Argentum-This city-state sets on the largest of the islands in the channel. It is approximately 1.5 square miles in size. It also includes two other small islands within the channel.

Argentum has a plutocratic government run by an Outer Council, Inner Council, and a Mayor. The Outer Council is made up of any merchants and artisans who own land or buildings on the island and who pay an annual membership fee. Any member of the Outer Council may run for the office of Inner Council by paying an application fee. Inner Council members hold office for a maximum of five terms in a row and a maximum of thirty terms total. These terms are one year long, and the fifteen members must be elected by the Outer Council each year. The Mayor is elected by the outer council and is required to have served on the Inner council for a minimum of five terms. Those who wish to run for Mayor must pay an application fee.

The above process and an annual head tax of 1cc for non-land owning and 1sc for land owning resident raises considerable funds for public works and city guards.

Argentum is dominated by three types of buildings: The warehouses and other large buildings line the shore of the island nearly all the way around the island. The manors and estate of the wealthy merchants are sprawled out on the top of the large hill that dominates the center of the island. The remainder of the island is covered with crowded and mostly run down buildings of two, three, or four stories with shops on the first floor and tenements above. Most of the buildings are constructed of cut stone with tiles roofs (70%), the remainder are of field stone and mortar or wood with a variety of roofing materials. Most buildings in the area have sloped roofs to shed the rain and snow.

Population: 47,000

(Aquilai:20% Gambed:30% Balmast:30% Anistali:5% Others:15%)

Gorled-This city is the capital of a large feudal kingdom. It sets on the Western shore of the channel, north of the Loudewater River, and is approximately 3.1 square miles. The city walls are made of field stone and mortar, they are 12’ wide and 20’ high, with 20’ x 20’ x 30’ high towers also of field stone. There are four gates in the walls: River Gate (near the river), West Gate (north of the river gate, in the same west wall), Old Gate (this is in a portion of the wall that separates the old city from the new city, formerly the "north gate"), New Gate (north along the same wall as the old West Gate and the River Gate).

The King’s castle is actually quite a ways away, inland to the north west, but the majority of the political dealings of the kingdom take place within the walls of the Great Hall which sits within the city. A large group of "Noble Houses" (Dukes, Earls, Barons, etc.) form a body that has partial say in decisions of the King. Each of these Noble families also rules large tracts of land within the kingdom. The city itself and the lands within about 25 miles of it are ruled directly by the King and/or Alderman appointed by the King. The Noble Houses elect officials to various public offices with the kings approval. Some of these more important offices include: Finance Minister, Minister of the Army and Navy, Minister of Common Laws, Foreign Affairs Minister, Minister of Public Works, etc. This is also the location of the Grand House of the All Father (see religions below)

To raise funds a head tax is paid by all residents of the kingdom as follows: Slaves 1cp, Peasants 1cc, Freemen 1sp, Citizens (non-noble land holders) 1sc, Nobles 1gp. this is collected annually, as well as gate taxes (1cc for non-residents or 1cp for residents), tolls for use of some roads and bridges (variable costs), docking toll (1cp per pace of the length of the ship), and import tariffs (5% of the value of common items; 10% for luxury items; 15% for alcohol, gems, jewelry, and foreign coinage; 20% for weapons).

The present ruler of Gorled is King Asland of the family Volgetz, who is a weak minded and sickly man (as the rumors go). His wife is the daughter of a powerful Aquilai lord who has been unable to bear any children (numerous rumors abound as to why this is). As it has always been in Gorled, the king keeps several concubines, of which Asland has nine, all of whom have born him at least one son and all of whom aspire to having their sons sit upon the thrown in the coming years. Corruption abounds within the Great Hall and the Royal Palace of Gorled, built upon the greed and ruthlessness of the powerful within the kingdom.

Population: 199,700 (Old City: 101,500; New City: 62,500; Gate Towns: 35,700)

South Shore- This city is the closest to being a true democracy (even though it is still far from it). It is positioned on the south shore (obviously) of the Clearwater River on the eastern continent that forms the channel. It is approximately 2.1 square miles within the city walls and 1.4 square miles outside of the city walls. The walls of the city are 25’ thick and 30’ high, and are made of cut stone blocks. There are also 50’ x 50’ x 40’ height towers of similar construction about every 1,000’ and gates with double towers every 2,000’ around the city walls (six gates in all).

