Ghyll:Iganefta-on-the-Sea

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Iganefta-on-the-Sea is known as twin city to the more bejewelled Iganefta (the southernmost "civilized" settlement on Ghyll). It has not always been so. Long ago this currently bustling city on the sea was nothing more than the existing Wakanpantricist fishing village of Thungerbarg. But after the annexation of this little hamlet by Lord Glosfordshier in -260 EC and his upgrading of the road connecting it with Iganefta Old City, and after the building of a summer palace there for himself and his family, the whole village took on a new spirit.

City Quarters

There are various burrows to this city, sections of varied lifestyle and imagination, each governed by its own rejah. The most publicized is the Seaside Briton where the rich bathe in the sun and the wealthy purchase fine foods of exquisite taste. This quarter is envied in all the inland locals, the reason why Iganefta-on-the-Sea is considered one of the most wealthy and exclusive settlements in Ghyll. The richly adorned villas and retreats with their spectacular vistas of the Dagger Seas are envied by many and not a few artists have come to the rolling hills to draw, paint and even sculpt reproductions for their patrons living nearer the desert or on the plains. Originally settled by retired sea captains, the Seaside Briton has overcome her quaint history with the infusion of both old and new money, not to mention the influx of Adrizians.

Thungerbarg is the ancient (and original) district of the city, but the best that can be said of this quarter is that those who live within it grow and live with great luxury just out of reach. It is also known for its bi-sexual bathhouses, roadside doorknob smelters and the incredible Kites d'Jeaux.

The underside of Iganefta-on-the-Sea, however, is the quarter called the Druthers. This is where the docks are maintained, as well as the offices that support the coming and going of goods, legal and illegal. It is the port which is the thriving center of commerce, both during the day and in the deep of night. In recent years, the Iganefta Council of Lords has made feeble attempts to stem the tide of illicit goods flowing through the back alleys of the city but they have been less than successful. Though the lifeblood of the city flows through the port, dockworkers themselves are looked upon with little more than contempt.

The Fraternal Union of Cartmen

Started by Johnny Lightning and Jimmy Cashews, the Fraternal Union of Cartmen is not only the union of the local cartmen but also the overseer of almost all occupation within the city. Regardless of one's views on its inspiration and origination, the FUC has certainly given aid to many a young, ignorant broodling. After its first five years of existence, the only decent paying work in the city was gotten through the FUC and that still holds true today. Several times in the past, the larger mercantile houses tried to bring in splakkers and break the Union, but Johnny and Jimmy knew what had to be done, and the military-grade EctoMechanauts they invested in paid off.

The Law

The legal system of Iganefta-on-the-Sea is recognizable to most throughout Ghyll. Though quite influenced by the personal tastes of Lord Glosfordshier long ago, the introduction and import of the Codex RealAxe after -207 EC also has played a part. Street justice still reigns supreme, especially in the Druthers and Thungerbarg, but the more elite inhabitants do have access to the local Adjudicator, Protector, and Persecutor.

Society Life

The society to which any up-and-coming socialite must belong is the Folktown Social Club in Iganefta-on-the-Sea. With a villa overlooking the greenest blue, members of the Club spend their days sipping strong Umlaut Tea and making bets over billiards games. As for the underworld society of this city, not much may I say and keep my digits intact. They're a fine bunch of fellows once you get to know them.

Local Legend

One curious flavor to the city are the local tales of frog-men living under the docks. Quite a number of Ghyllians have said that, late at night, they have seen strange flashings and heard odd bells and tinkerings offshore of the port. Though the work of the dockmen continues into the night, and not a few illicit transactions therein occur as well, it has been these very same workers who have complained of weird shapes rising from the sea, of foreigners coming in without boats, with wet stained carapaces and strange elongated faces. Most call this a fear tactic of the back marketeers, but others note that it has been a number of supposed back marketeers who have given up the business and moved inland after only a few short months on the docks. Though odd, though eerie, though potentially nefarious in nature and spirit, the work of the dock does goes on.

The Future

The future of Iganefta-on-the-Sea lies with her twin city, Iganefta. Iganefta is an ever-growing mass of homes, shoppes, temples, warehouses, and streets. It has been suggested that, at the current rate of encroachment by Iganefta, the roughly 30 lele of rough terrain that separate the two cities will vanish in a few short years. What then will this landscape resemble? What will it be named? Only time (and a future rejah) will tell.

Famous Residents

  • Mason Grommie, this local representative of the family runs the various entertainment halls in the city. The family denies any connection to the more scurrilous history of smuggling associated with old money in Iganefta-on-the-Sea.
  • Kathryn Pearl Blatherwill, the only Harrabloon Bank employee to testify against the men who robbed said bank in -51 EC, and she did it for love.
  • Vemish, though not a citizen of this community, he currently holds the record for "Most Times on the Disgraceful List" of the rejah of the Thungerbarg quarter.

Historical Notes

  • In -11 EC, the doggerel plague swept through the twin cities bringing one of the darkest moments in living memory.
  • In the early -80s EC, the modern Paramount Queen ceremony originated as a beauty contest in Folktown as an attempt to attract tourists away from Iganefta-on-the-Sea.
  • About -167 EC, the play Gimlet is penned by M. Peershakes. The story is an appealing farce with Gimlet being a young prince of Iganefta-on-the-Sea.

Citations: Iganefta, Kites d'Jeaux, Wakanpantricist.

--Nikos of Ant 15:41, 20 Jul 2005 (EDT)