Axos ports

Overview

There are two Axou ports available to Imperial characters with the fleet resource; the Towers of Kantor and the Chambers of Issyk.

Some Imperial captains prefer to avoid the coastal citadels and trade directly with some of the other citadels. This may involve a short overland trek - neither the Gates of Ipotavo nor the Halls of Maykop are easily accessible by sea. These citadels tend to be less prosperous on average than the coastal citadels themselves, but trade in roughly the same goods (OOC: It is fine to role-play trading with one of the other citadels, but your character will receive the same goods as the port they use regardless of where they go in Axos.)

Towers of Kantor

A citadel of Axos, a city of towers and mausoleums built in the foothills of the of the sky-scraping mountains southern Axos. Where other cities might spread in all directions, the architects of Kantor have chosen to build upwards instead. The towers are of fine white granite - Kantor controls some of the richest deposits of that strange material in the known world - and connected by thick arched bridges. It is said that a citizen of Kantor can live their entire life without once setting foot on the ground, if they are wealthy enough. The hills above the city are pocked with entrances to maze-like tombs, guarded by living and dead alike, where lie the ancestors of Kantor - and where the ghosts of sorcerers and merchants alike can be found

The Towers of Kantor were allegedly founded by the Sorcerer-King whose name they share. A busy metropolis that focuses on trade, the docks of Kantor dispatch black-sailed ships throughout the known world but they are also known as a centre of trade for the entire nation. Not only Axou merchants come to Kantor, but also Skouran traders from across the southern mountains, Sarcophan vessels from the south, and Jarmish vessels from the far east. There are even a few orc merchants in Kantor - the Grendel are as welcome as any others should they wish to risk the smoky, heavily scented bazaars of lower Kantor.

Like all Axou cities, a visitor is never far from a mausoleum, tomb, or memorial to the dead. Like the other Axou citadels, the revered dead of Kantor are interred in chambers beneath the city. Due to the vertiginous buildings that the citizens of Kantor favour, however, the arrangement of the catacombs is significantly less haphazard than in other citadels for fear of undermining the massive structures. Rather, there are said to be a second set of inverted towers build in the spaces between the main structures - sepulcher after sepulcher extending down, down into the dark stone beneath the city and linked by narrow galleries and passages.

In addition to beggar's lye gathered from extensive forest preserves at the foot of the plateau in central Axos, and between the cities, Kantor has extensive mineral wealth gathered both from deep mines in the mountains and trade with Skoura, leading to a bounty of tempest jade and orichalcum. Yet perhaps the most valuable trade good in Kantor is crystal mana - a material they have in such abundance that it has reportedly replaced money among some of the richest families of the citadel.

The Towers are also a source of luxuries unknown in the Empire - exotic foodstuffs, strange wines and spirits brewed with subtle spices, beautiful woolen garments, delicate but hard-wearing ceramics, and disturbing ceremonial articles associated with the practice of the necromantia, funerary urns, and narcotics. Also of interest to Imperial merchants are scrolls and books, which are easily available in Kantor and (unlike those acquired in more distant ports) written in the Imperial tongue. These texts are often quite disturbing, dealing as they commonly do with themes of death, ghosts, and the heretical notions of the strange Axou religion. All of these items fetch a fine price in the Imperial bazaars and among Imperial collectors. (OOC Note: Luxury goods from the Towers of Kantor are represented by money, acquired as part of the production provided by a fleet that visits the citadel.)

Trade with the Towers of Kantor

A starting fleet resource that engages in trade with the Towers of Kantor during downtime will produce 2 measures of beggar's lye, 2 ingots of orichalcum, 2 ingots of tempest jade, 2 crystal mana, and luxury goods worth 24 rings. A fleet that has been upgraded will produce more valuable resources according to this chart of foreign ports.

Chambers of Issyk

Until very recently, the Grand Ilarch of the Chambers of Issyk sought an alliance with the orcs of the Broken Shore. Following the ratification of the Liberty Pact, the Grand Ilarch was overthrown in a violent coup. The new Grand Ilarch Andronicus has proved to be much more moderate in his politics, being critical of Issyk's involvement with the Grendel, and interested in mending fences not only with the other citadels but with the Empire as well. Past misunderstandings and grievances have been put to one side, and The Ilarchs of the Chambers of Issyk have begun sending out ships to the Empire - to Sarvos, Crown's Quay, and Cargo - with news that the quayside of Issyk is as welcoming of Imperial trade as the docks at the Towers of Kantor.

Welcoming they might be - but realistically Issyk cannot compare to the docks at Kantor. Over the last few years the quayside has been expanded - specifically to deal with increased trade from the Grendel - but it is still nowhere near as developed as Imperial captains are used to dealing with when they visit Kantor. While the amount of trade with the Jarmish has tailed off significantly since the Axou became signatories to the Liberty pact, there are still ship captains that make the journey from the Principality and along with enthusiastic traders from Sarcophan, the two nations have secured extensive docking rights in the citadel. An advisor to the Grand Ilarch has presented a plan for improving imperial trade.

While the docks themselves leave a little to be desired, Issyk is nothing if not a wealthy citadel. Luxuries are commonplace, and alone of the Axou citadels the Chambers have some access to good quality woodland where they harvest fine red-tinged Ambergelt which is very much in demand across Axos. They also have access to both Tempest Jade and Green Iron thanks to extensive mine workings in the hills above Issyk. Unlike Kantor, they are less keen to trade crystal mana to Imperial captains - Issyk does not have the resources that Kantor does and the merchants here guard their supplies of vital magical fuel jealously.

Trade with the Chambers of Issyk

A starting fleet resource that engages in trade with the Chambers of Issyk during downtime will produce 2 measures of ambergelt, 2 drams of cerulean mazzarine, 2 ingots of green iron, luxury goods worth 30 rings, and 3 ingots of tempest jade. A fleet that has been upgraded will produce more valuable resources according to this chart of foreign ports.