The government is run by the City Council elected by the citizens. The council is made up of 25 members, each from a different part of the city-state. Many of the skilled artisans and semi-wealthy merchants live and work in this city because the taxes are fair and they have more say in government policies and decisions. There is also the Guild Council which is a quasi-political body that has considerable sway over the City Council. The City and Guild Councils jointly elect the State Lord every three years. Anyone that has served on the City Council may be elected as State Lord. The Guild Council is made up of the Guild Masters of each of the various guilds within the city state (these guilds control often times reaches into the same industries within the other cities of the channel region, and thus has considerable power). Even though this is the only one of the five cities where slavery is illegal, slaves from the other four cities are not sheltered or protected when they flea here, thus many of the bounty hunters in the region make frequent visits to the taverns of South Shore.

Population: 182,000 (City proper: 131,000; Gate Towns: 51,000)

(Balmast:65% Gambed:20% Aquilai:5% Others:10%)

Martelain-This city is on the north shore of the Clearwater River on the eastern side of the channel. It had been very powerful economically until the Northern Empire came across the mountains and seized control, the wealth from their mines in the mountains now crosses over the mountains thus nearly destroying the local economy. Martelain is approximately 2.2 square miles within the city walls and covers about 0.6 square miles out side of the city walls (although most of this is now vacant due to the recent drops in population). The walls of the city are of cut stone blocks and are 16’ thick x 20’ high, and have towers at odd intervals around the city that are 40’ x 40’ x 30’ high. there are three gates, the Imperial Gate (used to be the Royal Gate), the South Gate (near the river), and the North Gate (in the north wall near the coastline).

The old Royal Palace of Martelain (the largest structure in the channel region) sets just inside of the Imperial Gate. There is a large garrison of Northern Empire troops stationed here to deal with the frequent riots that occur within the city (these riots have been becoming fewer and far between the past ten years or so, but they still occur occasionally). There are numerous entire city blocks that have been gutted by fires from the riots. A huge prison has been built recently in on of the fire ravaged portions of the city to house all of those who dare to rebel against the Empire ("May the force be with them!"). There are also numerous empty buildings both within and outside the city walls due to the drastic drop in population over the past 40 years or so (presently about 60% of what it used to be).

The Martelain kingdom used to include a long narrow strip of coastline along the North Sea that included a large portion of the Iron Mountains which have considerable mineral wealth. The Martelain kingdom no longer exists though, the Northern Empire wanted control of the wealthy mines of Martelain, and so plotted to take over the kingdom. About forty-five years ago the Tilsorns (Imperial Family of the Northern Empire) sent agents to the Royal court of Martelain to secretly stir up unrest, greed, and deceit. This resulted in power struggles and assassinations that undermined the power of the Royal Family. Five years later, after the kingdom was in turmoil and the army had begun to fall apart, the Tilsorns launched an assault on the kingdom and over-ran it in three weeks. Most of the mineral wealth began to flow through two small port cities of the empire on the other side of the mountains while Martelain began to loose its wealth and prestige. A puppet government was installed but only lasted twenty years, before the Tilsorns decided to rule it directly. The first three governors did not hold their positions long. A young and not-so-well liked member of the family was placed in charge of the city and surrounding lands (but not the mines further inland)about eight years ago. In the past eight years this new governor has let the city deteriorate at a slower pace than the previous puppet government did, but it did go down hill further under his rule. The Tilsorns are a large family and are always feuding amongst themselves. Many of the more powerful family members are assassinated, rumor has it that that is why young governor Damon Tilsorn avoids most of the intrigue and power struggles by quietly ruling the decrepit and outcast city of Martelain, where he can still live well.

Taxes are rather burdensome for merchants; 20% import tax for most goods, 30% for many luxury items, and 40% for weapons and foreign coinage. There is also a 1cc annual head tax per citizen, and a 1cp head tax for all non-citizens each time they enter the city.

