Ravens Bluff

Ravens Bluff was a port city, located on the Fire River on the eastern coast of the Dragon Reach, in the northern region known as the Vast. Home to great many adventurers and merchants, the citizens of Raven's Bluff came from all across Faerûn and represented just about every race from civilized lands. As diverse as its populace, the interests of the city wavered between the mercantile Sembia to the south, Mulmaster in the north and was shaped by power groups such as the Zhentarim the Red Wizards of Thay and the Lords of Westgate.

Society
In the late 14 century DR, Ravens Bluff was a rapidly-growing, young city, rife with opportunities for adventure to be had and gold to be made. A beacon of civilization in an uncivilized land, it appealed to nobles of the court just as much frontiers folk looking for a new start or a new life. It was an adventurer's dream.

Recreation

 * Game of Masks:

Magic
Arcane magic was a almost a daily occurrence in the Bluff.

Unbeknownst to even longtime residents, Sarbreen was not the only city that was built before Ravens Bluff: Drow had previously built a stronghold thousands of years before and created a powerful mythal to protect it. The mythal still existed as of 1374 DR and was suspected to be the cause of the mysterious wildfire phenomenon sometimes witnessed within the city's walls.

City Watch

 * City Guard:
 * Nightwatch:

Trade
Almost everyone that lived in the city was able to find work, of one kind or another. Individual laborers, craftspeople and shopkeepers held a great number of small businesses, linked together by the city's numerous guilds. Large trade consortiums managed the laborious task of managing goods in and out of the city, which formed the basis for the Ravenian economy.

Inhabitants
The demographics of Ravens bluff varied greatly. While the poor lived in rundown buildings, tents or even alleys in the Crow's End Disctrict on the shores of the Fire River, merchants and craftspeople tended to live in the south side of the city, while the wealthy Lords and nobles enjoyed vast mansions and sprawling estates uptown.

More so than the city's nobles, or its merchant class, adventurers were the most profound population group in Ravens Bluff. Popular opinion regarding those who undertook the adventuring profession ranged from foolhardy explorers to outright dangerous liabilities.

Population
Ravens bluff was populated in large part by travelers, wanderers and vagabonds. In the year 1350 DR, the population was around 17,000 with about 3,000 of them being adventurers. The city exploded in growth over the next two decades. By 1370 DR, the year-round population of Ravenian citizens was around 30,000, with another 10,000 if all the foreign passers-by were taken into account. Almost 2,500 of them took up the adventuring life.

Knightly Orders

 * Golden Rooster:
 * Dove:
 * Griffon:
 * Hawk:
 * Lords Knights:

History
The settlement that would come to be known as Ravens Bluff began in 1222 DR, as a small collective of mercenaries and homesteader families from Murann, the Vilhon Reach and the Sea of Fallen Stars sought a fertile land that was free from dangers like orcs and barbarians. They settled at the mouth of the Fire River, and set up well-defended farms and homesteads that survived long enough to attract other colonists. By 1226 DR over a dozen families had joined the DeVillar and Moorland clans in the community, and the inn called Luker's Ravensgate was built as the fledgling town's centerpiece.

Ravens Bluff grew in size and population over the next half-century and, by the late 13 century, began to attract the wrath of pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars. In 1293 DR, the farmers around the Bluff demanded protection from the city's self-appointed lords. Together, along with an influx of merchants from the south, the Ravenaar brought in bands of mercenaries and trained their citizens to take up arms in defense. In 1304 DR, a city-wide initiative of construction and investment in infrastructure was undertaken. The ruins of Sarbreen were converted into a city-wide sewer system and massive walls were erected around the warehouses and grand estate houses built along the coast.

Although the city continued to thrive, monster attacks surged in frequency and intensity over the next few decades, to the point where sea-trade began to be affected. Foreign traders looked to the cities of Tantras and Procampur over Ravens Bluff and the city's lords and merchants saw their income of gold starkly decline. In 1341 DR, as a response to the city's growing perils, Lady Lauren DeVillars proposed the nobles host the Champion Games, and offer mayorship of the city to the tournament's victor.

