Dal Shang is the administrative capital of the province of Dal Shang which is loosely described as a triangle with the Trier Sea coast as the eastern side from about one hundred miles north of Dal Shang city (border uncertain) to two hundred miles south (border uncertain there because no two people agree on exactly where the Twisted Lands begin); from the northernmost point west about one hundred fifty or two hundred miles inland through the mountains to the point where the drainage toward the Trier Sea is divided from the westward drainage, then south through the mountains between Dal Shang and Liho An-Min till it reaches the coast again in the south. The entire province is forested mountains (mixed hardwoods and evergreens) with farms, orchards, and villages in the mountain river valleys and fishing villages on the coast. It is about 22,500 square miles--more or less, since the borders are, at the moment, uncertain...

Dal Shang is also the official port of entry for trade goods from the east; if you land stuff anywhere else, you're smuggling. The Great Western Route, which runs, naturally enough, west from Dal Shang is considered to be the other half of the Great Eastern Route that runs through Alastari and on into the far east. Trade is very important in Dal Shang because of its port of entry status and because of this major trade route.

As the provincial capital, Dal Shang is the seat of the Lord Governor of the province, Segan tel Jehsian. The Lord Governor is an Imperial appointee, chosen for exceptional merit from the ranks of trained administrators. His is the final authority in the province, but he does not concern himself with the day-to-day details of running the city; that is the job of the city's chief magistrate, Subgovernor Magistrate Norisan ten Sakoling. The governor has a Council of Ministers to assist him: ministers of the economy, the justice department, the internal security (police), and so forth; they, too, are concerned with the governance of the whole province and not specifically with Dal Shang city.

The Arenamaster, Jai ten Palar, called Jai Arral, is a subordinate of the Minister of Public Events, who is the overall supervisor of the arena.

The high priest of Mantor at the main temple in the city, Menkorisn, is in effect the archbishop of the province and ranks as a Minister on the governor's Council. In so far as his position affects the peace and well-being of the province, the high priest is under Governor Segan's direction. If there is trouble of a magical nature in the province, the first person consulted by the governor will be the high priest of Mantor.

The commander of the Border Legion of Dal Shang also ranks as a Minister and may be directed by the governor. The Border Legion of Dal Shang has three main units: the Northern Rangers, who are mostly infantry archers; the Southern Guard, mostly cavalry and lay priests, since they have to deal with the dangers of the Twisted Lands; and the Sea Guard, mostly medium to small ships designed for speed and armed with ballistae and hulls reinforced for ramming. They carry mixed crews of sailors and marines and protect the coast from pirates, chase smugglers, and so forth. The Northern Rangers generally operate out of a fort in the northern mountains, Fort Tar-Lang. The Southern Guard has a fort in the south called Fort Han Mai. The Sea Guard has its own section of Dal Shang Harbor and Fort Chani, which guards the harbor entrance. Besides these three groups, there is the governor's Paladin Cavalry, which is based in the city and directly under the governor's command. The Paladins are quartered in the Governor's Palace compound. The Paladin Cavalry, a branch of the Sun Legion (paladins all), is commanded in the field by Major Renlang.