Free City of Helledam

## Historical Information

> Helledam is a city of night and day; best be careful, if you're not used to one or the other. What comes out in darkness might scare you back to the light.
>
> Unknown Source

The **Free City of Helledam** is a major city state in central Tethryr. Nestled between the southern border of the Empire of Spice and Silk and the northern edge of the Grimalki Principality, Helledam is a bastion of trade in the east and a common thoroughfare for travellers all across Magmell.

Though called a Free City, in truth the city of Helledam is subservient to the Empire. Though it rose as an independent trade city in the Old Age, the city was forced to sign their fealty away to the Empire when an overabundant currency and excessive spending saw the Empire buy up significant amounts of Helledaman debt. In exchange for the relief of their owed debts, the ruling council of Helledam made their city a vassal to the Empire, but negotiated their autonomy when it came to their own rulership. As a result, Imperial politics are not permitted to interfere with the guild's control of the city, and only exert nominal control over more broad issues such as militarization.

Helledam has ultimately suffered little under Imperial rule. It is a vibrant and diverse city with lax laws, permitting all sorts of illicit substances and goods that are outlawed elsewhere. As a result, the residents of Helledam are said to be the happiest in Magmell, and violent crime is rare, at least in broad daylight.

Serving as the only true trading port for the Empire, Helledam is essential for the import and export of goods. Their vast harbors maintain enormous trading galleys that risk the crossing from Helledam to the First City all the way in Talamhor, though most ships are visited by Jorvandik raiders along the way. Others dare the opposite side of the city, where they sail the Serpent's Quarter to the Dragoncity of Yanobe, bartering with Khanates and Yanobi alike under the greedy eye of Namru the Dragonlord.

Helledam itself is ruled by a council of merchants, with some positions elected by existing members of the Helledaman Tribunal and others elected by the broader population. They are regarded as fair and just, and are responsible for the laxing of Helledaman laws. Many western nations consider Helledam's experimentation with wider democracy to be nothing but a curio, as the older, more-legacy members of the tribunal usually end up being the ones in power.

Though crime is publicly low, many criminal elements call Helledam home, seeing it as their bastion of freedom in the east so long as they avoid stirring up too much trouble for Imperial eyes in the city. The Empire despises such groups and cracks down on them regularly within the 'free' city, leading to diplomatic tensions as Helledam tries to ensure its autonomy. Despite the Empire's best efforts, however, Helledam is still covertly ruled by the Helledaman Triplets, the inverse of the Tribunal; three powerful criminal overlords who each claim a piece of the city for themselves. Many rumours abound that these three— The Prince of Poisons, Lady Peregrine and the Pythoness —control the Tribunal, and use them as puppets to control what aspects of Helledam they do not rule already.

The symbol of Helledam is a silver wheel on a dark violet field.