Elvenblood
Settlement in the elvenblood pass that acts as a trading post and garrison to keep the main road protected.
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Demographics
Has a longstanding elf community (20%) and as of about 100 years ago a strong influx of dwarf (20%) and human (30%). As a direct consequence there is also now about a sizeable half elf (10%). The remaining 20% are primarily goliaths, half orc, tiefling, gnome and others.
Government
While technically a territory of the vast it is a duchy under the full control of Duchess Asha Snowweaver. She has a group of elected advisors but she ultimately holds the final say on decisions made regarding town policy and security.
Council:
- Green Quarter
- Speaks for the residents of the city have that their ancesteral roots here, were born here, or have been alive since before the massive expansion. Their main concern is making sure their culture and their land, and their history isn't erased and consumed by a wave of new residents. The elf druid Qirona Mosslight (F) was nominated for this position. Her family has been here since its creation.
- Market Quarter
- Represents the new people relocating to elvenblood as a result of the increased importance of the trade route. Their biggest concerns is making sure everyone has enough to eat, making sure land isn't being wasted, and ensuring the new population has the same opportunities as the old population. Eldan Ivandrith (M) has been nominated for this position. He moved from Cormanthyr and has been in Elvenblood since the start of the trade influx about 100 years ago.
- Military
- A representative from Vesperin, here to act as a direct line to the larger government and promote the intrests of the country. Halavor Grov (M) was recently appointed to this position after the death of the old duke. He is partly here to investigate foul play in the duke's death and destabalize Asha's political status.
- Outside Investors
- The other side of this trade route is the city state of Procampur. Their intrests and needs are represented by the cunning dwarf Galdor Dullodan (M) who's goal is obviously to shift as much power away from Vesperin as possible and set up the takeover of elvenblood by Procampur.
- Garrison
- A representative from the Elvenblood forces, they speak for the garrison, scouts, and riders. The veteran goliath scout Lokeo Carver (F) holds this position.
- Financial
- The Elvenblood Treasurer. They acts as a representative of the merchant guilds and handles the collective feedback/complaints from the people actually making the journey through the pass. Graltha Gemcutter (F) has held this position for the last 100 years.
- Asha
- Dowager Dutchess and defacto leader of the settlement since her husbands untimely death just over a year ago.
Defences
- Gates
- North and South outer gates protect against wild animals and bandits on the road.
- Market Gate is the largest and most directly fortified of all of the gates and has the largest garrison presence.
- Old Town Gate has a nearly 40 foot incline from the caravan grounds to the door of the gate. High towers flank the entrance and the eagle riders roost overlooks the entire walk way.
- Natural Defenses
- Every road leading to or inside the town has at least one natural cliff face overlooking it, allowing archers natural perches to defend against incoming attackers, who have to overcome barricades and move constantly up hill.
- The roads between the outer and inner gates also loom over a nearly 700 ft. vertical drop directly into a raging river
- Troops - Due to the dangerous territory Elvenblood, every permenant resident of the town would be required to at least be trained and serve for at least a year in the defense of the town. While mostly regular citizens trained in martial weapons and tactics anyone with specialized skills like magic or a talent for riding would be further trained.
- Garrison - Mostly troops permenantly located in the Elvenblood Settlement, they man the gates and walls, patroll the streets and operate as a combination of a regular city watch, engineering corps and military depending on what the situation requires. Garrison members are regularly deployed to clear landslides, rockfalls and various other hazardous terrain that spotted by the Patrols or Riders
- Patrols - Teams of 8-10 the patrols continually traverse 40 mile stretch of the elvenblood pass from Mossbridge in the north to Sarbreenar to the south. They will often escort caravans with particularly important cargo at the behest and funding of officials or organizations. They have the most experienced fighters because they see the most combat, and the turnover rate is considerabily higher than the other two branches.
- Riders - The Eagles are moody and tempermental. Their riders are often more so. They're hard to recruit and train but prove crucial in covering the treacherous terrain of the pass quickly to scout for threats and natural hazards.
Industry & Trade
The majority of the income of elvenblood is directly related to its location along a major trade artery between two massive economies. Procampur, Tsurlagol and Raven's Bluff are two of the wealthiest and most powerful cities on the northern sea of fallen stars. Even if the Glorming Pass to the east wasn't hopelessly occupied by orcs, the Elvenblood pass is a direct land route between the two powers that is roughly a quarter the distance.
