Fon Gotto
A traveller's first sight of Fon Gotto is likely to be the Imperial Palace, whose watchtowers are visible from quite some distance out at sea. The Palace is also on the southwest side of the island, which is the most common direction of approach. The palace watchtowers are made of a common grey stone, as is the rest of the wall. The wall around the palace area is twelve feet thick and fifteen feet tall, with parapets adding another two feet. It was designed to allow large amounts of troops to move along the wall as necessary.
As a boat approaches Fon Gotto, it likely approaches the Red Reef Shore and the Three Piers. The Red Reef Shore, has, per its name, a red coral reef just off the shore. This red warns incoming boats, and colours the sand on the beach. There is no swimming at this beach due to the sharpness of the coral. The coral is free of all harmful beasts, and a small boat clears the reef easily. All large ships are required to dock at one of the Three Piers, where they are greeted by a number of people.
One of these people is a member of the Royal Translator Service. Translation services must be purchased by any visitor to Fon who cannot prove citizenship, regardless of how many languages they can speak. Everyone in the upper class speaks at least three, so you're likely to be addressed in seven or more languages while you visit Fon. And, so the foreigner wont appear ignorant, a translator is required. This, of course, is one of the easiest jobs on all of Fon, because the translators wear coloured arm bands depending on the language their charge wishes to be addressed in. The few most common bands are known to nearly everyone, so the translator rarely has work to do. Wearing armbands and rejecting a translator is not allowed, and anyone so attempting will be denied access to Fon Gotto. Also, translators are generally not willing to act as servants, so don't ask one to fill your bathwater.
Another person greeting incoming ships is the "Traveller's Allowance" agent. The Traveller's Allowance is the department of the government that regulates traveller's visits to Fon. Notice that all travellers who are not citizens of Fon are allotted a certain time for their stay. The usual length of stay permitted for merchants is three days, although exceptions are allowed. Travellers merely coming to visit Fon are allowed a week but none more. People coming to study at Fon, who are not citizens, are allowed as much time as their studies require, but a member of the group they are learning from must be present to greet them at their arrival. Additionally, programs of study are regulated to be no more than six months, and no non-citizen may stay for study twice in a row. It is allowed for a person to apply for citizenship while studying, and then to stay indefinitely.
An agent of the Piermaster is also present in the greeting party, without fail. The Piermasters' Office is part of the Department of Objects. Since all importing and exporting happens from these three piers, this office takes its job very seriously. Adding to their unrelaxed composure is the fact that most officials in the Piermasters' Office are members of the Merchant's League, and the League keeps an eye out on their own. Be careful who you mingle with, as most organizations have eyes everywhere, and some of these groups tend to be very political.
