The Wards of Lorden: The Isle of Lorden

Next up in our series about the wards of Lorden is the Isle of Lorden, which sits in the river Gwaun with Norwood to the north and Beast's Landing to the south.

The Isle of Lorden

From their splendid houses here, the powerful once gazed out at the shipping on the Gwaun. This quickly changed when Beast’s Landing fell. Everyone who could flee did, most to Norwood and some out of Lorden entirely. The Isle is now inhabited by those without the means to leave and those who choose to live on the lawless border between civilization and chaos.

A succession of mayors has been only too happy to give away land on the Isle to anyone brave or foolish enough to stand against the beastmen. Mercenaries and adventurers beyond count make their homes in the abandoned mansions of the Isle, and prostitutes, addicts, and pickpockets mingle in its marble squares. Many have come to win fame and fortune, fighting the beastmen on the Iron Bridge or daring Beast’s Landing to loot the empty homes, shops, and temples there.

The Isle of Lorden is made up of five neighborhoods, plus the two bridges that connect it to the shroes: Alehouse Row, Backwash, Old Money, the Street of Wonders, and Toothy Town. There are also two bridges connecting it to the shores of the Gwaun: the Iron Bridge to the south and the Silk Bridge to the north.

Alehouse Row

Such a collection of warriors and madmen as the Isle boasts requires a ready supply of food and drink. Taverns, bars, public houses, liquories, winesinks, and drinking holes crowd the long avenue that is Alehouse Row. The Row is neutral territory, and usually a place of respite from the turf wars and beefs between petty adventuring crews that plague the rest of the Isle. This has also made it a popular location for shops that service adventurers’ needs.

Backwash

The poor and forgotten of the Isle live in Backwash along the high bluffs of the western shore. Years ago Backwash was what Norwood’s Bywater neighborhood is today, but the mansions of yesteryear are slowly tumbling into the river as the bluffs erode. Squatters pick a new house each year, and often hold parties to watch their old home collapse down into the water.

The Iron Bridge

Narrow and low, the mighty Iron Bridge between the Isle and Beast’s Landing it was built to be defensible against incursions from the southern shore. That decision proved prescient, as squads of mercenaries and adventurers regularly lock shields against sorties made by beastmen attempting to reach the Isle. Now and again a lone monster even breaks through.

Old Money

As the name suggests, this used to be the richest section of Lorden. At its heart is the Colossus of Downtown, a statue a hundred feet tall that has fallen with one hand outstretched towards the former Lord Mayor’s mansion. Surrounding the Colossus are the homes of the few people on the Isle who still maintain some semblance of respectability.

The Silk Bridge

The Silk Bridge connects the Isle of Lorden with Norwood on the northern shore. Tall enough for shipping to pass beneath, and wide enough for two carriages to pass each other, with walking paths overlooking the Gwaun on either side, the Silk Bridge was originally a lovely way for the wealthy to get home. Now a cluster of small shops has appeared on the shore end of the bridge as land in Norwood has become hard to find, and the shanty towns of the displaced reach farther out from the Isle end every month.

The Street of Wonders

Once Lorden’s premiere shopping district, the Street of Wonders has gotten even wilder since the fall of Beast’s Landing. Hucksters and hedge wizards ply miracles alongside colorful sellers of clockwork toys and impractical weapons from far away, and not even business partners really trust each other.

Toothy Town

The erosion of the western shore began when a huge section of the Isle collapsed into the river overnight. A few hundred yards out from Backwash, fragments of land that remained from that collapse stick up from the river like monstrous teeth. A few structures cling precariously to these islands, home to Lorden’s most desperate and devious criminals. For a few bits you can hire a coracle to take you to one, but you’re as likely to get robbed on the trip as upon arrival.