Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/realms/athervon/settlements/belis-ar-weil

Races

Religions

Realms

Geography

Organizations

Languages

Time & Calendars

<< Back to Athervon

Pennant of the Town of Belis-ar-Weil

Overview

Situated where the Aumine river empties into the Bay of Oerni, Belis-ar-Weil is the largest town in Gorges Province of the Kingdom of Athervon. As the Province name suggests, the coastline along the Bay in the region is predominantly high, sheer cliffs, with only a few places where there is easy access to the lands beyond.

The mouth of the Aumine river, where Belis-ar-Weil is located, is one of these locations. A series of waterfalls, collectively called Sinicé’s Steps, form the flow of the Aumine within the town, making water navigation all the way to the Bay impossible. But the town has constructed several oxen-powered cranes and rail-car lifts that are used to efficiently bring goods between the navigable upper reaches of the Aumine and the docks on the Bay below, minimizing the extra work involved in traversing the steep slopes. The town buildings are built on several relatively flat areas separated from each other by steep cliffs, with only passes between them that have sufficiently gentle slopes to allow a road for foot or cart traffic.

Conveniences aside, this geography would normally form an impediment to the town's economy. But the Aumine river is one of the largest waterways that reaches deep into the northern and western reaches of the Kingdom, including the natural resources from mining, forests, and farms. For most merchants and traders, dealing with the extra labor and expense to move goods through the town’s inconvenient slopes is still preferrable to dealing with the increased peril and delay that overland trade would involve. Thus, Belis-ar-Weil has held an important role as a trade hub since at least the time of the First Line of Kings, and probably earlier.

Such is the importance of the Aumine trade traffic that left to its own, Belis-ar-Weil would likely grow into large, bustling city. But both Avis Inia to the north and Avis Armois to the south jealously guard their licenses as the King's only sea ports licensed for importation or exportation via sea. To date, the powers of these areas have used their influence in the King’s court to prevent Belis-ar-Weil (and Aven Bresi, further south) from obtaining a license for export of goods to other lands via ship. Thus, the town typically loads goods from the river boats and barges onto small, fast ships that take them to Avis Inia or Avis Armois, where they are suitably taxed and repackaged onto caravans and ships, respectively, before making the journey to other countries.

This regulation does not prevent a bit of smuggling and black-market trading, controlled on the landward side by the Five Points Brotherhood, and on the water by the various pirates who base themselves in the shanty towns along the coast of the Dire Fens. But while lucrative, smuggling is also risky – the King keeps a strong force of Le Marine based at Belis-ar-Weil, as well as a garrison of his troops at the fortified keep of Seld Bellac.

Those caught participating in smuggling receive swift and sure justice, which keeps the illicit activities from overwhelming legitimate trade.

Statistics

Population: 5,071

Insignia/Symbol: A pendant or field, with a bendlet ordinary argent bearing three or mullets. The golden field represents the prosperity from trade that the town has long enjoyed; the three mullets represent the three fortifications of the town.

Motto: TBD

Founded: TBD

Demographics

68% Human (50% Athernian; 10% Jhonian; 15% Vulkul; 25% other or mixed);

17% Halfling;

5% Half-Elf (approximately half snow-elf stock, half wood-elf stock);

8% Gnome;

1% Half-Orc;

1% Other

Overall: 48% male; 52% female;

Government

The Noble Council

The Noble Council is comprised of one member from each noble house (Chevaliere or Ecuyer) that reside in the town or its immediate environs. The Noble Council is chaired by the Viscomte du Gorges. Excluding the Viscomte, there are currently six members on the Noble Council.

Town Council

Comprised of the Noble Council, A representative of the Church of the Holy Faith, The Maitre de Ville, and the Capitaine of the Garde Belis. The Capitaine of the L'Annou de Rouge et Noir as well as the Sherif du Province Gorges are admitted as nonvoting members as they desire.

The Council is chaired by the Viscomte du Province Gorges, who is the final decision authority for town Governance. The Viscomte’s decisions may only be overturned by the Comte, the Duc, or the King himself upon appeal by one or more members of the Town Council.

Maitre de Ville (Mayor)

The Maitre of Belis-ar-Weil is elected by the townsfolk a for five-year term, subject to approval by the Viscomte de Province Gorges. He is the highest-ranking leader within the non-noble classes within the town.

Viscomte du Province Gorges

Given the importance of Belis-ar-Weil and the complexity of operations here, the Comte du Province Gorges petitioned the King of Athervon to name a Viscomte for the Province, who resides within the town and presides as the agent of the Comte, the Duc, and the King there. The Viscomte speaks on behalf of the Comte's interests and is the de facto ruler of the town, though he must factor in the interests of the leaders on the Town Council in order to be effective.

The Viscomte resides within the halls of Seld Bellac, and is the ordained commander of L'Annau Rouge et Noir, Garde Belis, and Le Marine forces within the town.

Military & Law Enforcement

L'Annou de Rouge et Noir

The Order of Red and Black, a large contingent of soldiers who owe alleigence directly to the Duc du Domaine Centre. The name derives from their black-and-bright red livery, which includes broad starfish berets of alternating bands of these colors. The Order is noted for being primarily heavy infantry, with all members proficient in two-handed swords. A significant number of the soldiers cross-train with heavy crossbows and pikes to provide missile and distance-melee capabilities. The Red-and-Blacks, as they are commonly called, are led by a Capitaine du Garde who reports directly to the Duc himself. The Red-and-Blacks concern themselves primarily with protecting the town against foreign or monstrous incursions, and dealing with land-based smuggling that violates the King’s export regulations.

