Malaca
| A city well
known for three things: its fine timber, its finer sea food and for being a
den of smuggling and piracy.. However there is more than just that in Malaca.
Its fiercely independent people have time and again clashed against the rest
of Castille in an attempt to be an independent city state but have always
been recaptured. Though they have not been defeated. No place else in
Castille is as free of control of either the Court or the Church as Malaca
and it has made the city more than just a haven for pirates, but also
fugitives of other sorts, scholars fleeing from the Inquisition often come
here seeking passage out of Castille, so to do dancers and others who have
been outlawed. Though many don't leave and stay adding to the colourful
collection of peoples the city already boasts. However this state of freedom can't last forever eventually the Inquisition will figure out where it's fugitives are going and come to arrest them and when that happens it may just spark the flames of rebellion once more. |
1 - Abandoned Castillian Fort - Despite the fact Malaca is once again a Castillian city. Malaca's fort remains unoccupied and is generally thought to be haunted by the many men who died defending it both 'regular' Castillian and Malacan alike.
2. - Aldea de los piratas - The village of the pirates. Formerly a village that sprung up to supply services to the fort but once the fort was abandoned the village was taken over by smugglers and the crews of the various pirate ships who dock here. Despite the lawlessness of such people they seem to rule themselves quite well and once you are accepted as 'one of them' you may safely walk the streets with only the occasional friendly fist fight to worry about. Any serious problems are settled by pirate duel on the shore, popular events for this area.
3 - Alcalde's Estancia - The large country estate of Ramon Garcia y Valdez de Malaca is the latest in a long line of Alcaldes chosen by the Gallegos family to run Malaca. The estate's main product is oranges and lemons which are sold in the markets at Malaca other than that the Alcalde relys on what taxes he collects and his bonuses for meeting the timber quota set by the Castillian navy.
4 - Crescent Market - Along the winding streets of Malaca proper you can find shops especially those close to the water who offer forbidden Crescent goods at exorbitant prices these items are smuggled in by the pirates who trade with the Crescents in secret though only in small amounts which means prices are quite high due to demand.
5 - Catedral de Santo Elmo - The town's main place of worship it's an old stone Cathedral which was once a Crescent mosque before the area was retaken by Castille. Now it is a church dedicated to the saint of Sailors and is said to have his skeletal hand in it's reliquary and any Malacan who is going on his first voyage must go there and kiss the reliquary and ask for Saint Elmo's blessing and protection.
It is also the site of the yearly feast of Saint Elmo where the church parades the reliquary around town and young boys of the church collect donations from the townsfolk for those families who have lost their men at sea. After the parade a large vat of Sangria is paraded to the waterfront and poured in the ocean as tribute to the dead though many say this part of ceremony dates back to the time of the Numan gods and is merely a modification of a supplication ritual for the god of the sea. Regardless it ends the day's ceremonies and begins the night's revel including a feast featuring sea food and dancing in the square outside the Cathedral.