The Canal District is the westernmost region of Kalashport. It is a poor, underdeveloped region lined with canals connecting to the Kalashport river. It is the setting of the second chapter of the Faction Campaign.
Geography
The Canal District is located west of the Kalashport River and south of the Dark Canal and Deep Trench. It was originally entirely a swampy wetland, though much of it has been urbanized and a canal system has been built to divert the water of the swamps. The main urban area of the Canal District is East River, located where the East Canal meets the Kalashport River. In the center of the region is Land's Divide, a run-down neighborhood containing Guardian Spring and the Guardian Tree. The Canal District Catacombs run underneath the region and contain tombs from a forgotten war.
History
What is now known as the Canal District was once called Guardian Spring (not to be confused with the body of water that has retained the same name). It was home to amphibious species and Fey that worshipped the Elemental Guardian. An outside force invaded the region 250 years ago. Guardian Spring lost the war, the Elemental Guardian and the Fey disappeared, and the region became the Canal District. Today, the Canal District is governed by an asembly of representatives of different sectors of the region's society called the Canal Authority. Though the story of Guardian Spring has been all but forgotten, some organizations like the Church of the Dragon are trying to uncover and preserve the lost history.
Government
Before FerrCO's collapse, The Canal District was governed by the greater Kalashport City Council, though the region saw less oversight and infrastructure than the other regions in the city. It had a regional branch of the Kalashport Police Department, which gathered a reputation for corrupt and arbitrary law enforcement. After the collapse, the Kalashport City Council dissolved and the Canal District became autonomous for the first time in 250 years. Police leadership fled to Midtown under Lt. Bighammer and the remnants of the Canal District police branch became a mercenary guild called the Second Canalvary. Canal District Fishing Association leader Fisherman Paul organized a crude governing body called the Canal Assembly comprised of leaders of different aspects of Canal District society. The Canal Authority is very weak and depends on adventurers and Second Canalvary mercenaries to accomplish most of their tasks.
Organizations and Factions
- Church of the Dragon - A religious organization dedicated to uncovering the lost history of Guardian Spring's Elemental Guardian. They have caught some criticism for only focusing on historical research and not helping the community, though this has changed recently. The Church of the Dragon now acts as the warden of the Maple Tree Network between the Material Realm and the Feywild and ambassadors to Evening City
- The Stack - A highly organized thieves' guild operating out of the Velvet Leaf Spa in East River. It is comprised entirely of Goblins, Grungs, and Kobolds. The Stack formed before FerrCO's collapse in response to the unfair policing in the Canal District; if the small species were going to be punished arbitrarily for crimes, they may as well actually do crimes in the process. The Stack targets businesses in Downtown and is highly wary of the Curds mafia.
- Second Canalvary - A mercenary guild formed from what remained of the Canal District's police force branch. Mercenaries are hired by both the Canal Authority and private individuals to solve various problems throughout the region. One of their main tasks is keeping elementals from the swamps from getting into the Canal District.
- Canal District Fishing Association - A small group of fishermen and farmers who organized to maintain the canals and rivers of the region. The Fishing Association publishes a fishing challenge at the start of every year for anglers who want to explore Kalashport's fishing holes.
Subregions
- East River - The main commercial region of the Canal District. It lies on the convergence of the East Canal and the Kalashport River and is home nearly all the businesses in the region.
- Land's Divide - The central part of the region, named in reference to the Guardian Spring, which divides the eastern and western canal networks. It is the site of the Guardian Tree, the hub of the Maple Tree Network.
- Evening City - Located in the Feywild parallel of Land's Divide, it is the major Fey settlement of Kalashport.
- The Dark Canal - The furthest reach of the Canal District comprised of uncharted, undeveloped swampland. It is a dangerous region thanks to an unusually high amount of hostile elementals that appear there.
Trivia
- The official food of the Canal District is the Fried Canal Cucumber
- The Canal District holds the Canal Lights Festival every winter. It marks the new year and also kiks off the fishing season.
- No canals run through the "Dark Canal" swampland. It was originally going to be the West Canal, but the city developers gave up after running into issues with elementals.