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> Port Miere, East Coast
abyatt
post Nov 1 2007, 10:39 PM
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Port Miere

The below is description of Port Miere written by Alan Morgan a few years ago. I will add my own personal Governors view.

The only Imperial City not to be found on the mainland, Port Miere sits tenaciously on the western edge of the Island that has formerly been known as Pelys, Long Rock and the Gravid Isle but is more commonly known by its typically mercenary label of the "Isle of Dread". Sitting determinedly in the shadow of the large Port that has been built within the Isle's natural harbour the city is one of the smallest settlements within the Empire and newcomers are often surprised when first they alight on the quayside to see how small the city seems to be in comparison to its impressively large and well built harbour.

Built on the slopes that descend towards the bay, Port Miere is a sturdy city in which most of the buildings were built some years ago of a thick stone brought from quarries further inland and which now cannot apparently be found. Cresting the city is the settlements Citadel, a fortress about which the other buildings cluster in a loose curve. The design of the streets once channelled the incessant rain into the harbour but now, as a result of the Port construction instead floods northwards into the Marshes, the poorest part of the city where the houses of the single street are raised on rotting stilts above the muddy sludge below.


The People and the Land of Port Miere
The city makes its way through three primary industries: fish, handicrafts and smuggling. The former very much serves the city but of late, with the repair of the city-owned salt mines this looks set to expand to a larger market. The ferocity of the winter storms has long seen the people retreat to their homes for the season and it is here that they work upon wood and stone craft of surprising delicacy - much in demand from the traders who call come the spring. Indeed, the Sloop-Traders use Port Miere as their base since it is traditionally more lax than elsewhere regarding taxation a combination of this and the cultural smuggling tradition has lead over the years to the point where the Governor does not even to seek to stop something that clearly gives the citizens so much pleasure. Indeed Smuggling is no longer a crime within the city.

The people of Port Miere may initially seem to be surly (even rude) to outsiders but it is easy to win both their hearts and loyalty by the simple expedient of doing good and sticking around. Once such faith is given the citizens will befriend the character for life seemingly adopting such a person into the extended families that thrive in the settlement. Mierians place great stock by friendship and if this is betrayed the transgressor will find himself shunned not just by those who were his former friends but the city as a whole. The population is small enough and close enough that word spreads and traitors despised such that taverns will close, stalls shut and people cross the road if the character comes in sight. It is these traits that have lead to Rivan Trakand becoming something of an icon to the city. Considered as something akin to a wayward brother or son throughout the city, the people have a genuine appreciation for Rivan and his Council "those that stick around, obviously".

In appearance the people are as mixed a bunch as could be found anywhere for despite the rather close relationships the decreasing number of separate families enjoy the more widely scattered traits of their ancestors have not been muddied together. Tall, short, blond, dark or even ginger, the people of the Port are a varied bunch beneath the dark clothes they favour often thickly tarred against the weather. Though most of them are smaller than six feet.

Gathered about the small, coastal city are the scrubby estates owned by the local Nobility. Though long cultivated and well cared for such estates are thin, hard things indeed and they end abruptly at established boundaries. Thereafter lies what is estimated to be more than nine-tenths of the Isle and even those villages that cluster close to the estates are dirty, mean affairs where the rural folk carve out a living in primitive salt mines or guarding bony herds. The difference between the urban and rural communities is nowhere so stark as it is in and about Port Miere. Once beyond the city the people live in static, yet tribal, groups who pay only lip service to loyalty and taxation and claim to be have been on the Island long before the first people came to establish Port Miere itself.

Most of the Isle is a fickle, changing place where it is not uncommon for the common folk to become lost or else wander for days amongst depressing, muddy countryside and seemingly perpetual rain only to find oneself scant miles from journeys start. Adventurers will of course tend to find more adventure than that but according to the people of Port Miere that is exactly what they are for.


Why Mercenaries Adventure in Port Miere
The Island itself offers enough employment for adventurers that there are those who have managed to settle in the city and yet still continue in their chosen, often violent, career. A good place to establish roots due to the people's support once they get to know the mercenary (not to mention the grulls such a person can boast) the innards of the Isle itself can be the source of most anything a mercenary wants. Once a person either develops the skill to find the right paths or knows a decent guide to such the Isle seems to be able to offer just what each mercenary is looking for. Whether they wish to defend a village from evil-hearted Things, follow the trail of treasure or simply explore the Island this is often the place to find it. Often though the tales of adventure in Port Miere have a twist in their tail.

