North Averland
The settlement of North Averland is the first foray of the Averum Republic into the islands of the Great Maw. It is a trade outpost towards the western edge of the Posuidete Archipelago, founded during the year 1482.
Demographics
Species
Humans are most common, making up most of the colonist population and are mainly native Averis. Most non-humans are skilled workers, artisans or scholars on paid commissions to work there.- Humans - 64%
- Dwarves - 10%
- Elves - 9%
- Half elves - 7%
- Dragonborn - 4%
- Half orcs - 4%
- Tieflings - 2%
Professions
Most people working in North Averland seek to service the revolving door of visitors coming through, or cater to the needs of the island. At any given time, anywhere from 100 to 500 sailors can be found throughout the outpost. Innkeepers (and their support staff), hunters, fishermen, brewers and trackers are the most common, acting as the backbone of the community by providing food and shelter. Shipwrights and carpenters provide similarly important roles, though are less numerous. Miners and lumberjacks are another group of similar importance. Blacksmiths, armorers, fletchers and leatherworkers are limited in number, with most living in the outpost on paid commissions or sponsored placements.Government
The colony falls was created by the Averum Republic and is administered by it. An appointed mayor oversees day-to-day operation and resolves all disputes between residents of North Averland.
Law
In most instances, North Averland uses the same laws as found in Averum. Notable exceptions to this law include; lack of magic item restriction, more stringent vetting of foreign vessels and a more direct judicial body. An important element of the law in North Averland is how laws extend to the Averum Republic. All assets and revenue of the outpost is considered property of the Averum Republic, with all crimes perpetrated against the Republic being considered valid reason for imprisonment in the City of Two Coasts.Taxes
The settlement collects a fee from any ship docking at the outpost, which is the main source of income for the settlement. It exists at an important connection between the Posuidete Archipelago and the coastline of Southeast Skortenia, being a way-station for ships moving towards either region. Residents of the outpost are also required to pay a settling fee, however can also gain sponsorship from the Averum Republic and have their fees waved, which is particularly common among skilled craftsmen.Defences
A pair of 30 foot-high wooden towers on either end of the harbour watch over the surrounding waters and onto its shoreline.
A 12 foot-high palisade wall runs around the settlement roughly 60 foot from its edge, with a pair of gates providing land-based exit and entry. Near the gates is a thin walkway roughly 3 foot wide with ladders used to scale them. The walls were made using wood from the island.
Industry & Trade
Most manufacturing is done in support of trading vessels docked in the harbor. Virtually all manufacturing within North Averland is done in part to support the various ships visiting the outpost. Some businesses are more closely tied to shipping than others, while those with looser affiliations having other means of getting by. Among the most closely defined are carpenters, cartographers, chandleries, cooperages, shipyards, smokehouses, tailors and woodcutters.
Many inhabitants work in or otherwise support businesses that provide food or lodging to ships docked in the port. This mainly includes boarding houses, butcheries, feast-halls, fishing shacks, hostels or inns.
While not as common; armorers, breweries, fletchers, herbalists, smithies, stoneworkers, tanneries, weavers are also present. These tend towards providing services to the community and have a small role in the support of passing ships.
Trade
Due to its central location between the Posuidete Archipelago, the Rokall Strait, the Merchant Coast, the Great Maw and the Damaran Coast, the outpost recieves a heavy flow of traffic from merchant leagues originating in these locations. In particular, the Crossmaw and the Sisterly Rokall merchant leagues of the Rokall Straight and the Great Maw respectively frequent the outpost when performing trades with one another. North Averland often acts as a drop-off point in this capacity. When a deal is struck between merchant vessels, the exporting vessel will drop its cargo off in the outpost and receive an agreed fee when doing so. An import vessel then collects these goods in the near future from the outpost and pays the agreed fee to the mayor of North Averland. These vessels almost always take some cargo when arriving or exiting, normally sold to them by the mayor of the outpost themself.Infrastructure
Most infrastructure of North Averland is funded by the Averum Republic, or at the very least administered by its representatives of the colony. The most notable projects are the North Averland Shipyard and the Gosselheim Center.
Guilds and Factions
Being the organization responsible for the outposts creation and continued existence, the Averum Republic is also its most important faction. Important public positions are directly affiliated with the government of the Averum Republic, providing reports to an official located in Averum. In addition to this, two societies; the People for the Discussion of Language and Culture and the Travellers and Adventurers Society of Averum assisted in the founding and established a presence here.
Two dwarf clans; Kethsail and Vosdrukar voyaged to the outpost late in 1482 AS via dwarven sailing techniques and underground travel.
The elven House Aetheraal and the human houses, House Tshianza and House Fullaeki established small presences during the first wave of sponsored placements in the outpost during Eleint of 1482 AS.
The Ropenecks, a smuggling ring based around Annachs Sea have a small presence in the outpost.
History
In 1475 AS, Neudaugstad was landed upon by the explorer Tshala Plunthar. Her return and report to Averum in 1477 AS, in combination with the map made by her gnomish cartographer, Quogim Scribblenap, on the islands of Gilded Bridgewater. Neudaugstad was chosen to make an established outpost.
In 1481 AS, initial construction started and was finished in 1482 AS. In Flamerule 1482 DR, the first sponsored set of positions on North Averland was announced, with the chosen individuals being taken to the island in Eleint of the same year.
Tourism
Two main types of tourists exist: sailors or merchants on shore leave and travelers, adventurers or explorers staying in the outpost while moving towards Posuidete proper.
Architecture
Most buildings are made using a mixture of deep olive-orange wood and grey-brown tiles. Wood is the main structural component, with clay tiles being most common for roofing. These structures are normally single storied and built to withstand strong winds, rains and manage heat effectively.
Many residents were originally from Averum and tend to place minor displays of their affiliations from Averum around the outside of their homes, such as symbols from organisations they belonged to or the ward they grew up in.
Geography
Gilded Bridgewater receives uncharacteristically warm temperatures in comparison to places at similar latitudes as a result of ocean currents. It is encircled by a forest on top of a gradually steepening incline. The outpost itself is built on a relatively flat plain whereby the forest was cleared to make way for initial construction. A 10 foot gap between the wall and the treeline is present around much of the perimeter.
Water is brought in by ship, or collected from a number of small rivers, ponds and lakes found further into the island.
Founding Date
1482
Alternative Name(s)
Shitepost, New Averum
Type
Trade post
Population
556
Inhabitant Demonym
North Averlander, Island-Averi
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments