Pilgrim's Port

Pilgrim's Port is the Northwestern coastal district of Halamahi, which is a commercial district oriented towards entertainment, service industries, visitor housing, and smaller-scale commerce. Pilgrim's Port is named after its most conspicuous and important trade: the housing and transport of 'pilgrim' youths to undergo the Test of the Depths.   Selkie families from all over the world visit Halamahi every year for their youths to undergo the Test of the Depths, the magical ritual that gives each selkie their magical Selkie Pelt. This magical ritual, which defines a selkie as a true adult and member of the community, can only take place at the sacred Mohomwa Cove on the restricted island of Okailu. Every week, ferries transport hundreds of youths from the Pilgrim's Port to Shonai Point on Okailu, to begin the long ceremonial march to Mohomwa Cove.   Pilgrims and their kin need housing, food, medicine, clothes, and celebratory drink while they wait for the Test and recover afterwards. Most visitors come with ship holds full of foreign goods as well, and will be headed to foreign lands once more once the youths have completed their ritual. This makes the Pilgrim's port an excellent place for business, entertainment, and commerce. While Allseas Port is the larger commercial center that absorbs the lion's share of shipping, the Pilgrim's Port has enough direct commercial traffic to be the envy of any ordinary port city. And while the Allseas Port prioritizes the movement of goods, the Pilgrim's Port has a better selection of diverse eateries, taverns, and entertainment venues. Food from every continent is sold here for the homesick pilgrim of any land. Virtually any kind of diversion can be found here if it is popular enough in a selkie-accessed port somewhere in the world.   Supporting this rich entertainment and food industry are residential neighborhoods, which range from fairly poor to upper middle class.   Some interesting locations include:

• The Pelting Gate, where the youth are gathered to board their ferries to Okailu, is a major location in this district.
• The Wardwell Neighborhood, where youth from distant lands are offered housing in exchange for their labor - basically a youth commune in service to local landlords. The Wardwell is known for its exciting youth culture, as people from all different backgrounds socialize.
• The True Reward, a tavern and music hall that caters to newly-pelted youths after their pilgrimmage. An extremely fashionable joint that uses Continual Flames to host revelry deep into the night.
• The Faithful Siren, a tavern and music hall catering to the parents and relatives of pilgrims - a fashionable counterpart to the True Reward.
• The Muse's Parlor, a shrine to Hiku the Muse - Lunar God of Art and Inspiration - surrounded by entertainment venues. The Parlor itself has a large lobby and a small fairground which constantly cycles between different visiting acts, minstrels, and troupes.