Scarmouth
Scarmouth is the latest territory added to the Empress's Iron Empire. It was the capital of the Shadowlord's domain when he controlled the western jungles and the Great Scar. Scarmouth was an important city since at least the Long Night, though there had been a port at the mouth of the Great Scar since the Days of Blood and Shadow. The Shadowlord had conquered it before he moved into the Roselands, occupying it for many years and cutting the People of Sun and River off from the Shimmering Sea. Though there were some Sadhra and Kana who objected to Empress's annexation of it, none demanded its return too strongly, especially as Empress (or her Legate) has been fair in dealing with allowing passage through. The Empire is spending a lot of resources in rebuilding the city after the major flooding that followed the Empress's sorcery.
Demographics
Scarmouth is one of the most metropolitan cities along the Shimmering Sea, especially following its annexation by the Empire. Since its destruction, the Empire has spent many resources on rebuilding it and its defenses, but it is still a center of trade as it controls access to the Great Scar from the Shimmering Sea. As such, there are Imperials, citizens of the Jeweled Cities, and People of Scar and River who all permanently reside in the city. Outside of those three major populations, however, there are still populations of Iron Spine Tribesmen and the people of the Ivory Savanna, Firelands, and Roselands. The Cairnlanders, due to their war with the Empire and their distance, have less of a presence, but even they have interests and a small presence in Scarmouth. So long as they do not cause trouble, the Legate allows them to go about as they please. His focus is on keeping order and ensuring the destruction of the Devotees of the Shadowlord.
Government
Scarmouth is a city that is still technically under military occupation. Instead of a provincial governor, the Empress has appointed her Legate as the military governor, and thus Scarmouth is technically under Martial Law (which is still the Empress's Law but places the Legate and the legion command in the place of the civil authorities).
The Imperial Scriptorium is active and has slowly been working to put the infrastructure in place to transition Scarmouth to a proper province. The Legate has established one Steel Code Court to ease the burden on the military courts, and they have started to train new Justicars from the new citizens of the Iron Empire.
History
Around sixty years ago, the Shadowlord conquered Scarmouth from the Sadhri King and his family that ruled it. It became the capital of his domain and the center of his power. He cowed the populace, mostly People of Sun and River and the people from the jungle, into his service, levying armies to threaten his neighbors, like the Roselanders, the People of Sun and River, and the Merchant Families of the Gold Coast. Trade slowed as many debated the risks of putting themselves at the Shadowlord's mercy. He ruled the city for forty years, before the Imperial Legions and the Imperial Navy came to the Jungles of Kar'ack. The Empress herself arrived with two of her Chosen to Scarmouth. Even the Shadowlord could not overpower the combined sorcerous might of three of the greatest sorcerers of their time, though there are many who whisper that he had nearly done so, until the Empress had brought the sea down on Scarmouth itself, flooding the city and breaking its walls.
In the twenty years since Scarmouth was destroyed during the War Against the Shadowlord, much of it has been restored and rebuilt and the city is growing once again. The Empress has authorized her Legate to serve a military governor and under his command, the city's walls were rebuilt, trade resumed, and the remnants of the Shadowlord were driven deep into hiding. Now, Scarmouth is an important city as both a base of power for the Empire (which concerns its neighbors) but also as major center of trade.
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City
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