Cliffgate
The border city between Krazax and Orde.
Demographics
The year round permanent residents number about 400, about a third dwarves a third humans and the rest a motley group of other races. During trading seasons, this population expands to almost a 1,000 transients waiting for customs assessments.
Government
Cliffgate has three layers of government. At the highest level, their ambassadors from Orde and Krazax, including the Church and representatives from the King of Krazax as well as the lowland tribes. This committee goes by several names given by the general populace, but the official name is The Cliffgate Commerce and Trade Authority. These ambassadors are assigned by their respective governments. While the committee can wield a lot of power, the representatives never manage to agree long enough to put any changes into place.
The High Administrator runs the day to day operations and civil law within Cliffgate. He has a bureaucracy beneath him including deputies and scribes. The High Administrator is elected by the Merchants Council.
The Merchants Council represents the oremongers of Krazax and the traders of Orde. Between them they set the trade rates, enforce contracts and deal with infractions within their own memberships.
Defences
The High Administrator’s office only has a dozen law enforcement officers. However, the ambassadors all have their own bodyguards and retinue. Additionally, the Merchants often hire mercenaries to act as guards.
Industry & Trade
High tariffs on raw goods. Lower taxes on products manufactured in town. Orde requires a level of purity in silver to be used in coinage, that level is sufficient to damage a werewolf. To that end, refined silver is tested by striking a bound and muzzled werewolf. This verification process is taxed at 10%
Typically raw materials enter the town from both sides, while refined goods proceed to their destinations.
Assets
Due to the tariffs in place, finished products are taxed lower than raw materials. As such, Cliffgate has many fabrication and refining shops. Additionally, since dunnage (crates and shipping components) is not taxed there is a thriving industry that makes containers and such out of raw materials that can be broken down for use in the country. The Trade Authority is too slow and out of touch with the situation to fix the tariff issue so this continues unabated. Most of these processes are water assisted through the aqueducts.
The Morning Gate is operated by huge chains operated by water wheels, fed by the aqueducts as well. While there is fair trade of largely foodstuffs for ores, there is also a transfer of water to Orde from the Krazax mountains. The water can be cut off, but this would also seal the gates. Thus, a careful balance is played out of value for value.
Guilds and Factions
The White Pantheon has public shrines.
The church of Astaroth is also publicly worshipped.
Although relegated to the back rooms, there is a strong following of Babylon to help enforce contracts.
Geography
Cliffgate is perched on the Orde side of a canyon between Orde and Krazax. An arched stone bridge connects both sides of the canyon while the eponymous gate rests on the Orde side. Aqueducts, integrated into the bridge, bring water from the Krazax mountains into the town and the Ordean plains beyond.
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