Purrna

Cat Town, otherwise more popularly known as Purrna, is an old fishing town that was overtaken by an influx of formerly enslaved shapeshifters desperately looking for a place to set down roots following the end of the 2nd Era and the beginning of the 3rd. These shapeshifters were predominantly feline in nature, thus best suited for the Cat Town’s way of life and primary available work - fishing, entertainment, and trade - given their naturally keen eyes, mercantile & speechcraft, dance & song, among plenty of other, extra things; And, so, they assimilated very well, despite some of their more generally animalistic behaviors. Harmony was achieved between the human inhabitants and shapeshifters, though some humans did leave upon the initial arrival of the shapeshifters; Many aspects of the local culture adapted to both its original and additional populations, negative opinions and violence fading away the more they understood each other.

The town was built on an ancient, crumbling Eimadran ruin used as its foundation and guiding layout. It’s small, spanning a single mile across and back from the sea, though there are extant hamlets here and there nearby. The whitestone is well-cared for, intricately carved, and cleaned daily, inlaid with green marble not unlike Lufian. Cat Town is often decorated with strands of flowers and witchlights, flags donning the Duchess’ crest, carefully kept barrels of fish, wagons of fish or flowers, ancient Eimadran reliefs, Dustveili trophies, Kavasti furs, Miraglasian sculptures, a fountain in town center, shades, flowering trees, shrubs, artistic murals, and plenty more. It’s a unique, quaint little town that would look more natural if it were settled along a mountain river or lake, but it’s quite homely in its own ways. A mostly comfortable place for its permanent inhabitats, and for those visiting.

Now, it’s very well known for its fishing. Fortunately, Purrna was built along a relatively safe stretch of the Dife Frèt, its waters mostly devoid of dangerous marine life and full of fish aplenty. Gentle giants, corals, schools of little fish, big fish, a dolphin or two, and perhaps a once in a lifetime sighting of a mermaid– However, though it’s primarily known for its fishing, it’s also known for its entertainment. Over the years, attitudes toward sex became exploratory, open-minded perhaps, and the establishment of a local brothel resulted from that, such that the oldest brothel in all of the Æfrean Duchy is the Red Rose at Purrna’s town center - built in the last century of the 3rd Era, standing now for over 500 years. It’s also the only brothel in Purrna, and only open to those who possess the right amount of coin; It’s rather expensive, but this can be explained by the (somewhat new) Proprietress Sortia Morgana’s commitment to quality and elegance, outfitting it with accommodations that would make even Lufian pale in comparison since she laid claim to it; and the folk they employ, many of which garnering much attention from international visitors. The Red Rose does also occasionally ‘loan out’ some of its employees (the most popular of which being Faith Miris in the present), as a sort of early escort service, though this is limited in range to Æfre.

• Purrna is sometimes called 'The Town of Fish and Flowers’ due to…all the fish and flowers, but also because it’s known for fishing and 'providing sailors/travellers with a special kind of entertainment’;
• Purrna was originally known as Cat Town as a joke among children when humans moved in, given that they fished so much they ’felt’ like cats themselves;
• It is some 200 or so miles from Lufian;
• They get their mead from Lufian, in which merchants there in turn import it from the Bear and Bee Meadery in Mjødjord, Norhaven;
• The Red Rose is the best and highest quality brothel in a hundres-mile radius, rivaling even Lufian’s Blue Rose - they are sister establishments, and both function more like grand hotels with optional prostitution features;
• Purrna is popular among travelers, sailors, merchants, hunters, monster hunters, drifters, criminals, wealthy folk, and plenty more;
• It is a very long-standing town, built long before the end of the 2nd Era, perhaps even the 1st, when the Eimadra ruled over the majority of the continent;
• Most people won’t bat an eye at illicit business unless violence is involved, in which case the aggressors will be arrested and jailed, or killed depending on the circumstances, though they believe in 'innocent until proven guilty’ as a principle like most of Æfre.