Soustons, Gateway to the SeaLess than 100 years ago, Soustons was a fort held by Marilise, Baroness di Soustons. Marilise had managed to get into the bad graces of her liege lady, the Countess di Agen. So the countess charged her vassal with the care of Soustons, a lonely place by the sea. Fishing was good there and the water deep, but care had to be taken of the flocks of sirens that drifted in and out of the area. For a place that should have been a port and fishery, boats were in the water less that one-third of the year. Marilise, a singularly stubborn woman, decided to turn her exile to profit. She rallied all her knights (which very much worried the Countess di Agen, who feared an attack) and sent them to the sea-coast to kill sirens. The job was done most thoroughly. Indeed, it continues to be thorough to the present day: the Knights of the Coast are Soustons's dedicated siren-hunters, continually sailing around the port's coastline to keep alert for signs of returning sirens. As a result, Soustons has become Saromatia's first reliable deep-water port. Fishing and salt are the primary industries here, with dried and salt sea-fish going north most of the year. There has been a boom for shipwrights as well, and the quality of the old Saromatian fishing vessels has been much improved. Ships may soon be good enough to contemplate journeys over the ocean.
GeographySoustons lies on the southern shores of Saromatia, towards the east. The city is split-level - down on the shores of the ocean are the docks, shipwrights, smokehouses, and panniers (who extract salt from sea water) - most of the city, really. Above this rises noble grey cliffs. Directly above the port, the old Castle Soustons still waves its banners in the breeze. But west and east of the city, the cliff face provides nesting grounds for the sirens.
Notable SightsShips are the most fascinating thing Soustons has to offer. For, despite having oceans on two sides, Saromatia is not skilled in the naval arts. Sirens, which apparently breed like rats, have denied the women dependable, continuous access to the sea. Soustons lacks the offshore islets that so often hide colonies of sirens, so the Knights of the Coast have been able to quite successfully scour the cliffs of them.The result is a regular port, and a sudden demand for ships larger and more seaworthy than rowboats. In particular, watching the skiffs of the Knights fly across the water, white sails filled with morning breeze and green and silver pennants flying, is not to be missed. Food is another thing to try in Soustons. The variety of seafood is astonishing to a Saromatian used to trout, eels, and perch. Shellfish chowder is the regional specialty, and every kitchen serves a slightly different variety. Soustoniers will heatedly argue about the best method for preparing it. The chapterhouse of the Knights of the Coast is located in the dockside district, not at the top of the cliff with the castle. Since they put out in ships daily, it is more convenient this way. Once a year, the knights give a parade through the port. The parade is punctuated with the shrill sounds of Soustons Sirens - small clay balls, cunningly cut, and set on the end of a stout string. When swung in circles, they produce a loud whistling sound which can drown out the sirens' calls.
TemplesThe Warrior Maiden and Corn Mother both have temples here. The Corn Mother is styled more as a "Fish Mother," representing the bounty of the sea rather than of the fields. There is a shrine to the Air Lord and also one to the Storm Lord. The current Baroness di Soustons is seeking funding to support a grand temple to the Storm Lord.There is also a shrine to the Sun Lord, maintained by a foreign priest who was shipwrecked. He was initially quite the celebrity in town, as some of the more adventursome sailors hoped he could tell them how to reach his homeland. But when the language barrier was finally overcome, it became clear that he was just a passenger, not a sailor, and could be no more specific than that he had come from somewhere to the south, and that the journey was long.
GovernmentSoustons is the home of the Baroness di Soustons, who holds it from the Countess di Agen. The current baroness is Delmerise, great-granddaughter of Marilise. She appoints whatever officials she feels that she needs to run Soustons effectively.
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