Allport
Allport was one of the Foundation Cities, a relatively small equatorial island nation and a city state which peaked in power and influence in the age of the Trade Wars between 1931 AF and 2208 AF when for a little over a century it was the most powerful city on Earth.
The paintings at the head of the article and in the body, are the work of Kiara Uthetti and show the port as it looked in 1940 AF near the beginning of the Trade Wars when it had just begun to gain power and influence.
Government
The City Council was elected by the entire populace from a limited eligible pool of ship captains, plantation owners and wealthy traders who described themselves as "Islanders" and jealously guarded access to their ranks. New members could only be admitted by a vote of the existing ones.
On the wider world stage, Allport was the base of the Allport League, a corporation established late in the Foundation Age but coming into its full strength only slowly in the time of the Succession Empires and the Trade Wars. The Allport League was sometimes viewed as a benign influence, spreading trade and prospertity but others saw it as a ruthless expansionist agent of the city. The League was behind the actions at Freewater that eventually led to Allport's demise.
Industry & Trade
Allport made much of its wealth by acting as a trading intermediary and transport hub. The famous square of the Ryshell Market started out as a humble weekly meeting place with brightly coloured stalls and a vibrant crowd, buying and selling primarily local food stuffs. Over time it became much more, trading in the goods brought from distant lands, operating twice weekly, then every day and building out and around from the main square. By the age of the Succession Empires it was dealing in insurance and futures.
The island archipelago surrounding Allport is a rich fishing ground and they grow a number of sought after spices, mainly the so called "three c"; cymryn, cinnamon and comrack.
After Allport built its space launch facilities at Green Atoll station in 1954, it was able to trade with the Galactic Compact and together with Modyran, held a much prized access which it used to great effect in the Trade Wars.
Allport Waterfront by DMFW with Disco Diffusion
History
During the Season of Innocence sea travel was not permitted but almost from the very beginning of the age of Foundation, explorers and potential traders began to venture out on to the ocean again. Allport acquired its name due to the fact the island happened to occupy a very convenient location between continents, linking Anoomenon and Modyran. The local boast was that it was a port to anywhere.
Much later, when space travel resumed in 1622 AF, Modyran had access to the very important space elevator terminal but Allport was able to establish launch facilities and offered alternative services in to orbit for the burgeoning trade which really accelerated once the Galactic Compact made contact with Earth again in 1920 AF and started the age of the Trade Wars. Together, the two cities formed a mutual alliance which maintained a monopoly over space travel, however due to their advantageous Earthly geography and the notorious cunning of their merchants, Allport gradually pulled ahead of Modyran and had effectively won the Trade Wars by the late 22nd century.
Growing greedy for yet more wealth and power they sought to annex Freewater with disasterous results.
Allport was rendered uninhabitable in 2208 AF due to Love Bombing at the end of a short military war with Freewater known as the Mating Game which brought the age of the Trade Wars to an end.
Maps
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The World of the Long Sleep - Allport Islands during the Trade Wars
RUINED SETTLEMENT
19th of Whitestar, 2208 AF
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