Joring

Lonley Joring. Poor Joring.

Part of East Province, Joring has long been an orphan despite its importance as the only viable port connecting the overland route from Einea with Romhai. Einea and Romhai are locked in a perpetual stalemate over control of Joring. Romhai patrols the sea routes, Einea the mountain pass to the north, and both bicker and squabble over who has more influence over the town itself.

With only a town council to see to its defense, Joring found itself an all too easy target during the Pestilence to become one of the few significant settlements razed by the kobold armies. The Black Heart enslaved or slaughtered most of the population. Many of the others who fled the initial attack died in the wilderness. If any of the enslaved population survived, their tale has not been told. Scholars believe that almost three quarters of the population perished, disappeared, or ended up settling elsewhere. The merchant houses of Einea and Romhai worked to rebuild just enough of Joring to reopen the port and protect their interests. It took years of petitioning by the burgeoning population to convince the merchant houses to help rebuild the keep even as they pilfered the stone from the ruined town walls to build their new caravanserai (fortified inns).

Today, the walls of Joring are memorialized by faint traces in the grass and fields surrounding the town and the remains of the gate houses. Three caravanserai provide shelter to caravans and wealthy travelers. These inns are also the merchant guild houses in Joring - where deals and other business of the three merchant houses that have outposts in Joring are conducted. The merchant houses also have a shared waterfront warehouse and piers protected by thick walls. A few other inns provide rest and respite for the less wealthy and less well connected. The small keep provides a bolthole for the rest of the residents in the event of a raid but lacks the storage and water supply needed to hold against a siege. Fortunately, the land sharks and other monstrosities that range through East Province rarely come this far west, leaving the dangers of nearby Imsea Wood as the main external concern of Joring's residents. A more common problem for the Elder Council is keeping the the town safe when the intrigues between merchant houses boil over into outright violence in the streets.

About three-quarters of the permanent residents of Joring are small scale farmers who also perform day labor loading and unloading cargo when a glut of ships come in. All of the homes clump together inside the body of the village while the fields and pastures lay beyond the fringe of the streets. Each small home has its own vegetable garden as well as a yard for any small animals such as chickens. A small fishing fleet helps feed the population and the traders that use the port. Joring produces enough basic agricultural products to feed itself and its visitors, although luxuries such as wine and spirits are imported.

Notable Residents

• The Elder Council - a group of 5 who represent the residents. The Eineans and Rhomains control all the important aspects of the town.
• The Warehouse Steward - The warehouse, ostensibly a shared structure, is controlled by an alfeg who annoyed someone in Romhai and got sent to Joring.
• The Crone - An urveg hedge wizard, she lives outside Joring proper where she can tend to her rather large garden undisturbed. She only comes into the town to sell or buy goods and to tend to the sick whether animal or person.
• The Harbor Master - A married couple consisting of a fwyr and shaddyn serve as Joring's harbor masters. Both are accomplished harbor pilots in addition to being mediocre clerks.
• The Beggars - Today, Joring has three “profesional” beggars: one blind, one with an amputated leg, the other inflicted with palsies. This last beggar “inherited” the position of Doomsayer, a title goes back to the Pestilence. In the weeks prior to the attack that razed Joring during the Pestilence, one of Joring’s beggars began warning of doom coming. The few who escaped and returned remembered Febos Ruvimet and insisted Joring always have a Doomsayer from thence forward.

Economy

Local Foods

Rarrlale (Rye & Barley Ale), Perry (Pear Cider), Sea-fowl stew (whitefish and chicken in chicken broth with parsnips, turnips, and onions). Common grains are rye, barley, and oats. Wheat is an expensive import from Romhai or Anealeas.

Notable Locations

1. The Old North Gate - Of Joring's historic gates, this is the only one not reduced to its foundations. It's still a ruin.
2. Wagon’s Rest Inn - One of Joring's independent inns.
3. Six Hills Inn - A caravanserai owned and operated by the Mercantile Guild of Bluwell, one of the Einean merchant houses.
4. Shrine of the Wayfarer
5. The Crying Dwarf Inn - Another of Joring's independent inns. Known as the Smiling Dwarf before the Pestilence. The entrance to Joring's old sewers is now a shrine although the sewers themselves are blocked off.
6. Merchant’s Row - Joring’s residents are generally self-sufficient, relying more on the smith and woodworkers than on the other merchants. The other merchants primarily support the trade passing through the port.
   • North
     • Smith (western half of building) wainwright and cooper (eastern half)
   • South (West to East)
     • Butcher & Smokehouse - Focuses on provisioning caravans and ships
     • Tailor/Haberdashery/outfitter - primarily caters to the various teamsters, guards, and sailors that hire on to caravans and ships
     • Baker/Grocer - specializes in long lasting breads and other provisions that last.
     • Provisioner
7. Keep - The sole redoubt open to Joring's common residents in the event of trouble, a small professional garrison supported by the irregular militia makes its headquarters here.
8. Orchard and Cider Mill - Produces a variety of fruit for local use and Perry for export.
9. Cod and Crow Inn - A caravanserai owned and operated by the House of Overland and Overseas, another Einean merchant house. It is built over the ruins of the pre-Pestilence Leaping Goldfish Inn
10. Mill & Brewery - While many families and all the inns brew their own beers and ales, only the Mill & Brewery produces Rarrlale in quantities sufficient for export.
11. King’s Rest Inn - Royal Company of Merchants - A Romhai trade guild that openly acts on behalf of High King Choshre
12. Common Warehouse - Ostensibly shared, but managed by Romhai's agents.
13. Harbor Master's House and Old Harbor Master's House - The current harbormasters live in the new house. The old one is a relic of the Pestilence that no one will go near out of fear it is haunted.
14. Remains of the Old East Gate - stone has been thoroughly scavenged and only traces of the foundation remain.
15. The Old South Gate - Little more than a few walls and stubs of floors is left.
16. The Crone - The home and gardens of the crone. She's almost always here and seems to rarely sleep.
17. Lookout and Light House - The Royal Company of Merchants quietly took over maintenance of the light a few years ago to make sure Romhai ships would be safe.

Modern Joring as rendered using Wonderdraft