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The Port City of Flinberg
Down the river Grizzle it’s three days by barge or about two weeks on foot to reach the sea. The river feeds into the Bay of Flin and at its mouth lies the city of Flinberg.
Built among the Greater Kapok trees that grow from the shores out into the bay, the city is a sight to behold. Once a prime port in the region, it is older still than some of its ancient trees. At one time elves and dwarves came to help the men build this wonder and their fine craftsmanship can still be seen in the buildings, the streets, and the shaping of the trees.
The tall, wide canopies of the Greater Kapoks still shade the port city, but these days the old saying ‘it’s always shady in Flinberg’ has taken on a different meaning. The old quarter and the city center still have an outward sheen of respectability, but the corruption beneath is easy to see and runs deep.
Politics of the City
A dozen years ago, Baron Gorlee Cyron–a good man in the prime of his life–mysteriously fell ill and died. His wife and newborn daughter had been lost at sea the year before, so his title passed to his brother, Hartis Cyron. The new Baron was lax in maintaining the city and soon nearly all of the city guards were on the take. When many of the honest guards disappeared or left town, the Baron replaced them with Gnolls from the neighboring swamplands. Now smugglers openly call the port of Finberg home and the Knight-Admiral of the King’s Navy is rumored to be the Baron’s mistress and just as corrupt as he is.
The other major force in city politics is the Gang of Nine. This secretive organization is rumored to rule over the entire underworld of Flinberg. If any know who runs it or even what the name means they aren’t talking. As a result, wild stories and legends have spread and are taken by some as fact. Maybe that’s how the Gang of Nine wants it? Despite the rampant corruption in Flinberg, the Baron’s men still hunt the members of the Gang of Nine.
HMS Alturia’s Grace
The harbor captain signaled the Queen’s envoy to stay out of the harbor during the storm, but either they didn’t see the signal lights or they were desperate enough to risk it. The ship ran aground on a shoal near the middle of the Bay of Flin and four died that night–including the envoy. The rest of the crew was rescued in the morning, but the ship was stuck. Rather than burn it, the Baron chose to use the HMS Alturia’s Grace as a prison.
Few of the city’s criminals know how to swim and even the strongest swimmer would have difficulty reaching shore safely through the strong currents and dangerous predators in the bay. The guards patrol in a schooner and a supply vessel boards daily to delivery food, fresh water, and less fresh prisoners. Inside the ship, the prisoners have free reign. It is a dumping ground for the unwanted and more than a few of the accused are never seen or heard from again.
Hosted and narrated by:
StoryShtick
Completed 12/12/21.
Scenes played: 9
License: Community License w/ Creative Commons
