Orchard's River
Government
The day-to-day decisions of Orchard's River are made by the Town Council, headed by the Town Speaker Norro Wiston. Members of the council include:
- Brother Derny
- Delora Zann
- Iormel
- Knight Captain Saelaia Grayson, though only for matters of military importance
Defences
Watchposts
Due to the trouble with marauders over the last few days, the folk of Orchard's River have set up five watchposts on the major roads leading into town. A member of the town guard and three militia members each man a post.Old Toll House
The largest and sturdiest building in Orchard's River is the old dwarf-built toll house, which still stands where the foot of the bridge once stood. The Toll House serves as the town hall, courtroom, jail, and Town Guard headquarters, housing twenty of the guard members, as well as the office for the acting Knight-Captain.Armory
A small stone tower about 30 feet tall, the armory holds arms and armor for the town militia - spears, light wooden shields, leather armor, studded leather armor, old longswords, and crossbows. Most of the arms have already been issued to members of the militia.Industry & Trade
Orchard's River is largely a settlement of Merchants and Tradesfolk who have settled along the Dawn Way. The titular orchards of the town provide a flush of apples every year that supplies quality ciders and alcohol all across Minthros. As the last stop in Edenia before crossing into Reikfell, the town supports a number of general stores, catering to merchants, traders, adventurers, and travelers to supply their every need, as well as several warehouses to store the volume of goods that pass through the town on a regular basis.
Jarett's Sundries
The Town's general store is Jarett's Sundries. Jarett Nurth buys finished goods such as clothing, pewter goods, lamps, oil, rope, tools, wine, and toys from Crimsonwich and Baewic and has them shipped by wagon to Orchard's River, along the dawn way. She sells adventuring gear, tools and skill kits, clothing, and a few potions of healing.Iormel's Warehouse
As the last town on the Dawn Way for 100 miles or more, Orchard's Riverserves as a place where out-of-town merchants temporarily store goods while waiting for the right time to set out for the west and north. Iormel is a miserly old man whose large and ill-tempered hounds are the terror of children throughout the town.Jendar's Warehouse
Similar to Iormel's warehouse, this place serves merchants and traders moving goods along the Dawn Way. Jendar's rates are substantially lower than Iormel's, and the halfling is steadily eating into Iormel's business.Sterrel's Provisioning
Ben Sterrel caters to merchants and caravans passing along the Dawn Way, selling tack, harness, food, and other stores useful for folk traveling long distances.Morlin's Smithy
This is the workshop of Morlin Coalheart, the town smith. Morlin also happens to be a talented armorer and weaponsmith.Delora's Livery Stable
Delora Zann is a retired adventurer who settled down in Orchard's River twenty years ago. She stabls horses and other mounts for a modest fee and buys and sells animals as the opportunity presents itself. Merchants using the Dawn Way have come to rely on her stable. (For Sale: Warhorse, Horse, Donkey)Infrastructure
The Ferry
Two enormously thick ropes span the Elsyr here, affixed to a huge wooden capstan. A pair of draft horses, to which a large flat-bottomed barge - the ferry - is secured. Another capstan and team on the far bank works a second ferryboat, if needed. When drawn by two horses, the ferry crosses the Elsyr at a rate of 6 mintues per crossing. The Ferry is operated by surly dwarf named Drathgar. He employs about two dozen horse-handlers, carpenters, and porters to run and maintain the ferry. By long-standing tradition, Drathgar doesn't charge townsfolk for the first two crossings they make on a single day.Districts
The town is divided into two main parts with the bulk of the commercial district, shops, and main marketplace laying to the East of the Elsyr River. To the West, the majority of the town's farms and outlying homesteads stretch out to the edge of the Witchwoods that act as an unspoken boundary for the town's edge.
