Almondsey
Town of Yug, Estalia
This is 'Sin City' for the West Estalians. It is most famous for The Bastard's House, an early 20th-Century stylish limestone 'mansion' that is actually the only important gambling casino in Estalia, patronized by the nobility and protected by the government (no hoi polloi need try to be admitted). The Bastard was named Salvo Regina, and he was supposedly a by-blow of Queen Sonata the Fourth by a Spanish footman. The town is also noted for some good brothels along the waterfront, but its main industry is simply fishing, especially supplying the hinterland of Felsoran with fertilizer and seafood. There is actually a Temple of Thud/Lott here, rather decrepit -- still the place is noted more than anything else for its atheism (but still maintaining 'political correctness'). Smuggling is a rather important industry, evidence of which is the underground Smuggler's Store below the temple (see below).
Yug is located at the southwest corner of West Estalia at the mouth of the River Phaarat, which marks the border with South Estalia. The dense forest of Harrum is to the south, and the only roads lead into the agricultural boredom of the county of Felsoran, hence its main access is by sea, with the Fishtail Inn next to the fine yacht basin being another attraction. Otherwise, there is nothing much to this town that stinks permanently of fish, not even a castle* or fort. There is another very good inn, the Hapswell Arms, however, near the Bastard's House, making this a two-pub attraction. But awful as this town is, The Bastard's House lives on for inveterate gamblers. And they actually run an honest house.
* Actually there is Castle Phaar in the Harrum Forest. It is in fact in South Estalia, but is listed here because its main access, except for an arduous forest trail, is via wooden bridge across the River Phaarat a couple of miles east of Yug.
There is a two-story underground chamber underneath the temple (which contains the secret land entrance, so much for religious virtue). It was carved out of a natural cave in the Cliffs of Sarlon where they lower for the River Phaarat mouth to the sea. It is not truly a secret place, just discreet. Main entrance is from the beach beyond a high spire of rock ('Parson's Prick'). The harbor of Yug, with its quay (and the Bastard's House) are a couple of hundred yards farther upriver. Smuggling is so well established in Yug that it was never considered a crime, even under governmental pressures at various times. It is not smuggling, it is trade, and free trade and commerce are not to be subject to petty restrictions and tax-collecting bureaucrats. There is an old Scottish song about Dunkeld, where they 'hangit the minister' -- this happened to one of the Yuggish priests, who was too officious, in 1743; subsequent priests have been a lot more tolerant. This place became so well known that in the 1950s it was converted into a night club and rock-star cellar, home of Estalia's best-known group, the Yuggoths. The temple reaped a fortune and became known as the most liberal of the Thud/Lott houses of worship (although they don't display their wealth in the shabby building). At this time, Yug, with its casino, had become a popular resort -- West Estalia, at least this part, had finally become fashionable (as Liga always was and the Happy Dog Inn in Parson soon became, before the Great Disaster). |
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Estalia
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