Post by Kaya on Jul 6, 2014 21:37:01 GMT -8
Far less conveniently located than Cliffside, Shimmer Bay is by that reason a smaller, much less important port. In fact, goods leave Shimmer Bay on smaller ships, stopping in Cliffside on their way out into the rest of the Pern. Likewise, incoming goods have passed through Cliffside and been transferred there into smaller ships before continuing on to Shimmer Bay. This puts a major crimp on Shimmer Bay’s economy, despite it being the port of export/import for Golden Valley Hold. Indeed, the crimp placed on Shimmer Bay’s economy affects that at Golden Valley as well. This isn’t intended to say that Shimmer Bay is a poor place though. It may be the smaller, poorer cousin to Cliffside, but it is still a large port in its own right.
Shimmer Bay is far more traditional than many of the other Holds on the Southern continent. Women in Shimmer Bay are not allowed to work the ships (or even near the ships), or to engage openly in trade. Indeed, the only real prospect for women here is as a housewife and mother, though female Healers are not looked at oddly.
As far as crafts for those fortunate enough to be born male, Shimmer Bay boasts a Trader Hall. All other crafts are learned elsewhere, including fishing, which is a primary source of food for the locals. Like most coastal Holds, Shimmer Bay's soil is too thin for successful farming. Occasionally someone will grow something in a window box, but that is really as close to farming as people come.
The combination of a bustling, busy port (it is the port of access for Golden Valley Hold and Waterfall Valley Weyr), and a still relatively depressed economy results in a Hold with several rough areas. There are definitely parts of Shimmer Bay where the rule of two means “don’t go out without a buddy, and you both better be armed”.
The current Lord Holder is a forthright fisherman and trader by the name of Garloss Aguran. His wife, the Lady of the Hold, is a sweet, delicate woman named Frayana Aguran. The watchrider is currently V’jor Belther of Jungle Nemoroth.
[written by Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]
