North Town
Perched on the frigid coastline of the Tajomatanock Strait, North Town is the gateway between the mainland North Blight and the treacherous Craglands. It is a town of rugged survivalists, cunning merchants, and hardened sailors who thrive despite the brutal conditions of the tundra. The town's greatest source of wealth comes from its control of the Strait, levying tolls on any ships that pass through. This vital passage offers a safer alternative to the Prost Ocean, a route plagued by icebergs, relentless storms, and the looming threat of a Leviathan that has claimed countless vessels.
Though fiercely independent, North Town plays a vital role in regional trade and transport, running ferries, icebreaker ships, and even trained frost-beasts to carry goods and people between the mainland and the Craglands. Like all members of the North Blight confederacy, they vehemently oppose the Snowcloak Dominion's expansionist ambitions, resisting every attempt to bring them under the Dominion’s rule.
Government
North Town is governed by an elected official known as the Straitmaster, who is chosen by a council of shipmasters, merchants, and veteran sailors. The current Straitwarden, Varrik Hallowtide, is a former pirate-turned-merchant who enforces the town’s neutrality while ensuring its tolls remain its lifeblood. The town also has a seat in the loose North Blight confederacy, but its representatives are primarily concerned with keeping the Snowcloak Dominion from tightening its grip on the region. North Town's control over the Strait has made it a particular target for Dominion expansionism, with the Dominion having tried to pressure North Town into joining its kingdom under the pretense of “stabilizing trade.” However, the town’s people see this as a thinly veiled attempt at domination. North Town is a rallying point for resistance against Snowcloak control.
Defences
North Town maintains a fleet of fast, reinforced ships designed for breaking ice and defending against raiders. These vessels serve as both patrol ships and warships in times of conflict.
For land defense, North Town enlists a standing force of mercenaries and tundra-trained fighters, tasked with protecting North Town from bandits, raiders, and Snowcloak Dominion interference. They are led by Captain Jorunn Frostbane, a veteran of many border skirmishes. The town also defends itself with thick, artificially strengthened ice-walls, which can be collapsed to create impassable ice fields in times of siege.
Industry & Trade
North Town's primary source of income come from the taxes and regulation of passage through the Strait, collecting wealth from merchant ships, military fleets, and fishing vessels alike. Refusing to pay often results in impounded cargo or even seizure of the vessel. Aside from the Strait, North Town also benefits from:
- Tundra Hunting & Ice Fishing – The people of North Town harvest the tundra for fur, ivory, and rare arctic herbs. Ice fishing is another major source of trade, with exports of glacial salmon and deepwater crustaceans being highly valued.
- Craglands Trade – The town serves as the mainland port for trade with the Craglands, bartering in whale oil and mammoth bone, as well as dwarven goods from Frostbite Hold.
- Shipbuilding & Icebreakers – North Town boasts fleets for traversing the Strait and operating their toll, ships with with frost-hardened hulls. North Town ships are invaluable merchants looking to survive the northern routes, especially those originating in the south.
Guilds and Factions
Religion
- Shrines to the Divine – Despite the town’s rough reputation, many still pay homage to the Divine, especially in times of crisis. Oil and other burnt offerings are common at the Frozen Pillar Shrine, a site said to have been unmelted by time despite the warming season.
- Superstitions of the Sea – The people of North Town hold many sailor superstitions, such as never setting sail without an ice-worn coin in their pocket, lest the sea spirits take offense. Some whisper that the Leviathan of the Prost Ocean is a punishment upon those who forsake the Divine’s favor.
- Old Gods of the Craglands – Some among North Town’s populace hold Craglander beliefs, praying to old spirits of wind and frost to guide them across the ice. These practices, while not outlawed, are frowned upon by more devout settlers.
Tourism
North Town boasts several things that attract foreigners:
- Taverns and Soot-Halls: With a cold climate and a harsh way of life, North Town's taverns and soot-halls serve as gathering places where traders and sailors drink to stave off the cold. The most famous of these is The Leviathan’s Tooth, a dockside tavern that claims to have a massive tooth from the Prost Ocean Leviathan hanging over its bar.
- Winter Festivals: Despite its grim reputation, North Town celebrates the Passing of the Ice, a festival marking the thawing of the Strait’s surface ice, allowing the return of full trade routes. During this time, great bonfires burn at the docks, and the town holds ice-boat races and brawling tournaments.
- Smugglers & Privateers: Though North Town officially collects tolls, many smugglers and privateers operate in its shadow, using hidden coves and ice tunnels to move goods without paying.
