Astela

This community is a relatively small farming town located on the road between Ekko Keep and Crowlen. The town was started in 88 A.D.O. when a local farmer Desmond Heath and his wife Astela decided to build an inn to help travelers who were sleeping in the wilderness over near Wild Horse Campsite. At the time, there was a troglodyte problem in the area and several travelers went missing. The population has risen and fallen over the years, especially since the Scrollfire War. Most people tend to stay near the larger cities of Windgarde and Nightreach now but those that do stay here enjoy the fertile lands.

Demographics

Human (79%), Halfling (8%), Dwarf (5%), Half-Elf (4%), Gnome (1%), Half-Orc (1%), Tiefling (1%), Other 1%

Government

by TPC via Portrait Wizard

Count Estivan Mirlock is the current governor of the lands surrounding Astela including Crowlen and Ekko Keep. He created his wealth trading goods, mostly pottery, in Atha before coming over to I'ossa to start his political career. Estivan developed quite a reputation in noble circles for being able to obtain even the finest pottery from half way across Eroth and import it into Atha. Of course, he had is sources but never divulged such information. Once he had amassed a small fortune, Estivan was ready. He essentially bought his seat at the King's table and has governed the lands for the past eight years. When out in public, his blonde hair is always neatly combed, beard trimmed, and mustache curled. Estivan keeps up with the I'ossian fashion and generally sticks to blues and purples for attire. His subjects would say he is a just count in regards to laws but those he does business deals with consider him a financial tactician border-lining greedy. There have been rumors of him seeking council with some of the more noble families in Windgarde to obtain information about the King's daughter, Trinity. Could he be trying to marry into the royal family or is this a much darker plot?

Industry & Trade

The main source of revenue comes from wheat, almond, and lime exports which are taxed but not to heavily. Astela does have a small livestock trade for goats and cows.
Tavern: The Horseshoe
Location: On the northwest side of the town square. The square outside has a town crier (Custard) with the latest news and gossip.
Owner: Dustin Enfield, Male Human
Description: The tavern is a plaster single story building, with a steep blue terracotta roof and a large cellar. A number of hunting trophies line the walls. It contains a large bookshelf filled with books and but few tables and chairs. It seems that half of the tavern is taken up by a large centralized U-shaped bar.
Bakery: The Breadbasket
Location: On the southeast side of the town square away from those Horseshoe ruffians.
Owner: Thea Silvereyes, Female Halfling

Come on in deary and here, have a cookie.

— Thea Silvereyes

by TPC via Portrait Wizard

Thea is essentially a grandmother female halfling. She keeps her silvered hair up in a bun most days, especially if shes in the kitchen. Can't have hair in your muffin now can ya? She does walk a little hunched and despite her last name, Thea has green eyes. This is a fact that has brought speculation throughout her life that she is not from the Silvereyes clan at all. Nonetheless, she is accepted as a Silvereye when she visits her homeland and so are her twelve children. In any case, she can typically be found in the Breadbasket wearing her renowned red apron stuffed with cookies. It is suspected that her apron is magical in nature and has an extradimensional space for storing baked goods.

Description: The bakery is a large gray plaster single story building with a faded blue terracotta roof, It has a small front porch with and a koi pond with an oak tree on the right before you enter. It contains a number of crates stacked along the back wall and shelves filled with random farming equipment. There are about a dozen or so wooden round tables scattered throughout the main room, a large cobblestone hearth on the back wall, and a small counter by the door to the left. Thea, the kind old owner, treats customers like grandchildren and prefers to serve everyone herself.

She serves baked goods, in particular rum raisin cookies and pecan pie. Thea also has a rare chocolate milk cow. Aside from that, the Breadbasket is really the only inn of the town since there aren't many visitors. She has converted some of her storage space into low quality rooms but they are clean aside from the occasional spider.

Blacksmith: Sarah's Greatsword
Owner: Sarah Radcliffe, Female Human
Description: The blacksmith is a wooden tower, with a tanned wooden roof and well-made wooden furniture. It was once a barracks, and has a collection of arms and armor. It contains a small wood oven and large pillars covered in weaponry.
General Store: The Survivor's Satchel

Owner: Gomory Nibley, Male Human. He is short, round, has curly red hair, freckles on his pale face, and green eyes.

by ekoputeh

Description: The general store is a stone-walled simple building, with a gray terracotta roof and simple furniture. A number of hunting trophies line the walls. It contains some planter boxes on the walls and barrels full of bulk food. The owner sits in a regal chair from an old noble's house like it's their throne. A spyglass sits in the center of the shop inside of a locked glass case on a wooden pedestal. The lock has been identified as an average lock from Bob's Lock-Mart. As for the other merchandise in the store, the store suspiciously has no spools of thread...


General Store: The Jasper Center
Owner: Lance Darlington, Male Human
Description: The general store is a brick and sprawling single story building, with a reinforced wooden door and a small vegetable garden. It contains religious paraphernalia from Karneth on the walls and sacks full of fruit cover the floor.
Jeweler: Anselm's Bauble
Owner: Anselm Barney, Male Human
Description: The jeweler is a stucco and sprawling single story building, with large windows and softly blowing chimes by the door. It is well-lit by a few magical torches. It contains low ceilings and arrangements of lilies in the corners.

Assets

Astela sits on the trade route leading across Southern I'ossa from Grales to Nightreach. It has grain storage silos, livestock stables, and a two farm equipment warehouses that are owned by the Count.

Architecture

Most buildings in Astela are stucco or plaster type walls with terracotta roofs. The lime for the stucco walls is mined out of the local hills called the high grounds. While currently not an export, limestone is sought after but plentiful in I'ossa.

Natural Resources

Wheat
Almonds
Lime/Limestone

by AdobeStock & TPC

by Fantasy City Generator

Founding Date

88 A.D.O.

Type

Town

Population

2495

Inhabitant Demonym

Astelans

Defences & Security Force

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Small force of 25 deputies/militia for the county. Most security is offered by Ekko Keep if needed.

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Sheriff...There is currently no sheriff due to the Ka'tili Incursion.

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by TPC via Portrait Wizard

Deputy Terrance Duggles is a human male and son of the late Sheriff. He has grown up with his father in an authoritative role among the people of Astela and has taken after the way he conducted business. Terrance is in his early thirties with very long wavy black hair and hazel eyes. He has an average build but rugged golden skin from working out in town a lot. He is normally seen wearing chainmail under his grey and black tunic with a club on his side.

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by TPC via Portrait Wizard

Deputy Issa Underlake is a human female in her mid 20s, give or take a few years. She has reddish brown hair, hazel eyes, and a bit of a sleek stealthy look to her movements. She has lived in Astela her entire life and joined the security force to help protect what she has grown to love. When she is not patrolling the town and surrounding farms, she can be found training in her makeshift obstacle course.