Yaulazna

Yaulazna was an earthmote used as a fortress by the Five Companies.

History
Yaulazna was originally a pirate enclave on Halruaa's coast. Sometime before the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, the lizardfolk of Rethild were given three skyships by the Halruaan merchant houses with which to harry the pirates of the Great Sea and the Crinti of Dambrath. However, Yaulazna broke off and became an earthmote during the Spellplague of 1385 DR, which also devastated the town and destroyed its protective wards. Following Halruaa's destruction, wizards fleeing the destruction found the earthmote and the pirates and lizardfolk that inhabited it. Following a brief clash, the Halruaans made an accord with the remaining pirates before seizing the lizardfolk's skyships. In the end, the Yaulaznans found themselves with five working skyships and formed the Yaulazna Pact to protect each other; this pact eventually evolved into the Five Companies.

Geography
There was but one village on Yaulazna. At its heart was a central keep with five towers—one for each of the Five Companies, with the central keep for House Jordain. Several storehouses and merchant holds were carved into the rock, as well as housing. Old sea caves and pirate hideouts ran through the mote as well.

Government
Yaulazna was ruled by the Pact Council, made up of ranking members of the Five Companies, representatives from the village's merchants, and a single member of House Jordain. All business was conducted in the Halruaan language, which was little-used outside of Yaulazna since Halruaa's destruction. The Pact Council dictated the earthmote's movements, and in emergencies they could even temporarily shift it into the Astral Sea.

Yaulazna maintained itself as a neutral center of trade, traveling across Faerûn to facilitate commerce with a variety of different cities, towns, and nations. However, they avoided openly hostile areas such as Netheril or Thay.