Howell Town

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Howell Town is a major settlement in northern Ahlus.

## History

Howell Town was established in 9WD when Fonteyne Howell, a businessman and contributing founder of the governments of both Whittengrove and Viridell, decided he wished to start an autocracy of his own founded on the wealth he had accomplished for himself as a pioneer in Ahlus.

Fearing for the theft of the wealth he had amassed in his time on the continent, he decided to settle in the northern regions of Ahlus, rationing that no dragons, save the weakest of chromatics, would dare venture so far north as to steal from the Lord. This reasoning was kept secret of course, and the settling, as it was described to the townsfolk, was to diversify the reach of adventurers based in Whittengrove and Viridell by establishing a town in a biome mostly unexplored.

The construction of the foundations and primary structures of Howell Hold would take the best part of a year to come together, utilising local stone and timbers, as well as numerous luxuries brought to the region by means of the Waymark Hall connecting the settlement to that of those locales more established. Within the walls of the castle, numerous rooms and halls were commissioned, included amongst them a throne room, a series of solars and sleeping quarters furnished in aristocratic style, feasting halls for visitors and private dining chambers alike, as well as a number of subterranean cellars, stores and vaults.

## Government

Ever since its establishment was established over one hundred and twenty years ago, it has been ruled by Lord Fonteyne Howell, one of the first individuals to arrive on the continent as part of the exploration efforts prompted by the vedalken wizard Nelenet. Despite this long-lasting reign, it is reported that the Lord appears not to have aged a day beyond his thirty second year, a curiosity thus far unexplained even by his half-elven heritage. While rumours may be whispered under hushed breath by those bold or with reason to distrust the Lord, few can deny that the autocratic dominion of Fonteyne has resulted in rapid expansion in an otherwise inhospitable region. Either by guile or happenstance, those that toil within the territory find themselves compelled by the climate into determination, and just as caravans of lumber and coal arrive by the road to warm their own houses, their presence heralds further trade and wealth for the coffers of the Hold. Though monetary bonuses are not unheard of, they are uncommon, and instead rewards for those particularly diligent often come through servants of the spellcasters of the Avneclave, a group of five magic users that serve at the Lord's discretion, and reportedly at the Lord's alone. In the only other true delegation of power, the Lord has appointed a series of Aldermen to manage matters on his behalf in several other local settlements.

Guided by a firm hand, all are given a place to plead their concerns and cases in the Chamber of Impetration, where either the Lord themselves or someone appointed in his stead will listen, and should the requests be suitable, act accordingly. Likewise, all are afforded the opportunity to be trained with blade, bow and, should they have the aptitude or patience for it, the arcane, though any seeking to do so must commit themselves to a minimum six year term as a member of the White Coats. Despite this, accusations of abuse of power have long stained the name of the Lord, and there are a few residing elsewhere in the continent that think little more of Fonteyne Howell than as a miserly and tyrannical dictator wielding near absolute power over those without means to leave, flee or otherwise escape his grasp.

### Laws of the Hoarfrost Expanse

As dictated by the hand of Lord Fonteyne Howell himself, the Laws of Howell Hold were set out to deliver justice to those meriting of it, and punishment unto those deserving. Fines, maimings and other forms of corporal punishment are commonly dispensed, with harsher terms to those that damage the interests of Howell Holdings, or the Howell family directly. Executions typically take the form of hangings or beheadings.

* **Disturbing the peace.** Incarceration in the pillory for up to 24 hours.
* **Theft.** A fine twice the value of the stolen items and/or the loss of a finger or fingers.
* **Poaching.** Often sentences akin to that of theft, though against the interests of the Lord of Howell Hold.
* **Trespassing.** A fine of 250gp and/or public flogging to a number determined by the intention, duration and time spent trespassing.
* **Failure of proper payment of taxes.** Often sentenced akin to that of theft, though against the interests of the Lord of Howell Hold.
* **Damage to private property.** A fine twice the value of the damage dealt, as well as conscription to the service of the afflicted individual until they consider the debt repaid, or otherwise dismissed.
* **Kidnapping.** A fine of up to 500gp and/or loss of a hand.
* **Assault, with intent to harm.** A fine of up to 250gp, and/or the putting out of an eye.
* **Assault, with the intent to kill.** A fine of up to 1000gp, or execution.
* **Murder.** A fine of 10000gp, or execution.
* **Treason.** Execution.

## Crime

The heavy presence of the White Coats and the ever looming gaze of the Lord, his Tytox and the Avneclave keeps the streets of Howell Town largely free of mainstays of crime, bolstered further by the use of heavy fines, amputations and capital punishment to dissuade would-be criminals.

