Summerwyn

## Description

Summerwyn is so named because of the cool trade wind that blows in from the east during the summer months. It is the capital of Etria and has a population of about 350,000 citizens. It is possibly the most influential city on the continent and is as modern as any city gets in Astar. It is home to the king and the royal family. The city sits just below a series of waterfalls and underground springs that run under and through the city allowing for some creative uses of the water flow. The entire city benefits from this natural plumbing but the castle that sits at the very top of the hill and the structures higher up near the castle benefit more than those that reside lower or near the docks. It is truly a physical and symbolic depiction of the "haves" and the "have-nots" in Etria. The city has several wards or districts but is largely divided into Highborough and Lowborough. There is some dispute as to where the line between these two areas is drawn but since it's not an official designation, the area in the middle tends to be a grey area of middle class trying to rise above. A map of the city can be found here.

## Notable Locations

### Highborough

Located on the upper end of the hill "Highborough" is where the nobles and upper crust of society reside and do business. It is an area immediately surrounding the castle and moves downwards for blocks. It takes up about 20% to 25% of the city. Any shop or business one can imagine can be found there.

* **Eaglemont Castle:** An abbreviation of Eagle's Mountain, the old name of the mountain, Eaglemont, or "The Mount" as it is referred to by those that work there, is the royal residence situated at the top of the city. It was so named due to the abundance of golden eagles that reside there. There is a still a large amount of eagles that can be seen flying above the city. It is a large walled structure and protected by the Etrian Knights.
* **Skyview Inn:** Situated high up the hill and only a stone's throw from the castle, Skyview Inn is the most luxurious inn in the city. Only staying at the castle itself would be more posh. It is often where visiting noblemen stay as a status symbol. As part of the inn they have a dining room with a view of the harbor that is called Redhaven and is considered the best food in the city.
* **Fenn's Fine Weapons:** Considered by some to be the finest weaponsmith in the kingdom. He is the one commissioned to make runeblades for the Knights. It is owned by Arik Fenn and the shop contains weapons that he has made as well as exotic weapons from around the world. Arik can be found in his store most of the time selling his wares.
* **Ailaron's Fine Clothing:** If you want to know what is the current fashion trend look no farther than Ailaron's. If they sell it, then it's in fashion.
* **Cloverbay Jewelers:** Few things scream money more than fine jewelry and Cloverbay is the most notable. They only carry a small selection of jewelry in-house but if you make an appointment they will surely find the right gem and make what you are looking for.
* **Temple of Amon:** The highborn often look at themselves as better than commoners. It is no wonder why they then worship the king of the gods. This large temple rivals Eaglemont in is beauty. Generous donations have made this temple quite the spectacle.

### Lowborough

The lower area of the city takes up approximately 30% of Summerwyn's area.

* **Mystic Fool Tavern:** Sort of tongue-in-cheek jibe at the dearth of magic in the world this is one of the better and more respectable taverns in Lowborough. It serves mostly food and beverages but they have about a dozen rooms on the upper floor that they will rent out.
* **The** **Battered Shield Alehouse:** "The Shield" as it known by locals is a very popular drinking establishment. Although there are a myriad of pubs, inns, and alehouses in Summerwyn the Shield is a place where one can find information and work with fewer questions being asked about who is doing the work and what that work might actually be.
* **Inn and Out:** A fairly priced place to rest and recuperate in Lowborough. They don't serve any food to non-patrons but usually have a decent room to sleep in at a reasonable price.
* **The Crow's Nest:** The Crow's Nest is probably one of the seediest pubs in the city. It is located down at the docks and sits up a ramp with a slight view of the harbor. It is a common place for sailors and those that have just come into the port to come and drink.
* **The Demon's Thorn:** Located just away from the docks The Demon's Thorn is a close tie for seediest and most dangerous tavern in the city. Unlike the Nest it draws a more local crowd. If something is going wrong in the city surely someone there is either causing it or knows about it.

### The Grey Area

This section does not refer to any part of town called "The Grey Area". But rather, since there is no definitive line as to where Highborough and Lowborough begin and end, these are the parts of town that fall somewhere in the middle and make up most of the city. There are certainly some streets where no nobles or lower ranking nobles live and districts where middle class working families are moving up in financial status. Besides this physical designation, there are two notable areas that are socio-economic grey areas. The first is the Market District. Not only is it in the middle of the city, it is an area that all citizens of Summerwyn need to come to in order to shop and sell their wares. The other is Strongwater Port. This port received its name from the rough waters just north of Etria that constantly has strong winds and even maelstroms along the coast that make regular travel between Ristor and Etria treacherous on a good day.

* **The Trader's Market:** Based around Market Square this is a large open air market has everything from merchants with tents that come and go to fixed structures that sell everything and anything one could want. It is where a lot of merchandise that comes off the trade ships end up. You never know what you're going to find in here.
* **Aldos' Arms:** Located on the edge of the market is Aldos' Arms. Owned by Lucan Aldos it is considered a strong value for your money. He has a surprising amount of weapons that he makes himself. He is rarely in the front of store and can be found deep in the back working on weapons. The storefront is run by his son, Herras, who is being apprenticed as a weaponsmith himself. Many of the weapons in the front are made by Herras and are well-made but Lucan's work can be found in the back.
* **Strongwater Port:** This port is where all ships dock in Summerwyn. Whether it be a foreign trade ship or an Etrian Naval vessel this massive enclosed and fortified harbor receives them all. This is where goods come in and are brought into Summerwyn. There is a separate section for Etrian Naval vessels that is called Strongwater Garrison located just outside and along the city walls adjacent to the harbor. The port has many businesses such as stores that sell in bulk to local merchants to resell as well as pubs and taverns for visitors. This unique area has a wide range of establishments of varying quality but tend to range from middle class down to downright sleazy.
* **Temple of the Deities:** The largest temple in Etria is the Temple of the Deities. It is a place of worship for the entire Central Pantheon. Statues and art depicting all members of the pantheon can be found here. Various halls are dedicated to worshiping each god.

### The Underworld

Not a specific place but anywhere there is a large population there are those that function below the notice of the law, in the underbelly of society. The criminal element is alive and well in Summerwyn and much of what cannot be found in the light of day exists in the shadows for those who know where to look. By the very illegal nature of the underworld information is not commonly or opening given but if you turn over enough rocks you are bound to find something.

* **The Guild of Shadows:** if it's illegal in Summerwyn it is either run by or allowed to be run by the Guild of Shadows. The guild has a hand in just about everything in the underworld. Rumors even exist that their influence spans outside of Summerwyn to other parts of Etria. Not much is known about the guild other than it is organized into three main bodies: The Body of Theives, The Body of Assassins, and the Body of Industry.
* **The Dovecote:** Although prostitution isn't illegal it certainly resides on the seedier side of the city, figuratively if not literally. The Dovecote is one of the most famous ones because it is a well-run business with fair prices. Located in the middle districts, it is run by Madam Cassi Leanna, a former courtesan whose reputation for information brokering in the underworld is legendary.
* **Miscellaneous** **Illegal Wares:** There are no obvious storefronts to buy poisons or drugs or other illicit items but there are still plenty of places to go and find these things. Perhaps the bartender at one of the local bars has some dreamweed behind the bar or perhaps the old lady at the market sells some poisonous herbs as well as tomatoes at the market. Those that look at the shadows long enough usually find what they're looking for.