Yeffield
Far from relevancy, on the Northeastern border of The People's Republic of Geld - lies the small town of Yeffield. It is said by most in the Kingdom that this is the place to go to die. Not because its dangerous, but because nothing happens here. It is a quiet town cut off from threats and external influence. The Henze family moved here to farm the floodplains surrounding the Old River and slowly a town sprung up. People come here to tend the land. Simple as. Refugees, former criminals, deserters, they’re all welcome in Yellowfield as long as they do good, honest, work.
You can see the town from a mile away - next to the meandering bends of the Old River, and amidst great fields of maize and wheat are its rickety wood walls. North are the Sleeping Ruins, ever present. East are the Vodi woods and Dreamers River. One road runs in and out of Yeffield and it leads south, to the heart of the Republic - Geld.
Demographics
Yeffield is a small but rather diverse settlements. Its scattered populace varies from young, born-and-raised Yeffielders to veteran sailors and warriors who came here for a calmer life. There's a good mix of Harvesters, Fey, and Humans here too. When the old regime fell Yeffield was quick to change. The Henze family quickly began opening the gates to Fey and Harvesters. To them, all that mattered was a capable set of hands to work the fields.
Most people here would be farmers. Farmers who live in homesteads which dot the landscape all around Yeffield. It wouldn't be uncommon for one of these houses to lodge maybe 10-20 people. Big families, not always blood related. The city center itself is mostly there so these farmers can exchange goods and maybe have a place to pray and socialize. People live there of course. Fisherman and clergymen mostly.
Government
Yeffield has always been ran by the Henze family. It was the family which settled Yeffield, they ruled it when the Tyrant Queen was in power. They ruled it afterwards too.. They were always kind to the inhabitants and they take good care of the town.
Cecilia Henze is the current mayor and she is well liked. She doesn't get on the best with the clergy but there's no cause for bigger conflict. She's been kind, she judges people fairly. The Henze family has always been in charge of keeping the law as well. When there's been an influx of monsters coming from the north in recent years she has hired a guild to help with that.
Defences
Defenses are meek. Yeffield has never really needed much. There is an old rickety lookout tower somewhere around the edge of the city center. With an even older wooden wall to go with it. The wall sits a bit bellow head height and is really more symbolic than anything. In recent years these defenses have become compromised by various monsters and beasts from the north. The townsfolk are a bit worried that something has to change. Cecilia Henze hired a defense guild but will it be enough?
Industry & Trade
There is some variation in Yeffield but in the end it is a farm town. Most of the workforce is dedicated to the fields. Most of the export is produce. Most of the import is whatever they can get in exchange for produce.
One of the exceptions is of course the Old Lake. This lake snakes around Yeffield and is rather important for both trade and industry. There is not that much animal raring in Yeffield, instead they rely on fishing in the lake. Subsequently, the docs have become a rather built up area in recent years. Recently getting their own pub. Clay is also harvested for the lake and exported to surrounding, land-locked towns. Farmers need water and clay pots are a great way to catch the rain.
Some Akoits also pass through here in order to make it to the Red Ruins in the north. They're a popular hunting grounds for Verve and Souls. Thus there is somewhat of a tourist industry in Yeffield. Some pubs, a tavern. Even the church might shack up people every now and then.
There is a business in breadmaking and whiskey distilling here in Yeffield. Some of the manors out in the field are dedicated to these practice and have gotten rather good at it. The bread is just for the people of Yeffield here but Yeffield Whiskey is a delicacy in the surrounding region. Particularly Lomport loves whiskey.
Districts
The Fields
Surrounding Yeffield are vast fields of wheat, barley, and maize. You can see them from a mile away - like a sea of yellow grain. The horizon is dotted with small villas. Farmsteads, they all look so similar. Quaint white houses with red, brick roofs. Small chimneys with thin plumes of smoke wisping into the air. The fields are seldom interrupted by roads but there are a few. Dirt paths here and there fenced in by shoddy oaken posts, they zigzag through the fields taking you to far away homes.
In the distance you can see what looks like a couple villages. Jolly Baddock tells you its Marymur and Abensborn. They look even smaller and cozier than Yeffield.
