Almina

Set deep within the arc of Mina'Satie Bay, the city of Almina rests as an anomaly. What otherwise seems like a straightfoward fishing and merchant center, populated with a wide range of different people from all over the southern part of Lasair, holds something unique to the continent: a port that serves the strange ships of the Southern Continent. While nobody quite knows who these traders are - they don't leave their unusual ships, preferring to deal via agents who stand in their stead - their presence nonetheless has turned Almina into a diverse and wealthy city.

Origin of the Port City

The community that would eventually grow to become Almina began as a simple fishing village long ago. As the continent began to recover from the Dragonscourge, the sheltered cove of Mina'Satie Bay was a source of food for a small population. Some human refugees worked together with a handful of Centaurs, Testudana, and Felidasi to build shelters and boats, creating a source sustenance. Trading with the growing communities around the periphery of the Korth'an Forest allowed for a sustainable and quiet life. Later, as the Korth'an Conclave formed and Southport grew into its role as a midpoint between North and South, Almina grew a little more to make room for the few travelers that would pass through between Southport and Conclave.

Arrival from the South

While the bay was often busy with small fishing boats and the occasional craft sailing along the coast to Conclave (nothing could sail north thanks to the Tempest Reefs), there were no large sailing vessels calling the town home. About a century, however, that changed with the arrival of a strikingly unusual sight - the Innominatus. A long tubular vessel, like a large wooden barrel with brass caps, it seemed to move against the wind. Dropping anchor in the bay, a hatch opened and released a small boat which approached the shore.
  The history of who was on that boat or what happened immediately has been lost, but in the time since that ship or others like it have returned to Almina every year or two. It comes to purchase from the port, paying with gold and gems, seeking mostly loads of wood from the forest as well as showing a keen interest in any artifacts of the Imperial Era that might be recovered from the eastern coast. Whomever crews the vessel is actually unknown, as they deal entirely through agents that speak for them - artificial beings similar to those crafted by artificers of the Mages. No living creatures have actually been spotted during those trades.

Changes to the City

The yearly-or-so visits by the strange craft from the south have made some small changes to the city. There are now more warehouses in the city, storing items that have been requested for future pickup. A large dock has been built to accommodate the Innominatus for loading. Other smaller docks have been built as well: more fishing docks have grown over the years, and a handful of mid-sized piers were built by members of the Gleaming Fleet for occasional visits to the town. The fleet serves as an unofficial defensive navy for Almina but mostly stops here to drop off finds from their occasional forays into The Desolation.