Briarport

Briarport
Located on the southern-central coast of Eskillion, at the mouth of the Karamin River, is the city of Briarport. Being very accessible by both ship and road, the city has come to be known for it's abundance on commerce.

History and Governance
Once ruled by monarchy, it was overthrown in favor of a representative republic. Two council members are elected from each of the cities eight districts, staggered every three years for six-year terms. A Lord Regent is chosen by Briarport's noble families to moderate the council. Despite the government's liberalization, it is considered very corrupt by the populace.

Culture
Briarport is very cosmopolitan, with a very diverse racial makeup. Humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes are all commonplace, and get along surprisingly well. Tabaxi, whom are known to keep to themselves in the jungles and forests of Eskillion, have a small population of permanent residents in the city. Even orcs and tieflings are largely accepted here, provided they are trustworthy.

Organized Crime
For many years, two large factions dominated organized crime in Briarport; the Guild and the Syndicate. The Guild was known to be an arm of the noble human Pegason family, while the Syndicate was known to operate at the behest of the Woodtide family. The organizations carried forward the bitter rivalry between the noble families, often resulting in swift but violent skirmishes within the city.

As the fortunes of the Woodtide family waned, fighting between the groups broke out, and it was even taken to the streets. The fighting lasted days, and even the guards could do little to stem the violence. Ultimately, the Guild prevailed, and the remaining Woodtide family members were either jailed or fled Briarport to parts unknown.

The violence took a toll on the city; the populace demanded the council do whatever it takes to prevent further violence. The city guard was retrained, reequipped, and was dramatically grown in size over the course of a few months. They even went as far as to add battle mages to their ranks. Politically, the Guild had to concede a total lack of violence for all operations within the city.

However, with the Syndicate out of the way, the need for violence was very rare. The Guild now has a monopoly on crime in Briarport. Within a year, Lord Emanuel Woodtide himself was tracked down and killed in the Eldrem Manor Incident.