Bilgewater

Bilgewater is a port city-state on the Blue Flame Island in Runeterra not too far off the coast of Valoran.

Lore
Bilgewater, over the years, has become an important stop for trade ships traveling near the Blue Flame Island. While this has increased the nation's wealth and influence in Valoran, it has also made the island a tempting target for pillaging. Rum is the city's major export, which is made in the various pubs and taverns down the Fleet Street. Before sailing into the port, onlookers can see an image of a white human skull on the large rock behind the city.

Culture
The native inhabitants of Bilgewater are rugged seafaring folk and many, naturally, are also pirates. While the League has the resources to keep vessels that remain within protected waters safe, they have little jurisdiction over what occurs in the open seas. Pirates and sailors intrepid enough to venture out there are free to decide their own fate and fortune. Some of these pirates may even sail to other nations where they are known for their raids on settlements and villages. The port-city is the home to League Champion, who arose to represent his nation. Though his true motives, being a pirate, are questionable. He and, often bicker over their city-state's future direction.

Due to the relative lawlessness around the island, many of the denizens in Bilgewater carry a variety of weapons that can range from scabbards to pistols. Traditionally, the Bilgewater warriors coat their weapons with the remains of their drinks the night before a battle or raid. This has the effect of increasing the pain of wounds caused and often spreading diseases such as gangrene, inhibiting their enemies ability to fight back. Many of their larger ships are also outfitted with multiple ironclad cannons that can strike targets over long distances.

Relations with Bandle City
Ties between Bandle City and Bilgewater have always been a little tense, mainly due to the occasional pirate assaults on Yordle vessels.

Relations with Noxus
While the two nations share no true alliance, Bilgewater and Noxus are on relatively beneficial terms with one another. On occasion, Bilgewater will even assist Noxus militarily, should they see the endeavor profitable. During Noxus' hostilities on Ionian soil, many pirates from Bilgewater sailed to the island nation. For years they ruthlessly pillaged the settlements along the island's coastlines and fought naval battles with Ionian vessels when engaged. Though the League eventually put a stop to Noxus' campaign,, is a mainstay down at Bilgewater's Fleet Street. She can often be seen poking her head into the pubs and taverns in search of sailors down on their luck, offering an even share of the plunder to those willing to sail under her command.

Bilgewater Days
One hundred and forty-nine years ago on September 19th, the port city of Bilgewater was officially founded, creating a haven and destination to pirates and seafarers everywhere. What started off as a one-day celebration of Bilgewater’s origin became a weekend, and due to the raucous nature of the town’s inhabitants, celebration spread through the entire month. September has come to embody sailors enjoying the end of the temperate season, drinking the last of the summer ales and participating in unruly games to prove their worth as the fiercest pirate in Valoran.

A sampling of the festivities include:


 * Lady Luck
 * A continuous gambling tournament where skill is just as highly prized as being quickest to draw the knife in your boot. A vast assortment of games and competitions await, with gold Valors passing hands after every blackjack and snake eyes on the table. Lady Luck can be a fickle mistress, easily swayed by a card up your sleeve and the words “all or nothin’”.


 * Drink The Water!
 * An indisputable challenge, a pirate orders the Bilgewater Special, which is a foul, unidentifiable mix of liquor from behind the bar, with each pirate mixing in a bit of whatever they can find around the table or in their pockets. The brave one to drink it all gets a pat on the back, all the Valors that can fit into the empty mug, and an evening’s worth of indigestion.


 * The Ruckus
 * Armed only with a wooden club or an abandoned peg leg, pirates leap aboard a ship in a King Of The Hill competition to see who can stay atop the Crow’s Nest longest, and is crowned the Captain of The Ruckus for the year. Beard protection is accepted, but shoes are prohibited.

Brands of Rum
The relative peace the League has kept over Valoran has led to an increase in trade and the desire for worldly imports. The demand for Bilgewater's famous rums is especially high.

Captain Morgan Rackham gives a few samples:


 * Rapture Rum
 * If you've got a bit of jink to spare and don't mind paying for a bit of celebrity, you can head on over to Fortune's Favor on Fleet Street for a bit of Miss Fortune Miss Fortune's private stock. Rapture is clear as diamonds, with a pleasantly clean aroma of cut cane. To shake things up, Miss Fortune adds a hint of pepper and hot cinnamon to keep you warm on deck during stormy days at sea. To be enjoyed with your favorite tropical fruit, Miss Fortune's Rapture Rum is every bit as much the exotic beauty that she is!


 * Gangplank's Black Pearl Rum
 * Let me ask you a question, sailor. Have you ever chewed rum? No?! Well then you've probably never run afoul of Gangplank and his fabled Black Pearl. Aged in charred oak casks and infused with some of the richest spices that Valoran has to offer, this rum comes out blacker than pitch and about as thick. Gangplank's Black Pearl is a draught for the true rum enthusiast, only. The rest of you blokes are just going to wind up feeling barmy and running for the deck rails. So be careful! I've seen a bit of the black stuff lay out even the roughest blighter with nary a hint of warning.


 * Myron's Dark Rum
 * This rum is the trademark drink of Myron's Murderhole, one of the most famous and historic bars in all of Bilgewater. Dark in color with the aroma of woody molasses, this infamous spirit is a veritable staple of Bilgewater sailors on the high seas. Richer than its lighter relatives, this dark beauty finishes with an uncanny sweetness that's just perfect for taking the edge off. Enjoy with hot water, or even straight from the bottle. Either way, Myron's Dark will keep you warmer than a pea coat on a blustery day.


 * Mount Atin Eclipse Rum
 * This rum is characteristically served at Plankwalkin' Pete's, a newfangled bar run dockside by a barmy lad with a peg leg. Light amber in color, Mount Atin will assail your senses with the aroma of sweet grass, molasses, nutmeg, and just a hint of citrus. A bit dry on its own, your typical dose comes served with tonic and a lime, so after a glass or two you're well on your way to warding off both scurvy and malaria.

Piracy Strikes Bandle City Merchants
Recently the pirate Tiresias Ellington and his crew boarded a Bandle City ship and sacked the vessel of its shipment. This particular shipment was on its way to a celebration, a commemoration to, and her appointment to service as envoy between Demacia and the Yordles. Bandle City is currently appealing to the League to solicit reparations from Bilgewater for the loss of the goods, along with spoiling their anniversary plans. Bilgewater’s stance is that they are not responsible for the actions of a few independent sailors.

GrugMug Grog Slog
The famed Bilgewater GrugMug Grog Slog is a yearly competition amongst privateers looking to prove their mettle as the hardest drinkers on the high seas. Both grog-drinkers and grog-crafters alike convene at the GrugMug Tavern to crown the year’s best “Scab” and “Glug”. The Scab is awarded to the creator of the strongest, most corrosive grog, and the Glug is awarded to the hearty soul that can drink the most of it before requesting medical attention. Historically, has won the Scab title for 15 years, ever since he joined his father on his ship, the Dead Pool.

The most recent GrugMug Grog Slog event concluded after an exhausting 6 hour final between League Champions Gangplank and Sarah Fortune. In the end, Scab title was awarded to in an unexpected upset after several tense stages of caustic tests and analysis. The panel of judges declared her the winner when her concoction melted completely through the pewter mug, table, and the floor. Gangplank’s recipe stopped just short of eating through the floor, instead pooling in a steamy puddle upon the resin-coated floorboards.