Rasht

Approaching Rasht after the long raid Blackdog reflected on its patchwork nature, its ten vast compounds that surround the center city all a different kind of madness. The fad of teleporting the palaces of the world below has long since passed, but the evidence pulled from different worlds glitters all across the city. Each palace a unique piece of architecutre that defines the compound around it. His future palace is a magical marvel, made of floating platforms and impossibly thin glass matched with woods the colour of coffee grounds. The surrounding buildings all have done thier best to match it, the only exception are the thick stone walls that surround his slice of the city. An aggresivley mundane and functional reminder of what is ours and what is not.   He is pleased thought to see the city center is looking more modern, in his childhood it was still a rundown rat warren, a passing place or slum for those who could not find a home behind the walls, that is now changing with more structures funded by the Corsair Kings combined support. In the center the recently rebuilt Roving House sits, a place where he will one day weigh in with the other Kings and Queens, giving his view on what is best for their city and people as a whole. It is a work of stunning beauty and is decorated in gold with a cream dome spiked with magical gems that project a shimmering surface. This is his future, as Rasht grows it must connect.

  Rasht is ruled by the descendants of great pirates who settled on the Isle of Rasht long ago. Treating ancestors like something akin to saints these families have grown fat and powerful from the wealth of their ancestors. Many now command small fleets of Corsairs who raid the worlds below, renting out the ships to those willing to take the risk of the raid. These pirate families rebranded as politicians or great merchant families have not fully left behind the murderous looting that made them rich. What has changed is now they employ people to do it. The great pirate families style themselves as the Corsair Kings/Queens , only seven are allowed to hold that title and they have effective control over Rasht itself.   The greatest families control entire sections of Reef’s economy. Owning ships specialized for complex raids. These families all have representatives in the Roving House. This assembly of representatives is made up of all the greatest players in the floating land. A mass of seventy arguing heads all joined in complex alliances or divided by age old grudges. The Roving House is also home to a cult-like set of bureaucrats, the Chain Makers, who try to impose the often conflicting whims of the house on the population of Rasht. Above all, they consider it their sacred duty to ensure that the Seer Senate's rulings are enforced, this has occasionally led to them vetoing the orders of the house. To avoid conflict this power was enshrined in law and the Chain Makers are now the closest thing to a neutral government that Rasht has.   Free pirates still work, though nearly all have defected to Caspi, either small ships passed from hand to hand or new builds financed by a Family Crew who struck it big and want out from the dominion of their patron. These independents are the few who still can strike it big, running daring raids or pushing ahead of the fleet for the first pickings. On every free crew the are some who hold out hope that they too can retire on Rasht and build their own family.