Gintaras

[Alric]

Overview
Gintaras is a port town located on the southern coast of the Arcosian Sea. The town was originally formed through the cooperation and funding of five merchant lords who desired a stable port on the area to transfer goods between ship and caravan. The ports has become the backbone for a prosperous trade route between the nations on the Arcosian Sea and those on the Candarion Ocean.

Government
The town and its surrounding lands are collectively owned and ruled over by the Merchant Council. The five Merchant Lords meet once a year in Gintaras to oversee the fiefdom. The remainder of the year, the Merchant Lords reside in their respective realms and let their officers, such as the Bailiff, govern the town in their name.

Military
Gintaras, while often filled with travelers, has a very small number of permanent residents. Due to this, the town does not maintain its own military. Instead, The Merchant Council pays for a contingent of mercenaries, made up primarily of Helian troops, to stay in the town year round and protect it from brigands. In the event of any large scale attack however, all of the residents, as well as the numerous merchant guards passing through, would arm themselves and defend the town from attack.

Culture
The culture of Gintaras is a melting pot of the nations and cultures that trade through the port. One element unique to Gintaras is the food. Gintarans tend to eat a lot of spicy seafood dishes, prepared with hot peppers and spiced with cumin, both of which are plants native to the mesa environment.