EAST PORTAGE (City-state of)

Location: Isle of Dawn.

Area: 79,690 sq. mi. (206, 397 sq. km.).

Population: 10,000 (3,000 in town of East Portage).

Language: Alphatian (Hillvale dialect), Thyatian (Redstone dialect).

Coinage: Crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp). Thyatian coins are also very common: emperor (5 gp), lucin (gp), asterius (sp), denarius (cp).

Taxes: 10% income tax and an import/export tax of 2% on magical items and components, and 1% on all other goods (NACE kingdoms and Karameikos excluded). 10% of tax revenue goes to the imperial treasury.

Government type: Semiautonomous monarchy owing loyalty to the NACE.

Industries: Trade, portage of goods between East and West Portage.

Important Figures: Quicklimn (King and General).

Flora and Fauna: Due to its proximity to the Great Escarpment, all manner of creature types may be found wandering into the kingdom.

Description by Allstrick.

I will not lie and say that I had looked forward to our arrival in East Portage. In truth, I faced the prospect of returning there with mixed feelings. It was not fear that manifests these feelings, it was disappointment and downright anger. I made it a point that our stay in East Portage would be brief and we adhered to that plan.

The Land

East Portage is a hilly kingdom, thus dubbing its other name the Kingdom of Hillvale. From its position on the eastern side of the Isle of Dawn isthmus, East Portage has carved its place and future in portaging goods across the isthmus to West Portage. This effort saves many days in any sea voyage around the northern or southern tips of the island. If it were not for this role, East Portage would probably be no more than a simple agricultural kingdom.

The capital of East Portage is the town of East Portage. Architecture is of a predominantly Alphatian design, however Thyatian designs are also prevalent. As one would imagine, the town has ample harbour and shipyard facilities to load and offload cargoes for the overland journey west. Facilities for this cargo ferrying are also in abundance. The streets are usually congested with wagons. Likewise the cobbled streets are littered with the waste products of the beasts of burden. And one cannot go down a street without seeing a stable, blacksmith shop, or wainwright. During the summer months the smell is quite bad.

The People

East Portage has traditionally been an Alphatian holding. As such, the populace is mostly Alphatian. The populace's interaction with its Thyatian neighbors has seen the rise of a noticeable Thyatian minority and some adoption of Thyatian ways. As one would expect, the bulk of the populace deals with the transport of goods across the isthmus. The people of East Portage did not carry themselves well after the Great War. Their behaviour is not exactly a shining point in their history and they know it. They tend to ignore that period. Many become aggressive if pressed on the matter.

Recent History

East Portage had long ago been under the auspices of the old border wars that had so prevailed between the two empires. In times of war, it had flip-flopped between empires as a possession. In times of peace, it has served as one of the trade junctions between Alphatian lands and those of the Old World. After the Great War, East Portage put up a very limited defence against Thyatian expansionism on the Isle of Dawn. In exchange for a Thyatian ducal title, King Lornce M'Jozee surrendered the kingdom to the Thyatians. The Thothian stand and counteroffensives allowed the return of East Portage to Alphatian hands. With Thothia's entrance into the NACE, East Portage soon followed.

Don't Miss / Do Miss

Within East Portage, there is little to see. The kingdom is quite unremarkable. The locals are too business oriented to offer too much interest. Likewise, East Portage lacks the usual magical flair that Alphatian kingdoms usually bear witness to. The most exciting and hazardous aspect of East Portage is dodging the animal wastes that line the streets. Outside its borders is another story. The Great Escarpment is close enough to offer an unexplored region filled with many unknowns.