Port Side District
The Port Side is also called the “Upper District” of Ishnanor. This is the visible part of the city that sits on the forested island in the middle of Elisan lake. Port Side contains a mixture of architecture from the ancient to the new. Like all the districts, Port Side is built on top of, and in many places has refurbished, ruins of the Ancient’s temple that sank here centuries before.
This mix of refurbished ancient stonework and new construction makes for a decorative combination of architecture. This is further enhanced by the influx of ideas from immigrants that choose to settle in the city.
The primary building material comes from the island itself. Some locations use the existing stones from part of the Ancient’s temple, but in many cases new material has to be made. That material would be the sand, clay water combined with the moss that grows in abundance around the island.
These oven-baked bricks are then used with wooden frames to fashion the white-tan buildings most see on arrival.
Keyhole archways are a common sight for each doorway, as are the curved domed rooftops of buildings. Larger buildings, such as the council chambers of the Trade Council or the Museum of Ancient History, have a more complex design.
The Trade Council’s building is a wide central tower surrounded by four smaller towers. They are all connected by a circular portico that surrounds the entire structure.
With the Museum of Ancient History, the design begins with a small courtyard in which stands a tall tower. A lighthouse that is lit at night. Around that is a circular portico. To the north lies the long, rectangular main building adorned with its series of sun-baked domed rooftops that look almost copper-yellow in the sunlight.
A Mix of Trade And Craft
This district manages the trade with other cities, ship repair, resupply and more. Another nickname is the “sailor’s quarter”, much to the dismay of the merhorse ranchers that call this district home as well. Merhorse ranches are also in this district on its western side. These unique locations are indeed ranches where locals raise and train merhorses, also known as dire sea-horses, for use.
Main ranch houses are sprawling houseboats attached to buoy-nets that mark off the corrals. Houseboat barns provide shelter from weather for the merhorses and to store tack, bridle and other tools. These brightly colored houseboats with their underwater stalls make for a splash of color for visitors to the city.
Last are the bog islands. These are located toward the northeast side of the Port Side island district. These are thick layers of peat, bog and floating vines that form sturdy islands that string out toward the marshlands at the shore.
Beneath each bog island are lily pads that have grown to enormous size and are the support for the tiny plots of land. The roots of the plant provide a firm anchor for the island, keeping it in place. A study of the plant shows that it isn’t a traditional lily pad but some form of sea grass that has adapted to life in the lake and its unusual water.
Bog islands are tethered to the southwest side of Ishnanor. This thick layer of peat, bog and more floats atop the surface of the lake in a series of small islands. They are, in fact, resting atop a collection of root-like vines that extend down into the lake bottom. The supporting moss that forms the basis of the entire structure is a species of freshwater kelp that has adapted to the mineral-rich and unusually warm waters of the lake.
Locals maintain farms on the floating bog islands. To prevent a trade imbalance of one family or group having control over one of the primary sources of produce in the area, the city itself owns the land, renting out the property to be farmed. The soil consistency of the bog island is best suited for citrus fruits and vine vegetables.
Seat of Government
Port Side holds one more distinction above the other districts. Dignitaries of the Ishnanor Trade Council meet here to discuss city policy, procedure and other matters that pertain to the needs of the city.
The council chambers themselves reside in the center of the district. It is the tallest structure in the district, and the most protected. The foundation and lower chambers of the structure are a refurbished section of the Ancient's temple.
Shaped similar to a compass, the main tower holds the actual council dliberation chambers. The four smaller towers that surround the central one are for staff and other supporting activities.
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