[Part Two: On Limsa Lominsa, and its Surrounding Areas]
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On Limsa Lominsa
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Overview
Adjacent Areas: Eastern La Noscea, Western La Noscea, Lower La Noscea, Middle La Noscea.
Limsa Lominsa, the city of the sea, is a big and bustling port city carved right out of the stone spires that lace the bay that sports the city itself. Originally a hastily-constructed haven for pirates and plunderers, the city grew alongside their crews, attracting mercenaries, merchants, and more. These days, Limsa Lominsa is a place of prompt protocol, especially when it comes to any talk of trade. It could perhaps even be said that part of the reason why, despite being a port city, Limsa Lominsa has been unable to surpass its sister city Ul'dah in regards to revenue is because of the strict oversight that is placed on such matters within the city.
However, despite this benevolent bureaucracy, the more lenient side of the law still lurks in Limsa Lominsa. Namely, the city's dependence on Pirates for everything from the acquirement of "traded" goods for the city to sell, to the bay's defense from unexpected parties.
If one wishes to visit the city from Thanalan, it may be easier for them to secure passage on a boat from Vesper Bay as opposed to an airship, due to route restrictions, costs, and various dangers in regards to air travel. The same goes for a trip in the opposite direction.
Adjacent Areas: Eastern La Noscea, Western La Noscea, Lower La Noscea, Middle La Noscea.
Limsa Lominsa, the city of the sea, is a big and bustling port city carved right out of the stone spires that lace the bay that sports the city itself. Originally a hastily-constructed haven for pirates and plunderers, the city grew alongside their crews, attracting mercenaries, merchants, and more. These days, Limsa Lominsa is a place of prompt protocol, especially when it comes to any talk of trade. It could perhaps even be said that part of the reason why, despite being a port city, Limsa Lominsa has been unable to surpass its sister city Ul'dah in regards to revenue is because of the strict oversight that is placed on such matters within the city.
However, despite this benevolent bureaucracy, the more lenient side of the law still lurks in Limsa Lominsa. Namely, the city's dependence on Pirates for everything from the acquirement of "traded" goods for the city to sell, to the bay's defense from unexpected parties.
If one wishes to visit the city from Thanalan, it may be easier for them to secure passage on a boat from Vesper Bay as opposed to an airship, due to route restrictions, costs, and various dangers in regards to air travel. The same goes for a trip in the opposite direction.
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Regarding Geography
Limsa Lominsa is much more similar to the city-state of Gridania in the sense that both cities are built in tandem with their surroundings, rather than around them, as is the case with Ul'dah. All of the city's structures are built atop the large limestone pillars that dot the coast, while most interior areas are carved right into the rocks themselves. Judging by the stone used to construct the soaring towers the city is known for, it is even possible that stone from several pillars may have been used to construct the city, in addition to the stone from the quarry in Western La Noscea.
Limsa Lominsa is divided into two main sections, depending entirely on the altitude in which various places in the city are constructed. These two areas are, namely, the Upper Decks and the Lower Decks, are are placed exactly where one would expect in relation to each other.
Let us construct the city from the starting point of your average adventurer as they enter the area by boat. The Ferry Docks serve ships coming in from all over the sea, but most commonly those from Western Thanalan, where a wide variety of Lominsan goods are shipped for sale. All ships, upon arriving, are required to check their cargo with the nearby Arcanists' Guild within Mealvaan's Gate, the students and instructors of which task themselves with the cataloging of all goods to enter the city. Their duties do not stop there, however, as they also keep tabs on taxes that must be paid to the city by merchants in order to remain within the walls, as well as the inspection and oversight of every box or barrel, and the investigation of shady activities, trade-related and otherwise.
When proceeding further from the ferry, the next thing one runs into is West Hawker's Alley, one of two parts of a long stretch of storefronts and stalls that market various goods in a similar manner to Ul'dah's famed Sapphire Exchange, divided in two by Hawker's Round, and proceeding eastward as East Hawker's Alley. This path leads straight to the Octant, Limsa Lominsa's Aetheryte Plaza, and a passage to the city's Upper Decks. Heading straight from there takes one to Bulwark Hall, in which one may find two elevators, one of which takes the public up and down to the Drowning Wench Tavern, and the Airship Terminal above that, while the other takes those with much more special permissions to the Bridge, Limsa Lominsa's overseeing office and headquarters of the Admiral and her attendants. Passing through to the other side of Bulwark Hall leads to a bridge out to Middle La Noscea known as Zephyr Gate. A Chocobokeep can also be found here.
