Where the cold seas of the north meet the rough land, at the mouth of the Withywindle River, the town of Shallowport has sat for centuries. Once the seat of the Sunderking in ages long past, it has since faded to the back of the Kingdom's memory, filled with artefacts from a time forgotten and unmentioned.
Shallowport is the northernmost city in the kingdom, a bustling trading port. It is one of the largest towns in Endon, and there are many vendors, magical specialists, and prominent officials that live there. In the centre of the Withywindle, the river that runs through Shallowport, on a small island, is the Our Mother Church, a sanctuary for those of good heart.
On Arrival to Shallowport
"The wind is unceasing, this near to the sea, and flies up the bay, over the houses of slate and grey stone, and over the walls of the ancient settlement, before continuing on its journey south. The banners on the tips of the towers flutter in its wake, and the many ships at anchor bob and creak beneath it."
In Shallowport's ancient history, a thousand years ago, this is where the Sunderking began his rise to power. The Ssthessic Vrasa kept a trading settlement here on the edge of the sea, and many slaves to move the cargo and tend the boats. One such slave, his name now forgotten, rose up after the massacre of his family in a riot, and led the slaves in a bloody revolt. Known now as the Sunderking, he kept his base of operations here for some two hundred years that followed, as he fought the empire and became an undead king.
In the long centuries that have followed the fall of the Sunderking and the growth of the kingdom, Shallowport's significance has dwindled. The capital moved to the south, the industries of the mountains outstripping the importance of the Kingdom's one port city, and now the cold coastal settlement is known only as a port, and not for its long and significant history.
However, Shallowport does still hold some sway politically, not just due to its history, but also by the amount of trade that comes via the docks. There are only three ways into Endon from the north and east: the dangerous Iron Pass, and the trading hubs of Endon's Pass and Shallowport.
An Ancient City
Because of the circumstances of its history, Shallowport does not boast any of the architecture of the Ssthessic Vrasa. Unlike the other ancient cities in the Kingdom, namely Klad and Riverbend, the white marble structures of the yuan-ti empire were torn down nearly a thousand years ago. What ancient structures remain were built in the days of the Sunderking's reign.
Our Mother Church. This church is the largest church in the north, and the oldest. The site was consecrated long before the Sunderking overthrew the yuan-ti, and has been a place of worship for centuries without count. There is, as such, an ancient protection on the grounds for whomever asks for sanctuary.
Port Arena. Far from the elegant constructions found in the cities to the south, the arena in Shallowport is a dark, squat building of mossy stone, frequented not by the fame-seeking performers of the capital, but by scarred and hulking warriors seeking only blood.
Traders and Travellers
Shallowport is not a pretty town, it must be admitted. It is simply a stopover for travellers moving to and from the borders of the Kingdom, and for traders wanting to bring their goods to Endon via sea. It is for this reason that although the town is grey and cold, and the buildings squat and ugly, there is a large number of inns, taverns, and entertainment venues across the city.
The First Wish. One of the more richly-furnished establishments in Shallowport, the First Wish is a venue for those who wish to enjoy the more carnal kinds of entertainment that the city can offer. The men and women of the First Wish are famed for their ability to fulfill all kinds of desires.
Prancing Lion Inn. This is the inn on the northern gate, and hosts the larger crowd: visitors do not often venture on the northern roads, but the locals know that the Prancing Lion, named for the coat of arms of the Lord of Shallowport, has the best food and bed in the town.
Sailor's Rest. Once a temple to the sea gods, it was left to ruin when the city shrank and was recently refurbished to serve as a boarding option for the sailors in town. Sailors being as they are, the Sailor's Rest is said to have many connections with the thieves' guilds of the kingdom, who pay well for the information gathered from drunk sailors.
Mages and Sages
Shallowport has long traditions, and one of them is the proud custom of keeping knowledgeable persons available to defend the town from the more complex or arcane problems that may assail them - things that the town guard would not be equipped to deal with. The Lords Withywind have bankrolled the city library and its local mage's tower for centuries.
Pinewood Library. It may once have been built from pine, but the walls and roof of the library have for centuries been made of hewn granite and slate. Outside of the private libraries of the elite, however, this is the largest collection of tomes and scrolls north of Talbot.
Wizard's Square. Like many of the older towns in the north of the Kingdom, Shallowport keeps a town wizard, a mage employed to solve all of those threats of magical nature that approach the town. This particular wizard is named Lykomedes, and he keeps another tower in Riverbend.
Shallowswatch Castle
The castle above Shallowport, Shallowswatch was once the base of operation for the Sunderking as he waged his war against the Yuan-Ti Empire. In the centuries since, the castle has gradually moved and shrunk and expanded, as the cliffs above the bay have given way to the tides, and the old fort fell into the sea. Nowadays, it is a castle true, with a thick stone wall surrounding the interior.
Shallowswatch is an impressive fortress, of thick grey granite. The walls are lined with towers that provide views out onto the bay and towards the forest - and, of course, over the town itself. It has long been the seat of the Lords of Shallowport, the Lords Withywind.
Despite its cold exterior, the lords of Shallowswatch have always been welcoming. Like many border lords, they have not the time for the petty squabbles and land disputes that so entertain the interior lords. Their attentions are focussed on the threats exterior to the kingdom: in the case of the lords of Shallowswatch, to the north. While the lands to the northwest, of Tillbone and Eastwatch, are pleasant and tamed, far greater threats occasionally appears from the seas, or from the tundra to the northwest.