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Welcome, friends, to the Pathfinder Build a Community project. The purpose of this thread is to develop a community organically that can then be used as an adventure locale. Everyone is welcome, but there are some rules to follow. Take a peek at the guidelines and then jump right in!
3 Rules:
1) No artifacts. Artifacts are unbelievably rare. Most adventurers will go their entire careers without ever seeing one.
EXAMPLE-RIGHT: Bob buys a periapt of wisdom from the mage
EXAMPLE-WRONG- Bob kills the evil mage and pries the Sword of Kas from his dead hands
2) Major events (zombie invasions, dragon razings, disintegration of major characters) should be proposed, rather than enacted. You would post a "proposition" at the end of your post if you wanted to do something huge with a rough outline of what you wanted to happen. The NEXT poster would then be able to decide if they thought your major even was truly warranted. Thusly for any major event to occur it would have to be seconded.
EXAMPLE: "Proposition" I think it would be interesting for Bobville to be raided by a squad of Hobgoblins
3) Any poster may start the body of his post with the word "STOP". This means that he has taken serious issue with some event posted in the last chronicle. Further posts should not be made directly chronicling the town's events until the issue has been decided on. Without my posting an event can be considered "decided" if three consecutive posts are made in agreement as to whether or not the event is canon excluding the original poster of the event.
EXAMPLE:
Poster 1: Everyone is now a Vampire
Poster 2: STOP. That is ridiculous
Poster 3: I agree. The vampire thing is stupid.
Poster 4: I agree. And that’s three of us so it's out. Next person can chronicle without it.
On specific characters:
Pathfinder is about PC's. However this thread is not. If you plan on adding a character you made to the town then problems arise. You see if you spend a few hours making a character you have already invested effort into him. You feel some sense of ownership to him and that means you want to -control- him. The problem is that if you control an NPC he is no longer an NPC, he's a PC. This thread is about letting as many people as possible input their ideas and use them to shape the City at large, and if you have a character that you don't want others to control then the thread stops being about Building a City and becomes about your character. If you ever make a character, item, group, or event that you consider to be specifically -yours- then it is likely that you have done something that is not conducive to the continuation of this thread.
EXAMPLE-RIGHT: I think the town needs an experienced Blacksmith. I'll make a 5th level Expert move in this season, I'll say he's a dwarf.
EXAMPLE-WRONG: I want to make a town Blacksmith. I'll make Gart Stonenose the 9th level former rogue retiree. He'll be a level 2 Fighter/Level 5 Rogue/Level 2 Dwarf Paragon* and he'll have only one eye.
On all characters: [/b]
How many stuntmen do you know? How about professional bastketball players? How about astronauts, celebrities, CIA agents, Rap stars, or SWAT commanders? The answer is probably "not a lot" and the reason I ask is to give you an idea of the general rarity of PC's in the world. You see in the D20 system the above mentioned people are the folks you play as PC's and are no more common. As such while it's perfectly acceptable to have people with PC classes move into the town they should be limited. Most should be NPC classes of the appropriate type and when PC's DO come into town they should generally be of the 1st-5th level kind. An arrival of a 10th level PC into town would be like if Ludacris bought a house down the street from you. It's rare.
For further discussion on this topic, check out this thread here: Level Demographics
On major events:
Above I said that "Major Events" should be proposed rather than enacted so I've complied a quick list of Major Events that can be used as guidelines. These are to be used with common sense so if your Satyr invasion only kills 4% of the population then it’s still probably not that cool to just do it.
-Any event that kills 5% of the population or more (Zombie invasion)
-The introduction of an individual of equal or higher level than the highest level person in town (King arrives in town)
-The introduction of a "Character" (The Wizard Zell arives in town)
-The introduction of a group or organization (A member of the "Black Thieves Guild" arrives in town)
-Any event which irrevocably changes the way the town will function for the foreseeable future (The Wizard Zell builds an enormous Magic Academy)
-The death or permanent altering of any "Character" in town (The Wizard Zell gets disintegrated in a duel)
-The introduction of any monster or group of monsters which cannot be reasonably defeated by the town (A Black Dragon takes up residence in the nearby hills)
On location:
While this city is not being built in any specific region of Golarion, standard Pathfinder assumptions exist, e.g. Humans are the dominant race, all standard fantasy races are present, low-level magic is common, etc.
On the thread that started this topic there is a lot of good discussion on what the environment for our community will be, as we as a whole bunch of brainstorming of possible ideas. Feel free to draw inspiration from this as you want.
Year 1: March – May
The recent string of earthquakes caused their share of destruction, but for one Ottar Velsking they signalled a great opportunity. The shifting earth opened up a path wide enough for wagons into the mountains to an area he had long suspected to hold the mineral wealth that would make him and his family rich. However, he knew and his family wouldn’t be able to survive settling the unexplored valley alone. Careful not to invite competing miner families, he convinced the other founding families of the untold number of possibilities that exist in settling a new community. Spending a considerable amount of his own money, he hired Lysanthir Mistmorn, a ranger familiar with the nearby mountains, to be their guide and to stay with the settlers at least until the end of their first winter. It remained a secret between the miner and the ranger that a tribe of hobgoblins were known to have lived in the valley.
The trip to the valley took several days but the optimistic spirit of the settlers carried them through it easily. However, the valley itself disappointed many of them. Instead of the verdant fields and mountain flowers of their imaginations, they are met by yellow grasses and the last vestiges of winter. The first cabin was constructed near the largest stream that flowed down from the volcanic mountains, and was erected quickly out of the timber that had been purchased by the merchant Bornel Buslem, dragged along with the party. It took nearly a month before five more suitable cabins could be constructed from the timber that grew on the sides of the mountains.
