Crosswater is a Frontier town built over the confluence of the Goldenrim and Quicksilver and Windrunner rivers. In ancient days the elves referred to this place as imbë siryat, or "between the rivers". Orc tribes often camped in this location while following the mammoth migrations. As the Kingdom of Engwaeld and then the Valorian Empire began claiming territory further and further north Crosswater grew more popular amongst fur trappers and explorers.
The discovery of gold in the Bone Forest led to substantially increased travel through the area, which increasingly led to clashes between the orc tribes, settlers, and the Valorian military. During the Great Orcish Uprising Crosswater was burned to the waterline and those who had not fled were slaughtered by the orcs. During this most recent gold boom, the population has swelled from a few hundred to over 5,000 in just a few years. The town has struggled to hold this many people.
Due to its unique location, Crosswater does not fall under the legal jurisdiction of Valoria, which means that there is no formal law and order within the town. There is a town council made up of the most powerful individuals in the town who seek to represent the people (though in practice this lofty goal is not always upheld) and to protect the interests of those living in Crosswater. Individual establishments hire mercenaries and guards to protect their clientele and their goods. Insult and injury often leads to duels. The phrase "taking the Kirkwall Express" is slang for dumping a dead body in the river, so named because this is jokingly referred to as the "quickest way to get back to civilization". The gruesome act of slicing open someone's throat and pulling their tongue out through the opening is colloquially referred to as a Crosswater Necktie.
Districts
- Honor's End
- Stilton
- Backwater
- Bilge Bottom
Notable Locations
- Quincy's
- Whisperwind Hotel
- Aurum Bank
- McCready's Ring
- Kragbane's Smithy
- Blade Point - A sandy strip of marshland at the very edge of Crosswater. This area is where folk go to duel. Should the duel result in death, the body is thrown off the point and carried downriver. This is referred to as “taking the Kirkwall Express”.
- Bosun's Bog - graveyard of all manner of rivercraft that have been abandoned by those heading north into the gold fields.
- Gemstone Saloon
- Odbehrt's Dry Goods
- Crosswater Prospector's Guildhall