Vineshade

The town of Vineshade was the largest settlement in the Purple Hills in Tethyr and thought by most to be the wine capital of the entire Sword Coast. It was primarily a halfling town.

Geography and Layout
Vineshade was located in the Purple Hills of County Vintor in the Purple Marches, along the Hillstrail.

This town was arranged in quarters. The western quarter contained the wineries and drying shacks for the pipeweed. The northern section contained most of the human houses and buildings. The other two quarters were filled with halfling-style abodes. The center of the town was where the largest building in town stood, the Vintners' Guildhouse.

Architecture
Every building in the town showed the same quality of workmanship present in the wines the city produced. The halfling homes consisted of clusters of subterranean burrows in the hills or hollowed-out large trees.

Defenses
No wall surrounded this town; however, the halfling militia have a series of underground tunnels leading from secret armories to locations outside the town perimeter. Thus, the town guards can often flank troublemakers trying to escape capture.

The town's underground prison was halfling-sized, making it especially unpleasant for human-sized criminals.

Government
A mayor (Lord-Mayor Lyrminor Vineshigh in 1370 DR) governed the town with the advising of a council.

Law Enforcement
The town was protected by a volunteer militia, which in 1370 was headed by Captain Arex Speartall. The militia performed training exercises once a month. Captain Speartall's deputy was a human man named Urm Saajor.

Trade
Forty percent of the wine in nobles' houses in Tethyr originated in Vineshade. Vineshade's wines, ciders, and beers were known all over Faerûn, and the town, despite its small size, was responsible for a large portion of Tethyr's total income.

Society
In 1370 DR, the population of Vineshade was 32 hundred souls, of which eight-tenths were halflings. The population did not change much over the seasons.

The center of social life in the town was the Vintners' Guildhouse. Nearly every resident would visit the Guildhouse at least once a day to catch up on news and gossip.

History
Vineshade only suffered two attacks during the Tethyrian Interregnum, and Captain Speartall's well-trained milita drove the brigands away both times without harm to the town.

Rumors
Duchess Marilyn Haresdown was said to visit the town frequently, because she had become infatuated with a brewer and widower named Pollan, who was living there.

Notable Locations

 * The Purple Pillow : This two-story building was one of only four human-sized inns in the town and contained a taproom and restaurant.
 * Rath's Grapes : This burrow-tavern specialized in both local and imported wines.
 * The Town Hollow : This halfling-sized burrow entered through a hollow tree served as the town hall.
 * The Vintners' Guildhouse : The town center and the largest building in the town, this three story building was the home of the Vintners' Guild.

Notable Inhabitants
In 1370 DR, notable individuals living in Vineshade included:
 * Lord-Mayor Lyrminor Vineshigh, the mayor,
 * Guildmistress Sunni Talltankard-Vineshigh, the mayor's wife and leader of the Vintners' Guild,
 * Master Cumber Talltankard, Sunni's older brother and one of the largest vineyard-holders in the town,
 * Captain Arex Speartall, captain of the militia,
 * Deputy Urm Saajor, a wagonwright who kept his true werebear identity secret,
 * Pollan, a human brewer who was third-in-charge of the Vintner's Guild,
 * Raaln Fyllium, the half-elven owner of the Purple Pillow,
 * Ysaa Fyllium, Raaln Fyllium's wife, and
 * Rath, a vintner and the owner of Rath's Grapes.