Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States -- Week 34
Compiling
week 34 of the project, comprised of an additional 7 posts, this week's
subject being a deep dive of a site of interest, the settlement about the Last Source hidden the depths of Feystone Woods to the west of the City-State of
Carasta as shown below:
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #232
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: In the deepest tangles of the northern Feystone Woods, concealed from view and inaccessible to all but a few trusted Kin, is the Last Source. A small and unassuming site, ancient Elven verbal tales and magical writings claim this place of power was one of the crucibles where one or more of the First Ones created Elfkind and related Fey as their servants, minions and disposable cannon fodder. Not the central pool but hovering above it in the middle of the site, invisible to all but the most sensitive or skilled, is an object, perhaps for storage or transmutation, of pure Aether now named the Last Source. None knows what it did do, can do or will do, but all those present have sworn to keep it secret, hidden, without influence and untouched by all lest taint lead to Corruption.
Geography: The site of the Last Source is reputed to be in the depths of the northern Feystone woods, not as far north as Stonewood Shipwrights (#26) or as far east as Feystone Approach (#24), but approximately 50 miles from the Arvach Ocean. The path to the Last Source winds through deep dense forest, strewn with magical misdirection, concealment and physical traps. At the end of a narrow defile, the path opens onto the clearing surrounding the Last Source. It is comprised of the central pool surrounded by fourteen buildings connected by paths.
Next Article: Over the course of this week, we’ll present some of the notable peoples, locations, happenings and plot threads in and about the Last Source.
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #233
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: Beyond the watch tower, the path through the village about the Last Source curves around the deep blue waters of the central pond. The Halls of Crafting, four buildings of similar size and style, but different purposes, are next encountered. Many crafters reside in the village; herbalists, potters, alchemists, woodworkers, smiths and coopers to name but a few. Each are a master of their craft working in ancient and sometimes archaic styles as befits the nature of this site.
Strim, 35, male Satyr is a wood crafter specializing in making everyday objects beautiful. He is short, has a handsome but bestial face, and deep brown eyes. His fur is chestnut-colored and kept short. Strim wears cloth pants but goes topless. He wears a tool belt with his woodworking tools but does not need weapons.
Strim has a small house across from the Halls of Crafting. He takes great delight in his work and creates nothing plain unless specifically required. Most homes in the village have many items that he has made or repaired. Strim takes great delight in creating items for new babies.
Strim lives in his house with his father, Reav, 60, a Satyr male and Strim’s wife, Eda, 30, a Human woman. They have two children, a girl Lacey, 8, and a boy Tarik, 5. Strim and Reav don't get along and bicker constantly. Eda keeps herself busy with the children and is also a seamstress. Tarik has shown signs of having magical powers and has accidentally blown-up pieces of the house in the last couple of weeks. Some whisper he is perhaps Vybrant, but he shows none of the usual indicators
Geography: The Halls of Crafting (location 3 see #232) are four two-story buildings in an arc each about 20 foot wide and 80 feet deep. Their designs vary with the crafters resident at any one time. Strim works in the first of the four buildings, nearest to the entryway watch tower. Stacks of fresh timber and treated lumber rest against the outer walls. On a small rise, near the woods sits a huge bronze caldron (location 4), blackened by years of use. In the center of the arc rises a wide stone circle (location 5), the flat surface marked ritual, tool and use.
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #234
Number: 234
Name: Deep Dive on a Site of Interest: Feystone: The Last Source – Part 3
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: South of the Halls of Crafting (#233), along the curve of the path, an ancient tower rises above the settlement. The path dips under old stone docks, used when the pool was a much larger pond, and the brook was a creek. The priests, witches and seers were not the first to live here, the five-story stone structure is the remains of a long-lost nobles’ manor house. The top levels are now used for scrying, both visual and magical, by means of devices and water drawn from the pool below the Last Source. Below ground, the dungeons of the manor are used to imprison intruders and enemies of Feystone.
Treenik, 88, Fairy woman, is an Oracle at the Lost Source. She is diminutive, has beautiful green and yellow wings, and an otherworldly smile. Her compassionate nature helps her convey her premonitions to others. She wears robes that have lace and finery attached. Treenik loves to dance and is a pacifist who won't carry any weapons.
Treenik works in the Ancient Tower and has a small library that she uses for reference. Her visions usually come at night in her dreams. The rarer visions that occur during the day are compelling and portend doom for more than one person. Not everyone at the Lost Source is happy to have Treenik around. There have been petitions to have her leave the area. Treenik refuses to do so as she feels her power comes from the Source.
Treenik lives by herself in a small house that she created. It is in a tree, and she takes excellent care of the tree and land around it. Treenik's family died a few years ago during a supernatural windstorm that shook the Feywood. The whole house fell to the ground; she was the only one not inside. Several people have stopped believing in her visions since that happened, as they feel she should have been able to predict it. She still mourns them all today.
