Stormhaven

Stormhaven is a seaside settlement on the south-eastern tip of Sørligste. It is currently integrated into the Tortugan captaindom of Sancter Anser Servitus. The town has a long history prior to its integration into Sørligste. For several hundred years the settlement sat in an undeveloped and ignored corner of the southern continent and was primarily inhabited by native Valdic peoples. The town was rarely visited by outsiders until it became known as a place of refuge for explorers sailing south of Rathnir. For sailors wanting to avoid Tortugan or Viodoxan ports, Stormhaven was the last point of contact in Rathnir on the voyage south. This saw the town grow from immigration and trade into its modern form as a small but strategically important port.

Religion and Lifestyle
Stormhaven in its modern form is an eclectic mix of cultures and religions from across Rathnir. Its roots lie in the Valdic people and the Nostíkur faith. Contact with the outside world has also introduced Soleannen believers. However, the biggest influence on Stormhaven comes from the immigration of Featherians from Eastern Sørligste and their religion of the Faith of the Holy Birds. The Faith of the Holy Birds has become the dominant faith of Stormhaven after many decades, and the Holy Bird Church on the town's Western wall has become a landmark of the city. The influence of the main religions of the town can be seen in Stormhaven's flag which prominently features the sun. The sun is an important symbol to believers of the Holy Bird faith, Nostíkur, and Soleannen. The locals of Stormhaven primarily rely on a diet of fish and kelp, given that there is no space for farmland on the small territory of the town. All other food is imported, meaning that most residents must pay higher prices for foodstuffs common in other parts of Rathnir such as bread, potatoes, carrots, and melon. With little to offer in terms of trade, the town has relied on providing safe haven to travellers and a small shipbuilding industry to repair vessels. The town has seen a boon in recent years with the discovery of large clay deposits beneath the town. This has allowed for the profitable export of brick and terracotta and reconstruction of the town with these sturdy materials.

From the Diary of an Adventurer: An Account of the Town of Stormhaven
The lonely port of Stormhaven saw few visitors compared to the great seaside cities of Rathnir. It is from this lowly status that the town gained its name, giving reprieve to the weary vessels which trudged past the south-eastern tip of Sørligste. The locals had little to offer beyond safe haven, swill, and a miserable diet of kelp and cod. However, the town’s peculiar status as ‘the last stop at the end of the world’ gave it a particular value to certain travellers. For those wishing to avoid Tortugan waters, Stormhaven was the final point of contact on the uncharted voyage south. This is why Stormhaven saw sailors both brave and odd.

The brave sailors came from the north. Every few years, a typically young and bold crew would come to load up on supplies before heading south. Upon learning of their intentions, the townsfolk would typically try to discourage them from departing, telling them of the many crews before them that had never returned. While a few were smart, many more took the foolish route and pressed on with their adventure. Only around one in a dozen ships were ever seen again in Rathnir. Those that did rarely came back with their crew intact physically or mentally. One ship, the Valiant, drifted back to Stormhaven on a foul wind six years after departing. The townsfolk found nothing on board. No message, no belongings, and not a single member of the crew. The ship was set aflame and pushed out to go back from whence it came.

The odd sailors came from the south. The ships they sailed in on looked like nothing captained by anyone in Rathnir or even the far away Eldham. Junks made of rippling crimson wood, dual-hulled longships which seemed to float above the water, and coal-fired war vessels totally clad in iron which defied the laws of the sea by refusing to sink under the weight. While the odd sailors in their odd garbs traded in the typical currencies of iron, gold, diamonds, salt, and cod, the goods they brought were totally alien. Purple fruit that would cause vivid hallucinations, blue-green eyes of fell beasts that would fly through the air, floating crystals encased in glass, and black boxes that could magically transport items across identically crafted replicas. Those from the South didn’t stay long and never ventured further north. Their mysterious goods were thought to bring curses, with many simply being thrown into the sea after they left.

Stormhaven’s reputation and remote location have stopped it from growing beyond a small seaside hamlet. Most on Sørligste choose to settle in the bigger nearby settlements of Novishk, Gooseburgh, and Hafnarfjoll. However, Stormhaven remains as a curious oddity that attracts visitors from across Rathnir wanting to see the edge of the world. While few have the bravery to sail across the boundary, Stormhaven will forever be there as a final place of refuge.