Portsmeare is a fishing village on the coast of Carloth.
Portsmeare has been besieged by a mythic Kraken, with many tall fishing vessels lost and many hardy seamen dragged to the briny depths. Galway, the Mayor of Portsmeare, has called a ban on fishing and dry docked the city’s fleet. Luckily good king Gabriel has sent provisions for the small town and will continue to do so until the beast leaves the area to find more fertile hunting grounds.
To complicate matters, the Kraken has allied with a coven of Sea Hags, and these foul creatures have raised a vile island off the coast of Portsmeare. From this island their evil magic has entranced the good mayor and forced him to do their bidding.
"Portsmeare may be a small fishing village, but we will defend ourselves against all threats, whether from land or sea."
The Sea Festival
Portsmeare is also the site of the Sea Festival. During the festivities in Portsmeare, the shops and traders near the shore entice visitors to sample their many wares. A game of dice here, a few tossed horseshoes there and the lucky winner of these friendly duels gains rewards and much respect among the populace
As summer reaches its apex, beleaguered Entrathians seeking a means of escaping the relentless heat will make their way to the sea shore. They gather on the beaches, hopeful that they can catch a whiff of a cool seaside breeze on a blistering summer afternoon. Of course, whenever there is a gathering, there is the opportunity for a festival.
The most famous and well-attended of the summer Sea Festivals occurs near the human village of Portsmeare. Situated on the northern edge of the Alachian Sea, Portsmeare enjoys a mild climate year-round, and its wide white-sand beaches are ideal for holding hundreds of revelers at a time.
Late summer also happens to be the end of the spawning season for the Kraken. The Alachian Sea becomes flooded with countless Krakenlings, many of which skitter up onto the beaches. The Krakenlings are still small enough to be caught, and the Sea Festival revelers will use them to create all kinds of unique delicacies that can only be consumed once a year, including spicy kraken calamari, kraken chowder, kraken paella, kraken kabobs, kraken ceviche, and more.
But what most people come to the Sea Festival to sample (in great quantities) is Brewmaster Buzzlebeard’s renowned Briny Brews. An invigorating libation made from krakenlings and a number of secret ingredients known only to Buzzlebeard and his trusted cabal of brewers, the Briny Brew is served chilled in a specially-designed stein to prevent the Krakenling from escaping, as many festival revelers believe the Briny Brew is tangier and more refreshing while the Krakenling is still alive. Part of the fun and challenge of drinking the Brew is getting to the bottom of the stein without a flailing tentacle poking you in the eye!
Attendance for the Portsmeare Sea Festival is always free, though if you are planning to attend this year, the Festival organizers request that you keep the beaches clear of litter and discarded brew steins. Also, any Krakenlings that you do not eat should be tossed back into the sea.