# Avashen Ford ![[winten-ford-village.png]] The last stop on the [[Sofort Road]] for 50 miles until [[Fort Greystone]] on the [[Great Southern Bulwark]], Avashen Ford was built up around a small mill built by a ford on a small river. Between the mill and the increased traffic to and from Fort Greystone, the old ford became a muddied mess and eventually was replaced by a wood and stone bridge at the same time as the two small towers were built here (the larger on the hilltop overlooking the bridge, the smaller hexagonal tower on the highest point within what became the walls of Avashen Ford.) Upon completion of the bridge seven years ago, the town was officially recognized under the name Avashen Ford. The palisade walls don’t entirely surround the town – a few buildings are outside the walls and the two gates to those portions don’t currently have doors. The walls are mostly to make people feel safe at night and were erected when banditry in this region was much more of a threat. Aside from the bridge and towers, Avashen Ford exudes an air of simple village life. Most buildings are organized and seem sturdy enough, though not much is remarkable. The streets are clear enough to move through, though the years of cart travel through the ford has left it a bit uneven and rutted. Stone foundations are few and most homes are built from the trees that were cleared to make room for the town. The larger tower is maintained by a minor knight, but she makes no claims over the people of the town or the product of their work. The main voices in the town are the miller’s family (who own both the mill and the tower within the town walls), a few well off farmers, and the two clerics who run the established churches here. Until recently, Oxton Avashen, an elderly knight who settled here from [[Velan]], acted as the de facto leader for the town after he established the mill here, but his passing last month has left Avashen Ford directionless. Avashen Ford, aside from being the main path over the [[[[Ganset River]]]], is known for it's wool. The semi-forested foothills of the area are home to herds of a unique type of yak that produces high quality wool. Most men here are full time shepherds of these yak herds, so much of the day-to-day chores of the town are left to the women. Every summer equinox, Avashen Ford celebrates their yearly holiday called "The Shearing" in which all the yaks are brought in from the surrounding foothills and relieved of their winter coats while the citizens celebrate another successful year. Around half of Avashen Ford's inhabitants are humans, but town is a melting pot, much like the rest of the Argent Wildlands. People and races have come from all over Tevrand to seek their fortunes in the hills of the wildlands. ## Notable Locations ### Places of Worship: **Vine Maiden (Church of Enibria)** The Vine Maiden, originally built as a church to the goddess Enibria, now also serves as the local gathering building for celebrations, dances, etc. Formal worship isn't a regualr occurrence here, but the Lady of the Vine's presence is surely felt when the drinks flow and fiddles whine. **Temple of Kern** By far the largest building in Avashen (not including the two towers), the "Craft Hall" as it's called performs the duties of church and community center for craftsmen. It is responsible for the preparations for The Shearing, the organization of yak shepherding, and general town maintenance. The followers of Kern in Avashen Ford are a reserved bunch that express their piety in acts of service and craft. **Motherheart (Church of Adora)** This sanctuary dedicated to Adora is the only place of healing and care in the area. Births in Avashen Ford are performed here as well as celebrations of the coming of age of young women. ### Other Locations **Avashen Mill.** Facilities for milling grain. The mill was originally built by Oxton Avashen, though the surname is dwindling in town as the man who built the central point of the town bore eight daughters and no sons. **The Tannery.** Processes animal hides, especially full yak rugs. **Penn's Stable.** Provides boarding accommodation for mounts, as well as selling carts, animals, and their tack. **Rivermuck Tavern.** Provides food and drink for travelers headed across the river. Originally named for the state of the floors in the time before the bridge. ### Homes/Farms ## Citizens **Nalri Furcutter** - Female Half-Orc. Hide tanner and general craftsperson. Runs The Tannery in Avashen Ford. **Meinan Androl** - Male Half-Elf. Proprietor of the Rivermuck Tavern. One of the first inhabitants of Avashen Ford. **Svan Eidrkin** - Male Goliath. Hired hand at the Rivermuck Tavern. **Hyatt Mutsk** - Male Human. Priest of Kern. Keeper of the Temple of Kern. Husband of Nella Mutsk. **Yaren Mehrod** - Female Human. Priestess of Adora. Keeper of the Motherheart. **Aren Bushmouse** - Female Halfling. Priestess of Enibria. Keeper of the Vine Maiden. **Glynjor Penn** - Male Firbolg. Proprietor of Penn's Stable. **Oxton Avashen** - Male Human. Deceased. Founder of Avashen Ford and builder of Avashen Mill. **Lydia Androl** - Female human. Oldest daughter of Oxton Avashen and current proprietor of Avashen Mill. Wife of Meinan Androl. **Gayle Casmaark** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. Wife of Liam Casmaark. **Merci Raventaker** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. Wife of Vanlamir Raventaker. **Nella Mutsk** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. Wife of Hyatt Mutsk. **Rosine Avashen** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. **Rianna Otvona** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. Ansell Otvona. **Golda Avashen** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. **Elmina Avashen** - Female Human. Daughter of Oxton Avashen. **Liam Casmaark** - Male Human. Husband of Gayle Casmaark. **Vanlamir Raventaker** - Male Half-Elf. Husband of Merci Raventaker. **Ansell Otvona** - Male Human. Husband of Rianna Otvona. **Katethra "Kat" Frostlight** - Female Human. Wife of Gedd Frostlight. Miner. **Gedd Frostlight** - Male Human. Husband of Kat Frostlight. Miner. **Brand Frostlight** - Male Human. Son of Kat and Gedd Frostlight. Miner.