Sestra

Origin/History

Sestra is a small village near Sundren's central coast. Unlike its sister settlements, Sestra was founded within recent years (1352 the Year after the Exigo expanded so greatly) for the sole purpose of allowing new commoners locations outside of the capital's walls to settle in. Boasting unrivaled fishing and farming, Sestra is a bountiful town blessed by the goddess Chauntea. A shrine erected to her blessing is placed in the southern part of town, not far from the Mey Savak Monestary.

Sestra's site was selected due to a sect of monks whom had already built a monastery on what would be named the future town. It was thought that by building around the monastery, the location would be seen as safe and a good place for a family. These Mey Savak Monks have a unique and interesting history for any wandering Oghma worshiper that may travel through. They also have housed a wanderer from the east, one who specializes in equipment made for the warrior from his land, the samurai.

The first cousin of Jarius Malifar, Exarch of Port Avanthyr, was named as exarch of the small town during its establishment and has lived there since in the vast mansion that was built to such size to draw residents, and in anticipation of the small towns planned growth. Rumor has it that even the underworld has contacts in Sestra, if you know where to look.

The Sestra Caverns weren't discovered to be inhabited until many years after the settling of the town. Until the town began to encroach on the growing lizardman population, the two people had lived in peace unknowingly to each others existence. This lead to the dreaded Lizard War that caused such pain and turmoil for the town, and brought the town's militia the Corps de Grace into light as a worthy defender of the people.

Sundrens’ Coastline is a rocky and windswept place. The rocky spires and shallow reefs of the coast are both a blessing and a curse; for the most part it is open to barely interrupted sea all the way to Evermeet, Maztica and the Moonshae islands. This exposes it to great and ferocious storms, the rocky outcrops and shallow reefs of the coast provide a great deal of protection preventing coastal villages from being consumed by the waves.

The protection they offer is offset by the danger to shipping, the high tidal range of the region hides and exposes the rocks twice daily, the powerful currents generated by the changing tide create eddies and whirlpools that regularly pull unwary ships onto the rocks.

As a result fishing communities are rare along the coast, Port Avanthyr, having a safe-ish route out to open sea, is the busiest by far. Other, smaller fishing communities do exist along the coast, normally these places are not welcoming to outsiders, the skills and tricks of fishing on such a dangerous coast are closely guarded secrets.

Government

Exarch Keiji Kemura

Places of Interest

Exarch’s Keep, Shrine of Chauntee, Corp de Grace HQ, Monastary, Sestra Plateau

Prominent Residents/Organizations

Corps de Grace
Mey Savak Monks
Keiji Kemura
"Shady"

Legends

Many of the rocks, reefs and outcrops along the coast have names and legends attached, others are simply named for their appearance. Notable names include:

Thralls Leap, Lovers Drop, The Bishops, Dead Horse Pool, Big Cock, Long Drop, Short Drop, False Drop (Three connected cliffs), Devils Teeth, The Stage, Bad End and The Drunken Dancers.

Of concern here are two connected items – The Nine Bitches and Queens Pulpit.

The Nine Bitches and the Queen's Pulpit

Shortly after Sestra was founded a visit was paid by a priestess of Umberlee and her Eight acolytes.

The nine stayed in the town for two nights, demanding much of the town people and town workers.

They claimed that on the third night of their stay they would leave the town and summon a terrible storm from the sea. If the town folk did not see to their every whim then the storm would destroy the fledgling town, but if they left satisfied then the town would be spared.

On the third night, after much wine, food and the choice selection of men and women from the town, the group left. A full moon exposed a long causeway leading out to a large rock known as the Queens Pulpit, as the nine Umberleans reached the halfway point a great storm sprang up, and a giant wave swallowed all on the causeway.

The following morning there was no sign of the nine, but a new series of dark tooth-like rocks, covered in seaweed and rope that swelled around them like dresses stood where the nine had been – Turned to stone to serve Umberlee for eternity, and as punishment for taking what should have been Umberlee’s treasures for themselves.

The rocks were known from then on as The Nine Bitches, for the demands and torment they’d laid on the townspeople.

On the darkest and stormiest nights it is said the nine stones return to their human form and can be seen lighting fires and dancing for their mistress on top of the Queens Pulpit.