Crown’s End (812): After the original landing at the harbor in what is now Eleder, a group of Chelish colonials split off and settled on a high bluff overlooking the northern part of Desperation Bay. Although they established friendly relations with the nearby Ijo, a tribe of Bonuwat humans, they suffered regular attacks from jungle predators and the less amiable natives from the Kaava Lands. In time, Crown’s End became the port of choice for smugglers, slavers, and pirate ships, and more respectable merchant ships simply stopped visiting—or professed as much to the customs officials in Eleder. Today, Crown’s End is a rough-and-tumble town of just over 800 inhabitants, most of whom are criminals or retired pirates. The town is ruled by former slaver Ilina “Icehand” Ysande, who maintains some semblance of order and pays Crown’s End’s taxes to Eleder on time and without complaint. Icehand’s policy toward the rest of Sargava is for Crown’s End citizens to take advantage of any opportunity that arises, but to otherwise appear to be contributing members of colonial society—and she deals harshly with citizens who draw too much attention to the port’s robust smuggling trade.
Eleder (8900): Sargava’s capital, Eleder, is starting to show the brunt of its tribute obligations. Once host to the opulent Grallus Ball, a lack of funds has placed a stranglehold on the city’s excesses. On the other hand, Eleder’s extensive dockworks are maintained as a top priority, as both merchants and Free Captains alike dock their vessels here for repair by some of the best shipwrights in Garund.
Fort Bandu (198): Created to protect miners in the Bandu Hills from hostile Mwangi, Fort Bandu has suffered in the last hundred years—much to the consternation of its half-elf commander, Praetor Sylien. Though the aging Sylien rarely ventures outside anymore, he is a skilled commander of his 150-soldier legion, and it is largely thanks to him that miners and explorers are able to operate in the area at all. Fort Bandu nevertheless still has tremendous difficulties with local tribes, particularly the Bandu, who take every opportunity to attack the work crews Sylien has sent to build a bridge over the River of Lost Tears.
Freehold (1330): Freehold started as a cattle ranch in central Sargava, a vacation estate for one of the colony’s earliest Grand Praetors, Olgran Macini. The Macinis have expanded and developed their family holdings to the extent that the original ranch is now the center of a small town consisting of Olgran’s descendants and the native Mwangi who help them run the spacious ranch in exchange for homes and a share of the ranch’s profits. Part of why Freehold has thrived is the fact that Olgran was progressive for his generation; he always treated the Mwangi as equals—paying them the same wage he paid his Chelish ranch hands—and insisted his children do the same. Freehold is still run according to this philosophy by Olgran’s great-great-granddaughter, Mindra, though her cousin Salgarth would prefer to see the ranch run more like businesses in Eleder or Kalabuto, and is trying to maneuver Mindra into giving him control of Freehold.
Kalabuto (11340): A ancient, crumbling city built in the precolonial era, Kalabuto is populated by a huge community of Mwangi tribesmen and governed by a small contingent of Sargavan colonialists. These are troubled times for Kalabuto. The city is under invisible siege by its eastern neighbor, Mzali, which has sacked Kalabuto three times within the span of the last few years alone. Observers agree it is only a matter of time before Kalabuto’s lower classes join with their Mzali brethren and support the attacks, instead of dying in defense of the city for their colonial masters.
New Krane: New Krane was originally meant to be the capital city of Sargava. Long ago, when the colonists were first mapping out the lands and encountering the native Mwangi for the first time, the site for New Krane was cleared and ambitious plans were laid out for creating a large city with all the fineries of a modern Chelish nation. However, about a year into construction a Bonuwat tribe approached the settlement, led by a powerful shaman named Metawa the Blessed. Metawa declared to the workers and leaders of New Krane that he had received visions of a terrible monster erupting from their settlement, and they must move out right away and abandon their constructions. When the Chelish colonials refused, Metawa led his tribe in a wholesale slaughter of the people. He then cursed the land, causing plant life and the soil to wither and become useless in the area. Nowadays New Krane is a ghost town, a deserted and crumbling ruin of enormous half-built cathedrals, opera houses, and mansions. Occasionally adventurers will explore the area, which is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the construction workers from long ago. It is also said that many secret vaults were dug out underneath the foundations of the buildings; whether they contain anything or not is unknown.
Port Freedom (2950): Eleder may be the only deepwater port in Sargava capable of receiving the massive ships required to circumnavigate the Eye of Abendego, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only port in the nation. Situated farther south, along the banks of the Korir River delta, Port Freedom may not be able to accommodate oceangoing vessels due to its extensive maze of sandbars, but neither can cargos of any significant size make their way upriver without enlisting the services of its rivermen and bargemasters. Though a few brave captains risk running the marshes without help, the people of Port Freedom have a chokehold on river trade with Kalabuto—and they aren’t afraid to protect that arrangement with violence when necessary. While Port Freedom is technically ruled by the Grand Custodian, it also has its own local governors: a council of representatives from the various shipping concerns who do business along the river. It’s an open secret that the council is controlled by the Rivermen’s Guild.
Stark Point (490): Consisting of a large inn, stable, and general store surrounded by a mud-brick wall, Stark Point is a gathering point for explorers, adventurers, and soldiers from Fort Bandu. Stark Point was originally meant to be a mining community overseen by the church of Aroden, but with Aroden’s death, the overly large cathedral closed its doors to the public. Soon thereafter, the mines played out, and bereft of spiritual guidance and a ready source of income, most of the locals moved to Kalabuto. Today, the village has little more to offer than a trading post. The temple of Aroden still looms starkly on a hill overlooking the river and village, but no one goes there anymore - although some visitors claim to have seen periodic lights and heard strange sounds of chanting coming from deep within the boarded-up building.
