Wel's Shamble
Why are the pearls of Kobold's Bight black in colour? Wel Fenleaf claims that Umberlee revealed that the souls of sailors who die violent deaths at sea are drawn into these special pearls and their despair, fear and anger forever stain the pearls black.
Most Wels-folk are in mourning for the recent death of Reeve Bestor, whose lifeless body was discovered in his chambers just two weeks ago. The corpse is reported to show no physical wounds and was found to be uncorrupted by poison. A single black dahlia was found next to the lifeless body suggesting his death was an assassination by one of the infamous Wanton Hags. The local Sherriff has been unable to identify the cause of death. Forensic sorcery did not detect the magical signature for a death spell and simple divination spells provided conflicting information. Rumors suggest this information was suppressed because the local constabulary were implicated. The half-orc community is not suspected because wealthy human families don't believe half-orcs would have sufficient wealth or intelligence to hire such a sophisticated assassin.
The only permanent settlement aligned with the Theogenae on the north western shore of the Kobold's Bight, Wel's Shamble has become a gateway for expansion into the wild lands of the Scar. To the northwest lie the hidden valleys and mountainous wilderness of the Goblin's Spine. Once the seat of Kyranien Kingdoms, the Great Upheaval rendered the lands a mountain wilderness littered with the ruins and wreakage of a once great human kingdom. For explorers and adventurers, Wel's Shamble offers a safe haven for devling into the rubble of a First Age Empire fueled by promises of riches and lost magics that are spoken of in bard's tales and legend.
A multiracial population offers a surprisingly cosmopolitan venue for visitors, the Wel's folk are very receptive to travelers, traders and adventurers who are recognized as a lucrative source of wealth and commerce. Despite it's limited size, a broad selection of services of value to explorers and adventurers are available within the town walls.
Wel's Shamble is renown for the cultivation and sale of black pearls, harvested from oyster beds established by Wel Fenleaf around 2nd Age 820. The pearls are a valuable component for the annual Rite of Peaceful Repose The Rite of Peaceful Repose ceremonies that are conducted by lay members and the clergy of the Theogenae to ensure the undeparted spirits of those killed in the Great Upheaval remain undisturbed and at rest.
Demographics
Wels-folk are drawn from human, half elven and half orc stock with a small number of other races represented in town and throughout Welshire. Half-orcs and humans make up the bulk of the soldiers, guards, laborers, fishermen, craftsmen and shopkeepers in the town. Members of the Merchants and Travellers Guilds are a mixed lot, most residing in quarters within their respective buildings. Wealthier families are primarily human composed of the yougest sons or daughters of the church aristocracy of Barga Thière or the wealthier merchant families of the Free Cities. They serve as the family's representatives at the pearl auctions, participating in small lot sales to secure sufficient supplies of black pearls for the familiy's holdings.
While not counted amongst the Wels-folk, a Kobold clan lives and cares for the village's extensive sewer system. It is known that the Kobold's have established a lair adjacent to the sewers but this does not qualify as a residence within the town walls.
Kenku are not permitted to hold land in Welshire or reside within a residence within the walls of Wel's Shamble. Kenku enter the town proper on market days to buy & sell their wares alongside other merchants but must observe a sunset curfew or face fines and banishment.
Government
Wel's Shamble is the largest settlement in Wleshire, the holding of Countess Ingergia of Barga Thière. A substanial manor house serves as the residence of her Steward who is responsible for the oversight of Welshire, the land surrounding the town. The Steward has the authority to grant deeds for new holdings within Welshire, levy taxes and collect the Countess' tally on aall goods and services. A quarter share of all levied taxes must go to the Theogenae, a second quarter to the Countess and at least a third share pays for the upkeep and defense of Welshire and the town.
Local governance of the town falls to a Reeve elected by a vote of all of the adult females of the village who have given birth to one or more children. Female Kobold's are not considered residents and have no right to cast votes. For the position of Reeve, gender, race and social standing are not a qualifier. Countess Ingergia must approve of any new Reeve but this is generally a formality which is attended to by the Steward. Even a sufficiently well respected outsider can be chosen Reeve, as long as they agree to remain in Wel's Shamble while they serve. The position does attract a broad range of local candidates because of the extra wealth received after each sale of pearls.
For day to day oversight and enforcement of the Theogenic Codex, the Reeve employs a sheriff and ten deputies who help maintain the peace. Various deputies also reside throughout the hold and can be called to assist at any time. The Reeve is responsible for dispensing low Justice for both civil and criminal cases in the name of the Countess. The prosecution of high crimes requires the presence a Justiciar who must be summoned from from Barga Thiere.
