Westwatch

Westwatch is a castle settlement on the face of Mount Valkyrie and serves as a stopping point for those venturing to Piglrim’s Rest atop nearby Mount Valhalla. The castle serves as the capital of the Western Hold with an economy centred around mining, quarrying, and a heavy tourist industry to cater for those travelling to Mount Valhalla and back.
The castle and temple serve as the key landmarks, with the temple housing shrines to every member of the Honoured gods and a bustling acolyte community of priests. The First Priestess, a priestess of Odin, oversees the temple and is seen as the spiritual leader of all of Aedrinar. The archaeologists guild has a small outpost here where they are currently working on an excavation of nearby Haelgahall.
The town is somtimes called the "rideby city" for its reputation of being a place you stop off in on your way between more 'interesting' places.

Demographics

Westwatch is a majority human town. Unlike other settlements on the main island of Aedrinar, Westwatch does house smaller communities of halflings, half-elves, and tieflings with other races as well, granting a more 'metropolitan' feel than places like Winterharbour or Haelgafjar but this is still a tiny proportion of the population compared to more diverse places such as Lastlight and Jameleska.
The town is reasonaly wealthy, with artesanal classes dominating the social structure. Smaller working class communities of ice fishermen and nearby quarrier hamlets makes up the lowest class of town. Cultural groups such as artists and manufacturers is also higher than the national average.

Government

The city is ran directly by the Jarl of the Western Hold, Earling Horfhand, and his council of prominent local citizens. The people have little say over the town, but local civil leaders can turn up to Jarlsmoots to choose the new Jarl, but have never chosen anyone who isn't already in charge for thousands of years.

Ruling Council

The ruling council are the court of Jarl Erling Horfhand who oversee the management of the city and the hold as a whole. Primarily occupied by members of House Horfhand, a few notable towns members do take up important positions within the government of the hold.
Jarl: Earling Horfhand
As leader of the hold and city, Earling is the paramount authority. His word passes as law, and his descions are final. Earling still relies on his council for advice, and is willing to hear out external points of view.
Steward: Freya Horfhand
The daughter of Earling and his wife, Siv, Freya is the steward and second in command to the city. Often in charge of the day-to-day running of Westwatch itself, Freya acts in her father's absence when required.
Master of Law: Siv Horfhand
Wife of Jarl Earling, Siv oversees the legal requirements of the city, handling disputes over city ordinances and acting as an expert on Aedrinaran codes of honour.
Master of Coin: Sweyn Fork-Spear
The Jarl's brother in law, Sweyn is entrusted with the Horfhand treasury and the organization of hold and city taxes.
Huscarl Commander: Aagmar Horfhand
Brother of Jarl Earling, Aagmar acts as commander of the hold guard and as a commander of forces when required.
Banner Barer: Holgar Horfhand
The son of Earling, Holgar takes the largely ceremonial role of Banner Barer. Acting as the Jarl's bodyguard and in ceremonial events they will hold the banner of the house's sigil.

Defences

Westwatch boasts a formidable set of tall stone walls with defenceive walls and towers to guard against attack from all approaches. These walls are famously 'unbreakable' with Westwatch rarely falling to a siege, its formidable storehouses in Coldstar Keep able to hold out for years. The last attempt to take the city was during the Hortha Horfhand in the late second age.
Although the Horfhand militia is small in number, the walls and siege weaponary available makes defending the town relatively easy. If the outter walls were to fall, Coldstar keep itself can act as an interal bastion with its own defences, confusing corridors, and triggerable traps to push out a potential invader. The city has not been forced to use its defences for centuries, until 1052, 3e when The White Will and his elemental armies tried to take the town.
The presence of Ysgard's Warriors in the town also provides an additional layer of defence, with the warriors willing and keen to defend the town as it is their primary access to the rest of Aedrinar and their hub for supplies to Pilgrim's Rest. Since the White Will crisis, the Horfhands have also alligned themselves with the northern House Wintershield adding a strong and militaristic ally they can call upon for defence.

Industry & Trade

Westwatch maintains a reputation of being a cultural and religious centre, with funding and local training provided to artists, bards, and artesans. Murals, idols, and other assorted artwork by local masters is found throughout the town from its stone work, stained glass, decorations and even topiary pines. The most famous of these industries is the Ysgardian Perfumery, which provides fine perfumes around Aedrinar and beyond, baring the Ducal seal of the Duke of Jameleska as his key provider.
Despite this, the most profitable industry in the town is in fact logistics. Several local families have earned themselves grand houses by taxing goods throughout the Western Hold and beyond on carts.

Districts

The town has five key districts. The Castle and Temple Quarter lies to the top of the town, raised higher and accessible via the Castlegate, the widest and most intricate of the roads which is lined by pine trees. This houses the noble houses, manors, and most importantly Coldstarr Keep and the Temple Complex.
The markets quarter hugs the Western Gate and houses the workshops, warehouses, and commercial zones. Only a handful of people live here, usually in communal barracks. The River Quarter hugs the River Leffy, which ices over in the winter months. During the warmer seasons, clam fishing is common along here and numerous granaries, fishmongers, and tool manufacturers exist here. When the river freezes, some smaller scale ice fishing begins by a few of the fishermen, but most take the winter off and usually take up military service in this time.
The Hill Quarter contains all the general housing of the town and lies in the south-east section of the town. A few meadhalls and taverns are found here but otherwise it is strictly residential. The North Quarter houses additional houses and mining storage as well and manufacturing of equipment.

