“Some call the sun the beacon of hope. Others, the clear wind following the storm. I have no need for these.
The sun shines on the bay. The winds push it forth. But it stretches beyond them both. The sea is my home, and the spire my only knot.
It reminds me that I am free…”
Memoirs of a Sailor, -12y
Valley Star. The Gateway. Beyale. Jewel of Deltani and the port city of the civilized world.
The Deltanis often claim that the site of the city was marked with lightning by Robalem himself nearly 600 years ago. Once seeing it, it is hard to dismiss this claim. The grandeur of the city needs no defense.
Whether marked by lightning or not, Beyale was founded around 600 years ago, likely by the old Deltanis. The city has changed hands and names several times but has been a key player in trade and diplomatic relations in the area for centuries straight, almost entirely due to the location of its port. With mountains on the north and east, it is shielded from weather and is a safe haven for ships to winter. Its vanguard location in the bay and close proximity to several other major cities such as Deltani Mer and the Avato ports of Carthis and Rokur cement its status as the undisputed trade queen of the region.
Land travel in the area is difficult but not insurmountable. The mountains necessitate pack animals with hardy dispositions. Defense of the city in the past has been won or lost by the defenders holding the high ground, of which there is no short supply. Once passing the northeastern ridge, the land flattens drastically and the area is much friendlier to travel. Those that do not take the coastal route through Carthis often use this course to reach the Avato Capital.
While the status of Deltani as an autonomous vassal of Avato is often a sensitive subject, Beyale is thankfully one of the less volatile centers and frequently seems less preoccupied with the political scene at large than the rest of Deltani. Riots are bad for trade, and many Beyales roll with the ethnic punches as a result to protect their livelihoods. Taxes may be another story, but that is a worldwide constant.