St. Loomis
St. Loomis is a small town in the southwest of Ensor, lying near the hinterland of the Misty Reaches. Possessing good harborage and a long tradition of seafaring, it was once one of the kingdom's chief ports on the Adelantean Sea, second only to Imbryck's own port of Mandermouth. After becoming separated from the rest of Ensor in 797 ND due to an incursion of the Mist, St. Loomis has since become the de facto capital of the new Principality of Innithel. The town is named for Ensor's patron saint, whose burial place lies within the nearby monastery.
Background
St. Loomis had for quite some time occupied an unusual place in Ensor -- politically, culturally, and geographically. The town produced the finest ships and mariners in the kingdom, yet its own harbor possesses few natural advantages and lies distant from all major trade routes since the changes in navigation that came with the Great Dark. Although the trade of St. Loomis linked it to far-flung locales up until very recent times, much of the prosperity of its trading ships was diverted to Imbryck instead of coming home, where the concentration of power and wealth in the capital siphoned off most of the richest cargoes of the ships originating in St. Loomis. By land it was more isolated still, lying perilously close to the Misty Reaches in Ensor's furthest southwest corner, and reached only by the storied but now decrepit Wayfare whose rutted track crosses leagues of isolated and difficult terrain before reaching the richer and more populated region of Southsward.
St. Loomis is the town of Ensor's patron saint and home to Windhaven Monastery, one of the oldest and greatest monasteries in the kingdom, but in recent times the increasingly powerful Ensorian nobility had come to dislike and distrust the ancient influence of the monks. The local nobility, the Greyleighs, have deep roots in the area but live too simply and bound by ancient tradition to receive much respect in the far more sophisticated and striving capital. Meanwhile, the archbiscop whose selection relies on the monks' preferences was little respected in royal circles. St. Loomis was also one of the chief bases of the exalted Mistwatch who were formed to safeguard the western border of the kingdom, but the Mistwatch itself is disliked and derided in Imbryck and in the eastern regions more generally, and the threat they guard against was considered to be greatly exaggerated. On the whole, while St. Loomis's seafaring resources remained vital and the town continued to possess a certain cultural cachet, it was increasingly seen as anachronistic and irrelevant to the kingdom's modern interests.
Within the last three years it has become more isolated still, as both its land and sea connections have been severed by the Mist that had long formed a barrier over the land to the west, but which has only recently expanded to block the Wayfare and the sea lanes to the northeast as well. Now its only connection to the outside world lies straight across the Adelantean via a route that was formerly considered far too perilous to even attempt, running straight past the Eye of God to eventually link up with the great city of Omrazir in the western Sirdabi Caliphate. The lands surrounding the town, likewise encircled by Mist and isolated, have been consolidated into the newly-founded Principality of Innithel by its equally newly-minted Prince Regent, Demetrius Estevarre, the youngest brother of Ensor's foreign-born Queen.
In the end, the combined geographical, cultural, and political isolation of the St. Loomis area has served to produce a people who feel a strong and ancient connection to the historic idea of Ensor, but only a tenuous loyalty to the modern capital and its government; a people independent minded, adventurous, fiercely self reliant, and strongly attached to their own local political and religious figures. This has allowed them to adapt well to their new circumstances, but exactly what future such independence will ultimately lead them to remains to be seen.
Climate
Despite its southerly location, St. Loomis endures a somewhat harsher climate than the rest of southeast Ensor, being frequently plagued by dense fogs and stormy weather. It is perhaps for this reason that the town's chief landmark is the immense St. Loomis lighthouse, whose beacon can be seen far out to sea, and which has doubtless saved the lives and vessels of countless sailors. Rain and gales are common in the winter and through much of the spring, and often begin as early as Sollemnis. Snow is generally confined to the winter months, but when it comes often arrives in large amounts of heavy wet snowfall. Summer and early fall are the pleasantest times of the year, seeing ample sunshine and mild to hot temperatures.
Geography
St. Loomis sits perched amidst the sea cliffs that form the southernmost coast of Ensor, taking advantage of a natural harbor that is sheltered from the worst of the Adelantean's storms. Overall this part of the coast is not only stormy but also treacherous, as hidden shoals and shifting tides make navigation to and from St. Loomis perilous for all but experienced navigators and locals familiar with the area's ever-changing seascape. Whatever this may have cost the town in easy access, its people have reaped an ample reward for their challenges by becoming the most skilled, knowledgeable, and daring of all Ensor's seafarers, highly sought after for their ability to safely navigate the longest and most dangerous sea journeys.
Besides the rugged coastline that is the heart of the community's identity, the St. Loomis area also boasts fine forests of pine and oak which furnish lumber and pitch for constructing the ships not just for local use but all of Ensor. The masts of the largest seafaring ships, however, are generally brought in from the pine forests of upper Aurindell and the Highmoor. The farmland around St. Loomis is not rich, the soils being sandy and somewhat stony and the headlands in particular exposed to strong winds off the sea. The ground is generally adequate to produce crops that meet most of the area's needs, but wheat in particular must sometimes be supplied by lands further inland. The barley crop, however, is usually good, and the area produces a very hardy and nutritious local variety of oats.
