Voyreem - Places
02-Oct-2002
|
Just like any other city, Voyreem has interesting places to visit. Some are suited to trade, others to adventure. Two of Voyreem's major markets are extraordinary in nature, with goods offered for sale that can be had nowhere else within a thousand miles. Following are some of the more notable locales. Establishments |
 |
Other Notable Places in the Voyreem Region
Establishments of Voyreem
The Goodhouse is a multi-roomed bed and breakfast, of sorts. It has the most reasonable prices and best viands in all of Voyreem. The establishment is run by Goody Mettie Gutmann and her family, with some help from other local folk. The Goodhouse stands near the North Bridge along both the Air Market Road and the Benaaflen Trade Road. Many adventurers who like quiet company and good food frequent the Goodhouse, and the Gutmann family has recently built an addition to keep up with the demand for their excellent services.
The Cock & Biscuit used to be a run-of-the-mill tavern and cheap inn until the Lady established the Adventurers' Laws. Now it is the Voyreem adventurers' guildhall. The place is lively, with many rowdy, good-natured patrons, good food, and excellent drink from far off places. The place is operated by the nervous proprietor, Josiah Helmberger, and his large and capable staff. Expect to pay higher prices here than elsewhere in town, but the freedom from disapproving glances and stares is worth it to many of the adventurous sort.
A cozy High Street inn and tavern in Voyreem done in the Southern Smeisserander style. Business from trade has been very good. The inn has expanded to fifteen rooms, and the common room can seat sixty. Bento Halvishaar and sons, proprietors. Ask for the homebrewed "Dwerp" ale, so named for the sound it makes pouring into a stein.
This is a large and sprawling inn and livery near the market section of town. The place has been operated by the Wiestr family for six generations, and the history of the place attracts many travellers, most of whom have money to spend and business to arrange. Trader's Haven also serves as a trading center for caravans and the weekly meeting site of the Voyreem Craftsguild. It is regarded as a very safe place for members and other well-off merchants and crafters.
A fine white brick inn marks the spot of the Bridge House, an upper-class establishment providing the best food and lodging. It stands near the River Bridge on the Trade Road. It is a quiet and refined inn, catering to the nobility and great merchants who wish privacy and seclusion during their stay in Voyreem. Per Voorhees is the owner and manager of the Bridge House. Travellers must expect to pay premium prices to stay here.
Master Silber’s hall is a combination training ground, gymnasium, and gentlemen’s club. He caters specifically to young men of the merchant and military classes who would otherwise lead idle and dissipative lives, living on their families’ wealth. Although women and men of other social standings are welcome to train at the fencing hall, they have not yet broken into the gentlemen’s clique. While not a member of the nobility himself, Master Silber holds the keys to social status for others through his training in swordsmanship, etiquette, and the ways of the upper class. Fees are modest for the services rendered (50 kr per month for membership, with fencing, etiquette, and other special instruction costing 100 kr per week).
Voyreem has enough trade and travellers that there is a profitable business to be done safeguarding coin and valuable items from theft. The Safehouse functions as a bank, providing guaranteed safety for depositers' valuables for a small fee. It also exchanges money and pays cash for certain valuable items. The bank will purchase only items that can be appraised for both material worth and potential resale value. These include gems, jewelry, artworks, and valuable metals and materials that are not currency. Sellers are paid a flat 70% of appraised resale value. All items estimated at over 500 krugerrand in value are appraised by two separate bank experts. The Safehouse is owned by Queen DuKott. Its employees are rumored to be magically bound to honesty by the Archmage. It has never been successfully robbed.
The Peace Market is the site of the trading center for commerce between humans and elves. Fine elven goods are available for purchase at reasonable (translation: only three to five times book value) prices. Here, also, is where the elves purchase fine raw materials upon which to work their crafts. The Peace Market is guarded, and the soldiers have strict instructions to break up any signs of hostility between elves and others.
On the flat fields across the northern bend of the river from Voyreem is the Air Market. Two or three times a month, on Marketday, great flying ships arrive carrying trade goods from Shalecourt, the Archmage's barony in Landers. The goods are very valuable and useful, and sell for far less than one would expect. Sample items include: dwarven light-weave body armor, pre-packaged food, Japanese and Qoolmian silks, heatstones and coldstones, tools of fine steel, assorted sweetmeats, and other things not easily obtained in Smeisserand. These skyships are made of metal, and create a hideous, thundering roaring noise when they fly, as if they were dragons. A permanent market has grown up around the area, and it is a place one can go to find or trade unusual items any time of the month.
