So what is The Port of Worlds?
- It's a buffer district in addition to being the trade center, harbor and manufacturing district. Morstis and Resdis (temporary name, standing for Residental District, although it sounds good enough that I'll add it to the poll) are separated from Immigrants Path by it.
- It's the contact point for the Undweller Kingdoms. There are also a lot of World-Reachers that now use Stormlamp as a Gating point. The Stormweaver Citadel has weakened resistance enough that it can be used to ship goods. Also in case anyone noticed that this seems inconsistent with messengers Planegating, I will be doing more on that later.
- Many of those that work on and around the docks have been altered in some way by magical seepage from the Undweller Kingdoms.
Depending on how many experience a particular change there can either be a whole new race, (like the Gesradir), or only a few people. So if you want to make a new race - simple it came out of The Port of Worlds. Same thing if you want to create a new and strange enemy - you don't have to give an explanation as for why he's the only one of his race left, there weren't ever any more of them!
Now all that's nice, but it doesn't tell us much more does it? So on to the rest of it:
Government: The noble houses have more power here than in Immigrant's Path but it's still pretty limited. So, who's filled the gap? No Customary Service to do it here after all. Interestingly enough though the main government isn't even made up of Hulgren - it's the Stormweaver Citadel. They're not great at it, (to quote a Stormweaver proverb "Well, if they can't take care of themselves, they'll get hit by their own lightning"), but they get the job done well enough once they realize something needs to be done. In other words it's a benign tyranny, whose main flaw isn't despotism it's inaction and incompetence. Whether or not that's good thing depends on the circumstances but they mean well, and they try to get things done.
Religion: Religion is mostly a null matter in here; there are Citadel sponsored temples to The Skylord occasionally, but the lack of residents means that most churches don't find it worthwhile to do more that send in a few missionaries every so often.
Culture: Well it's nowhere near as bad as Immigrant's Path - you can walk around here without worrying someone will kill you for a couple of Hespli - but that's about it. You'll still need to be careful so that you don't get robbed. On the plus side the fact that the Stormweaver Citadel sponsors temples means that there are safe places to go every so often; once the thugs learned that each priest is also a fully qualified Stormweaver they decided to leave them alone.
So time to visit the notable locations.
The Pickled Head
Description: Mostly dockworkers here. It tends to be a fairly clannish place at first but you can get past that if you try. Also some of them are taking money from the nobles to pass information about the Stormweavers.
Theme: The distrust for outsiders masks the dangerous undercurrents of dockside politics.
Aspect: Hostility To Others Hides Spies.
Face: Gravthar Grint-Nalmiun - Tough But Fair Lorshki Bartender.
Notes: Lorshki are a one of a kind race. They have gills (and lungs), are covered in a layer of thin scales and have nictating membranes.
Stormweaver Citadel
Description: Below Stormlamp a city floats upon air... Benevolently bemused by the strange customs of our world, the first World-Reachers created the Stormweaver Citadel as an enclave where their own Plane reaches through and manifests itself... Gendren Ehtri, Historian.
Theme: The main meeting point for World-Reachers of all kinds.
Aspect: Many Planes In One.
Face: Shorvin Tu'Qarn - Master Stormweaver With Things To Do.
Miscellaneous Temple of The Skylord
Description: A temple of the Skylord. Not much else to say, except that they're safe.
Theme: The Skypriests offer safe haven to all who need it. As long as you keep the laws, that is.
Aspect: Safe Shelter In Chaos.
Face: Temple Highpriest - Varied Aspects.
Enjoy your stay here in The Port of Worlds, but use the time to brush up on your dipplomacy. We're going to Morstis next time.
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