Conch

"Rioters, rebels and rejects. What was once a blossoming bastion of industry has eroded into a cesspool of delinquents deluding themselves by 'playing king'. Some day I shall have to remind them to whom their little town truly belongs."
- Archmage Marigax
Located at the foot of the Channel Mountains, Conch is home to a variety of curious characters; some more dubious than others. Since its successful revolt against the Netherese Magocracy of Ambrose in 1801 NY Conch has maintained its independence and presented itself as a safe-haven to all, a situation which has leads to it becoming a budding cross-roads of commerical activity. In addition to commerce, and the myriad of individuals who flock to enjoy its isolation from external affairs, Conch's location has sported a profitable mining operation which has unveiled a number of interesting finds, some mineral - some not.

Conch
The eerie streets of Conch's slums at night.
Geography:
Region: Anauroch, Columns of the Sky Type: City
Societal:
Demonym: Free-Men Population: 18,000 Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Demographics:
Language(s): - 100% Netherese - 25% Loross - 3% Imaskari - 3% Dwarven - 2% Elf -2% Gnome - 15% Other	Race(s): - 90% Human - 3% Dwarf - 2% Gnome - 2 % Elf - 3% Other	Religion(s): - 15% Tynche - 15% Kozah - 10% Amaunator - 10% Jergal - 10% Mystryl - 10% Selune - 10% Targus - 5% Jannath - 15% Other
Political:
Government System: Democratic Leader: Conch Ruling Council

History

The War of Liberation

Date (NY)	Title	Description
1796	Conch Settled	- Poised at the border of the Netherese Empire, Conch was settled as a forward expansion to secure the mountain-pass through the columns of the sky to facilitate trade with the western nations and begin mining operations by order of Archmage Marigax.
	Overseer Issued	- Overseer Zarimar was issued to oversee the development of Conch under a low budget. Under Zarimar's tyrannical rule, the operations on securing the trade routes and developing the mines made good progress. Owing to a lack of funds, the work was under payed and this form of motivation was substituted with brutal intimidation and the threats of harsh reprisals against those refusing to work. - Disorderly citizens were either thrown in prison or were sold off into slavery. Murmurings of discontent and corruption festered through the population for the following years.
1798	The First Demonstration	- The first official demonstration of mass refusal to work spread across the settlement of Conch. Netherese enforcers were issued to round up all protesters. - The ensuing clashes resulted in wide-spread injuries with the leaders of the demonstrations being rounded up and hung. Lesser members of the leadership were, for the most part, sold off to various slavery cartels.
1799	The First Revolt	- Following a number of disappearance of Netherese governing-ministers within Conch, Netherese enforcers were issued to apprehend one of the suspected culprits for questioning. The arrest erupted into a fight that soon broke into a riot across the Slums district. - The conflict soon bled over into the other districts, resulting in the full deployment of the Netherese enforcement garrison to detain the agitators and try to arrest any involved. Within the confusion, the individual wanted for questioning, alongside a number of others, escaped.
	Absconding Abroad	- After the defeat in the first revolt, a number of the leadership of the uprising fled south to foreign soil to escape the dogged hunt of Netherese enforcers. Their activities upon crossing over into foreign soil are largely unknown, however it is rumored they conducted a series of missions/adventures on behalf of a number of the leading figures throughout the lands neighbouring Conch, garnering the favour of those they proffered their work to.
1801	The Final Revolt	- During the early hours of morning a number of fires erupted simultaneously around the city of Conch. Many of the nearby Netherese patrols moved off to investigate the outbursts of flame and were swiftly ambushed by well organised, and well-supplied rioters. These initial killings were the first step in a well organised and well orchestrated attack on the main Netherese garrison which held the city. Lead by the prior figures who escaped some two years prior, assisted by the aid of some new allies, the fighting was fierce, but with the element of surprise and a good deal of luck the rioters slew resistance. - By the day's end the rioting citizenship had captured the Overseer and a number of his high-ranking officials, all of whom were summarily paraded through the city and then executed. - What remained of the prior administration hastily collected their belongings and fled back to their masters in the east. The Netherese involved highly suspect, and claim, that foreign interference by external nations was responsible for the uprisings instigation and success.
	Independence	- With the Netherese influence cast down, the leading figures of Conch declared independence from the Netherese and the Archmage who they had previously owed fealty to. This proclamation was poorly received, by the powers to the east however due to pressure from elsewhere the task of reconquering Conch was neglected for that current moment. The Archmage Marigax still claimed ownership of the city of Conch, despite having no official authority there. Official running of the city was passed to a council, composed of one member from each of the three districts which composed the city.

Geography

Conch River

The main source of water that runs through the region of Conch. Approximately a mile in breadth, this river provides an avenue for a small amount of traffic in goods transported by small trade galleys.

Channel Mountains

Flanking Conch is the sharp rise of the Channel mountain range, home to barbaric tribes, monstrous giants and other horrors deeper into its rocky canyons. Few venture far into the mountain range without a reliable guide, and even fewer ever return at all.

Society

Conch's society involves a myriad of individuals thanks to its seclusive location tailoring to both those after a more daring adventure as well as those trying to avoid being found. By means of this reputation it has gathered more than a few distinct personalities. To house all of these visitors the city is divided into three districts: Slums, Market and the Noble.

Districts

Slums

The shadier section of the city, the slums district's inhabitants are made up of a number of sources: those down on their luck, unable to afford the higher prices of the other districts to those actively trying to hide from other groups of the richer districts, outcast from the grander society. These outcasts can vary from individuals who's reputation is poorly received to the more monstrous races, like orcs and the rare fiend-blood, who are viewed on with suspicion by any but the most desperate of company.

