Nolaviath

History

A minor port town on the southern shores of the westernmost bay of the Gulf of Liborius, Nolaviath was founded late in the Upheaval period and is home to a culture of robust sailors who have braved many dangers in order to provide a convenient access port for trade bound for Mythwell. Though Kor Silan on the northern shores is closer to Mythwell, it has a reputation amongst sailors and merchants that lead many to avoid it.

Nolaviath seems to be a hot spot for nautical danger, dealing with not only the savage Kordissari that prowl the bay, but with strange mists that frequently roll into port from down the coast, bringing with them a foul smell. This smell is occasionally accompanied by Sahuagin, who use the mists as cover to raid the town, destroying ships and killing merchants. When these mists begin to roll in, an alarm is raised and residents of the town quickly make their way back to their homes to bar the doors and arm themselves if able.

The Kordissari are the largest threat plaguing Nolaviath; a loan word derived from the Myrian word for "pirate", these brutal sailors appear without warning and attack merchant vessels entering the bay bound for Nolaviath. The Kordissari have been a problem for several decades now, and the magistrate of Eldham, currently Eldar Kildana, as well as the local administrator of Nolaviath, have put out a call far and wide for help to rid the Gulf of Liborius of these vandals.

Government

Nolaviath falls under the jurisdiction of Eldham, far to the west across the Great Divide. Magistrate Eldar Kildana is responsible for the management of the town, and providing protection. However, due to the distance, a local administrator is responsible for Nolaviath's day to day management. The local administrator of Nolaviath is Pavel Cedavir, an older Vesperkin man. The locals seem overall content with the current magistrate, but the lack of progress on dealing with the Kordissari has led to some public disdain directed at the town's leadership.

Economy

Being a port town, Nolaviath sees a wide variety of imported goods, but they have a number of exports of their own. The town's main exports are foods, various treasures found on the sea floor such as pearls, and minerals from quarries in the Nornabuli mountains to the south. Nolaviath has a very large amount of fertile land to the west of town, and there are many farmers growing crops important to other residents of the Tandavys'ian Tuathluwen. These farmers export a variety of grains, Charatekethi, and fruits used in the production of alcohol and sweet treats.

However, the threat of the Kordissari has strained import trade in the last few decades, stressing the economy. Merchants who are not equipped to defend themselves against the Kordissari often dock in Caphanos, a much safer option even if it requires a longer journey to northwestern Arak.

Notable Locations

• Eshari du Nodemari - This lighthouse on the eastern edge of town overlooks the bay and still serves as a guide for ships coming into port; but these days, its primary purpose is a tavern. Owned by a Human woman named Shena Cessel, the tavern is located in the house of the lighthouse's former owner, who died some time during the Reckoning period. However, it appears the owner never left, as it is believed his spirit still haunts the lighthouse, appearing under the light of the moon past midnight. Those who climb the lighthouse attempting to catch a close glimpse of him always find it empty. There is a tradition of leaving Eld Endar, as he is now known, offerings of incense at the top floor, believing that pleasing the spirit will protect them from the Kordissari and guide them safely home.
• Meche ith Veldaemoneth - Located near the docks, this large gambler's den sees a lot of activity, both from the locals, and those coming into port. The popular card game known as Nor Fadun was created by the owner, a Letheni woman named Shayleth, who passed away decades ago. It is very popular amongst locals and merchants; though some more superstitious folk believe the game is cursed, as those who draw a hand of all 7s, thus winning the game, are frequently accused of cheating and stabbed or murdered for it. This has led some to think the act of being fortunate enough to draw all 7s "uses up" all of your luck, and if you aren't killed for doing so, your life can only go downhill from there. The den is currently operated by a Human woman named Lunara who has earned a reputation for making cheaters "disappear".
• Kastareth Daltunasi - These tide pools, located a quarter of a mile to the east of the docks, are so named for the characteristic "wailing" that is heard on the wind when it is raining. When it rains in Nolaviath, the wind picks up and moves westward down the coast, carrying with it a sound of torment. Most are terrified of the tide pools and won't approach them even during clear skies, but brave members of the Sorcerer's Cabal have investigated them and determined them to be an old Wellspring anomaly. While the rain is at its heaviest, spirits can be seen inside the tide pools clawing as if trying to escape them. Locals who have braved approaching them have claimed to see faces they know in the swarm of souls trapped within the pools; but it has not yet been determined exactly how these spirits came to be trapped here.

