Brinesariqua

Days of travel through the forests and you finally come to one of the last settled towns. Brinesariqua at the edge of the brineswamp.  You smell it well before you come to the small stone town hunched on it's hill with a "harbor" in the swamp for the longboats used to fish and travel.  Salts line the whole edge of the swamp and much of the stalks of any plant that can live in it. The posts of the docks are thick with it.  The days are cold even in the summer sun and the bugs will kill and eat you before any other hazard.  Winters freeze to the bone.  And the town lives on it's salts, soda, and potash.  Grubby poor miners and poor peasant farmers or woodsmen. The weapons and armor of the guards are dented, notched and battered, but well maintained and clearly in use frequently. Across the valley of the swamp there are small settlements in protected valleys  of the Salt Spires.  Atop the mountains are supposedly the homes of the local Gods, while the wooded slopes are hunted by demon Rakshasa and things from the Blight to the north.
This place is a living hell.

- Tzoum Hou, Imperial surveyor  1394 Imperial.

Demographics

The town is about 50% humans of Olien and Esereti type backgrounds predominantly, some mountain folk and other local tribes mixed in.  Centaurs and Minotaurs make up about 30%.  Elves, gnomes, trolls and other Fae races make up the rest with only a few strange additions of others - mostly monster races, mostly kept as slave labor.

Government

The Associates of the Trade Council make up the governing body. Every 5 years the different associations select their Associates for the council. Rules are made by the Associates and pass on 5 or more agreeing.  The Associates contract the Guard, though the wealthy and the Associations may have private guards.

• Miners:  They meet and have a series of votes casting stones of (one) Black or (several) White to select a final candidate. Candidates announce themselves, make a case for their election and then stand while stones are dropped in their buckets by miners.  The one with the most black stones is the winner.
• Harvesters: farmers, trappers and hunters. They have an election like the Miners.
• Stoneworkers: The guild only selects from Master members in a vote amongst the Masters.
• Woodworkers: The Woodworkers have a vote of Masters by Masters and journeymen.
• Tradesworkers: The trades chose by wealth.  Candidates pay eachother for votes. Frequently it is the wealthiest individual who becomes the Associate.  Sometimes it is someone chosen by the wealthiest.
• Brokers Union: Each broker is independent and the Union is only a formal registry that keeps out foreigners and outsiders. The Union selects it's associate by a round of nomination - you can't nominate yourself- and then votes. Before this happens there are bribes, extortion, threats and deal making to secure nominations and votes.
• Clerks:  these are the employees and small officials- all the keepers of records and accounts, the vote counters and weight checkers.  They place everyone's names on clay disks and draw one out to be the Associate.

Industry & Trade

The town is a frontier town. It depends on the fish of the Brineswamp, the lumber, the herds of the grasslands, small farms and the extensive furs, salts, Natrom, trona, soda, potash and occasional amber. Clerks and trades keep the Brokers in check and assure true measures.  Theft by cheating is a serious crime - worse that outright theft.

Trade travels primarily over the western pass to Sino'anluma and south to Minhyr.  The village of Ylatmelsa, somehow survives it's proximity to the Blight and offers routes to the Free Olian City of Ligloy and some 800 miles to the isolated city state of Queloraurarore- ruled by a Dragon (or Dragons) for millenia.

Infrastructure

There are several fresh water public wells. A basic sewer system drains down the hill into the salt marsh.

Guilds and Factions

The Associations expect registration of anyone new who wishes to be counted.  Uncounted persons are residents and afforded rights and protections, but only Association members are involved in the selecting of Associates.  Associations also look out for registered members.

History

The Brineswamp has long been a source of soda ash from plant combustion. The mines started approximately 6258 Taurien. Miners worked their mines then made the lengthy trip to the cities to the south. An Inn was established in 6263 and by 6267 brokers had established businesses buying the mined Natrum and soda ash and transporting bulk quantities. They then brought in finished goods, comforts and luxuries.   The Brokers fought amongst themselves, hiring guards and bandits, even going to thugs to burn out competition. The increased business and revenue brought builders, and older miners settled into fishing and farming. The Innkeep, Zhera- a rough Goblin and her husband, Skrom brought in Trolls sworn to keep the peace and Minotaurs seeking glory. They persuaded, some say threatened and beat, the brokers to abide by a set of rules and abide by a Centaur governing style in 6271. No kings. No nobles. In Brinesariqua all would be equal before the law and the Associations which the people were members of.

Tourism

The closest thing to tourism in Brinesariqua are adventurers out to challenge the Salt Spires 140 miles (225km) to the east or the Blight region of unstable Fissures and demonic and undead invasion that occur there.  The Blight is approximately 120 miles ( 193km) north and east.

Architecture

Stone is a primary material, though the south and west is timber.  North is grassland and taiga. East is flat brineswamp.  Whitewash is common, though it is supplemented with colorful paints.  Centaur powered mills grind stone, grain and cut lumber.

Founding Date

6363 Taurien

Type

Town