It is no secret that the Isle is the closest place in the Empire to the Mittlenacht and the further a traveller goes from the city the more likely he is to find the unusual, the strange and (being Port Miere) the damp. It has all the advantages of discovery that can be had from the Baronies without all the being burnt that can often attend those with pointed ears. With the shifting mists of the 'Nacht ever present it is in fact hard to travel too far without being harassed by strange faeries, twisted crones or elemental nastiness. All often seem to be threaded together with a common theme and even as in the Baronies once a person has entered the 'Nacht the quickest way back out is often to follow the story to its conclusion (for good or ill) rather than struggle and fight against the events that will otherwise overtake and overwhelm the feckless travellers.


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abyatt
post Nov 1 2007, 10:40 PM
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Port Miere
The only Imperial City not to be found on the mainland, Port Miere sits tenaciously on the western edge of the Island that has formerly been known as Pelys, Long Rock and the Gravid Isle but is more commonly known by its typically mercenary label of the "Isle of Dread". Sitting determinedly in the shadow of the large Port that has been built within the Isle's natural harbour the city is one of the smallest settlements within the Empire and newcomers are often surprised when first they alight on the quayside to see how small the city seems to be in comparison to its impressively large and well built harbour.

Built on the slopes that descend towards the bay, Port Miere is a sturdy city in which most of the buildings were built some years ago of a thick stone brought from quarries further inland and which now cannot apparently be found. Cresting the city is the settlements Citadel, a fortress about which the other buildings cluster in a loose curve. The design of the streets once channelled the incessant rain into the harbour but now, as a result of the Port construction instead floods northwards into the Marshes the poorest part of the city where the houses of the single street are raised on rotting stilts above the muddy sludge below.

The rural areas of Port Miere are dominated by the islands proximity to the Mittlenacht. The actions of Nexus and Mar’Eth have done much over the recent years to bring the wild lands into the auspices of the city. Each year at the Final Dawn a great festival is held by Mar’Eth to which all the rural folk are invited and often attend. Even the strange beasts that Mar has befriend turn up for a good knees up.

In the year IM1006 Rivan order the development of the scribes chambers, this allowed more scribes to travel into the lands and a number of villages were discovered and put onto the map. The paths to these local places of note were defined mainly by the actions of Nexus who is one of the premier Mittlesmiths of Primus.

The villages are; Cowyl's Folly, Sodden Hole, Terbil's Marsh, Gone Fishin', Forgen Lowlands, Gather Lowly, Happenstance, Ethly, Wander Filthily, and Spume. Recently a new place has sprung up known as Grubby Jake's around a tavern by the same name.


The city as a whole
Despite many rumours to the contrary Port Miere is not a group of wooden shacks and a single jetty. The city itself is surrounded by a strong wooden palisade and fighting step. The streets are finely clad and made of stone even in the Marsh Quarter. The houses all boast glass windows, which is more than most cities can say.

There are two main faith in Port Miere Seanchan and Linguism. It is due to the unique culture of the city that two such faiths can be held and none see a problem. Everyone in the city knows that Mar’eth is a good chap and all but they also know that sometimes a good thumping can solve issues better than stern talking to.

All the city has finely clad streets and the city itself is surrounded by a solid wall maybe of stone foundations and base with a wooden fighting step.

Below are some of the more prominent building but by no means a comprehensive list of the wonderous things to be found in Port Miere


The Central Quarter
The Citadel dominates the central quarter of Port Miere. An old castle remains from the Second Age it was adopted by Rivan as his home when he first came to Port Miere over ten years ago. Since then as the town quickly developed into the city the Citadel became the administrative centre. Often Rivan can be found in the main hall stooped over paper work yet always willing to speak to one of the local citizens, whom he knows all by name. Often the locals will pop in if for nothing more than an ale and a chat, it is said that no matter what time of day or night you enter, you will find Rivan quietly working at his large desk.

Sprouting from the Citadel raises a tower of glass looking more like the confections of the Ggrutuck, the Tower of Glass is a thin spire that rises three floors from the ground and which is made from a continuous spiral of ritually spun glass.

The main housing of the central quarter is better than is commonly seen in most other parts of the Empire for the buildings are fine houses on several floors, that although are somewhat narrow (yet tall) rise above the city on sturdy stone columns. Many of the Guildsmen have live here.

