Posting this for now:
A bit of discussion of the geography of our fair city of Fossice- as always, comment away (and in GM terms, feel free to comment, modify, or deny as needed). This post is purely about the physical geography of the area- I'll have another one about the features of the city (The Hall of Guilds, The Library, the Academy- and the great loss that the city does not, as yet, have a true University to its credit, etc.)
(Obviously, this owes a great deal to inspiration to Camorr, from the Lies of Locke Lamora (Which is also based on Venice, so there is that...)
In this case:
- (?): the larger city-state that Fossice is part of
- (??): The overall continent
- (X): The river which flows into the city from the mountains
- (XX): The nearby mountain range which runs parallel to the coast (Possibly the Celestina range?)
The Glories of Fossice:
(A Guidebook for travelers)
PART 1:
The port of Fossice is one of the largest cities in (The Serene Republic of) Ulivo, and indeed, one of the richest and best known settlements on the southeastern coast of (??). It was originally settled well before the tragic event known as the Harrowing, though at that time it was a simple fishing village and local port- in fact it was that terrible day which led the village to become such a prominent city today.
For a traveler from afar, one must first discuss the geography of Fossice, and then enter into a description of the features which make the city so important to our land.
Geography:
Fossice is primarily known as a port city- indeed it was first settled as a fishing village and a local port, where coastal ships put in to take on fresh water and other supplies. It lies at the end of the Garbato river, where it reaches the sea after a long run through fertile farmlands, from its headwaters in the Greater Celestina Mountains at the center of (??). Most of the city is built on a series of islands in the river’s delta- while the islands are mostly bound by bridges, the city has begun to spread out onto the firm ground along both banks of the river as well. The islands of the city, as well as a smaller number of islands which are a bit more widely separated, are sheltered within a lagoon or bay, a shallow-water harbor enclosed by a narrow peninsula, known locally as “The Hook”. The Hook closes about ¾ of a circle, with its open end mostly facing north-east- there is a deepwater anchorage on the outside of the Hook, mostly along the southern edge, where the ships may be sheltered from most of the prevailing winds and weather (though not as protected as those within the inner harbor). The peculiar shape and placement of the Hook, and the protection that it provides to the inner harbor, and the islands of Fossice itself, date from the Harrowing, in fact. While the village was of little consequence in those days, it WAS host to a wizard’s tower- one which exploded and carved away a reasonable chunk of the shoreline, leading to the present geography…
While the Hook is rather prominent, both in visibility and in value to the city, it is almost completely barren. It is almost entirely formed of glossy black rock and essentially devoid of vegetation- perhaps due to lingering magical energies from its creation (as everyone knows, even small amounts of lingering magic are hostile to normal forms of life). It is also mostly too narrow to build upon, and both its inner and outer edges are precipitously steep. It is only along the southern end, along the deepwater anchorage section, that there is any permanent construction- and this takes the form of docks, cranes, ad some temporary warehouses. In practice the larger ships put in on the Outer Docks, where their cargo is unloaded and lifted over the Hook- from there shallow-draft rafts take the cargo and passengers across into the Inner Docks of Fossice itself. Smaller boats, including the pleasure craft of the nobility and more utilitarian coastal boats, can use the Inner Harbor at all times, of course- though the docking rates are higher. There has been talk of supplanting the rafts with a small cart train, which would run on rails laid along the top of the Hook- but the Crafters Guild has yet to produce such a contraption (apparently powering such a device is a quandary of sorts- the top of the Hook being to narrow to support a path for draft beasts).
In addition to the islands of the river delta which make up the bulk of Fossice itself, there are a number of islands in the bay, separated from both the mainland and from the Hook. Some of these islands are too small to bear any real habitation- though some DO house small towers built by the nobility or the richer citizens as private retreats. The larger islands are home to some very important structures- which we will discuss in time. But most of the city is built along the inner shoreline of the bay, either on the islands of the delta or the surrounding banks of the river.
Away from the city itself, the lands curves upward in a series of gentle hills- while the land is fertile enough, there is simply not enough level ground to support large-scale farming. There are a few vineyards, herb gardens, and small orchards- all privately owned (mostly by noble families with a long lineage- except for the Terrase vineyards, but again, more on those later). About five miles inland, the hills rise enough to join a spur of the Celestina range (the 'Lesser' or Eastern Celestinas), which runs parallel to the coastline down much of (XX). While the river cuts through this narrow band of mountainous terrain (and both a northern and southern pass), this natural barrier forms the inland border of Fossice’s formal authority. The far side of the Celestinas slopes gradually downwards, towards a broad expanse of rolling farmlands- this area owes allegiance to Fossice, and there is quite a bit of trade (mostly riverboats). In the city, this area is often referred to as Outer Fossice, and the inhabitants are seen as rustic coountryfolk- this is, in fact, an almost entirely accurate assessment… One must also take note of another important feature- the inland slopes of the Celestinas plays host to the sprawling estates of Fossice’s noble families. The broad swathes of land have been in their respective families’ hands for generations- most of the estates predate the Harrowing. More to the point, it is the possession of these estates (and in many cases, accompanying chunks of farmlands in the lower land) which are the true measure of just who is (or is not) nobility by Fossice’s standards. Even the richest merchants or craftsmen cannot claim true nobility without a proper estate- and they are NOT for sale. The machinations of alliance, marriage, and politics needed to take possession of such property are the force that drives much of the conflict between the classes in the city itself…
