Barter

Barter is a trade hub for lower and central Ansalon.  It lies in the foothills of the southern mountains.  The town boast palisade walls, thick woodlands to the south, east and west, and the narrow northern pass which is defended with roaming ranger squads when the city is controlled by local inhabitants.  In 19 AC, on the day before the new year, the Black Dragon Army left Barter Peacefully.  The order brought by the rule of the Army was quickly replaced by the rule of the Gilded Hand.  There is immense poverty in Barter during and following the occupation.

Chomsky's Trinkets in Barter: Ran by Hilda and Guilda Shimmerstone.  Mountain Dwarf Sisters

The Fallen God - Stone building in the older, northern district: It is the only tavern and Inn to survive the occupation.

    Soryn Barrelbottom - Neidar Dwarf - He is a burly dwarf with a long brown beard and two braids running down his back.  They have large metal balls woven into the end of the braid.

Market Area:

Luccia Fallabrine (Half Elf woman) - She is an Herbalist, adventurer and has the favor of a Wood Nymph who Guards The Cave of Chislev, (Felynia the Nymph is murdered by squall to piss off Dhalia but resurects once the vampire is dead).  She sells most alchemy items which can be found in the wilds around Barter.  

The Barter Blacksmith

Sledge Barbit - Thoardin Dwarf - Black beard and a balding head.  He has the tattoo of an outcast.  He came to Barter shortly after The Black Dragon Army left.  When he discovered the Smithy they had been using, he found it completely abandoned.  He discovered the owner, murdered and tossed into the root cellar in the living quarters of the Smithy

Shena Barbit - His wife.  They were outcast when Sledge refused to join the fight against the Hill Dwarf army because Shena was ill with a plague that had taken most of its victims

The Testing Grounds

A local gaming house.  Supposedly run by the Gilded Hand, the house features games of chance ranging from various card games to rodent racing.  A favorite local game referred to as "Call of the Gnarl" is the largest draw and basically involves betting on which Gnarl will eat the poison fruit.  Nobody knows which fruit is poisoned, and the Gnarls tend to fight over each fruit with the victor getting to eat the berry.  

Shak and Down Street - this area is a haven for pickpockets, thieves and other less than savory persons.  All manner of goods and services are available here for the right price, especially those which are looked upon less than favorably by law and order types.  This has become one of Ansalon's darkest corners, and a place of lawlessness.

Lindal Burrfoot - Kender Male - Known as the Short Tongue, Lindal has a long black topknot and is known for his charm and good looks.  Lelo meets him while seeking information on the Gilded Hand Assassins Guild in Barter.  Using her own charms, she convinces him to help her discover any information available on the Guild in Barter.  (1st day of Spring's Blossom, 20 AC)  She agrees to seek him out whenever her desire to wander the world fades.

Oopsie Gulp - Friendly, red haired, soft spoken gully dwarf - She became friends with Lindal Burrfoot after his arrival in Bater.  He arrived during the Dragon Army Occupation, and she helped him hide away from the Black Dragon Guards who killed any Kender they found in Barter.  Lindal lost a cousin and more than one friend to the purges.  Later, she would help Lelo and Lindal by sharing a story one of her brothers had told her about finding a door behind some bags of grain in the Red Dragon Inn in Tarsis.  It seems he was working there as a dish washer and floor sweeper.  He mentioned the door because inside he had found a shiny and some very yummy mushrooms.  Unfortunately, when the owner of the Inn found him eating mushrooms in the tunnel, he fired him and told him never to speak of it... but those mushrooms were SO GOOD!...

NOTABLE EVENTS:

28th Day of Spring's Rain, 20 AC - Hatfield Family - Dell Hatfield was the Peasant murdered by the Rakshasa.  His Sister, Martha is married to Ralph McCoy.  His wife, Elissa, brother, Asryd, three sons, and four daughters survive him.  Elissa Hatfield is convinced that the killer was hired by Ralph McCoy.  She believes Lelo's actions were part of the plan.  

The McCoy Family - Ralph McCoy was the other combatant during the scuffle where Dell was murdered.  Despite Martha's pleas, he believes that Dell had intended to kill him.

By the first day of Spring's Blossom, the feud has spilled over into a full blown civil war in the region.

RESULT OF THE BRAWL IN BARTER: The Result of Lelo tossing cash and the Rakshasa trying to draw the party into favorable combat.

Hatfield Family - Dell Hatfield was the Peasant murdered by the Rakshasa.  His Sister, Martha is married to Ralph McCoy.  His wife, Elissa, brother, Asryd, three sons, and four daughters survive him.  Elissa Hatfield is convinced that the killer was hired by Ralph McCoy.  She believes Lelo's actions were part of the plan.  

The McCoy Family - Ralph McCoy was the other combatant during the scuffle where Dell was murdered.  Despite Martha's pleas, he believes that Dell had intended to kill him.

Already, two conflicts have happened.  One near a farm on the road south to the coast.  Nearly 150 McCoy family members and allies had assembled at the farm with the intention of taking control of the southern farming lands.  They planned to use this influence against the Hatfield Family in Barter.  Hearing this, 200 Hatfields descended on the farmstead during the night.  The result was a small battle that ended up with several farms burning, a large loss of cattle, and nearly 80 dead McCoys and 100 dead Hatfields.  

The Second skirmish occured inside the city gates.  In retaliation, 200 allies of the McCoy Family went house to house in the trade district looking for Hatfields.  They found many.  After nearly 30 young sons of the Hatfield Clan were dragged from their homes and burned alive in the Market Square, another 200 Hatfields surrounded the McCoy forces.  A long and bloody fight ensued.  In the end only 10 McCoys were left standing and the thirty or so Hatfields not killed in battle were forced to retreat from the city by the guards.

Since then, senior family members have been assassinated.  Strikes against women and children have continued.  There is no peace in sight within the town of Barter and many are fleeing if they are not connected to either family.