Port-au-Belles

Constructed through the leadership of House Alban, the port town was created in hopes of opening a new trade route for the kingdom's economy and, of course, elevating the family's wealth to a level that rivals the wealthiest families in the world. Trade through the Silvervein River to the capital district of Crescent Port was beneficial, but had clear economic downsides. The security at the river entrance of Dalios held made the transfer of goods slightly more expensive, but guaranteed decriminalization of sea trade. As this market innovated and grew, local trade became more ambiguous. House Hyperius had assisted the mobile trade on land, but it is not so militarized as to regulate controversial trade. Black markets filled this power gap for products like after-burner, a crystallized concoction that is burnt and inhaled for its addictive qualities. Port-au-Belles has the geoeconomic advantage of being in the vast plains of the Southern Valley. The close vicinity to farms and horses made exportation substantially cheaper compared to Crescent Port. While it lacks some naval security, its stone-crafted land cannons serve as an efficient compensation. Those who seek to trade in the Kingdom of Owenar are therefore given two options. Commonwealth trade and convenient access from Port-au-Belles, or noblewealth trade and secured access from Dalios Hold and the capital. Both share the central currency of shirelings and work together to maintain the market of the continent of Westenra.

As both a seaport and a town, it is constructed as a single, extensive, and complex structure. The port encompasses the shoreline and is crafted almost entirely of pale stone. Every structure was built on handcrafted bricks of pale stone. Centering around a town center known as the Garden of Victoria, a large and magically protected garden ranging from uncommon to the rarest flora in the known world. At the very center lies a small tower holding a statue of the founder of House Alban, Victoria Alban. On the beach to the west is the port system, built on a combination of stone for the base ports and wood for the extensions. Its extensive ports allow the importation and exportation of goods at a higher rate than the capital. Located in the middle of the seaport is an inoperable defense turret made of Arctech, a mysterious metal imbued with magic. Across the shore are large stone structures that reveal large cannons for naval defense. Adjacent to the town center is a manor with forged iron fencing, serving as the home of House Alban and the site of town council meetings. Closer inland lies the town's bank, built with the most advanced steam-powered vault system that protects its wealth with stone and steel. Houses for fishermen and merchants surround these structures, built with smooth, pale stone. Outside the stone walls is a large garrison for the stationed Owenarian infantry. Covering the walls and windows of the building are banners of the Kingdom of Owenar (A white-blue falcon flying over a silver sun), of House Alban (A boat with dark green sails across a blue moonlit sky), or tailored decorations from House Araneae. The primary colors for the town are moonlight blue and seaweed green, the colors of House Alban.  

Surrounding Port-au-Belles is a small stone wall that can hold back infantry attacks and is protected by the Owenarian infantry. While incapable of withstanding a siege, the town takes advantage of the vast plains to the west, which are governed by the Souther Valley Tribe, who travel great distances on horseback. Beacons are set to alert neighboring allies of an impending invasion. As it is their territory, the tribe also protects the townsfolk while the knights of House Alban promote order under Owenarian law. Accountants and experts from the bank ensure the quality and legality of transactions, adhering to market policies established by the Kingdom of Owenar's Parliament. To protect the seaport from naval attacks, a combination of steam-machinery and stone reveals high-quality cannons that can reach hostile ships at great distances. After the Second Salted Steel War, House Alban installed a cannon made of Arctech, a magical metal created during the time of the ancients. Unfortunately, the device remains unresponsive as scholars and engineers attempt to find a means to utilize a potentially powerful weapon. House Alban's mercenary navy scouts the seas for naval threats and reports them to the kingdom before they can request permission to act.

