River Gate

Although all of Port Kolin's districts are the size of a large town or city, River Gate is the one that feels most like a city within the great city. Located against the north wall, with the northern gate and the river exit , the flow of river trade and wagons laden with goods coming and going from this, the busiest of the city's gates. The district has many shops, trade stalls, warehouses, and Inns, the bustling streets are filled with the sounds of hawkers, haggleing and the thrum of a busy trade city. Even without this feeling, it is clear to all that once you have entered River Gate, the district has developed a tradition of decorating the entranceway to their building. The doors are painted with bright colours, sometimes this is a mureal, others a single colour, plants are hung in baskets around the door, often ones with sweet smells, or properties that drive away biting insects. The door frames are elaborately carved, often depicting an event of importance to the household. Contry to what visitor might first think on seeing such elaborate displays, the households are not compeating with each other, if you look carefully you can see the doorways complement each other, creating a larger picture if veiwed as a street. If one family is struggling to maintain their doorway, it is an indication to the neighbourhood that help is needed, and they will band together to ensure the family is well-provisioned and the household well-maintained.
Ye'h Bur Rockhewn the renowned lute maker also lives in River Gate, people travel from across The Maelstrom Nations to comission him to craft them a lute. His work is of the finest quality, a craft he has been perfecting for the last 180 years. Living close to Thrember's Theater and a Patreon of the arts, Ye'h Bur has been known to take in the odd struggling actor or musician until they are more secure
River Gates citizens are naturally passionate people; with the constant buzz of activity and traders from all across the Maelstrom nations travelling to and from the district on a daily basis, it is difficult to be a reserved person. This has led to a high number of private duels taking place as slights, both real and imagined, are settled with crossed blades, but unlike in many places, these duels are held on the river. A rope is strung between two small skiffs and the duelest fight standing on the rope, the victor being the last one on the rope. This tradition has dramatically reduced the number of fatalities or serious injuries caused by duelling but has created a popular belief that River Gate folk are surprisingly dexterous.

With the recent conflicts with the Slythernak in the north escalating, refugees have started arriving in significant numbers at Port Kolin. Those with family or means are finding their way into the city, but the numbers are becoming such that a makeshift tent city is forming outside the north gate, stretching east along the wall; conditions are deteriorating within the camp. The worry of an outbreak occurring and infecting those in River Gate is causing rising tensions between the groups; it may not be long before violence breaks out.