Sweetwater

The Town of Sweetwater is perhaps the most enigmatic settlement in the Kingdom of Tyrnabay. It is known throughout the kingdom as an idyllic town where wealthy and successful merchants and sea captains go to enjoy their riches in leisurely retirement. But it is also a busy port town. Its bustling lake trade with Delveshadow makes it a vital part of the trade route between the Kingdom and the Dwarven Waking Delve to the southwest. And in Tyrnabay, where there is commerce, there is intrigue - and possible danger.

Location

The town is located on a peninsula jutting into Sweetwater Lake's eastern shore. This location makes it an ideal port for movement of goods between the The Waking Delve of the Dwarves and both the bustling seaport of Mistbay and the capital of the kingdom, the City of Wolf's Bay.

Economy

Official Name

Sweetwater Town

Location

Kingdom of Tyrnabay, Sweetwater County

Founded

19 Time of Aanarakka's Staff, 837CR

Ruler's Title

Lord Mayor

Current Ruler

Lord Mayor Felicia "Alleycat" Sablehair

The economy of the town relies on two things: transportation of goods through its port to other cities and the Waking Delve, and entertainment. And though it is a vital hub, crucial in the movement of Dwarven goods to the rest of the Kingdom and the world, it is the town's opulence and entertainment that makes it renown.

Taverns are numerous in the town, but it is the number of private clubs, casinos and performance halls that make Sweetwater stand apart from other towns and cities in the kingdom.

Town of Sweetwater

Open full size

The Clubs

The Captain's Quarters is a social club for those who have retired from a life at sea. To be eligible for membership, one must have commanded a crewed ship of at least two full masts - and must be recommended for membership by an existing member. Outside of town, the club is sometimes called the Privateer's Rest or Pirate's Rest, for while there are a number of "honest" merchant captains among the membership, most of the members are in fact retired ships' captains from one of the organized pirate factions.

The Sailor's Retreat is a slightly more raucous club whose members are also former sea-goers, but who either never rose to command a ship of their own, or did, but couldn't get into the Captain's Quarters. Membership requirements are conserably more lax. A friendly rivalry exists between the two "old sailor" clubs; this gets exercised a few times each year in sailcraft regattas with races around Sweetwater Lake.

The Sweetwater Merchant's Club is the social club for the wealthy, retired landlubbers of the kingdom. Membership requires simply that one can pay the initiation fee in gold. Unlike the other two social clubs, whose building facilities are strictly off-limits to non-members, the Merchant's Club opens its doors to the public from time to time. It hosts frequent galas to which anyone with the price of admission can gain entry.

Taverns, Casinos and Recital Halls

For those who are not members of one of the clubs - or even for club members who desire a change of pace or some extra excitement - there are a number of "open to the public" establishments dotted throughout the city. Notable among these is the Yardarm, a tavern known for its exotic hard spirits and excellent meads and wines.

Several casinos operate along the main street of the town, offering a wide variety of opportunities for a visitor to part with their coin in games of chance. One of the most popular is an establishment called the "Fencing Hall". Operated by a collection of engineer Gnomes, the hall is filled with metal machines built to look like buccaneers - except that they are no more than four feet tall. Each has a "sword arm" that is actually a lever which activates the machine. Dropping a coin into a slot in the buccaneer's hat and pulling down on the lever causes three cylinders inside the machine's head to spin and eventually stop. The cylinders have a series of symbols painted along their sides and are arranged inside the head so that one symbol is visible through each eyehole, with the third appearing in the machine's mouth. If, when the cylinders stop spinning, three matching symbols appear, the buccaneer "pees" out a stream of gold coins - the quantity varying with the symbol.

Several of the taverns and even a few of the casinos are also known to make arrangements for well-known entertainers: musicians, illusionists, storytellers, and other artists to perform. A performance by a kingdom or perhaps even world-renowned bard could bring paying customers from across the kingdom.

Credits

Page banner image by Claudia from Pixabay