Port Caynn

Template:Location infobox Port Caynn (KAYnn, as in "cane") was a Tortallan city. In the middle of the third century of the Human Era Port Caynn was the largest port city in Tortall. It was situated on the Eastern shore of the Emerald Ocean. The Olorun River flowed through the city and allowed travels and trade between the port and Tortall's capital Corus, which was half a day's ride away. In Port Caynn many people from different nationalities could be found, more so even than in the capital. Rebakah Cooper and Clara Goodwin went to Port Caynn in September of 247 HE to investigate the false coins coming from there. The city's governor at that time was a drunkard and thus just as useless to restrain its Rogue, Pearl Skinner, as the intimidated Deputy Provost, Sir Lionel of Trebond. Because of its proximity to the sea many of Port Caynn's residents worshipped Oinomi Wavewalker. To statisfy her liking for pretty things they painted their houses with bright designs; which also helped to keep the wood from weathering.

Layout

In the third century of the Human Era the city was divided by a ridge, which was crowned by High Street, half on the southeastern shore of the sea harbor, half on the northeastern shore of the Olorun River. The better parts lay in the northern half, where wealthier people lived, among them the city's governor in his castle and Guards House, and the harbor was deeper. There the big cargo ships and navy vessels docked. This part of the harbor was protected by breakwaters built around 187 HE by the grandfather of King Roger. River traffic—e. g. cargo barges, small boats and fishing smacks—took place in the southern shore. Where the river emptied into the sea it was spanned by two bridges, Sunrise Bridge and Sunset Bridge. They were low enough that no seafaring vessel could pass through and constructed with the help of magic, making them an effective defense against raids from the sea. Where the Olorun Road entered the city it became Kings Way. Upon leaving the city again Kings Way became the Tellerun Road.

Legal situation

Provost's Guard

Responsible for the upholding of the law in the city was the Deputy Provost, Sir Lionel of Trebond. The city's guard districts were: Deep Water, Ladyslipper, Lowdown, Greenfields, Deep Harbor, Tradesmen's, Gauntlet, South Hills, Kings Town, Riverside and Shipping Roads Districts. In addition those districts the Deputy Provost also had the surrounding countryside to mind, with the same reach as the district governor, which meant he also had to look after the areas north along the River Tellerun to opposite the city of Arenaver, east to the Great Road North, then south to the outskirts of Corus.

Situation in 247 HE

The city's Deputy Provost was intimidated and paralized by the Rogue Pearl Skinner, and the city's governor was not much better to restrain her, because he was a drunkard. Unlike Corus Port Caynn didn't have knight, the King's Own or parts of the army to help enforce the law. The army was stationed up on the River Tellerun or in sea forts, not directly in the city, and the navvy wouldn't "meddle in landsmen's quarrels". Thus enforcing the law in the city was up to the Provost's Guard alone with the additional problem that Pearl Skinner and the Rogue before her had bought as much of the Dogs as possible. As a result only very few remained to oppose the Rogue, making life in the city difficult, because the city was in fact in the hands of Pearl Skinner, who didn't even care about her own people, let alone others.

In 247 HE the local Provost's Guard only had four scent-hounds, which were also used by nobles for hunting, a request always granted by the governor.

The situation only changed when Lord Gershom and guardsmen and guardswomen from Corus arrived and arrested those responsible for the counterfeiting as well as those not having taken the necessary steps to begin a real investigation. Afterwards the army remained for two years to help restore and maintain order. To fill the thinned ranks of the Port Caynn Dogs the trainees from Corus and Blue Harbor would also be sent there. Lord Gershom wanted Sir Tullus to take over as Deputy Provost, but Sir Tullus didn't want the job. Lord Gershom still tried to convince him.

5th Century HE

Between the 200 year difference, it seemed that the Corus Rogue became the leader of all the Rogue cities, as opposed to having one for each. George Cooper was the Rogue of Tortall and included both Corus and Port Caynn. He stayed for a time in Port Caynn at House Azik. Alanna of Trebond came to stay with him for a time after her stint with the Bazhir of the Great Southern Desert.

Appearances

Port Caynn is mentioned in several books set in the Tortallan Universe. It is a major setting in Bloodhound. Alanna of Trebond and Olau also visits her friend George Cooper there at House Azik once in The Woman Who Rides Like a Man. The city is also mentioned in Alanna: The First Adventure, when the pages are talking about going to the market there, and in The Realms of the Gods, where the enemies lies at anchor off shore.