Avani (Ah-vah-ney)
The largest trade port of Levis and the the place most connecting the concepts of land and see, the endless and the darkness. Built upon a one way rift into the The well of possibility, the city crackles with chaos, and enough madness that magic is all but banned from the city without express permission and permits by the Dockmaster.
Originally constructed by mages with an immense fear of what leaving such a rent in reality would do, and then joined by people needing to explore and experiment, the city soon realised it sat upon currents that were perfect for setting up a supply line as they continued their experiments. When the Nocturne Empire annexed the archipelago the settlement sued for independance, mostly with the help of the Kingdom of Solaris.
The city boomed, with most of the biotech being constructed out of town and traded in, with minor developments locally in carved and treated gears and steam. The use of dead wood in and around the city is seen as distasteful, touching on the taboo, although lips are mainly sealed due to the prosperity of the city and the important position it has while sitting on the trade route.
The existance of the Rebellion has heightened trade in the last decade, with goods that woud have in the past just traded hands and cargo vessels, instead coming away with Whisperling made goods and boons from the settlement.
Demographics
10% Whisperling
40% Foliad
40% Troll
10% Iron Demon
Government
The Dockmaster rules Avani. Part Trademaster, part mayor, the role has only one rule - the city must turn. Bunkering down is not in the vocabulary of Avani, and should disaster try to hit, the dockmaster is tasked with deflecting the blow, not bracing and taking the force. Of the dockmasters through time, most have existed in states of stewardship, under the thumb of another nation as they try to gain the advantage of the settlement upon the currents. With the inability to set up Terminals or Br1n Network nodes, alliances with the free states have had to be as slow as messages across the oceans, often waylaid by 'pirates' or other forces in employ to Solaris.
History
Avani exists in a weird history within Levis. Those from the independent cities, and those with rebellious roots see Avani as a free city, who has always had the vine of larger nation around its neck. When the exploratory mages first discovered the rift above what would eventually become Avani, they had plans on becoming a free site of research and discovery.
With mages approaching both from the free states, and from Solaris and its blossoming kingdom, it was only a matter of time before someone discovered the strong current that runs across Oceanus all the way to the location Waverly point Soundtower would be created.
It was around this time the port part of Avani was discussed, making cargo transport across Oceanus faster if the current was used, and making the storing and trading of goods of the upmost importance. And so the port was built and hungry eyes looked to the settlement.
Developments in steam technology became the status quo around Avani, with the heat source being the latently chemical fireblossoms that were grown magically outside of Avani and brought in for industry. Though most of Avani's technology was obsolete in the greater realm, the settlement exploded into a bustling port town and so it was no surprise when both Solaris and the Nocturne Empire attempted to grab control.
While the Nocturne Empire grabbed for Avani first - claiming that the settlement rested within the bosom of the underwater lands, the mages and traders of Avani cried foul - not before the semi-submerged garrison of Nightbloom combat mages took root in the harbour.
Word was sent to Solaris, hoping that their navy could make an appearance and scare the Empire away, with words within the message that Avani wished to remain independent. While the Empire was drawn from the shores, the Kingdom instead took charge. Seeing themselves as rightful owners over Avani to the present day, the growth of the Grand Whisperling Rebellion on the far side of the Isles and the discontent in Whencis has made certain factions within Avani brave enough to consider another attempt at freedom.
With mages approaching both from the free states, and from Solaris and its blossoming kingdom, it was only a matter of time before someone discovered the strong current that runs across Oceanus all the way to the location Waverly point Soundtower would be created.
It was around this time the port part of Avani was discussed, making cargo transport across Oceanus faster if the current was used, and making the storing and trading of goods of the upmost importance. And so the port was built and hungry eyes looked to the settlement.
Developments in steam technology became the status quo around Avani, with the heat source being the latently chemical fireblossoms that were grown magically outside of Avani and brought in for industry. Though most of Avani's technology was obsolete in the greater realm, the settlement exploded into a bustling port town and so it was no surprise when both Solaris and the Nocturne Empire attempted to grab control.
