Outpost 19

Outpost 19 was established decades ago, during an expansionist period of the history of House Wavir. During the early years of the leadership of the patriarch Tabaros Wavir, the dwarven towns of North and South Ledopolus were just beginning their efforts to bridge the Estuary of the Forked Tongue. Tabaros, seeing an opportunity to build a trade route to Nibenay, established Outpost 19 in the shelter of the nearby Mekillot Mountains. The dwarven effort at Ledopolus has been unsuccessful, but Outpost I9 has served House Wavir well. While not the most active of merchant forts, its convenience to southbound caravans from Nibenay makes it a favored stopover. Caravans visiting the villages of the southeastern Tyr region restock here often, as they are welcomed by master trader Ragstol Wavir, regardless of house affiliation (for the most part).

The outpost began as a small building nestled in a protected valley in the eastern Mekillot Mountains. As the outpost grew, it gained some of the characteristics and defenses of a real merchant fort. Still, it is much less insular than Fort Harbeth or Fort Inix. In the early years, merchant forces from more established houses (primarily House Tsaxala) tried to drive House Wavir from the region. The outpost was burned to the ground several times by "mysterious raiders," although all involved knew who was behind the attacks. Eventually, the House made an alliance with the Swiftwing elves, and the next group of raiders found themselves facing 200 elven warriors. After this bloody massacre, the raids stopped.

Another attacker was far more deadly and unforgiving. Thirty-two years ago, a fierce salt storm from the Great Ivory Plain collided with a westward blowing silt storm and carried a huge volume of choking dust and scouring sand to the eastern slopes of the Mekillot Mountains. This storm buried Outpost I9; everyone there drowned in the dust, and when the storm was over, there was no sign of the outpost at all. When House Wavir heard of the disaster, they sent a new staff to reestablish the outpost. This time it was nestled in a box canyon, protected on three sides by mountain slopes, with the mouth of the canyon pointing inward toward the mountain range. Although the site was different, House Wavir retained the original name in honor of the traders who died in the original outpost.

Outpost 19 still entrusts much of its defense to good relations with its neighbors rather than high stone walls. This lack of physical defense has caused Outpost 19 to suffer occasional raids, but the trading practices of House Wavir have made many allies, and few will risk the revenge that would come from the destruction of the outpost. The outpost is also defended by Astemba Wavir, a powerful preserver, and his powers are sufficient to ward off smaller bands of traveling raiders.

The fort has recently become a major trading partner with the slave village of Salt View, through the trading house at Fort Fyra. House Wavir has long opposed slavery, and Outpost 19 has contributed to the prosperity and stability of Salt View. Ragstol has encouraged the artisans of Salt View by purchasing their wares. He allows the performing troupes to entertain caravans as long as the tribe does not follow up the performance with a raid, and he always purchases any surplus salt that Fort Fyra makes available. True to his merchant ethic, Ragstol has tried to discourage raiding by refusing to open his gates to the ex-slaves any time they show up with anything other than goods he is certain that they have produced. The house wants to see Salt View established as a permanent trading partner, and has authorized Ragastol to make temporary loans to ensure Salt View's survival. Ragstol has encouraged the slaves of Salt View to stop raiding and to increase salt mining as well as the amount of goods produced by its artisans. One day, he tells the traders of Fort Fyra, the exslaves of Salt View will be a welcome sight on the caravan trail. So far, this has not happened. Nevertheless, trade with Salt View and Fort Fyra has been brisk. The people of the slave village prefer to deal with House Wavir, due to Ragstol's congenial manner and the absence of slaving in the outpost. House Wavir's ties to Gulg and Nibenay are loose enough that its support of Salt View causes it little trouble in those citystates, and the other sorcerer-kings could care less what happens in places so far from their own lands. The outpost has also kept its contacts with the elven nomads. Several wandering elven tribes visit the fortress. Some travelers claim that Wavir uses this remote outpost as a contact point for their connections in the Shadows. There is a fair amount of festivity when an elf tribe makes camp outside the outpost. During these visits, it is usually possible to buy spell components from the elves. A few elves have occasionally joined here as mercenaries, protecting the small group of traders from the depredations of those who do not know better. The thri-kreen also trade here, although there is little in the fortress to interest them. Ragstol maintains a goodsized herd of crodlu and erdlu to use as trade goods in case the thri-kreen do come. The thri-kreen have learned that there is often good food here, but the prospect of dinner without a hunt makes their visits rather rare. Outpost 19 is more isolated than most of the merchant forts in the Ivory Triangle. House Wavir, while large, is not always able to keep regular contact with all of its farflung outposts. This leaves Ragstol considerable discretion as to how he manages the fortress. He sends regular dispatches back to Balic, but receives formal direction from his superiors in the house perhaps twice each year.

There are four merchants posted to Outpost 19, including Ragstol Wavir and his son Astemba. The other two are often absent, supervising a regular trade caravan to or from North Ledopolus. Outpost 19 has a small garrison consisting of 15 warriors. There are a few elves and muls in the force, but the majority are human. The troops are armed and armored in a variety of equipment, with no man wearing any less than hide armor. This motley force is surprisingly effective, particularly since they are dedicated to their cause and are well treated by Ragstol. As mentioned above, the outpost is not well fortified. There is a low wall, but this is mostly to slow any attackers rather than to stop them. There have been a few raids, but allies of the fortress (either from Salt View or from the elven tribes) have made raiders wish they had picked a less well connected target.