Dusky Shores is an unassuming fishing village on the coast of the Esper Sea roughly halfway between Khazdal and Kirinjo. The village sits on the eastern edge of Dulcianni territory and enjoys little involvement from the principality. Because of this, it has its fair share of smugglers, pirates, and freebooters who have paid off some of the town council.
Most of the town sits on the eastern side of the Scaletooth River, known for its overabundance of alligators. This side of town contains the market, farms, and fisheries. The Traveler District sits across the river and contains a few taverns, merchants, and the town gate.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population – 5,000
The residents of Dusky Shores are primarily human, with an enclave of roughly 200 dwarves engaged in mining operations. There are occasional pockets of wood elves and forest gnomes outside of town, having migrated from Lillinosti, and a tribe of lizardfolk has set up camp in the marshes.
Government – Town Council
POLITICS
Local politics are a tug of war between two factions: the Mariner’s Guild and the Merchant’s Conglomerate. The Mariner’s Guild and the families who own fishing fleets held power for a long time in Dusky Shores, and the rise in other mercantile ventures threatens their position. They feel that merchants and miners coming into their territory brings attention to their town, and they’d prefer to be left alone.
Meanwhile, the Merchant’s Conglomerate sees potential in the location and feels that the town could become a lively trading port. Dulcianni certainly welcomes this viewpoint as it would mean more tax revenue for their coffers, so the city is willing to send guards to help clean up the town of its smuggling problem.
ECONOMY
Dusky Shores was initially established as a fishing village, and the fish trade remains its largest industry today. Salt mining is another staple industry that allows the fishermen to preserve their catches for long travel. A few large farms for marsh plants can be found on the outskirts of town, and dwarves from Khazdal have set up a mine to find precious metals and gems.
Elk’s Head Tavern – This old inn and tavern serves as an unofficial guildhall for hunters and trappers in Dusky Shores, but also caters to employees of the Silver Hammer Mining Company. The two-story building has rooms for rent on the second floor, while the first floor boasts a large meeting hall filled with hunting trophies. Giuseppe Zefira, a retired guard, runs the establishment.
Silver Hammer Mining Company – A small mining company from the Crimson Rock region of Khazdal. They have recently expanded operations and sent prospectors to Dusky Shores in search of gold and gemstones. Winnifred Stoneshield oversees the operation and can be found at the Elk’s Head Tavern when she’s not working in the mines.
Flame Baron Trading Company – A trade delegation led by Lady Fierstadht that has come to Dusky Shores to acquire large quantities of fish and preserved food for the Barony of Flame to the north. The Barony does not produce enough food for all its citizens, so it relies on imports, and Dusky Shores is one of its major suppliers. Since the delegation pays for shipments on time and buys in bulk quantities, folks tend to overlook the Barony’s reputation of demon worship.
Shark’s Hollow – A seedy dockside tavern with a reputation for catering to smugglers, mercenaries, pirates, and even assassins. The owner, Gregor Catamor, has no qualms about who visits his establishment and personally throws any troublemakers into the harbor. The town guard only comes by if called, making this a suitable place for rowdy carousing and brawling.
Traveler’s Market – An open-air market for goods that aren’t related to fishing. Located outside the western edge of the bridge, it offers few goods for adventurers – goats, eggs, cloth, cattails, reed grass, elderberry, clay pots, and the occasional mule or ox for hauling carts. The market is open during the week.
Li’s Leather Goods – Li Teabreeze runs this tannery and hunting goods shop, where she buys and sells hides, leather, bows, arrows, and traps. She is particularly interested in rare hides and will pay a hefty sum of gold for those who bring her materials that meet her exacting standards.
Dusky Market – A large market square in the center of town that initially served as a venue for fishermen to sell their catch of the day, but has since expanded to include merchants of all varieties. The central area of the square also contains several long tables for people to eat communally. Merchants are only available in the market on Lunaday.
Heim’s Hammer – This small blacksmith’s forge contains just a single anvil of dwarven make and can’t keep up with orders in town. The elderly Josefina Sanguilar runs the forge with her son, Maximus. The forge also contains a small shrine to Heim, but it is somewhat neglected. Some of the newly arrived dwarves in the mining company take offense of the fact that the forge’s dwarven tools are owned by a human.
Esperian Mariner’s Guildhall – The Esperian Mariner’s Guild serves all of the communities along the coast, providing a bunk and hot meal for sailors in town. Ship captains can search for crews here, as well as anyone seeking news regarding local sea travel, navigational threats, or news from other nations.
Oakmaster’s Guildhall – This carpenter’s guild has plenty of work in town, from assembling barrels to repairing docks and boats. The building itself was shaped and crafted with Lillinosti livewood by the local guildmaster: Lila Thalassi, an arrogant wood elf with an interest in uncommon woods.
Temple of Ogrus – Services at the Leviathan’s temple are well-attended. The congregation is led by a former pirate named Dario Waverunner, who can tell a story about every storm, lost ship, and bountiful catch the town has experienced. He has little interest in matters on shore, but the temple is also served by a few acolytes and laypeople who keep things in order. Dario uses his blessings from Ogrus to seek out shipwrecks and recover the remains of sailors lost at sea. He will trade cleric spells for aid in such recovery missions.
Toad’s Hollow – This grove outside of town is rumored to be the home of a local nature spirit, Rospo. A halfling shaman named Juniper tends the grove and its pools and is on the lookout for any unnatural threats to the region.
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