Heading back to Hawker's Round, if one were to take the alternative route, they would find themselves wandering a twisted set of passages that takes them to the Fisherman's Bottom, a small set of piers near the Fishermen's Guild, and the Astalicia, a "trade ship" that brings "foreign goods" from "far-away lands." Fisherman's Bottom is also host to the Lominsan Ferry Docks, which ports passengers back and forth from Eastern and Western La Noscea, as well as the popular residential area known as Mist. The limestone spire in this area also allows passage to the city's Upper Decks.
The Upper Decks, despite displaying similar structures to the decks below, has a slightly different layout. The focus for most in the Upper Decks are the activities that take place at the Drowning Wench, Limsa Lominsa's most popular tavern, and the home of the Mizzenmast Inn and the Limsa Lominsan branch of the Adventurers' Guild. Northward from the Drowning Wench is a bridge that takes one to the Bismark, center of the Culinarians' Guild, and one of the most acclaimed eateries in all of Eorzea, as well as the Seventh Sage, a "store" where one may purchase "legally obtained goods" such as "spices," as "collected" by Captain Carvallain of the "trading party" known as the Kraken's Arms. Northward still is the fortress known as the Coral Tower, head offices of the Yellowjackets, Limsa Lominsa's guardsmen, and those who wish to train in the arts of the Marauders.
South of the Drowning Wench is a popular plaza known as the Aftcastle, off of which branches the command center for the Maelstrom, Limsa Lominsa's Grand Company, a smaller tavern known as the Missing Member, which is usually populated in particular by the piracy group known as the Sanguine Sirens, and a bridge to the south that leads to Lower La Noscea. On the western side of the Aftcastle are bridges leading to an intersection known as the Hyaline, as well as the esteemed Naldiq & Vylmelli's, the headquarters of both the Blacksmiths' Guild and the Armorers' Guild, as well as the most respected shiprights in the city. Across from the Hyaline is a pillar leading down to the Lower Decks, as well as a small area known as Anchor Yard.
Limsa Lominsa is much more similar to the city-state of Gridania in the sense that both cities are built in tandem with their surroundings, rather than around them, as is the case with Ul'dah. All of the city's structures are built atop the large limestone pillars that dot the coast, while most interior areas are carved right into the rocks themselves. Judging by the stone used to construct the soaring towers the city is known for, it is even possible that stone from several pillars may have been used to construct the city, in addition to the stone from the quarry in Western La Noscea.
Limsa Lominsa is divided into two main sections, depending entirely on the altitude in which various places in the city are constructed. These two areas are, namely, the Upper Decks and the Lower Decks, are are placed exactly where one would expect in relation to each other.
Let us construct the city from the starting point of your average adventurer as they enter the area by boat. The Ferry Docks serve ships coming in from all over the sea, but most commonly those from Western Thanalan, where a wide variety of Lominsan goods are shipped for sale. All ships, upon arriving, are required to check their cargo with the nearby Arcanists' Guild within Mealvaan's Gate, the students and instructors of which task themselves with the cataloging of all goods to enter the city. Their duties do not stop there, however, as they also keep tabs on taxes that must be paid to the city by merchants in order to remain within the walls, as well as the inspection and oversight of every box or barrel, and the investigation of shady activities, trade-related and otherwise.
When proceeding further from the ferry, the next thing one runs into is West Hawker's Alley, one of two parts of a long stretch of storefronts and stalls that market various goods in a similar manner to Ul'dah's famed Sapphire Exchange, divided in two by Hawker's Round, and proceeding eastward as East Hawker's Alley. This path leads straight to the Octant, Limsa Lominsa's Aetheryte Plaza, and a passage to the city's Upper Decks. Heading straight from there takes one to Bulwark Hall, in which one may find two elevators, one of which takes the public up and down to the Drowning Wench Tavern, and the Airship Terminal above that, while the other takes those with much more special permissions to the Bridge, Limsa Lominsa's overseeing office and headquarters of the Admiral and her attendants. Passing through to the other side of Bulwark Hall leads to a bridge out to Middle La Noscea known as Zephyr Gate. A Chocobokeep can also be found here.
