Yafham
Yafham is a growing seaport belonging to the people of Andros Island. Originally created as a fortress, it has since evolved as a getaway for the upper class and wealthy. Far away from the smoke and fires of Andros itself, Yafham offers tranquil beaches and forests that are kept as a reserve for wealthy hunters and gamekeepers. Large resorts and noble houses have been erected, and the town is kept clean and fitting for its status. Uniquely among the towns of the Bahami Federation, catfolk slaves are forbidden in the town, as they are deemed a nuisance and eyesore by the wealthy inhabitants of the community. Other humanoid servants and slaves are allowed.
Demographics
The overwhelming majority of the city consists of Bahami humans. Catfolk are forbidden from living within the limits of Yafham, but a handful of other humanoid races and human ethnic groups are present. This includes a small, but noticeable minority of Jakonian descendants, who retained some of their property and holdings following the liberation of the island. These people have been subjected into a position of the current underclass, serving the Bahami nobles who have since established their residences here.
Government
The government of Yafham is managed directly by a scion of House Haxhi, appointed by the mukarrib to reign over the town in his name. The Prince of Yafham is the ruler of the town, and the most powerful person within. He appoints delegates, often from among his children and cousins, to serve in the various roles required for the management of the community. Most of the guards and laws in place ignore any malfeasance by the wealthy, as only small fines are required of the upper class even for the most heinous of crimes. On the other hand, House Haxhi stomps down hard upon any unrest or disturbances created by the lower classes and servants of the town.
Defences
Yafham has no town wall, but does possess a barracks for the local guards employed by House Haxhi. These guards are mostly trained for the handling of minor disputes among nobles, and the arrest of people violating the numerous laws governing the poor. There has been no external threat to the town since the end of Jakonian rule, but each noble house and manor typically employs a private security force or mercenaries to protect their estates, and the estates themselves are often fortified against a light assault.
Infrastructure
The lavish aristocratic resorts of Yafham are accompanied by recently built roads and even an extension of the famed Queen's Highway of Andros. These structures are beautiful works of art in their own right, as each one has been constructed in the hopes of outshining their peers. Large murals, brilliant colors, and ornate gardens all adorn the noble homes, some of which have staff in the hundreds for the maintenance of the residences. The oldest one is the Yafham Palace, formerly the original fortress built by the Jakonians, but since refurbished into the opulent home of the Prince of Yafham.
Assets
Unusually, there is no central marketplace or square in Yafham. Instead, the city has numerous high-end luxury shops selling specialized goods mostly focused upon the wealthy market that exists amid the resorts and noble houses. They are concentrated near the largest number of mansions and estates, in the hopes of attracting the occasional buyer. Many of these retailers sell only a handful of items each year, offering their merchandise only to the select and discerning customer. For the lower and middle class of the town, an officially unmarketplace has emerged outside of the town, in a large clearing. Tents and stalls are set up every day for the sale of general goods that people need for life, including food. It is forbidden for the sale of "lower class" items in the town, so the trade is kept nearly a mile away from the center of Yafham.
Guilds and Factions
For the most part, the politics of Andros are the politics of Yafham. Most of the nobles are more interested in the intrigues of the larger city and their footholds there. While numerous plots are often afoot in relation to Andros, Yafham's own internal politics are remarkably simple. On one side there is House Haxhi and the efforts to stamp down on dissent and unrest in Yafham, while preserving the town's beautiful appearance. On the the other are the slaves and lower classes, who chafe under the said rule. The slaves are often divided up by race and ethnicity themselves, kept divided by allegiances to various nobles, and often mistrusting of possible spies from the upper class.
Founding Date
616 AF
Type
Town
Population
9,100
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Yafhamite
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments