Coral Gate is a city of about 8,000 people, of all races and lifestyles.  It is located at the mouth of the Slime River at the end of the Skonse  Peninsula.  The area has a subtropical climate with fairly stable high temperatures.  Seasons are determined more by rainfall than temperature fluctuations, and the city effectively shuts down for the monsoon season.  The entire peninsula is swamp or marsh, making travel difficult and disease common.  The persistent damp causes nearly everything to decay rapidly.  Arable land is in very short supply and must constantly be tended to prevent fields from flooding.

The oldest legal industry of the region is fishing, which supports the local population comfortably.  Red meat is considered a delicacy because most arable land is dedicated to growing crops.  A species of water ox is most common, being especially bred to survive in the marshes and subsist on various wild grasses.  The most common crop farmed is rice, with taro and sugarcane being close behind.

It is part of the Setab Empire, though being far from the capital, there is a certain disregard for some of the Imperial laws.  Governor Shuler is officially charged with running and overseeing the city.  However, the Midnight Star is seen by some to have just as much clout.  There have been no conflicting orders from the two, and the military is solely in the hands of Governor Shuler. Compulsory military service is enforced in all Imperial lands but only the citizenry within the walls of Coral Gate are expected to comply with this.  Some have fled these strictures and gone to live outside of the walls.  Military service is one of the only easy ways to leave the city for more civilized lands; contracting onto a merchant ship is the other.  The majority of the city guard comes from Coral Gate citizenry, usually ex-military men who have served their minimum term.

Lizardmen tribes are the only constant interaction with another culture Coral Gate experiences.  Most of the tribes will avoid the citizenry.  However, there are some that wage a regular “war” against the city.  These “invasions” are usually small scale enough to be laughable but almost certainly deadly to a few who are caught on the outskirts of town.  There are one or two tribes that actively trade with the inhabitants as well.  Rare pelts, herbs, and spices are traded for metal and various worked goods.

As an Imperial city, Coral Gate has the same allies and enemies as the Empire as a whole.  This means that the Mageocracy is the biggest enemy of the city.  However, the Mageocracy has not been shown to have any active interest in the city as a whole, but they do show up from time to time with interest in individuals.  An ordinance was put into place when the city received word that war had been officially declared, and so anyone seeking entrance into the walls must now endure a more thorough check, especially those who are magic wielders.  Also, the gates shut for the night, no matter whom or what demands to enter, excepting the Regent himself.

Inside the Walls:  Those that live within the walls of Coral Gate live a charmed life as compared to those outside the walls.  The walls protect them from the wild animals and monsters, angry lizardmen and barbarians, and, perhaps most importantly, the disease-ridden vermin and poisonous airs from the swamp.  Those inside the walls were spared the recent plague that decimated the slums outside the city.  As an Imperial city, the ranking members and resident nobility are Human, as are the majority of merchants, workers, and servants.  Many rich citizens enjoy commissioning the few Bright Elf artisans inside, and it is considered very prestigious to be escorted and guarded by a Lightborn.

The city guard is a force that most citizens deal with on a regular basis.  There are patrols every two hours in the day and every hour at night.  All guards are empowered to settle minor disputes, though larger matters must be processed by the Captain. The major crimes in the walls are theft, assault, destruction of property, practicing corruption magic, treason, and murder.  Depending on the severity of the crime, a criminal may serve time as a public slave, be banished from the city, or be put to death.  The small jail is only used to hold criminals until a sentence is passed upon them.  Public slaves may be bought by any with the required money and are usually used to help haul nets or work in the worst of the fields.  Those left are utilized for public works.   The other major job for all city guards is to patrol the wall, guard the gates, and process those who have business within the walls.

All proper citizens within the walls are issued citizen papers, stamped and sealed with the Governor’s own signet. Merchants coming to trade at Coral Gate are required to have a current Imperial trading license before being allowed within.  Ships must be registered with the Dock Master before docking and must also have a trading license.  Individuals may be given temporary passes if someone of high standing within the walls is willing to pay a fee and take all responsibility for them.  People that wish to become full citizens and live within the walls face waits of up to five years, along with “outrageous” fees.  These wait-times and fees have increased since matters with the Mageocracy escaladed.

Outside the Walls:  Those that live outside the walls of Coral Gate must deal with problems that never cross the mind of most of those that live inside.  Without the protection of the walls, people are subject to disease and lizardman raids.  Without the security of regular guard patrols, slighted neighbors may decide to take out their grievances in more violent ways.  Without the safety of laws, life itself becomes much more precious and much more cheap.  People must be tough to survive comfortably there.  The recent plague wiped out the majority of the slum population, but somehow, the same sorts of people are trickling back in.

Many people that live in the slums rely on their neighbors for mutual protection.  However, loyalty is a commodity just like anything else outside the walls.  For this reason, almost everyone is armed, even when sleeping in their own beds.  Lots of inhabitants make their living doing the jobs no one else wants.  Mostly, these jobs include working the fields, tending the oxen, preparing the caulk for ships, minding the tannery vats, or gathering resources to be used within the city.  Pay is usually in the form of necessary materials, such as food or textiles.  Some have better success selling their bodies, usually to illegal fighting rings or as wenches in certain taverns.  There are those who eke out a living with petty theft and begging as well.  A few of the more adventurous people will take on the odd jobs sometimes found tacked to the wall of the guard post.

There is only one guard post in the slums.  It is run by Captain Borlo, and he leads his guardsmen on a few rounds a day.  However, due to the undisciplined nature of the slums, the guards prefer not to patrol too far away from their base.  The guard post also helps settle disputes that people bring, help repel large monster incursions, and sometimes even help train others in simple martial maneuvers.  The guards also have the benefit of a fairly advanced infirmary at the post.  A tavern is built onto one of the walls of the guard post, which used to do good business because of the secure location.  However, the recent plague has killed the old tavern keep, and the guards seem to be much less cheerful and good-natured because of it.  Upon nightfall, most guards leave their post for their own homes inside the walls.

Places of Note:
The guard post and tavern is the center of most legal activity in the slums and a popular meeting and trading place.

Prominent People:
Captain Borlo is the figurehead of law in the slums.  He drinks hard but always does his duty.