While a spirit of community remained among the settlers, after the initial teamwork of building the cabins the individual families turned a lot of their efforts towards their own endeavours or exploring the rest of the valley.
Total Population - 22
Buildings :
Cabins 5
Major Characters:
Ottar Velsking (LN human Warrior 1/Expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf Ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human Aristocrat 1/Expert 2)
Velsking Family
Ottar Velsking (LN middle age human male Warrior 1/Expert 3 )
Amira Velsking (LG middle age human female Aristocrat 1/Expert 2 )
Crompton Family
Crag Crompton (N old human male Expert 4)
Eliza Crompton (NE old human female Commoner 1/Expert 2)
Wortherson Family
Devin Wortherson (NG middle age human male Cleric (Sarenrae) 1/Expert 1)
Banetta Wortherson (NGmiddle age human female Commoner 1/Expert 1)
Goreden Family
Mikael Goreden (NG middle age human male Expert 2)
Buslem Family
Bornel Buslem (N middle age human male Aristocrat 1/Expert 2)
Conroy Buslem (NE adult human male Aristocrat 1/Expert 1)
I’m not even sure if Golarion uses these months, and I’m basing my timing off of the American West. Go ahead and call me ethnocentric. But I thought putting real world months on it might make it easier to keep track of the seasons.
Also, I think it might be convenient to make a running list after each post what the towns current population is, what the major buildings are, and who the main players are. While we have brainstormed who the starting families are, I would also say we hold off listing them as “major characters” until that time that they are actually named in someone’s chronicles. I listed the heads of our founding families however as a separate list since they are most likely to become a major character and for ease of reference.
All that being said, the next 1 to 3 month chronicle is open for whoever would like to write it. (Summer would most likely be well on its way).
Desnus, 4711 AR (Year 1: May)
While surveying the foothills immedietely outside the valley in the hopes of finding better soil for his crops, Mikael Goreden and his eldest son discover the intact skull of what once must have been an impressive mule deer buck. Taking this as a sign of divine guidance, Goreden gathers a number of mossy stones from the stream and uses them to construct a crude shrine to Erastil at the entrance to the valley. The skull is placed atop the mound of stones to compete the simple structure.
Total Population 22
Buildings
Cabins (5)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
Abadius – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 37/low 16)
Calistril – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 44/low 21)
Pharast – Spring (Average Rainfall .5 in & Temperatures of high 54/low 27)
Gozran – Spring (Average Rainfall .9 in & Temperatures of high 62/low 33)
Desnus – Spring (Average Rainfall 1.8 in & Temperatures of high 71/low 39)
Sarenith – Summer (Average Rainfall 4.0 in & Temperatures of high 80/low 46)
Erastus – Summer (Average Rainfall 3.1 in & Temperatures of high 89/low 51)
Arodus – Summer (Average Rainfall 1.6 in & Temperatures of high 88/low 50)
Rova – Autumn (Average Rainfall 1.1 in & Temperatures of high 77/low 42)
Lamashan – Autumn (Average Rainfall .6 in & Temperatures of high 64/low 33)
Neth – Autumn (Average Rainfall .5 in & Temperatures of high 48/low 25)
Kuthona – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 37/low 17)
Sarenith, 4711 AR (Year 1: June)
As the air begins to warm with the promise of summer, thunderheads appear to the west releasing a deluge. A deluge that starts with a thunderstorm and lasts for three days with intermittent drizzle with the occasional heavy burst. As the rain passes, it has soften the ground and allow for easy plowing of fields. Summer planting is done between the many summer showers and flash thunderstorms. The river swells with melted snow water supplemented with the summers storms, and several of the men take to fishing the river bringing in trout, sturgeon, and a strange long spoon-billed fish (paddle fish). One exceptional catches yield a great many fish eggs, which is then smoked to produce a fine caviar. But the rains return with summer storms that turn the areas around the cabins into a thick sludge of mud. People are miserable and tempers are short, level heads prevail for the time.
Total Population 22
Buildings
Cabins (5)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Fields planted with summer crops (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, buckwheat, etc.) - not sure how many.
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
STOP!
We don't have a river in the valley. There's a mountain stream, but that's it; such streams are too fast-moving to support large fish.
I'm sorry, I think I've miss communicated some ideas here.
We have a stream running thru the valley, during the rainiest part of the year with melting mountain snow waters that would fill it
A river is defined as:
A large natural stream of water emptying into an ocean, lake, or other body of water and usually fed along its course by converging tributaries.
2. A stream or abundant flow
Now if we wanted a creek or spring, thats fine too it would be simple enough to say they fished a river that they crossed while coming here.
And for quick moving water, that's the time to catch the big fish as the move up fast moving water, but only during spawning season (i.e. the caviar) usually about this time.
I realize that I'm taking this data based off real-world sources and that could be changed in a magical world.
So three quick and easy adjusts:
* The river is outside the valley
* The stream is rising due to melting snow from nearby mountains
* A river is a stream and thats it.
And most of the year those fish wouldn't be in the river - just a once a year trip.
Sorry again to be confusing.
Mountain streams, as I'm familiar with them, are very specific; perhaps it's just regional terminology. In the traditional sense they'd be defined as brooks. They're the result of melt water, from either permanent or seasonal snowcaps. They are rather fast-moving, rocky, and any larger fish get pounded to a pulp in their waters, even when swollen beyond normal levels; the banks are usually just as rocky as the stream bed itself. It's not a pretty sight.
