Redwater

Redwater is the county seat of Pitchwood County. Located where the Grey Rapids River meets the Red River, approximately two days from where the Red River plunges into the depths of Aspbite Canyon, and three days ride from the ducal seat of Goldfast, Redwater is a busy, fairly cosmopolitan town of around two thousand people. Redwater is also techincally the patron-village of the Fullblood Range, where laborers who work directly for Count Pitchwood, or his renters, live.

Due to the ongoing settlement of the county, Redwater is noisy and rather filthy. The brick streets are rutted and muddy, the lumber sidewalks are broken and splintered, and violence is common. The majority of the residents have no intention of staying long, and so most of the structures within the palisade are temporary tents or shacks, though some have been around long enough that they are slowly morphing into strange permenant structures.

History

It was officially founded on the day of the passage of the Western Settlement Act by Jeremiah Fullblood, the first Count Pitchwood, but evidence shows that the town was built on the ruins of an ancient dwarven ceremonial plaza of some sort, and two massive gates from that time period are used as the official entrances of Redwater. Upon foundation, Fullblood seized upon the idea of taking advantage of the rich clay banks that line the Red River, and funded the building of the Fullblood Clayworks, which produces bricks, clay tiles, and commercial pottery, and soon gave Redwater its distinctive brick architecture. A clapboard palisade was erected around the town, complete with carved crenelations, and a large brick blockhouse was constructed to house the Redwater Garrison of the Dustdragon Musketeers. The Shire Reeve is based out of the tower that was built adjacent to the blockhouse.

Law and Order

The Marshal Captain for Redwater is Edith the Stalker, a halfling, and she commands a staff of six marshals, who protect the areas within the southeast farthing of Pitchwood County; the Fullblood Range, as far west as the Crossroads, and as far north as Fullblood Road. She reports directly to the Shire Reeve, Seamus One-Eye, but her commander is technically Count Aldous the Fine.

The Redwater Garrison of the Dustdragon Musketeers is made up of ten soldiers, commanded by Sir Germaine of Tyresia, an olive-skinned human of massive stature. They efficiently circulate along the nearby highways and roads in pairs, while leaving two of their number in the garrison at all times.

Places of Interest

Just outside of the southern gate of Redwater, next to the massive Fullblood Clayworks, is the current terminus of the Grand Imperial Western Line of the gnomish railway. It's housed in a small shack of raw wood planks, full of rickety benches and dusty slate timetables. Also located within Redwater Station is the Message Office, where a trio of wizards dutifully receive psychic communications from throughout the known world and distribute them to their intended recipients for a fee.

Within the palisade is a number of shops, taverns, and hotels, but the most audacious of all is Portnoy's Peculiars, an alchemist shop, painted in garish diamonds. Next door is a massive, dingy structure, The Nag's Head, which is a rough tavern that plays host to the Shire Reeve and his cronies. Across the street is a dry goods story, Katherine's Mercantile.

Just inside the wide north gate, next to the livery stable, is the Steelshod Horse Messaging Company, where light, small individuals are paid to carry messages and parcels across the county and beyond. Past that, an hour up the road or so, is Black Rock, a large chunk of some ancient edifice, where public executions are held. The Swordsman lives in a little shack underneath the stone. Across Old Enterprise Road from Black Rock is Motley Mound, which is potentially a dwarven archeological site of great interest, but has been used as a public burial ground for those without kin in the area, as well as unclaimed executed individuals.

Further up the track another two hours is the official home of Count Pitchwood, Dustdragon Hall, on a short rise overlooking the Fullblood Range.