Dream Island.
A Lan sat on the newly built lookout tower by the coast, gazing at the distant harbor.
At the crescent-shaped pier, a Merfolk mother-of-pearl ship was unloading its cargo.
As its translucent hatch opened, water shimmered inside, and three Merfolk lifted out seaweed-wrapped crates with their webbed hands.
His gaze shifted toward Pier 2, where a Two-Horn Race spruce airship was also docking, high-altitude ice crystals still clinging to its enormous gasbag.
Members of the Two-Horn Race in feather cloaks were using grappling hooks to move cargo from the deck onto the newly built dock platform. They seemed to have gotten into a dispute with the players handling their shipment and were arguing loudly. In the end, they appeared to compromise, shaking their heads helplessly and waving as they muttered something.
Large quantities of goods were piled on the dock platform, where the Chamber of Commerce's members were tallying their value.
Dried pickled sea dragon, moon-pattern whale blubber, cloudfruit mead... The languages of dozens of races collided on the docks. Goods of every kind were inspected and stored here, after which the alien merchants received a "certificate" from the players.
With that certificate, they could head to the trading market in the center of Dream Island to conduct business.
Once they struck a deal with another race, designated players would handle the transaction, transferring both parties' goods and taking a cut.
From its initial system of trading physical goods, the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce had formally taken its first step toward a consignment trading model.
Trade security was now absolutely guaranteed, too.
Even if the entire island were destroyed, the players could guarantee the absolute safety of resources brought onto the island as long as they had been placed in storage.
Two docks had recently been built