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# Zverilov

A small coastal trading nation

Story
The only tavern in Kamenport was called the Salt Hook, and it smelled like fish smoke and spilled beer no matter how hard the serving girl scrubbed. Trader Dalen Rusk took the table closest to the door so he could feel the sea breeze and pretend it was doing more than moving the stink around.
A local sat opposite without asking, a lean man with rope calluses and a faded net knife on his belt. He introduced himself as Vasko. He drank slowly, eyes on Dalen’s boots like he was deciding what kind of trouble they belonged to.
Dalen nodded toward the dark green wall beyond the last houses. "I have a buyer who pays for rare dyes and jungle herbs. I was thinking of a short walk inland tomorrow."
Vasko did not laugh. He took a sip, set the cup down and said, "The jungle is not a place for short walks."
"It looks close," Dalen said.
"It looks close from the dock too," Vasko replied. "Then you step under the leaves and you stop seeing the sun. Vines grab your ankles. The ground turns to water in places and to thorns in others. You lose the sound of the sea and the trees all look the same. People turn around and walk straight for an hour and end up deeper."
Dalen opened his mouth to argue, then hesitated. "And the animals," he said, keeping it casual.
Vasko’s eyes finally met his. "There are things with teeth. There are things that drop from branches. There are things you will not see until they decide you should."
Dalen drummed his fingers on the table. He had been in rough ports, in bad storms, in knife arguments over cargo. The way Vasko said it made those memories feel cleaner.
"So what," Dalen said, "I just give up?"
"You do not go alone," Vasko said. "You do not go off trail. You do not chase anything that looks interesting."
He leaned forward a fraction. "There is a safe path, as safe as anything gets. Old charcoal trail, used by cutters and herb folk. If you want your dyes, hire a guide. My cousin, Vera Vesk. She knows where the ground lies and where it lies to you."
Dalen raised an eyebrow. "Your cousin."
Vasko shrugged, almost apologetic. "If you die, nobody pays. If you live, she earns coin. That is trade."
Dalen sat back and looked at his cup. "And if I insist on going by myself?"
Vasko picked up his drink again. "Then you will not have to worry about getting lost. The jungle will keep you."

People getting their fishing equipment ready for the next day

# Description

Zverilov is a small coastal nation pressed between the sea and an inland wall of jungle. Most travelers know it only by its harbors, its humid air and the way the green line begins almost immediately behind the last row of houses. It is a practical place, neither rich nor ambitious, living on fish, small farms and the steady habit of making do.

## Coast and Settlements

The coast holds two major ports, Moryanev and Kamenport. They are functional towns built for docking, storage and quick exchange, with warehouses on short stilts and streets that always smell of salt, tar and smoke from drying racks. Ships can resupply without much fuss and leave again just as easily, which suits both sailors and locals. The ports feel orderly but distant, with polite answers that rarely become conversation.

## Inland Jungle

Inland travel is where Zverilov stops being easy. The jungle is dense, wet and difficult to read, thick with vines, swampy pockets and old growth trees that turn sunlight into a green dimness. Locals discourage treks beyond the nearest farms and woodlots, warning about fever, predators and stretches of ground that swallow boots and pack animals alike. Even when the warnings are delivered calmly, they tend to end the discussion.

## People and Daily Life

Along the coast, most families live by fishing, net mending and small scale farming on whatever stable ground they can hold. Food is simple and good, smoked fish, stews thickened with roots, fruit when it is in season. The people tend to be self contained. They are not hostile, but they do not invite strangers to linger. A traveler who is respectful will be fed and dealt with fairly, then gently nudged back toward the docks and the open sea.

## Trade

Zverilov trades because it must, but it does not drive hard bargains or chase luxury. A visitor can expect basic supplies, salt fish, rope, simple repairs, some local herbs and practical goods. In return, the ports value metal tools, needles, lamp oil, cloth and preserved staples that keep in humid weather. It is the kind of trade that keeps a ship moving, not the kind that makes anyone wealthy.

Visitors are wise to treat the jungle line as a border even if no fence marks it. Stay on agreed paths, hire a local guide if you truly must go inland and do not assume that curiosity will be received as a compliment. In Zverilov, the safest way to be welcomed is to be useful, brief and willing to leave when your business is done.

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