Most importantly, though, they don't always empty into a larger body of water; they have an annoying habit of going underground and joining the the water table directly, either through a cave or other opening, or slowly by seeping through the surrounding soils. Finally, there isn't much water in this region at all, due to the weather we decided upon. Any flow is going to vary in depth and consistency year-round; large fish cannot survive in a climate lacking steady and substantial water. Even when they swell due to extreme weather, there simply isn't likely to be many fish to make use of the expanded waterways.
There is likely to be trout and possibly several other species of fish in the rumored glacial lakes, trapped there from a time when the region we've described wasn't so dry. They may even be substantial in size, but they would likely be confined to their own bodies of water, tucked away in the mountains and usually difficult to find. Smaller examples would likely make their way down an unusually swollen waterway, though.
I'll chalk it up to regional differences, and revise my post to just average temperatures and rainfalls so that things keep moving along:
Abadius – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 37/low 16)
Calistril – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 44/low 21)
Pharast – Spring (Average Rainfall .5 in & Temperatures of high 54/low 27)
Gozran – Spring (Average Rainfall .9 in & Temperatures of high 62/low 33)
Desnus – Spring (Average Rainfall 1.8 in & Temperatures of high 71/low 39)
Sarenith – Summer (Average Rainfall 4.0 in & Temperatures of high 80/low 46)
Erastus – Summer (Average Rainfall 3.1 in & Temperatures of high 89/low 51)
Arodus – Summer (Average Rainfall 1.6 in & Temperatures of high 88/low 50)
Rova – Autumn (Average Rainfall 1.1 in & Temperatures of high 77/low 42)
Lamashan – Autumn (Average Rainfall .6 in & Temperatures of high 64/low 33)
Neth – Autumn (Average Rainfall .5 in & Temperatures of high 48/low 25)
Kuthona – Winter (Average Rainfall .3 in & Temperatures of high 37/low 17)
I'm guessing that's a proposal, then?
The temperatures hardly define the harsh environment we were trying for, and fail to consider the rain shadow and location near the mountains. Winter highs are fine, but the lows should be closer to zero, or even subzero (I'm guessing those are in Fahrenheit). I'd also push the summer highs up a tad, into the mid 90's, and possibly in the low 100's beyond the mountain's foothills. Rainfall should be particularly low in the summer, probably near .5 in or less. Even the spring and autumn spikes in precipitation should be small, around 0.8-1.2 in.
I didn't think it was a proposal, I thought this was the climate:
1.Semi-arid region with little precipitation. A maritime influence causes a wetter summers and drier winters. Hot summer days are tempered by the low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months since, for most of the state, the highest diurnal difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual.
2. Average rainfall in the plains is 15 inches per year while the mountains might see as much as 100 inches. Temperatures ranger from 32/16 F in winter to 89/60 F in summer.
I just filled in the numbers in between.
1.Semi-arid region with little precipitation. A maritime influence causes a wetter summers and drier winters. Hot summer days are tempered by the low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months since, for most of the state, the highest diurnal difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual.
2. Average rainfall in the plains is 15 inches per year while the mountains might see as much as 100 inches. Temperatures ranger from 32/16 F in winter to 89/60 F in summer.
Nope, we never really discussed climate. I think most of us just thought we would fit the climate to the specific geography we described. To be honest, I missed your post; I went to work, and when I checked back in there had been a surge of new edits.
Most of Idaho is certainly nothing like the area we've described; the majority of the state could hardly be considered barren in any sense of the term, and even those areas that appear harsher on the surface boast abundant sources of water, rich soil, and ideal growing conditions. Montana's probably closer, but even it tends to be more ... hospitable ... than what we were looking for.
We're looking at a old-feel mining town, so think northeastern to southern Nevada, western and southern Utah; there's water if you know where to look for it, and are willing to work for it. Weather can be unforgiving, and extremes in temperature are common. Soil is poor, in many cases salty, and rocky. Much of the area is barren, with the exception of hardy native plants, and isolated spots of green in mountains and valleys, where the little water that's present collects.
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WELL HUT
Given that this is an infrequent stream (flows occuring during icemelt), I would propose that your villagers build an artificial weir (made of medium-heavy stones found loose on the surface) creating several small ponds along the stream bed, and a Well Hut - a Timber pole frame (and fence) supporting a Wooden Roof covering the top most pool as a safe drink source. This design is basic neolithic.
The Well itself will need to function as a Storage Tank. Construction of an actual well will require Heavy timber poles used to line the well walls - confined by heavy brass rings that will allow the square cut timbers to expand watertight yet the metal will not corrode over time like iron bands. This is basic barrel making technology level.
Erastus 4711 AR (Year 1: July)
The violent spring rains gave way to heat of summer. This was initially a welcomed relief to the women in the community who found it difficult to keep mud out of wood cabins and impossible to keep clothes clean or dry. However, some of the men of the community worried the dryness of summer meant that their snow fed stream would wane and that water might become an issue.
While noone could recall after the fact who suggested the building of the well-hut, it was clear what happened next.
First, Crag Compton excused his family from the work, citing their responsibilities with their cattle. While both the baker and the cleric offered to help with the work Ottar Velsking took it upon himself to call out Bornel Buslem and his son for their uncanny knack for disappearing when their was work to be done. The conversation deteriated further until both Buslem and Velsking were yelling, shoving, and making the claim that they were the obvius choice for a community leader. It was only the level head of Devin Wortherson that stopped a real fight from breaking out.
