The New Avalon Colony

Avalon is a frontier town with a relatively small population. It is still somewhat dependent on the Mother-Empire, which is months away by ship. In New Avalon, monsters can still be found on occasion wandering through town. Avalon is the only conventional D&D fantasy world city on an untamed continent. Avaloners say this new world waits to be conquered and divided up -- the adventurous stand to gain much (or die trying).

Here is a breakdown of Population in Avalon.

Here is a history of New Avaloners in the New Continent.

Here are maps of The Heart of the New Avalon Colony.

And here is a map of The Lands Nearby New Avalon.

Population

The population (mostly Human with a handful of Elves and Half Elves) consists of immigrants from across the sea (and their immediate descendants). They number about 2,500. About 100 of these are hearty adventurer-types, ranging from 1st to 8th level.

Of these immigrants from across the ocean, 75 percent lives in the city proper. The other 25 percent farms the nearby surrounding area, along with a sizable number of native Jungle People who labor as serfs. There is a well-established City Guard, a small standing army to repel attacks by monsters and possible invaders, and, of course, an unorganized militia.

The New Avalon Colony's government is a departure from that in The Old Empire. Over the ocean, the Empire is a strict feudal society -- in contrast, this colony is quasi-feudal. Years ago, the first colony failed, not just because of the abundance of wild monsters and peoples, but because of farm failures (and the death of all horses and cattle to a virulent disease). The serfs brought in to break and farm the land lacked the morale and motivation needed to overcome the harsh conditions. When a second colony was launched, the serfs brought in were promised freeman status for their children. At the present, fully half the immigrant farmers in the colony are yeomen who own their own land.

This is something very new to this culture, and the colonists are proud, happy, and very loyal to Empire (despite moderate taxes). There should probably be no "revolutions" in the near future (give it another 50 years and increase the taxes), unless the PCs get radically involved in local government.

Note that a few remnants of the original dwellers, the so-called Jungle People, have been taken into the colony as serfs laboring almost exclusively on plantations owned by nobility. These people are just a "few remnants" of the original native people population, but even diminished by war and invasion, they still outnumber the Old Empire humans.

Power Factions

The city's government is still very class conscious and bureaucratic. To get anywhere socially or in business matters, it is necessary to already be established in society or to know the right people.

Trade is the source of most of the money in the colony, and several noble merchant clans have become quite important in city affairs. The two most powerful families are the Sarahs and the Benedicts.

There is a small Mages' Guild, with a tiny library and lab, mostly used to analyze magic items discovered by adventurers. The Guild's master is a 5th level mage; a retired 7th level mage is in residence. There is a small School associated with the Mages' Guild, which provides formal education for noble children and tutors in a variety of subjects for those who can pay.

There is an Adventurers' Guild, which sells the typical supplies, provides money changing and bank services, and helps members get out of scrapes with the authorities. The Adventurers' Guild is a quasi-governmental organization set up not only to coordinate bringing valuables back to the Old Empire, but also to keep an eye on the wild but powerful folk who would actually be willing to call themselves "Adventurers." One can legally sell Mountain People totems only here.

There is a local temple dedicated to the One Pale God and all the lesser gods of the Old Empire. The chief cleric is 9th level.

And there is a small and covert Thieves' Guild, whose location changes constantly.

Trade and Settlement

One ship arrives every few months from across the ocean, and one ship departs. Avalonish trade routes on this continent are not well established or reliable, although they are extremely lucrative. There are no roads anywhere outside 50 miles of Avalon, aside from a few scattered ruins and those made by Gnomes and Orcs.

Within 50 miles upriver of Avalon the jungle has been burned and converted to scattered plantations on both banks.

To the east are ruins in a series of high hills called the Southern Mountains. Gnomes and halflings once lived there. Great wealth has been found there, wrested from the hands of the orcs and goblins that now infest the area.

Though still risky and unreliable, trade with the Dwarves is becoming a major money maker for New Avalon colony, along with jungle products and trade with other peoples in the interior. Gold, precious metals, gems, Dwarven products, special plant products (cocoa, coffee, tea, rubber), and spices and silk from the inland make up the major trade goods shipped home to the East. Not to mention treasure in the form of magic and Mountain People art.