The City Of Bareshield
A large sprawling city that is spread across the flat land between two cliffs. The city is one of few areas on the coast where large shipping vessels are able to safely harbour, and because of this it sees the majority of trade in the region.
Demographics
One of the most populous human settlements in the Western Empire, Bareshield's population is primarily human. Due to it's proximity to Alvantis, and it's nature as a trade hub it hosts one of the largest Alvain populations outside of the enclaves. Various other species often pass through the city for mercantile needs, some even setting up permanent residence - although often in the city's crowded Harbour District.
Government
Like all major cities in the Protectorate, Bareshield is technically ruled by a council of the city's more prominent humans. Where true power actually resides is significantly harder to tell. The city's governor is appointed from among the council and holds a veto power over the rest of the council. The exact process by which this decision is made is unclear.
At any rate, while the city's Alvain Ambassador holds no written power, they have an undeniable influence over nearly every aspect of the city. Bareshield's proximity to The Empire only amplifies this effect.
At any rate, while the city's Alvain Ambassador holds no written power, they have an undeniable influence over nearly every aspect of the city. Bareshield's proximity to The Empire only amplifies this effect.
Defences
Above all else in the city, it's harbour is protected at no expense spared. Rows of battlements, armed with heavy cannons pinprick the sides of the cliffs flanking Bareshield, designed to riddle potential enemy fleets at extreme distances long before they approach the city's vulnerable economic center. Chain defences are also used frequently in the event of smuggler excretions or piracy that occurs local to the harbour, as a destroyed vessel would leave considerable debris in the still waters of the harbour and potentially impact trade flow.
The south of the city lies a wide breathe of open fields are forests, with the city sitting naked to the countryside behind it, it's flank protected by the strenght of the knights of the Protectorate rather than expensive city walls.
The south of the city lies a wide breathe of open fields are forests, with the city sitting naked to the countryside behind it, it's flank protected by the strenght of the knights of the Protectorate rather than expensive city walls.
Industry & Trade
The Harbour district is the center jewel of the city, and where the majority of focus from the city's governance is directed. A massive expanse of reinforced wood planking, towering cranes, and reinforced battlement - the harbour and shipyards of Bareshield are some of the most developed in the entire world. Over a million tons of trade goods passes through the city seven days a week, and the city is often regarded as the best place to purchase large quantities of trade goods or rare specimens. Most of the economic income for the city comes from the taxes and fees levied on trade in Bareshield. As it is the only place in the region for large ships to harbour safely, they are able to charge significantly higher taxes than often coastal cities would. Despite the influx of riches, the majority of the wealth is pushed upwards to the city's administrators for redistribution as they see fit. Despite this, many entrepreneurial people have tried their hand as merchants in the cities bustling trade district, and rag to riches stories of cunning men and woman are not uncommon.
Infrastructure
An old city by Human standards, Bareshield's necessity as a major trade port has caused it's infrastructure to develop at a breakneck pace. It's agricultural needs are tended to exclusively through imports and taxes from the neighboring rural areas, which the majority of the city's developmental budget going towards the constant expansion and development of maritime trade.
Nearly bursting with an abudance of population, disease and public health is nearly always top of mind for the city's ruling council. Shortly before the outbreak of the first human rebellion, plans were set into motion to integrate an upgraded sewer system to hopefully address the city's above average rate of squalor related disease and infection. While the plans were cut short at the outbreak of large scale conflict, the sewers were eventually developed with the support of Alvain and Kinderstärke engineers.
The harbour district of Bareshield is one of the most developed in the known world. Everyday over a million tons of trade goods are exchanged across the shorelines of Bareshield, and the city's shipyards have a reputation for developing some of the heaviest freights and battleships in the Empire.
With a such a strong emphasis on maritime development however, critics of the city's council will often point the old and failing infrastructure in the city's other districts as evidence of the council prioritizing trade income over the welfare of it's own people. Road infrastructure is often undeveloped, and the city's habit of clustered houses and chaotic city planning makes navigating the cities narrow streets nearly impossible for non-residences.