Heading back to Hawker's Round, if one were to take the alternative route, they would find themselves wandering a twisted set of passages that takes them to the Fisherman's Bottom, a small set of piers near the Fishermen's Guild, and the Astalicia, a "trade ship" that brings "foreign goods" from "far-away lands." Fisherman's Bottom is also host to the Lominsan Ferry Docks, which ports passengers back and forth from Eastern and Western La Noscea, as well as the popular residential area known as Mist. The limestone spire in this area also allows passage to the city's Upper Decks.
The Upper Decks, despite displaying similar structures to the decks below, has a slightly different layout. The focus for most in the Upper Decks are the activities that take place at the Drowning Wench, Limsa Lominsa's most popular tavern, and the home of the Mizzenmast Inn and the Limsa Lominsan branch of the Adventurers' Guild. Northward from the Drowning Wench is a bridge that takes one to the Bismark, center of the Culinarians' Guild, and one of the most acclaimed eateries in all of Eorzea, as well as the Seventh Sage, a "store" where one may purchase "legally obtained goods" such as "spices," as "collected" by Captain Carvallain of the "trading party" known as the Kraken's Arms. Northward still is the fortress known as the Coral Tower, head offices of the Yellowjackets, Limsa Lominsa's guardsmen, and those who wish to train in the arts of the Marauders.
South of the Drowning Wench is a popular plaza known as the Aftcastle, off of which branches the command center for the Maelstrom, Limsa Lominsa's Grand Company, a smaller tavern known as the Missing Member, which is usually populated in particular by the piracy group known as the Sanguine Sirens, and a bridge to the south that leads to Lower La Noscea. On the western side of the Aftcastle are bridges leading to an intersection known as the Hyaline, as well as the esteemed Naldiq & Vylmelli's, the headquarters of both the Blacksmiths' Guild and the Armorers' Guild, as well as the most respected shiprights in the city. Across from the Hyaline is a pillar leading down to the Lower Decks, as well as a small area known as Anchor Yard.
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Regarding History and Culture
Limsa Lominsa began its existence when ships full of settlers from distant islands landed upon the sunny shores of La Noscea, on which they founded a fishing village of humble size and importance upon the spot where the limestone city now stands. Its modern iteration is built entirely out of the stone that surrounds it, and the reused wreckage of a single massive ship known as the Galadion.
However, due to such an informal beginning, illegal activities (piracy as the most popular out of all of them) took hold wherever they could in the early city, and grew almost as quickly as the laws that were passed to prevent them. Even today, large amounts of pirates sail just beyond the borders and bays of the state, hampering merchant and passenger vessels alike. However, after all the time spent attempting to curb the pillaging pirates, Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn has surprisingly sanctioned certain pirate activities in the name of the reformed Maelstrom division of the Lominsan Armada, such as "trading" with Garlean ships. Additionally, the Admiral has also made the cultivation of the land around Limsa Lominsa a top priority, and has recently offered pirates a chance at reform through working at recently established homesteads, farms, and fields. The three largest sanctioned pirate crews, the Kraken's Arms (which fancy themselves a society of traders), the Sanguine Sirens (which is comprised of a crew of women), and the Bloody Executioners (one of the most feared forces on the seas), seem to be in a perpetual rivalry with one-another.
The city-state is a textbook thalassocracy, occupying little to no land that is inward from the coast. Despite hosting some of the greatest fishermen, shipbuilders, and blacksmiths in all of Eorzea, the vast majority of the city's wealth comes from shipping goods back and forth between final destinations, and all taxes and fees that come from such activities. Despite being a haven for piracy (or perhaps because of such a state), Lominsan policies regarding trade and documentation are unusually strict. Arcanists serve as bookkeepers at Mealvaan's Gate by the ferry docks, inspecting and ensuring the quality and safety of each and every crate that makes its way into the city. They also keep a close tab on the taxes that must be paid based on what is being brought in, and if merchants do not pay what they owe, requests to have them forcefully removed from the city itself are promptly filed to the Yellowjackets. Market prices are also meticulously observed and regulated by overseers of commerce, as oftentimes pirates will post pillaged goods up for sale and auction at prices proper vendors cannot match, slashing prices throughout the city's markets. This systematic and organizational approach extends to private practices as well; the Bismark for example requires that one make a reservation to dine there due to its popularity, even if there are currently open tables in the dining area.
Lominsans are a hardy people, and believe their city to be blessed by Llymlaen, the Goddess of Navigation. It is also worth mentioning that they seem to have the uncanny ability to make almost anything into something of use, ranging from the daring dishes created from unwanted ingredients in the Bismark, to the reconstruction of a ship into a city, to the conversion of the entire wreckage of a fleet of ships into windmills now used to grind grain, to their many agricultural experiments involving all sorts of natural oddities.