In response to the outburst the Wortherson's met with each family individually to pich the idea of a town council instead of any individual mayor. While neither Velsking or Buslem was found of the idea, it was certainly better than loosing out to the other. The heads of each of the founding families were determined to be members of the council (though Bornel Buslem insisted his Son be offered a place to give his household proper representation), and major decisions would be made by a majority vote. Their first order of business was to decide to build the necessary weirs and well-hut needed.
The fish found in the new community's central stream suggested that it flowed from a larger source, so while the founders focused on keeping their fields from scorching, Lysanthir took the eldest Wortherson boy with him to explore where the stream originated from.
Total Population 22
Buildings
Cabins (5)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Fields planted with summer crops (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, buckwheat, etc.) - not sure how many.
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2
Devin Wortherson (LG human cleric(Sarenrae)1/expert 1)
Arodus 4711 - Year 1 (August)
Fresh off the formation of the village council, scandal rocks the town when the young and decidedly unwed daughter of Devin and Banetta can no longer hide her pregnancy. While the young girl manages to conceal the identity of the father, most eyes in the village look to Conroy Buslem as the likely culprit; for Conroy's part, he accuses one of the Crompton boys.
Devin, meanwhile, retreated into prayer, leaving much of the grunt work in the village to the others. Without his stabilizing influence, tensions continued to grow, much as the young Wortherson's belly. Banetta, on the other hand, took to her impending grandmother status immediately, and was able to convince the others to spend additional time building a smaller hut next to her own for the new family.
The month ends with Lysanthir and the new uncle returning to the village; they closet themselves with the council for a while reporting on their findings.
Total Population 22.5
Buildings
Cabins (6)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Growing but not perfectly attended crops.
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
Devin Wortherson (LG human cleric(Sarenrae)1/expert 1)
Rova 4711 - Year 1 (September)
Although the rifts remain, the arrival of harvest season forces the villagers to work together to get the summer crops out of the ground, plant winter crops and build a rough storehouse to keep the harvest safe for winter.
Also arriving with the ripe crops is what seems to be a plague of marmots and it becomes a race between humans and rodents to get to the crops first. Mikael Goreden comes to the fore against them, as his old training allows him to take out marmots with hard slung stones. Crag Crompton requisitions the marmot skins to be cured and tanned for later use.
Most of the marmot meat is dried, smoked, and placed in the stores with the crops while the rest is cooked on the spot and served up in a rather tense harvest-home meal.
Total Population 22.5
Buildings
Cabins (6)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Storehouse/Granary
Fields planted with winter crops (kale, snowpeas, garlic etc).
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
Devin Wortherson (LG human cleric(Sarenrae)1/expert 1)
Rova 4711 - Year 1 (September)
Although the rifts remain, the arrival of harvest season forces the villagers to work together to get the summer crops out of the ground, plant winter crops and build a rough storehouse to keep the harvest safe for winter.
Also arriving with the ripe crops is what seems to be a plague of marmots and it becomes a race between humans and rodents to get to the crops first. Mikael Goreden comes to the fore against them, as his old training allows him to take out marmots with hard slung stones. Crag Crompton requisitions the marmot skins to be cured and tanned for later use.
Most of the marmot meat is dried, smoked, and placed in the stores with the crops while the rest is cooked on the spot and served up in a rather tense harvest-home meal.
Rumors of this fledgling community have reached the surrounding region. Latham the Trader has recently experienced a down turn in his luck, and he's decided that venturing here might be his last chance to turn it around. He's brought only minimal supplies to trade, but he's hoping to find out what the community needs so he can return with more, as well as to find out what the community might have to trade in return. However, if he doesn't leave before the first snow, he'll be stuck here for the winter.
Total Population 23
Buildings
Cabins (6)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Storehouse/Granary
Fields planted with winter crops (kale, snowpeas, garlic etc).
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
Devin Wortherson (LG human cleric(Sarenrae)1/expert 1)
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Simple Aqueduct
Because not enough rain water and snow melt is getting to the Storage Well, I recommend the construction of a Simple Aqueduct to replace the stream above the well hut. This is a 2' deep, 2' wide trench from as high in the hills as possible - as far as any source of water might flow from. It will need to be lined with roughed Stone found scattered on the surface to Protect the walls from collapse. It can also be covered with Stones so animals are not drinking from it.
An aqueduct won't really provide more water to the settlement than the stream itself; I'm not opposed to the idea, but it would be a significant undertaking for the less than 20 individuals capable of participating in the task, especially heading into winter. At this point, I estimate it would probably be an undertaking that should occupy much of the community's man hours for nearly a year to accomplish.
Crisis: Damaged Grain Stores
I think it's a fitting occurrence for the first winter in the new area. We might have to have someone leave for the nearest city come spring, to replenish the lost seed.
The sheep and goats would need to be brought down from any mountain pastures, and likely led to the fields south of the valley in the foothills. This is likely to cause conflict with the cattle herds; cattle can't access mountain meadows, the poor things being so large and clumsy. Combined with the scarcity of natural feed in these foothills once the temperatures begin to drop, and we're likely to explore the reasons why cattlemen and shepherds have historically not been on the best of terms.
My next update will allow both to occur in October, should we decide to do so.
Lamashan 4711 - Year 1 (October)
An early winter storm hits the area, and though it only deposits an inch of snow on the ground, temperatures drop into the teens for a full week. The ground freezes, and though those tending the crops are able to cover the garlic with straw, saving it from the cold, the kale and the snow peas are lost.
