Arath

The westernmost town in Kalka'shar country, Arath lies just short of the The Ashik'an Forest and is greatly valued for its rich material exports.

Demographics

Very few are willing to settle so close to the cursed forest and so the majority of those living in Arath were born and raised there. A large number of the settlers there are elder 'shar who have happily lived there for centuries.

Industry & Trade

Arath is greatly valued for its precious mineral exports. The ground around the village is rich in micas and quartz which is mined by local workers, cleaned and refined, and shipped out to the other towns alongside decorative clay pottery and raw clay for building. Jewellery and other shiny trinkets are made and sold on the road to travellers.
Other exports from Arath include meat hunted and butchered by locals, which is distributed to the people within the village first and foremost. The animals that live around the edge of the Ashik'an Forest are known to be tender and rich in nutrients and so are extremely expensive and sought-after outside of the village.
Though rarer to see, there is also a small trade and export of herbs and spices from Arath, harvested from the edge of the Ashik'an Forest. Few dare venture that close to the treeline, but those who do will find a vast ecosystem of medicinal herbs which are extremely valuable. The majority of these are kept by the apothecary to provide to local healers, but some will be specifically requested to aid in the war efforts.

Infrastructure

Though the village is small, needing very little infrastructure, that which exists is primarily focused around extermal trade. Buildings include:

• A small tavern (very small, mostly used by lost travellers)
• An apothecary
• A mining and refining facility for minerals and precious stones
• A jeweller
• A butcher
• A general store and pop-up market

Type

Village

Population

approx. 500