Eusa
He pulled the woolen cloak closer as he forced his way across the rope bridge, the harsh wind and snow cutting into his face. His fingers ached from the cold, but his journey was almost complete. Below him, the lights of town glittered, dozens of points of orange light flickering through the falling snow. Beyond it, he could make out the dark outlines of the ships in the harbor. His salvation waited there in the cold waters, a fishing boat that had agreed to smuggle him to Brest. Once there, he would be safe and able to tell someone, anyone of what he had found. Only a short distance remained.
The large, drumlike keep loomed above him, his journey concealed by the falling snow of the cold night. It stood, ominous and silent guardian of the colony. Perhaps Guardian was the incorrect word, he pondered as he trudged on. Warden perhaps? The big Formorian held the power there, no refuge to be found within its silent stone shell.
He turned, entering the graveyard of the small church. No one would be there at this time and this weather. It would be safer than passing the doors of the Keep. Silently, he crept among the tombstones of his fallen compatriots, killed in the mines or by Dardot. If he could reach the mainland, they would be able to rest. Just a bit further.
His blood froze as a shadow emerged behind a large marker, a dark form taking shape from the storm.
"Horrid day for a walk." Dardot snarled, his rotting teeth showing through his malevolent smile. He had something in his hand, but it was too dark to see. "I heard you were trying to leave our little slice of paradise. You'll reconsider of course. This ain't no weather to be out in. Why earlier today, a sailor on a fishing boat went and slid on an icy patch."
Dardot tossed the object at the traveler's feet. The man looked on in horror at the decapitated head of the sailor he had arranged to take him off Eusa. Dardot laughed at his obvious dismay and revulsion. "It was a very icy patch."
"Please." the man pleaded "I just wanted to go home. I... I won't tell anyone, I swear!"
"How considerate." Dardot sneered, drawing a large knife "Coming to the Graves on your own. Undertaker will be glad he doesn't need to drag your corpse up the Highroad..."
Demographics
The majority of the population of this island colony are human, with around 1/3 being Milliget or Boermerzh, their talents welcome in the mines. The Korrigan make up a sizeable portion of the remaining population, followed by small groups of Sidhe and Formorians.
The majority of the population (65%) is male. However, many are absent from the island for long stretches of time as they ply their trade on the seas, and control of the island largely falls to the female population. So important are the women of Eusa, that upon marriage, they retain their maiden name, with the men often taking that name as well.
Miners and sailors make up the primary occupations, followed by traders, smiths and soldiers.
Government
The reality of governance on Eusa is complicated. Officially, it is part of the Viscounty of Léon (and by extension, the Duchy of Breizh ), and answers to feudal authority. However, the Viscount has little power over the island, and the Duke even less so. The Lord of Eusa is their representative, residing in a simple round keep in the center of town. Currently, the position is fill by Lady Margot of Morlaix, a timid and weak-willed noblewoman. For the most part, she follows the directions of the other political powers without question.
More directly, the colony is owned and operated by the Merchantmen, who control all legal imports and exports, as well as all mineral rights by royal decree. This economic control gives the Guild a great deal of power, exercised via sub-unions of like-skilled tradesmen and control over the payroll. The Guild's representative is the dour and gout-ridden Herve Clubfoot, a veteran Merchantman who easily dominates Lady Margot with his presence.
The real power lies in Herve's right-hand man, Dardot, head of the Mining Guild. This half-Formorian Norman is twice the size of anyone else in a leadership position and has a commanding physical presence. Dardot runs Eusa as a criminal syndicate, extorting protection money, paying bribes and organizing smuggling. It is not uncommon for his enemies to be found dead in the rocky surf or in the back alleys of the town. With a sizeable army of enforcers, Dardot enacts the law as he sees fits. Trial by Ordeal is his preferred method of "justice", largely an excuse to watch or participate in a fight to the death. He is in charge of collecting taxes and "fees", which vary greatly, with only a small portion ending up in the coffers of the Merchantmen or Leon.
Defences
The town is protected by a wooden palisade built townside on the Harbour Road, with 3 wooden watchtowers build along its length. The stone round keep sits in the center of town with a heavy door, its crenelated roof posted with crossbow-armed watchmen. Several buildings, such as the Merchantmen headquarters, are fortified manor houses with small stone walls and iron gates enclosing the complex. A militia of locals serves as the main garrison.