Worries arise that with the failure of these crops to produce will result in a shortage of food over the winter months. Before leaving to watch over the livestock wintering in the foothills, Lysanthir hesitantly recommends a small group seek out fish upstream; though they hadn't reached it while exploring, he explains he and the elder Wortherson son had spotted what looked to be a bowl cut into the rock three days into the mountains. A small waterfall trickled over the stone nearby, and there's a good chance a small lake can be found within. The ranger voices concerns, though, that the weather may not hold; if the snows hit during such an excursion, anyone seeking the lake would find themselves trapped in the mountains and unable to return for some time.
Total Population 23
Buildings
Cabins (6)
Simple Shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Fields planted with winter crops (garlic)
Major Characters
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior 1/expert 3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger 3)
Bornel Buslem (N human aristocrat 1/expert 2)
Devin Wortherson (LG human cleric(Sarenrae)1/expert 1)
Hello gentlepeople!
Just as the winter season begins to creep in, three new faces arrive. The Narmonen family: Themiell (NG human Druid 2/Commoner 1), the elderly father, and his two sons. After the unfortunate passing of his wife last winter he has decided to return to "civilization" in the hopes of having his two boys married. Farmers by trade, they packed up what they had from their former home and set off to this new town they had heard about from travelers founded not to far away. Among their modest possessions are the crops from their farm harvested over the past year which will hopefully be enough to help the village get through the coming winter after the cold snap that ruined the kale and snow peas. It might just be enough, but the proposed excursion into the mountains for fish is still up for discussion by the council. Themiell's sons (Biden and Kam) are "two good strong lads" of 18 and 20 who are eager to find a place in this new home. Themiell and Devin Wotherson have struck up a quick friendship for both are level, down-to-earth people. With their new house on the edge of town the Narmonens are already planning and preparing for the coming planting season with Kam quick to tell of his fathers almost "Magical ability to grow near anything anywhere"
Feel free to make any changes.
Population: 26
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut (1)
Fields planted with winter crops (garlic)
Major characters:
Ottar Velsking (LN human warrior1/expert3)
Lysanthir Mistmorn (NG half-elf ranger3).
Bornel Buslem (N human aristrocrat1/expert 2
Devin Wotherson (LG human cleric1/expert2)
Also, I think it would be awesome if we could get a list of the characters, their occupations and a bit on their personalities. Thanks, and this is looking like a really neat project!
-Kal
Mountain streams usually flow all year, and that is likely the case here; we've established the settlement in an area where glacial lakes provide a permanent home for fish. In such a setting, the melt water is probably going to be bolstered by spring water. It makes no sense for the water supply to fail, and I do not support such a development.
Proposal:
The small Ironnose family of dwarves might move in. The father, Shale Ironnose has a secret(He's allergic to iron, so is his firstborn daughter. They are having sneezing fits near a few of the mountains). His son will build a still to convert the spoiled grain into Dwarven ale. The family came in a wagon drawn by 2 Dwarven draft horses(Not trained for battle). They will be a good help building the well and probably a stone barn. They will expand the storm cellar from their cottage to the point that they will mostly live there. (They will be reluctant to reveal the family secret because that was why they had to leave the other dwarves.)
It's a bit late in the year for anyone to be out and about. Perhaps they should arrive after the thaw, in March or April.
That said, an allergy to iron is rather severe, since iron is present in blood. It's usually coupled with some form of anemia, and it would be unlikely for this family to be able to hide their condition. Especially as dwarves, a race known for their hardy constitution; a sickly dwarf would stick out like a sore thumb. Perhaps they should instead suffer from a gold or silver allergy? Maybe even mithral.
Month: November
The community comes together again through shared work raising a barn. To celebrate they organize a short holiday, a humble pot-luck feast with dancing and singing afterwards. Bornel Buslem provides a small cask of fine liquor. Buslem and Velsking get a bit heated over something or other, but everyone shames them into letting it go before they can really get going.
Toward the end of the night the real drama happens when Conroy Buslem and the pregnant Liela Wortherson get into a loud argument over her supposedly flirting with Galious Crompton, one of the Crompton sons. This is when it comes out that Conroy is baby’s father which he had denied out of jealousy, wrongly convinced Liela was two-timing him with the Crompton boy. The party ends on a hopeful note with Conroy and Liela getting engaged. Both families begin planning a small wedding for the two.
The well is insulated and properly protected from harsh weather. Everyone works franticly to gather enough wood and grasses to fuel fires for the winter which is stored in the barn with the pack animals. A tom cat promptly moves into the barn and the hearts of the more sentimental townsfolk.
The young Alyssa Goreden brought home a litter of abandoned, nearly-weaned baby rabbits. She nurses them to health and considers them her pets. The other town members are willing to amuse her for now at Mikael’s stern insistence, but are already making breeding plans.
Population: 26
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut, insolated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Fields planted with winter crops (garlic)
Newly named characters:
Galious Crompton – Crompton son
Liela Wortherson – Pregnant Wortherson daughter
Month: Kuthona, 4711 (December-year 1)
Weather:
Most of Kuthona is unseasonably mild, with temperatures rarely dipping below freezing, but as the new year approaches Calistria shows why the month is named after her, 20 inches of snow is dumped on the little village. A shrine to Calistria is quickly build in an attempt to appease the goddess and spare the village of more harsh weather. The garlic drop was harvested before the storms hit.
