Cutters Crossing

"Look mate, I'm tellin' ya, stay away from Cutters Crossing. Sure, the people are friendly, the food is fantastic, and their wares'll sell high from here to Avistan. But you stay more than a week, and the crick in your neck'll never go away." - Wyrec Albeforth, Menis Trader

Cutters Crossing is a large city in southeastern Oria, built into the tiered cliffsides of a disused quarry along the (???) River. Originally founded by a combined effort of halfling and ysoki families, Cutters Crossing is designed almost entirely to the scale of the smaller races. One of the more populous towns outside of Arisol itself, Cutters Crossing is populous and very prosperous, and is a notable exporter of agricultural products (especially well-bred halfling pipeweeds), wines and spirits, and hand-crafted furniture.

Population

Nearly the entire population of Cutters Crossing is comprised of the smaller races, who wanted a home that was built to their own comforts. The proportions are roughly 50% halfling, 20% ysoki, 15% kobold, 10% gnome, and 5% mixed others (dwarf, goblin, shoony, et cetera).

Town Layout

Cutters Crossing is built into a large, disused quarry, and spread out across three main tiers. Two rivers flow into the town from the east and the north-west, join at the lowest tier, then flow out of the south. The waterfalls that result from the rivers dropping down the town's tiers are used to turn a large number of water wheels for the local businesses.

Despite the region's relatively low-quality soil, extensive and successful farming operations are spread out for miles around Cutters Crossing. The local fields are used to grow grains and vegetables, fruit orchards, and even plantations of cotton and billow-leaf.

Government

The town is ruled by a council of eight; these members are chosen by popular vote, one per city district. To be able to vote, a citizen of Cutters Crossing must either own property within the town, be born to someone who already has voting rights, or have lived and worked there for ten years. These elections are held yearly, but no real event is made of them unless a representitive is replaced this way, which is an uncommon event for the staid settlement. The current council members are:

• For the Hightown district, Ms. Dolores Cutter, a halfling woman and current head of the founding Cutter family.
• For the East Bend (or Warren) district, Matron Amile Wescutter, a ysoki and proprietress of the Grandmother Rat's Hearth tavern.
• For the East River district, Master Ederic Rothliss, a ysoki head of the local labourers' union.
• For the West River district, Dr. Lydian Glitterstamp, a noted eccentric and the only gnome on the council.
• For the Temple District, Brother Harlan Ashwether of the Reverent Fellowship of Desna.
• For the Outer Farms district, Miss Lydia Wescutter, halfling head of the farmers' union.
• For the Market Crossing district, Mr. Archibald Fentwick, halfling owner of Fentwick's Fabrics & Fineries.
• For the Undertown district, Excavation Chief Chakk, spokes-kobold of the tunnelers' union.

The addition of Undertown as its own district only occured in the last decade. Prior to that, the citizens who lived in the tunnels and basements of the town were considered a part of the district they were under. This change was spearheaded by the tunnelers' union, who felt the kobold-heavy population of Undertown wasn't being given a voice in the council, and the final vote was passed with the support of six out of the seven existing council members.

Religion

While there is no one favoured religion in Cutters Crossing, the Temple District's largest structures are, from largest to smallest, dedicated to Desna, Cayden Cailean, and Abadar. There are also minor houses of worship for a dozen other assorted faiths.

Though not really worshipped per se, the large ysoki presence in the town has made Lao Shu Po, or Grandmother Rat, a well-known deity with small shrines scattered about. Though her teachings are considered antithetical to the beliefs and lifestyles of the citizens of Cutters Crossing, she has become the name to swear by when one is forced into what they feel is a "necessary evil," like a beggar stealing food, or a lawman making a deal with a minor criminal in exchange for information.

Industry

A major point of pride for the citizens of Cutters Crossing is that they are completely self-sufficient. The town grows their own food, quarries their own stone, cuts their own wood, and has craftsfolk of every stripe they need. The only thing the town ever truly struggles for is luxuries like dyes and spices, for which they trade.

The three biggest exports of the town are vegetables, billow-leaf, and wooden furniture. The latter is their biggest earner, as the demand for furniture scaled for the smaller races is a niche not often filled, and their carpenters are known for their skill.

The town also makes a respectable trade on other small-sized goods, such as clothing and tools.

Cutters Crossing has long resisted outside businesses getting a foothold in the town, not wishing to depress local industry. The only major out-of-town company to open a store front in Market Crossing is Vial Vitae, and only after furious negotiations headed by councilman Archibald Fentwick. The company was only permitted to open a store front - not a guild house or manufactory - and only if they hired from Cutters Crossing citizenry exclusively.

Guildless Union

The Guildless Union operates a combination tavern and inn in Cutter's Crossing, named Arktook's Fancy and located in the Market Crossing district.

Other Notable Characters

• Ulric Brickfist - Head of the Town Guard
• Nkombi the Large, Blessed of Balumbdar - Normal human, largest person in town