Drake's Clearing
Once regularly besieged by foul drakes from the southern end of the Koldurian Mountains to the north, this city has transformed into a strong center of population and military force, holding the main garrison of Afrington forces.
Demographics
Human (87%), Halfling (4%), Dwarf (3%), Half-Elf (2%), Half-Orc (1%), Dragonborn (1%), Elf (<1%), Gnome (<1%), Tiefling (<1%)
Government
Governed directly by the military general of the garrison here, the garrison holds the high ranking military officials that act in accordance with the Emperor's wishes.
Defences
A large but typical wall surrounds the city, and has regularly rotated guard posts defending it. A guard force of near 700 is kept on constant post around the city, but a militia of almost 10,000 can be gathered if necessary, and dozens or hundreds of Afrington soldiers are typically on rotation here, adding to the cities defenses.
Industry & Trade
Due to the military garrison here, much of local industry is making goods fast, and of the best quality possible. Blast forges churn steel out for military use in arms and armor, as local farms grow crops for rations. Carts come into town carrying crates of parchment and arrows from fletchers and tanners from nearby villages and other towns and cities to stock the troops and military stockpiles.
Infrastructure
A massive Garrison that spans both above and below the city, blast furnaces and smithies, and leatherworkers are prevalent here in order to supply the garrison and by extension most of the Afrington military. Outside the city reside a few major grain farms in close proximity to the urban sprawl, and quite a few stables can be found in the south and eastern reaches of the city. Major crossroads pass through here, as it is a very central city to Irrelion.
Districts
West Town
The oldest and most tightly packed part of the city, One can find the oldest and most worn-down buildings here, still kept in decent repair due to its central location. Half of the roads through the city pass directly through West Town, making street stalls and shops very prevalent here.The Castle
A large castle, used both as a garrison for the town guard, a home for the residing Mayor, and as a residence for the Emperor when he is in town, It was built on the edge of West Town, which was established well before it was. After it was built, the rest of the city grew rapidly, placing the castle almost dead center in the city.The Park
A small slice of nature reserved within the city, this lush green field is exactly as the name implies, a park. Many botanists, healers, alchemists, and apothecaries reside around The Park, using the field to grow precious plants within the confines of the city. It is a common place for locals to meet and relax at, with many small events taking place here on any given day.Whitefair
Given its name due to the vast white roofs covering this part of the city, when it was being developed, white clay was used to make the roofs, giving this part of the city a distinct look and feel, and unbeknownst to many, real estate here is particularly valuable, as the white-tiled roofs ward off the sun's heat in the summer, keeping the houses cooler.East Ward
The name of this small district is quite a funny joke that the locals love to tell. A Mayor of many years ago had quite severe vision issues, and as the city was being expanded after the construction of the Castle, he was giving a speech in the center of town, and people asked what he intended to name the new district being built. Hard-of-sight, and blissfully unaware of the new district being made, he asked "What new district? I'm not aware of any new District in the city". Although he later elaborated he knew of the construction, and figured it was an expansion of Whitefair, that did nothing to stop him being the butt of all jokes. A man in the crowd pointed in the direction of the new district and shouted to the mayor, "Then what's that over there?", to which the mayor responded "Well, that's Eastward". The mistake brought the crowd to tears by all accounts, but the name quickly took hold, and this small part of the city is immortalized as the East Ward.Stoneshade
This unusually shaped section of the city is shaped like a U, but this has an excellent reason. The Castle in Drake's Clearing is uniquely shaped, and made almost entirely of stone. During the early and late parts of the year, various parts of the city are cloaked in shade starting in the afternoon by the castle blocking out the sun. This district came to be known as Stoneshade, with the part of it that never fell into shade being left out.Scribe's Gate
By all accounts and legends, when the legendary document, The Magical Gambit was written, the scribe that wrote it brought it through this gate as he went into the city to have it published. Due to this legacy, many scribes, sages, poets, bards, and authors choose to live around this gate as a homage to an unknown legend of days past.South Way
A significant number of Inn's and trader supply stores sit right here, in this tiny district right next to a southwest gate. The importance is that this gate leads out to the highway one follows if they wish to get to Raven Valley, another important crossroads for traders and travelers, making this small location a convenience for inbound and outbound traders and travelers on their way to their next major stop.Summer Town
A name given to what is the largest district in the city by far. Sprawling well beyond the walls, and stretching from almost exactly north to almost directly east, covering almost 3/4ths of the outside perimeter of the city, this part of the city is primarily made of low quality wooden shacks and cottages, handmade by many a farmer or resident of the city, who quickly moved in when the city was being constructed. At the start of the Blood Age, many rural farmers were concerned for their safety, and many moved closer to cities to ensure it. Summer Town is a perfect example of one of the large shanty towns set up by this boom. This one was supposedly built entirely in one summer for the most part, giving it the name of "Summer Town".Chicken Way
