A Brief History of Lia Tsashu

March 15, 2010 · Posted in World Background · Comment 
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Located a little inland from Kukuri’s western coast, Lia Tsashu (pronounced LEE-a TSA-shoo) is a rarity–a Seafarers’ Guild town located inland. It started as a fishing village, named Tsashu for the river it sat next to, on opposite banks from the Richichi village of Chatki. The Richichi, who resemble 3′ tall ground squirrels are famous for the fruits of their orchards and Chatki, though not the largest orchard town, was still one of the most prominent.  It’s one of the few places in Guang Keshar that the malaka fruit–so essential to keeping sailors healthy during long ocean voyagers–can grow abundantly.

During the time of Emperor Hanatan, when Atum still sat as one of the Council of Harbingers, it’s sub-House Kukuri, seeing profit in both fish and fruit, obtained governance of both villages.  To make tax-collection easier, Kukuri merged the two villages into a single town it called Lia Tsashu. The also saw potential of it as a quiet place, far from the temptations and distractions of the larger cities to the south, where sensitive records and accounts could be handled. The Richichi are also well-known for their meticulous attention to detail. House Kukuri already employed many Richichi accountants; they felt these accountants would feel more comfortable (and therefore do their work more accurately) around more members of their own race in a town that’s scaled to their size.

Tsashu had been a minor port on the Kukuri trade route, specializing in the exporting dried fruits, nuts, and salt fish commonly used as travel food, both on shipboard and overland. The Seafarers’ Guild resented the monopoly House Kukuri (an independent Major House at that time) had over the food supplies needed by their ships. To bring this small, but important town under Seafarers’ control, they created rumors that Kukuri was building it own merchant fleet, something prohibited by Imperial Law:  only the Seafarers may operate and maintain fleets of merchant ships.

They blockaded the Kukuri islands, preventing any ships from leaving or entering legally. Any ships found entering illegally were sunk, along with their crews and cargo. Kukuri appealed to the Imperial Moot to no avail: Emperor and Moot sided with the Guild and actually aided the blockade with ships of their own. Kukuri had no choice but to sue for peace.

House Kukuri agreed to dismantle all merchant ships in current production. Additionally, as punishment, the Seafarers’ Guild demanded (and were given) the town of Lia Tsashu. Kukuri removed its accounting offices, leaving the town largely deserted. Shortly after Kukuri transferred ownership to the town to the Guild, Guild members sent to map out the borders of the town discovered a rich vein of lodestone—the valuable rock that always points due North, absolutely essential to the safe operation of ships.

Currently, Lia Tsashu remains in Seafarers’ hands. Many of the houses and lands previously own by Kukuri accountants have been filled by miners who dig out the lodestones for their living. Other trades and businesses continue as before, for Seafarers’ towns are independently chartered and as long as they pay their taxes, the Guild takes little interest in their day-to-day affairs.

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