Farinton—“Go west, life is peaceful there. Go west, there in the open air.” So opened Count
Rythor’s address to Sir Lloyd Carter, Mayor of
Farinton, at yesterday’s midday gathering in the village square—a phrase that has now become the rallying cry of
Inverportshire’s long-anticipated westward expansion.
For months, speculation has swirled regarding the city’s intentions beyond
Staithes, particularly following the suspension of works at the proposed Point Arlington station after the untimely passing of its principal investor, Mr. William Pugh. The financial strain brought on by the collapse of the
Inverportshire East India Trade Company (IEITC) had cast a long shadow over the city’s many grand endeavours, including the Abyssinian Wharf,
Bethany Hospital,
Rythoria University, and the contested
Enmerson Expansion.
Now, however, there are signs of renewal. The long-delayed tramway line linking Point Arlington to
Staithes is nearing completion, and construction at the Point Arlington train station has resumed in earnest. More notably, new stations have broken ground in
Arpinton,
Farinton, and
Pastinton, promising a continuous rail corridor stretching from Central
Inverportshire to the western island city of
Pastinton.
Mayor Sir Lloyd Carter, addressing assembled townsfolk, praised the development as a turning point for the region. “Travel from
Farinton to
Inverportshire, which once cost us half a day by cart or horse, shall now take but ten minutes,” he declared. “We are not merely building railways—we are bridging eras.”
Known collectively as the Four Western Lands, the rural communities of
Arpinton,
Farinton,
Pastinton, and the outer fields stand to benefit significantly from the new infrastructure. Long cut off from the industrial and cultural tide that swept through the east, they now face the prospect of connection—not only to
Inverportshire but to the broader Pilegron Metropolitan Area.
Count
Rythor, whose presence at the meeting drew a sizeable crowd, proclaimed
Inverportshire’s intention to support not only the industrial development of the west but its cultural elevation as well. “These lands shall not remain forgotten. Industry and enlightenment shall find footing here.”
Yet questions remain as to how this vision shall be executed. While the Count’s language was lofty, his speech offered little in the way of concrete plans. It is widely anticipated that the western territories will be formally annexed by
Inverportshire in the coming months.
Criticism has already begun to stir. Mr. Mark O’Connel of the University of Pilegron voiced concerns in a statement issued late last night: “
Inverportshire is mired in recession. We annexed twelve boroughs scarcely three years ago, and those lands remain largely uninhabited and underdeveloped. I struggle to see how adding more territory will resolve our existing difficulties.”
Despite the doubts, murmurs from the investment community have taken on a tone of cautious optimism. Several private financiers have expressed informal support for the western railway initiative, though no formal commitments have yet been made.
For now, the great gamble of
Inverportshire’s western reach has been set into motion. Whether it brings salvation or further strain remains to be seen—but the tracks are being laid, both in steel and in ambition.