Ahyani City
Population: 3000; mix of indigenous islanders, the Ayani-mok, and a very small percentage of mainlanders.
Size: about 1 square mile Major religion: worships goddess of the sea and the mountain god.
Main Exports: sand, fish, citron, herbal cures, seaweed
The only true settlement on Ahyani island. The buildings are stone structures arranged around a castle keep surrounded on three sides by a wall and perched on cliffs which lead down to fishing docks. Government is a monarchy with a board of alderman that share power 50-50. Monarchy is the Rezak'rer family and have been in power for over 500 years, since The Monsoon wiped out most of the Krarad dynasty.
The board of alderman is made up of 21 officials, ten are representatives of the ten small freeholdings across the island, ten tradesman that are elected by the people in the city and one official that is elected by the other ten that could be anyone but is usually a member of the fishing community. Their votes are weighted as follows: 1 each for the 20 and 2 for the appointed official. In the event of a tie, the monarchy casts the deciding vote. Government sessions last from end of the fishing season until the Feast of Renewal that marks the end of the year. The board is then dissolved and the representatives are allowed to go back to their own work.
Buildings are arrayed in a square with an open space in the middle that is used for community gardening. Fruit trees, herbs and vegetables are cultivated within the city while grains are grown in the freeholdings outside of the city. Trade between the two is robust. Diet among islanders is centered on fish and the poultry raised by freeholders. Large game is rare adn often only eaten if brought in by traders. It is expensive. The monarchy has been known to provide a the occasional carcass for feasts in particularly poor fishing or farming years to bolster morale. The main responsibility of the monarchy is to make sure that no one goes hungry on the island and there is often upwards of 25 extra people at the castle for meals. As a result, crime is low on the island and its populace lead a mostly peaceful life, their daily habits ruled by the sea.
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