After Victoria Alban's bravery in the destruction of a rogue Fuxenarian ship at Dalios Hold, her family was entitled to a noble status by the monarchy. Her family's talent for trade and commerce earned their place as one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom. Gathering influences, resources, and collectible items from all over. During their acquisition of wealth, Edward Alban III, the contemporary head of the family, planned a way to elevate the kingdom's means of trade in 427 ADA. At the time, the kingdom was prosperous due to its regulated system of trade and commerce along the Silvervein River. Militarizing the entrance to the river from the sea at Dalios Hold ensured the security and validity of transacted goods, combined with its organization, thanks to the Iron Paladin Vault at the kingdom's capital. However, with the emphasis on sea trade came an imbalance of local trade across land. Black markets, while monitored by factions aligned with the kingdom, were rampant with fraudulent products and exploitative transactions. Edward III saw that if a new product were to elevate the black market's status, it would sow danger and financial ruin to the kingdom. His solution was to build a new port across the eastern shoreline of the Southern Valley. Open plains facilitated convenient travel by horse, which the natives were proficient in. Opening a new trade route would balance the concentration of legal imports through the capital and aid the citizenry with more expedited access to resources. He would call this project "Port-au-Belles," which translates from the native tongue to "Port of Beauty."   To fulfill this project, House Alban required the permission from the natives of the land, the Southern Valley Tribe. A nomadic tribe of humans who rode across the mighty plains of Westenra as masters of horse riding. Unfortunately, they refused the proposal made by House Alban. Their passion for the open plains raised concerns about the kingdom's potential interference with settlements. A fear of stone castles and towns would interrupt the migration of their people and the horses they sanctify. Eventually, their concern came to fruition, but not from the kingdom. Rather, the rise of the Hollow Syndicate's drug trade with the introduction of after-burner, a crystalized drug that is burnt into an addictive smoke. Its potency elevated the black market to such an uncontrollable level that it led to rivalries between the Hollow Syndicate, the Flintwod Fists, and House Araneae. The addiction even began to spread to the Southern Valley Tribe, with many occasions of native partaking in the after-burner. With trade regulations focused on the northern regions where the kingdom is strongest, the tribe realized the impending danger. Returning to House Alban's proposal, a deal was struck in 590 ADA. In exchange for the foundations of the most accessible shoreline, the tribe would monitor the port and act as the sole means of travel across the plains for trade routes. Adding as security of trade, just as the Owenarian military does for the capital. Gathering the majority of their wealth and resources, House Alban began the construction of Port-au-Belles.   By 611, the construction of the seaport, with the aid of the Pale Stone Tribe, had been completed, and a new trade route had opened. Merchants and travellers from all over the world began cultivating this new market. House Alban would be responsible for the quality of the product and accounting, while the Southern Valley Tribe would be responsible for travel and movement in trade on land. As the decades passed, Port-au-Belles grew as its overflowing port expanded to accommodate travel. The natives surprisingly benefited them most as the utilization of their horses for travel gave them economic incentives to aid in those travels with their horses. Further increasing both their resources and their livestock. Combined with the travelling tools of House Hyperius, the Southern Valley Tribe obtained the pinnacle of their horsemanship. This growth would eventually give rise to new towns in the Southern Valley, such as Eaumont and Crestwood. For a brief time, merchants in Crescent Port, the capital, raised concerns about the loss of revenue from the new trade route, but this quickly subsided as the market balanced itself due to the higher quality of commerce offered, thanks to the kingdom's enhanced security and bureaucratic trading system.   Holding its ground against naval attacks from the Salted Steel Tribe in the Second Salted Steel War, the seaport underwent extensive reconstruction in 990 ADA. So much so that it gave House Alban some financial difficulties until it began investing more into the adventurer guild to collect more rare artifacts from all over the world. One such acquisition was a turret from an exhibition to Domhan Rhunda. A cannon made from Arctech, a mysterious metal that is imbued with magic. While it has been mounted on the port to signify defense, it has yet to be utilized due to its complexity in activation and the difficulty in understanding how it functions. Potentially, it would conjure enough firepower to rival the legendary Storm Splitter cannon at Averse's Landing. As it stands, Port-au-Belles is a prosperous and shining seaport for trading and travelling among the common folk who are not as privileged to use the Crescent Port in the capital. It is House Alab's new home and a testament to their talent in trade and commerce.