Industry & Trade
Mining is the primary industry on the island, done by a small army of milliget, Formorian and Korrigan workers. Work is dangerous and fatalities as a result of cave-ins, iron exposure and suffocation are common.
Sheep and horses are raised on the island, known for their dwarfism.
The island is home to black bees, which produce some of the finest quality honey in the world.
Infrastructure
Eusa has two roads of note. The Harbor Road runs parallel to the docks, an arc dividing the harbour from the main town and running generally North-South. The Highroad cuts through town, running East-West from the Harbor Road to the Keep and into the mountain where the mines are located.
Several mines are found along the High Road, ranging from open pits in the lower elevations to shaft mines further up. The Great Forge, where the mined materials are processed, marks the Western boundary of the settlement, after which only the mining camps are found. The High Road crosses several chasms and fissures with a network of rope-bridges and magic-blasted tunnels.
Assets
The island possesses vast stores of processed and unprocessed ores, freshly extracted from the mountain mines. Generally, the island has stores to last for the better part of a Sidhe Rule (Summerrule/Winterrule), and can supplement this by fishing the nearby seas. The stores are distributed at the total whim of Dardot. The smuggling scheme and rampant corruption has made Herve, Dardot and their lieutenants very wealthy, which has not been the same for the average miner, struggling with backbreaking labour for a pittance.
Guilds and Factions
The Merchantmen and their associated guilds dominate the island, with royal power a mere formality. Dardot's mining guild is the most active and powerful of these groups, followed by the Korrigan Deepknocker Company. The Deepknockers rarely involve themselves in the politics of the town, instead focusing on their mining.
History
Around 10 years ago (1029 SI), there was a great rumbling beneath the Mor Bras. A great mountain emerged from the sea, sending out a great wave that swamped nearby boats and brought destruction along The Armorican Peninsula.
An expedition was launched from Brest, the skyship Golden Dawn embarking to explore the mysterious new mountain island. Despite hardships, the mission was a success, reporting great veins of ore in the face of the mountain.
The Merchantmen, together with a Kriores Korrigan Troupe, the Deepknocker Company, launched a mining expedition, establishing the colony. Within a few years, the colony reached its current state.
Architecture
The town is made of simple, low houses, built to withstand the snows and winds of Eusa. Fire is a major concern, as it would spread quickly throughout the wooden houses, effectively dooming the entire colony. Even in the most crowded area, buildings are at least several meters apart, following the road and alleys ways up the hill.
The waterfront is the exception, marked by 2 or 3 story buildings of inns, shops and upper-class merchant housing. These half-timbered structures line Harbor Road.
A circular, 5-story stone keep is located atop the hill along Highroad, its crenelated and machiolated cap dominating the surrounding area. Beyond that, a simple stone church with a single steeple marks the highest point in town. The Deacon maintains a small, but well built, cottage nearby. A large cemetery surrounds the church, headstones and monuments erratically placed in the rocky soil.
Geography
Eusa is a rocky island in the Mor Bras, the Westernmost point of the Duchy of Letha and The Armorican Peninsula. It is located, separated by a chain of smaller islands, off the Plateau de Leon.
A rocky and isolated island bereft of trees, Eusa is constantly battered by strong ocean winds, especially in the unforgiving winters, where it becomes surrounded by icebergs drifting in from the north, and heavy blizzards that cover the island in snow. The island, and those nearby, are surrounded by treacherous reefs that have claimed many ships.
The bay is roughly crescent-shaped, a patch of gravel beach between two rocky capes. A gently sloping hill rises from sea-level to the church at the top of town, followed by a steep increase in altitude as the mountain begins.
The hilly interior is bare and rocky, marked by three peaks. Steep walls, large fissures and frequent caves are found within it, and it still has not been well charted. A violent, black wind blows from the North, making the highest peak inhospitable.
Natural Resources
The island's large deposits of ores are its primary resource. Large fish banks can be found nearby, supplementing the population's diet.
Alternative Name(s)
Ushant, Farisle
Type
Outpost / Base
Population
~1000
Inhabitant Demonym
Eusaed
Location under
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