The Bargehounds are the ferrymen of Ophir who guide their floating, wooden barges from island to islands. All are hound archons (thus the name Bargehounds). The firstborn Elohin,  also  a  hound  archon, is their master. Though never considered an Archon (in the sense of one of the great powers of the Age of Archons), Elohin is a being of immense magical power and knowledge. When the ascension left the individual portal-networks isolated, Elohin begin his barge service and soon added great wealth and influence.

Elohin and his Bargemen are based in the upper most shell of islands in a group of small islands called the Six Point Crown.  These islands are off-limits to all but Bargemen and their servants the Edomoi (or slaves; it is unclear. Few have met them.) Elohin will kill any who seek to enter the Six Point Crown, commandeer a barge or learn a barge or Bargehound's secrets.  But the learned know Elohin is even more protective: he sets traps of all kinds for those trying to learn his secrets and employees spies of many races.

Barge Hounds

Barge Hounds are hound archons (per the monster manual). Not all hound archons are Bargehounds but there are thousands who are. They are a secretive group who do not mingle with outsiders and are suspicious of any who ask too many questions. Bargehounds are all good warriors and many are also good wizards, including all who captain the barges.

The Barges

The barges consists of one or more hexagonal, flat, wooden structures. Multiple hexagons are linked together to form large barge trains. The barges are linked on all edges, not just in a line. Barges are a uniform size: 320 feet across, from side to side. Many barges have no structures at all on them, only large iron ring hold-downs for passengers to secure cargo or temporary dwellings (anything from tents to elaborate, specially designed wooden houses). The Bargehound captain always has such a wooden dwelling for him and his crew. On the largest trains that consist of seven or more barges, the captain's dwelling can take up an entire barge with specious exercise yards.

The entire barge radiates strong magic. Some of this magic seems to keep it afloat of course but some of it also protects the wood which rarely shows much sign of weathering. The Bargemen construct and service all barges in the Six Point Crown. When a barge needs to be serviced, a replacement barged is sent to the barge train and swapped in. It is widely rumored that damaged barges have revealed an iron skeleton beneath the wood of the barge and that this structure is key to the barge's ability to float in the air.

Barges move at ten miles per hour and can move between the shells. That means it can take over 100 days for a barge to complete a circumference of a shell at the equator.

Routes

Routes are fixed and rarely changed although when the Bargemen do change a route, to include an island whose portal has failed for instance, the route is changed without announcement. Since these changes are always additive, that generally means only a loss of some time for passengers and no other inconvenience.

Barges never land or go over an island. Instead, they tie up to wooden docks, usually projecting from the cliff face at the edge of a floating island. In some cases, they merely park near the island and all transfer of goods and people is by flying mount.

Barges typically do not include the minor fortress islands on their routes.

Passage

The Bargemen use an elaborate and confusing rate schedule that factors in distance traveled, nature of the goods or persons, and whether food and water is provided. A significant cost factor, often 10x, is whether the person or goods are of a martial nature. The Bargemen do not prevent the transit of weapons, warriors or others bent on conquest but they do charge them a great deal more for the privilege. The captain of the barge has sole right to determine martial nature and there is no appeal. Pay is in advance and sometimes a deposit is required for food and or water if the passengers claim to not need this but appear to have no means of providing their own food or water.

Note that Bargemen nearly always consider spellcasters as martial persons.

Rules

The Bargemen tolerate no conflict on their Barges. They also tolerate no snooping about the barges, neither into the possessions or goods of other passengers nor into the construction of the barges or the barge Captain's quarters.

Violation of the rules results in fines (for fairly minor infractions) to service to expulsion. Service means indenture for a period of time, never less than one year and sometimes tens of years. Indenture is not performed on the barges or in the Six Point Crown. Instead, the bargemen sell the indentured servant to anyone willing to pay.

Expulsions means removal from the barge where ever it happens to be. Since even winged creatures have trouble flying between islands and the barges never fly over islands, this is essentially a form of execution.

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