Port Olisar

The harsh seaward wind blows with an angry salt heavy howl, and on the horizon a fleet of ships sail into the Cape of Retorious and back out, in the pursuit of clear skies and wealthy merchants of distant shores.
It seems everywhere you look here there is the busy lives of merchants both local or foreign. Clothing of strange designs, chalices meant for kings, and narcotics of unknown origin all move through these streets and markets. Unknown to you what fortune you'll find on this day, but as a wealthy merchant in the Otriess Trade Co. business you know you'll be all the richer by the weeks' end. That thought is harshly disturbed as you find yourself surrounded on all sides by strange burly men and coming to a halt in the street.
"So where's the shipment going MacTerve?" a rough cockney accent calls out to you from the man directly in front of you. You deflect, tell them they don't want to start a scene, that the guard will soon be here.
"Aye I'm sure. Old Tarton Road? 2156? Sound familiar? Aye, you'll give use what we want, or things might happen to 'yuhs. Real bad things."

Demographics

Port Olisar consists of a large mix of racial species and classes. Most of whom work in either the line of merchant work or tradesmen. Port Olisar has a much larger upper middle class percentage compared to most other Republic cities due to it's high influx of foreign money and near boundless work opportunities. This does not mean however that it does not have a population of the poor and destitute. However compared to cities like Volwick the poor of this city are often poor by choice, choosing to live a life of alms over hard earned money. This leaves a fairly sour taste in many of the citizens of Port Olisar in regards to the poor; even by typical Republic standards.

Government

Senator Otriess

Port Olisar is run by Senator Otriess Thargun, a stout female dwarf known for her wide reaching trade guild The Otriess Trade Co. While away from town very often as with most senators, she takes frequent visits to Port Olisar to observe the goings-on and check in with both family and her guilds' headquarters.

Mayor Gulbern

While the senator is away, Mayor Hammon Gulbern (Male Half Elf) the elected stand in leader of Port Olisar runs the town seeing to the typical duties expected of him, though he himself is not without merit himself; He was one of the key people to land a long lasting trade deal with Bourbellia for the Otriess Trade Co. for Bourbellias' most prized wines know as the Orte Tomburge, a wine that is vastly sought after by the richest in all of the Republic, which often costs upwards of 1500 gold pieces a bottle.
His accomplishments aside he is often tending to the courts to oversee the large client court cases, or reviewing trade laws within the port city. He is famous for fighting for a lower trade tax bill, that passed with the senate thus insuring him a long lasting term of office and the good graces of the people of Port Olisar.

Defences

Port Olisar's largest strategic advantage is Fort Olis, the fort that sits near the coast and toward the middle of the city. Outside of it sits the old Deveran Wall that protects the city as a whole. A sizable garrison is stationed within the city, numbering 5,000 men, and outside the city a naval fleet of 15 warships patrol the coast, looking for anyone foolish enough to attack or impede trade vessels.

Industry & Trade

Port Olisar is known for being the trade hub of the civilized world, and often exports a vast number of goods to both other Republic settlements as well as distant lands like Bourbellia. They also import a number of goods from Bourbellia, goods only found there and trade them to those that live in the Republic, though most of these goods are far too expensive for anyone below the upper class. These foreign goods are often prized silks, clockwork objects, corals, Bourbellian jewelry, pigments, and exotic creatures.

Infrastructure

Most notable by far and large is the Otammi Shipyard located in Port Olisar. This shipyard alone has constructed more ships than any other port in all of the Republic. Mostly in the business of making trading vessels it has in some rare cases constructed warships when a lucrative contract is available, though it is certainly not Port Olisars' forte.
The city is walled in and at it's center near the coastal inlet sits Fort Olis which has stood for over 2000 years, though it has fallen to the wayside in the past few centuries.
Numerous foundries, smithies and tradeyards litter the inner walls of Port Olisar that constantly churn out goods to be bought by traveling merchants. They mostly sell bulk goods, but are open to trading with individuals for much higher than average prices.

Assets

The Ardean Foundry: This foundry is the largest in Port Olisar and has 3 separate properties within Port Olisar alone. They are responsible for making most every day goods, like household goods, and tool construction for tradesmen.
Farleens' Cork and Cauldron: A large scale wholesaler of alchemy goods and potions that are mass produced in large vats. Potions are exorbitantly overpriced but can be bought in bulk for incredibly cheap prices.
Metal Matters: A medium sized smithy that constructs mostly weapons and armor for trade, and also supplies the local garrison from time to time.

