Yew
YEW Can Never Get Enough
By Penn-Hedley III
Yew is not for everyone. It is dangerous, inconvenient, and lacking in civilized comfort. For the hard-core lover of danger, adventure, and nature, however, it is a town with no peer (no pier, either).
By far, the leading industry in Yew is death. The only profession with two representatives in town is healing, although the second healer is located out of town to the South (conveniently near the cemetary). If you think a small town like Yew can't possibly support two healers, trot a couple of laps from the moongate to the crypts and you'll see why two is scarcely enough. The "downtown" healer has an apothecary, and it's a good thing, because he is as close as this town comes to a magic expert.
The decentralized community of Yew has two commercial centres. One is located in the Empath Abbey. There is no true provisioner in Yew, but one of the monks at the abbey, found lurking in the storehouse in the northwest corner, will 'borrow' provisions from the Abbey supply for a quiet but substantial price. A banker operates from the Abbey (much more secure that the village square). Out at the winery, you will find a stablemaster. You will also find a fine community craft center, with loom, spinning wheel, forge, oven, and two fireplaces, as well as local peddlers and combat practice equipment .
The town green boasts a ranger, carpenter, butcher, baker, bowyer, and leather worker. Although there is no tailor, the leather shop includes a second loom and spinning wheel for cottage crafters. The bakeshop oven is available for community use. There is a town crier conveniently located in each centre, one for the bad news and one for the worse news.
There is quite a lot that Yew HASN'T got. Besides tailors, there are no mages, alchemists, scribes, bards, tinkers, decorators, architects, armourers, blacksmiths, fishermen, cobblers, jewelers, farmers (?), tinkers, weaponsmiths, or beekeepers. The most serious of these absences is the lack of armourers, weaponsmiths and tinkers, making it impossible to get training locally in those or related skills (like mining). Another serious shortage is in the beverage area. There is not a single barkeep in all of Yew. This is due to the influence of the Abbey (not a theological issue- strictly business- they don't want competition for their wine or famous Yew bark brandy).
As I said, Yew is not for everyone, including me. After running around town mapping chased by an ogre and an orc mage, I feel entitled to a pint or two at a friendly pub.
