This was a city nearly completely without humans, though all other races, especially the so-called "unwanted" and "unappreciated" ones lived in peace. When humans came, they were often met with suspicion at the gate. After all, many of those who dwelled within had once dealt with... "human hospitality" the hard way before they made it here. -- Anon Guest
They called it Middenden as a joke, and the name stuck. Those who made it were, after all, those thrown out by the dominant society. Hellkin, Bugbears, halfbreds of all kinds. The ones ground down by those currently in power.
Many fine things start with grinding something down to powder, and then mixing it with other things.
Humanity held sway over the world, and it looked down at almost every other species. Often whilst they also spawned halfbreds with those other species. Though Humans were the first ones to invoke deals with both devils and angels, they cast out the devilborn and the hallow-blooded alike.
Outcasts have ways of finding their own. Once found, those outcasts make a place for themselves. It only began with ghettos in cities large enough to not care where the unwelcome went at night.
Eventually, people objected to the ghettos. Or more correctly, to the beings who lived in them. Purges and riots sent them outwards.
Until they found somewhere scoured clean of Human life.
The last traces of its destruction were almost invisible, but some of the structures remained. Those who found it hunkered in the remains of the fort. Dug masonry out of their first attempts at fields. Re-buried any remains they found in ground not worth building on or growing in.
They never told anyone else about it. The other Unwelcomes just... found it. Whispers spread the word.
There is a place we can go. They won't throw us out. We can belong.
The longing to belong is a powerful thing. The need to be safe is strong. And those who are outcast learn to take knowledge and skills wherever they go.
When one is frequently chased out of an area with the clothes on one's back, one knows the value of knowledge.
Therefore, it was no shock that the residents of Middenden crafted small magical trinkets. Things made to find the Unwelcome and then show them the way to the new haven.
It was no shock that, once they were settled, the Unwelcome put their skills to work, and made wonderful things to trade. They had the time, now. They had less stress, now. They had community like they had never had before.
And it was no shock that Humans eventually found where those wonderful things came from.
Middenden was prepared.
They had made defences out of a well-justified need. They knew what the rest of civilisation would do once it found them.
The first Human trader who came to Middenden learned what the shoe was like on the other foot. Orsina Vildangano, purveyor of interesting items, found herself followed about by at least one member of the City Watch.
Every shopkeeper found things to do wherever she was in their stores.
Mothers plucked up their babies and held them close whenever she passed. Some shielded their children with their own bodies. Some children went crying for their families, toys left behind in their panic.
Some toddlers pointed and said, "Wha's dat?"
She was overcharged and short-changed on a regular basis, and everyone in Middenden glared at her as if they'd rather she died on the spot.
Orsina knew exactly why. She didn't complain. She didn't object. These were people reflecting what the world gave to them, back onto one of its representatives.
What she did do was tell others about her experience. Part warning, part explanation, she told of what she'd seen, and some of how amazing it was.
And some people hear 'amazing' and fail to listen any further.
Lies Hashu[1] wanted an amazing experience for herself and her children. She had a lot of money, and could afford whatever it took to get there. Which included a flying boat.
Her first mistake was landing it on one of Middenden's crop fields. A move guaranteed to raise ire amongst Middenden's people. Especially when she snapped her fingers at the farmer and demanded a palanquin to take her immediately to the finest inn possible.
It was one of the giantfolk who carried her sky-yacht to a nearby field, ignoring Lies' protests that the cattle would climb the ramp and "leave unwanted deposits" all over her expensive carpets.
She did not get her palanquin.
She did not appreciate what Middenden had to offer. She was not impressed by its measures to make sure citzens of all sizes could access what they needed. Indeed, she tripped on or stubbed her toe on every Smallfolk platform at every shop counter she got near.
She screamed and cried, and complained about how this city was overrun with Unwelcome Peoples.
It should have shocked nobody that Lies and her arrogant kids were run out of town on a rail. With all the tar and feathers that Middenden had to spare.
[1] Pronounced "LEE-ess hash-SHOE". Yes I know what it looks like.
[Image by Ella de Kross on Unsplash]
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