Guilds and Factions

Most factions found in Port Olisar are that of trade guilds, who viciously fight (sometimes literally) over the most exclusive trade contracts. Although there is also a guild of shipwrights as well that are well known throughout Port Olisar and distant lands as well as an underground ring of thieves and other illegal groups.
Otriess Trade Co.: Easily the most notable guild, this guild was founded and started by Senator Otriess right here in Port Olisar some 180 years ago. Since its' small beginnings it quickly rose to power as the primary trading guild of not only Port Olisar but the Republic as a whole. This has been both a blessing and a curse to the guild. While the guaranteed contracts assure an influx of money it has made the guild lazy and complacent. A ripe environment for lesser guilds to rise in power.
United Mercantile Front: One of the Otriess Trade Co.'s larger competitors, this guild founded nearly 8 decades ago has gained a lot of recent traction by motivating new memberships from the impoverished people of Port Olisar; those able to be convinced of not settling for handouts at least. The guild offers the first year of membership for free to accommodate for this. And while this has gained them many new members they often have months where the guild operates at a loss.
Mountain Industries: A competitor originally from outside of Port Olisar hailing from the Nivarion Mountains around Northhollow. These burly merchants mostly started as tradesmen themselves working in the hollowmarble and hollowstone industry. Since then they have pushed outward and built their second trade guild headquarters in Port Olisar. However this branch of the trade guild in Port Olisar is far and away different from its' source. This branch is known to be corrupt and often gets its exclusive trade deals either through extortion, theft, or sometimes violence.
Easterocean Shipwrights: The last major player of Port Olisar is the Easterocean Shipwrights who have been the primary shipwrights of Port Olisar since the 3rd Era. The guild itself is very small comprising of only the most capable ship builders. This guild is also exclusive to the long lived races of Aeroloth. No humans or dragonborn, or other short lived races number its guild charter. This is in part due to the fact that the training to earn a membership is an apprenticeship that alone outlasts most human lifespans. Humans and other short lived races are often contracted for simple manual labor, but never are a part of the guild proper. This guild is known throughout the Republic and beyond, and none match their skill and speed at ship building. Even with this fame they have never expanded outside of Port Olisar, instead choosing to hone their craft with a small handful of shipwrights under close watch for defects or substandard craftsmanship.
The 10 Marks: This thieves guild that started within Port Olisar nearly 35 years ago and has remained there since. This guild operates out of privately owned warehouses around the city and are known for theft and heists throughout the city. These crimes are often directed toward the larger companies present in Port Olisar, and rarely directed at individuals or the common man. This guild was not named by members of the group but by the city guard after discovering a system of marks that the thieves would scratch into buildings to communicate to other members what laid inside. This was discovered after a raid nearly 30 years ago on a base of operations of the gang, where critical documents were found used to train new members, teaching them these 10 essential marks. The gang has long since abandoned that style of information sharing and has since further encrypted it's lines of communication. Regardless, since then the common folk came to know them as The 10 Marks, a name which the guild now also goes by.
Death Rattle: Probably the most unheard of group among the city is Death Rattle, a group of assassins and killers for hire that are spread all throughout the Republic and even abroad in Bourbellia. Most have never heard of Death Rattle because their members value secrecy and anonymity above all else. Most members of this group have several aliases that allow them to blend in to every day society, and even work common jobs as covers. These agents work as sleeper cells, only ever active when a contract is given to them by the Web. Port Olisar is a prime location to have members in because of its constant access to sea based travel. Many a member has taken the role of ship hand on a trading vessel only to be there for the objective of killing a marked target. How many members are stationed in Port Olisar, or if members can even recognize each other is unknown.

History

One of the cities left from the reign of Bjorns' Empire this city has existed since the beginning of recorded history, though in those distant times it was little more than a fishing village. Over the course of history it has changed and evolved greatly into the trade hub of Aeroloth that it is today.

Geography

Port Olisar is a coastal city surrounded by vast grassy fields, and scattered forests to the west and the sparkling Easterocean to its' east. The city itself rests on the edge of a cape know as the Cape of Retorious.

Natural Resources

Salt is harvested in vast amounts from the ocean waters, as well as fish and peals too from the sea floor of the Cape of Retorious.

Alternative Name(s)

The 'Sar

Type

Large city

Population

800,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Olisians

Location under

Northern Lands

Owner/Ruler

Senator Ortriess Thargun

Owning Organization

The Republic