Despite this, empowered by the emphasis on expanse on quantity and expansion over concise focus and quality, there is a growing market for counterfeits and cheap copies of other products, with underhanded dealers and auctioneers turning a blind eye to fakes and forgeries, particularly when sold to foreigners. The presence of corruption is elsewhere felt by many, but when petitioned to act against this, the Lord of Howell Hold instead decreed that near all trade was legal, provided the appropriate taxes were paid to the keep on such transactions, and since has only moved to root out fraud and misconduct when it causes his own coffers to suffer. Nonetheless, some soldiers earn an additional salary by taking bribes to look elsewhere.

Since the Attack on the Isle of Midalios, Howell Town has experienced an elevated level of security, with heavy examination and study of the possessions of all individuals seeking entry into the city proper, with White Coat Legionates wielding *Wands of Magic Detection* to aid in the assessment process.

## Geography

Though a few structures exist to the north of the keep, Howell Hold is considered to be the northern border of the settlement, the hill upon which it was constructed serving as a windbreak for much of the city to the south. This has dictated the growth and expansion of the settlement, and combined with the division created by the River Widcier, divides the city into three main sections, that of the High City, Low City and East Reaches.

### The High City

Except Howell Hold itself, the High City is no further elevated than much of the rest of the settlement, but rather the constructions within are adorned with further elegance and tact than those found elsewhere. Many of these buildings were designed and commissioned by Lord Fonteyne himself in the early days of the settlement shortly after the completion of the hilltop keep, and have long held a reputation for excellence. The Counted Coin, the only banking firm legally authorised to operate in the settlements of Hoarfrost Expanse has its headquarters in the High City, a steadfast assembly with several levels below the surface said to link by means of a series of secret tunnels to the cellars and vaults of the Keep itself. The Gilded Glinting has since split into a pair of complementary blacksmiths, one that specialises in ornate workpieces, such as the armour of the Tytox, whereas the other instead takes the more mundane ores dredged from Ironbreach and creates a vast array of commonplace items from arrow heads to cookpots.

For those that have maintained the favour of the Lord for a time, permission may be granted to make a home within the walls of the High City, though precious little space remains behind said fortifications. Instead, it is more common for an individual raised in status to take the place of one that has fallen out of favour recently, in doing so a transition of property often occurs, and as such the wealthy of Howell Town find themselves continuously vying for the goodwill of their Lord, or face sudden eviction. The presence of the White Coats is particularly strong within the inner walls that define the border between the High and Low Cities, with their barracks located on the route up to the Keep itself.

### The Low City

As the settlement expanded, the shelter afforded by the hilltop keep against the bitter wind and snows from the north proved too small an area to contain the growing populace, and henceforth new buildings were raised within a second encircling set of walls that completely enveloped the walls of the High City and the keep of Howell Hold before extending to the banks of the River Widcier to the east. Built twice as tall to the north to brace the city against the weather fronts ever common from said direction, the Low City makes up some eighty percent of the landmass of the settlement, and contains over ninety percent of its population. Sprawling from the gates of the egress between the High and Low Cities is the main marketplace of Howell Town, named The Hearth's Bazaar. Though originally constructed of timber and fabric in the stylings of market stalls in the settlements of the south, subsequent constructions aimed to enclose the marketplace from the elements, and thus have sectioned it into four quarters. Over time, each has come to specialise in specific trades and services, though with great variation in quality, cost and skill found throughout. The largest of these four is the Fresh Market, in which all manner of perishable goods, predominantly foodstuffs are traded, bartered for and otherwise sold by bakers, butchers and grocers. Immediately adjacent is that of the Craftsmans' Square, where carpenters, potters, cobblers, masons and likewise peddle their wares. The Zenith Plaza deals in luxury items, and so is the most heavily patrolled of the four, serving to protect the stock of those jewellers, silver and goldwrights housed within. The Paired Swords Market trades in services beyond that of the mercenaries for which it is known, including local guides to the frozen expanses, but it is best known for the former.

A recent addition to the Low City near to The Hearth's Bazaar is that of an Aerodrome, financed by the Aethnarch of Aviacrest, and so attracts a small number of passing aerships bound from the lands of the south. The Great Conduit by which the Galerider Rail travels also finds its terminus near to the marketplace, allowing for ease of transport for the trade goods so frequently contained onboard.

Much of the rest of the Low City is dedicated instead to that of residential areas for the populace, the houses filling crowded streets lit by lantern light throughout day and night alike. Taverns, shrines and other gathering places offer sites of respite against the chill, and can be found scattered liberally throughout the district.

### The East Reaches

Built upon the far banks of the River Widcier to the southeast, The East Reaches are a minor part of the city constructed on the far side of the bridge that spans the waterway to facilitate the road towards Caterwaul and Ironbreach. Without the shelter afforded by the settlement's walls, residents rarely linger for long within the Reaches, though a few have since shaped for themselves a contented life within the district, relishing the eased presence of the guard patrols and the lack of need for daily searches to pass through the city gates.