The most recent colony of Nostrum, and the most isolated. Blackport's history begins as a penal colony, established during the The Vanishing after the fisheries around Nostrum exhausted their stock of fish. In the centuries since then, the thaw has seen the world return to a place of normalcy and the colony has grown beyond a simple fishing village.

Demographics

Blackport is one of the most diverse states in the world. Its relatively close proximity to elvenkind saw a great many of them settling there after their diaspora. Being a colony of Nostrum, many humans were sent and still live there. Some Valleymen even make residence there, though they keep mainly to themselves.

Uniquely, Blackport is the only settled region of the world in close enough proximity to the Ordu to trade with them.

Institutions

Toward the end of its history as a penal colony, a conflict over leadership after a period of long isolation resulted in a battle of wills between different powers. Unable to rule from the island peacefully, some of those factions were exiled to the mainland while the Charter of Greater Nostrum established itself as a neutral authority.

Since then, there's been a delicate balance. The Charter trying to extract as much value as physically possible from Blackport, the Knight-Regent appointed by the king trying to ensure the rule of law survives, and the people who blame both equally for their long suffering.

The Charter

The Charter of Greater Nostrum has such a controlling stake over the territory of Blackport that they can considered one of the ruling parties of the isle. It is them who took over during the period of long isolation during The Vanishing. During that time and since then, they have largely left the ruling of the island to the Union, which they first endorsed and established.

The Union

Born of an unlikely alliance, when the power of the Knight-Regency collapsed over the isle, the Charter turned to the workers. Establishing a council to rule in absence of the Knight-Regent, eventually The Union became its own thing. Now it is the de facto governing body, made up of oligarchal relationships between business owners, foremen, and influential people in the city.

The Knight-Regent

Appointed by the king of Nostrum to rule, typically a lifetime appointment. While in the past the Knight-Regent ruled with absolute authority, since The Thaw they have adopted a largely ceremonial role. They sit in judgement of crimes and represent the interests of the king, but their actual power is largely moot.

The Ordu

Nomadic horsemen who graze in pastures where once Empyreans, and before them Hours, walked. They speak their own language and mingling between their people and those of the rest of Ayaria is rare. Nonetheless, during The Vanishing many of them were were forced to migrate south and the residents of Blackport desperately searched north. Their meeting proved fortuitous for both sides.

The Kazaks

A pidgin language arose between the Ordu and citizens of Blackport, which over the centuries has gradually morphed into its own language and culture. They live on the fringes of civilization, with a reputation for being outlaws. Not wild enough for the Ordu and not civilized enough for Blackport, Kazaks are their own people, the bastard offspring of these two mingling cultures.

They speak their own language, Kazakin.

Provinces

Originally, the mainland was strictly forbidden and the only habitable land was considered to be the isle that Blackport rests on. Eventually smugglers began to traverse the mainland, and then outright habitation began.

Blooded are a significant problem in Blackport. In the winter, the Blooded bury themselves in shallow graves and freeze. Only for the summer to come, and the Blooded to arise from those graves and terrorize everyone on the mainland. Only the isle so far is truly safe, in some harsh summers the mainland is entirely abandoned with everyone inhabiting the isle until the safety of winter sees the undead menace freeze.

The City of Blackport

An island dominated by an ancient fortress, with a city built up all around it. It is the beating heart of their civilization, with most people who visit Blackport never venturing into the hinterlands around the city-state.

The Black Main

The mainland. Nearest the island city, it is almost suburban in character. One can forget in the long winters that the summer brings great danger there. The further away one gets from Blackport, the smaller the settlements and the more likely they are to be abandoned come spring.

The Hinterlands

Strange lands where only the Kazaks and Ordu dare to tread. Blackport was established long centuries after the fall of the Empyreans, but the Empyrean heartland still has many dangers left uncovered.

Sundale

While the mountains that divide Sundale from the rest of the world are visible from Blackport itself on a clear day, no one goes to Sundale anymore.

Traits

These are some of the traits someone from Blackport would likely have.

Name	Description
Kazak	Kazaks speak their own language, Kazakin. When fighting on horseback, they gain a bonus of one to their Prowess.
Metropolitan	This character is adapted to the strictures of city life. When in a densely urbanized environment, their effective Cleverness increases by one. When outside of such environs, their effective Cleverness is reduced by one.