Erimia Tradepost

With a thin hissing sound, the power-sail locked into place along the port, and a click indicated a successful connection to local Power. Without waiting for the landing ramp to be placed, a woman vaulted the side of the power-sail and onto the pier, her boots making a metallic click as they struck. "Finally. Solid land!" It had been two weeks since she had left the Capital, and all that time cooped up in a powersail cabin couldn't have been good for her training regimen. The captain of the power-sail waved down at her.
"Would you like your luggage down the same way, or shall we put the ramp down?" The captain chuckled at his own joke. "There's only one lodge in this town, so we'll get your luggage there in about an hour."
"Thank you, Captain." She gave a quick salute before walking with haste down the dock. A guard sitting on a hay bale at the dockyard gate stood at her arrival.
"Lady Eudelind? I was sent by the District Commander to escort you." The guard gave a double take. "You....are Lady Eudelind, right?"
The woman sighed. "Yes, I know I look younger than most ranking nobles, but I assure you there aren't any other power-sails on their way to Erimia today." She took off her left glove, revealing a small silver signet ring. "I am Selunn Eudelind of the House of Sunhall. I am at your service."
The guard gave a bow. "Oersted of Asha, at yours as well. Headquarters Erimia awaits."


The tradepost wasn't much to look at. Past the dock warehouses, the whole of the town was clustered around a single dusty cobblestone street, with a market on one end, wood-frame bunkhouses on the other, and a single grey stone building in front of a stream, where a water wheel lazily swiveled in the heat. The single power-wagon in the garage next to the gearworks looked like it hadn't been touched in seasons. The guard motioned, and Selunn climbed the steps into the grey building.
The interior was as desultory as the rest of the town, with a single older man behind a desk overflowing with parchments and tomes. He looked up at the entrant.
"Ah! Lady Eudelind. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He stood, wiped his hand with a cloth, and stuck it out. "Maximilian Argyll. District Commander." He shrugged. "For whatever that means here in Erimia."
Selunn gave a smile. "A pleasure, Lord Argyll. Did you want to discuss events, hold a town meeting, or...?"
"No, no." He gave a tired smile. "You'll find that the people here don't really stand on courtesies. I've written letters of introduction and excerpted notes from my journal," he pointed, "and everything should be ready. I appreciate the chance to talk, but you'll find me a poor conversationalist, as there's little and less to say about this place that I haven't written down."
Argyll rounded the desk and took off a lapel pin. "Here you go. Congratulations on your new appointment, District Commander Eudelind."

Demographics

The population of Erimia is mostly dockhands and longshoremen, with itinerant traders coming and going. There are no long-term residents of Erimia; most move on after a few years.

Government

Erimia is techincally a District of the Principality, with its own District Commander and governmental infrastructure. In reality, its isolation deep in Eastern Saibh means that the District Commander and their retinue are the only real state power in the area, with more complex governmental matters requiring a trip to the Capital.

Industry & Trade

Erimia would be well positioned for the mercantile trade if the part of Eastern Saibh it was in was more populated, as it's strategically placed at a strait used by travellers attempting to circumnavigate the continent. Unfortunately, most ships would rather simply use the Grand Canal in the Capital to transit the seas. As it stands, Erimia is a Principality-funded resupply station for power-sails and a minor trading outpost with frontier tribes and communities who want to purchase Etoilean goods.

Infrastructure

A single Power station pumps water to the tradepost and provides a power linkage at the dock, but otherwise there is little in the way of improvements.

History

Prior to the construction of the Grand Canal in the Etoile Capital City , the occasional ship would stop at the natural harbor in Erimia to hunt for food and resupply on water on the great circular trade route. Principality surveyors identified the site as a place of strategic importance; a lack of presence at the harbor would mean the potential for piracy. An Etoilean outpost was constructed, but its completion coincided with the completion of the Grand Canal and the following disuse of the circular route for significant trade.
These days, it's more of a starting point for expeditions into Eastern Saibh, as it's the geographically farthest settlement from the Capital that's under Principality control. The occasional researcher or adventurer transits Erimia while on their way to explore the mountains or contact one of the accessible tribal communities. It also serves as a recharging point for power-sails, allowing naval ships to access most of the southeast portion of Eastern Saibh under Power at speed.

Geography

Following the coastline of Eastern Saibh from the Capital along the Bui Sea, a power-sail must travel for two weeks down the coast as it curves from an eastern direction to the south. In the southern fork, the mountains turn into an archipelago of treacherous reef islands. Erimia is located at a larger island in the archipelago, and the only one with a deep natural harbor and a safe route that cuts through and allows access between the Feryll and Bui Seas.

Natural Resources

Freshwater is found in abundance in Erimia, and a small river flowing off the mountain provides all the water needed for naval resupply. Food is imported by ship, as local supplies of game are insufficient to maintain the outpost.

Type

Outpost / Base

Population

100

Inhabitant Demonym

Etoilean

Location under

Saibh

Owning Organization

Principality of Etoile