Amethyst Cove
Across most of Cartyrion, the only time the word "haven" is used when speaking about the Kingdom of Tyrnabay is when the land is referred to as a "haven for pirates, criminals, brigands, and every sort of scum imaginable". But there are places in the Kingdom where the term "haven" can be applied in more genteel fashion, and the most notable of these is the port city of Amethyst Cove.
Thanks to the protection of the Waking Delve, Amethyst Cove avoided the destruction wrought by the Great Strife. Even as the god-war drew to a close and the failing armies of the The Gods of Coercion were pushed back through the lands that would become Tyrnabay, Amethyst Cove managed to avoid being affected.
With the god-war over, the city at first tried to keep the refugees of the losing side out, but a few trickled in over the years. When the Kingdom of Tyrnabay declared its formation in , the Dwarves of Amethyst Cove declared themselves a free and independent city under the protection of the Waking Delve. slowly, over a thousand year's time, enough found themselves accepted until today, the non-Dwarven population exceeds that of the city's founding Folk. At the time the Kingdom of Tyrnabay declared itself to exist in the year 465CR, the still dominant Dwarves declared Amethyst Cove an independent, sovereign city under the protection of the Waking Delve.
Three hundred years later, however, the population of non-Dwarven folk had grown to outnumber the Dwarves, and when the question of annexation into the kingdom was raised again, it was, this time, accepted -- but accepted with conditions.
Settlement Name
Amethyst Cove
Nicknames
Second Chance Cove, Last Chance Cove
First Settlement: New Year Holiday, 4372BCR
Annexed by Tyrnabay: Midyear Day, 735CR
Population
approx. 12,500
Dwarf: 40%
Human: 15%
Halfling: 10%
Gnome: 10%
Orc: 10%
Felisean: 8%
Other (Elf, various Hybrids, Goblin, Kobold, Taxlatl, Chittiki, Awkwana): 7%
To avoid this, the city offered to allow itself to be Annexed only if a Charter Document of their creation was signed by the Tyrnabay King. This Charter declared the city to be a peaceful haven and safe port for any and all vessels. It would govern itself, and not be subject to the nobility of the Kingdom. It would be defended by Dwarven units from the Waking Delve, and not by Tyrnabay militias. In return, it would pay taxes to the Kingdom. In the event of a declared war, it would contribute its fleet and an appropriate force of its citizens to the war efforts.
Many in Tyrnabay considered the terms outlandish, but the Kingdom needed the tax income, and there was still great fear among the descendents of the losers of the god-war about facing the wrath of the Dwarves from the Waking Delve. And so the charter was signed and Amethyst Cove became an official part of the Kingdom of Tyrnabay.
The city itself is prosperous because of this trade, and the residents of the city have ample opportunity to share this wealth. Apart from the unavoidable tavern brawls, street crime is virtually non-existant because it is not tolerated by the Dwarves of the City Watch. It has become a destination for "good" folk all across Cartyrion who are fleeing from some trouble or persecution, for all are welcome in the city as long as they behave. The Charter makes it clear that Amethyst Cove will not hold sins of the past against anyone seeking asylum within its borders. It has no extradition agreements with any other power - not even with the rest of Tyrnabay. For this reason, the city is sometimes called "Second Chance Cove", or "Last Chance Cove" - especially by those who flee there hoping to put a past life of misdeed behind them.
Miscreants who occasionally surface - including the occasional proponent of tearing up the Charter and "embracing the rest of Tyrnabay" are quickly and quietly taken out of circulation. It is well known within Amethyst Cove, there are no jails or prisons. Those who do not exhibit "good behavior" simply disappear. Some are shipped out and unceremoniously dumped, perhaps in a far-off, hostile port, or perhaps on some desolate shore. Most folk believe they are taken to the dungeons deep within the Waking Delve, never to be heard from again, and for most of the Folk, the prospect of toiling in the mines and never seeing the sun again is an adequate deterrent to bad behavior.
In short, Amethyst Cove is both a safe haven in Tyrnabay, and a safe haven from Tyrnabay.