Points of interest
The Green
At the center of Orchard's River is the Green, a broad grassy field where children play and farmers from outlying homesteads sell their produce.The Green Apple
A cheerful taphouse and inn on the north side of the Green, the Green Apple caters to travelers who have somewhat less coin than those that stay at The Old Bridge. Many of of the locals prefer to do their drinking here. Its proprietor is a sout dwarf named Tharrma, who possesses a great gift of expressing her opinion, regardless of whether it's asked for.The Old Bridge Inn
Somewhat larger and busier than the Green Apple, the Old Bridge in is run by the Shadowbanks family, a clan of halflings a dozen strong. Kellin Shadowbanks is the patriarch of the clan and proprietier of the inn. Guests and visitors can find a good game of three-dragon ante in the common room almost every night. Kellin plays often, and is so good he doesn't have to cheat to win.The Old Ones
A small clearing in the woods on the west bank of the Elsyr holds a small circle of menhir's known as "the Old Ones" by the towns folk. The circle has long served as a druidic sacred place, and the druid Avarthel tends the Old Ones.Shrine to Amael
A small temple of the same fieldstone-and-wood construction used by many other buildings in the town, the shrine is in the care of Brother Derny. He has two acolytes who help him tend to the shrine and after the folk of Orchard's River.Town Speaker's House
The Home of Town Speaker Winston is one of the largest and more comfortable houses in the town. Winston owns a fair amount of land in the surrounding area, including several orchards and woodlots which he collects rent. He lives here with his wife Tara, their five children, and three servants.House of Sertieren the Wise
An old-noble manor-house with a handsome view from the bluffs overlooking the river. Serterian is somewhat reclusive, and his house as reputation for being... odd. There are frequently mechanical constructs that escape from his house.Geography
Orchard's River is settled right along the Elsyr River that runs straight through the heart of the town. Nestled between the imposing Wyrmbones and Edenian Shield Mountain Range, the town has a natural beauty, both wild and cultivated. Farms and orchards are common sights throughout the town, and the enigmatic Witchwoods to the West act as a reminder that even this idyllic town still has a wild side to it.
Climate
The riverside valley town boasts a mild climate compared to the more arid nature of the rest of Edenia to the South. The growing season in Orchard's River is substancially longer thanks to the warmer climate of Edenia, making its seasonal changes mild. The river allows for irrigation even during drier months, which has made the town an ideal location for its many orchards.
Important Figures
Avarthel: A member of the Keepers of Eth, the druidic circle of Edenia, Avarthel is a solemn young individual who keeps an eye on how the folk of Orchard's River use the nearby forest and helps tend to the orchards. Affable, polite, if quiet, he is a known figure of Orchard's River-
Brother Derny: The town's Priest is Brother Derny. A stout old man. Pompous, preaching, and long winded, he is a good and charitable individual at heart who goes out of his way to aid less fortunate folk-
Delora Zann: Once a member of the famed Tidecloaks, Delora retired to Orchard's River some years ago. She is a plain-speaking, no-nonsense sort of woman, tall and broad-shouldered. She wears her blonde-gray hair pulled back into a single braid. She is a friend to both Saelaia Grayson and Speaker Wiston, who have come to rely on her common sense and keenly observant nature.
Iormel: A wealthy landowner who has been on the town council for thirty years or more, Iormel is a selfish misanthrope whose sour manner and legendary stubbornness have caused no end of trouble over the years. A tall man with a halo of tangled white hair, he squints and scowls at any familiar face.
Jarett Nurth: A dark-haired southerner who came to Orchard's River from the Free Lands and bought out the previous owner and now owns Jarett's Sundries
Kellin Shadowbanks: Head of the Shadowbanks Clan, Kellin is an affable, brown-haired halfling who dresses in a broad-belted waistcoat. He is adept at putting others at their ease, but he is much sharper than he lets on and keeps himself well informed about events up and down the vale.
Morlin Coalheart: A Swordsmith and armoror of some skill, Morlin is a devout follower of Heiyr. He is pragmatic and outspoken, but he also happens to be a seasoned veteran of goblin wars long past. He is not particularly friendly to anybody but other dwarves, or followers of Heiyr.
Type
Town
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