The Merchant Town Cavthan

Cavthan is a merchant town located on the eastern shore of the Ancythrian Inland Sea, at the peninsula of Kyhlong. Along with the provincial capital Elsreth and Carmalad Cavthan is one of the largest cities in the northwestern province of Enthronia in the United Kingdom of Santharia. The city is composed of a large number of Daran Gnomes, humans, and a small cluster of halfling-folk from the Dogodan Shire, with around 8.000 inhabitants.

Description. Cavthan is a thriving town full of trade and growth. The fishing market has kept the people living for generations, and still thrives due to the bountiful source of food, the Ancythrian Sea. The Cavthan market is one of the most diverse in Santharia.

The town is divided into two areas; the Inner City and the Outer City. The Outer City includes the area on the shore of the Ancythrian Sea, and the south and southeastern border of town, facing the forest. The Inner City is everything inside the borders and the northern border. The two primary entry points to the city are the Northern Gate to the northeast of the town, and the large Ancythrian port.

Location. Cavthan is located in the Santharian province of Enthronia, and is a major trade center among the Enthronian cities. The city is nestled on the Khylong peninsula between the Ancythrian Sea to the west, and the Istarin forest, home of the Jhehllerim elves, to the east.

People. The inhabitants of Cavthan have soft, fair, skin; a trademark of the Caltharian tribe. They are not completely Caltharian however. The people of southern Enthronia mingled with the Eyelian and the Serphelorian tribes when the kingdom of Santharia was founded. Because of this, many Cavthan have darker skin which is typical especially of the Eyelians. The hair retains the softness of the Caltharians.

Because of the location of Cavthan, and the fact that the town is a port, many people from all over Santharia pass through the town. Merchants from northern Sarvonia, immigrants from across the sea, and adventurers seeking to plunder the mysterious Alvang all have an impact on the rich cultural background of this town.

The Cavthan people pray always to the deities Baveras, Goddess of the Sea, and Arvins, God of the Hunt. A shrine dedicated to Baveras was errected on the Ancythrian shore. The hunters pray to Arvins each day for a successful hunt. The fishers pray that Baveras keep the sea at bay, so that that they may fish with relative ease.

The people of Cavthan greatly fear the town of Alvang and have created numerous superstitions about it. The thick haze and strange noises that come from the northern sea add even more to the superstition. Some say that the town is haunted with ghosts of the warriors destroyed at the battle there. Some believe that some of Saban Blackcloak's magic still lingers, and curses the place. Some have come up with even wilder theories such as the entire town is haunted by elven skeleton zombiis, or a demon lord of the sea resides there and kills anyone who comes close to his horrible magic. No one has ever been brave enough to actually venture there and find out the truth.

Coat of Arms/Sign. The Cavthan coat of arms is a silver triangle within a circle. The triangle represents unity between the three major trading towns of Enthronia: Carmalad, Elsreth and Cavthan. The silver colour is a symbol of productivity. Silver is also used because it is a valued metal that can be found in the Enthronian region, at the Kalrian Teeth, in the mountains southwest of Carmalad, and north of Doovens.

Climate. The spring season is generally cool while the summer is quite humid. Precipitation in the winter time is usually in the form of rain, but occasionally a soft snow occurs. There is a lot of rain, especially in the summer. The town often is lightly foggy near the coast, but never so much as to obscure vision.

Flora. Cavthan is surrounded by multiple deciduous forests, as well as evergreen. Various other small bushes can be found in the area such as the teki tree and the hearthbush. Some people keep small gardens, usually wielding berries of some sort.

Fauna. Not many animals would be found inside of the city itself. Birds tend to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Wolves roam around the outside of the city and a hunter may come across the occasional bear. The most popular animal in the town is the fish of course. Khendochar, caéh-fish, and mithrilfish are just a few of many fish living in the Ancythrian Inland Sea.

Production/Trade. Cavthan serves as the center of the Enthronian trade routes. Its port is essential for transporting goods from Carmalad to eastern Santharia, and vice versa. As a result, the town has a number of large storage areas, where traded goods are stored to be transported to their proper locations.

Cavthan produces mainly fishing and hunting supplies, and trades for weapons, clothing, and other materials with the other Enthronian cities. Because trade is very high in Cavthan, the town has available to them resources from all over the continent. The primary business in the town are papermaking and fishing related jobs. The Daran Gnomes are responsible for the large papercouching and glass-blowing industries in the town.

Trade takes place primarily with Carmalad, the Enthronian capital, which yields them cloth and dye; a trademark of the Caltharian tribe. The more exquisite furniture in the town is imported from the Dogodan Shire in the Alianian Hills. A community of the Dogodan hobbits reside in the inner city. Cavthan merchants also trade for weapons and tools with Elsreth.

Resources. Numerous forests surrounding the city provide food, herbs and lumber. Additionally the sea provides food, water, and minerals. Also, an essential trade route has been established upon this sea.

To the northeast of the town, a small mining community was established. Though not greatly pursued by the Cavthanians, silver mining is a common job among people of the province of Enthronian in general.

Myth/Lore. An old tale is told about the town of Alvang, which usually scares sailors from going far north on the sea. Its origins are unknown, yet nearly every child in the town has heard it, or a variation of it:

The Undiscovered Sea. There was once a boy who thought he could do anything. Ever since he was little, anything that he was told was impossible, or forbidden, he’d try his best to try it anyway. He was the kind of child who, if given a pair of wings, he might also have been able to fly with them. His spirit was stronger than the spirit of an entire army. He had more energy than all of the other children in the world. But it did not last forever.

Now this young man decided that he wanted to be a sailor. So, when he was old enough, he left Cavthan, his hometown, and sailed the world for thirteen years. When he returned, he was even more headstrong and confident than before. Once he had seen the world, and had come home to settle down again, he thought for a bit. “Now, I’ve sailed all of the seas in the world - I've been to the hot waters of Aeruillin, and I've seen the dangerous reefs of Nybelmar, and even have been on Akdor's shores, but one sea I still haven't mastered...” He only just realized that he had never sailed the entire Ancythrian Sea. He had traversed the sea to the west before, but he had never ventured to the mysterious north. At first, he was not really interested in the trip and preferred to enjoy a fisherman's life instead - but the temptation didn't die down. One day finally, he overheard a man talking about the evil town in the northern part of the sea that was guarded by ghosts of the vengeful dead. This piqued his interest even more, and fired up his curiosity. So, he formed a crew and set sail for Alvang, despite the warnings of the townspeople.

Twenty was the number of men that set sail that day, yet only two returned. One week after the ship left, a few broken pieces of plank with two ragged, old men on top, floated to the Cavthan shore. One of them, the captain of the vessel, could not talk. The other was blind. They both were scratched up very badly, and their skin seemed to be a yellow color. Now though the blind man was not also mute, the townspeople could get some words out of him, but not much of a logical sentence. “Lights,” he would say, “Pretty Blue Lights.” The captain, who was mute, stayed to himself from then on, jumping at every noise he heard, and cowering at every whisper. He never looked at the stars again, they seemed to scare him. He would always sleep alone, in the dark, with his head covered. No one ever was able to find out what happened on that ship so long ago. And no one ever had the courage to find out. Some think the daring youth became the daring captain, though none can prove it. The mute captian could not give them an answer and his now jumpy nature keep people away. Only a few people ever knew the truth. His old relitives, though they kept it quiet from most of the town, the humilation too much to bear if anyone they knew found out. Soon everyone gave up on the mute and the blind, and they faded into the background.

- "Master Tribell's Miraculous Narrations", p. 79