The Yellowjackets and related parties try their best to keep a close eye on things that happen in the city, especially near Bulwark Hall, seeing as the majority of visitors to the city enter through Zephyr Gate from Middle La Noscea. Although they cannot catch everything, they do a good enough job of keeping the city safe, especially due to their record-keeping. However, the darker side of the sea still shows its face in Limsa Lominsa, with activities ranging from piracy to prostitution to murder to even the slight whispers of slavery taking place on the streets of Limsa Lominsa. However, through the use of clever linguistics, especially on the part of pirates, true dealings are often kept to a low profile, especially in public. Captain Carvallain, for instance, is quite well known for his "Caravallainisms," such as the aforementioned "spices," which in reality merely mean any sort of product produced on the high seas.
Limsa Lominsa began its existence when ships full of settlers from distant islands landed upon the sunny shores of La Noscea, on which they founded a fishing village of humble size and importance upon the spot where the limestone city now stands. Its modern iteration is built entirely out of the stone that surrounds it, and the reused wreckage of a single massive ship known as the Galadion.
However, due to such an informal beginning, illegal activities (piracy as the most popular out of all of them) took hold wherever they could in the early city, and grew almost as quickly as the laws that were passed to prevent them. Even today, large amounts of pirates sail just beyond the borders and bays of the state, hampering merchant and passenger vessels alike. However, after all the time spent attempting to curb the pillaging pirates, Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn has surprisingly sanctioned certain pirate activities in the name of the reformed Maelstrom division of the Lominsan Armada, such as "trading" with Garlean ships. Additionally, the Admiral has also made the cultivation of the land around Limsa Lominsa a top priority, and has recently offered pirates a chance at reform through working at recently established homesteads, farms, and fields. The three largest sanctioned pirate crews, the Kraken's Arms (which fancy themselves a society of traders), the Sanguine Sirens (which is comprised of a crew of women), and the Bloody Executioners (one of the most feared forces on the seas), seem to be in a perpetual rivalry with one-another.
The city-state is a textbook thalassocracy, occupying little to no land that is inward from the coast. Despite hosting some of the greatest fishermen, shipbuilders, and blacksmiths in all of Eorzea, the vast majority of the city's wealth comes from shipping goods back and forth between final destinations, and all taxes and fees that come from such activities. Despite being a haven for piracy (or perhaps because of such a state), Lominsan policies regarding trade and documentation are unusually strict. Arcanists serve as bookkeepers at Mealvaan's Gate by the ferry docks, inspecting and ensuring the quality and safety of each and every crate that makes its way into the city. They also keep a close tab on the taxes that must be paid based on what is being brought in, and if merchants do not pay what they owe, requests to have them forcefully removed from the city itself are promptly filed to the Yellowjackets. Market prices are also meticulously observed and regulated by overseers of commerce, as oftentimes pirates will post pillaged goods up for sale and auction at prices proper vendors cannot match, slashing prices throughout the city's markets. This systematic and organizational approach extends to private practices as well; the Bismark for example requires that one make a reservation to dine there due to its popularity, even if there are currently open tables in the dining area.
Lominsans are a hardy people, and believe their city to be blessed by Llymlaen, the Goddess of Navigation. It is also worth mentioning that they seem to have the uncanny ability to make almost anything into something of use, ranging from the daring dishes created from unwanted ingredients in the Bismark, to the reconstruction of a ship into a city, to the conversion of the entire wreckage of a fleet of ships into windmills now used to grind grain, to their many agricultural experiments involving all sorts of natural oddities.
The Yellowjackets and related parties try their best to keep a close eye on things that happen in the city, especially near Bulwark Hall, seeing as the majority of visitors to the city enter through Zephyr Gate from Middle La Noscea. Although they cannot catch everything, they do a good enough job of keeping the city safe, especially due to their record-keeping. However, the darker side of the sea still shows its face in Limsa Lominsa, with activities ranging from piracy to prostitution to murder to even the slight whispers of slavery taking place on the streets of Limsa Lominsa. However, through the use of clever linguistics, especially on the part of pirates, true dealings are often kept to a low profile, especially in public. Captain Carvallain, for instance, is quite well known for his "Caravallainisms," such as the aforementioned "spices," which in reality merely mean any sort of product produced on the high seas.
