Old Bay Village is a small port town located on the Northern Headlands coast in Gilneas. Although small, they provide plenty of resources and hospitality to visitin folks and those native to Gilneas.
Founded by a group of fisherman who left Keel Harbor many years ago, they made a small settlement to be able to handle their business and lives the way they saw fit. Over the first decade they had moved and settled, they kept open trade routes with those they still had connections within Keel Harbor, bolstering the economy of the small village. This allowed them to better their living situation by building more homes and establishments on the lands claimed.
As others slowly trickled in over the years, the decision to have leadership came up as a way to help maintain the small village with the villagers still having a say themselves. Around 960 F.A., a mayor and a council of five was voted into place to oversee the village's welfare.
During the rebellion, Old Bay Village struggled hard both with its people and economy. The village split in its views; loyalists and rebels and nearly daily fighting broke out in the streets. By the end of the rebellion, many of the skirmishes had eventually died in the rebellion or left due to political differences. To this day, tension can still be felt despite the acceptance of the Worgen within Gilneas.
Over the years since, with Ada Taylor as its new mayor who took office shortly before the rebellion, it has slowly returned to its steady-state of economy and life.
Though the town was able to remain stable through the Fourth War, a threat external to the conflict eventually found its way into the town. The Children of the Brook, incensed by the killing of one of their own, attempting to attack the town. They were successfully thwarted by William Talbot and the Smith household, but knowledge of the attack left several townspeople shaken.
Along with a small port, they have an area for smaller fisherman boats and for the children to enjoy the water in!
Because they are mainly a seaside village, they do not have prime farm real estate and require imports of vegetables and fruits, meats and cheeses. They also request metals and ore for their town blacksmith.
Over the decades since its establishment, the village had come to be known for a few specific things: their seafood and horses. The Smith Family, one of the first families to settle with the village at its establishment had been known to be some of the most fantastic chefs around Northern Gilneas. Not only do they sell some of what they catch, but they make a mean crab special dinner!
The Wright Family, another original family since the founding of the village, has been breeding pure Gilnean horses, establishing the Wright Horse Hatchery around 1001 F.A..
For the most part, because of the Wright family's generosity, many of the villages have or have access to a Horse to travel with, albeit for a price. Along the coast, while the harbor is not huge, it is just big enough to allow decent sized ships that move within the Gilneas border.
As tensions within Keel Harbor rose, the future founders of Old Bay decided there had been enough. As the heat of Summer prepared to die, those displeased with Keel Harbor's way of life prepared to leave for new lands. Journeying northward they came upon an unsettled bay of Gilneas, braced by the all giving ocean and green fields of their nation. With a firm agreement struck among the travelers they began to settle the land, building their lives around the coast and preparing for fall.
Hardship followed the people of the new town, as they found the ground unyielding and unwilling to take plant, leaving the settlers in dire times. If they could not produce crop, they would have to return to Keel Harbor to avoid starvation, but the people were proud and resolute, determined to not crawl back to their old life. If they earth would not yield to them then they decided that the sea would. In the churning waters of the old bay they found life, and where they found life they found sustenance. Sea creatures applenty, most notably the mighty crab, were hauled from the sea and cooked to sustain the peoples. Unbound by the seasons, the waters of the bay continued to nourish and keep the people in even the harshest of times.
In this spirit of recognition did they name the village Old Bay, paying homage to the body of water that had given them the very gifts of security and life. Every year since do the people of Old Bay gather around the bay to celebrate their village's founding with a faire, a parade of ships, and the largest crab eating festival known to Gilneas.
With how close they were established to Hallow's End, one of the first things they had begun to do was decorating in pumpkins and candles lit everywhere. During the month of October, alongside Founder's Day, the village is decorated to celebrate the spooky holiday with a fantastic mix of black and orange decorations and candles. They also enjoy visiting the Annual Hallow's End celebration in Gilneas.
Closely related to the Wright's, they traveled with their family and helped begin the foundations of what is now known as Old Bay Village. Because of this, there is always at least one Smith on the town council.
The Wright family, although many have passed during the Gilneas invasion and Northgate Rebellion, was one of the founding families of Old Bay Village after the departure of several from Keel Harbor. They were well known for their part in breeding horses and training them, as well as horse shows put on every so often. They were also fisherman on the side who always helped out at the docks. As one of the founding families, there is usually always a Wright member on the town council.
The Dickens were among the very first to step away and were also close friends with the Wright's. Much like the other founding families, there is usually always a member sitting on the town council.
One of the four founding families, the Black family was among the earlier families of Old Bay, though it has since dispersed and become virtually nonexistent.
Most recently the family consisted of Jeremiah and Abigail Black, and their daughter Lillian Black. The Northgate Rebellion created a political divide between Jeremiah and Abigail that led to an unspoken divorce, with Abigail leaving the town and Jeremiah abandoning their daughter in the Gilneas City marketplace. After Jeremiah was run out of town the only remaining Black, Lillian, was adopted by the Smiths.
A newly established family in Old Bay, the Dwellingtons consist solely of one Percival D. L. Dwellington III, a mercantile businessman who prior to the exodus of Gilneas was a successful treasurer for the Royal Bank of Gilneas in the capital. Percival helped fund the restoration of the town as a pilot project for the future re-establishment of Gilneas following marked success within the Ashen Coast, and later rose to the position of town council member.
Kora, Valythra and Aeliren have full creative reign involving Old Bay. This includes using, expanding on its lore and history, creating a future and wikipage.
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