Ciabatta

**Ciabatta** (shah-bah-tah) is a small town nestled at the edge of the Battlefield, on the end of the Proteger Ramparts and the Sossegado Valley. It's the nearest town to the Tipsy Tengu, a famous inn, as well as the ruins of Oakarthel, what was once a bustling city known for it's organized crime.

The town was attacked by a Dragonsbane-infected brass dragon in early 905 ME, leveling nearly every building. However, after some time the residents slowly returned and rebuilding efforts have been mostly successful.

## Etymology

Ciabatta is named after the delicious, salty bread of the same name, a staple of the locals and the loaf that brought the small town's name to fame.

## History

In the days before the war, Ciabatta was an outpost for the Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent. It was valued highly for it's position at the edge of the Battlefield, to the point the guild even built a small stronghold at the town's edge. It served as storage facility and home for a number of fleet-footed scouts, who would march or fly to larger outposts in order to warn them of any danger on the horizon.

After the great truce that ended the eternal war between the six Dragon-Gods, the crusaders slowly withdrew their members from Ciabatta until only the locals remained. They became highly self-sufficient, being at a location that some merchants and caravans were too anxious about visiting due to their proximity to the now bandit-infested Battlefield. Though it had lost a lot of traffic, the residents of Ciabatta had not forgotten their hospitality, and welcomed those who passed through with open arms.

On the 3rd of the Crown of the Equinox of the Sun, 905 ME (3 C-EQ 905), the town was violently assaulted by a brass dragon infected with Dragonsbane. Brass dragons typically live far to the east in the Northeastern Badlands, so it's presumed that it had traveled some distance from home before succumbing to the rage that proliferates through the illness. Most of the town was slaughtered, but those few who survived lived together until they felt safe enough to begin rebuilding.

## Government

The Crusaders provided the most structural "government" for the town when they had still been posted there. After their departure, there was a rudimentary mayoral structure put together, but it didn't mean much to the townsfolk.

## Defenses

The main point of defense in the town is Fort Buckwheat, a stronghold built (and then abandoned) by the Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent. Most weaponry or anything else of value has long since been pilfered by looters, though there are still some chambers guarded through protective magic that can only be bypassed by the prayers of those in the Crusaders' ranks.

## Society

The simple folks of Ciabatta are mostly farmers at heart. Everyone knew each other, and either thrived in small-town life or left to make it out on their own.

### *Religion*

Most residents were not highly religious, but defaulted to worshiping Ester Pyx due to their past as a stronghold for the Crusaders.

## Trade and Business

In times of war and peace, Ciabatta was always praised for it's irresistible loaves of signature bread. The locals insist that the bread is as delicious as it is due to the earth at the edge of the Battlefield being hearty and perhaps even enchanted by the constant skirmishes that scorched the plains.

## Layout

There are no particularly well-defined sectors of Ciabatta, as it's too small of a town to have such an organizational structure developed.

### *Places of Note*

#### **The Oily Kiester Bed and Breakfast**

A rickety old inn founded during the war days, it was miraculously one of the only buildings left standing after the Dragonsbane incident. The family was killed in the attack, save for it's two youngest children, Isabelle Wheatley (13) and Bradley "Biscuit" Wheatley (11).

It’s named after it’s signature dish, goat rump steak fried up in rich oils and served with the town’s famous Ciabatta bread.

It's 7 silver a night, and comes with free breakfast.

Menu:

* **The Oily Kiester:** 1 gp; the inn’s signature dish, a hearty goat rump steak fried in oil & served with a side of vegetables and the town’s famous Ciabatta bread.
* **Breakfast**: Free with purchase of room, 5 cp otherwise; a humble but tasty plate of scrambled eggs, toasted Ciabatta bread, and some goat bacon.

## Population

The town had anywhere between 150-200 long-term residents in the past, fluctuating as the tides of war shifted in advantage of one of the six deities. It dwindled down to about 70 residents after peace times came.

After the attack from the infected dragon, the population fled or were killed, leaving only about 10 residents left. Two of those are confirmed to be preteen children.

## Organizations

The Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent were once well-established here, but have withdrawn over time and now their presence is little to none.

## Trivia

* Ciabatta was named the same day it appeared in-session during Halintar: Respite of the Gods. The name came from the ciabatta bread that was brought as a snack.
* The altercation with several skeletons mysteriously hidden away in the Crusaders' weapon room inspired a oneshot that was ran to address their origins, called A Starch Contrast.