Apharens

Dhalmain Island by Naelin
The southeast coast of the Dhalmain Island is covered by a calm, beautiful forest, the only big expanse of woodlands in the country.   A small but important town is located in the southern area of it, dedicated to the logging of this forest to provide quality wood to the rest of the country.  

The Logging Baroness

The town and its activities are largely controlled by a woman called Couldra, better known as The Logging Baroness, owner of most of the logging infrastructure of the town, and therefore the owner of most of the town itself.  

Captive town

The logging company she owns, known simply as Apharens Logging, managed to keep the entire town under its control by building, employing and mantaining the most important stores of it.   The company then pays each of their employees with "Apharen plaques", thin copper rectangles (A resource not found in Apharens, to prevent counterfeiting) marked with the company logo that can only be used in the stores owned by it, making the employees effectively captives.   Apharites, though, swear by the company as it has provided work and food to all of their inhabitants.

Apharens Lungs

Most of the employees working in the logging business get eventually affected by a lung disease known as "Apharens Lungs", due to the constant breathing of sawdust particles.   The population has protested several times, but their demands get shut down by the company as laziness and not putting up with the "small occupational effects" of their comfortable lifestyle.   As the logging company is the town's source of employment, most just put up with it until their bodies fail them.
 

Carving Competitions

Carving wood is a popular hobby and tradition (and sometimes, the only source of real Dhalmanite currency) of Apharens.   The town puts together carving competitions that attract tourists to the town, as people love to buy the figurines and even statues that the Apharite made, often depicting creatures, humorous depictions of professions, and even Autonomist gods.


A legacy in the capital

The famous architect Hectar Cutu, founder of the Havto Caldegai's Handyfolk Warehouse was born in Apharens.   He managed to save enough "real" money to leave the town and move to Endure with his family.
Type
Town
Inhabitant Demonym
Apharite
Location under
Owning Organization
The Haan Archipelago
Portrait of Danae, a holding his peace bird pen and a book containing a map
Danae by Naelin
The cartographer Danae from the City of Birdland in Thaur was commissioned to draw a map of the Haan Archipelago for the second edition of The Book of the Habits and Beasts, published in the 3rd of Birthing, 3 E.Ru.   Danae took advantage of the enclyclopaedia's team of researchers to gather precise information and went himself into research expeditions to survey remote areas. His work resulted in what is considered the most accurate and widespread map of the Archipelago to this day, which details even most of the coasts of the Savage Isles.


Cover image: Dhalmain Banner by Naelin

Comments

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Jul 25, 2021 22:45

Living there doesn't sound fun at all D: