Dwardle
From the Dwardleford mountain range, the Dwindle river falls through the alpine forests and winds through the canyons of Volfor, eventually emptying into the Great lake of Dwardle. Dwardle is the name of the merchant outpost on the shores of the lake.
The grand fishing in these parts must be seen to be believed; monstrous fish adorn the more piscine taverns, and uncanny tales of survival can be heard from many of the elderly fishermen of this town.—Petra Humelin, Dwardleford and beyond: A wizard's rod and casting for fish.
History
The small fishing town of Dwardle sits astride the River Dwindle. Approximately 50 miles from Blademarket, Dwardle is one of the largest outposts of Volforian authority between Blademarket and the eastern border of the republic and The Frayll Wildlands.
Historically the area has been one that has thrived on the riches that the proximity to the fertile lands bordering the Dwindle river, the Dwardleford mountain ranges, and the great lake wainwards of the town. The river remains a reasonably safe and fast option of travel between Dwardle and Blademarket, allowing the flow of food, goods and merchandise east and west, from The Frayll Wildlands to Blademarket, Vol and beyond.
Settled many years before by pilgrims from Furangar, the Town has a storied history of pioneer spirit and adventure, tempered in recent decades by the protection offered by the new Republic. As the nearest town to the Great Lake, Dwardle occasionally lies witness to happenings and rumours at The Library of Tundmatusse and seekers of knowledge buried within the marble halls are sometimes seen, and warned, by the townsfolk of Dwardle.
Fully 600 years prior to present day, a rumour of a connection to the continent of Abbatchtka via the early formation of a network of merchants was created, and many traders blame poor luck on ill winds from the north.
Campaign 2 Events
During the game, Dwardle became a brief hub of activity for the adventurers known as Multiple Sarcasms. On arrival to the town, the group were quick to contact the Quartermaster and Mereton, gathering the cash that they had been contracted for determining the cause of the mercantile distress on the Dwardle - Blademarket river trade route. After finding the apothecary that sent potions to Berwick's home village, the group were curious as to the provenance of the potions that had obviously been tampered with, but before a true investigation could take place, events of the next night overtook them: A Citadel agent was attacked, and rescued, and the group were baited into helping with a supposed fire.
Layout
The town is mostly situated south of the river, with two bridges fording across the Dwindle called Weft and Wain. Centrally, the town has a harbour district known as 'Quips which combines the political area and mercentile authority of the town, and the Mereton's building also functions as a harbour master and quartermaster's stores. South of the Quips quarter, a grey slate rooved area comprises the local residential district. A small Amahi guildhouse known by guildmembers as "The Swage" is situated in the Waterfens district to the south of the Wain bridge, and immediately west, or weftward of here is the "Shuffle", a common ground of fallow ground inside the town's limits. Whilst the 2nd Battalion of the Volforian Regiment commands a small garrison of troops in Dwardle, they remain quartered north of the river at an all too permanent camp known as Camp Dwell.
'Quips
The harbour district is the most developed area of the town, with the major landmark being the Harbourford House at which the quartermaster and the mereton of the town work. The busy district is one of quays and cranes, with reasonable road networks to and from the quayside. The Pureglee Trading Company retains a warehouse here for perishable goods that are required in other areas of the Republic, and several other merchants utilise storage warehouses for goods coming and going from the harbour. Of discernable landmarks in the Quips, the statue of "The Nameless Sailors" is the most noteworthy: a marble statue of a human, dwarf and elf standing on the prow of a ship, hauling a line and rescuing an unseen man overboard. Wainward of the quartermaster's office, the larger warehouses of the Pureglee Trading Company operate on the south banks of the Dwardle.
Waterfens
South of Quips, the Waterfens is a more business district of Dwardle. Here you will find the independent high street shops of Deckherdt Street and Pureglee Avenue where several stores and townhouses of note are found:
Pureglee Avenue:
- La Pharmacie Nautical, a famous apothecary and pharmacy.
- Prommes, a clothier.
- A franchise of Brewthan's International Original Dwarvish Forged Coffee Company.
Deckherdt Street:
- The Swage, The Amahi's townhouse and clocktower in Dwardle.
- Visti, a shop selling accoutrements of the magical persuasion.
The Shuffle
To the townsfolk of this settlement and for the edification of public health, it is expected that this hallowed land be henceforth protected by the codicils beneath. For it is just and right that the people must protect the land, and be allowed enjoyment in their recreations.—Samantha Wadderslake, The Founding of Dwardle
An area of common ground which is left fallow as per writ of the founding of the settlement. An area of several town blocks that is a protected parkland in the middle of the town, with sparsely monumented areas and a lake. Maple trees grow in the park. The southern road outside of the parkland is known as the Royal Walk, historically the road that led to the old Kingdom's summer palace (now ruined) to the south of the town. Westward of the Shuffle, Market Drive is a larger thoroughfare that winds its way through the Dwardleford Mountains towards Blademarket.
The Riverside
The river Dwardle runs through the town, bisecting it into the larger southern section and the more esoteric and dangerous north. The banks of the river are locally known as Shamelegger's Walk (to the north) and Watchman's Shame (to the south). The latter is the road that leads to the old barracks of the town, which is now part granary, part bank and part prison.