History
The settlement of Amethyst Cove predates the Kingdom of Tyrnabay by millenia. It was originally founded by the Dwarves of the nearby Waking Delve to serve as a home port for the Seafarer Dwarves that descended from Dwarves of the Waking Delve. As Dwarven population grew over the years, the Seafarer subculture expanded as well, with seaports being established near every one of the Delves. These ports kept communication lines open among the Dwarves, allowing them to retain cultural bonds despite the distances beween their under-mountain strongholds.Thanks to the protection of the Waking Delve, Amethyst Cove avoided the destruction wrought by the Great Strife. Even as the god-war drew to a close and the failing armies of the The Gods of Coercion were pushed back through the lands that would become Tyrnabay, Amethyst Cove managed to avoid being affected.
With the god-war over, the city at first tried to keep the refugees of the losing side out, but a few trickled in over the years. When the Kingdom of Tyrnabay declared its formation in , the Dwarves of Amethyst Cove declared themselves a free and independent city under the protection of the Waking Delve. slowly, over a thousand year's time, enough found themselves accepted until today, the non-Dwarven population exceeds that of the city's founding Folk. At the time the Kingdom of Tyrnabay declared itself to exist in the year 465CR, the still dominant Dwarves declared Amethyst Cove an independent, sovereign city under the protection of the Waking Delve.
Three hundred years later, however, the population of non-Dwarven folk had grown to outnumber the Dwarves, and when the question of annexation into the kingdom was raised again, it was, this time, accepted -- but accepted with conditions.
Founding Dates
Demographics
The Amethyst Cove Charter
The people of Amethyst Cove - Dwarven and non-Dwarven alike - were proud of their city. It was peaceful and calm, much like the waters of the natural harbor protecting it from the Great Sea. To its residents, just as the harbor cove offered protection from the storms and turmoil of the Great Sea beyond, so did the city itself offer protection from the political turmoils, skirmishes, trade wars, and court intrigue of the Kingdom beyond. The Kingdom's other major ports of Mist Bay and Wolf's Bay were raucous and violent; ruled as much by the independent pirate gangs as by the nobility of the kingdom. Desolation Point, controlled by its nearby mercenery camp, was no better.To avoid this, the city offered to allow itself to be Annexed only if a Charter Document of their creation was signed by the Tyrnabay King. This Charter declared the city to be a peaceful haven and safe port for any and all vessels. It would govern itself, and not be subject to the nobility of the Kingdom. It would be defended by Dwarven units from the Waking Delve, and not by Tyrnabay militias. In return, it would pay taxes to the Kingdom. In the event of a declared war, it would contribute its fleet and an appropriate force of its citizens to the war efforts.
Many in Tyrnabay considered the terms outlandish, but the Kingdom needed the tax income, and there was still great fear among the descendents of the losers of the god-war about facing the wrath of the Dwarves from the Waking Delve. And so the charter was signed and Amethyst Cove became an official part of the Kingdom of Tyrnabay.
Amethyst Cove Today
Today, the city of Amethyst Cove is the principle port-of-call for every merchant ship not flying the flag of Tyrnabay. The Charter declared that, like the city itself, the waters of the harbor were protected space; piracy against a vessel would not be tolerated if that vessel was within sight of the Amethyst Tor - the Dwarf-made marker identifying the safe route through the reefs and into the harbor.The city itself is prosperous because of this trade, and the residents of the city have ample opportunity to share this wealth. Apart from the unavoidable tavern brawls, street crime is virtually non-existant because it is not tolerated by the Dwarves of the City Watch. It has become a destination for "good" folk all across Cartyrion who are fleeing from some trouble or persecution, for all are welcome in the city as long as they behave. The Charter makes it clear that Amethyst Cove will not hold sins of the past against anyone seeking asylum within its borders. It has no extradition agreements with any other power - not even with the rest of Tyrnabay. For this reason, the city is sometimes called "Second Chance Cove", or "Last Chance Cove" - especially by those who flee there hoping to put a past life of misdeed behind them.
Miscreants who occasionally surface - including the occasional proponent of tearing up the Charter and "embracing the rest of Tyrnabay" are quickly and quietly taken out of circulation. It is well known within Amethyst Cove, there are no jails or prisons. Those who do not exhibit "good behavior" simply disappear. Some are shipped out and unceremoniously dumped, perhaps in a far-off, hostile port, or perhaps on some desolate shore. Most folk believe they are taken to the dungeons deep within the Waking Delve, never to be heard from again, and for most of the Folk, the prospect of toiling in the mines and never seeing the sun again is an adequate deterrent to bad behavior.
In short, Amethyst Cove is both a safe haven in Tyrnabay, and a safe haven from Tyrnabay.
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