Av-Karunn (/ aw-kaɹun /)
Built on the furthest edge of the Tal territory within the Querian Empire, Av-Karunn is home to some of the earliest settlers to the country, and the largest settlement there.
Demographics
Due to its history, Av-Karunn is largely composed of the decendents of Avvar-Kunrud travellers and Jade refugees from the expansion of the The Empire of Queria. Av-Karunn is a self-governed socialist-anarchist community, and thus does harbour the occasional visitor or refugee -- but these people largely ship out to other lands, regarding Av-Karunn as more of a temporary refuge. Due to this, the town is also renowned for being a smuggler's port and do not deny these allegations.
Defences
As travellers to the furthest edge of this barely-habitable location are extremely rare, the hamlet is largely only protected by its remoteness. That said, the Magi who reside within its walls, descended from the Magi who would have been on the original settling boats, are in charge of defending the settlement should the need arise.
Industry & Trade
The primary source of trade within the settlement comes in the form of smuggling both in and out of the country. Drugs, medicines and rare plants are created by local alchemists and exported to other countries in return for medicines they cannot access. As the Empire restricts the import of Éla infused items, these are usually imported from other Avvar-Kunrud countries as many of them are considered sacred and necessary to a young Magi's development and the safety of the community. Cottongrass in particular is sought after and exported at high prices from the settlement.
Limited amounts of wood, cloth and stone are also imported, though these are largely used exclusively on the docks and maintainence of ships.
Infrastructure
Av-Karunn is largely residential buildings, with a fishing port and hunting lodge on the outskirts which deals with catching the plethora of fish in the coastal waters and the free-roaming, farmed Ox kept in the surrounding frozen desert. The fishing port also contains one small passenger boat for smuggling people and goods in and out of the country.
Architecture
Due to the harsh, unforgiving climate of the far-north tundra, just miles from complete polar desert, the buildings within this hamlet are constructed of whale bone, sod, and the tough insulating skins of surrounding fauna.
The construction of these huts involved first carving a large piece of ground. Making the huts partially subterranian takes full advantage of the thermal protection it affords, and allows for minimal use of resources in building the structure. The dug out sod is used alongside animal bones and driftwood to create a solid frame which is then covered with animal skins. Some of these huts over time have included stone in their construction, with the act of breaking the stone into shape usually performed by Magi.
The docks are built to be sturdier to withstand the water and ice, built with limited stone and wood that have been imported. This building is used to house more valuable goods, as well as the fish and supplies for smuggling.