Geography: The Ancient Tower (location 6 see #232) is all that remains of small castle of a long-forgotten noble. The tower is 50 feet in diameter and rises 5 stories above the surrounding patio and docks. The entryway is on the second level, reached by an exterior staircase. Inside a central spiral stair connects all floors. The top-level features wide windows which are usually left open to the elements. That floor and the one below are used for divination and scrying. Below is the library and several studies.
The walls of an attached house once rose three-stories, was about 100-feet wide and perhaps 200-feet long. The portion next to the tower is relatively intact, with several usable chambers on the first and second floors, but the rest has crumbled and has been long since swallowed by the surrounding forest.
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #235
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: The path to the Last Source winds through the deep dense forest of Feystone Woods, strewn with magical misdirection, concealment and physical traps. At the end of a narrow defile, the path opens into the clearing surrounding the Source. A tower overlooks the path, sworn companions and bound grunts constantly watch from the upper levels. On a slight rise to the south is a large square building that serves as the meeting and feasting hall of the settlement. In times of battle, heavy shutters and thick walls make it their refuge of last resort.
Russel Saurbrook, 32, male Human is a guard at the entrance to the Lost Source. He is tall and well-muscled, with impressive biceps that he shows off any chance he gets. He has black hair and a black scraggly beard. His eyes are hazel and seem to search for someone or something. He has a patient personality and is known for helping people when possible. Russel wears his guard uniform daily, but at night, he likes to relax and wears a green hose and a dark green tunic. His weapon of choice is a long sword, but he must use a spear when he is on guard duty.
Russel likes the relative peace of guard duty of the Lost Source. Incursions are rare, giving him time to contemplate essential things like what for dinner and how to change his workout. Russel is always attentive to his duty and is friendly towards the other people in town. When he is on patrol, he makes a point of talking to everyone. He hopes that this will help him notice trouble brewing in the area.
Russel lives with his adopted son, Patrick, 8, Human boy. They live in a lovely house near some other guards' families. Russel lost his wife, Angela, two years ago in a strange accident involving local wildlife. Russel and Patrick are still mourning Angela, but Russel sees another guard after work a few days a week.
Geography: The entryway tower (location 1 see #232) is west of the Halls of Crafting (#233). The square building is 3 stories tall, 30 feet wide on a side with battlements facing west and a half-roof at the top level. The entry door is on the south wall. Ladders provide access to the upper levels. The first floor has no windows, but the second floor features arrow slits in all directions. A cellar provides room for storage and access to a tunnel connecting the tower to the main hall of the settlement. At least two guards can be seen atop the tower and at a minimum another four patrolling along the pathway at all hours of the day.
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #236
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: South of the main hall and west of the ancient tower (#234), the waters of the spring bubble along a narrow brook moving through the clearing and off into the forest depths. Here the protectors of the Last Source built their homes, a small gathering of homespun cottages surrounded by sheds, small gardens, bushes, and flowers. A wooden bridge crosses the waters, completing the circular path about the Source. Additional houses can be seen on either side of the southward path of the brook. Next to the cottages is a tall ancient oak that is home to one of the local Fey Kin.
Gerenia, 42, a female Dryad, is a witch who derives much of her power from the influence of the Last Source. She is very short and wafer-thin. Her short green hair has bits of twigs and grass in it. Her brown eyes are round and luminous, and she is playful. Gerenia wears long brown pants that are the color of the bark of her tree. Her hat comprises the leaves of her tree and fits snugly over her head. She carries a staff made from a piece of living wood from the branches of her oak tree.
Gerenia is tied to her oak tree and has served the Last Source since birth. She uses her powers to keep the area around the pond green and verdant. Every week, she meets with other magic users to enhance the spells that keep the Last Source hidden and protect the area from prying eyes. She performs other rituals to ensure food for everyone and that all remain safe from harm.
Gerenia is friendly with everyone around the village. She especially loves taking care of the children who live here. Several times a week, she holds evening sessions where she tells stories to the children, which she enhances with illusions of the characters. Another magic user provides audible sounds, and the children love the stories she tells.
Geography: The residence cottages (location 7 see #232) are west of the Ancient Tower (#234). Each were once similar structures, 22 to 26 feet on a side, with a main floor, an attic or loft and a cellar underneath. Over time they have been modified and rebuilt by the generations of inhabitants of the settlement, including crafters, spellcasters, and guardians. Small sheds have been built nearby. Most have added a fireplace or a charcoal or wood burning oven to supplement meals cooked at the main hall and to warm the cottages in winter. Basements have been expanded to include cold storage and are connected to the hall by narrow tunnels.