There have only been a few cases where members of the Red-and-Blacks were accused and convicted of accepting bribes or cooperating with the Pointers; but more than once, an accuser disappeared before the case could be brought forth…

Royal Navy

Belis-ar-Weil is also home for several ships of the Athervonian Royal Navy (Le Marine); typically there is at least one fully-outfitted ship-of-the-line at the docks, and four or five smaller vessels that are used for interdiction of smugglers, piracy, and other marine traffic. The military sailors are garrisoned at the fortress of Seld Bellac, which also has the official docks used for the King’s business only. The forces of Le Marine are generally felt to be less influenced by corruption than the Red-and-Blacks; the pirates that control marine smuggling do not have the power and influence that the Five Points Brotherhood does in the Kingdom, and thus are less able to use bribes and corruption to their advantage. It has been noted that the navy seems to intercept more smugglers that are trying to take goods out of the town than those bringing goods in, but no one has been interested enough to pursue the matter formally.

Garde Belis

The Garde Belis serves as the town watch, the municipal law enforcement arm of the town government. They typically wear light armor (leather or studded leather) when on duty, and are armed with heavy metal-shod clubs and light crossbows when needed. Their livery is comprised of gold-colored long-waisted surcoats and hats of matching color. Crime in Belis-ar-Weil is typically of a property, rather than violent, nature, and even that is mostly related to smuggling, which is the jurisdiction of the Red-and-Blacks. This lack of work, combined with bribes and graft that the Pointers use to lubricate their illicit activities in the town, do not generate a great deal of respect for the Garde. As such, it does not attract the highest caliber of applicants, and it is not highly respected by the townsfolk. The derogatory name of “Golden Stouts” is sometimes used to refer to them, a play on a popular beer in the area that also pokes fun at the average members less-than-athletic build.

Society & Culture

Crime

The Five Points Brotherhood controls all organized crime in Belis-ar-Weil; furthermore, any other crime must be sanctioned by the Brotherhood. Freelancers are not tolerated – first offenses will receive a beating and a lecture as well as confiscation of any goods obtained; continued unsanctioned activities will result in the offender(s) being given to the pirates that work with the Pointer to be chained into a weighted casket and dropped out to sea. The pirates have been known on occasion to sell these unfortunate individuals into slavery in the lands south of the Bay (something even the Pointers find barbaric and distasteful). Which fate is worse is not clear.

Other criminal interests keep informants and agents in the town (in particular, the Gnomish Syndicate and the Black Hand), but these individuals do not participate in active criminal activities, nor do they interfere with the activities of the Pointers. Indeed, on occasion the agents make themselves useful to Fergasse’s organization, in return for information and quid pro quo arrangements between the guilds elsewhere.

Nonhumans

Significant numbers of Halflings and Gnomes. Some half-elves, either of Snow Elf or Wood-Elf parentage, and a few full-blooded Elves of Snow-Elf stock. A few half-orcs, mostly sailors, dockworkers, blacksmiths, and the like.

Religion

Church of the Holy Faith

True Faith of A'Salam - has an Imam in the town, but does not have a permanent place of worship.

There are some worshippers of the Old Athernian Gods in the town, but they do not have any permanent temples or places of worship.

Given the large number of sea vessels that pass through the town, the areas where they frequent tend to have a number of makeshift shrines and places that their crews use for prayer and donations. These are sometimes found in taverns and inns in the common rooms, or in shops that specialize in goods from particular places, or even in warehouses or on the docks themselves.

Town Districts

Players Square

Primarily a place of entertainment and merriment for the permanent residents and upper classes, located on the first plateau of the town above the shore and the docks below. Players square hosts two theatres, several taverns, and a large plaza where all manner of buskers and street entertainers can be found on fine nights.

Arme de l'Avignane

A fortified island just off the coast that houses the King’s docks, where the ships of Le Marine are docked and where the sailors and officers are garrisoned. The King’s docks are used exclusively for military and government activities; no trade is allowed to be conducted through them.

Seld Bellac

Located on the upper cliffs of the town, this rather new fortress (started after the Reconquest that drove the Jhonians out of Athervon, and only completed within the last thirty years) has a commanding view of the river and the docks and bay below. It is home to the King’s Garrison in the town, the Annau du Rouge et Noir.

The Red Tower (L’Arme Rouge)

The third fortification in the town is the ruins of an old fortification that was almost entirely destroyed during the Jhonian invasion. All that remains of the structure is a partially collapsed tower constructed of the reddish-Brown rock that form the cliffs the town sits on, a few sections of the outer and inner walls, and a few partially collapsed outbuildings. The town has many stories and tales of ghosts, buried treasure, and strange happenings that center on the ruins, but they are generally viewed as a landmark and a reminder of what happens to those who are unprepared for war.

Important NPCs

Bishop of Gorges

Comte de Province Gorges

Visomte de Province Gorges

Sherif de Province Gorges

Maitre de Ville

Vincent Fergasse - Guidmaster of the Five Points Brotherhood Chapterhouse

Capitaine du L'Annau Rouge et Noir

Capitaine du Garde Belis