As such, the Elvenblood settlement has profited massivly off of tarrifs and fees from merchants traveling across the border into and out of Vesperin, off of paid escorts for caravan merchants with critical goods and from government contracts to ensure the stability of the trade route.
It mostly exports rare minerals, herbs and plants for medicine productions, and animal/monster products from the creatures found and killed keeping the path clear.
Its lucrative ties and dangerous work also draws adventurers looking for steady employment.
Infrastructure
The Druid Sister Nikki (daughter of brother rikki) keeps the streets and elven structures in tact on a weekly basis, which stops the city from having to make massive infrastructure investments on a large portion of the city.
Strong walls and an excellent water and sanitation system. There is even a pair of wagons used to take people up the steeper slopes if they are unable/unwilling to make the hike themselves.
Districts
- Green Quarter
- The original elven outpost inspiring the name elvenblood resides along the top cliff edge running from the north inner gate to the palace. This area has been inhabited for over 1500 years. Home to the Administrative buildings, temple, original defenses and palace, this is the core of the town. With the influx of new houses and peoples its shifted to more of a historic and busisness district.
- Market Quarter
- After the blocking of the north road almost 100 years ago there was a massive spike in traffic through the elvenblood pass. As such the population grew and the lower plateau began filling up with new busisnesses and houses for people supporting what was now the only north-south land trade route through the Earthfast mountains. It is also home to the main gate of the city and the headquarters for the Elvenblood Garrison.
- High Town
- After the collapse of the north road, the wealthiest merchants and trade collectives set up permenant residences and offices on this secondary plateau, which came to be known as high town. Half of the buildings remain empty unless some company head or nobility is traveling through the pass and needs a place to stay. In the down time the spaces are offered to refugees as temporary housing until they can be attached to a caravan out of the pass and get their situation sorted out.
- Caravan Grounds
- A large open area between the inner and outer walls where caravan troupes moving through the mountain pass can rest for up to 3 days at a time. Its a pretty sizeable area capable of acting as an emergency shelter in the event of catastropic rock slides or monster making prey of the caravans. Despite being outside the main walls, the North and South Gate are more than enough to stop the threats commonly found beyond them.
History
Started as an elven settlement along an isolated mountain pass almost 1500 years ago, and has been a reliable outpost for travelers attempting to cross the pass since. A recent spike in activity has caused a rapid expansion of the town and a huge increase in its wealth.
Points of interest
The Crag's Enigma
- The only legitimate magic shop in Elvenblood the players can find it in the southern market. Its owned and operated by Fizzwink Mogglefoggle, an excentric young gnome from the moonshae isles.
- The walls inside the shop are lined with shelves holding a variety of arcane artifacts, scrolls, potion bottles, spellbooks, and other magical paraphernalia. A large crystal hovers slightly off the ground in the main room, softly illuminating the shop with an ethereal glow. This crystal is not only a source of light but also a way for Fizzwink and his apprentices to showcase certain high-value items that can be seen refracted through the crystal's facets.
- Given the unique nature of the shop and its location, there's a "try-before-you-buy" policy in place. This is facilitated by a specially enchanted back room known as the "Trial Chamber." where customers can safely test out certain magical items under Fizzwinkle's supervision.
- Additionally, Fizzwinkle offers a "trade-in" service. Traveling merchants or adventurers can trade magical items they no longer need, getting store credit or other items in return. This keeps the shop's inventory dynamic and unpredictable.
Tourism
Nobody comes here for tourism.
Architecture
The architecture of Elvenblood is split cleanly in half. The areas that have been around since its founding like old town and the palace retain its original elven construction. The areas that have sprung up as a result of the increased importance of the pass as a trade route are modeled after human constructions from Raven's Bluff and Procampur.
Geography
Elvenblood is located on the only outcropping large enough to hold more than a single caravan in the nearly 40 miles that constitutes the mountainous part of the pass. Its situated right along the snow line overlooking a ravine that wove its way through the Earthfast Mountain range.
Maps
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Elvenblood
Founding Date
-195 DR
Type
Trade post
Population
3000
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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