Market District

The Market District is both a suburb of Conch in its own right as well as the most neutral place for all citizens to meet and trade. With so much money exchanging hands control over rights of trade and taxation are highly coveted and in constant flux. The current preeminent power is the West Netheril Trading Company. All are welcome to trade in the Market District providing they pay all due trade fees and do not disrupt business. A blind eye may be turned to a few independent stall owners squabbling over choice market space, but only the most desperate or foolish traders dare to cross West Netheril Trading Company and its members. The permanent residents of the Market District are largely merchants and other professionals, along with their staff and families. Some are barely above paupers and a few wealthy beyond a noble’s dreams, with the majority falling between the extremes.

Upper District

Uptown is the area of Conch that the most prosperous and educated citizens tend to congregate in. It is populated by a diverse mixture of students, landowners, petty nobility, performers and supporting occupations. The theatre is the largest artistic structure in Conch, but it is Nebular, the University of the Arcane Arts which is the dominant power in this district. Fine dining and music are popular pastimes in Uptown. The population is mostly human and elvish, with social-class playing a high role in how an individual is judged.

Government

Conch is lead by a council who's members are drawn from each of the city's districts. Each district nominates a representative who sits on the council and votes on behalf of their district on decisions to be made.

Internal- DM Factions

Nebular University

The origins of Nebular began in Hadrian over a century ago as a joint project between a sorcerer Sherina Tsirak Master Arcanist Cashand Joriin, both from Hadrian. Unfortunately their ambition of a school where sorcerers and wizards could study together roughly as equals was an idea well ahead of the times, and the Arcanist Guild and other Netherese institutions refused to support it. Even beginning construction in Conch rather than Hadrian could not appease the Guild so the two abandoned the project. But the later loss of the Valstiir Enclave abruptly changed the cultural status quo.

The disaster that befell Valstiir reduced the prestige of the wizardly class and the populace of Conch became suspicious of unfettered magical experimentation and research. Some of this thinking also filtered into the spellcasting community and some senior magicians decided to complete the construction of the university. Wizards and sorcerers alike pooled their resources and influence for the project. They were granted a charter from the city of Conch to educate citizens with magical potential in a responsible manner, research subjects of a magical nature safely and openly, and provide expertise on arcane matters when hired or requested. A key part of the University mission statement was to never seek power for its own sake and to apply their collective knowledge in constructive rather than destructive ways. Bards have recently started being accepted as students.

West Netherese Trading Company

The West Netherese Trading Company is a conglomeration of various Netherese merchant groups who united following the official independence of Conch being announced and the sudden shifting of legal, and social, opportunities. Seeking to monopolize on the power instability following the revolution, they entered into dialogue early with the leading figures of Conch's new government and arranged an exclusive agreement for trade in the Conch region.

Seeking to act as a middle-man between Conch and many of the external Netherese commercial sectors, the West Netherese Trading Company experienced a spectacular and cyclical rise and fall in luck and wealth throughout its history in Conch due to fractious relations with other factions within the city. In-spite of some prior dabbling in diplomatic and political matters, the trading company has in recent years attempted to foster the image of a trading house, detached from matters outside of the commercial sphere.

The West Netherese Trading Company has brought with its exploits a great amount of wealth to Conch, not only in the commodities it can draw in externally but also in its frequent use of sellswords. The hiring of mercenaries serves a multitude of purposes with the prime two being the location and exploitation of new trade commodities and routes by which to transport them, as well the role of escorts for shipments; both those by land and river.

Diiri’s Boys Gang

One of the main criminal gangs lurking in Conch's Slums district, Diiri's Boys is a collection of neirdowells under the banner of a crazed Derro, a man by the name of Grymtol. They do not function like others would- the group is practically ritualistic in their dealings. Whether from the various killings to the simple sale of a Soulgem, each step taken must follow exact specifications, sometimes bordering on the inane. Yet under the guidance of Grymtol, the group has flourished into a full-blown gang. Their grip fiercely tight upon their recipe to make Soulgems, their earnings have solidified them as a force to be reckoned with. Those that earn their place within this prestigious group are the most cruel, foul, and vile cutthroats. They are completely loyal to Grymtol and their cause and have cornered the markets on drugs and other illegal goods.

Diiri’s Boys has a fully structured hierarchy. Underneath Grymtol are his Three Eternals- the true leaders of the gang. They keep it functioning and bring in all the various profits, running plentiful amounts of business with those in the market for under the table goods. Each Eternal keeps their own Scars, their errand boys, handpicked from the basic followers named the Rabble.

Foreign Relations

Magocracy of Ambrose

The original power who masterminded Conch's founding, the Ambrosian's retain the view that Conch is a rebelling state under their governance. Efforts have been made over the years to re-affirm the Ambrosian grip on the city, some more subtle than others, however as of yet to no avail. In reply, Conch's reaction has been, for the most part, hostile to Ambrosian interference with a few select pockets showing silent sympathy for the isolation of Conch's current situation from Ambrose. Whether these sympathizers are genuine patriots or simply Ambrosian agents is unknown.

Barbarians of the Channel Mountains

The relationships between the inhabitants of Conch and the barbaric tribes of the Channel Mountains has varied in intensity and temper. Throughout the years, certain tribes have descended down from their mountains homes to pillage and raid the surrounding lands of Conch while others have wandered down in trading-parties for commercial enterprises. One of the most profitable avenues of sale for the mountain-folk is as mercenaries and guides, with their natural brawn and well-honed knowledge of the mountainous layout making them effective in both occupations.