Wehnimer's Landing

Wehnimer's Landing was a small outpost town located near Darkstone Bay. It was established around 4873 when Rone Wehnimer established the Wayside Inn.

The Town and History

Commonly referred to as "The Landing", Wehnimer's Landing was a mixing pot of the various races of Elanthia. Despite its size, the town has experienced many traumatic events since its inception from the Krolvin War to the occupation by the Barony of Jantalar in 5103. It was the location of the Silver Gryphons, a knighthood created by the Baron of Vornavis to protect the town from the expansionist dreams of Jantalaran Baron, Lerep Hochstib.

The town was home to many of the Cooperative Houses of Elanthia, and the town office continuously employed runners to carry messages to them. The town was bisected by the Locksmehr River on its eastern side, which opened onto a bay that proved useful for sea trade. Until 5103, the town was home to the nefarious Council of Light which had headquartered itself in a bathhouse north of the town square. The departure of the Council coincided with the murder of the town mayor, whose body was found in the bathhouse minus its head. A subsequent election was held to fill the position, only to reveal itself as a sham at its conclusion.

The town had two gates, a north gate and a west gate. The west gate which faced the fields adjacent to Dragonsclaw Forest was guarded by a single sentry, nicknamed Sleepy for his attention to duty. Underneath the town was a vast labyrinth of catacombs, which if one avoided the small wildlife which dwelled within it, allowed for access to different parts of the town. A water slew accessed in the catacombs deposited individuals outside the town walls.

In addition to the Wayside Inn, the town was serviced by two other inns. The Raging Thrak Inn, located in the northwest corner of the town square, and Frith's Inn, which was located off of Dragonsclaw Road. Due to the size of the town, there was only one great temple. It was served primarily by followers of Lorminstra. However, in the region surrounding the town, several shrines and altars to other Arkati and spirits were located.

In terms of trade, two significant factors occurred in the last part of the 51st century. First, in 5096, the Baron of Jantalar, Hochstib, established a blockade on the free port of Solhaven. This resulted in the redirection of the Glaesen Star, a cargo and passenger vessel that operated between Teras Isle and the continent. Ever since the ship has made its destination port the Landing. The second event occurred as a consequent reaction to the blockade. The Baron of Vornavis, Dunrith Malwind, sought to replace the lost sea trade by construction of a caravansary road to Wehnimer's Landing. This road was completed in 5098 and facilitated a large amount of traffic between the port and the trading post. It may have also encouraged Malwind's support of the town's independence while it was beset by Jantalar in 5103.

Behind the Scenes

Kelfour's Landing and Early History

The world of GemStone was originally different than the world that exists today. Under the management of Iron Crown Enterprises, the game had different names for gods, materials, and places. After Simutronics gained full control of the game, names had to be changed to avoid copyright issues. As a result, the town that was originally named Kelfour's Landing was renamed Wehnimer's Landing. For years after, there were some aspects of the old Kelfour's Landing era still recognizable in various parts of the town.

For the majority of the game's existence, the Landing was the starting point for all new players. Even with the later release of new towns and regions in Elanthia, the Landing remains one of the core starting points. Due to its historical role, the Landing remains the most populated of towns in game and is the economic center in terms of buying and selling in game, despite its In Character size.

Prior to the expansion of GemStone to include Ta'Vaalor, the vast majority of new players started here, and the Cul-de-Sac entrance to the Catacombs (and thus the giant rat hunting area) was a very popular resting point, used almost exclusively by young adventurers. (It is now usually deserted, and is no longer a node.)

Street Names

Unlike nearly any other town in GemStone, Wehnimer's Landing has streets named after the characters of some of its earliest players. One such example is Taarna Road, which was named for the founder of House Brigatta.

Mayor's Office

This is what the mayor's office looked like about the time that a new mayor was chosen in 5110:
The mayor's office is spartan, with straightbacked chairs, over one of which is draped a striped voalcat vest, and a stolid desk. A cabinet contains a menacing assortment of iron and steel weapons, a few hunting trophies, and parchment maps of the Landing and outlying districts. You also see a varnished modwir door.

Nearby Places of Interest