DM Disclaimer: All material in the Player Guide portion of this blog is copied directly from the War of the Burning Sky Player's Guide, which is freely distributed and available for public download at EN World. I take no credit for any of the text or images found in posts tagged with the "player guide" label.
City Council
The government of Gate Pass is a council of representatives from each of the districts and a few other locations, with a city governor chosen every ten years. Many different groups hold sway with the government, ranging from citizen groups to wealthy merchants to religious and military groups.
One of the more colorful characters in the council is Erdan Menash, a former merchant and tailor who used to sell well-crafted but ridiculous-looking gear to adventurers, with the goal of making sure everyone knew he was the one sponsoring their heroism. His personal manor is painted vivid green, yellow, and purple.
The current governor is Merrick Hurt, a halforc who has kept relationships with Ragesia warm in the past, though many worry he will be too agreeable to demands by the new ruler of Ragesia. Rumors say that he bitterly loathes elves and eladrin and that he has a vast lexicon of insults for them, a vice that relatively few in the city worry about.
Gabal’s School
Gabal, a famed evoker who helped drive the Ragesians out forty years ago, maintains a school of war. This large cluster of squat towers connected by covered bridges and surrounded by a moat and fence is jokingly known as The Castle. Gabal’s students — identifiable by their red robes — are generally viewed as arrogant and hot-tempered, but their mentor forces them to sell their services for low prices, particularly in matters of defense and construction, and a handful of wizards serve in the city military. Gabal is said to scorn magic-users who do not study spellbooks for their powers, and has a particular dislike for sorcerers and warlocks, commonly saying he doesn’t trust people who have that much charisma. Charm is a personality flaw Gabal proudly lacks.
Thieves’ Guild
Everyone knows that thieves operate in the city, often with the aid of bribed councilmen who turn blind eyes. The thieves tend to prey on wealthy merchants, especially foreigners, and so many commoners view them favorably.
One particularly well-known rogue, a dashing scoundrel named Rantle, came to fame because of an elaborate confidence game. One night, when his scam was near fruition, he was with his mark, a merchant, when she was attacked by a trio of common thugs who intended to have their way with her. Rantle fought them off, and then stayed around to protect her while the city guard arrived, even though he knew he would be recognized and arrested. Public support for his heroism got him pardoned, and many people have begun calling for him to join the city council.
It is said the clientele of One-to-Go, a tavern in one of Gate Pass’s slums, is composed entirely of former thieves who have lost a hand as punishment for stealing.
The Military
While the Gate Pass military answers to the city council, their opinion carries great weight given how much attention the city pays to its defense. Gate Pass’s military is trained in urban warfare and takes advantage of enclosed terrain. Commander Harmand Fletcher, a veteran of the rebellion against Ragesia, recently retired as leader of the armed forces; his replacement, Brant Sawman, is if anything even more gruff and brooding than his predecessor. A small unit of twenty griffon riders patrols the far reaches of Gate Pass’s domain, but otherwise the city has little in the way of a cavalry tradition.
The Resistance
Devoted to keeping the city of Gate Pass free from the rule of both Ragesia and Shahalesti, the resistance is composed of a huge variety of people from many of countries, since many nations have a vested interest in keeping the current balance of power. Mostly they work to bolster pride among the citizens of Gate Pass, though occasionally a spy is turned over to the authorities by unknown persons, and the resistance is credited with the capture. Many farmers and ranchers who live in the mountains surrounding the city claim to have spoken to members of the resistance, who encouraged them to be prepared to fight to defend their lands.
