The Grand Isle of Shadowhaven

The following is (largely) game-specific background to fluff out the starting locale: the island city of Shadowhaven. I hope this helps character background development, gives you a glimpse of the gameworld, and a taste of the local culture. It is by no means ‘mandatory’ reading – there will be no test and frankly you’ll probably set sail for locales unknown in short order; this is a skyship game after all. But flavortext is fun to write, and I figure if you know what I’m thinking when I describe this, that ,or the other, maybe it’ll help make the game ‘pop’ alittle better over pbp.

Geography. Shadowhaven is thought to have once a great barren mountain of granite, but if that is true, all that remains is a hillock on the leeward side of the island. The isle has been given over to a sprawling granite city that consumes the surface of the island, so perhaps the granite mountain was just put to new purpose.

The city’s oldest and widest streets wind aimlessly, but are wide and well kept, making them the fastest method to traverse Shadowhaven. The other streets range from reasonable thoroughfares to shoulderwide alleys. New construction will often close corridors, only to open new ones nearby.

The city is dotted with important landmarks; here are just a few:

+ The Great Shipyards – Shadowhaven has a number of sizable docks and piers, but there is no mistaking the Great Shipyards. The Shipyards has 2 sections: a wide, shallow cavern on the underside of the island in which new hulls are framed, and a massive wooden scaffold suspended out into the Void where complete or nearly complete ships are docked. While priests of the Artificer built the scaffolding, the city’s shipwrights also retain the services of priests of the Lady of the Winds to protect their investments. Ships docked here are reachable by extendable gangways that are covered by heavy canvas awnings to help counteract the effect the Glow.

+ The Arena – Equal parts temple, courthouse and stadium, the Arena of the Battlelord is near the center of the isle, and is a constant hub of activity. The Battlepriests that tend the Arena welcome betting on the events, as well as new participants. However, combat in the stands or around the arena exterior is strictly forbidden.

+ University Hollow – Located deep within the city, a number of universities in the magical arts, most notably the Athenaeum, find their home here. Above, it houses a massive beacon that burns bright enough to pierce leagues out into the glow making it the first (and last) sight seen by skyships arriving (or departing) Shadowhaven. Until a few years ago, the Alchemist’s guild found there home here as well, but there was some dispute following their development of magefire, a cold, glowing potion that lasts for weeks, once mixed. They were ousted by the wizards, and are now located closer to the Nexus where they sell potions, medicines and of course, magefire.

+ The Nexus – a massive arched hall, surrounded by shops and warehouses, the nexus is the largest trading center in the isles. Anything can be purchased or sold here, assuming you have ample time to find an appropriate trader and cogs to pay them. Magnus Greenbottom, your employer, operates a small warehouse and stall here, and has nearby apartments where his employees reside while at Shadowhaven.

+ The Trading Halls – a series of understated halls, built on the highest point in the city. Political representatives from every island can be found here, with their household staff, and meetings of the Trade Council are held daily here as well. The Council shipyard, bristling with its fearsome ships-of-the-line, is nearby.

+ Navigators’ Hall – One of the most comprehensive halls, and also one of the cheapest to use, it contains two samples of each known earth (except for Deepsky Citadel, of course) by mandate of the Trade Council. Located outside of the main harbor, the Navigators will pay well for soil from newly discovered islands. It is directly adjacent to the Couriers’ Guildhall. A great place to find news from other isles, as well as pick up passengers due to deliver goods or messages.

+ Choirhall – the hub of debauchery, music, and the worship of the god Festival, it is a massive amphitheatre surrounded by taverns and brothels. This also makes it an excellent location to find news and rumors from other islands.

Architecture. The building style of shadowhaven appears slapdash, but closer inspection reveals one of the greatest engineering feats known in the isles. Shadowhaven’s buildings are required by Trade Council law to be built at least 3 stories in height, regardless of purpose. This allows buildings to arch outward as they climb, eventually touching their nearest neighbors and forming a series of covered tunnels. Ventilation to the roadways and structures is provided via scoops angled into the prevailing wind; this also blocks the Voidglow from entering the city. Traversing the streets of Shadowhaven is much like traveling within a granite cavern. These tunnel roads are typically well lit by the magefire, although in some areas tallow lamps or charcoal may also be found.

Weather. Shadowhaven is in the midst of the temperate zone. It has a steady wind off the low (windward) side of the isle that is generally reliable and smooth, making launching of ships relatively predictable and safe. Droughts are not uncommon, but a major airsteam travels just a few miles offshore, bringing vital food sources within easy reach of the city’s trawlers.

Culture. Shadowhaven is first and foremost a human city: its buildings and roadway tunnels are built with that scale in mind. However, because of its unique position as both the capital of commerce and political power for the past 200 years, large minority populations have taken up residence throughout the city. Dwarves are particularly comfortable in the narrow tunnels, and Priests of the Artificer have been petitioning to build a larger Altar near University Hollow.

Locals refer to themselves as “Shadowfolk”, and generally are welcoming to outsiders. While the Trade Council forms the official government, the city is home to a number of independent guilds which rival the Council for political muscle within the city. Here are just a few.

+ The Roofers’ Guild – perhaps the most dangerous job in the city is maintaining the roofing tiles and ventilation intakes along the tops of the city buildings. The Roofer’s guild takes this task quite seriously, and has hired a number of freed wildlings to do these jobs. Roofers’ guildmembers wear dark orange cloaks, as both protection and symbol of the Glow in which they work.

+ Riggers – In addition to those that work the roofs, a new guild that focuses on maintainence of the shipyards wooden gangways has just begun to appear. Although they have not achieved official dispensation to form the Guild, these men refer to themselves as Riggers, and are easily identified by green armbands painted with a black pulley.

+ The Growers’ Guild - Like most islands, Shadowhaven has a number of “underisles” that are used for farming of fungus and “waste” disposal. The crews that tend these islands have collectively formed the Growers’ Guild, and as the primary means of sanitation, have a fair bit of weight in local politics.

+ The Waterpriests – The Great Temple of the Lifemother may be her most famous holy site on the island, but her impact is felt no more directly than at the Exalted Cistern of the Waterpriests. Home to dozens of her Providers, they have taken a vow to use her divine gifts only for the production and purification of water. When drought strikes, and the ice shipments are becalmed, they keep the city supplied with a small but vital ration of pure water.

+ The Linart Street Cartel - a city as large as Shadowhaven has a number of criminal enterprises, but few are as well respected as the Cartel. Run by a small group of elves that have abandoned their gods in favor of profit, they have a hand in most of the gambling and prostitution establishments near the Choirhall. Their establishments are known to be highly sanitary, free of violence, and fair. The fact that they also use these locations to obtain information on ships departing from Shadowhaven and funnel it to nearby pirates is, most often, overlooked.

+ The Piemaker’s Guild – another guild with a shady reputation, the Piemakers oversee the preparation of all commercially baked goods on the island and have highly favorable trading rights to obtain grain from Plenty. However, the bulk of the guild fame comes not from pies, but rather from their alternative pursuit as one of the most feared assassin’s guilds in the isles. Their calling card is a sprig of fresh wheat left on the victim.

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I hope these ideas will help get you started. Feel free to add to this in your character backgrounds (if your character has spent much time on Shadowhaven, that is. if not, feel free to develop out other locales); nothing is immutable and if you have a good idea, I think we'd all be up for it.