Zesteulor
"You couldn't find a friendlier place if you tried... I know, 'cause I have tried! That's why I returned after an adventuring career and became the commander of the militia... after traveling the world and facing perils at every turn, there was nowhere better to go."
A fishing village in Thundermaw which is also known for its high-quality wicker and ceramics crafts. It's a popular stop for longer voyages across the sea.
Demographics
Zesteulor is home to mostly humans, followed by and with a few Halfling fellowships.
Government
Zesteulor is governed by very decentralized means. It is a member of the Citrine Alliance and thus has some obligations to the Clutch in exchange for occasional aid, but the dragons do not reside in or even nearby the town and only visit occasionally. The townsfolk are left mostly to their own devices, and govern by common accord. Decisions are often biased in favor of certain respected individuals like the Alchemists, the Wizards, the Master Ceramicist, the Miller and the Bard, and the Militia Captains.
Defences
The cove the city was built in has nifty cliff faces to enclose most of it, Standard walls, manned by the local militia throughout the day. The town's layout compliments the safety of its people through a roughly crescent-moon shaped residential area hugging the shore of the cove.
Industry & Trade
Zesteulor's agriculture includes some rice production, but mainly focuses on a variety of fruits which are grown and harvested in the commons. There is also regular fishing done in the immediate waters and upriver, although most of it sustains the local market
The town is known for a high quality of various crafts which it exports as well, including ceramics and wicker. Furniture, decorative windows, baskets, and umbrellas woven from the bamboo of the town's nearby jungle are known throughout the region for their high quality. Clay from this region has a natural yellow color to it that blackens under certain circumstances, which masons use for both decorative and functional qualities.Infrastructure
This city was built on the bones of an ancient Ereduarn city on the same river mouth, like many coastal cities around Thundermaw. The foundations of an old temple form a stage in town center, over which an elaborately carved pergola shelters performers from the rain.
Guilds and Factions
The Militia is likely the most powerful organization in town with shifts along the town walls every day, but the small circle of wizards in downtown, the potters guild, and the fisher's association are also prevalent. They tend to all disagree often, but the community is so tight-knit that it doesn't usually boil over into aggression.
Tourism
This town doesn't boast many wonders that people would flock to on its own besides some old Ereduarn ruins or statues, but it is a very enjoyable place to be. Even those who don't come to Zesteulor for more than a brief layover on a longer journey usually find some warmth and respite, some peaceful unwinding.
Architecture
Most of the buildings are made of wood on round stone foundations, with thatched roofs that come to multiple sweeping points and decorative wicker windows that allow a cooling breeze through while also affording privacy. Each building usually has a wind chime featured at the front, which is changed out depending on the occasion. Simple bamboo chimes are the standard, but festivals and personal milestones may call for special occasions where more colorful or ceramic types are brought out.
The interiors are very dynamic spaces that change depending on the time of day and the weather. Sleeping mats are rolled up after sunrise, chairs are brought outside for socializing when it isn't too windy, and tables are supposed to echo the sun's movements inside the house as the day progresses. Even containers must move around before they collect dust.
Geography
The docks and shore are at sea level, where a river empties out into the ocean in a small cove surrounded by cliff faces. A road from downtown winds up the far cliff face, past the waterfall, to uptown where the commons, the wizards, town square, and most of the residences are. Zesteulor is surrounded by jungle just outside its walls.
The air is salty, with a hint of fresh fish. As you walk under the cliff arches and along the narrow, rickety pier towards the cove, you pass fisherman tossing large catches to each other from boats and chatting jovially. One loses his footing and falls in, and they all laugh while helping him out of the water.
You round the corner to see a small cove with a river running through it and into the sea. Two mills sit on the far cliff where a waterfall cascades over and into the cove. A few wooden houses with pointy thatched roofs dot the floor, but more can just barely be seen at the top of the cliffs to your right and left. A tourist shop's stock of colorful windchimes greets your ears, and almost everyone of the dozen or so people you see along the streets that wind up to the upper part of town smile and wave at your arrival.
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