Breakwater Crossing
"I love it here. Wait long enough, and anything you're looking for will find you. Of course, it won't always be cheap..."In the lands of Helenic, traders use whatever roads they can find which are both reliable and protected. Smugglers have to rely on roads which are far more treacherous, where few would brave the dangers. Where two of these different routes intersect, there are often small settlements which spring up around opportunities to get rich quickly. One such location exists on the Broken River, where it meets the Old Alishan Way: Breakwater Crossing. On either side of the river, various buildings have sprung up to support traders of all sorts of goods. A trio of bridges offer ways to cross, allowing multiple trading caravans to travel across the river even on busy days.
Modern travelers can find a flourishing trading town, which has a fine selection of permanent structures as well as temporary ones from trading caravans passing through. These caravans tend to come through many established routes in the region, acquiring curiosities and magical goods which potentially can yield considerable profits when traded.
The trading post has also attracted the attention of adventurers as a base of operations, since it has a constantly-changing offering of goods and often a number of interesting tales being shared from caravans traveling through. Many various larger groups have pooled their resources and created the "Allied Adventurers' Guild" to be based out of Breakwater Crossing, attempting to offer more security and guidance to adventurers who haven't yet determined their paths yet.
History
Some decades ago, two trading companies were independently looking to establish a trading post in Helenic. The Copper Coffers were a mostly-legitimate venture seeking to sell mysterious artifacts from Helenic inside the Rhyliss Empire, and bringing back Empire-made goods which were not readily available in Myrisic cities. Their goal was to find a safer route they could use to travel from Sanguine to Liris. And so they dispatched scouts to begin looking for something suitable. At the same time, Broken River Shipping was finding it harder to hide their business of smuggling artifacts or other goods considered contraband within the Empire. The Broken River was a dangerous path to use, as it was prone to having weather affect how easy it was to travel. During the spring and winter, it became rather difficult to safely traverse its rapids and turns. A route overland would be more useful, especially if it allowed them to continue using the river route selectively.
Both companies found the Old Alishan Way suited their needs, and the local towns along the route were already of interest. There were already other companies using Aurora Bay as a route, or avoiding the Broken Spine Mountains by routing the caravans through the major city of Northrun. The place known as "Breakwater Gorge" was readily defensible with enough effort put into establishing gates and skilled teams who could handle attacks on the settlement. Below, the river was at one of the calmer parts, and it was possible to construct a stop there for those using the river to travel. Together, the two companies began assigning funds to the venture, and thus "Breakwater Crossing" began.
Since then, the trading post has experienced a considerable boom in business. It has gone from a guarded ancient bridge to a small town with several bridges and buildings. Permanent businesses have set up locations to cater to travelers, or to act as resellers taking advantage of the travelers moving through. Adventurers came to realize the location allowed easier access across the mountains, and lacked many of the "restrictive" policies which Northrun enforced along the northern roads. Thus morally-flexible adventurers began to use the trading post as a gathering point, all but taking over one of the local taverns for their own use. Five years ago, the seasoned adventurer Carver Cladwell used his clout and money to transform the venue into "The Guildhall", a club which welcomes adventurers and a point of contact for those who are often traveling the region. In the process of doing this, his friend Ledaara Brimstone organized the various bands patronizing the club into a loose alliance. Thus began the "Allied Adventurers' Guild", and giving adventurers some sort of official home proved to be both a boon and a detriment to the local area in recent years. The Broken River Trading Company and Copper Coffers both have managed to profit handsomely off Breakwater Crossing, and spent some of that wealth to entice local towns and cities to invest in protection along the road to continue to have caravans choose this route over others. Most have grudgingly agreed it is very good for business, and thus good for the residents who live in the region's towns.
Both companies found the Old Alishan Way suited their needs, and the local towns along the route were already of interest. There were already other companies using Aurora Bay as a route, or avoiding the Broken Spine Mountains by routing the caravans through the major city of Northrun. The place known as "Breakwater Gorge" was readily defensible with enough effort put into establishing gates and skilled teams who could handle attacks on the settlement. Below, the river was at one of the calmer parts, and it was possible to construct a stop there for those using the river to travel. Together, the two companies began assigning funds to the venture, and thus "Breakwater Crossing" began.
Since then, the trading post has experienced a considerable boom in business. It has gone from a guarded ancient bridge to a small town with several bridges and buildings. Permanent businesses have set up locations to cater to travelers, or to act as resellers taking advantage of the travelers moving through. Adventurers came to realize the location allowed easier access across the mountains, and lacked many of the "restrictive" policies which Northrun enforced along the northern roads. Thus morally-flexible adventurers began to use the trading post as a gathering point, all but taking over one of the local taverns for their own use. Five years ago, the seasoned adventurer Carver Cladwell used his clout and money to transform the venue into "The Guildhall", a club which welcomes adventurers and a point of contact for those who are often traveling the region. In the process of doing this, his friend Ledaara Brimstone organized the various bands patronizing the club into a loose alliance. Thus began the "Allied Adventurers' Guild", and giving adventurers some sort of official home proved to be both a boon and a detriment to the local area in recent years. The Broken River Trading Company and Copper Coffers both have managed to profit handsomely off Breakwater Crossing, and spent some of that wealth to entice local towns and cities to invest in protection along the road to continue to have caravans choose this route over others. Most have grudgingly agreed it is very good for business, and thus good for the residents who live in the region's towns.
What The River and Road Bring
Alternative Name(s)
Breakwater Gorge (Previous)
The Crossing (Locals)
Rats' Nest (Derogatory)
The Crossing (Locals)
Rats' Nest (Derogatory)
Type
Trade post
Location under
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