Events:
A white scaled kobold is driven off from the barn by the ranger Lythansir. Not a good turn of events, as the populace begins to wonder how far away the kobolds are and what the level of the threat is. In response Lysandir sets some noise-maker traps in key locations, and he proposes a watch be set, then begins to train everyone in the use of the bow. Using fallen lumber from a snow-felled tree, he creates 3 bows for use of the village. Bornel begins to push to make himself leader of the village due to his aristocratic upbringing. Ottar Velkson strongly opposes Bornel as village leader and proposes he become the village leader.
Porposal: The village would vote on a leader. Would they vote the aristocrat or the warrior, or would they create a council with both on the council plus the ranger?
Population: 26
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Simple shrine to Calistria (1)
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Proposal:
A bard enter town to become the chronicler of the village. Create an avatar for this character, in the avatar will be all the village information: names, buildings, population, chronicle of events, etc.
** spoiler omitted **
Proposal: Changed
The small Ironnose family of dwarves might move in, in March. The father, Shale Ironnose has a secret(He's allergic to most metals except iron, dry sneazing only, so is his firstborn daughter. They are having sneezing fits near a few of the mountains). His son will build a still to convert the spoiled grain into Dwarven ale. The family came in a wagon drawn by 2 Dwarven draft horses(Not trained for battle). They will be a good help repairing the well and other stone construction, such as a stone barn. They will expand the storm cellar from their cottage to the point that they will mostly live there. (They will be reluctant to reveal the family secret because that was why they had to leave the other dwarves.)If you want to be scientific(Ain't no shame in that) you can't be allergic to gold because it's a noble metal. Cybermen are not allergic. Gold coats the inside of their bionic lungs.
Side proposal, In the meantime, someone else may build some kind of proceedure for fementing spoiled grain during the winter.
Go to Fermentation.
4712 - Year 2 (January)
The new year brings no relief to the 20 inches of snow forcing most residents to remain indoors. The fire wood supplies are beginning to run low as cold weather and accumulation persist throughout most of the month. Bornel urges the citizens to help form small groups to help restock the wood supply in the severe weather. The simple restocking turns into a competition between Bornel and Ottar Velkson as they refuse to work together while each forms a separate group. The restocking of the wood supply proceeds as planned with both groups restocking supply.
It is Ottar’s group that supplies the most wood and while it would be a small victory for him if not overshadowed by the disappearance of Shaul Compton whom was in Ottar’s group. On the final day of collection Shaul disappeared from the gathering site after unknowingly to the others attempting to kill a wild deer with the bow he was carrying. Ottar and Bornel both encourage their teams and help search for the young man. After two days of searching it is Galious that finds his brother’s corpse within the woods. After hauling it back to town Devin inspects the body and points out the cause of his death displaying the vicious wounds that appear to have come from a wolf like animal.
Population: 25
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut, insolated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Fields planted with winter crops (garlic)
Newly named characters:
Shaul Compton
4712 - Year 2 (January)
The new year brings no relief to the 20 inches of snow forcing most residents to remain indoors. The fire wood supplies are beginning to run low as cold weather and accumulation persist throughout most of the month. Bornel urges the citizens to help form small groups to help restock the wood supply in the severe weather. The simple restocking turns into a competition between Bornel and Ottar Velkson as they refuse to work together while each forms a separate group. The restocking of the wood supply proceeds as planned with both groups restocking supply.
It is Ottar’s group that supplies the most wood and while it would be a small victory for him if not overshadowed by the disappearance of Shaul Compton whom was in Ottar’s group. On the final day of collection Shaul disappeared from the gathering site after unknowingly to the others attempting to kill a wild deer with the bow he was carrying. Ottar and Bornel both encourage their teams and help search for the young man. After two days of searching it is Galious that finds his brother’s corpse within the woods. After hauling it back to town Devin inspects the body and points out the cause of his death displaying the vicious wounds that appear to have come from a wolf like animal.
Population: 25
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Well-hut, insolated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Fields planted with winter crops (garlic)Newly named characters:
Shaul Compton
Have to add a graveyard, near the shrine.
Might have to wait for the spring thaw on that.
It was agreed upon while setting up that we would have the community eventually form up into a town council. Once that's done, and if a reason arises, we can change it. But as an initial setting agreement we need to uphold the council for now.
Travelling Bard
Seems too early for a bard to enter town. Besides, I'd rather we chronicled the community from a GM's perspective. We'll be able to document more information than any one character ever could.
Graveyard in the Spring
Another alternative is to have the Comptons establish a family tomb of sorts, in a mountain cave somewhere outside of the mountains. Probably in a location they feel to be suitable well protected and hidden.
Village Government
It was agreed upon while setting up that we would have the community eventually form up into a town council. Once that's done, and if a reason arises, we can change it. But as an initial setting agreement we need to uphold the council for now.Graveyard in the Spring
Another alternative is to have the Comptons establish a family tomb of sorts, in a mountain cave somewhere outside of the mountains. Probably in a location they feel to be suitable well protected and hidden.
I agree, though Bornel and Ottar can still compete with each other. The council may rule the town, though there are always those in the council whom other look more highly on and will swing votes in their favor.
I Like the idea of a tomb, though I don't want to do 2 seasons back to back. It could serve as something fun later on.
They can form a settlement council, but they cannot build a council hall in the middle of winter. They could temporarily bury the corpse in the dirt floor of a cottage till they can construct a Tomb in the spring. Winter is all about planning things to do in the spring.
Hey Friends, Wandwright here.
I took the suggestion of making a list of characters and compiling the whole first year of our community under this profile.
Hey Friends, Wandwright here.
I took the suggestion of making a list of characters and compiling the whole first year of our community under this profile.
