The Splintered Swap emerged shortly after 80 CR, following the formation of The Vitric Ward. It was established as a defiant necessity, pushing back against the xenophobic isolationism imposed by the nearby Freehold of Bone, Hasaldon.

Due to Hasaldon's refusal to accept outside currency, viewing foreign gold as tainted by the chaos of the Civil War, the region's refugees and scavengers were compelled to develop a complex barter economy. This enclave, situated in the muddy shadow of Hasaldon's towering ossified walls, was strictly unlicensed by the Triad yet utterly essential for the survival of The Vitric Ward's inhabitants.

Within its unique system, Spire Glass, recovered scrap, and secrets became the only valid tender. Over centuries, the vendors of The Splintered Swap grew fiercely insular, regarding anyone who flashed gold coins not as a wealthy individual, but as an ignorant target or a potential spy.

The enclave's fragile peace was safeguarded by its rough militia, the Shard Breakers. They ensured that while haggling remained a loud and aggressive affair, the community was largely protected from the predation of Madame Vosh's enforcers.

Presently, The Splintered Swap finds itself teetering on the edge of civil unrest. It is overcrowded with new refugees and plagued by significant resource scarcity, testing the very resilience upon which it was founded.