Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Shire (夏尔) |
| Alias(es) | Shire Town 90 |
| Type | Town; former hereditary noble domain 90 |
| Affiliation | Dierjia / Dilga Empire 90 184 |
| Namesake | The Shire family, whose surname became the town’s name 90 |
| Local authority | Baron Shire retains substantial influence despite imperial land and tax reforms 90 101 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 88, “Settling in Shire” 88 |
Background / History
Shire was formerly the hereditary domain of the Shire family. Its mining past included an extensive underground operation, and the family’s residence reflected the wealth of its former mine owners. A resident recalls that the town was bustling during his childhood, contrasting with its later scarcity of outside visitors 89 90 95.
Imperial reforms nominally reclaimed ownership of noble lands and the right to collect taxes. Nevertheless, provincial nobles retained considerable practical influence and administrative authority. Baron Shire continued to receive information from people within the local police station, although he was no longer the lands’ absolute ruler 90 101.
Following the Shire family’s punishment for colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, its accumulated fortune was confiscated. The family’s nominal castle, abandoned mines, and some estates passed to relatives 220.
Geography and Townscape
- Town streets: Dark and poorly maintained during Mulan and Handel’s arrival; armed residents escort the stranded passengers to their lodgings 89.
- Surrounding countryside: Mountains and mine tunnels provide hiding places for werewolves. Some stranded travelers later remain voluntarily to enjoy Shire’s rural scenery 89 94 102.
- Road to the baron’s residence: A relatively smooth road leaves town, crosses sparse woodland, and reaches a mansion at the foot of a hill 90.
- Settlement contrast: The baron’s magnificent residence stands outside the town rather than among its ordinary households 90.
Notable Locations
| Location | Description |
|---|---|
| Old Shire Station / Shire Railway Station | The railway stop where passengers disembark after the werewolf attack. Passing trains gradually carry them onward, and Mulan eventually departs with Handel and Farolynch 88 101 102 103. |
| Shire Police Station | A station with a shabby sign whose workload surges after the train disaster. Its officers evade Owen’s questions about the attack 101. |
| Baron’s Residence | A lavish mansion outside town, containing a study, a concealed basement entrance, and an underground passage. Mulan’s party finds Farolynch’s coffin in its basement, occupied by the baron 90 92 93. |
| Abandoned Shire mine | A deep, branching tunnel network occupied by werewolves. Its three-dimensional connections are not adequately represented by the old flat map used by Mulan’s party 94 95. |
| Mine transit chamber | A natural cavity more than a hundred meters underground, formerly used as a miners’ rest area and supply depot. Surviving buildings include the wooden hut occupied by Silver Mane Dobrich 95. |
Local Life and Administration
- Accommodation: The train disruption fills Shire’s inns. A local detective arranges lodging with residents, and Mulan pays six silver coins for a household stay with Handel 88 89.
- Nighttime precautions: Their host warns them not to go outside after dark. Residents’ repeated glances at the full moon and guarded behavior make the visitors suspect concealed danger 89.
- Tourism plans: Baron Shire promotes tourism as a possible avenue for development and suppresses reports of werewolves to protect the town’s prospects 101.
- Public awareness: After the werewolf battle, ordinary town life resumes without residents knowing what occurred during the night 98.
Story Role / Major Events
Stranded Passengers
A damaged train is judged unsafe and unable to transport everyone, forcing its passengers to remain in Shire. Mulan and Handel lodge with a local family before accepting Baron Shire’s invitation to his residence. During the night, approaching wolf howls alarm Handel; Mulan concludes that the wolves are searching for the vampire and have some understanding with the town that discourages them from entering casually 88 89 90.
Destruction of the Werewolf Den
The nearby abandoned mine houses more than a hundred werewolves in its main chamber alone, under Silver Mane Dobrich. Mulan, Handel, Farolynch, and Baron Shire infiltrate the tunnels, using the baron’s vampire-derived influence and improvised negotiations to keep the creatures compliant while explosives are planted 94 95.
Dobrich recalls six roaming groups before retreating into the mine. Timed explosives detonate two hours later. Following Dobrich’s defeat, the party buries his corpse and checks the mine for other escapees 95 98.
Investigations and the Baron’s Disappearance
Owen visits Shire to investigate the train attack, but local police conceal information and the baron distracts him with hospitality and development proposals. Mulan and his companions subsequently leave by rail 101 103.
During the later investigation into the Life Divine Religion, Mulan returns with royal guards and investigators to find Baron Shire missing. A search of the town yields no trace of him; a magnetic marker on the globe in his study points to Kingsbia. The earlier breeding of werewolves in Shire becomes part of the evidence warning Dierjia’s leadership of a wider supernatural threat 184.