Nosami-Un
A mining town on the western coast of the Zugakru Sea.
Demographics
The population mostly consists of miners and specialists for refining various raw materials. They are employees of several globally-operating companies, each of which focuses on one particular type of resource.
Each autumn, as soon as the radiation sinks back to a harmless level, personnel is transferred to the companies' subsidiaries in Nosami-Un. The number of transferred people depends on how much of their targeted resource was produced by the transformative processes during the preceding Heat Season. In late spring, these people move back to their secondary residences which are usually somewhere in Redo-Iv.
Only administrative and general maintenance staff tend to live in Nosami-Un permanently, along with those responsible for keeping the other inhabitants safe and healthy.
Industry & Trade
The primary purpose of Nosami-Un is harvesting the various metals and minerals that form here during the Heat Season. Since the resources to be found vary widely between years, the town is prepared for everything from filtering the sand to breaking down rocks and smelting ores.
Once the products are ready for transport, they are either shipped up the Zaltanfi River or directly flown out by aircraft.
Infrastructure
Most of the year, Nosami-Un is located at the bay where the Zaltanfi River flows into the Zugakru Sea. However, as with every settlement in Hazu Kalpasu, permanent infrastructure would not endure the effects of the Heat Season. Therefore everything in this town is designed to be packed up and transported to an oasis near the river's source during that time of the year. This takes the form of specialized vehicles for purposes like mining and refining the resources of interest, hydroponic gardening, or sewage and garbage processing. Similar mobile units form a port at the Zaltanfi River and a landing pad for aircraft.
History
The generally unstable environment of Hazu Kalpasu makes it hard to determine when the first settlement was established. Ran-E-Zu records indicate that there may have been a nomadic community as early as 812 NZR. There are also mentions of caravans crossing the outskirts of the Zuzapil mountain range and bringing strange metals and stones to the lands south of the Zugzaspo Sea.
By the time that harnessed crystal fire was discovered, a town named Nozata-Ut had become an important hub for accessing the resources in this area. It was bombed by the Rilanga Union in the year 4 NZR, and the subsequent Heat Seasons destroyed whatever was left of it.
The area was recolonized in the year 93 VZR and a new town was established under the name of Nosatmi-Unto. Since then, it has become the central hub for all mining activity on the eastern coast of the Zugakru Sea.
Reputation
Despite its economic importance, the settlement is infamous for its remote location and desolate surroundings. The fact that it needs to move and reassemble twice a year used to leave little opportunity for luxury and entertainment, and people were traditionally reluctant to travel that far away from their families on Mustik Hamesi. The climate did not make it appealing, either. Life and work during the winter months used to be hard, and the summer refuge, while safe to inhabit, has always been linked to the heat, erratic weather and groundquakes typical for that season. This reputation still persists today, despite modern technology leaving little to be desired anymore. Nowadays, the settlement is well-connected to the global information network, dedicated units exist for various leisurely activities, and all modules are fully climatized and equipped with shock absorbers. High-speed aircraft make it easy to visit family back home or spend the weekend in a more pleasant place. Nevertheless, moving to Nosami-Un is still equated to going into exile. The name crops up in threats to subordinates or unruly adolescents, finds its way into jokes and comedy routines, and several fictional works have protagonists struggle to get away from there.Architecture
The town is composed of modular units, most of which are traditionally designed for function rather than aesthetics. The exception to this are the residential units of the permanent inhabitants which are usually customized and decorated according to their preferences.
Modern additions and replacements for outdated units tend to look sleeker and more appealing. Certain establishments are downright luxurious, even by the standards of the metropolitan regions. However, this does little to dispel Nosami-Un's reputation as a boring and ugly backwater place.
Type
Town
Location under
In response to the prompt When people say "the middle of nowhere" or "the frontier" what settlement name do they use?
I really like the details you've included about how Nosami-Un is seen in popular culture, from the threats to kids to the literary works. Really fun details! Even if it is climate-controlled, I'm not sure I'd want to live there full time either!
Thank you, I'm glad you like these details! And yeah, it is still pretty much the farthest that you can get away from civilization on Ranul. I can also imagine it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy: If people are convinced that the place is unpleasant, the place will be filled with unhappy people who don't pay attention to what modern-day Nosami-Un has to offer.
Creator of the Kaleidoscope System and the planet Miragia.