Amberwells

The namesake of this town is a series of nine perfectly circular wells with walls of smooth, amber-coloured translucent crystal that shine faintly with inner light. Each well is wider than a building, and although the waters are always pristine and crystal clear, they extend farther down than the eye can see. The nine wells are arranged symmetrically around a central hub, with wide paved walkways of grey stone connecting them in a geometric pattern. Neither the stone, nor the crystalline wells show any signs of weathering whatsoever, though there are records of this site dating back to the earliest written travelogues of this region. The wells are generally considered to be Elderling relics, and a great many myths and superstitions have surrounded them over the centuries.
A town has formed around the wells, using the grey stone walkways as streets. The fertile land allows for an easy, reliable harvest of grains, while the wells themselves provide an endless source of clean, fresh water. Some innate property of the wells prevents their water from becoming contaminated, or even accumulating detritus the way standing water should. Pollution or garbage seems to vanish overnight, by some unknown mechanism. This has allowed Amberwells to be largely self-sufficient, and perhaps as a result this is one of the oldest towns in the region, founded centuries ago.
The Wanderer's road passes near to the town, one of the major roadways leading to and from the vast metropolis of Yhusa to the north. As such, Amberwells has long served as a kind of oasis and waystop for those traveling the Great Plains. A collection of inns, shops, and taverns grew up along the river, catering to folk passing through. But the town has also made a name for itself in the trade of pottery and ceramics. A nearby ravine, fed by dozens of miniature underground springs, is a perpetual flow of reddish-bronze mud, from which high-quality clay can be harvested with relative ease. For generations, the people here have worked the clay, using it to form the distinctive tiled roofs of the town's structures, as well as trading it to passing merchants. The quality of these exports, alongside the valuable location of the town as a waystation, has allowed Amberwells to thrive, becoming quite prosperous over the years.
Shortly after the town's founding, the Scholariat took interest in this site, as a possible remnant of Elderling civilization. They decided to establish an observation post in the area, to study the artifacts and any affect they might have on the surrounding area. The beautiful spiral structure of multicoloured stone became known as the Autumn Tower, and over the years the town ultimately grew to encompass it as well. For a long time it was considered a fairly prestigious research outpost. But the study of the wells, among the least dramatic of Elderling relics, failed to yield significant insights or discoveries. Gradually, the Tower transitioned into a quiet, unimportant academic satellite of the Scholariat. Now it is a small but respected school of magic, with prospective students sometimes traveling great distances to live and study within its walls. As a result of the Scholariat's presence here, a modest network of arcane businesses has grown within Amberwells, most run by former students of the Autumn Tower. This forms one of the three cornerstones of Amberwells' prosperity, alongside hospitality and ceramics.
Despite the flow of wealth, Amberwells has expanded very little in its long history. The annually elected governing council rarely permits outsiders to settle within the town, and there are deeply ingrained customs (occasionally and sporadically enforced as laws) relating to the number of children each family should have, which has generally kept the population at least somewhat stable. There is a strong sense of community and tradition in Amberwells, and many of the people here share the sentiment that expansion would threaten the soul of the town itself. Most are content with the balance that has been struck, a mixture of worldly prosperity and rural intimacy that is, to their minds, a rare gift indeed. However, this does not mean the town is essentially xenophobic or insular. Quite the contrary. Although permanent residency is strictly regulated, the town thrives off of, and celebrates, the constant flow of visitors that come through. Locals are typically open and welcoming of outsiders, often sharing drinks and swapping stories in the many riverside taverns. The town's militia, a rotating band of moderately trained locals augmented by graduates of the Autumn Tower, patrols regularly to prevent outsiders from causing trouble, but even they tend to be fair and friendly in their approach.
During the Collapse, Amberwells has become a common hub for refugees traveling across the Great Plains to any of the adjacent Gate-Cities. The taverns are often overflowing, and and at any given time there is usually a sprawling camp of hundreds of tents across the river. The town's leadership has implemented strict mandates to keep the price of food and accommodation reasonable, to prevent exploitation of the desperate, while still allowing local merchants to make a profit. Moreover, some combination of the tightly knit culture and effective governance of the town has ensured that crime in the area has been kept largely under control, in stark contrast to many places where the Collapse has caused a breakdown of civilized society. There is some tension between locals and the recent inundation of outsiders, but the council has largely been able to keep things calm and peaceful. As such, Amberwells remains a place of relative comfort and safety, a tempting respite for weary and desperate travelers. Many linger here, resting and recovering before continuing on towards the portals. In fact, it seems very few of the locals themselves have left for the Gate-Cities. Some combination of stubbornness and pride have kept them in place, at least for the time being. Most acknowledge that they will soon need to abandon their homes, to travel through the portals in order to survive. But they are so connected to this land and this place, that for many the idea of leaving is almost unbearable.

Maps

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  Amberwells

Type

Large town