La Belle Fores

Template:DHII SettlementLa Belle Fores, otherwise known as the Eastern Forest Gate serves as the eastern-most city in the Kingdom of Inverden. The city has had a long tradition of being a cultural mixing pot due to the large number of catfolk immigrants who come to Inverden from Akere. As one of the few urban areas where Miqo'tei catfolk are more common than humans, it is culturally more akin to places in Akere than its the country it is actually in.

## History

La Belle Fores was originally settled by catfolk before the Kingdom of Inverden was formed. As such, its history has always been linked with very traditional roots. The area historically sided with Inverden in its founding, declaring itself separate from Akere and swearing its loyalty to the Kingdom.

As a city, while it maintains a local garrison it has largely operated through mercenaries to fight off bandits and other threats.

## Settlements Laws

La Belle Fores follows most the kingdoms laws, although it openly supports polygamy and has legal uses of a couple low class drugs including Catnip, Honeydust, Flayleaf, Harlot Sweets, and Kief. Although the latter two of these items are highly regulated and more difficult to obtain.

While prostitution is illegal, it is almost completely ignored as a crime unless being used as an excuse to accuse someone who is known to do worse crimes without proper evidence of it.

## Settlement Qualities

Boom Town

Military Presence

Organized Crime

Party Town

## Buildings of interest

Hall of the Steelclaw - Home of the Steelclaw Mercenaries, this hall serves as a sort of job market for would be mercenaries who want to earn their keep legitimately. Most of the problems that the Local Guard can't be sent out to deal with, are passed to the mercenaries who have operated with a level of hands-off freedom from the Barony. This freedom has allowed them to be especially rough in how they do their jobs, even if they are effective. They often double as security doing large events and holiday's where the local garrison wouldn't be enough. The Steelclaws are known to pass out mercenary jobs to other parties in exchange for a small cut as a 'handling fee' giving many new mercenaries and recruit prospects a chance to earn their name.

Profession Quarter - A relatively new addition to La Belle Fores, the Professions Quarter is a dedicated zone for Guilds and other Organizations to stake claims and interoperate with each other, with plenty of zoning space for more robust operations. Founded by Bananark Valo, a former adventurer and entrepreneur operating out of La Belle Fores with the intention attracting more development to the area and making best use out of La Belle's recent surge in trade.

Rivendare Keep - The family home of the Rivendare Family.

Hammerfoe Foundry - A respectable city blacksmith. Owned by Griswold Hammerfoe, this foundry specializes in quality weapons and armors. It is considered the best place in the County to get your hands on Masterwork armors, Cold Iron Weapons, and even the rare Adamantine Weapon when available.

Plaza Lane - The largest street in town leading to a large Plaza, Plaza lane in most parts of the year doubles not only as the main road for travellers through town with numerous businesses, inns, taverns, and shops, but also the Main Road that the towns Festivals are held on. As a result, many businesses close during the Festivals in order to help partake in the festivals themselves.

## Notable NPCs

Baron Arlen Rivendare - The elderly man has served as Baron of the city ever since his father died over 50 years ago. He is an eccentric human by most standards and has a fascination with the culture of Akere. A patron of the arts of nearly all kind, he's a huge fan of the wild festivals. Whether intentional or not, he has created a city with a very unique culture, not quite true Miqo'tei culture, but a very artistic one. His age has brought wisdom as he often is known to rule with a fair and just hand. His competence has led many to call him the 'Old Cat.' However, his reputation in his area is not quite the same as his reputation to the rest of the land, whom see him as odd. There are many nobles who detest his open embrace of the Miqo'tei practice of polygamy when he decided to take on a second and third wife; the last being so audacious as to marry a one of the catfolk, ruining the chance for perfectly legitiment heirs.

Marquise Elizabeth Rivendare - The Baron's eldest daughter and a talented musician. She is happily married with two sons. Her husband, Dane Eliot Rivendare Steelgrip is known to support her patronage of the arts. Much like her father, she has a love for Miqo'tei style music. It's quite common during festivals for her to sing proud ballads to the city and show how unique the area is. Her prowess has even earned her the attention of the capitol, where she is often summoned during Gala's and other great event to perform for the noble class. Her house is known to employ almost all Miqo'tei servants.

Dane Griswold Hammerfoe - A dwarf in a strange land, he owns the cities largest blacksmith and is known to the greatest blacksmith in the county. No where else does one get the finest steel or cold iron besides the capitol itself. His skill working with wood is also strange for a dwarf. Despite this, he is known to not care about all the cultural festivals calling them 'Irritating noise.' Bitter, Cold, irritated, he is a man of very words, that is very much about business. However, with the cities constant influx of immigrants, and the roving bands of bandits, goblins, and other dangers of the area, his blacksmith always see's work. Few know why he was anointed as Dane when he hasn't done any great heroics, not has he accrued a great wealth that he puts on display with public arts and other works.

Mufa'sa the 'importer' - There are many outcasts and runaways who wish to get into Inverden for new opportunities and a fresh start away from the larger established tribes and clans. Mufa'sa is a master of getting goods, be they illegal items or people into the town. This Miqo'tei man serves as the face for an shadowy organization that operates in the county. While many know about him, the inability to gather evidence of his crimes or produce willing witnesses has made him largely untouchable by the law.

Dane Ra'feros the Blade - Ra'feros serves as the Captain of the Steelclaws, a local mercenary band that operates for Baron Rivendare as a flexible and mobile para-military able to be sent to deal with issues in the countryside plaguing the smaller towns and villages that run into problems with bandits or goblins. The Steelclaws often will work with fresh mercenaries from Akere giving them tasks while taking a cut for passing the job to these other mercenaries. Ra'feros will often recruit good prospects from these leased out jobs to join the Steelclaw band. The Steelclaws have a particularly bloody reputation when it comes to banditry, preferring dead to alive for dealing with bandits. Ra'feros proudly has many children who have joined his Steelclaw forming the core of the mercenary group as a small clan.

Mi'lara - The quintessential information broker of the city, this seductive Miqo'tei woman is known for being able to offer people information or pleasures. Running a massage parlor and a bar, both of which are very well frequented has made her a wealthy and well informed woman about the underside of La Belle Fores. Rumors even say that she the Baron's third wife was a gift of one of her best girls. Perhaps because of how much she knows, she's known to almost always operate as a neutral party in most local scuffs between tribes. Although, there it is no secret she has a deep grudge with Mufa'sa, as both operate as rivals to truly be the one who runs the cities underbelly.