing through the valley made for easy transport of people and goods through the mountainous region. Being one of the only passable routes through the region, Snakevein naturally became a bustling trade hub. The mined and naturally occurring caverns and tunnels curled and coiled their way deep underground, with some reaching down to the depths of the underdark. These tunnels along with the natural rock formations gave birth to its name.
The city began to thrive with many peoples and cultures competing for dominance. Many of the wealthy and the devout began building large ornate temples and mansions into the upper walls of the main cavern. The ground level of the cavern began to fill with shops and markets and inns, some moderate houses and the like. With the lower classes often in simpler dwellings carved into the mining tunnels or houses built out in the surrounding valley.
The power being in the hands of such a select few wealthier individuals became a sore spot as the population grew. The wealthiest man proclaimed himself High Regent, and began spending his fortune to hire mercenaries to protect his interests and break up groups that started to become a threat. He levied taxes on every import and export he could enforce. Like minded individuals began to form larger groups for more political power in the city. Smaller guilds began combining together into larger ones. Some had more figurative power, the power of money, the power of faith. Some had more literal power, the strength of weapons, the strength of numbers, the strength of magic. Others began to operate more in secret to avoid the eyes of the tyrant. Things got tense as the High Regent began pitting these new guilds against each other.
As the tempers flared to their highest point, blood had begun to fall in the streets, the High Regent was found dead in his fortified estate. Officially, the High Regent’s death was ruled as natural causes. Stories swirled around about him. People joked at the irony that, in his greed and extravagance, he died choking on a exotic roasted cockatrice wing. Others said his hubris brought the wrath of a god upon him and he was smote by radiant light. Some said his paranoia led to the point of insanity and one of his Guards took his life in self defense. But in any case, with his death, and large fortunes sitting without an heir, the feuding guilds began to come to mutual agreements between themselves.
These groups came together to form a council to oversee the major functions and relations between the guilds within the city. The story goes that their first act was deciding upon the name of the council, and after 3 days of suggestions, debate, and occasional disorder, they agreed upon the Stewards of the Serpent, and that the heads of the guilds would either attend themselves or appoint a representative for their guild. The High Regent’s Manor was converted into a public shared space used by the Council. His large ballroom became the Coiled Congress, a room set up for equal discussion and debate among the council.
The river flowing through the valley made for easy transport of people and goods through the mountainous region. Being one of the only passable routes through the region, Snakevein naturally became a bustling trade hub. The mined and naturally occurring caverns and tunnels curled and coiled their way deep underground, with some reaching down to the depths of the underdark. These tunnels along with the natural rock formations gave birth to its name.
The city began to thrive with many peoples and cultures competing for dominance. Many of the wealthy and the devout began building large ornate temples and mansions into the upper walls of the main cavern. The ground level of the cavern began to fill with shops and markets and inns, some moderate houses and the like. With the lower classes often in simpler dwellings carved into the mining tunnels or houses built out in the surrounding valley.
The power being in the hands of such a select few wealthier individuals became a sore spot as the population grew. The wealthiest man proclaimed himself High Regent, and began spending his fortune to hire mercenaries to protect his interests and break up groups that started to become a threat. He levied taxes on every import and export he could enforce. Like minded individuals began to form larger groups for more political power in the city. Smaller guilds began combining together into larger ones. Some had more figurative power, the power of money, the power of faith. Some had more literal power, the strength of weapons, the strength of numbers, the strength of magic. Others began to operate more in secret to avoid the eyes of the tyrant. Things got tense as the High Regent began pitting these new guilds against each other.
As the tempers flared to their highest point, blood had begun to fall in the streets, the High Regent was found dead in his fortified estate. Officially, the High Regent’s death was ruled as natural causes. Stories swirled around about him. People joked at the irony that, in his greed and extravagance, he died choking on a exotic roasted cockatrice wing. Others said his hubris brought the wrath of a god upon him and he was smote by radiant light. Some said his paranoia led to the point of insanity and one of his Guards took his life in self defense. But in any case, with his death, and large fortunes sitting without an heir, the feuding guilds began to come to mutual agreements between themselves.
These groups came together to form a council to oversee the major functions and relations between the guilds within the city. The story goes that their first act was deciding upon the name of the council, and after 3 days of suggestions, debate, and occasional disorder, they agreed upon the Stewards of the Serpent, and that the heads of the guilds would either attend themselves or appoint a representative for their guild. The High Regent’s Manor was converted into a public shared space used by the Council. His large ballroom became the Coiled Congress, a room set up for equal discussion and debate among the council.
Population
25000
Included Locations
Owning Organization
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