Culture

Sailors can be a superstitious bunch, and the residents of Nolaviath are no exception. Given that the locals are prone to superstition, there are a number of taboos, warnings, and customs observed. Sailors spend long periods of time in isolation on the sea, and the vast unknown of the ocean invites the imagination to run wild; every unfamiliar sound becomes a potential sea monster, or threat to the ship. It is difficult to separate nonsense from fact when so many of the local superstitions involve things that will get you killed, so how did they learn these things in the first place? Some of the more prevalent local warnings is to never wear perfume on a ship, as it will attract the Sahuagin. Sailors also believe that it is bad luck to sing on a ship, as it will attract the Vicas Kastareth, a local creature of legend whose existence is hotly debated amongst those who frequent the bay, who is said to descend upon ships from the sky when the fog is heavy, biting off the heads of sailors on deck. The Vicas Kastareth is characterized by a distinctive distant warbling scream that is heard just before it attacks.

Taverns in town are filled with tales of spirits encountered on the sea, ships spotted on the horizon that weren't really there, and creatures of the deep. Residents in town love a good ghost story, even if they're obviously fabricated. However, one story in particular stands out given how many sailors have confirmed having a personal encounter with the same ghost ship, called the Eldis Sheakocin. This ship has seen hundreds of accounts of sailors spotting a transparent ship drifting westward, illuminated by Umos' full moon. But no matter how many chase down this fabled ship, none can ever seem to catch up to it.

To keep themselves entertained, the locals have two primary leisure activities -- Nor Fadun, and Valtir am Viathan; the former of which being a gambling game, and the latter of which being a sport of sorts. Sailors don't have a lot in the way of money, but that doesn't stop them from risking it in the hopes of winning more. Nor Fadun is a card game played with a standard deck of Kastuazir cards, which are 7 sets of cards numbered 1 through 7. The game begins by shuffling the cards and placing the top card in the center of a 7x7 grid, after which each player is dealt 7 cards. Players place bets based on whether they think they will win based on their opening hand. Then, players take turns placing cards on the grid to the sides of cards that have already been placed, and then drawing another card. The goal of the game is to create a continuous row or column of cards that adds up to 21. If the draw pile runs out, thus filling the board, the game is restarted. If at any point, a player draws a hand of all 7s, the hand is called an 'Enavi Sofin' (or '7 Above'), and they automatically win the hand; a controversial rule, as it's almost always contested with accusations of cheating, which has led many to be stabbed in retaliation simply for outstanding luck. Valtir am Viathan is a sport played by the locals that was inspired by a game in Vardanorr that involves capturing "castles", but Nolaviath has modified it; sailors will anchor ships next to each other and place a flag in the crow's nest, and have teams of ten on each ship that must cooperate to try to steal their opponent's flag and return it to the captain's quarters of their own ship. Rules can vary from game to game, with the only common element being capturing the opponent's flag; but some common rules are that if you fall into the water, you must sit out the remainder of the game, and some games allow some of the crew to use tools like rope to restrain the crew of the opposing team.

Defenses

In light of the recurring Sahuagin attacks on the town, the magistrate of Eldham has provided more Enforcers to the town than its size would usually call for. However, in recent years with the Kordissari attacks, Eldham cannot afford to provide more support, especially after suffering several tragedies of their own, so the town has been left mostly to their own devices. The local administrator has sent out messengers to larger cities requesting aid from free agents who are willing to hunt down the Kordissari and put a stop to their attacks.

The town has had to evolve its layout over time to mitigate Sahuagin attacks. Besides the alarm bell that is rung when the mists begin to roll in, large iron portcullises have been installed on the walls bordering the docks, with the walls extending around the eastern side of the town. These portcullises are slammed shut when the alarm is rung. The town's walls are made of sturdy stone, as they have access to their own quarries to build with. The walls have various traps at the top such as pitch covering the top of the wall that makes it too slick for the Sahuagin to climb, and barrels of oil that are used to fill flasks to be tossed at the Sahuagin to set them ablaze.

Crime

The largest issue facing the sailors and citizens of Nolaviath are the brutal attacks on merchant vessels approaching the town by the Kordissari in the gulf. Their ships prowl the bay north of town, approaching ships under cover of fog which is common in the bay, and killing merchants, looting their goods, and burning their ships. The way the Kordissari have murdered merchants has shown a pattern, as if they have some sort of personal vendetta against them, suggesting a connection. Locals in Nolaviath believe that the Kordissari may be renegade citizens from the town of Kor Silan to the north, across the bay. This belief comes from the fact that despite Kor Silan's closer proximity to Mythwell, they have seen very little activity from merchants, and their economy has suffered for it.