The smell of salt drifted on the warm breeze. I almost didn’t notice it any more, not after a full three weeks aboard a ship. There was something else to the scent, something I hadn’t known I had been missing. I could only describe it as the smell of earth, land and all the things that grow upon it.

As I stumbled up the steps of the three masted sailing vessel, I entered a world full of activity. Men were busy moving power cables and trimming the sails. All while skillfully avoiding my own intrusive presence.

“Magnus, are you sure you want to be up here? We are not safe until we are in the harbor, the port authority does not pay to keep pirates from preying on ships coming in or out of the Shadowed City.” Calvin, the Captain of the vessel I’d commissioned said as he spotted me. He was tall, regal, and refused to bow down to age, unlike so many other men in his profession.

“I am no stranger to the perils of this world.” I said loftily. I could see the helmsman beside the  noble Captain suppress a groan. I must remind myself that these Outlanders do not have the same respect for me that men and women back home would have.

“Besides,” I added, “I wish to see the city from a distance, before we get under the shadow.”

He nodded, motioning for me to join him on the aft castle. I stepped clumsily up the wooden steps, taking in the sight of the whole ship before me. Then, in the distance, I spotted it. The large dark shape rising like a mountain over the wooded land around it. Within the dark form were the scattered lights of windows and street lights, despite the time being just after noon. I marveled at the sight, and the Captain chuckled.

Lysandra Alexis – Magnus of the Redditus Magnus 

Gatinport is a strange place, often maligned as a pit of villainy and nefarious souls. Built under an exposed portion of a Founder vessel, the town started as a simple refuge from the elements. From there it grew into a moderate sized port in the southern portion of the Angol Sea.

While the distance makes Gatinport somewhat removed from the interests of the Northern Factions, it boasts in impressive economy, and the constant demands from smugglers, pirates, and legitimate sailing vessels alike means it manages to have an impressive level of access to technology despite the distance from the North.

Gatinport is ruled by three separate organizations, each vying for control through pirate raids, gang warfare, and political maneuverings. Surprisingly, the Arrance Reach Mission has been able to establish something of a foothold in the city, and actively seeks to help anyone seeking to put an end to the slave traders that call the city home.