Charles Harrow

Charles Harrow is the Steward of Harbours for the Free States, responsible for the paperwork, berths and agreements that keep a collection of fiercely independent ports functioning as something close to a nation.

His authority is written in manifests and stamped orders rather than bloodlines. Harrow knows which captains can be trusted, which warehouses are empty and how long a fleet can remain at sea before the figures stop supporting the speeches.

After blockade and ruin pushed the Free States toward collapse, he became one of the officials tasked with turning surviving ships and quarrelling crews back into a working maritime power.

“Every legend at sea begins with someone ashore finding the timber, coin and paper.”