In a ring about the Old City and the Keep runs Sharoban's Outer City, the pennants of both city and the Outer City, with the scimitar and gate on both and a quartet of coins on the latter, fluttering above it in the almost constant wind.
It is more spacious and less staid than the Inner City but it is also more ramshackle and less well constructed. The character of the Outer City is different as well, more focused on dirtier, smellier trades; butchers, tanners and so on. It sprawls within the walls that sandwich it growing higher in rickety buildings, gantries and bridges. There are four wards, North, South, East and West, the borders of which are largely defined by the four main roads that make their way through the city. These are further divided into districts, some of which are no more than a street or two long; all marked with their own insignia. Rivalries between the wards and districts are common, gangs of youths go out to defend their districts' "honour" in the face of other gangs, making a headache for the Watch who try to keep the peace inside the walls.
South Ward is dominated by a large animal market, by slaughter houses and tanneries. Animals are traded and killed here on a daily basis, as the nomad tribes come to the city for the best prices and a chance to rest for a few days. The north wind blows the smell of the industries away from the rest of the city, but it is still an unpleasantly smelly area. Currently laws forbid new tanneries opening away from the south for health reasons.
The east of the city holds most of the foundries and smithies, which specialise in iron works, horseshoes, household goods and weapons. The vast majority of goods produced here are simply functional, not the possessions of kings but ordinary people. The exception to this is the Villier Workshop, run by the blade master Joaquim. Another Jorvin he was a duellist before he became a smith and each of his blades is personally tested by him.
North Ward is predominantly dedicated to food and is probably the part of the city that drains Sharoban's coffers the most. The steppe makes for a poor farming land, it is possible but the fierce winds and lack of cover mean that crops are often destroyed. Some small farms near the city grow basic vegetables and grains, but a great deal is imported from the west. Jorvin produce, mostly from the empire's eastern edge, makes its way into the city every week or so and Gruber Comestibles is one of the largest importers in the Ward. Another business from the western kingdoms, the Two Rose Bakery, has a reputation for fine breads and cakes and supplies food to the Keep itself. Given that one on the Roses, a pale buxom woman from Amyar in the west Jorvin Empire is also a spy for the Emperor, this accolade is one that is extremely advantageous and she has cultivated a close drinking relationship with the Keep's chef under the guise of knowing what spices and dried fruits would be the most popular with the city's rulers.
The city's west is devoted to the fabric trade, dying and weaving. There are a lot of wool merchants, spinners and weavers. The city's blue dye is sought after by merchants and commands high prices. Native Sharobanite Yngvy Cold Heart has an exclusive contract with the small kingdom of Arreyda to supply them with cloth dyed Sharoban Blue for their court livery. Yngvy, a stoic individual, takes the kingdom's money and ignores the rumours of a coup brewing within its borders as the regent plots to take his nephew's throne.
Politically, there is an unofficial council of burghers who are selected from the guilds and businesses to represent the districts and wards. The council has no official power, but liaises with the Watch and the Keep on a regular basis and wields enough influence to feel this is worthwhile. In truth they are listened to because of their economic power alone; their trades keep the city going. The current head of the council, Nikolai One Thumb is well aware of this but chooses to downplay it in order to keep relations with the city's rulers' cordial. Most of his fellows agree; only Bolaslav, the representative of the Tanners' Guild disagrees, wanting to push for more lenient taxes and a loosening of the trading laws. Fortunately Bolaslav mostly keeps his opinions to the debating chamber, though Nikolai fears that its only a matter of time before he goes too far, especially with his fondness for beer.
Next time we'll look at the Outer City's defences and the Watch.
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