Assets

Name	Type	Notes
Coldstar Keep	Guilds and Civic	The home of House Horfhand. A large, forboding keep built by the Coldstars.
Odin's Eye Temple Complex	Religion	The grandest temple of Odin, the 'spiritual leader' of the Odin clergy lives here.
Ysgardian Perfumery	Shopping	A factory and outlet for fine perfumes. Largest employer in town.
Jellinghall Markets	Shopping	The main shopping centre and markets of the town.
Queen Astrid Inn	Inns and Taverns	The largest tavern and inn in town, a mural of Queen Astrid I Dragontamer is painted behind the bar.
Pilgrim's Hostel	Inns and Taverns	A hotel of communal rooms popular with pilgrim's heading to Mount Valhalla.
The Icy Carp Meadhall	Inns and Taverns	A modest worker's tavern in the south-east of town.
Thundermountain Arena	Guilds and Civic	A communal indoor fighting arena that specialises in a wrestling format known as Westwatch Wrestling featuring gladiator's playing 'characters' to entertain the locals.
Archaeologist's Guild Outpost	Guilds and Civic	A small outpost for historians ran by the eccentric Hoffa Tome-Reader.
Ysgard's Warrior's Outpost	Guild's and Civic	The 'second home' of Ysgard's Warriors. The most famous and notable outpost, warriors travelling to and from Pilgrim's Rest will find lodgings here.

Guilds and Factions

Ysgard's Warriors

The famous warrior guild from nearby Mount Valhalla have long been alligned with the town. Those seeking passage to the Pilgrim's Rest either to join the warriors or pay homage to the shrines of the honoured gods on the pathway up the mountain will often start in Westwatch, and the warriors usually pass through the town on their way to carry out bounties. As such, the guild's 'approval' of local practices and their influence on local politics and culture is noticeable to outsiders. The warrior's maintain a small outpost in the town for warrior's to rest up in and for the guild to get bounties.

Ysgardian Perfumery

The largest and technically wealthiest company in the town, the Ysgardian Perfumery is ran by the business savvy tiefling Ria Hellcoat and supplies their goods across Aedrinar and into Asrinheim and Jameleska. Fine ingredients are imported from local herbalists specifically chosen by Ria and made into unique and fine scents for the wealthy to use. Ria and the perfumery's wealth and influence is often talked about in town, with nobody daring to cross the business owner in matters of coin or honour.

Archaeologists Guild

The archaeologists guild has a larger outpost in the town which doubles as a private museum and school. A part of the wider Archaeologists Guild of Eldron which as existed as a private historical guild since the late second age, this is one of the few outposts the guild has in Aedrinar.

History

Westwatch and mount Valkyrie housed small temporary villages and a temple complex of the Forgotten gods in the mythic age. This was sacked by the Jotun led by Surtur, and most traces of it were destroyed throughout the ages.
The land would be claimed by descendants of Njord known as the Haelgassens who built a massive and impressive keep that overlooked a natural bay that once existed beneath mount Valkyrie. The city was destroyed by Fafnir, its ruins falling into the sea and starting to plug up the bay, its ruins serving as Fafnir’s new stronghold.
Repeated battles happened around the battle led by Astrid I, who would eventually reclaim Haelgahall and partially rebuilt it as a small town. After Astrid’s reign, the town was abandoned as the Haelgassens moved to Halgafjar and in its place various villages and mining communities would exist around modern Westwatch.
The town would be officially founded by the Coldstars in the age of iron and blood, with a sister city of Southwatch being built near modern Knut's Landing. The city served as a fortress to fend off Jotun raids and keep an eye on moving armies from Jotun and the North.   This early city was sacked by the Wintershields in the war of Wintersrevenge, but was quickly resettled by travelling clans, including the House of Jelling, descends of High King Rollo II’s shieldbrothers who had raided parts of the Vale.
Westwatch grew as a key transport hub and resting spot along the pilgrim’s road, with Jarl Haartha Jelling organizing the construction of the Odin’s Eye temple complex and redevelopment of the castle quarter, extending its height and fortifications.
As the sixth kingdom fell apart, Westwatch submitted to Knut , with the Jellings reluctantly swearing an oath to the disputed high king. Their ruler, Kaarlthon, would eventually rebel, Knut laid siege but struggled to starve the city out, as its impressive granaries and cellars maintained the city for 2 years. It was only through the treachery of Kaarlthon’s steward, Limir the Snake, that the city would eventually fall.
Limir and his children’s rule saw the town decline as heavy taxes and brutality spread, until a travelling Jomsvikingr of the Wolf Clan named Hortha Horfhand, the towering wolf, defeated the Limirssens in combat and founded his new dynasty which slowly repaired and grew the town once more.
Westwatch has maintained a steady growth throughout the ages, its close relationship with Ysgard’s Warriors keeping them out of the general politics of greater Aedrinar. Those waging clan wars must pay tolls and promise to keep their feuding away from the town, and the impressive fortifications remain unbroken, earning the town it’s motto which is embellished on rune stones in front of its two gates, “Always Watching, Never Broken.”
In 1052, 3e, a dragon claiming to be the reincarnation of The White Will attacked the surrounding villages and hamlets that supplied the town. Supplies for the entire hold were secured from House Oath-Knee in Lastlight. The dragon also attempted to assault the town with its elemental forces but was repelled by the combined forces of the Horfhand warriors, Ysgard's Warriors, House Wintershield, and Haarold Iceaxe.

Founding Date

between 3002e and 560 2e

Type

Large town

Population

2,500-3,500

Inhabitant Demonym

Westwatcher

Owner/Ruler

Jarl Earling Horfhand

Ruling/Owning Rank

Jarl

Owning Organization

Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar

Characters in Location

• Jarl Earling Horfhand

Appearances:

• Session 99: Westwatch
• Session 100: Elfrey the Godswitch
• Session 101: Pilgrim's Rest
• Session 104: Dragonlance
• Session 105: Lair of the White Will
• Session 106: The Wolf and the Fish