Nobody in Cairnfoot got rich going down the valley. They’re not gold rush miners, they’re selling shovels.
The Town
Cairnfoot squats at the mouth of Cairnfall, where a river runs out of the mist toward the coast. It is a gold-rush port, not a cozy village: outfitters and fences, moneylenders and grave-diggers, taverns that water the ale and chapels that charge for candles. Treasure seekers arrive in droves; pirates work the river traffic and brigands work the roads, and both consider prospectors a renewable resource.
What Happens Here (Meta-Game Home)
Cairnfoot is the diegetic home of the between-run loop:
| Place | Function |
|---|---|
| The Tavern | Character selection and social lobby — heroes drink here between runs |
| The Epic Bard | Mission selection and voting — he sings of contracts on offer |
| The Door | The village beyond: Blacksmith, Cathedral (resurrection), Wizard’s Tower |
The Widowmaker keeps her salon here, near enough to the valley to watch it, far enough to survive it.
Open Texture
The town’s factions — which pirate crews, which brigand companies, which guilds skim the boom — are unwritten. See Loose Threads.