Town of Dust (location)

The Town of Dust is ironically named, since it's creation and establishment as the Dust Region's capital, it had expanded much further beyond the population and size of a generic town. The setting is named after this location and so, plenty of central conflicts take place here.

Names
The Town of Dust was named with the ideal of standing as the capital to the general Dust region. At the time, it was of an appropriate size of a town but has since then grown.

The Town of Dust has also become a striving economic society and has since adopted titles such as "City of Splendors". It may also be referred to as, "The Great Capital" as it has withheld destructive legends such as Executioner Justice, as well as devastation events such as the Spell-plague.

Government
There are two sectors of the governing council, "The Lawmen" and "The Diplomats". The lawmen are consisted of a sheriff that manages the entirety of militaristic operations as well as their right hand, the Deputy. Together, they manage an army of lawmen titled, "Rangers" that uphold the laws established and track criminals hiding under their noses. Sheriff Unzy is the current sheriff in charge, with his deputy, Erne. Since he had taken power, he is prideful of his job but understands there are people who will happily take it from him. He has since taken comfort to his power and has even begun resorting to subtle exploitation of the Dustan populace to maintain his threshold of influence and power in the Town of Dust.

The Diplomats are responsible for regulating the local economy and trade markets as well as working in cooperation with the Lawmen to establish laws to enforce on the Dustan populace. The Diplomats also sustain several different responsibilities such as agricultural management and religious maintenance.

Trade
Since the Spell-plague had happened, entering the age of man (AP "After plague"), the renewed Town of Dust had established new trade routes to connect them to the surrounding settlements of the Dust region. Although they do import various goods, particularly food, they export many more goods acting as a central trade location.

The ongoing, popular trade routes.

 * The Long Road, the inland route to the north.
 * The Trade Way, the inland route to the west.
 * The Sword Coast, the coastal route to the north.

Defenses
The Lawmen division of the governing council are responsible for managing all militaristic responsibilities and doing this, they divided their rangers into two sub-divisions. The Ranger Guard and the Ranger Watch. The Ranger Guard serves as the Town of Dust's soldiery and its members staffed garrisons, road patrols, and watchposts, and served as bodyguards and gate guards. The Watch was the local police force who enforced the laws made by the Lawmen and Diplomats.

The Town of Dust has strong walls on it's landward sides. The city was constructed along a large, mountainous hill which was studded with watch towers and defensive positions and patrolled by special guard units on horseback. Aside from this, the Town of Dust also benefited from a large native population of the adventuring classes (including powerful mages, gunslingers and warriors) who were more than willing to deal with any and all miscreants who threatened their home city, and did so in the past. This often proved the City of Splendors' most potent defense.

Law and Order
The Ranger Watch was the local police force and in addition to capturing criminals, its members settled petty disputes, gave directions, summoned medical and priestly aid, generally performing duties that promoted the idea that the Town of Dust was a city open to all who knew how to behave themselves.

Dustan justice was dispatched by the sheriff and High Diplomats who acted as judges, these Black Robes, as they were often called, were empowered to pass sentences. They were always accompanied by six members of the Ranger Guard. Any individuals found guilty could appeal to the Sheriff's office, ruled over by the current Sheriff and Deputy, where serious cases were usually heard. Individuals bringing frivolous cases to the Sheriff's office usually faced stiffer fines than if they'd accepted a Black Robe's ruling.

Crime
The last official thieves' guild in the Town of Dust was destroyed in 250 AP, and while there were many claimants to that position and title over the years since, there were no groups of sufficient power to challenge the Sheriff and Black Robes of Dust. Since the Black Robes' identities were secret, no criminal knew if a trusted partner was truly on his or her side or not.

This is not to say that there were no thieves or crime in the streets of the Town of Dust. Rather, crime there was random and dispersed, with no one leader or organization to command it. As thieves and psychopaths could be called, "common", there are sometimes notable bandits that harass the Town of Dust, be it to belittle it's lawmen or pluck from the riches of the City of Splendors. One such example was of a legendary sole bandit name Justice Unsworth who rose to legendary status after the murder of a sole man and even threatened the destruction of the Town of Dust itself, which was eventually prevented.

