<em>The skiff soon arrives into the port of Baltimus! The unoffical capitol of Cuwayo and the Free Towns. This is due to Mattie's skilled Helmsman ability, which shaved days off the journey. The crew are all  on deck as the skiff pulls into port. Its currently late afternoon and the sun will be setting soon.</em><br/><br/><strong>Travel's Guide: Baltimus</strong><br/>Population:30,000+<br/><br/>There are only three cities in Caribdus— Baltimus, New Madrid, and Kiera. The former is the unofficial capital of Cuwayo, and arguably the entire Free Towns themselves. It has a population of over 30,000, the only deep water port capable of shoring a Man-of-War, and is home to the increasingly powerful British East India Company from Earth. Baltimus was founded by Byron Baltimus, an already wealthy shipping magnate from Ograpog. Baltimus fled the city when the riots began, along with the empire’s most powerful merchants, abandoning King Amemnus to the mobs in his most dire hour.The wealthy merchants of Ograpog managed to flee with most of their treasures, and the survivors flocked to them like nobility. Though many at first cursed them for cowards, it was their wealth that built the city that eventually bore Byron’s name.<br/><br/>The former merchants of Ograpog formed the Baltimus Council of Founders and rule with a mostly judicious hand. The only new seat on their council is held by the British East India Company, a spot that was bought with lucrative trading contracts.<br/><br/>The city of Baltimus is built into the side of a cliff. Unlike the orderly terraces of Kiera, the streets of Baltimus wind up the cliff-face in haphazard fashion. Steps have been cut into the rock to make passage easier for pedestrians, but carts must make the perilous trip down the Plunge, a steeply sloping street that begins atop the cliff and winds down to the docks.<br/><br/>The city is divided into three zones—the locals do not officially recognize these but can tell in which part of the city a local lives by his dress and mannerisms. The lowest level, near the piers, is known as the Port. Home to sailors and fishermen, it is the roughest part of town with a heavy City Watch presence. Most shops supply goods for ships or fishermen and the taverns serve barely passable vittles.<br/><br/>Above the Port lies Mid Town, home to many merchants and crafters. It is also the city’s main shopping district, containing a plethora of shops ranging from tailors to jewelers, fine foods to wine shops. The nearer the shops are to the Port the poorer quality the goods and vice versa. The taverns are considerably better than those of the Port, with cleaner bed linens and palatable food. As one travels upward the quality improves.<br/><br/>The highest level is High Town. Situated high on the cliff are the large homes of the Council of Founders and the manor of Bruno Baltimus. This is primarily a residential area with no shops or taverns to blight the view. The City Watch patrols the area in large numbers and visitors who look out of place are escorted back down the hill.<br/><br/>As well as being a trading centre Baltimus also has a cultural side. Several theatres and playhouses are located in Mid Town and cater to every taste from lewd comedies mocking public figures to the imported works of Shakespeare.