Difference between revisions of "Vatamu, Primary port town of the Imperial City"

Revision as of 18:18, 16 October 2012

Imperial Harbour

A massive set of docks juts into the sea from Vatamu, stone quays with marble tiling and mosaics of entwining dragons and peoples from across Creation bowing before the Scarlet Empress. The Imperial Harbour is not a base for any of the Imperial Navy fleets, nor does it contain any shipyards, but it is always busy, merchant vessels sailing in to disgorge passengers and cargos from the length and breadth of Creation. Vatamu itself doesnt host much of this for long, for the focus of all is several miles inland along the Wood Dragon Road: the Imperial City.

The Imperial Harbour is large enough to itself be divided into a series of districts.

-- Skillful Fisher Quays: A number of quays stretching out to support local fishing vessels who bring their catches in direct from the sea. Stalls along the quays and shore here, and hawkers working direct from the decks of their boats, form the River Dragon Market, where seafood is bought and sold before being transported in to the Imperial City.

-- Invincible Navy Quays: A fortified set of docks at the north end of the Harbour, the Navy Quays serve as a supply port for Imperial Navy patrols in the area, though they are little used: due to the power of the Citadel, the Realm does not WANT to engage enemy ships with their own vessels off Vatamu, it is much simpler to let the foe approach and obliterate them utterly with an unstoppable beam of lightning.

-- Dutiful Ambassador Quays: A set of docks and piers for foreign visitors and dignitaries.

-- Grovelling Trader Quays: Between the Navy Quays and the Ambassador Quays, these piers and docks are one of only five port facilities where Guild ships are allowed to dock on the Blessed Isle. The Quays are heavily patrolled.

-- Swift Ferryman Quays: Small group of quays providing docks for dedicated passenger vessels.

-- Glorious Dragon Quays: Small group of quays providing berths for the pleasure yachts and personal ships of the Dynasty.

-- Enterprising Merchant Quays: The largest set of quays, these serve as berths for trade vessels and transports shipping goods to the Scarlet Prefecture. A large number of the Realm’s merchant marine vessels call these Quays home.

Glittering Citadel

Massive fortress overlooking the harbour at Vatamu. Headquarters of the 2nd Imperial Legion. The Glittering Citadel is a an air-aspected manse of extreme power, whose potency is known to military minds across the Isle, and the Scavenger Lands as well. Its towering main gate houses a mechanism beyond the savants of the present age, which causes the anima of any Exalt passing through to project out in a massive display above the gate... no known method of stealth, mundane or magical, can subvert this security mechanism.

The Glittering Citadel is also known for its massive Lightning Lense, which focuses a huge bolt of electricity against targets across the length of the Imperial River bay. As the Threshold states well know, any fleet to approach the Blessed Isle close to Vatamu would be torn asunder by the blasts of this mighty weapon.

Hall of Just Rule

White marble building housing Vatamu's bureaucrats and mayor, as well as guest quarters for visiting officials (usually Assessors or Magistrates).

Officer's Purlieus

Officer's Purlieus is a small, quiet, walled neighborhood. Merchants and people of rank who wish to be near their ships have their large homes here. There are also clubs and bars that

cater to the tastes of the people who live here.

Sailors Ghetto

The Sailors Ghetto is a noisy neighborhood filled with the life of commerce and trade. The Wood Dragon Road is the main road that runs from the docks to the gates of the Imperial City. As the name suggests, sailors and their families have thier homes here, as well as dock workers and other people of low social status.

Wandering Guide's Charts & Advice

Wandering Guide's shop is a white-washed stucco cottage near the brackish shores of Vatamu. Inside, the shopper can find all the tools of marine navigation, lovingly displayed in velvet boxes or (in the case of maps and charts) carefully stowed in special flat, well organised shelves. Wondering Guide is an elderly woman with a peg leg. She has a grandmotherly aire and loves to tell stories of the sea. It quickly becomes clear that she has lead a rough life of high adventure and that her only regret is that she is no longer fit to go to sea. Her knowledge of the seas of Creation is extensive, and if a sailor is willing to spend some time with her and alieviate her lonelyness with chatter she'll tell him anything he wants to know. She clams up in the presence of young Dynasts, though. She doesn't trust them, and has seen too many good sailors die because their commander was inexperienced. If she takes a liking to you, expect her to offer to read your stars for you. She's an accomplished, if unliscened astrologer. She never accepts money for this service and, naturally doesn't like to have it mentioned.