Phantom Port
Overview
Phantom Port clings to the sheer basalt walls of the Bellemere River canyon where the waterway spills into the sapphire expanse of the Arashi Depths. Rain‑lashed jungle grips the cliff‑tops, while a labyrinth of wooden docks and rope‑bridges spider across the canyon’s shadowed mouth. Natural rock sea‑walls sweep out in twin arms, narrowing the harbor to a single guarded channel—“The Grey Gate.” Above, sleek Arashi Gliders circle on thermals, their silent patrols a constant reminder that no ship slips in or out unseen.
Industry & Trade
| Export | Notes |
|---|---|
| Shipbuilding | Exotic teak & Ironwood Hulls prized across Granheim |
| Smuggling & Privateering | Black-Flag Contracts brokered through The Ivory Current |
| Alchemical Herbs | Jungle Blossoms & Rare Herbs refined into tinctures |
| Deep-Sea Fisheries | Thunderfish Oil & Violet Crab Meat |
| Salvage & Relic Dealing | Divers recover sunken Valestri Ruins for clandestine Auctions |
| Jungle Hardwood & Exotic Spices | Hardy Jungle Ironwood as well as the many spices that can be found within the wilds |
Infrastructure
Gantry Network – Ironwood planks & rope bridges bolted into canyon walls.
Counterweight Lifts: Enormous winches haul cargo and passengers between tiers.
Hidden Dry‑Docks: Cut into flooded side‑caverns, reachable only at slack‑tide.
Rain‑Catcher Cisterns: Hightown’s slate roofs feed freshwater into cliff‑carved reservoirs.
Mana‑Lantern Grid: Alchemical glow‑orbs illuminate docks in shifting hues—green for safe berth, red for quarantine.
Sea‑Cave Shipyards – Hidden dry‑docks carved beneath the western wall.
Skyreach Aerie – Glider towers and winch‑cranes atop the eastern rim.
Districts
Hightown
- Gated mansions, counting‑houses, and Voss Keep perch on the western rim. Private glider towers and sky‑gardens flaunt illicit wealth.
- A tangle of boardwalks at canyon base—foundries, taverns, brothels, and the open‑air Gantry Bazaar where anything has a price.
- Mid‑cliff platforms dedicated to markets and workshops. Steam‑driven cranes swing hull timbers through churning river mist.
- Flooded lava‑tubes beneath The Narrows. Moonlit smugglers’ routes, fungal farms, and the hidden Silent Vault auction hall.
- Lush shanties upriver at the first cataract. Fisherfolk, herb‑gatherers, and mist‑shrines to sea spirits.
- Floating piers & cargo cranes; heart of daily trade.
- Mid‑level bazaar hung between canyon sides on woven‑rope plazas.
- Cliff‑top aerie of the Arashi Glider Corps and River’s Eye Watchtower.
- Smuggler caves and subterranean passages beneath The Narrows.
- Rain‑forest hamlets & herb plantations beyond the canyon rim.
Assets
Phantom Corsair Fleet – 40+ swift raiders & three heavy flag galleons.
Glider Corps – 120 trained pilots, rapid‑response scouts.
The Grey Gate Cannonade – Twelve rune‑bored bombards covering the harbor throat.
Voss Intelligence Web – Agents embedded in Granheim’s largest ports.
Hidden Treasury – Rumored vault of pre‑Valestri artifacts beneath Voss Keep.
Guilds and Factions
Phantom Corsairs – City navy & ruling militia sworn to Captain Voss.
The Ivory Current – Shadow consortium handling contraband, assassinations, and information brokering.
Shipwrights’ Brotherhood – Craft‑guild that controls dry‑dock schedules and timber quotas.
Tidecallers Union – Stevedores & crane operators; can paralyze trade with a single strike.
Sisters of the Still – Semi‑clandestine order tending river‑shrines; rumored to sell prophetic dreams.
Azure Scales – Velgarin smugglers specializing in exotic beasts.
History
1326 AOR – Valestri outpost abandoned during Age of Ruin.
257 AEL – Led by Castian Vale, Indred rebels; Phantom crews blockade Varyon supply lines.
274 AEL – Phantom Port & Indred sign Corsair Compact; city renamed from “Holdfast Station.”
301 AEL – Great Dock Fire; half the lower piers rebuilt with salvaged hulls.
440 AEL – Birth of Aris Voss; “Year of Unseen Stars,” comet omen.
463 AEL – Disappearance of Captain Ilyas Freid; Voss assumes title Mistress of the Unseen Fleet.
470 AEL (Current) – Silent tensions with Vorr’Khal patrols escalate around the Grey Gate.
Points of interest
The Grey Gate – Narrow harbor throat lined with tide‑powered chain‑nets.
The Crow’s Nest – Flagship tavern suspended between both cliffs; houses the infamous Duel Deck.
Silent Vault – Candle‑lit auction chamber where “Relics of Anathema” change hands.
Glider Roost – Wind‑lashed launch towers, home to the city’s aerial cavalry.
The Verdigris Foundry – Alchemical smelter forging bronze‑green cannon blessed against sea‑spirits.
Coralfire Shrine – Submerged temple lit by bioluminescent polyps, reachable only at neap tide.
Architecture
Tribal‑Pirate Eclectic. Woven bamboo and teak longhouses meld with battered ship‑hulks bolted to canyon walls. Canvas awnings in sea‑green and rust‑red ripple like sails. Hightown features coralstone terraces and stained‑glass windows looted from ruined Varyon cathedrals. Totemic carvings of sharks, ravens, and storm spirits guard thresholds.
Natural Resources
Ironwood & Storm‑teak – Flexible yet resilient timber harvested from upland groves.
Abyssal Kelp & Coral Pearl – Ingredients for luminescent ink and potions of water‑breathing.
Thunderfish Oil – Slow‑burning, water‑shedding fuel.
Sapphira Clay – Iridescent river sediment used in fine ceramics & capacitor runes.
Mist Quartz – Pale crystals that store minor electrical charge, mined in upper ravines.
Alternative Name(s)
The Shadehaven or Corsair's Cradle
Type
City
Population
~16,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Indrans
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