Nearly bursting with an abudance of population, disease and public health is nearly always top of mind for the city's ruling council. Shortly before the outbreak of the first human rebellion, plans were set into motion to integrate an upgraded sewer system to hopefully address the city's above average rate of squalor related disease and infection. While the plans were cut short at the outbreak of large scale conflict, the sewers were eventually developed with the support of Alvain and Kinderstärke engineers.
The harbour district of Bareshield is one of the most developed in the known world. Everyday over a million tons of trade goods are exchanged across the shorelines of Bareshield, and the city's shipyards have a reputation for developing some of the heaviest freights and battleships in the Empire.
With a such a strong emphasis on maritime development however, critics of the city's council will often point the old and failing infrastructure in the city's other districts as evidence of the council prioritizing trade income over the welfare of it's own people. Road infrastructure is often undeveloped, and the city's habit of clustered houses and chaotic city planning makes navigating the cities narrow streets nearly impossible for non-residences.
Assets
While Bareshielf is the most populous city in the Protectorate, it's actual land holdings are surprisingly small for a city of it's size. The majority of the real estate outside of the city is designate for the estate property of noble's, and the few farms in the area have yields that couldn't even begin to address the needs of the city's population. Which the city's heavy reliance on food imports, a common anecdote is that Bareshield is normally only six days away from starvation at any given time, and any disruption to the city's harbor traffic is penalized severely because of this.
The Warehouse district to the south east of the harbour contains an uncharacteristically well organized assortment of storehouses, often leased by private companies or local governments. Due to constant trade being conduct a district over, its contents are constantly changing, with food, resources, luxuries, weapons, and even art and cultural artifacts present in any given warehouse. While all reasonable effects to catalogue the inventory of these storerooms, the chaotic nature of the trade means things can often go missing or lost, and the exact influence criminal elements have on this phenomenon is impossible to measure. There are plenty of stories of long long crates being rediscovered in forgotten corners of warehouses decades later.
The Warehouse district to the south east of the harbour contains an uncharacteristically well organized assortment of storehouses, often leased by private companies or local governments. Due to constant trade being conduct a district over, its contents are constantly changing, with food, resources, luxuries, weapons, and even art and cultural artifacts present in any given warehouse. While all reasonable effects to catalogue the inventory of these storerooms, the chaotic nature of the trade means things can often go missing or lost, and the exact influence criminal elements have on this phenomenon is impossible to measure. There are plenty of stories of long long crates being rediscovered in forgotten corners of warehouses decades later.
Guilds and Factions
The city is home to few landed nobles, due primarily to the lesser land holdings the city has oversight on. Those that do retain deeds to estates often run their secluded kingdoms independently of the city's day to day activity (with a few notable exceptions)
The merchant class dominants Bareshield, with the large abundance of trade causing the demographic incline of this class at nearly every point in the city's history. Among the most prominent of these merchants, a few are selected to join the city's reigning council. (however the council commonly recruits from amongst other classes as well.) Because of this, the merchants of the city have some of the strongest voice in the local politics, leaving the craftsmen and laborers often drowned out in any municipal decision making.
To the west of the Harbour district, the majority of the cities lower class laborers reside. With little political power to their name, it is not uncommon for them to turn their back on the "elitist" nature of the council and solve conflicts among st themselves internally instead. This has caused a significant amount of friction between the working class and the ruling merchants, with the odd riot being put down by the city guard with ruthless efficiency.
The merchant class dominants Bareshield, with the large abundance of trade causing the demographic incline of this class at nearly every point in the city's history. Among the most prominent of these merchants, a few are selected to join the city's reigning council. (however the council commonly recruits from amongst other classes as well.) Because of this, the merchants of the city have some of the strongest voice in the local politics, leaving the craftsmen and laborers often drowned out in any municipal decision making.
