Tallowmore

The most southerly town on the continent of Abbatchtka, Tallowmore acts as a southern harbour for ocean going vessels that are escaping the dangers of the open seas.

"Its a small, temperate town. A happy place for visitors to see the sights of a working harbour and smell the salt air of adventure."

—Lady Prue Esten, A gentlewoman's adventure in Abbatchtkan society.

History

Tallowmore is a more restrained town than Daggerhaunt to the west, or the industrial complexity of Yellowshade in the mountains. The local leadership is made up of a conglomerate of local guilds who remain loyal to the empire that historically ceded power and wealth to them. Despite the obvious advantage in working together, these guilds often vie for overall power in the town. With the general politic being of the Mereton system, Tallowmore's Mereton is elected for a five year term in office which is often tied up in a bureaucratic mess before they have even taken their oaths. The current Mereton is the member of a tiny guild of jewelry makers called Veritasan, and their leader was elected as a stop gap, palatable option given the animosity between the larger guilds. This infighting often benefits the empire by diverting attention away from the personal failures of Abbatchtkan leadership.

Guilds of Tallowmore

• The Ancient Abbatchtkan Society of Explorers and Adventurers
• Tallowmore Seafarers and Sky Trust
• The Empirical Counting Houses of Abbatchtka

The Ancient Abbatchtkan Society of Explorers and Adventurers

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The Tallowmore Seafarers and Sky Trust

The oldest guild of boat builders and skyship workers have a degree of fame and celebrity in Abbatchtka for several generations. The guildmembers are often seen working solemnly with the factories and workshops of Tallowmore, repairing the ocean going ships as required. The guild favour a bright blue dye on their general clothing, with a dark blue leather apron embossed with a guild crest - of two ships on a turquoise shield separated by clouds and seas. Qualified craftsmen carry the tools of their traades, symbolically as a pair of signet rings worn on the little fingers of each hand, along with a bright blue guild cloak for wearing out and about the city. The guild employs many carpenters and woodsmen to supply the factories in Tallowmore, often led by a single "bluecloak"; however some contracts are handed to various adventuring groups to reduce the expense of hiring the larger guilds which overcharge their political opposition. Whilst not known for their swordsmanship, bluecloaks of the trust are well equipped and armoured - they often manage well enough when challenged.

The current guild-master of the Seafarers and Sky Trust is Ser Illian Walker of the Walker Skyship Dynasty. He is a rich, intelligent man who wishes to maintain the status quo; he suggested the election of the "Jewelmaker" as Mereton of the town to return Tallowmore to a period of Political quiet. In that, at least, he has been successful.

The Trust has charitable offshoots that aim to support guild workers throughout the continent of Abbatchtka. The funds are generated from the proceeds and profits of the shipbuilding and repairs, the pensions that are provided to widowers and widows are generous. Connection between the trust and the Osuvanne "Amahi" are generally unknown. It is clear that the Tinkerers' guild who specialise in engineering would be closely associated with the Trust. It is completely feasible that some overlap exists between the two.

The ambition of the trust appears to be: 1) Uphold the values of the venerable and charitable gentlemen and women of seafarers and skyfarers. 2) Educate the future generation of masters and misses. 3) Recover the technology of the skyships of yore.

It appears that although the knowledge to build skyships is in existence, the materials to complete such a complex endeavour are not: the crystalline substance required to power the lifting engines and lightweight alloys to manufacture them are completely used, and new areas of supply are unknown. As such, the bluecloaks investigate rumours of such skycrystal - nominating a group to adventure and investigate the claims of rumored material and bring it back to the guild for study. Currently the Trust has a presence in Tor Valnari after the recent skyship crash at the hands of Corriander Heretofore's adjutant. It has become a topic of comedy to the other guilds in Tallowmore; chasing an impossible dream is likened to the Trust's unending search for dull rocks and stones.

The Empirical Counting Houses of Abbatchtka

The traders of Tallowmore have organised themselves into a guild known as the counting houses. An opulent guild house is situated in the central district of the town on Oxbow Avenue. Its magnificence is matched by its garishness; each of the guild's members have a share in the houses: junior members live in the basements, whilst full members have the right to "live in", but often have property nearby and use the guild as a clubhouse. These other properties become places where wealth is indulged to keep up with the other traders in the guild, and give areas of Tallowmore the impression of a small child decorating a house using glitter, felt and occasionally a live peacock or three.

The Counting Houses relate to the banking industry that Tallowmore has become known for. This has become tradition, and is not overly questioned by those in power, as money buys plenty of silence. The tader's bank are often fellow merchants with the most successful usually finding additional income through lending to less fortunate fellows. It follows, then, that the Counting Houses are a powerful group in the political landscape of the Empire. The Emperor is advised by many sources and petitioned by many groups that wax and wane over the course of many years; the Counting Houses seem to be ever present in attendance to the court - and the advice is seldom free.

Several of the Tallowmore merchants have found regional and continental fame:

• Mistress Rachael Croftson
• Mister Henry Fletchering
• The Emperor's Vizier, Mister Edwind Mortisman.

The fame leads to obvious interest in counting houses from organisations like the Calmorian Way and less celebrated nefarious groups.

Layout

Tallowmore's center is an organically amalgamated reutilisation of buildings - the guilds have repurposed to create new factories and homes for their indentured workers. Arable lane runs to the north of the cen tral district, turning east into Publican Lane. Across the central lake (ruefully called The Pond by locals), Arable lane continues into Axbow Avenue, with an south-westerly junction with Harbour lane and Croft Street.

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Factions & Personages

Factions

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Personages

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