Ocean's Meeting

'''"The tragedy of our city is not in what we are now, but what we will never be again." -Mara Odell, Natural Philosopher at the Grand Academy.'''

Ocean's meeting is the most ancient city on the Free Coast. Formerly known as Kalemport, Ocean's Meeting earned its name after a massive cataclysm and tsunami leveled the ancient city. Many attribute the fall of the city to the wrath of Jurra: goddess of the sky who was tricked into devastating the most prosperous city on Adurra. Since the leveling of Kalemport the city was forever known as Oceans Meeting in respect for those thousands who perished in the cataclysm. Today the city has built up around the monolithic ruins of the ancient kingdom. Those few stone structures that survived the devastation have been salvaged, repaired, and ultimately stand as testament to the former glory of the city. The one structure that survived in its entirety is the Grand Academy at the cities center which provides the cultural hub of the community. Many ascribe the building's survival to the magical wards of protection that etch the foundation of the structure, but as the runes are so ancient none as yet understand their true purpose. The ancient dynasty of Kalemport was slain in its entirety during the cataclysm, and has left the city in a state of limbo. Many false claimants have attempted to conquer the city, presenting false proof of ancestry to the ancient family, but none have survived long. In recent years the city has come under the rule of the cities merchant guilds, and many look to this with renewed hope. As the city lies near the border of the great southern jungle trade has naturally built up in trade with the exotic kingdoms to the south. Commerce in the city has grown in bounds over the past century the merchant class has forced what few nobles remained out of power, leaving the city largely egalitarian. Because of the power of trade in Ocean's Meeting the city maintains a strict neutrality in political affairs. But when anyone threatens the merchant fleet of Ocean's Meeting, they are met with no mercy. The gibbets on the mouth of the harbor carry testament to the many pirates who have foolishly crossed the Great Merchants.

The Grand Academy
As an institution the Grand Academy is the single oldest on the Free Coast. Even older than the venerable Archanist Tower of Densport the Grand Academy curates an archive as old as writing itself. Though most of their writings were lost during the Cataclysm the Grand Academy still maintains the oldest, and most detailed writings on Philosophy, Religion, and most importantly the Pillars of Ourell. As most of the Pillars have eroded to the point of illegibility today, many scholars rely upon the ancient transcriptions of the Prophecies for their studies. The Grand Academy's impressive collection has made Ocean's Meeting the academic center of the Free Coast, and to many the cultural center as well. Appropriately the Grand Academy also houses the largest temple to Ourell anywhere on Adurra. Though esoteric in their philosophy the followers of Ourell represent a sizable portion of the citizenry, though many see them as pretentious academics.