Nice work, we need to get some more people posting though. Moving a little slow, lol.
4712 - Year 2 Calistril (February)
As the ground is frozen too hard to dig, Shaul Compton is buried under a rock cairn well clear of the village - for now - while his family searches for a more permanent solution. Good land is too scarce in the mountains to set some aside for burials, so they are thinking of a cave mausoleum.
One of the rocks gathered to form the cairn caused excitement and its golden streaks were passed from hand to hand until it reached the trader Lathom, who dismissed the rumours by pronouncing it to be fool's gold, and not the real thing.
While one life leaves the village, so another enters. A baby girl is born at the height of a raging storm and promptly blessed by her rather bemused grandfather. All too soon, bemusment dwindles to a frazzled lack of sleep and the entire village learns the strength of the girl's lungs. Conroy Buslem talks of moving back into his family cabin, until Jasper Velsking, of all people, takes the new parents under his gruff wing.
The patrols increase, to no effect, and much time is spent going over the remaining seeds and planning out what should be sown this spring in order to keep them fed next winter.
Population: 26
Buildings:
Cabins (7)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Fallow fields
Cairn
Nice work, we need to get some more people posting though. Moving a little slow, lol.Hey Friends, Wandwright here.
I took the suggestion of making a list of characters and compiling the whole first year of our community under this profile.
Don't push too hard.
The Cleaves has gotten one or 2 Irks from advertising too hard.An Irk is someone who seems to be intentionally disruptive.
4712 - Year 2 ____________ (April)
The april showers begin the same day the IronNose family does. 2 Adults, A young adult boy, Teen daughter, and a preteen son.
The father, Shale Ironnose has a secret(He's allergic to most metals except iron and gold, dry sneazing only, so is his daughter. They are having sneezing fits near a few of the mountains). His son will build a still to convert the spoiled grain into Dwarven ale(Food spoiage is variable, not total, depending on nearness to water and type of food). The family came in a wagon drawn by 2 Dwarven draft horses(Not trained for battle). They will be a good help repairing the well and other stone construction, such as levies between the stream, houses, and crops. They will expand the storm cellar from their cottage to the point that they will mostly live there. (They will be reluctant to reveal the family secret because that was why they had to leave the other dwarves.) They will use up the rocky patch's rock to build their cabin and other things, creating more fields. As they didn't have to rip down their wagon to build their cabin, it still exists. Their horses are, however, busy plowing.
Population: 31
Buildings:
Cabins (8)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Developing levie-walls
Plowed fields
Shaul Compton Mausoleum in the foothills
[b] 4712 – Year 2 ________ (May)
With the end of April and start of May the crops are placed within the ground taking much time of the community. The summer weather has brought with it warmth and much relief for the town’s folk. Latham had left at the end of April and arrived once more to the community in the first week of May with fresh supplies and seed. Trading with the townsfolk new seeds for the crops are used to plant the summer crops of Cucumbers, squash, okra, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, cantaloupe and watermelon.
Latham uses the trading to his advantage to have his own cabin constructed that allows the front of the cabin to act as a store. He plans on using any excess crops this fall to trade with local towns to gather gold and provide the small village with new tools and equipment. For the moment the small room he will use as a store remains bare with the exception of a few farming tools.
Event: During the month of May a body is seen floating down the river. Lysanthir seeing the body retrieves it from the flowing water only to discover the person is still breathing. It is a woman in a studded leather armor with a empty scabbard on her side. Her long blond hair is mucked with dirt and hangs in large wet locks. Her body is rushed to Devin who checks the body and with some CPR helps force excess water from the longs. He decides to keep the women with him for care.
The woman is well taken care of by Devin who uses every amount of knowledge to heal her he knows. Unfortunately the woman remains in a coma throughout the month. The news of the woman spreads throughout town as many of the women do their best to aid Devin in his care for her in what time they can manage. Alyssa Goreden makes note after bathing the lady of the numerous scares her body has that appear to be jagged. Jasper Vellsking has taken a great liking to the lady, as he has fell into love with the idea of her and is often found acting unlike himself spinning stories about who she could be. She is indeed a beautiful woman, but many people within the town think Jasper is a little obsessed, while others think it is because he has been lonely for quite sometimes spending most of his time helping Conroy and his family rather than fulfilling his life.
Population: 32
Buildings:
Cabins (9)
General Store
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Developing levie-walls
Crops:
Cucumbers
Squash
Okra
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Peppers
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Shaul Compton Mausoleum in the foothills
[b] 4712 – Year 2 ________ (May)
With the end of April and start of May the crops are placed within the ground taking much time of the community. The summer weather has brought with it warmth and much relief for the town’s folk. Latham had left at the end of April and arrived once more to the community in the first week of May with fresh supplies and seed. Trading with the townsfolk new seeds for the crops are used to plant the summer crops of Cucumbers, squash, okra, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, cantaloupe and watermelon.
Latham uses the trading to his advantage to have his own cabin constructed that allows the front of the cabin to act as a store. He plans on using any excess crops this fall to trade with local towns to gather gold and provide the small village with new tools and equipment. For the moment the small room he will use as a store remains bare with the exception of a few farming tools.
Snip
Population: 32
Buildings:
Cabins (9)
General Store
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Developing levie-walls
Crops:
Cucumbers
Squash
Okra
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Peppers
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Shaul Compton Mausoleum in the foothills
By summer there are also Zucchini. Nobody remembers planting Zucchini. :)
4712 – Year 2 Sarenith (June)
The summer is in full swing and the crops are growing at a rapid rate giving promise to an excellent harvest. The lands are alive with life, as humanoids and animals alike leisurely bask in the heat and soaking in the sun’s rays.
