Steampunk Opal

Opal is bordered by Tiger-eye, Summer-Sky, Ebon-Gray, and Purple-Dusk.  Typing out out I just realized that it is bordered by all the city-states that have two word names.  That was unintentional.  Anyway, Opal is the second richest area in the Territory.  Black is the only area with more revenue.  This is because Opal has the only safe pass through the mountains bordering the territory.  This means it has the only outside trade in the entire territory.  They have a monopoly on the crystals that are exported and on certain types of meat that are imported.  And meat is expensive  in Adama.  Might have something to do with the lack of solid ground on which to raise it.

They import pork, poultry, venison and other animal products.  The scarcity of animal products has far reaching consequences.  Drums are metal topped or wooden, not drawn skin.  String instruments are also with metal, not gut.  Woodwinds are the most prevalent types of instruments.  Leather and fur clothing is a sign of extreme wealth.  Most fabric is made from linen, but has a vast range of vibrant dyes due to the sea life. 

Protein in the diet is mainly through fish everywhere in the Territory.  Seaweed, rice, vegetables are the year round staples, and there is wild airborne game in the fall, but it is usually not enough to make a significant change in diet.  More like a special holiday meal.

Opal's trade monopolies have made it very wealthy.  It also is the only area to have contact with the rest of the world.  Its culture is a blend of eastern and western, taking some western cues from it's trade partners.  Clothing is in a Victorian-equse style. Homes are still in the eastern style for the most part due to cost of materials, reeds and paper making more sense in the environment and economically.  There is one village that is practically in the mountains that has stone homes in a more western style.  But is is only occupied during the trading season.  During the rest of the year, there is no wind to bow the fumes from the volcanoes away, making it unsafe to live there.

Items in the area have a bit of a steampunk feel. I will elaborate on that later.  I think this is enough for today.  Next post will be about the landscape and the steampunk theme.  Yea steam engines....

---a