People
People of native Ilexi descent make up the majority of St. Loomis's population. Cateni and Rhodish bloodlines are sprinkled thinly throughout the population, and Rhodish traditions in particular have left a mark on the local culture. There is also a sizeable Yehani community, which unlike in many other towns and cities is dispersed throughout St. Loomis rather than being clustered in certain neighborhoods. Occasionally a few people with slightly darker skin tones may been seen around town, perhaps the remote descendent of one of St. Hollyberry's entourage.
Culture
Despite St. Loomis being one of the kingdom's great ports and the relatively far-flung expeditions its sailors undertake, most of its residents have traditionally been only a little less insular in mindset than the rest of the Ensorian population. They are reserved with if not outright mistrustful of outsiders, though they tend simply to keep their mouths shut and avoid strangers rather than being blatantly hostile. They are generally more inclined to give fellow Mistmarchers the benefit of the doubt than those from the other regions of Ensor. They reserve their most particular disdain for Southswarders, whom they see as soft and as standing against their beloved Mistwatch, but also hold an age-old suspicion of the Couranti. While they have long cherished the stories of St. Hollyberry and her entourage from Idiri and are very partial to this particular saint, many St. Loomisites still struggled when the Elukoi freighter known as the Greenest Dolphin was shipwrecked in the bay, leaving a number of actual living breathing Idirians and Ruleskans stranded in their midst.
Governance
The village of St. Loomis originally grew up around the ancient holding of the Greyleighs, who have been the lords of this part of the kingdom for as long as anyone can remember. It is said that the original name of the village was in fact Grey Lea, and that it was only renamed at the behest of the Greyleighs themselves following the death of the saint whom their people esteemed so highly. The actual power of the Greyleighs is much diminished from what it once was, though they still command a great deal of respect among the local populace if not from other members of the nobility.
Most power in St. Loomis is now exercised by the Church, ostensibly through the archbiscop who handles much of the administration of the archdiocese to which St. Loomis belongs. It is an open secret, however, that the archbiscop owes his place to the abbot of the monastery and generally follows the instructions of that establishment. Most of the biscops that have been selected in this way are easygoing and liberal, content to enjoy the luxury and influence which their position gives them while leaving serious decisions up to the monks. The current archbiscop is Matthew Covenderry, a genial yet subtly shrewd man with a weakness for good food and wine, who is on friendly terms with the city council and the commander of the Mistwatch as well as the Prince Regent.
Local Landmarks
St. Loomis Lighthouse
The great St. Loomis Lighthouse is perhaps the best-known landmark in the town, and is certainly the most visible. It perches high on a rocky bluff on the northeast side of town, replacing the original and still more renowned ancient lighthouse that was built by the Yehani on present-day Lookout Rocks in the 3rd century B.D. The beacon in the St. Loomis Lighthouse is capable of penetrating even the legendary fogs of the Greylea coast, guiding ships safely away from the hidden shoals that lurk treacherously on the north side of the harbor. Although its purpose is obviously to assist seafarers, it also provides a guiding light to those traveling through the wilds on the Wayfare.
Cathedral of the Blessed Wayfarer
Gracing the west side of Main Street is the Cathedral of the Blessed Wayfarer, a venerable basilica church founded in St. Loomis's honor shortly after his death. Despite being the seat of an archbiscop and therefore technically a cathedral, the church is considerably less grand than its counterparts in places such as Imbryck or Wessey. From the outside the most striking aspect of the cathedral is its intricately patterned stonework belfrey, which houses a set of bells called the Hollyberry Carillon. These bells, with their fine bronze casting and superlatively sweet tones, are said to have been cast in the fabled kingdom of Blessed-Be, a gift of St. Loomis's cherished Idiri disciple St. Hollyberry. Inside the church, the structure's relative simplicity is offset by its exquisite stained-glass windows and the ever-changing patterns of light, shadow, and color that shine through both these and the delicately arched clerestory windows below the vault. A mix of murals and mosaics line the aisles, illustrating scenes from the life of St. Loomis and Kalen Phoinikos.
Greyleigh Manor
Greyleigh Manor is the new house of the noble Greyleigh family, who relocated within the walls of St. Loomis when they bequeathed their hereditary home of Greywood Keep to the Mistwatch. The original version was largely destroyed in a fire in 742 N.D., so most of the manor is of recent construction in a modern style. A fragment of the ancient Greywood is also enclosed within the manor's grounds, a wild yet peaceful retreat from the bustling town.
Food & Lodging
Seaglass Inn
Located on Market Street just south of the main intersection of St. Loomis, the Seaglass Inn offers travelers delicious fare and pleasant lodgings at reasonable rates. The proprietress, Donna, is as well known for her friendly hospitality as her excellent baking. Its advantages of location and quality make it one of the favored gathering spots for out-of-towners and locals alike.
Keely's Saloon
This well-known pub is located in the dockyards on Warehouse Street, just across from the clinic. With its fine selection of beverages available in the common room, a gaming parlor, and even a fight ring in the back, Keely's is a favorite hangout not only for rowdy local workers but also for people of greater means and reputation looking for a more exciting time than can be found in the town's more genteel establishments. A few rooms are also to be had for rent.