While the Nocturne Empire grabbed for Avani first - claiming that the settlement rested within the bosom of the underwater lands, the mages and traders of Avani cried foul - not before the semi-submerged garrison of Nightbloom combat mages took root in the harbour.
Word was sent to Solaris, hoping that their navy could make an appearance and scare the Empire away, with words within the message that Avani wished to remain independent. While the Empire was drawn from the shores, the Kingdom instead took charge. Seeing themselves as rightful owners over Avani to the present day, the growth of the Grand Whisperling Rebellion on the far side of the Isles and the discontent in Whencis has made certain factions within Avani brave enough to consider another attempt at freedom.
Points of interest
The rent in reality over the city is the most obvious point of note in the port city, with the maelstrom of Celestial Winds this produces. Chaos and amplified magic spawn from this event, and births in the city have a higher percentage of seers and fey.
Another point of interest in Avani is the soundtower experiments that dot around the settlement. While approach to Avani is largely limited to daytime currently, the soundtower work continues.
Over the years, the local community has split into two; those of the nocturnal and those of the diurnal. Diurnal Avani are deep sleepers by necessity, the loud cries of the various soundtowers through history needing those that can power through to sleep less they be plagued by insomnia.
Another point of interest is the sandbar that has been created outside of port town. Upon this sandbar, the magic of the town for larger projects is produced. Those things that cannot be traded for from other towns find their way of beinv projects here and are floated over on rafts and smaller vessels. There is always a risk of drawing the ire of the maelstrom but the mages who work here do their best and bravest.
The sunken nocturne garrison has been converted into a meeting place for visiting Nocturne, though accomidations have to be made for some of the larger deligations. Its history as residence of the 'occupying force' is well on display within the city, with plaques commemorating that fact in both Nocturne and Levis common script.
Another point of interest in Avani is the soundtower experiments that dot around the settlement. While approach to Avani is largely limited to daytime currently, the soundtower work continues.
Over the years, the local community has split into two; those of the nocturnal and those of the diurnal. Diurnal Avani are deep sleepers by necessity, the loud cries of the various soundtowers through history needing those that can power through to sleep less they be plagued by insomnia.
Another point of interest is the sandbar that has been created outside of port town. Upon this sandbar, the magic of the town for larger projects is produced. Those things that cannot be traded for from other towns find their way of beinv projects here and are floated over on rafts and smaller vessels. There is always a risk of drawing the ire of the maelstrom but the mages who work here do their best and bravest.
The sunken nocturne garrison has been converted into a meeting place for visiting Nocturne, though accomidations have to be made for some of the larger deligations. Its history as residence of the 'occupying force' is well on display within the city, with plaques commemorating that fact in both Nocturne and Levis common script.
Architecture
The buildings of Avani as more haphazard than many throughout Levis, short of Halfway Keep. With most of the core of buildings being grown pods magicked out in the bay and floated across, quick and nasty construction has become from dead wood within the jungles surrounding Avani, and more recently, Whisperling bile used as both a render and a concrete.
The angle of the settlement is a great disc radiating out from port, with a vacancy over the rift in reality, for the fear that one day something will happen there. The flow of the city follows wandering lines, open lanes for hauling carts down, but never straight, as people try to avoid the bulbous growing of the haphazard buildings.
The angle of the settlement is a great disc radiating out from port, with a vacancy over the rift in reality, for the fear that one day something will happen there. The flow of the city follows wandering lines, open lanes for hauling carts down, but never straight, as people try to avoid the bulbous growing of the haphazard buildings.
Avani Reed-Still
One of the types of liquor traded through Levis and the Oceanic currents is Avani Reed-Still. Made from the reeds that saturate the Sunken Isles, this alcohol is made in reflux tanks with the mashed reed blended with galangal and Fyre's Breath Succulent. Its colour is a deep purple before any dyes or colourants are added.
Founding Date
1660 QY
Type
Trade post
Location under
Owning Organization
Thank you for reading, feel free to give feedback.
Not sure this is somewhere I'd like to visit. It sounds like you could feel the chaos in the air like a physical thing. It makes sense why magic is not really allowed here! Just a note - you have a double paragraph in the middle. :)
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