The Bastion Retain
Attached to the Citadel and occupying one of the towers is the Bastion Retain. The Bastion scribes set themselves up in the cities Bureaucratic Chambers and use the greater power of such Chambers to facilitate their own traditions and observances. Most notably used by the upper hierarchy of the Bastion to facilitate their worthy tasks when about in the Empire, the Retain also keeps an eye on the city when needed. Rivan obviously being the former Senator for War liked to have some of his scribes handy.

The Port Miere Curious Emporium
A much grander structure set in the central Quarter. A staff of former traders run this enterprise, buying off mercenaries and other far-travelling riff-raff and selling to the curious that are drawn within. The prices are purposefully kept low as the aim after all is to spread the wonders within.

Artisans of the Mittleway
Drawn in from about the Empire, the very best of the common artisans with the talent of the Ways (or the wit to learn) come to Port Miere where they are assured of both regular treasure, no hierarchy to acknowledge and a good chance of not being beaten up or killed by the formal Guilds. There are few others to be drawn and only those very few named and relatively famous artisans lie higher and with greater skill.

The Bittering
The Bittering is the size and standard of a common Guildhouse and in many ways it fulfils a similar function. Rather than being for skilled Guildsmen however the Bittering is a place where the cities common folk can gather and be heard. In Port Miere the people are grumpy, foul-mouthed folk that distrust outsiders but quickly learn to appreciate those that come amongst them. They would also hardly know they were alive if they did not moan loudly at least once a day.

The Driftwood Lanes
Found throughout the city these streets are the common shopping streets of the city. All manner of goods are ‘washed up’ and sole here. A row of shops, stalls and funny little inns, these Driftwood Lanes always run off the side of the Port’s more formal shopping streets. It’s quite surprising how much stuff is washed ashore and finds its way to the Lane – most of it not even wet, from the city itself and… but no one really asks too many questions. Despite this, all sorts of soggy rural folk actually take to scouring the beaches outside the city and bringing what they find to the Lane to sell! They don’t really understand but they do find some fairly choice stuff. Often hidden in caves. But still…

The Guilds
The city has always supported various guilds and in the centre around the larger market squares and Citadel a number have built their halls. Of those of note the Conveyors, Funamentors, Shapers and Diviners all have Grand Halls here. Coopers, Fenminers, Shrivers, Skinners, Toymakers, Goatskinner and Warsmiths have all opened their Guild halls in this area.

The Prince Glass
Rivalling the Citadel for prominence and certainly (along with its Peers) dominates the skyline such that it is often the first things seen by a traveller as he approaches from afar, the Grand Hall of the Glassblowers. Here can be found the spun court of Prince Glass – a mythical figure that it is important to note, not even the Guildsmen believe is a real person. Rather Prince Glass is how they refer to ritual and to whom the Sire and three Master’s of the Guild supposedly attend in their traditions and observations. Port Miere is the premier place for such a Guild.

Volksraad Keep
A sturdy keep, not so very large but enough to create the impression of solid, military reliability. Herein the adventuring community can seek work in relative confidence and even spend time learning from others of the local area. The Keep is not really as defensive as it looks but does create the right atmosphere whilst being distinctive enough to draw passing mercenaries to where the Commisent might find them. In Port Miere the Keep is purposefully designed to shift wealth from the city to the rural lands as the villages protected by Mar’Eth provide rarities such as the right food to eat, water that can be drunk and lots, and lots of cheap boots. It is surprisingly effective in Port Miere where the wilds provide plenty of work for the adventurer. Indeed there are always those wise in the Mittlenacht paths and the wilds of Port Miere available for hire here, the average price to hire such is 2000 Grulls a day.

The Sunlight Called
A Grand Temple to Sunlight the shrine is a large building, equally as big as a common Guildhall and one domed in glass that captures every scrap of sunlight within the hall below so that even in the dead of night the temple is still bathed in the light of the sun. The shrine is perhaps not so holy a place as others of its kind in the accepted convention of the word, but is arguably more purposeful as it acts as a beacon across the island and even the seas, a beacon that cuts across worlds and realities.

The Port
The Port dominates not only the west quarter of the city but the whole city itself. Port Miere is the largest and most natural of harbours within the Empire the once natural bay is split by solid stone walls into smaller marinas and berths. Here the city teems with life and the hustle and bustle of commerce.