As many farmers moved to this area, and food preservation was not as advanced as it is now, many slaughterhouses could be found inside city walls. Once a year, farmers would take turns marching their chickens and other livestock through this part of the town on their way to a slaughterhouse, where they would get paid. A resident, fed up with the city refusing to do anything about this practice, tore down the original street sign, and replaced it with a crudely made plank that read "Chicken Way", but nobody decided to, nor did they want to remove it, and the name simply stuck. The roughly 500 yards of highway before and after the gate are officially known as "Chicken Way" now.Northway
A story not dissimilar from Southway, but the supplies here are significantly more important. This road leads north, and is almost exclusively taken by traders making the trek through mountain passes to Feldveil. This is not a journey for the lighthearted, and supplies sold here are catered towards those passing through that way. Many a successful merchant can be found here, retired or not. Those who can regularly make the trek to Feldveil make their money's worth.Nightgate
Fearing invasion from the north when the city was built, large sections of the wall were built taller and stronger. Due to this, certain parts of the city are bathed in darkness once the sun disappears beneath the walls. The Nightgate district is actually used to determine when night officially begins, as when the house furthest out is finally covered by shadow from the wall, they consider night to have officially began, used for when curfews are necessary, or for loose timekeeping.Assets
Massive stores of any materials that the military actively uses are held in stores here. Leather, Steel, Fabric, Grain, Oil, anything that has a use. These stores are a large part of the city's value, estimated at almost 150 million gold. Large coffers do exist somewhere underneath the castle, but most of the cities value is in its smithies, craftsmen, and in its strategic placement as a crossroads for trade.
Guilds and Factions
The Ceaseless Cabal
A very pompous and flashy group of merchants, it is little more than a glorified traders guild, but given the many strategic exports of Drake's Clearing, this cabal helps dictate prices on many goods that they have a stranglehold on, meaning they are always pushing what they can charge to the limit to keep the gold flowing.Order of the Iron Keepers
The Steelworker's Guild. This group includes all Steelworkers in the city, all of which are prestigious and skilled workers, who make some of the finest steel around. This group exists to make sure prices are kept stable, and to also keep track of what is being sold to and from who, as there are strict rules on how much steel one is allowed to buy at a time, to prevent traders from foul play.Guild of the Uptown Sons
A rich-kids club. This is hardly more than a glorified club for the sons of noble warriors and rich merchants who meet to flaunt their wealth and attempt to one-up each other. Many people fear that a club for the richest in the city would lead to immense nepotism and secret activities, but many people who sneaked in and witnessed goings-on have always attested that it is hardly more than a place for the sons of the rich to socialize and attempt to prove themselves the best.History
A long time ago, when the empire was first being founded, wicked drakes and dragons from the north would besiege the plains around this city. It took the combined might of nearly the entire Afrington military to drive them back and clear them from the mountains. Many soldiers died, and it took many years before people could begin to safely construct more than small villages hidden by thick forest in the area, and ever since, no dragons or drakes, or other foul draconic creatures are known to live in the area surrounding here any more.
Points of interest
Dunlain Smithy
The oldest Blast Furnace known to Irrelion, the first blast-forged steel was made here. It now serves little more than a museum to catalogue the advancements of metallurgy and detail the history that led up to modern smithing, but it is a place of pilgrimage for many smiths, who are sent there to study before their apprenticeship is finished. Almost no smith has not been here. It is also in the very center of the town, and is arguably more important to the city than anything else.Tree of Elysius
An unnaturally large willow tree sitting in the middle of a grassy field, A Godborn Monk, after living a long life, came here to meditate. He sat for years, and a tree slowly began to grow. Even after years, he was still alive, despite not moving, eating, or drinking, he was alive. As the tree itself grew, it slowly built itself around him, but never touching him. The last he was seen, he was still alive, before the tree completely swallowed him whole. It is seen as a sacred grounds, as it is either the current residence, or the resting place of a Godborn, and acts as a popular landmark for the exceptionally religious.Tavern: The Stepping Hall
Avelina Cumberbatch is the current owner of this tavern, long owned by the Cumberbatch family, it was once a tavern loved by warriors, and was named "The stepping hall" due to its long size and how warriors still in armor would have to step carefully lest their sabatons clash with those of other patrons. It sits in the center of the city, directly across from the front of Dunlain Smithy, facing it head on. This large and long tavern is two stories tall, with clearly handmade and roughly hewn wood furniture decorating it. A large cooking pit sits in the center, where a barmaid cooks up meat to serve to hungry patrons, as a large wood stove sits on each end of the bar, keeping it warm. The second story is filled with small rooms, just enough for a bed and a small desk, more than enough for a nights rest.Blacksmith: The Defender's Poker
