Yarrin
Overview
Yarrin is a town of bitter contrasts and buried fire. Nestled near the rocky veins of Mountainrun, its towering walls and elegant spires suggest order and wealth—but beneath the surface, resentment simmers. A mining hub turned aristocratic stronghold, Yarrin is home to 20,000 elves, divided sharply between the ruling elite and the laboring class that sustains them.
Ruled by the cold and commanding
Lord Esteras, Yarrin wears its splendor like a mask. Behind lavish manors and enchanted fountains lies a population held in place by fear, class, and secrets. And in the alleyways, tunnels, and backroom taverns, something ancient and restless stirs.
Leadership
Lord Esteras governs Yarrin from a marble estate high on the Inner Rise. Regal, stoic, and emotionally detached, he rules through decree, rarely descending to speak to the people. He believes in discipline, tradition, and control—principles that have kept the city profitable, if not peaceful.
His court is a circle of merchant lords, mine barons, and enchanters, who serve more as enforcers than advisors. While the Under City holds nominal authority over Mountainrun, Yarrin acts with increasing autonomy, driven by wealth and pride.
City Structure & Districts
Yarrin is divided both physically and spiritually. Its architecture reinforces the gap between the elite and the poor.
The Inner Rise: A terraced noble district, built into the mountainside. Palatial estates, magical fountains, and private arcane wards protect its inhabitants from both physical danger and political discomfort.
The Lower Webs: Crowded alleys, tight streets, and soot-streaked stone homes where miners, smiths, and commoners live. Fires burn day and night, and the clang of iron is never far.
The Chainpath Mines: A vast tunnel system just outside town, guarded and tightly regulated. Precious stones, rare minerals, and drakthorn ore are pulled from the earth at great cost.
Veilmarket: An open plaza where both classes mix—merchants, travelers, and performers crowd the space, but prices and attitudes keep the wealthy elevated.
The Shardwalls: Yarrin’s massive perimeter wall, studded with glittering stonework. It separates not just city from wild, but rich from poor—two gates, two classes, one town.
Demographics
Yarrin is almost entirely elven, with a small population of half-elves and even fewer humans. The population skews starkly:
Upper Class: Elven nobles, enchanters, and merchant dynasties
Lower Class: Miners, blacksmiths, servants, and unskilled laborers
Outsiders: Rare and usually temporary—merchants, mercenaries, or spies
The social divide is severe. The elite dine on imported fruit and wine, while miners often share crowded bunkhouses and eat in silence.
Magic & Infrastructure
In the Inner Rise, magic is abundant—streetlamps that burn with starlight, homes that sing soft music at dawn, and carriages that glide without wheels. In the Lower Webs, enchantment is a luxury. Here, practicality reigns: forges are heated by coal and spells are rare, hoarded by the elite.
Yarrin’s mines rely on both magic and brute labor. Spellglyphs reinforce mine shafts, but many are old or unstable—causing collapses and spectral hauntings that are often ignored by the upper class.
Defense
Yarrin’s defenses are dual-purpose: protect the town from external threats, and suppress dissent from within.
The
Shardguard patrol the walls and gates—well-trained, well-paid, and fiercely loyal to Lord Esteras. In the shadows, the
Cloaked Vow operate quietly—informants and arcane assassins whose purpose is to root out sedition, sabotage, and rebellion.
Industry & Trade
Mining is the lifeblood of Yarrin. Its Chainpath Mines produce:
Drakthorn ore, a lesser cousin to drakthorite
Veincrystal, used in arcane constructs and enchantments
Silvervein dust, refined for luxury artifacts
Wealth flows steadily to the Inner Rise, where luxury goods are commissioned and exported. The lower class profits little—most barely earn enough to sustain themselves.
Culture & Rebellion
Culture in Yarrin is cold and curated. Nobles commission grand performances and arcane galleries, but these are private affairs, closed to commoners. Meanwhile, in the Webs, stories spread by firelight—tales of rebellion, forgotten kings, and ancient justice.
Two major factions stir beneath the surface:
The Sirs: A secretive collective of wealthy reformists who oppose Lord Esteras quietly. They use their money to fund lower-class infrastructure, leak information, and shield subversive figures.
The Honest Liars: A dangerous insurgent group, based in the mines and taverns. They want revolution, not reform. They sabotage, poison, and infiltrate—believing Yarrin must be torn down to be rebuilt.
Points of Interest
The Shattered Chalice: A shadowy tavern in the Lower Webs. Allegiances are born here over broken cups and whispered toasts. A hub for Honest Liars and secret Sirs.
The Spectral Forge: A haunted blacksmith's hall where spirits of past smiths guide the living. Some claim the forge itself chooses its smiths.
The Old Library: A massive structure of weathered stone and enchanted glass. It holds forbidden tomes, revolutionary histories, and a secret archive only few can access.
The Pillar of Echoes: A monument in the Veilmarket—magically inscribed with the names of those lost to the mines. Some say the names shift when no one watches.
Architecture
Yarrin’s dual nature is reflected in its design:
The Inner Rise gleams with polished stone, arcane light, and precise symmetry
The Lower Webs are dense, smoky, and raw—a warren of need, grit, and fire
Great archways span the town, originally built to symbolize unity—now seen as mocking reminders of division
Geography & Climate
Built against the rugged cliffs of central Mountainrun, Yarrin endures long winters and biting winds. Snow falls often, burying the streets in silence. The forests to the south are dark and thick, and some say creatures wander them that even the elves avoid.
Legacy
Yarrin is a city on the edge of fracture. It thrives and rots in equal measure. Lord Esteras clings to power. The people grit their teeth. The mines dig deeper. And deep below the surface, in caverns never mapped, something ancient stirs.
“Gold runs like blood. And one day, blood will run like gold.”