Population: 74,000 (City proper: 71,000; Gate Towns: 3,000)

(Balmast:70% Northerners:15% Gambed:10% Others:5%)

Dorgard-This city is on the southern shore of the Loudewater river on the west side of the channel. It is kind of the center for a group of fifteen petty kingdoms that ban together to try to hold the Gorled kingdom at bay (there used to be 17, but Gorled over ran the two northern most petty kingdoms many generations ago). Dorgard is by far the smallest of the cities, at about 1 square mile (completely contained within the city walls). The walls around Dorgard consists of 50’ x 50’ x 30’ high field stone towers with a 12’ high earthen rampart and 15’ high log palisades atop, with a 10’ deep trench (when the tide is high, a shallow muddy moat; when the tide is low, a trench full of thick mud), with spikes set permanently within the bottom of the trench.

These 15 rulers elect one of themselves or (more often) a trusted agent to serve as Margrave of the city and its surrounding lands (the Dorgard Commons). Each of the 15 petty kingdoms also provides 100 men (or cavalry, counted as 3 men per one man and horse), which together serve as the front line army of the city. The Margrave has full dictatorial powers within the Dorgard Commons, and may only be overruled by a majority of the petty rulers. All of the 15 rulers and the Margrave, meet once each year to review the laws and policies of the city and the alliances of the Petty Kingdoms (uneasy and distrustful as it may be).

Within the city and its "subject" lands taxes amount to 10% of income or production in money or products, as well as a 5% import tax on common goods and a 10% import tax on weapons, gems, jewelry, foreign coinage, and slaves. There is also a 1Cp gate tax per non-resident entering the city. Spell casters who are proclaimed Full Members of the "High Tower" are exempt from income and production taxes (but becoming a member can be costly), but in return for this and the location of their Guild Hall and Library being located here, they give council to the rulers and aid to the city and lands in times of need. The High Tower is the tallest building within the world, it is an octagonal shape with each of the eight sides being about 200’ across, and the entire structure is about 1,000 feet tall. The surrounding walls are 25’ thick, 50’ high, and about 400’ long on each of the 8 sides. Each corner of the wall is made up of a round tower that is 100’ in diameter and 100’ tall. The most amazing thing about the entire structure is that there is no apparent gate (unless you are expected, so the rumor goes). The entire walled complex is surrounded out to about 200’ to 300’ by thick trees and underbrush that appears to be only a thick tangled mass, although there are a few trails leading into it. Most of the people of the channel region avoid going within this strange "park" like they would avoid the plague.

Population: 22,000 (Gambed:70% Masgand:10% Anistali:10% Others:10%)

The Isle of Stars-This island (and the several other small islands around it (make up what can best be described as a very exclusive school and collection of knowledge)). I am not going to go into any great depth here due to the secretive nature of this place. This started out as a school for the children of the powerful, the present day cities grew around the islands into their present forms, while the Isles of the Stars have changed very little. About a millennia (1,276 years ago to be exact) ago, the school changed the way they operated, from taking in anyone willing to pay the fees to tracking down only those worthy of the arts (this school is akin to the Shaow Lin Temples of northern China in that they stress a combination of well developed minds, bodies, and spirits). Martial arts are exceedingly rare in this world, they are taught at the Isle of Stars (and by a few who have turned away from the ways of the Stars after having trained there, and by a few small groups that still pass down some of the traditional fighting techniques usually altered in some form). Those who complete the training will either spend their lives training the new students brought in every year (only 33 are brought in per year), or will scour the world gathering knowledge and history as well as seeking out those few individual children who are capable of going through the training. Thus the Island of the Stars has got the most complete and broad knowledge base on the planed, written in an unbiased format, dating back nearly 2500 years (similar to the Lore Masters of the Shadow World setting in some respects). Also be warned that anyone interested in being a Monk or Warrior Monk, that I will be using a modified MA system (see some of the recent posts on the list concerning such info), and that the members of the Isle of the Stars take very seriously the sacred knowledge that they posses, and will do anything to protect it.