Guilds
It was said that the Diplomats ruled the Town of Dust but did not truly run it. This was quite true, in that there are a number of other factions who made up the Town of Dust. The most noticeable were the guilds-powerful merchant and craft organizations that controlled much of the life-blood of the city. Once, the guilds ruled the city, and it almost destroyed itself in a series of internal commercial wars. No one wanted to see those days return.

Nobility
The second important Dustan faction was the local nobility. It consisted of 76 families of varying degrees of power, most of whom could trace their lines to before the founding of the Town of Dust itself. Many powerful names came out of the Town of Dust, including the Amcathras (whose scion became Lord of Auditores); the Cassalanters, wealthy moneylenders; the Lockworth, a revived family of gem crafted and tradesmen; as well as the Violet, a family of powerful and noble spellcasters.

Merchants
Third, a rising merchant class existed outside the standard guilds. These were caravan and coaster operators, and they used the Town of Dust as a destination for their caravan goods. More shops offered a variety of different goods because of this growing group. The most notable of these new merchants was the retired wizardess Aurora, who established a magical retail organization to supply a wide number of patrons across the North with specialized items.

Heroes
A large host of heroes and vigilantes flooded the city at any given time. Some established themselves as citizens of good standing and remained permanently, while others drifted off for other climes or met their end in back-alley brawls. With the exception of vigilante groups and adventuring parties which are the closest thing to organizations drawn from this group.

Layout
Since 125 AP, the Town of Dust was roughly divided into wards. The wards originally all had guards and walls in the manner of Ahn'Quiraj and other ancient cities, but the press of progress toppled or bored through most of the walls. Only the walls and guards around the Dread Pit were maintained. The wards of the Town of Dust were:

High Ward
This central ward encompassed the top of the Town of Dust and much of the government of the city. Here was located the Dustan Brig, Diplomats HQ, Sheriff Unzy's Private Residence, Deputy Erne's Private Residence, the great manor of Dust (also known as Kane's Manor), the Judicial Court and Zephyr Tower. This ward was also a common place for retired adventurers such as Dante Lockworth to make their homes.

Dread Pit
This park-like area is surrounded by high walls. Before the Spellplague, it was often visited during the day by wanderers and the odd picnicker; at night, the gates of the Dread Pit were closed, for it was the Town of Dust's graveyard. However, after the spellplague, it fell into disrepair. The more important personages had their own personal graves or family shrines, while others were confined to larger crypts. The reason for the guards was not to protect the graves, but rather protect the city from the occasional restless undead creature that did not appreciate its accommodations.

Dock Ward
As one might assume, the Dock Ward was situated hard on the Great Harbor of Dust and held the docks, shipbuilding yards, and warehouses for the sea trade. The harbor was inhabited by merfolk who kept the peace within their own aquatic city.

Downshadow
Actually the uppermost level of the Caddiculus Mines, Downshadow was the new "Undercity" developed in 69 AP.

Field Ward
Field Ward is the ward between the North Wall and new city walls. It is home to many demihumans. Here, the schoolhouses are built.

Mistshore
Not strictly a ward, Mistshore was the ruined naval harbor. The area was home to outcasts and criminals who lives along the shoreline or on wrecked ships half-sunk in the harbor.

Hillside
Hillside was developed on the north and northeastern slopes of the hill that the Town was built upon. This acts mostly as residence to the finer tastes including plenty of noble housing.

North Ward
Tucked in the north eastern portion of the city, North Ward was the home of the nobility and their villas. The moneyed classes made their homes here, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the lower classes by the docks and in Southern Ward. There are 3 small garrisons established here, as to protect the higher class from petty thieves and raids.

Sea Ward
The wealthiest of the wards, Sea Ward contained the church of the Town of Dust, along with a good helping of the newer noble families and retired vigilantes and bounty hunters who could afford the odd villa or two. The Field of Triumph and the Dustan arena are located here.

South Ward
Officially known as the Southern Ward (but only nonnatives referred to it as such), the South Ward is a place of caravan masters and traders, for it was close to the South Gate, the opening to the Trade.

Trades Ward
Town of Dust's commercial section.

Undercliff
The latest ward formed at the base of the northern hillside. It is connected to the rest of the city through subterranean tunnels.