Within the Port to one side lie the remains of the old Imperial Navy, not rotten hulks which at least once a week can be seen Rivan with his crew training in ship to ship combat. Moored close by can be seen the Black Pig the clipper and fastest vessel in the small yet growing Imperial Fleet, berthed alongside sit the gaggle of Ravager Sloops and other Cutters that patrol the trade lanes and the island and make up the Imperial Fleet.

There are even the sloops reserved for the city scribes that are known to take a day of now and then and enjoy a spot of sailing.

Booming out over the port can often be heard the voice of Ma Tremens who keeps order and makes sure no one steals another’s berth. Indeed at one end of the port stands a massive speaking trumpet the size of a cart that helps make sure she is heard.

Behind the quayside the roofs of the warehouses rise and are often filled with all manner of goods from across the Empire and particular the Western coast.

Spreading around the port in a semi circle rise the stone houses of those that work around the port. The west Qtr is the most densely populated of areas in the city and houses compete against each other in the glass windows they post and the carvings, which are made during the long wet winter, that adorn the roofs.

The Raiders Hall
The Raider Hall is not a very nice place – but then it doesn’t make very nice people. Put together from the nastiest of the cities piratical types, adventurers and coastal raiders the Raider Hall facilitates the training of Helds who look to fight at sea, or to raid the coast. Such is hardly something that is done without practical hard work and the hulks of the old Imperial navy are used for the messy ship boarding and dirty fighting that such involves. Sea conflict is scrappier and almost always more lethal than that on land and in such places bad people do very well. Those who give quarter or have a weak heart will fail at sea. It is a cruel and merciless mistress – argh!

The Soaking Inn
The second largest tavern in the city behind Salts. The Soaking Inn is a large, thriving city gathering for those who want to cause a bit of mayhem, argue about boats and generally boast about events at which the speaker may, or may not, have been present. Occupying the best part of one side of a side street, the Soaking Inn is a pretty big structure and one with thick enough walls to withstand fights and block out much of the noise from the rest of the city. In many ways it becomes the first place many adventurers and spearmen head to once they get to the city.

The Light Tower
Towering above the port the Light Tower is a source of pride to every Mieren. The Light from the tower guides the sailors home as well as providing street lighting at night. The glass that helps focus the fires within was made by the Glassblowers and it is rumoured the tower does more than just guide those home from sea, but indeed can guide those lost within the Mittlenacht.

The Buccaneers Guild
As one might expect it is here on the Quayside that the guild of Sailors have built their hall. The Buccaneers, though possessed of their own strange and savage observations deep within their Hall are outwardly more flamboyant. The hall is one big mess of fighting and drinking, their wenches lean out to insult and tempt passers by and they sing songs such as ‘We are the Pirates of Port Miere – we shag your women and drink your beer’. Nonetheless, no one in the city cares. The Buccaneers were mostly brought up hereabout anyway and if ‘Bold Master Redbeard’ makes too much trouble then chances are someone’ll only go and tell his mum. And if there’s one cultural theme consistent in Port Miere it’s that it’s the Ma’s that wear the trousers.

Sloop Traders
The Sloop Traders Guildhall actually descends to the quays and takes over a good-sized chunk of them for their own private use. The city has indeed encourage such expansion. The Sloop Traders are a force to be reckoned with in the city and whilst they don’t really hold with social posturing (they’re not merchants after all) their influence over the city and, indeed, the rest of the Empire becomes widely felt. The Sloop Traders make their home in the city, and whilst they still roam for the most part and even have homes elsewhere it is Port Miere which is their home.

The Quiet Sea’s
The Fishermen of the city who pay heed to the words of Tsu-Ling are gathered into a single body. Dedicated to fishing and avoiding trouble, the Netsmen ply their trade on the high seas and keep clear of danger as shown to them through prayer and observation. The Guild itself tends to move away from the system of Guild marks, hierarchies and political contest – preferring instead to hearken to the words of their priests, such as Mar’eth

The Lingist Hallowed Temple
An impressive structure, the very pinnacle of Lingist faith the temple is not so given to the preservation of Faith that is more the more common purpose of Temples but rather to extend that influence over the nearest waters and seas. The Lingist Hallowed Temple is a delicate place of screens and pale woods, rather than the sturdy stone of more conventional Hallowed Temples. The smell of the Tranquil sea permeating every room and gentle garden.

