Westport is a city-state in Styria to the east of the Circle of the World. It is a Protectorate within the federated realm The Union, governed by the council of Aldermen. It is a major port known as the Crossroads of the World.
Origin[]
It was largely through the influence of the merchant Guild of Mercers that Westport entered The Union. And through Westports money that The Union won the First Gurkish War. The Guild were rewarded with an exclusive royal licence for trade in the city.
Government[]
Westport is the only region within The Union without a Lord Governor. Instead it is governed by the council of twelve Aldermen, in the name of the High King of the Union. The Aldermen are the wealthiest noblemen of Westport, many of whom live on their own private walled islands in the bay. It is represented on the Open Council of the Union.
Territory, Geography and Culture[]
The city-state of Westport is in the south-west of Styria, on the coast of the Circle Sea. To the east lie Sipani and Muris, and to the north lie Talins and Caprile.
It is a major commercial centre and bustling port, on the curve of a wide bay. Through it, The Union imports goods from all of Styria: glasswork from Visserine, wine from Ospria etc. The landward side is surrounded by city walls. The paved roads lead between high buildings, shops and stalls, bare trees planted on either side.
Westport is home to a variety of cultures, with people settled there from every corner of the Circle of the World. When the Gurkish conquered the region of Dawah, a lot of people fled to Westport. The city is called the Crossroads of the World, one foot in Styria, one foot in The Union, and one foot in Kanta. As with much of the Union, there is a big gap between rich and poor.
Notable locations include:
- The walled island in the bay where several of the city’s Aldermen have their estates.
- A beautiful temple to the Kantic Gods with a great dome, six tall turrets sprouting from its front wall, and golden spikes on their roofs.
- The banking house of Valint & Balk is a monster of a building. Its walls are a sheer cliff of smooth-cut pale stone, with a pillar every twenty strides, crusted at the top with carvings. The windows are all blocked by metal grilles, and the roof lined with black iron spikes.
History[]
The Last Argument of Kings []
After the death of King Guslav the Fifth without an heir, the representatives from Westport supported the election of Jezal dan Luthar as new High King of the Union; presumably thanks to the influence of Bayaz.
Best Served Cold []
Monza Murcatto and her crew of misfits infiltrate the Westport branch of Valint & Balk in order to assassinate Mauthis, a witness to the murder of her brother Benna. The notorious poisoner, Castor Morveer, fills every ledger in the bank with a toxin that kills dozens of clerks and clients, including Mauthis.
The Age of Madness[]
Monza Murcatto of Talins and her son King Jappo have now united all of Styria, except Union controlled Westport and neutral Sipani. Styrian machinations have stirred-up discord in Westport, enticing the Aldermen to schedule a vote which could see the city secede from The Union and join Styria. In the end, the Aldermen vote in favour of the Union by a landslide, thanks to the intervention of the Inquisition.