Little Oak Harbor
Demographics
The city's population is primarily Human, accounting for 49% of the total. Halflings make up 14%, Fera 9%, Elves 8%, Dwarves 7%, Kobolds 6%, Goblins 5%, and the remaining 2% is composed of other races.
The upper class, which is about 5% of the population, consists mostly of former nobles who still hold onto their titles despite the Legion of Valorhall's takeover. The Legion's adventurers make up 10% of the population, but their wealth fluctuates greatly over time. The middle class accounts for 50% of the population, while the lower class and impoverished make up the remaining 35%. It's worth noting that the majority of the Goblins and Kobolds are managed by their respective leadership and are not included in this wealth breakdown.
Government
Little Oak Harbor is ruled by the Legion of Valorhall, an adventurers' guild that seized power from the former tyrannical lord. The people of the city largely govern themselves through a general consensus. However, they are ultimately subject to the absolute authority of the Legion, which can override any decision made by the town as it deems necessary. However, this happens infrequently as the Legion strives to maintain the city's respect.
It's worth noting that while the Legion holds absolute authority over Little Oak Harbor, they do so with the understanding that they are serving the people of the city. The Legion is made up of adventurers and warriors who value the freedom and autonomy of individuals, and they try to govern the city with that same philosophy. The Legion is not interested in oppressing the citizens of Little Oak Harbor, but rather in protecting them and fostering an environment of safety and opportunity.
In addition to protecting the city, the Legion also serves as a hub for adventurers and traders from all over the world. Many people come to Little Oak Harbor seeking adventure or fortune, and the Legion provides a stable and secure base of operations for these individuals. The Legion also regulates trade and commerce within the city, ensuring that merchants are not taking advantage of the citizens and that everyone is operating on a level playing field.
Overall, while the Legion of Valorhall holds a lot of power in Little Oak Harbor, they do so with the goal of serving and protecting the people. The citizens of the city have a say in their own governance, but they understand that the Legion is there to keep them safe and ensure that the city remains a prosperous and thriving hub of trade and adventure.
Economy
Little Oak Harbor operates under a palace economy, a system where the ruling class, namely the Legion of Valorhall, controls the majority of the wealth and resources in society. Under this system, the Legion utilizes its power to regulate the production and distribution of goods and services, enabling them to maintain their position of authority. Due to the centralization of power within the Legion, a significant concentration of wealth and resources is controlled by them. This results in a highly centralized decision-making structure, with the Guildmaster Council, consisting of the masters of the adventurer's guilds, responsible for regulating all economic activities in the city. The Legion of Valorhall's ruling council has complete control over resources and allocates them based on their discretion. This council determines who is authorized to produce certain goods and services, who is permitted to sell them, and the prices at which they can be sold. Additionally, they regulate the distribution of resources, prioritizing the needs of the city and allocating any surplus resources to other areas as required. In summary, the palace economy in Little Oak Harbor represents a hierarchical approach to decision-making, with the Guildmaster Council exercising significant control over all economic activities within the city.Industry & Trade
The economy of Little Oak Harbor is centered around adventurers and the provision of support services to them. Craftsmen, including blacksmiths, produce and sell the tools and supplies that adventurers require for their journeys. In turn, other craftsmen rely on these adventurers for their livelihoods, as they require these tools and supplies to carry out their work.
The wealth of the town largely stems from the adventurers, who receive rewards for their work or find valuable treasure that they can sell to buy the necessary supplies for their next journey. When adventurers purchase supplies from merchants, the money they spend eventually makes its way to other townspeople, such as farmers and hunters, as the merchants use this money to restock their shops and purchase food for their own households. As a result, the money paid by adventurers has a trickle-down effect on the local economy, benefiting a wide range of people beyond just the merchants and craftsmen.
The trading ships and warehouses of the city's harbor play a crucial role in facilitating trade and commerce in Little Oak Harbor. The ships transport goods and supplies to and from the city, enabling merchants to stock their shops with a wide variety of goods. Meanwhile, the warehouses would provide a space for storing goods, ensuring that there is always an ample supply of goods available for purchase.
Moreover, the harbor serves as a hub for trade with other cities and nations surrounding the inland sea. Adventurers returning from their journeys often bring back exotic goods and treasures from faraway lands, which are sold to merchants in Little Oak Harbor. The harbor also receives ships from other cities, bringing in goods that are not readily available with Little Oak Harbor's resources. In this way, the harbor serves as a vital gateway for the city's economy, enabling access to a wider range of goods and markets.