Places of Special Note
This is the place where Queen Anissette DuKott and her husband, the Archmage, live. DuKott Castle is an elegant fortress and palace on a hill south of town. From its walls, one can observe the Benaaflen River, the town, the Peace Market, or the forest, depending upon one's vantagepoint of the moment. The castle presents a visitor with a three-tiered approach, with each set of walls and gardens offering greater defense and beauty than the tier before. The palace stands like a sculpture at the center. The castle was designed by an elven master architect and the construction managed by dwarven stonemasons and crafters. The guards are efficient and watchful, and the Archmage has let it be known that the castle is protected by wards and enchantments. Burghers take heed and go there only when they have important business to conduct.
Northbridge is the growing area on the outskirts of the town of Voyreem near the new Air Market Bridge. The area is popular with people who have recently moved to Voyreem from other places. It is close to the trading center of the Air Market, and sits along the Benaaflen Trade Road. In the last three years, many crafters, farmers, and tradesmen have built homes and shops in Northbridge. One will find it to be a center of younger burghers and new ideas. Elves find a more hearty welcome here than in other areas of the barony. The district is prosperous and hard working, and the people like to welcome strangers.
The Scarlet Legion of Landers maintains a fort east of town and north of the druid grove. They usually have a company of knights and militant priests in residence at any given time, and are willing to train others in religious or fighting skills for little in return. The Red Priests also perform healing services, but expect donations for doing so, unless the need or cause is great. One can even see kzin warriors practicing alongside their human and orcish allies at this fort.
To the southeast of town lies the local grove. Being so near to the Great Aelvenwode Grove, the Voyreem Grove has a dual role. Not only do Master Oakhallow and his initiates advise the burghers of Voyreem, but they also carry messages to the Great Grove from travellers passing through Voyreem. Those who are wounded can be healed at the grove, although the druids will expect a donation corresponding to the amount of help provided. Adventurers should expect to pay 10 kruger per hit point healed. Other advice about the weather, planting, where to build or refrain from building, and the like may be less costly. The druidic cycle is currently in a phase of making things grow and be bountiful. Missions or requests that futher that end will meet with more ready cooperation.
The Aelvenwode is the great, ancient forest that is home to the elven people of the Smeisserand region. The deep woods are considered to be an elven domain by both the elves and the Lady Countess. Trespass is not welcome and only diplomats or friends of the elves may travel within the deep wood. Others may use the outer edges of the wood in the north and west, as long as they care for the wood as the druids advise. There are mysteries within the Aelvenwode that humans cannot understand, and that the elves are not likely to discuss. In the portions of the Aelvenwode close to Voyreem are several ruins. The elves do not venture to these places and seldom speak of them to humans. According to one rumor, these ruins pre-date the founding of Smeisserand. Some adventurers have ventured within and returned successfully. Other parties have entered, never to return.
At the north end of the Aelvenwode is the Great Grove. This is one of the sixteen groves within Smeisserand tended by name level druids of Druid, Archdruid, or Great Druid rank. Many followers of the druidic faith journey to the Great Grove as pilgrims. There are many times in a person's life when he or she might make a pilgrimage to a Great Grove. Births, deaths, weddings, times of great joy, and times of great sorrow are some of the reasons one might undertake a pilgrimage. Receiving the blessing of fertility from the everblooming trees of the Great Grove is said to ensure good luck in all endeavors. The Druid of the Aelvenwode Grove officiates at the major celebrations and observances. He or she may be willing to speak to outsiders at other times, if the cause is important.
To the northwest of Voyreem and to the west of Contradina, the great Wano Forest stretches for sixty miles until it reaches the western sea cliffs of Tarnia. The Great Wano Grove stands in the southwest reaches of the forest. Until recently, most of the forest was the private domain of the ancient green dragon that called herself Baba Yaga. The dragon kept the forest as her own game reserve, slaying humans and other monsters that dared to intrude. Not long ago, the dragon was slain by a great hero named Killian Grey and his companion, Uta the Wanderer. Lord Killian claimed the forest and the surrounding unoccupied lands, naming the place Tarnia. He organized a great fleet of immigrants from the Kzin Highlands to settle the country. By the end of the year, Tarnia was well established. Tarnia now stands as an independent kingdom on Smeisserand's northern coast. Visitors are welcomed, although King Killian maintains a strong standing army of foresters and griffon-riding Catskinners to protect against agression or duplicity from Smeisserand.
Kelvaaren Castle/Shadowdark Keep
On the western
bank of the Benaaflen River, about ten miles south of Voyreem, lies the
ruined castle known as Shadowdark Keep. It was taken by the demon forces
from Contradina almost fifty years ago, and then sacked by a dragon. This
marked the farthest advance of the Demon Queen's forces. To this day,
no one knows whether the dragon came to stop the demons, or merely steal
their gold. In older days than those, the place was known as Kelvaaren
Castle, and was the seat of government for Maastricht County. Now it is
a lure for adventurers. Some have spotted shadowy figures moving about
the grounds by day. No one goes there at night.
Last updated
02-Oct-2002
Content copyright © 2001 by SilverDragon.