An excerpt from Held Captive: The True Story of Life Under Rafanoli. By: Asher Tibbles
Luca Rafanoli always knew he wanted to build an above ground community to take advantage of the plentiful resources the island provided. However, to do so he first had to wait until the Clinkirk Compound was up and running before switching focus to this new development. This means construction on Stormy Shore would not begin until 1865; it was completed in late 1870.
Stormy Shore has four main businesses that provide income for the island they are called: Stupendous Shore Sweets, Fisherman's Catch, Herb Nation and The Gourd. Respectively these businesses provide chocolate and sweets, fish and other creatures of the sea, herbs and plants and a variety of in demand fruits. Each business is further broken down into three subcategories. The subcategories for Stupendous Shore Sweets are Planting, Harvesting and Distribution. Fisherman's Catch: The Catch Squad, Transport and Gut Station. For Herb Nation: Planting, Cultivation and Selection. And finally, the Gourd: Maintenance Crew, Pesticide and Collection. Rafanoli had distributors that supplied these products.
In the early days, the merchandise was transported via cargo ship to America. Rafanoli did not want to deal personally with the face-to-face meetings necessary to keep these businesses running so he appointed a business manager that would handle the contracts and daily tasks involved in running the business. To keep the island private and secret all correspondence was sent to a PO BOX in Barbados (this was after ships were replaced with airplanes). Mail and packages were then picked up via speed boat by the appointed Document Fetcher or DF. Thus, allowing Rafanoli to build his wealth, protect his community but remain anonymous.
A barricade runs around the small community stopping at the Salamander Line, a product of the Treaty of 1888 between Antonio Rafanoli and Maximiliano Carpornelli, the leader of the Weimeiji at that time. This line divided the island in half. The Weimeiji live on the South Side while Rafanoli remains in the North. The treaty became necessary because the Weimeiji became increasingly angrier and more frustrated that Rafanoli and his "Rafanorians" as they called them were intruding upon their territory and using their resources when it was the Weimeiji who were first to discover the island. Carpornelli threatened to unleash war and unspeakable disease if Rafanoli did not stay on their side of the island. And so, the Salamander Line was drawn, and a treaty was written up.
Residents of Stormy Shore have a curfew of 8 p.m. All must be inside the barricade at this time. To leave one must procure a pass from any Ra Ra Guard stationed at the exit leading outside.
Main Street in Stormy Shore consists of the Fifth Dumpling, Green Leaf Bank, the Chocolate Dip, the Sea Deli, Jamestown Drugstore, Heyer Medical Clinic, Beverly Ann Library, the Left Boot, Mezzanetti Courthouse and Mayhew Jailhouse.
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