Night Fleet
Port Miere undertook extensive work on its harbours to repair the pointing, buffer the ridges and rig secure lanterns at points along the inner wall. The mouth was dredged and using knowledge gleaned from the locals rough charts were drawn up with routes marked on them and updated at each Final Dawn. Half the cities fishing skiffs are now rigged for night work with one in ten being paid a stipend to act as beacon craft for the others. The skiffs of the night fleet may suffer more damage than normal but the city makes it clear that such repairs are the cities responsibility.


The Marsh
The North Quarter is also known as the Marsh. Due to the construction of the Master Port in the West the constant rain water has now where to run of into the sea. This caused the North Qtr to become a marsh.

The entire Quarter is built upon stilts and for that reason there is little present in this part of the city. Even the stone roads that leads into the quarter due to the design of Rivan is suspended on solid stone columns.

However that it is a marsh means that there are many interesting forms of herb that grow beneath the houses and around the foundations. Also the Marsh beds provide an excellent place to build the salts pits which aid in the preservation of food for the winter and storing of fish.


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Pants
post Mar 12 2008, 08:33 AM
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Final Dawn IM 1007


Mar'Eth married Aefel Tremens in a rather beautiful ceremony that was tended by all the people of the rural lands around Port Miere. After the ceremony the couple travelled to the Lingist Island for their honeymoon.

The curling spire of the city Stadtus Mordenkainen seemed to the epicentre of a storm over the city. The dark clouds were laced with fire and the odd noise could be heard from the skies.

Nexus arranged a mob of people to attack this tower, stating that Mordenkainen had meddled with things he should not. As the group attacked the tower, so it seemed to sucked in open itself and dissappear.

And then as the dawn approached,

The stars were falling into the ocean. A sky made dark but for the trails of dying light left behind them grew heavy with the gloom of the passing year. On the open ocean ships prayed as stars struck the sea, though rarely close to the scant boats that did not hug the coast. At length the stars thinned in the sky as they fell until none remained and the year, at last, died.

When the sun rose once more it did so upon Port Miere and the Isle a league from the harbour. It was unnoticed until sunlight caught it and then it was there, hale and whole. The sky was empty. Devoid of cloud and for perhaps the first time in the history of the city there was for the moment little promise of rain.


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- Pants

"Stop quoting laws to us, we carry swords!" Pompey the Great 82BC

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post Jun 19 2008, 03:13 PM
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Events in Port Miere ~ Martius IM 1008


A rather uneventful month for Port Miere, its luminaries somewhat concerned with other matters it would seem. “Honest” Jake Tremens was to be found on the remains of Golden Scarlene, drawn back to Primus as it had been by Nexus Bringer of Worlds. Nexus finding that anything not nailed down being “Salvaged” by Jake and his men.

It seemed to be confirmed that The Hellgate of the Ancient Folk Mordenkainen had well and truly disappeared from the city, probably fortunate for Mordenkainen given both its and his presence on the Isle had been less then welcome at the Final Dawn.

Mar’Eth Tremens, seemed ever more keen to remove the unfortunate curse that afflicted his new wife. A curse that had seen to the deaths of her previous husbands. Having had the power of his master, Tsu-Ling, suppress the curse for a time, he had been able to understand it to a greater degree and now sought the means by which it could be permanently cured.


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Pants
post Oct 24 2008, 06:03 PM
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Rising above the central square a statue of Rivan now stands. Four times the height of the much beloved Governor the statue depicts him with one foot upon a basket of fish and his arms spread wide out towards his people. Somewhat surprisingly for a coastal city the statue remains guano free.

People often come to the statue and are seen to mutter to it as if Rivan was there and listening, some say the statue even whispers back.


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- Pants

"Stop quoting laws to us, we carry swords!" Pompey the Great 82BC

VENI, VIDI, NATES CALCE CONCIDI

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post Mar 29 2009, 11:42 AM
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OOC

Anyone wanting to get in contact with the councillors of the city or raise any issues, discuss, chat then please follow the link to the below board.

http://portmiere.proboards.com/index.cgi

Many thanks,


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- Pants

"Stop quoting laws to us, we carry swords!" Pompey the Great 82BC

VENI, VIDI, NATES CALCE CONCIDI

Corrupting the youth since 1995!
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