Shadehold

Shadehold is located just south of the Dagger Coast, and while it's part of the Kingdom of Karatan, it has mor in common with those along the cost or in the nearby Greyfall Mountains.

Demographics

Just over three-fifths of the population is human, with dwarves coming in as a distant second. There are sizable minorities of both gnomes and halflings as well, but there are very few members of other races. The last Daemon family was chased out years ago as the locals don't take kindly to Abyssal taint.

Government

Mayor Alistair Nibly knows that he doesn't have to be popular - he just has to be popular enough for people to not revolt. In the meantime, he's enjoying his power as well as being able to hide behind those stronger - physically, mentally, or socially.

Nibly has appointed Leigh Coombs as Justiciar of the King, an individual who considers anyone brought in front of them to at the very least be guilty of disturbing them in a great moment of feeling important. Grovelling will get you far, but won't compensate for every kind of disturbance. And they really aren't fond of outsiders.

Defences

Bruney Smythe is Captain of the Shadehold Emerald Guard. He's obviously not happy with his posting being so rural, but does his best of the situation.
There are 38 additional guards on duty at any given time. Two are posted at each of the three entrances at all times. During the day, four more guards (2+2) guard the streets in order to keep the peace. At night, only one pair has such duties. there is always one more guard (and usually Smythe while he is on duty) at the Shadehold Tollhouse.
The prison has two guards stationed there at any given time unless more is needed. On the very rare occasion that all cells are empty, those guards are assigned to patrol duty.

Industry & Trade

Most of Shadeholds income comes from fishing and a bit of trade with ships from the Dagger coast or the south. And, of course, constant rumours of smuggling operations. It is more or less an open secret that despite the efforts of the guards, smuggled goods account for a lot of the trade around.

While there is a sizable portion of artisans and crafters in the town, they sell either locally or to ships that really need to replace something. Calling it an export is a bit of a stretch.

History

There are two competing stories for how Shadehold got its name: a facinating one they tell outsiders and a more banal one.

Legend says that the Nightwarden once hid away a great monster underneath what is now Shadehold Ruin. This monster was pure shadow that had been tasked with guarding an important treasure. It would rip anyone who came close apart until one day there was a dark fog over the area. When the fog lifted, the shadow monster was gone. But the castle that had been it's home had already become known as the Shadehold.

The less popular story tells of the many small, dark, and wet coves that dot the difficult to navigate marshes around. It's said that when smugglers needed to take something from their cargohold for a bit to avoid detection, the would but it in these hidden places. The practice was, allegedly, known as putting the cargo in a shade-hold.

Architecture

Many of the buildings here are built on the foundations of structures that existed centuries ago. The current ones might be simple and mostly utilitarian, but there are still some around that carry the glory of days past. There are also plenty of ruins both around the town and even within it. At some point, these too, with the exception of the ruin of the old Hold, will likely be built over again. Until then, the accessible parts of them become building material for something else.

Geography

North of Shadehold is a craggy coastline that makes it hard to land a boat for anyone who doesn't know the waters very well. To the west, the windswept plains eventually give way to the Greyfall Mountains. To the south, the Algan Mire is always covered in a dense fog. the town itself is built on sediment pushed against the rocky segments where several rivers meet.

Maps

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  Shadehold

Population

550

Inhabitant Demonym

Shadeholders

Included Locations

• Book Brooke
• Broken Step
• Caddis' Oils and Ointments
• Delecacy Emporium
• Hammer and Iron
• Shadehold Shrine of Night

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Karatan