Darston

Darston is a small town situated on the river Osol, around a day's travel from the shoreline of the Covernmar Basin. It is based on the edge of a large forest that is the town's lumber source. While the town is rather small, it occasionally hosts Human merchants and even has a handful of permanent Grol who are productive members of the community. Darston is also a part of the Holding of Covernmar, and has frequent trade and contact with Alryne.

History

The Three Diplomats

Originally founded in 461 BY, the town's masonry is carved into motifs, patterns and designs taken from the folklore story of The Three Diplomats. In the tale, it is said that three diplomats from the towns of the Covernmar Basin began traveling around the Mar Mountains to bandy favour and seek trade agreements and from other communities in the area. Almost immediately, the diplomats begin to argue about who is more important, who must arrive first, and so forth. During the travels, their clothes tore, their wagon broke, their supplies were ruined, and wolves devoured their donkey. All the while the diplomats continue their argument, oblivious to their poor fortune.

In the end, the diplomats realise they have nothing left and freeze or starve to death, depending on the version of the story. Darston is supposedly the hometown of one of the main diplomats in this story.

The town itself, on Dwarven censuses, is seen as on the small side. However, there is a sizeable chunk of Humans living there, along with a handful of permanent Grol as well.

The Great Storm

When the Great Storm of 740 hit the region, the sky was lit up for the entire night with lightning, thunder rolled like drums, rain lashed down as an almost solid sheet of water and the wind howled like the wolves, but somehow the town suffered incredibly minor damages and no casualties. Many believed it was the work of the Gods that saved the town from catastrophe, as had struck other places in the region, but no one can quite pin down what the Darston population did to be so lucky. However, the Boggy Months soon followed, with Darston becoming a quagmire of wet mud and clay due to the torrential downpours.

The Escape of Jolgar Uxran

Jolgar Uxran's breakout has been the region's most exciting news in the last several years. The playwright and director was arrested after writing a particularly scathing, seditious, and borderline treasonous play regarding the First House. Still, many agreed that Jolgar had his "finger on the pulse of society" when he wrote the work. Somehow Jolgar managed to escape from prison, re-caught and re-imprisoned, but then released again after the riots from the public demanding his release. Jolgar lives in Darston today and is seen by many as a leader of the fledgling movement of critics and satirist whose chief topic are the First Nobles of the First House.

Darston Today

Leading the town today is Durah Olin, known far and wide as Durah the Just, for his unwavering views on the law and justice. If a crime is committed, the right punishment is always doled out under Durah's watchful gaze. Durah's work has rubbed off on the local molir, who, despite being of rather a small number, are trained impeccably. The Dwarves who make up the Molir spend their time drilling, polishing their armour and are seen as moral stalwarts throughout the community.

Economy

A map of Darston.

Darston has achieved fame in the Mar Mountains due to its artists and poets, with many a house and manor proudly holding works from the town. The reputation of Dartston among the basin-towns is of the highest calibre, with many people having nary a bad thought about the place.

Well known for its pottery clay, of which there is a considerable mining effort around the town and throughout the forested area, works of Darston Pottery are lovingly cherished down through generations of Dwarves. Thanks to these regular exports, Darston enjoys moderate wealth and comfort.

Places of Interest

All of the clay for Darston's famous pottery comes from a clay mine known as the Darston Pit. The claypit has been worked for generations and employs roughly half of the town's Dwarves. The other half works either in the forests harvesting lumber or various other occupations.