Chelone (kʰeˈlo.ne)

Header image is an artist's representation of Tortuka and Chelone. Several details were rendered incorrectly - the Unseen Lighthouse should be unlit, and Tortuka is presented as much smaller than they actually are. That being said, this is the best known image of Tortuka in the Great Ring.

"It wasn't at all what I expected; it was much more fun! In the end, I was almost sad to escape and sail away. - Godifu Klüpfuchs, when describing the time she was kidnapped by pirates and held for ransom in Chelone

Chelone is the notorious pirate haven built on the back of the gargantuan sea turtle known as Tortuka. It was founded centuries ago by the Kaphtori pirates who first collided with the gargantuan Aspidochelone, and chose to attempt to care for the beast rather than flee from it. The town began as a simple camp, but eventually the pirates anchored permanent buildings on Tortuka's back and chose to live there permanently. Over the years, they came to revere and worship the giant turtle, causing Tortuka to undergo apotheosis and become the only known physical entity who achieved godhood without dying first.

Due to its unique circumstances, Chelone has no fixed location, and can be found almost anywhere. Tortuka usually floats along the currents that swirl clockwise around the Great Ring, completing a full circle about every two years. They prefer to stay within the waters of The Middlesea, but close enough to the outer edge to allow the pirates access to the routes used by merchant vessels.

Demographics

Chelone is one of the most diverse communities in the Great Ring. The pirates that call it home come from every species and culture in the islands, having found their way to Chelone after taking up a life of piracy. The migration of Tortuka has aided in this process, since it passes by all the islands in turn. Over the centuries, the diversity of Chelone has become somewhat legendary, and there are those who speculate that either Tortuka, the Egregoric Force, or both have had a hand in calling those suited to the pirate community to the island. Many of the inhabitants can tell tales of their journey to Chelone, and they are usually rife with incredible luck and bizarre coincidences. Of course, this may just be the pirates embellishing their own histories, but there does appear to be some narrative force at work shaping the town's population.

Government

Chelone is not quite an anarchy, but it is close. When decisions need to be made that affect all the residents, whoever is interested in the outcome meets in the square outside the Temple of Tortuka (the bar nearest Tortuka's head) to discuss the issue. These discussions can be heated, and have been known to be violent. The high priest of Tortuka (who owns the bar) mediates, and decides when a general consensus has been reached. If this doesn't happen quickly enough, the priests of Tortuka might hurl the loudest and most troublesome objectors towards Tortuka's head to be devoured. The threat of this is often enough to convince people to be somewhat measured in their arguments, at least when they see the priests getting impatient with the arguments. In practice, this means that unless a clear decision is made quickly, the priesthood of Tortuka will carry the day by dint of sacrificing whoever they disagree with. Some people have attempted to attack the priests pre-emptively, but stop once Tortuka reminds them that they can shake the whole town off its shell if it wishes.

Districts

There are a few districts of Chelone, mostly defined by their relationship to Tortuka and the buildings located there. In the center of town is the Lighthouse District, where the Unseen Lighthouse stands like the mast of a ship, surrounded by the taverns and boarding houses that cater to the common sailors. On either side of the Lighthouse are the Port and Starboard docks, where ships can tether themselves to Tortuka while they are in port. Long tradition has assigned particular ships to Port or Starboard, and there is a longstanding rivalry between the portside and starboard vessels. New ships to Tortuka are often told to pick a side, but outsiders find little to distinguish between the two factions.

Forward of the Lighthouse District is the Captain's Rest, where the more affluent residents of Chelone have houses, and the taverns serve more expensive drinks. The Temple of Tortuka is located here, as close to the head of the god-turtle as they can anchor a building. Despite the name, most people wouldn't recognize it as a place of worship; they would call it a large, expensive, and ostentatious tavern with delusions of grandeur. Still, the owner of the Temple is known as the High Priest of Tortuka, and seems to have a connection to the god that exceeds that of the other residents.

Aft of the Lighthouse District is the Bilge, a region used mostly for warehouses and the cheapest accomodations. At the far end of the Bilge is the region called Honey River, near the tail of Tortuka. All of the waste of the town is brought to Honey River and dumped into the water behind the turtle; a wide aqueduct is anchored here to allow the sewage and garbage to fall beyond the edge of the shell without having to go directly up to the edge. Occasionally a body will be dumped into the Honey River, but this is considered disrespectful - by custom, all bodies of the dead in Chelone belong to Tortuka, and should be sent down to the god's head to be devoured in a proper funeral.

Type

Town

Location under

The Middlesea

Included Locations

• Papagálos Tavern

Owner/Ruler

Tortuka

The Unseen Lighthouse

Standing at the highest point of Tortuka's shell, the Unseen Lighthouse is a tower like many found within the Ring of Light. Its beacon is not visible to the eye, though - it can only be seen in the mind's eye of those who have a connection to Chelone and Tortuka. Long-term residents of Chelone are almost always gifted with the ability to see the beacon from the lighthouse, and use this ability to find Chelone when they are out at sea. They simply close their eyes and turn until they spot the lighthouse on the horizon.

Tortuka does impose some limits on this ability. It will not function if the person is being coerced, or if they believe their return to Chelone poses any threat to the town. Even a slight doubt will cause the wayfinding to fail, and some more paranoid pirates can lose the ability for years at a time. So far, this has prevented anyone with ill intentions towards the pirate haven from locating Tortuka.

Strange Happening in the Lighthouse District

Several years ago, an Invasive Narrative took hold of an abandoned building and a few pirates in Chelone. This narrative is unlike anything the world has seen before, at least outside of Aerendel. Its story is short and cyclical, and while it does involve pirates, they seem strangely safe and kind despite their undeniably piratical nature. The invasion is contained within the building now known as the Papagálos Tavern, and has drawn attention from those who study such things. You can read more about it here.