From master to apprentice, long has this smithy traded hands, falling now into the hands of a proud dwarven woman, Ilde Rumnaheim runs this old smithy with dwarven pride. It was one of the first smithies to be made in Drake's Crossing, and sits right behind The Stepping Hall, conveniently close to Dunlain Smithy, where most of its steel once came from. This smithy is made of thick and strong oak logs framing the entire house, with a bright white roof, tiles made with the same white clay that Whitefair is known for, the entire interior floor is a few large slabs of mirror-smooth stone, with a typical blacksmith layout for the interior, save for a massive forge and bellows in the center, and an extensive set of gold scales sitting behind the front counter, used for measuring metals, Ilde is the official weight-keeper of Drake's Keep, her scales are the say when it comes to weight.Alchemist: The Gryffon's Eye
Located right on the main highway leading in through Scribe's Gate, this Alchemical store stands out from all the neighboring buildings, it maintains a small plot of grass around it, growing flowers and herbs. A small pond sits in front where a turtle resides, blissfully uncaring about the passers-by. The heather-thatch roof of this small wooden house is chaotic, and compliments the overgrown hedges out front, which grow to right beneath an old and well-used telescope, poking out the front window. Inside sits many tables covered in herbs, ingredients, and unfinished mixtures. Peter Soames, a human, inherited it from an Elf whom he used to gather ingredients with in a nearby forest, and was declared the sole inheritor of his store once he passed.Jeweler: The Deva's Sun
Balimaar Bradley, a tall, lanky human, owns this seemingly run-down Jeweler's store, in the western part of West-Town, not far from the field holding the Tree of Elysius, this timber and brick rowhouse has overgrown grass and hedges lining its front, but inside is a different story. Several exquisite paintings of necklaces and rings adorn the walls, and several intricate braziers and sets of tools line tables and desks, with fancy gems all over the store. Despite it's seemingly humble appearance, the finest rings and necklaces in the city come from here. It is even rumored that the Emperor, Philarion Pendleton wears a ring hand-carved by Balimaar.Enchanter: The Hag's Handy Sundries
Tim Rutherford, a human male, owns this small enchanter's store. Outside of the store sits a slightly-larger-than-life sized statue of a warrior holding out a sword, supposedly a warrior of old that survived a battle and came home purely by an enchantment put on his blade by one of the store's previous owners. This timber and brick house sits not very distinct from its surroundings, save for the statue, its grey tiled roof blends in with the rest of the houses in Stoneshade where it sits. As one passed through the door, which is surrounded by soft and immaculate wind-chimes, the inside is filled with chests, curios, and cabinets, all containing old oddities and trinkets.General Store: Richard's Emporium
Richard Gentry, a short human runs this General Goods Store that sits right on the edge of South Way as it fades into West Town. It's a very indistinct building. A stone-walled cabin with a brown-tiled roof, it blends it perfectly if not for the sign. The inside is mostly normal save for an overabundance of curtains draping the walls and weird trinkets on the walls.Church: Chapel of Chauntaea
The current Bishop is an old human, High Hadley. He sees that the church keep running smoothly. The once-fancy church sits on the outskirts of the Northway, using the fields as a cemetery, as it is often the closest cemetery for travelers and merchants that end up badly injured and dead trying to make the journey to Feldveil. Healing services can be found regularly going on here. The intricate marble of the church stands out compared to the wooden shacks around it, but it shows its age in the aged wooden fence surrounding it and the moss climbing up the walls.Tourism
Tourism here is not typical of what other places find in tourism. Many a tourist here is either an adventurer looking to get their hands on a shiny new suit of armor, or a sharp new sword, or a smith on their way to visit Dunlain Smithy. Aside from other visitors coming to find skilled artisans in Drake's Clearing, there isn't a huge tourism industry here, mostly visitors come for business.
Architecture
Most structures are made of sturdy wood and stone in order to fortify the entire city in case of a siege, as various clay shingles coat the roofs of the buildings. Smooth cobbled roads line the major pathways through the city.
Geography
The city itself sits in a relative depression, which causes some flooding in situations of major rainfall, but this rarely happens. Nearby, verdant plains and lush forests can be found as far as the eye can see, providing lumber for carpenters and craftsmen, good farmland for farmers, and grazing area for those who keep livestock.
Natural Resources
Many of the nearby trees are quite sturdy and thick, and are an uncommon export from the city, typically being turned into other things within the city, before being exported. The nearby fields are great for farming and raising livestock, and the city holds its own quite well in food production, generating enough to export a fair amount. It tends to import quite a bit of metal, but turns it into quality steel and weapons in its blast furnaces.
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