Defences
The Steward employs a company of men at arms, rangers and huntsmen, numbering about 100. The are five companies of twenty men each. Each company is lead by two Sergeants and a Captain. In addition, most able bodied adult Wels folk own a short bow and have been supplied with a quiver of 24 arrows. They are expected to man the walls and act in defense of the town as needed. The Theogenic Shrine maintains a standing force of 6 Knights of Tyr who will also serve if the need arises.
Industry & Trade
The main industry is the cultivation and harvesting of black pearls from the extensive oyster beds established by Wel Fenleaf along the shores of Kobold's Bight. By design, each bed typically produces two crops of pearls per year which are sold by auction at a fair held on each equinox and solstice. As time passed, Wel and his descendants expanded the beds, adding more locations and developing their expertise in aquaculture. The Fenleaf family has developed some renown as aquaculture specialists and now elder members of the family have worked to establish businesses in Hyrenia and Eigendel.
The location of the village also makes it an ideal base for explorers and adventurers seeking fame and wealth in the ruins of First Age structures in the Goblin's Spine Mountains. The town offers a broad range of services, a smithy operated by a half-orc with extensive experience in making and mending weapons and armor, a talented leather worker, an apothecary known for her potions and salves, and with the establishment of a Traveler's Hall , a small library of magical tomes and scrolls which houses a resident expert in divination and identification of magical and cursed items. A Triumvirate Shrine offers magical healing, cures for various afflictions, removal of curses and raising of deceased adventurers. The cold, pure water of the Bight produces a particularly effective holy water (+1 on each damage dice). Many explorers purchase vials of the Holy Water of the Bight as a protection against the copious undead which haunt the ruins and dungeons of the many castles, forts and towers which were destroyed in the cataclysm.
Infrastructure
Notable structures in the village include the Reeves residence, the Counting House coin repository, the Haunted Kip Inn and Tap room, Iron Bender's smithy, Gythik's Apothecary and Wel's Warehouse. A significant number of fixed oyster beds have been established in the shallow waters of Kobold's Bight, half of the beds on the village's shoreline contain oysters with the most mature pearls, the rest contain oysters which have just been prepared to grow next years crop. As a precaution against contamination of the towns local oyster beds, an extensive sewer system which serves all structures built in Wel's Shamble, including the shanties in the fishing village. Raw sewage is released into the waters of the Bight half a mile east of the village where the currents will carry sewage away from the town. The sewers are maintained by a clan of Kobolds who live in the tunnels and are rarely seen around the town.
Assets
The wealth generated by the back pearl auction is shared amongst the townsfolk. Having a voting female in a family guarantees an equal share of the towns payment from the sale of Pearls. A first share goes to the Countess Ingergia with a second share going to the Theogenian Shrine and a third share going to both the Reeve and the Mayor. By any standard, proceeds of the auctions make the villagers of Wel's Shamble wealthy but the remote location generally results in them saving the majority of the gold. The proprietor of the Counting House has worked to find investments which would grow the villagers wealth and has recently helped establish Gibbet's iron ore mine and smelter in the foothills of the Gerall Mountains across the Bight near Black Raven
Guilds and Factions
The Triumvirate maintain a shrine in the town which houses an elder priest, up to twelve acolytes and 6 members of the Knights of Tyr who serve to protect the Shrine and the town if needed. The Shrine has proven to be an excellent investment of Church resources, the income generated serving the explorers and adventurers questing in the Western Spine generates substantial income which is readily supplemented by gold generated by the sale of pearls.
Tourism
Other uses include components for magical spells, potions and other alchemical or mystical operations. At the end of each growing cycle, on the equinox or the solstice, lots of harvested pearls are auctioned off at a market held with the town walls. Merchants, mages, alchemists, artificers and their agents from across the Reach travel to Wel's Shamble for the auctioning of the coveted black pearls.
Natural Resources
Wel's Shamble is a moderate sized settlement located on the western shores of the Kobold's Bight in the Scar. At present, it serves as a prominent outpost for the Triumvirate at the eastern frontier of human expansion into the Scar. The town is a starting point point for explorers and adventurers seeking a wealth and acclaim for discovering and delving into the numerous ruins which are found in the foothills of the Goblin's Spine Mountains. The Black Pearl trade has become so important that a fair is held four times a year on each solstice or equinox at which lots of 50 pearls are auctioned to the highest bidder. Wealthy merchants, traders and agents representing alchemist, apothecary and mages guilds visit and bid on the Black Pearls at auction. Celebrations in the name of Waukeen, Chauntea, and Tyr are held to invoke the blessing of these deities before the auction begins. On market days even itinerant Kenku merchants are permitted to set up stalls in the square allowing villagers to spend some of their newfound wealth on uncommon and even rare items.
