Northern bank — Central district
Old Ward is the original settlement of Morain, and it still functions as the town’s beating heart. The oldest buildings here date back several generations, their stone walls worn smooth and their timber frames seasoned dark. The streets are narrow and not entirely planned, growing around the needs of working people rather than any civic vision.
The Old Ward Plaza is the practical centre of the whole town — an open square near the western bridge where people gather for the weekly market, where announcements are made, and where the paths to all three districts meet. Most of the town’s essential craftsmen can be found within a short walk of this square.
Character: Established, self-reliant, working community
Notable Locations:
- The Old Ward Plaza — The open square at the western bridge, where the weekly market is held. Farmers bring produce, travellers trade equipment, and locals catch up on news. The most reliable place to find anyone in Morain.
- The Smithy — A single working forge run by a family that has held the trade in Old Ward for three generations. Not a grand operation, but capable of most repairs, simple tools, and basic weapons. Travellers heading up to the plateau often stop here to have gear checked before the climb.
- The Water-Mill — Sitting on the river’s northern bank at the eastern edge of Old Ward, the mill processes grain from the surrounding farms. It is both a practical facility and a landmark — the rhythmic sound of the wheel carries through much of the district on quiet mornings.
- The Town Hall — A modest two-storey stone building near the Plaza where Mayor Ingram Warden holds council sessions and handles official correspondence. More often than not the door is unlocked and Warden can be found inside reviewing maps or correspondence.
- Yrelia’s House — The home of Yrelia Morain, the town’s young cleric who runs errands and messages between Morain, Chrysalis, and Malachite on basilisk-back. She is away more often than she is present, but her home is well known — she is something of a local legend.
- Skurk & Co - A general store run by the goblin brothers Grunk and Strunk, offering a broad catalogue of adventuring wares alongside more everyday goods.
Worship: A small roadside shrine to Boldrei — goddess of community, home, and family — stands near the entrance to the Plaza. It is tended communally, with no permanent priest. Offerings are left daily, particularly by families and farmers.
Population character: Multigenerational families, farmers, craftspeople and their apprentices. Old Ward residents tend to be reserved with strangers until they have seen them around a few times, then warmly open. They take a quiet pride in the town’s agricultural reputation.