Whitebridge
Whitebridge is the central village of the Halfling Downs, both geographically, politically and economically. Most who do business with the Downs, do so out of Whitebridge, although Oldwell has its own share of travel and trade.
Even though it’s the center of the Downs, homes are still spread apart. Except for the center of Whitebridge, where the old white bridge crosses the Green River, most neighbors cannot see the next home or burrow. The further from the center one gets, the farther away the homes get.
The center of Whitebridge boasts two inns (The Pig n' Whistle and the Whitebridge Inn). It is also the home to the Able Carter Coaching Company (a merchant coster) and has a large branch of the Chicane Guild. Most anything that happens in the Downs, happens in Whitebridge.
During the warmer months, Whitebridge can be something of a tourist trap. The idyllic hin lifestyle attracts all sorts of "big-uns", and enterprising hin take them for tours, apple and berry picking, and other entertainments. Most tourists leave thinking they know all about the Downs, when they've only seen a very small slice, as determined by the hin themselves.
Government
Who Rules: Mayor Windsor Greenshade is the nominal ruler of the Halfling Downs, chosen by the Council of Elders to which he belongs. He was elected mayor after the murder of Her Honor Marigold Runner and six other halflings and humans by bandits on the High Road. Mayor Greenshade successfully led the town's defense against these and other bandits until Ravensburg sent strong patrols through the Carmathan Hills and began improving the High Road between the two communities. Greenshade personally led seven assaults on bandit lairs near Halfling Downs, and he is credited with killing twelve brigands and executing another dozen. He later negotiated trade deals with restaurants in the Ravensburg to supply them with smoked fish and goat cheese, starting the town's most recent economic boom.
Who Really Rules: While the Mayor meets with the Duke's and Baroness's diplomats and stands as the leader of the Downs, in reality, he spends much of his time meeting with the other members of the Council of Elders. The Council of Elders meets at least seasonally as a group to discuss and debate the fate of the Halfling Downs, and it is the council that appoints and can remove the mayor.
Defences
Leader: Sheriff Forbin Rillkep patrols Whitebridge with his Deputy Wilby and his two guardsmen Denbel and Randill. If something were to happen that Forbin and his men couldn't handle, alarm horns would be sounded and repeated throughout the community. Bandits and brigands who think Whitebridge is an easy target forget that the hin are excellent shots with thrown and missile weapons and are even better at hiding. One surviving brigand reportedly described the experience as "a hundred arrows, darts and pellets just came out from nowhere, an' when we looked to respond, empty hills."
Infrastructure
Temples and Shrines
A shrine to Yondalla's Children (the name of the halfling pantheon) is located across the Green River just north of the Pig n' Whistle. Here Perythea tends to the shrine when not caring for her many children. Perythea gets help from Melpery and his wife Peona, but is concerned that Peona is more interested in her own influence and position in the Downs than the proper care of the shrine.Guilds and Factions
Guilds or Major Organizations
Able Carter Coaching is one of the few establishments run by "big folk" and specializes in transporting goods to and from the Downs. While Brangard Carter works well with the hin of the Downs, Mayor Greenshade is worried about the influence the Coaching company has on trade and actively seeks to bring in other drovers, while simultaneously not offending Brangard.
Type
Town
Population
1,500
Location under
Characters in Location
Comments