The winner of the games was a charismatic warrior by the name of Charles Oliver O'Kane. As the newly appointed leader of Ravens Bluff, Mayor O'Kane convinced the Lords of the city to invest their wealth back into the city and establish a guild structure for the Ravenian craftsmen and tradespeople. The citizens threw their support in for the mayor, the city's fortunes turned and it discovered new prosperity. Alliances were established, such as that which was struck with Lord Lashan Aumersair of Scardale, the reaches of the government was expanded and the lords of the Ravenian noble families were brought together in an alliance of mutual security and increased wealth. The newly-appointed Lord Marshal rallied the city's forces in defense against the monstrous and humanoid raiders from the rest of The Vast.

Foreign Distrcit

 * This is its own neighborhood. It is less politely referred to as "Outlander Town" or "Outlander District".

Harbor District

 * Seaglimpse Neighborhood:
 * Silverscales Neighborhood:
 * Bitterstone Neighborhood:
 * Ladyrock Neighborhood:

Temple District

 * Altarside Neighborhood:
 * Holyhouses Neighborhood:
 * Swordspoint Neighborhood:
 * Gowntown Neighborhood:

Market Distrct

 * This is its own neighborhood. It is never sleeping, with dingy stalls and warehouses filled with vendors.

Uptown District

 * Torchtown Neighborhood:
 * Sixstar Neighborhood:
 * Tentowers Neighborhood:
 * Mortonbrace Neighborhood:
 * Skymbles Neighborhood:

Crow's End District

 * Anvil Neighborhood:
 * Burnt Gables Neighborhood:
 * Shadystreets Neighborhood:
 * The Shutters Neighborhood:

Southside District

 * Pumpside Neighborhood:
 * Tlasbras Neighborhood:
 * Stormrime Neighborhood:

Notable inhabitants

 * Ambassador Carrague
 * Amber Lynn Thoden
 * Anders Aricssen
 * Arvin Kothonos
 * Cailek Balathorp - aka Fetterfists. Notorious slaver
 * Calvin Longbottle
 * Chaney
 * Charles Frederik LaVerne Blacktree IV
 * Charles Oliver O'Kane
 * Gaius Varro
 * Halamar - Fire mage and member of the Blue Wyvern Company.
 * The Brothers Kuldath
 * Howard Holiday
 * Illyth Fleetwood
 * Jack Ravenwild - Notorious rogue and wild mage.
 * Katharine Marie Moorland
 * Marden Norwood - Patriarch of House Norwood.
 * King, the Dog (Marcus of Shadowdale)
 * Myrkyssa Jelan - Notorious warlord of the Vast and leader of the Moon Daggers gang.
 * Lauren DeVillars
 * Narm - Half-orc fighter and leader of the Blue Wyvern Company.
 * Rolf "Sunny" Sunriver
 * Russell Roland
 * Seila Norwood - Young noblewoman.
 * Sirrus Melandor
 * Tharzon Brewhammer - Retired adventurer and proprietor of the Smoke Wyrm tavern.
 * Thomas Raphiel
 * Thorm Sureblade
 * Tordon Sureblade
 * Zandria

Notable locations

 * High House of Magic - Mages guildhall
 * High Seas Shipbuilding
 * Horthlaer's - Counting house built like a fortress.
 * Jack Mooney & Sons Circus (seasonal)
 * Kettle of Many Things - Tavern that sells inexpensive drink
 * Lady Rock - Island in Ravens Bluff harbor
 * Leaf in Root
 * Maldridge House - Stately mansion owned by House Norwood
 * Mortonbrace District - Formerly fashionable district fallen into disrepair
 * Mystic Star Charts
 * Norwood Manor - Home of the noble house Norwood.
 * Pig-in-a-Poke
 * Quaylin's Home For Wayward Boys
 * Ravenstrand Arms - Inn popular with visiting merchants
 * Seekers Guildhall - Guildhall of the Diviners Guild
 * Sparkling Edge
 * Ulweh's Icehouse - Warehouse used to hold blocks of ice
 * Vlard's Maintenance Yard
 * Ways Unknown
 * Wyrmhoard House - Counting house
 * Ye Who Dares
 * Zorba's Fish Market

Inns and taverns

 * Far Guardians' Traveler's Mission
 * Happy Stein
 * Shod Talon
 * Smoke Wyrm

Appearances

 * "Easy Money" in Polyhedron #55