Portakere

Serving as the only major port in the Dulais County, Portakere is a small city with a deep focus on its trade. Built upon one side of the Rifica river, it hosts the Great Rifican Bridge, allowing people to pass over the miles wide rivermouth. Upon the other side, a small settlement of West Grimland resides as a large village and its own river port.

## History

Portakere was for the longest time always the dominion of the Grimwold family, which ruled the territory since the founding of Inverden. The land was given to and built upon by Baron Marcus Grimwold. This Grimwold family earned its greatest honor during the War of the Worms. Portakere was originally known as Grimland since its founding and there are still some in the city who prefer to use the cities old name.

26 years ago, Baron Defian Grimwold imposed local taxes and restrictions so severe, many of the local marquise and danes revolted against him. An event that came to be known as the Daneweld Brawl. For a year fights ravaged the streets as the Baron called upon aid from other lords to help him. This eventually forced the King to intervene, deciding to resolve the issue with the Treaty of the Port. Grimwold had his title stripped and given to his son, Damian Grimwold, and to ensure the rights of nobility underneath the Baron, a council was imposed that would hold as much power as the new Baron in the city. This new body was known as the Council of Danes.

This bilateral body to ruling the city helped maintain the peace, although six years ago, Damian Grimwold died of a strange illness. His newly born daughter is the proper heir to the Barony of the land. In lieu of the absence of the Barony, the council of Danes has stepped up to assume full authority in the city. The Current head of the Council, Dane P'Dahn has also taken up the stewardship of helping take care and teach the future Baroness into her role.

While Grimland is by all technicalities still referred to as Grimland among some circles, primarily of which are nobles from the northern side of the kingdom, it has commonly taken on the name Portakere. When the Daneweld Brawl took place, a common slur to Grimland was to call it just the Port to Akere, trying to underplay its value. With the Cities high population of Catfolk who often would immigrate to the city from Akere. This led to the revolutionaries taking up the name Portakere to spite the Barony, and now has become the more common name.

## Settlements Laws

Unlike most of the settlements in the kingdom, Portakere has far looser laws. While many acts like prostitution is still illegal, its common knowledge that it is largely unenforced.

The settlement also has an arena known as the Arena of Blades. Most honor duels are taken in the arena for the city to watch, and often times gangs engaged in gang warfare will settle their feuds in the Arena. Such honorable bloodshed in the Arena is largely considered legal. The importation of exotic animals for battle in the arena is another common practice.

## Settlement Qualities

Notorious

Prosperous

Industrial

Organized Crime

## Buildings

The Arena of Blades

Great Rifican Bridge - Located on the outskirts of town, the Great Rifican Bridge is the only bridge crossing the Rifica River. Being 4 miles long, this massive feat of construction connects the Eastern section of the county to its county capitol of Dulais.

The Dockworks - Portakere has a bustling set of dockyards that facilitate trade and travel between Akere and Inverden over the sea's, a far faster way to travel than by land.

## Notable NPCs

Dane P'Dahn - The current head of the Council of Danes. While he was not around during the Daneweld Brawl, he has gone out on numerous adventures dealing with goblins and bandits. He has even sailed a privateer fleet to take care of pirates in the Sea of Aki. As an Arke'tei Catfolk, many see his love of watching the arena a sign of the primal brutality that many Miqo'tei bestow on Arke'tei.

Marquise Meryl Bladetouch - This old human woman is the owner of the Arena of Blades. She also serves as the only Marquise on the Council of Danes. She has been known to often meet with Dane P'Dahn as the two often lead the Council of Danes forward. Meryl used to fight in the arena of her own creation. She is known to be a dangerous foe weaving her fencing prowess alongside her magic, particularly her devastating electric magic. While she no longer partakes in her own arena as a participant, she often will watch the games she has organized. She is arguably the wealthiest woman in the city off her business, and its known that she lends money out and has her hands in many of the cities bars.