Welcome
| settlement name | duchy | district/province | type | population | founding year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome | Toreen | — | hamlet | 2,811 | 4499 |
Welcome lies in eastern Toreen, 22km outside of Torbeck, at a three-way junction of the Royal Road. Composed entirely of wagons, it is probably the most curious little settlement in Kalderesh, existing because of a quirk of geography and an error in city planning.
Its story begins with the completion of the Royal Road, a massive 34 year project to connect all major settlements in the kingdom. The ground around Alydwynne Swamp, in the direction of Torbeck, proved unsuitable for the Road, so a tributary to the city was built along solid group. Where the Royal Road branches, an enterprising hostelier saw a business opportunity. He began selling mead out of his wagon, and soon began construction of a road-side pub, which he named “Welcome!”. Over the next few years, several other buildings sprouted up, selling food and drink and offering basic services. Soon, a bustling community had been established, and several inns and even a warehouse was in operation. This increased activity, however, caused road congestion from time to time, and even serious damage to the Road surface.
Eventually, in 4498, the Duke of Toreen decreed that the settlement had to be disbanded. There was much outcry and objection, and the Duke compromised by ruling that no permanent structures would be permitted.
Thus was the modern Welcome born: a settlement of wagons, some extremely large, spread out along all three sections of the Royal Road. Once a year, all the wagons have to be moved, a minimum distance of one kilometre, to prove their non-permanence. Thus begins “The Change”, a curious and somewhat chaotic race as, in stages, the entire settlement takes to the Road, travels a distance and turns back to re-settle. New wagons use this opportunity to join the settlement, often causing much confusion.
The annual changing configuration of the settlement is mirrored by the position of “mayor” of Welcome, which also changes each year. The mayor is the operator of the last wagon to find its spot on change day. The exact powers of the mayor is up for debate, as is the legitimacy of Welcome as a formal settlement. Despite these legal questions, Welcome celebrates its 192nd birthday at the time of this writing.
There are 13 special “church wagons”, which serve as mobile places of worship. Church wagons typically have a special consecrated space or holy item onboard, as well as living space for one or more clerics.