Aabo (ˈɑːbo)

"This is the biggest city in the entire region? Really?" - a newcomer to Aabo

Aabo is the largest settlement in the Kotimaa island group. It is located on Satama Bay, on the eastern end of the island of Saari. The Kotimaa Road goes through the city, which is said to be where the road starts and ends.

The city is also the center of the worship of the god Väinädin, and headquarters of his order, the Velhot of Väinädin. The people of Aabo are quietly proud of this fact, although it is not something they often discuss with foreigners. They are convinced that Väinädin and his agents are largely, if not entirely, responsible for the continued existence of the world, and they will do whatever is necessary to support the god in his mission.

Demographics

While Aabo is the largest settlement in the Kotimaa, it is not a large city by standards further south. The total population numbers around 1,100 people, many of who are spread out across the eastern third of the island, but consider themselves Aabolainen. The majority of these are humans of the Saarelainen ethnicity, but a little over fifteen percent of the population are outlanders of one kind or another. These are almost universally affiliated with the Velhot of Väinädin in some way, and span the range of species and culture, from Mu'o'a priests to Chiyu nu Tami scholars and Tuniit warriors. Aabo also has one of the largest populations of True Mages in the entire Great Ring - only the Burj Alhikma in Tarshish has more.

Government

Aabo and the surrounding region is the shared territory of several clans, known locally as Sukuja. These are kin-based organizations who select their own leaders, usually based on age, experience, and reputation. Several times a year, the leaders of the Sukuja will gather in Aabo to convene a ting, in which decisions are made that impact the entire region. Each suku can send as many people as they like to speak or observe the ting, and each suku receives a single vote. Issues are debated, sometimes loudly, until nobody present objects to a vote - after that, the side who receives at least half of all possible votes will carry the day. Sometimes, a vote will be called that cannot pass because there is not the required quorum to present - this is usually treated as reason to stop arguing and go home, and bring it up next time.

The ting also serves as the sole court of Aabo, and hears any cases or disputes between the Sukuja. Issues that are entirely internal to a particular suku are considered to be their business alone, although if one suku is suspected of particularly heinous behavior, the others may choose to investigate and intervene. Doing so is deeply insulting to the leaders of the investigated suku, and will only be done if the issues absolutely cannot be ignored by the others.

The Velhot of Väinädin are considered an honorary suku within the government of Aabo, despite not being bound by blood or marital ties. They will always send one or more representatives to the ting, and are given all the same rights and privileges of the others. At various times, other interested parties have been extended the same rights - this most often is granted to delegations from other regions in the Kotimaa islands, but in theory could be given to anyone who convinces the ting to do so.

Districts

Aabo can be loosely divided into two regions: Sukumaa, and Satama. Sukumaa is the larger of the two, and consists of the holdings of the Sukuju, mostly farms and family compounds. These surround the smaller Satama region, which consists of the port, market square, and other structures and craftsmen not embedded within a suku. Satama is overlooked by a hillfort that each suku mans in turn, whose purpose is to respond to and repel any raiders upon the town. The fort has a bell tower, which is loud enough to carry for miles and summon the Sukuja to converge on Satama.

Most foreigners will only ever enter the Satama, and may not realize that the outlying areas are considered a part of Aabo. The busiest place in the Satama is Avoin Ovi, a large tavern and inn on the market square near the docks. The name translates as "The Open Door", and it is known to travelers in the region as being dedicated to hospitality and the comfort of their guests. This is where many of the foreign residents of Aabo will congregate, and is considered by many to be the most welcoming place north of Guith. The proprieter of Avoin Ovi is Ilmatar Väinölä, an older woman who is well-loved in Aabo, and retired from the Velhot several decades ago.

Type

City

Inhabitant Demonym

Aabolainen

Location under

Saari

Characters in Location

• Ilmatar Väinölä

Geographic Details

Location: Saari, Northeastern Region
Latitude: 60.18 degrees North
Longitude: 40.52 degrees East

Routes

Land

• Inkii: Travel west on the Kotimaa Road until you reach Inkii on the west coast of Saari. ~67 miles
• Pohjasuo: Travel northeast on the Kotimaa Road until you reach Pohjasuo on the southern tip of Ahvenan. ~140 miles

Water

• Zlotomünde: Sail east and slightly south to Zlotomünde on the southern tip of Selig. ~ 710 miles.

Bridges, Causeways, and Roads

The Kotimaa group is one of the most densely packed groups of islands in the world, a fact which has enabled to the Saarelainen to build the Kotimaa Road, a network of bridges, causeways, and roads that creates a ring around the entire archipelago. This system is one of the largest constructs in the world, and engineers from around the Great Ring travel to Aabo to study it. You can read more about the Kotimaa Road here.