Editing Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/realms/athervon/settlements/belis-ar-weil (section)

== Overview ==

Situated where the [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/geography#Aumine|Aumine]] river empties into the [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/geography#Bay_of_Oerni|Bay of Oerni]], Belis-ar-Weil is the largest town in Gorges Province of the Kingdom of [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms/athervon|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 [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/religion/old_athernian#Sinic.C3.A9|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 [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms/athervon/settlements/avis_inia|Avis Inia]] to the north and [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms/athervon/settlements/avis_armois|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 [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_page/organizations#The_Five_Points_Brotherhood|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 [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms/athervon#Naval_Forces|''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.