Maps
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The Scar
Once a fertile high plain realm hosting the thriving Kingdom of Antillia, the region was gutted as the Elemental Gods unleashed their wrath. Grinding tectonic plates inflicted wide spread devastation, splintering the massive granite sheet that underpinned theplains. The newly formed fault line spawned volcanoes driving one plate soaring into the sky, spewing ash and lava onto the surrounding land. Clouds of sulphurous gases smothered or poisoned many of those not killed outright as buildings collapsed under the violent eruptions. Survivors fled to the perceived safety of newly formed valleys only to be engulfed by a massive tidal surge inundating the lowlands as Titans of the Seas drove tidal waves inland from the shores of the Western Ocean. -
Wel's Shamble
Located on the western shore of the Kobold's Bight, Wel's Shamble serves as an excellent base for adventurers and explorers seeking treasure and fame delving in the Goblin's Spine Mountains. Kenku caravans frequently stop in town offering a range of wares suitable for explorers and adventurers. A skilled half-orc smith can repair damaged armor and broken weapons and leather goods in need of repair are dealt with by the net makers of the Shamble fishing family. The acolytes at the Theogenic Shrine offers healing, cures, curse removal and can even raise dead adventurers for a suitable price.
Wels' Shamble was founded by Wel Fenleaf in 2nd Age 8250 after a vision for Umberlee lead him to find a rich bed of black pearls growing in the cool waters of Kobold's Bight. Fen, a half elven sailor fleeing a disaster at sea which cost the life of his crewmates, was seeking a location to meditate and deal with his guilt
who served as a pilot on cargo vessels hauling ore and other cargoes from the dwarven holds of the Fingers of the Mad God. He was tasked with guiding vessels passed the Riven Rock's until he fell asleep during a dangerous night passage and the vessel he was piloting foundered, resulting in the loss of the vessel and it's cargo along with all hands except for Wel. The Maritime Guild of Hyrenia found the circumstances of the accident highly suspicious but were unable to discover evidence that Wel was culpable and banished Wel from their ranks.
Taking this as a sign from Umberlee that he should leave the Seas, Wel set out to seek fortune elsewhere. A seemingly random series of events lead him to the wilder areas near the eastern borders of the Reach where he found solace cultivating and harvesting Black Pearls from oysters in the frigid waters of the Kobold Bight.
Founding Date
Second Age 820
Alternative Name(s)
The Shamble, The Black Pearl, Elf town
Type
Town
Population
Wels' Shamble contains approximately 1700 permanent residents comprising 1000 humans, 500 half-orcs, a Tabaxi, 150 mixed elven & human members of the Fenleaf clan and a smattering of the other races.
Inhabitant Demonym
Wels-folk
Included Locations
Like the overall concept - A relatively rich small town on the frontier, surrounded by ruins in the wilderness full of undead. The world intro had a teaser about Man and Mer, which is not integrated into this particular town if it is a well-established interaction. With all the wealth generated by the Black Pearls, it seems organized crime or powerful mages would like to create black market dealings/steal the pearls. Is there a fishing industry in Wel's Shamble? The smell of fatty fish grilling wafting down the main street and a cottage industry on salting and preserving it? A raw oyster bar to serve up the byproduct of the pearl industry and a need for an ice house/cave to store the winter lake ice? Who are the infamous Wanton Hags? Why are there so many half-orcs in town (400?) -- Is there a very low barrier for racial mixing in this world and Orcs are not stigmatized by the humans (and are they wonderfully passionate partners)? Do some of them lean towards Orcish culture and dress, even while living in a human town? Do they go back to visit their other parent on a regular basis and are trade goods exchanged? Where are the full-blood Orcs in relation to town that would produce so many half-breeds? With the numerous adventurers heading to the mountains, are there local mountaineering guides and a rope-making industry of hemp or giant spider silk harvested from the nearby woods? Some of the text under the sub-categories could be streamlined to reduce repetition.
The shacks next to the shrine to Umberlee on the shore inside the east wall is intended to be a family of fishermen. This would be the source of the fish for the Pickled Bight fish item on the menu at the Haunted Kip and any fish on the menu at the Broken Peg. I've drawn in and removed small stands from the town map several times. It's a scale thing but if I drill down to street level this is something to consider. Most of the half orcs will actually be outside of town in the lumber, mining trapping and hunting trades. They are gaining wealth and buying into the town. Some friction there. The black market...pun intended... is a future development and will involve necromancers working to access the power inherent in the pearls. The Wanton Hags will be a legendary band of female assassins... most likely Drow - needs more development