The Walls
There are lengths of old rotten wood walls that run all around Yeffield. They look to be made of some dark wood, or maybe they're just weathered. Its only about head height, you can see the town with ease over it, red shingled roofs stretching beyond where your gaze reaches. Its old too, the wall, and rickety, in fact, you imagine you could tear down a couple planks with ease. The road you came from leads to a more established entrance - not a gate by any means, more so a gap in the wall flanked by two watch towers. They look a bit more recently built than the wall itself. Each one is about two stories tall, topped with a crow's nest inhabited by a guard.
You can see a few of these towers around the city edge. Notably, you can see that each guard is dressed in the same armor, different armor than the guards you came across outside the city. They wear chainmail and carry shields with spears, a short sword at their side. Every piece of their equipment is adorned with Yeffields symbol - a wheat wreath.
Urban Areas
You saw it from a mile away, you know what to expect. Timber houses tightly packed together, a couple brick ones too. Most of them are painted white with the only splash of color being those red brick rooves. The road itself is old and uneven, cobbled. The place smells of brine and chickenshit.
There's a bustle to the place. As soon as you make it into the town. People moving around, marching across the cobbled ground carrying groceries. Adults, children, farmers, artisans. You see an ox be piloted past with a wagon of wheat piled high. An aproned man rolls a barrel of booze through the streets. Two fey kids, crownless, play tag and dash into an alleyway. You've been on the road for a while and this is a welcome change.
Several buildings have storefronts at the bottom. Shoemakers, tanners, masons, weavers. Yeffield doesn't just support itself but also the surrounding villages and farms. Its all so colorful and busy, you think.
The Docks
The town recedes. Buildings grow lower, paths go from cobble, to gravel, to dirt, and eventually become wooden walkways. You're now in the docks. Around you are bungalows and boathouses. Jetties and piers stretch far out into the water housing docked boats and resting draft crabs. Pulleys hoist crates and great nets of fish from water to land. Gruff fishers stomp around in their waders. You see a man attach a barge, stocked to the brim with barrels and boxes, to a group of giant crabs. He uses long ropes which he hooks under their shell.
Its loud here. Water lapping against the shoreline. Boats creaking, pulleys groaning. People shouting and gesturing. It smells earthy and a bit rotten but most of all fishy. There are fish everywhere. Fish in crates, fish in barrels, fish in nets, fish being gutted into bloody puddles along the shore.
You've been to a lot of towns and a lot of docks but it always takes a bit to get used to it.
Guilds and Factions
Despite being small Yeffield is home to quite the variation of factions. Its like this in all of Geld - since the reform every village now has factions. People can't agree on things anymore.
The Henze Family
The Henze Family is the ruling group here in Yeffield. They were originally from Bren but a few generations ago they moved to where Yeffield is settled now and built up a homestead. A town started popping up around them and their once farmhouse has now become the Henze Manor in the city center. If there are any disputes it is settled in the manor. If anybody breaks the law it is settled in the manor. Taxes are paid to the manor and kept in the manor. Essentially, when it comes to any question of legislation or law - go to the manor and find Cecilia Henze.
The Henze family and the Clergy have had some disagreements in the past. Cecilia seems to have some problem with them.
The Clergy
This region is known for worshipping the Warden Saint. A part of the Golden Tapestry. Yeffield is no different. When the Gold Tapestry began gaining traction the clergy came here too. They were welcomed by the Henze family and with some funding built their church here. The Wardens avatar is a giant snakebird, its symbol is an eye. It is meant to watch over you from the skies, protecting your land and people from harm. The reason it is a popular saint in this region is because, particularly further north and toward the Vodi forest, there has been increased activity in Wretch in recent years. Yeffield has not noticed it as much as other towns.
The church is a shanty building, east of the city center upon a small hill. The clergy there are welcoming, often taking in travelers if the taverns fill up. Mass is held every Uonay. Choir practice for the kids every Noay. There is a small graveyard behind the church - it is becoming increasingly common to be buried there. Those who still stick to the old ways burry their dead in the fields, as per tradition.
