Lacon

Lacon is one of the Free Towns to the east of the Dom of Raone and is situated on the White River Road named for the river it follows. Its nearest neighbor is Ilhara, roughly 10 miles south, less than half a day’s walk and Damelza, roughly 20 miles north.    The agricultural town is known for its orchards, apple cider, honeyed mead, and the Harvest Festival. It’s a peaceful and happy town and gets some decent traffic due to its location on the road between Chiara and Damelza. Lacon is famous for its hard ciders, honeyed mead, and friendly hospitality.   Lacon is not part of the Dom, but is does regular trade with Nosta, a Dom town, and sells its fine cider, famous pumpkin cider, honeyed mead, and spiced mead to the Dom. So, the town is on friendly terms for Raone to help protect the town in a limited way. Lacon has its own Guard Post made up of locals and can in times of emergency request or give aid to its neighboring towns of Ilhara and Damelza.   There is a rivalry between Lacon and Damelza (neighboring independent town to the North) for trade, though it never comes to anything serious. Mostly due to the fact that the two towns’ goods and exports are nowhere near the same. The two towns help each other when needed but are competitive on the surface.     There’s a grimy tavern, a lovely inn and tavern, a general store, an apothecary, a blacksmith, a small market in the town center, and a woodsmith.  

Taverns and Inns:

The best place to stay or eat a good hot meal is the Bushel and the Bee, though The Grumpy Pumpkin does have some cots in the back for those who prefer a dark and broody tavern storeroom. The other Inn the town had, The Tipsy Gourd, burned down a few days ago.  

The Bushel and the Bee

Set back a little east off the White River Road and near the town center is a two story house with inviting wide porches wrapping around the outside. A handful of people are enjoying the rocking chairs and the view as you approach. A tall barn stands proud and well maintained off to the right.   Inside is a homey looking tavern with a dozen tables. Each table has a bowl of fruit on it.   Behind the main house and barn is the apple orchard, where the family grows several acres of apples to make their famous cider. Several Beehives are scattered throughout the orchard, which provide the honey for the mead and for their kitchen.   Inn and tavern are a family owned and run place. Gib (human) and Shani (half-elf) Sprigs and their five adult kids manage the Inn. Copas is the eldest and he can always be found inside behind the counter, chatting it up and making polite conversation. Lani prefers horses to people and manages the stables. Hersh takes after his ranger mom and is a part-time guard at the local Guard Post, as well as roaming the grounds of the orchard and nearby forest. The youngest are twins Roffe and Roi, and although they look nothing alike, they constantly pretend to be the other to try to fool people. Together, they operate the brewery with thier father.    

The Grumpy Pumpkin

Along the north side of town near the road is a single story sturdy building that is plain timber weather a dark grey from time. It has a porch stretching the front of the building, but it is plain and unfurnished. It looks a bit creepy when you turn around and off in the distance see the tops of stone towers and walls, the visible portions of Blackthorne Keep across the river.   Inside, the smell of cheap ale wafts and the nearly empty single room tavern resembles more of the look of a storeroom with a few tables and chairs, rather than a tavern. The fire has gone out in the firepit, and snoring can be heard from somewhere in the back of the large room. A long counter is on the left with barrels stacked up behind it on their side with spouts ready. Must be the bar.    

Shops

Lacon is a small town and quite a distance from anything larger than a remote village, it has all the basic offerings a good town needs to have to get common goods and restock supplies.  

Trading Post

A general store that carries common items made locally or brought in by merchants from Raone, Ilhara, Chiara, and Tavark. Sells common items, tools, and travelers gear and sells items made by the local woodsmith, as well as your typical general store dry goods and necessities for locals.   Unique Items for sale: Hand carved wood items from a local woodsmith including walking sticks, whistles, flutes, mugs, and wooden boxes. Hand carved bows.  

Hal's Apothecary

The over 600 year old elf, Hal, has been the town's local healer for as long as anyone remembers. No one is quite sure exactly how old he is and where he's really from, but he is a kind soul and makes wreaths for every local for the Winter Festival. Be warned, though, if he begins a story that starts with, "well, there was this one time...." you might be there for a while.   Unique Items for sale: Fresh daisies every day Dried apples Local foraged herbs and ingredients locally made perfumes    

Guard Post

Built and manned by locals this Guard Post is more or less the home of Nubiran Kosta, a retired Sergeant of the Guard who married a Lacon local and chose to stay. The town has dubbed Nubiran the local Sheriff and he organizes the part-time guard staff and does their initial training.