Watchman's Shame has several workshops that cater to the nautical problems of the town, but hidden amongst them is a artificer's workshop called "Targe" run by Targe Harriden.
Camp Dwell
The now more than temporary fortification for the 2nd Battalion of the Volforian Regiment that quarters outside of Dwardle. It has a tent and stone construction, with a central marquee with reinforced stone walls and wooden fortification walls around the outside of the fort. Volforian flags, and the regiment's insignia, fly from the towers that have been constructed here.
Taverns
- The Waterside Inn
Markets and Merchants
- The Quartermaster
La Pharmacie Nautical
Dwardle is famous for many things, and chief amongst them is its historical success in the fields of chemistry and agriculture. La Pharmacie, a famous apothecary and pharmacy, lies on the central Ruen Square of the town and borders onto Pureglee avenue. A three storey building of marble and stained glass, it carries flags of Vol and Furangar on its shopfront, along with the flag crests of various towns and cities of the Republic - such as Firemellow and Blademarket. The impressive storefront is notable for the large stained glass windows portraying the healing of the sick by one of the Abbatchtkan god-touched champions, Sera. Allegedly run by the descendants of this pilgrim, La Pharmacie is a family run venture which keeps a certain mystique around its business dealings. Manibelle Justle is the human owner of the business.
The ground floor of the building is dominated by a central dais where the shop of the pharmacy is situated. Arranged around it are displays of various potions for the treatment of various ills, with large displays of healing ilixirs, antidotes to common poisons, healing potions, alchemical paraphernalia and components for basic herbal remedies (often sold for a marketed markup). Shopworkers wear a uniform of sorts, with a grey labcoat embroidered with the LPN logo and entwined dragons of Xavarath showing customers who would be able to help them find what they are looking for.
The Second floor is mainly a store room, with a partitioned off set of clerical offices to the northern side.
The Top floor is a lab floor, with all the glassware that a hiccoughing glassblower could provide. Strange liquids bubble in odd shaped flasks in this laboratory. Access is severely controlled into this area.
La Pharmacie has been instrumental in the development of tinctures and remedies for various maladies and illnesses on the continent of Osuvanne, and from the humble beginnings have recently reached out to various merchants - such as the Pureglee Trading Company - to increase the continent-wide appeal of the products made in Dwardle. Despite the obvious help that a partnership with The Amahi could provide, LPN has been reluctant to join such an endeavour for reasons that have not been made public. As a leading part of research into treating illnesses in the world, LPN has been at the center of several rumours amongst the fringes of civilised society that spin conspiracies such that LPN are infecting people to further their own corporate aims. Whilst these stories seem to be second or third hand, or even "heard from a mate that heard it from a friend down the pub", LPN has been quick to deny any fact or falsehood regarding their product lines.
Prommes
Even the fishermen of Dwardle require clothes, and Prommes, despite its upmarket name and branding, is the go to shop for landlubber clothing in the town (the alternative being workwear from the Quartermaster's store.
Brewthan's International Original Dwarvish Forged Coffee Company
A recently closed down coffee shop selling substandard and expensive drinks purporting to be inspired by the finest coffees as grown in Abbatchtka is found Weftward of the Pharmacy.
Visti
Oani Sparo, a practicing wizard of the Library, operates a shop selling accoutrements of the magical persuasion. Visti is a chaotic place of magic and blurs the line between obfuscating the presence of magic in Dwardle and outright shouting about it. As a member of The Library of Tundmatusse, Sparo is tolerated as a warning system: the only mage that is openly "out" in Dwardle and can be controlled, at least politically, given the understanding between all the factions. Visti is shunned by most of the population of Dwardle, the occasional explosions and noise emanating from the building near the Swage adding to the general idea that it is not a part of town that citizens of standing should be associated with, and as such one would presume that the owner would be upset by this - but this is contrary to Sparo's personality.
Factions & Personages
Factions
Reputation of the Amahi in Dwardle
The Multiple Sarcasms were quickly aware that the reputation of the tinkerous guild was not as readily welcomed in Dwardle as it would be in other cities in the northern republic. The Amahi seems to have been involved in several major technological advances of merit in the town. Well, apart from sewers, irrigation, health, roads, cheese, education, baths and the cranes, the Amahi are thought of as interfering with the general running of the town, and whitewashing the education of the local population against the historical impact of the Concurrence and the Library of Tundmatusse. Outwardly, there are several examples of graffiti and minor criminal damage to various landmarks in the town which bear the mark of the Amahi, and the townhouse known as the Swage has been attacked by local troublemakers and several of the clocktower's windows are broken by thrown stones.
The Citadel's activity in the town
Dwardle, like many of the towns in Osuvanne, appears to have had a Citadel presence. Through citadel tradecraft, it can be supposed that the organisation has mapped out the town and has several sympathetic ears in the area.
Personages
- Mereton Goodmanner Littleswick
- Parthairn Tulli, Quartermaster of Dwardle
- Wintala Loramenor of the Amahi.
- Targe Harriden
- Oani Sparo