Hirta

Hirta was not unlike many other small trading ports that one could see on the fringes of civilisation. By necessity it was a cosmopolitan place, trading with, if not welcoming merchants from many races. Its relative prosperity was owed to the safe anchorage that the harbour offered. At any time there were upwards of ten small to medium vessels docked there. The years had been kind to Hirta. Trader had prospered. Under the jurisdiction of local magistrates, all had been done to accomodate merchants, often at the expense of the local people.When man called Armin led a small revolt, he was backed by elements of the dock-workers. They demanded full independence from central goverment and a greater share in the profits of the traders. Mercenaries were drafted in by the magistrate Soay and the uprising was brutally put down. Armin and the survivors of the rebellion fled to Ruaival, a small island just off the coast. Content with the departure of Armin, Soay dismissed the Mercenaries and ail returned to relative normality. Since Ruaival served no real economic purpose for Hirta. despite the magistrates’ authority over it, Soay was not prepared to finance an expedition to wipe out Armin for good Contact with the island was not maintained all the year around, the islanders were a breed apart, mainly humans. Ever since Armin had fled to the island there had been no more contact at all.The taxes had not been pad, it was suspected that Armin was responsible