Districts
Iron Ward
The Iron Ward is the most impoverished area of the city, with many of its buildings in disrepair, especially in the center of the ward. The infrastructure near the Silver Ward is well-maintained to avoid being an eyesore for the wealthy residents living there. The Kobolds are responsible for maintaining the buildings at the far end of the ward, although some still prefer to live in the mines beyond. The ward is predominantly inhabited by the city's vagrants and criminal elements, apart from the Kobolds.Copper Ward
The Copper Ward is not as impoverished as the Iron Ward, but it is still not considered wealthy. The ward is adequately maintained and provides housing for the majority of the city's workforce. There are multiple bunkhouses and boarding houses located throughout the area.Silver Ward
Tthe Silver Ward is the residence of the majority of the city's merchants and those who have amassed enough wealth to relocate from the Copper and Iron Wards. The city's market, which acts as the entrance to each ward, is located at the southern end of the ward and is considered a part of the Silver Ward.Gold Ward
The Gold Ward is the largest and most affluent ward in Little Oak Harbor, with grand estates belonging to titled individuals and the most successful merchants in the city. Despite its size, there are relatively few homes within the ward due to the large size of each estate.Goblintown
Goblintown was a previously ruined minor ward that was given to the Unjunkers Tribe as part of an alliance with the Legion. The arrangement included granting the goblins anything potentially salvageable that the townsfolk were unwilling to restore. This ruined ward was one of the first things given to them, and in the easternmost corner of the city lies the Goblin Longhouse, which serves as the ruling body for the city's goblin population.Harbor Street
Harbor Street runs along the length of the city's coastline facing the inland sea, and it is mainly populated by warehouses and shipyards. At the southwest corner of the ward and the city is the Temple of the Trinity.Valorhall
Originally, the ruling class of the city lived in the castle that stood on the site of what is now known as Valorhall, the main guildhall of the former Adventurer's Guild. The guildhall was established after the guild usurped the throne with the support of the people, and they rebuilt the castle's keep into their headquarters. Today, the castle also serves as a defensive structure to protect the people of Little Oak Harbor in the event of a raid or invasion. The guard barracks and The Journey's End tavern are located on either side of the first gatehouse of the castle.History
The town's initial founders were halflings who fled their homeland when it was annexed by the nation of Korma. When they settled in the area, they found themselves vulnerable to attacks from kobolds, goblins, and orcs. To defend themselves during the establishment of the town, they called upon able-bodied people from nearby lands to come and assist them, offering rewards in return. As more adventurers arrived, the accommodating halflings expanded the settlement, which led to conflicts with nearby tribes and calls for even more help. This cycle repeated until the number of adventurers grew so large that infighting occurred over who would take on which problems, and some began to steal rewards for work done by others.
Eventually, the chaos and corruption caused by the influx of adventurers led to the formation of the Little Oak Harbor Adventurer's League, which sought to bring order to the town. The League became the driving force behind the town's growth, attracting tradesmen who sought to profit from the adventurers' presence. The halfling leadership continued to expand the town and offer incentives, leading to a cycle of growth and bribery.
However, as the League grew larger, it became apparent that the town's government had become corrupt. The League staged a coup and overthrew the local lord, prompting the townspeople to force the League to dissolve for their illegal actions. The former members restructured themselves into five separate adventurers' guilds, each with a different focus, and formed the Legion of Valorhall to govern the town. Despite their absolute authority over the town, the Legion strives to maintain the city's respect and rarely countermands decisions made by the people.
Geography
Little Oak Harbor is located on the eastern shore of an inland sea, between a snow-capped mountain range and a river. The area is characterized by a cool climate and a light forest cover that grows denser as you travel south.
Climate
The weather around Little Oak Harbor is cool and moderate with distinct seasons. In the winter, temperatures often drop below freezing and snowfall is expected, especially in the nearby mountains. Spring and fall are mild with occasional rain showers, and summer brings warm temperatures with occasional heat waves. The area is subject to occasional thunderstorms and high winds, especially during the transitional seasons. The proximity to the sea bring sea breezes and foggy conditions near the shore.
Natural Resources
The region is characterized by a cool and lightly forested environment, with oak and hickory trees being the predominant species. Other tree varieties, such as maple, birch, elm, pine, and spruce, are also present, albeit in smaller numbers. The area is rich in minerals, with syenite, gabbro, sandstone, shale, slate, schist, and quartzite being some of the commonly found ones.
The Iron Ward in Little Oak Harbor is so named because of the remnants of an iron mine in the area. However, the mine has since been given to the kobolds for their use. Although other veins of iron, copper, and zinc are present in the region, they are not being actively mined at present.
The region also boasts a thriving wildlife population, with squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, badgers, wolves, deer, bobcats, and bears being some of the notable species. The sea and rivers in the area are abundant with various fish and waterfowl species, adding to the region's natural resources.
Type
City
Population
8128
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Related Tradition (Primary)
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