Bloodcove
Bloodcove is a unique settlement perched on the very boundary of civilization and a great vastness of unknown wilderness. Most maps that depict Bloodcove typically show only a blank area to the east marked simply with the words Mwangi Expanse.
The town itself is unusual in that it is constructed in ever-rising scaffolds and boardwalks in and among the
intricate root complex of one of the gargantuan mangroves unique to the coast of the Mwangi.
This defensible position protects it not only from raids by the savages of the interior but also from raids by the “civilized” savages of the Shackles to the north. The name of the settlement derived from the blood-red color of
the water at the mouth of Vanji River. Bloodcove is a combination of pirate haven and free trade port. Founded by some of the great captains of the Shackles who grew too old to pirate and saw legitimate trade as their
best route to wealth and easy living in their twilight years, Bloodcove has since become a neutral ground. The elevated boardwalk streets are crowded with both pirate crews and the rough-and-tumble sailors of merchant vessels. Brawls and knifings are a nightly event, but no full-scale warfare exists on the streets, and ships and their cargoes are generally safe from the pirates as long as they are in port. Once out in the trading lanes, though, merchants lose the protection they had at Bloodcove.
The town is loosely ruled by the Grand Admiralty of the Fever Sea—as he styles himself—an official elected for life among the scions of the original pirate founders. The wealthy trading consortiums that utilize Bloodcove, however, have considerable say in who is chosen and how he conducts his reign. In truth, the grand admiral does little more than maintain a small standing force of poorly trained militia to protect the town from any jungle denizens that come too close, keep violence in the streets to an acceptable level, and keep Free Trade Square open for business at all costs. In return, a modest monthly fee is paid to the admiralty by all businesses and permanent residents of the cove.
About half of the population of Bloodcove is comprised of the dusky Mwangi peoples—corsairs and traders who have made the western coast of the jungle their home for centuries. The rest of the population is a mix of races
and human ethnicities from northern realms that have come in as traders and speculators to grab a share of the riches that the jungles have to offer. Tensions run high between the various races and enthic groups, but for the most part the people of Bloodcove don’t allow blood to come between them and profit.
Demographics
Type mixed (human [Mwangi] 46%, human [other] 33%, dwarf 9%, elf 5%, halfling 3%, gnome 2%, half-elf 1%, half-orc 1%)
Type
Trade post
Population
5,281
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