Newport

New Port Architecture

Newport (sometimes spelt New Port in archaic or official documents), City of Opportunity, is the eastern-most city along the southern coast of the Midland Sea. It is also the newest of the seven great imperial cities.

It has had a violent and tumultuous recent past where it was the capital of a secession from the Dragon Empire, was reconquered for the Empire by forces from Drakkenhall, and was then wrested from Drakkenhall's stewardship by Seren and forces from Axis.

## History

### Secession from the Empire

Nobles within the Empire, led by Lord Baconworth, plotted to secede from the Empire during the height of the war with the Orcs, claiming taxes were too high for a war Newport had no right to be funding. Conspiring with Commander Brath and his forces, they took over Newport, with Lord Baconworth becoming governor. Newport, now a free and independent city state, had to find its feet without the support of the Empire it had been part of.

When the Druidic Enclave laid siege to Newport, it is believed that Lord Baconworth perished, and Commander Brath took over as Governor in his place.

### Drakkenhall's Recovery of Newport

Drakkenhall sent forces to help relieve the besieged forces of Newport and broke the druidic siege lines. With the forces that Drakkenhall sent, they began to occupy the city, and an alliance between Drakkenhall and Newport was set up. Drakkenhall and Newport grew close in this time, with Drakkenhall providing supplies, trade and military support to the newly independent city state.

Drakkenhall claimed to Axis that it had reclaimed Newport on behalf of the Empire, but there was doubt about these claims amongst the Imperial Court.

### Drakkenhall's involvement with Newport

Rhith deployed her second in command, Dewin, a huge blue dragon of immense sorcerer power, a master of strategy, and management of state affairs. Dewin quickly established himself as a a powerful but secretive adviser to Governor Brath. Dewin handled most of the day to day running of Newport and its military, security, projects, economics and policy implementation.

Upon the return of the devils from the Abyss, one of the policies implemented by Dewin was indentured servitude. This policy quickly helped Newport establish a powerful position, with new sources of labour. Anyone who was in debt could sell themselves into a state of servitude, where the deed holder was responsible for the well-being of those in their care (providing housing, food, etc), for the period of the contract. Contracts could be traded, but the details and restrictions on the contracts, such as duration, any conditions agreed to when a person sold themselves into servitude must be honoured. This proved to be a way for people to sell off debt, and when Newport began to run dry of homeless, and people in debt, Dewin expanded to importing "servants" through the use of brokers who went out to the Empire and "offered people the deal". Unfortunately for some people... they were forced into this arrangement. Around this time, Dewin also began to empty out the prisons, and put them to work, so they were of use to society. Indentured servitude allowed Newport to use cheap labour on state projects such as fortifying the walls, building towers for dragons to roost in, mine materials from the mines and quarries of Newport and to also work on secret projects for the Newport military.

While servitude greatly boosted Newport's economy and helped secure it, it slowly turned some of its residents against it, mostly labourers who were getting put out of jobs slowly as more and more had to consider selling themselves into it just to get fed.

Another of Brath's advisors was Ysbïwr, a high ranking black dragon within the Black Fang. At first, Ysbïwr was loyal to Cysgod, but with her time in the Abyss, Ysbïwr slowly became more and more disloyal.

### Seren's Return

Some time after Alina found Seren and informed her of the devils' return, she secretly came to Newport at least a year after the return of the devils. Seren secretly cultivated a following and established a base under Newport's Dwarven markets. With her following, she recruited one of Laurelei's doppelgangers (Elizabeth, as she prefers to be called) who managed to escape the Ebon Gauntlet along with five others, to her cause of taking Newport back from Rhith and Drakkenhall.

Seren slowly built up her forces, importing people from across the Empire, whose loyalty was to the Empire first and foremost. One of her most notable recruits was Lord Cormyr, a spymaster within the Dragon's Shadow and a man of the Imperial Court. He was recruited and a nearly two-year plan was put into place, to paint the picture of him becoming dissatisfied with the Empire, and more specifically, the Emperor. On dozens of occasions over the two years, he publicly disagreed with the Emperor about handling of operations and approaches for handling the devils. As time neared, he set out from Axis under the cover of night and made his way to Santa Cora, where he provided the party transport under cover of night on his ship headed to Newport.

As Seren's plan came to fruition, she requested the party's aid, to target select buildings and create opportunities for her forces to target their true goal. She planned to have minimal blood shed by assassinating key figures that would stop her coup. Amongst her targets were Governor Brath, Ysbïwr, and Dewin, along with the other dragons that made Newport their home. Seren also attempted to locate the devils operating in Newport, but was ultimately unsuccessful in this.

The party refused to side with Seren, even with her promise to make sure indentured servitude was ended, and chose to act independently and plan a mass escape of those in servitude. The party made preparations at the docks, planned diversions, and even recruited Rannu to their plan. The party attempted to move without Seren's knowledge, but somehow through her agents, she discovered the plan to cause a mass breakout, and the time and date of this plan. She was forced to move up her timetable, or face her plans being completely foiled as security being increased afterwards would have made it impossible for her to take the city without turning it into a bloody battle and war.

Seren acted, using the party's diversion, and brought silver dragons and alongside herself, fought for the city and took out Ysbïwr, and Commander Brath. Dewin's fate is unknown, but he was seen escaping the city, flying in the direction of Drakkenhall.

### Taking over Newport

Seren, having won the battle of Newport, installed Lord Cormyr as the new governor, and has now set Newport up as her base of operations. From here, she is now focusing on rallying silver dragons to her, then securing the area around Newport, then she will begin to strike out at the devils.

Currently, Lord Cormyr, as governor, is in negotiations with Axis to return as a city member of the Dragon Empire.

## Appearances

* Before the War
* Chess but the Pieces are People
* Window of Opportunity