Oakharbour

If I were to rank trees by their majesty, the Great Oak of Oakharbour be second only to the Ancestral Tree.

— Hajar Stoutsong, famous Dwarf adventurer

Summary

Oakharbour is a port town located in the centre of the south coast of Aldenia, with Brinewatch far to the east and the Elven lands to its west. It is known for its landmark, The Greak Oak, situated in the centre of the town but also its exporting of the wood from the surrounding oak forest.

Government

Oakharbour is governed by a small local council headed by the local Lord, like all of the human towns of eastern Aldenia.

Religion

Oakharbour's dual focus as a port and as a logging town means that the Dia worshipped by sailors and farmers in particular are prevalent there. For sailors, it is Essina, the goddess of wind and Tidur, the god of water. For the loggers, it's Cephione, the goddess of nature and Armon, the god of the earth and farming. However, all the major Dia are worshipped in some part, and being a port town, other cultures are present in Oakharbour - though, not to the extent Brinewatch has.

Architecture

Oakharbour is a traditionally built town, with buildings made of stone and the local oak wood. The streets are not as narrow as in Brinewatch, where the town is limited by the peninsula it is built on, but Oakharbour shares the similar maze-like quality to most of its spread. Only the main rounds heading east-west and to the north are wide and entirely straight.

Geography & Climate

The land around Oakharbour is mostly flat and forested.

Agriculture

Where there is not forest, the land is rich for farming. Like most of Aldenia, the main produces are corn, potatoes and popular vegetables. However, for Oakharbour the produce farmed rarely leaves the area, only producing enough for the town itself since the majority of the land in the vicinity of Oakharbour is dedicated to the logging of oak trees. Naturally, as a coastal town, there is a thriving fishing community as well.

Demographics

• 83% Human
• 8% Elf
• 6% Dwarf
• 3% Other

History

Origins

Located almost directly south of Ullford and just east of the border of the land belonging to the Elves, Oakharbour was founded with the intention of being the main human port for any lands that may lie to the south of Aldenia. It is the port in which the first explorers left from and eventually found Suriima and Drassau to the south and south-east respectively.

Pre-Cataclysm

Oakharbour's proximity to the Elven lands meant it was always on high alert whenever tensions between the humans and elves flared up. However, most conflicts in Aldenia were between the dwarves and elves or the dwarves and humans (or the orcs and anyone else). Rarely were there fights between humans and elves directly.

During the Cataclysm War

Oakharbour suffered at the claws of Cieris the Immolator, large portions of the town were burned to the ground. The Great Oak itself was charred but due to protective magics was never destroyed entirely. Following the destruction of Soloon Island in the waters beneath south Aldenia, as with all the coastal towns, Oakharbout was struck by a small tsunami. However, Oakharbour was far enough away to not sustain any major damage for that incident. Oakharbour, though, was close in proximity to the centre of Aldenia where Mohzall attempted tear the continent in two. The shockwaves from the Earthquake Dragon's attempt levelled most of the already weakened structures.

Post-Cataclysm

Oakharbour's rebuild was more extensive than most, but not the largest either. As Brinewatch to the east became a more established port and the primary port of call for the eastern continents, Brinewatch also absorbed more of the trade from Drassau. Oakharbour, as a result, mostly only deals with Suriima since the end of the Cataclysm War.