Caer Gafenny, City of Smiths

The town of Caer Gafenny is situated near the central part of the Cymbrian Kingdoms, making it the unofficial gateway to those ancient lands. It is located some 6 leagues northeast of Caer Caradog in the Kingdom of Gwent, at the very edge of the territory ruled by its noble lord.

Demographics

The population is mostly human with some sturdy halflings dwelling in the foothills of the Black Mountains.

Government

The Rhyngill dispenses justice on behalf of the Brenin. Daily life is mostly organized by the craftsmen of the town. The Church of Saint Cadoc sees to the spiritual needs of the townsfolk, but there are also shrines dedicated to Aelhaearn Ironbrow the patron of miners, Nienna the lady of healing, and Gofannon the patron of blacksmiths and brewers.

Defences

Built around an early auxiliary fort in the early days of the Empire, Caer Gafenny retains some of its original defenses.

1. The Hall of the Rhyngill: The Chief Officer of the Brenin keeps order from the central hall and tower that has been reshaped from earlier times.
2. Fortified Bridge: This stone bridge spans the River Wysg. It is raised at night to protect the town from forest goblins.
3. The Walls: These 20-foot-high walls are kept in good repair and the surrounding farmsteads are fortified as well.
4. The East Gate
5. The River Gate
6. The West Gate
7. The North Gate

Industry & Trade

As with so many other towns of Gwent, Caer Gafenny relies on the farmers who tirelessly work the rocky soil, supplemented by shipments of grain from Glywysing or even the grain merchants of Wessex and Mercia. The iron industry is in full bloom here, appropriately for a town which takes its name partly from the god of smith-craft. The forges are therefore very busy, as are the many carpenters and stoneworkers who are constantly collapsing the old mines and building new ones. The brewers of Caer Gafenny are likewise well-known, exporting quantities of local mead to the halls of lords as far afield as Eriu, Dalriada, and even the Frankish realms. The town also acts as a trade hub for the furs and oil products of the west and north to move east toward Mercia or south toward the Saffron Sea.

Infrastructure

The inhabitants of the town have restored the bridge across the Wysg. There is also a bridge across the River Gafenny, and one across the Greenway to the west. The watermill on the Gafenny serves the entire community, and there is a river dock on the north shore of the Wysg.

Assets

There are several places of note in Caer Gafenny:

1. The Church of Saint Cadoc
2. The Priory of the Nienna:  This is located on Llanwenarth Hill to the northwest.  The sisters of Nienna maintain a small healing house and attached garden within the town proper.
3. The Three Pikes Inn:  This inn is well-known among river traders.  It is located on the river quays east of the bridge on the north shore of the Wysg.
4. The Boar's Head Inn:  This inn is popular among wealthier merchants.

Geography

Caer Gafenny is situated at the opening to the Upper Wysg Valley, just north of the river itself. The town is bounded by the River Wysg on the south, the River Gafenny on the east, and the Greenway River to the west. Surrounding the little valley in which the town stands are seven hills:

1. Y-Fal: Also known as Gofannon's Peak, this mountain is said to have once been the site of the Smith God's legendary Forge. The lower slopes of the mountain are mixed woodland, while fern, heather, and whinberry can be found on the upland slopes, which also provide grazing land for the hardy mountain sheep raised by the local clans.
2. Rholben Hill
3. Llanwenarth Hill
4. Deri Hill
5. Ysgyrid Fawr: The Great Shattered Mountain is known for the monastery at its summit, built atop the ruins of a pre-imperial hillfort. Its lower slopes are girdled by the mixed deciduous wood typical of the area.
6. Ysgyrid Fach: Smaller than Ysgyrid Fawr (hence its name), this hill lies but a mile east of Caer Gafenny and is mostly covered in conifers. It is home to a druid and a pack of wolves.
7. Blawr Ais: Known in the Common Tongue as as Grey Rib, this imposing peak rises south of the Wysg, looming over the settlements below. Its northern slopes are steep, but it slopes more gently to the south toward the Grey Vale. The townsfolk work the limestone quarries on the northern and eastern rim of the mountain.

Natural Resources

The primary resource in the area is iron ore, but there are also significant coal deposits, farm land in the valley, grazing area in the uplands, and plentiful wood from the forests. The gnomes in Greenway Valley will sometimes trade precious gems for grain and livestock. The rivers yield a great variety of fish, and falcons and hunting dogs aplenty can be had here.

Type

Town

Population

1000 (3500 in the surrounding area)

Owning Organization

The Kingdom of Gwent-Glywising