Lathom’s journeys to the larger cities have spread the rumor of this quiet little town. This rumor has caught the ear of many, especially the three new families whom look to build a home for themselves. Arriving at varying times during the month are the following three families:
Richards family – Consists of the father, Fredrick, his wife, Margaret, and their three children.
Betts family – Consists of the grandfather, Gregory, his daughter, Florence, and her half-elven son, Theo.
Kapinski family – Traveling from a far eastern kingdom, this well-armed family consists of 3 middle aged males, 3 middle aged females, and 5 children. They only have a small grasp on the Common language and keep to themselves.
The Richards family, arriving in the beginning of the month, had enough time to manufacture some sort of living space from the material around the village. The Betts family, not well off but unable to manufacture a home for themselves, had paid several villagers in gold and valuables to help construct their home. Meanwhile, the Kapinski family had enough gold to pay for villager help, as well as enough laborers in their immediate family to construct a rather large villa.
The woman Devin was taken care off had slowly become less interesting as time wore on. Jasper Vellsking was still obsessed, just lost time with helping the townspeople construct the new homes. On the second to last day of the month, the woman awoke. It was late at night when she had jolted awake screaming. Devin, whom has at this time rushed to her aid, was fearful of his own life, as the woman sat up and began to frantically search for her belongings. In a fury of movement, the woman was out the door, and gone, muttering to herself that she needed to “warn the kingdom” of something or other.
This event has cause quite of panic, as most of the townspeople have interpreted Devin’s account of the night differently. Someone also had made it a point to plant Zucchini in the field recently cleared away by the Ironnose family.
Population: 51
Buildings:
Cabins (11)
Villa (1)
General Store
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Developing levie-walls
Shaul Compton Mausoleum in the foothills
Crops: Cucumbers | Squash | Okra | Tomatoes | Potatoes | Peppers | Zucchini | Cantaloupe | Watermelon
I actually like Zucchini. It's great cooked with tomatoes.
You can can it in jars too.
I heard the joke on ALF and had to repeat it.
(Mrs. Ironnose is cultivating some onions they found in the new fields.)
Signature
Warning, my spelling is very bad.
Leave no pun behind.
Tremens : 4712 – Year 2, Erastus (July)
Erastus bustles in as the summer crops are harvested and the land is planted with fall crops. A group headed by Latham the trader and guided by Lysanthir the ranger travel to town and trade for canning supplies, tanning supplies, preserved fruits, flour, sugar, and other sundry replacement equipment and general supplies. Banetta Wortherson returns with bee keeping supplies, complete with a queen and wildflower seed that she spreads on the marginal lands near the settlement.
The new families, excluding the shy Kapinski’s, endear themselves into the community quickly. With their enthusiastic help and the clear breezy weather, the farming and food storing work is complete by mid-month, just in time for the weather to break. Unfortunately the rainstorms last for nearly a week-straight, damaging most of the new plantings as well as the citizens’ spirits.
The replanting efforts quickly spiral toward disaster as the hot, humid weather and palpable frustration intensifies inter-personal tensions. Eliza Crompton casts suspicions at the Narmonens’ farming know-how, claiming his incompetence is to blame for the lost crops, and a few are behind her. Most aren’t quite on her side, but are less willing to trust the experienced farmers’ judgment none the less. Numerous insults and more than a few farming tools are hurled, but a rousing speech by Devin Wortherson defuses the hostilities enough for everyone to work together and only pride was harmed.
After the messed is cleaned up, some of the less contentious citizens organize a short holiday with field-games and a night feast. The free flowing wine and children’s joy washes away the lingering tensions. The Kapinski family is a stand out with an impromptu dance performance. Though some of the more stubborn folks initially refuse to attend, everyone gets dragged in eventually by some means or another.
Erastus closes on an ominous note when on the morning after the holiday the Worthersons’ find their garden has been looted by, the evidence suggests, a pair of kolbolds.
Crops Harvested: Cucumbers, Okra, Potatoes (new), Peppers, Squash
Settlement Stats:
Population: 51
Buildings:
Cabins (11)
Villa (1)
General Store (1)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria (1)
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Mausoleum in foothills (1)
Beehive (1)
In Development: levee-walls, still
Crops: Beets | Cabbage | Collards | Cantaloupe | Carrots | Onion | Potatoes | Radish | Turnip | Watermelon | Zucchini
Domesticated Animals: Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep
Tremens : 4712 – Year 2, Erastus (July)
Erastus closes on an ominous note when on the morning after the holiday the Worthersons’ find their garden has been looted by, the evidence suggests, a pair of kolbolds.
Crops Harvested: Cucumbers, Okra, Potatoes (new), Peppers, Squash
Settlement Stats:
Population: 51
Buildings:
Cabins (11)
Villa (1)
General Store (1)
Simple shrine to Erastil (1)
Shrine to Calistria (1)
Well-hut, insulated (1)
Storehouse/Granary (1)
Barn (1)
Mausoleum in foothills (1)
Beehive (1)
In Development: levee-walls, still
Crops: Beets | Cabbage | Collards | Cantaloupe | Carrots | Onion | Potatoes | Radish | Turnip | Watermelon | Zucchini
Domesticated Animals: Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep
...
And 2 Dwarven Draft/Plow Horses.
Possible joke,"Maybe we should build an Inn, attract some adventurers to deal with the Kobolds!" LOL. :)