The church has also started overseeing marriage ceremonies. Some people still stick to the old ways but its popular to ga and have your souls tied in the church.
The Hagslayers
Yeffield has a Wretch problem. Since the fall of the old regime military interest has steadily been declining. The Parliament doesn't like war. The Clergy doesn't like war, and to be honest most of The Republic has no need for a particularly trained militia. Every town would have a somewhat trained guard. However, Bren, Blumoor, or Grasmere? They do not face any threats other than a few thieves and scoundrels here and there. Further north this is not the case though. Yeffield do not have it the worst but its not great. Monsters, Wretch, they crawl down from the Red Ruins and harass the farmers. There is a small town guard but something more was needed.
The Hagslayers is a small guild of warriors from the Council of Oars. They are well trained but perhaps not the nicest of people. The Council of Oars have vastly different values than The Republic of Geld. Cecilia hired them to deal with the Wretch problem. It has been working. Somewhat. However they get on terribly with the townsfolk.
They shack up in the Fredericks House tavern. Locals do not really go there anymore.
The Wickten Family
The Wicktens are the second largest and most respected family in Yeffield. They aren't farmers though. They make whiskey. Wickten Manor out in the fields always reeks of malt. They have slowly been increasing their political presence in the town. Otto Wickten has been holding various talks in the market square, all of them with a vaguely anti-Henze, anti-Hagslayers undertone.
The subtext is that the Wicktens believe that Cecilia is taking the town in a poor direction. The Wicktens have backing from Lomport and believe that perhaps the town would be better of without Henze and without the Hagslayers. The Warden will protect Yeffield when the need arises.
Points of interest
Although Yeffield is a rather calm town, nothing compared to Lumeport, there are still sights to see.
Severin and Sysel's
Just off the Whetay Market is Severin and Sysel's, the blacksmith twins. The house is divided into two shop fronts. One dedicated to Severin's Supplies, the other to Sysel's swords.
Severin is a slight man - short and gaunt but a good craftsman. His shop is run with the help of about 10 other workers, salespersons and apprentices. However, most of the work is done outside of the shop in various homes throughout the town. It sells anything one could need for adventuring and farming, barring only weapons. Its a large shop with an even larger warehouse out back.
Sysel's is a bit smaller, there's not much business in selling weapons but drifters and Hagslayers do need repairs occasionally. The woman herself is just as small as Severin, they are the spitting image of each other, as twins often are.
The Crabshell
The Crabshell is a shop just off the docks which specializes in armor of all sorts. It started as an operation designed to make crab-shell-plate, an essential part of most coastal settlement, this armor, although expensive, offers a beautiful combination of buoyancy and protection which is perfect for marine combat.
Now operations have expanded. The shop has several employees and a smithing area in the back. Any heavier armor can be found here.
Johann's Tannery
Just on the other side of the towns walls is Johann's Tannery. Connected to a large paddock filled with cows is the small leatherworking studio. Its run by Johann, as you can expect, a friendly face around these ends. The Tannery is several connected buildings surrounded by the sweet, earthy smell of processed leather. Several stands in town sell Johann's goods.
The Old Loom
Out in the hills is the Old Loom. A large building dedicated to weaving. It has a rather sizable workforce and its products are sold all throughout the town.
Lisabet's Boats
Lisabet's Boats started out as a wrights. However, as Yeffield grew so did the need for transport. Nowadays Lisabet's Boats sells all means of transport. Except for draft crabs. Barges, rowboats, riverboats, wagons, carriages, you name it. Lisabet died several years ago, its her grandkid who runs the place now - Eva. Its a fairly popular spot nowadays, with the drifters and all that, so boats are in low supply.
Tourism
There is a small yet significant tourist economy in Yeffield. Because of the Old Lake and the Red Ruins up north, several drifters head this way, particularly less experienced once, to take their chance at the lake or the ruins. This is what allows taverns and hostels to thrive in what is otherwise a fairly insignificant town. Several taverns have now even equipped themselves with a medic or Curate to help the drifters. Its not always safe to go digging in these parts.
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