To the west of the Harbour district, the majority of the cities lower class laborers reside. With little political power to their name, it is not uncommon for them to turn their back on the "elitist" nature of the council and solve conflicts among st themselves internally instead. This has caused a significant amount of friction between the working class and the ruling merchants, with the odd riot being put down by the city guard with ruthless efficiency.
History
Long before humans settle the area, the spot was used as an embarkment place for a variety of species, most notably the Alvain and Kinderstärke in the area. As human population in the area grew, the stretch of land between the cliffs of the Shield Coast was pocketed by a variety of competing trade villages with no regional oversight. As human culture began to enter it's first age of development, the cities continued to grow until they eventually agreed to form a trade pact and formed one of the first regional power in the area. As the human population continued to surge (as they always do) the territorial lines between these former trade villages blurred until it naturally grew into a single unified city. The bloodlines of these old cities are well regarded to this day, with many of the city's ruling council claiming heritage from of the founding three.
Architecture
With the majority of wood in the area designed from use by the harbours to expansion, repair, and ship builiding the majority of buildings in the are constructed from the pale grey stone that is abundant across the length of the Shield Coast. Due the dense population, the majority of the construction in the city is rather stark and utilitarian, with dense row homes packed shoulder to shoulder through the city's many districts. Naturally, this trend is abruptly stopped in the more affluent areas of the city, with large lots and elaborate, spacious structures the norm for the city's elite.
Geography
The region's shoreline is nearly a complete line of sheer and jagged cliffs, making naval approach at these area nearly impossible for all by the most nimble of sailing vessels. The small stretch of land the breaks the wall of cliffs is filled instead with the city of Bareshield. Crammed tightly between the walls of the cliffs, the city spills out from the shore to cover most of the surrounding area (with the more desirable locations being perched high on the surrounding cliffs, where the view is better and the smell of the city's squalor and harbour is diminished.)
The the southwest of the city, the terrian is an open area of fertile grassland, pocketed with the occasional forest of deciduous trees. Most of the land near the city falls under the dominion of the neighboring cities, and whatever land is left over was long developed into small rural farming communities by the local nobles.
The the southwest of the city, the terrian is an open area of fertile grassland, pocketed with the occasional forest of deciduous trees. Most of the land near the city falls under the dominion of the neighboring cities, and whatever land is left over was long developed into small rural farming communities by the local nobles.
Natural Resources
With a rich fertile soil present through most of the Protectorate, agricultural is a common focus for most cities in the region. While Bareshield lacks the real estate of other cities, it still has the majority of it's land holdings dedicated to agricultural.
The steep cliffs in the area provide limited mining opportunities, as natural resources aren't plentiful this far from the mountains. Despite this, quarries are not uncommon - as the jagged grey slate pulled from the cliffs has been proven to be a reliable and plentiful resource for the construction of builidngs and walls.
While the waters surrounding Bareshield are indeed abundant with fish, the industry hasn't been a mainstay for the city for centuries, as the majority of naval traffic is better used to accommodate commerce instead. Some of the small villages that border the cliffs at the shoreline are known to rely more heavily on fishing to supplement their diets, but the commercial benefits of sea resources are surprisingly underdeveloped.
The steep cliffs in the area provide limited mining opportunities, as natural resources aren't plentiful this far from the mountains. Despite this, quarries are not uncommon - as the jagged grey slate pulled from the cliffs has been proven to be a reliable and plentiful resource for the construction of builidngs and walls.
While the waters surrounding Bareshield are indeed abundant with fish, the industry hasn't been a mainstay for the city for centuries, as the majority of naval traffic is better used to accommodate commerce instead. Some of the small villages that border the cliffs at the shoreline are known to rely more heavily on fishing to supplement their diets, but the commercial benefits of sea resources are surprisingly underdeveloped.
Alternative Name(s)
The Harbour on The Shield Coast
Type
Large city
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
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