SERPENT'S COIL

The town of Serpent's Coil is located deep in the southern seas of Mer, a relatively short sail from the planet's small southern pole and ice cap. This far south, the climate of Mer is no longer the usual tropical climate that most natives are used to. Instead, the temperatures range on the cold side of temperate - sometimes cold enough the cause frost to form and snow to fall. However, there are still inhabitable islands in the area due to a large amount of volcanic activity in the area. All of these volcanoes tend to heat the waters surrounding themselves, moderating the climate. When this warmer water makes contact with the cold air, fog is formed and a near constant feature of the region (hence the common name of "The Steaming Islands" given the whole of the area).

The town itself is built on the blasted out rim of a dormant (but not extinct) volcano that on a map looks like a sea serpent breaking the surface. The end result is a naturally formed deep harbor surrounded by island, with only one narrow harbor mouth on the north side of the island. There is an abundance of coral shoals along the outer rim of the island, and there are places to ride at anchor out there, if the ship has a shallow draft. However, a deep channel has been cut through the coral by the townsfolk to allow easy access to the harbor's mouth.

The opening is large enough to let two smaller ships pass comfortably abreast. At the mouth are two stone watch towers, one on either side, about three stories high. The top of the east tower sports an aging catapult, and no people are visible. The larger, western tower has signal flags on top and a small landing for the harbormaster's dinghies, longboats, etc. Both towers are built from coral which has been quarried from the reefs surrounding the island. Both towers have heavy ballistae hidden on the middle floor, fired through a small target window in a crossfire at a ship in the channel. Depending on the tide, a close look will also reveal a heavy anchor chain fastened to the base of the west tower about 3-5 feet above the waterline at low tide, and hidden at high tide. The chain runs along the bottom of the channel to the east tower, into which it snakes through an anchor winch on the first floor. This winch is used wind the chain taut and lock it in place. (This defensive measure is called "closing the coils" by the locals. The process takes about four rounds to accomplish.)

Once inside, the harbor can comfortably ride a dozen ships at anchor, perhaps more if you block off the two dry-dock slips to the east. There is a lot of activity going on there in the shipyards - they are testing the switchblade-style piercing rams on the Scarab (six of which swing out from the flanks of the ship). Installation is finishing up on a turret-mounted blade thrower on the Scurvy Knave (a recently captured merchant vessel). They are also laying an odd-looking keel in the shipyard. A fortified watchtower stands on either side of the shipyards, each sporting a turret-mounted ballista.

Continuing clockwise to the southern shores of the harbor, we reach the actual town, which is composed of varying types of building materials and styles: thatched roofs, wattle and daub huts, recycled and scavenged wood, coral block homes with ceramic slate roofs. Though the town has the general feel of having been cobbled together, none of it looks run-down. There are alehouses, coffeehouses, brothels, merchants, even an armorer and weaponsmith. All merchants will look at the players suspiciously, but take their coin greedily enough. There are, however, certain factory-type buildings near the shipyards that are off limits, and guards are present to discourage snooping. (This is where the shipboard weapons are designed, produced, and stored.)

Above the town, far up the interior slope of the volcano's cone, is the governor's mansion. It's also build of quarried coral, along with a pair of fortified gatehouses guarding the entrances. This is where the captains of the pirate fleet have their quarters. There are a series of three terraces of the mansion: the uppermost being a pleasure terrace near the living quarters; the middle concealing under tarps two heavy catapults and a bombard (cannon) which are capable of targeting the harbor and a straight line beyond its mouth; the lowest being not much more than a retaining wall for repelling conventional assaults with crossbows and the like.

Completing the circle around the harbor lie the warehouses and commercial docks. Another pair of watchtowers are present here, armed with catapults. In this case, the towers are still under construction. The harbormaster's office is also located here, close to the west harbor tower. An archer's platform has been recently and hastily built on the roof of the place.

There are a few other features of Serpent's Coil which are not readily apparent to most visitors. The first is that spaced evenly around the perimeter of the island, hidden high on the outer rim, are eight watch posts. These are manned by two guards at all times, looking for ships trying to sneak around the island using the high rim as cover. The second is that the island actually is home to two towns. The first is the one built around the interior of the volcano's rim. The other is a village of merfolk that is built under the waves on the walls of the volcano's shaft. The final feature is the proof that the volcano itself is merely dormant and not extinct. Far below the merfolk village is a visible pool of lava the provides the heat to keep the waters temperate.