"Why they chose to make a town here, I will never understand. These silly square rocks. What do they do for us? Nothing, that's what."
Somewhere Where the Stones are Square
Only three years - and many lessons - after
Zinato founded the
first colony,
Burim would found its own but forget all the lessons learned by their neighboring nation. Reports from
skysailors about a place where the
skyfish were plentiful and the landscape was unbelievable brought a quick decision to the
Burim Council who were feeling rushed to establish their own colony, having fallen behind their
neighbors and with
Grara already laying the groundwork for their own.
The first colonists were paid before they even boarded the first
skyship. They purchased what they thought they would need and
Burim provided the basic construction materials for a basic settlement.
The short reports provided by the
sailors were not thorough and certainly not comparable to the year-long study conducted before
Furahnzata was established. While the posters did include the unique large stones that jutted out of the surface at random angles, each with unnaturally flat sides, the conditions on the island were far from advertised. Most of the island was barren rock with only the most hardy of unfamiliar plants thriving around the bases of the rectangular stones.
The Smell of Fish and Salt and Home
Along the shores of the big city, filled with fish and twine,
Where salt meets wind and eyes that burn,
To the childhood that was mine.— Uncredited, Burim's Big Rock
Much like
Furahnzata, Wrendat was founded to help feed a growing population. In
Burim City the staple food is
skyfish, often preserved by drying it first with salt and then on large wooden racks. When processed this way, the fish can last for incredible amounts of time.
As a result of the demand for fish, Wrendat looks very similar its home nation - and smells like it too. The buildings are constructed from imported lumber giving them the same colour and texture as the wooden structure that line the streets of
Burim City.
Reckless Expansion
While things initially went well for the settlers, that changed when the rainy season came. The brief inspection of the location was insufficient and failed to discover why the island was so lacking in soil. Blinded by the schools of
skyfish teaming around the shores, the
Burim Council authorized the settlement.
The rains come quickly to Wrendat, rising from the
Floor not far from the island and being carried over quickly by the wind. Fortunately the island rarely sees the most powerful storms as the quick wind that carries the clouds often severs them from the
Floor. The rains are frequent enough during half the year to make the drying of fish difficult - that is where the salt some in.
The rainwater seeps through the cracks and crevices in the island and makes its way to the plants that grow plentifully on the underside. These plants feed the
fish and after
Larris' discovery, the colonists as well.
Despite the frequent rains, the colony was kept in operation by
Burim. The demand for fish is ever increasing and the tax levied on the inhabitants is paid mostly in it. The people are of the lower classes of
Burim - the wealthy inhabitants wouldn't ever choose to live in such a barren place - and they have become unhappy with their homeland.
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