Editing The Gods Arcem needs:Batanta


Batanta is one of these islands, with the major port of Bima on its western shore, overlooked by the looming dormant volcano in the middle of the island. You have just disembarked at the harbor. Low buildings stretch inland toward the volcano, a pattern interrupted mainly by rare taller buildings belonging to rich merchants, and a fortified three-story building standing alone at the far end of town. On the way in, a deckhand pointed it out as the dwelling of datuk Adarsh - if he still rules with the blessing of the merchant families. Things change so suddenly on the islands.

The dock has a few warehouses, to which dockhands carry loads from the ships docked in the harbor, and from which loaded wagons occasionally leave for the open-air markets dotted around the city. The ships are generally minimally staffed while in port, but you see a young Kasirutan woman gesturing at a pair of deckhands at the pier just off the deck of a ship.

Local infrastructure is simple but functional - communal wells dotted around the city rather than aqueducts, hand mills rather than windmills - there's no lack of wind but it strikes Kaius that these people just don't have much grain to mill. Fish is most certainly the staple food here, judging by the smell from the homes Kaius passes. Metal is also scarce, the people make do with wood and stone for construction. In general, it seems the island relies on trade for most of its wares.
He meets a number of beggars - generally old or crippled. It seems the able-bodied can get work in the docks at the least, but the community isn't big on social security nets.