Port Mallister

Artesia would be completely landlocked, were it not for a tiny strip of land in the nation’s southwestern corner. The territory lies alongside the mouth of one of Artesia’s major rivers, leaving most of the land covered in swamps and floodplains that are difficult to traverse on horseback. The Fruit Road in this corner of Artesia is often touted as being the very worst part of it, in a constant state of disrepair and subject to frequent floods. Port Mallister itself sees more fishing than any other part of the country, but its people are still wary of the sea and refuse to venture out further than necessary, instead maintaining a focus on trading inland.

The nation’s sole port town is an important strategic asset, guarding much of the Artesian river system. Opportunistic raiders and pirates from Tosgiv have attacked the town many times, attempting to kidnap citizens to sell as slaves in Abfall and claim the town. Naturally, Artesia does not stand for this and always manages to rally knights and archers to defend the port and free captured citizens. Many songs are sung about the heroic deeds of these liberators, and of the countless times Port Mallister has survived raids and been rebuilt. The Artesians are not always fully successful in protecting the port, however, and many families have been torn apart when the Tosgivites struck, filling them either with a deep hatred for slavers or resentment for those who failed to save them.