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #237
Name: Deep Dive on a Site of Interest: Feystone: The Last Source – Part 6
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: Beyond the watch tower, the path through the village about the Last Source curves around the deep blue waters of the central pond. The Halls of Crafting, four buildings of similar size and style, but different purposes, are next encountered. As the many crafters, who reside in the village, are masters of their craft their excess wares, above and beyond what is required to support the settlement, are quietly exported and sold through the Feywood and beyond. It took many years of careful negotiation for trusted members of the Merchants Guild to be granted access to the works of the artisans.
Giar, 306, Brownie is the cobbler for all people living near the Last Source. He is tiny and spindly. He has curly, light brown hair and startling blue eyes. Giar has a winsome personality and always looks for ways to make people smile. He wears long cloth pants, a plain shirt, and a dark brown jacket. Giar wears a tool belt containing various tools used in shoemaking. He carries no weapons, even though he will defend his family with his last breath.
Giar is a skilled cobbler and the leader of his whole family of cobblers. He prefers working with only a few people around the Last Source. Giar's family has worked with a human family, the McStanishes, to sell his shoes and take orders for over a century. To make an order, Cutter McStanish, or one of his family members, measures the feet of the person needing shoes. Cutter gives the order to Giar, and the shoes are ready a few days later. Payment in the form of various food delicacies is expected when the shoes are ready.
Giar and his family live in a few tiny houses behind the McStanish's house. Giar is thrilled with his work and his life. He is married to Sil, 288, Brownie, and they have many children and grandchildren. Almost the entire family makes shoes. Others care for the children and keep the rest of the family going. Everyone benefits from the relationships, so Giar hopes to keep things going for another hundred years.
Geography: The Halls of Crafting (location 3 see #232) are four two-story buildings in an arc each about 20 foot wide and 80 feet deep. Cutter McStanish and the Brownies work out of the third building (from west to east). Cutter’s has a small work area where he takes measurements and displays finished and sample shoes. Giar and his fellow cobblers took over the attic centuries ago, their tiny hammers can be faintly heard when the other crafters have retired for the night.
The residence cottages (location 7 see #232) are west of the Ancient Tower (#234). Clan McStanish’s home is slightly larger than the rest due to the clustered structures of “brownie town” against the back wall. No one is quite sure how the brownies get from their homes to their workshop and back again because the tiny folk are rarely seen or heard.
http://www.campaignnook.com/2023/08/settlements-and-sites-of-four-city_27.html
Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #238
Location: Deep in Feystone Woods west of the City-State of Carasta
Population (approx.): 150-200
Brief: As described previously (#232), the Last Source predates all recorded civilization of the Narrows. The first Elves and Fey to be allowed to stumble into the site discovered only the pond and the sole inhabitant living within the waters. Once they were deemed worthy and capable of assisting the eternal in her task to protect and keep the Last Source, the Elves began building the surrounding settlement beginning with the Ancient Tower, home to the nobles leading the initial settlement. As the settlement grew and an incident long past destroyed much of the Ancient Tower, the settlement turned to using the Entry Hall for daily functions. There the elders of the settlement, one representing each of the crafters, the oracles and the guardians, govern under the watchful eye of the eternal Wise One.
"Wise One," an Ancient Dragon Turtle is the advisor to the people of the Last Source. She is the one who always was and will always be connected to the Last Source. The Wise One's shell is olive green, with aqua and light brown splashes. She is enormous and moves slowly, rarely leaving the pool in this form. She also has a Humanoid form that is quite beautiful. She is short in her Humanoid form and has olive-green hair and brown eyes. The Wise One likes to wear dresses and appears in her twenties. She doesn't believe in violence but will staunchly defend anyone who lives near the Last Source. Everyone calls her Lady Esyn while she is in Humanoid form.
Lady Esyn spends most of her time sleeping in the pool below Last Source. Every day, for a few hours, she changes to her Humanoid form, walks around the Last Source area, and talks to everyone. The people of the Last Source appreciate this and know that they can bring her their problems, and she will look after them. During this time, she also attends whatever necessary meetings and eats fish sandwiches with the settlement’s elders.
Geography: The path to the Last Source winds through deep dense forest, strewn with magical misdirection, concealment and physical traps. At the end of a narrow defile, the path opens into the clearing surrounding the Source. On a slight rise to the south is a large square building (location 2, see below), the Entry Hall, that serves as the meeting and feasting place of the settlement. The Hall is a three-story strongly built square stone building, 50 feet on the side. The main entrance is on the south wall, reached by a staircase, opening on to the second floor. The first floor is a large open chamber surrounded by small rooms such as the kitchen. The second floor is mostly a balcony overlooking the hall below. The third floor houses the offices and meeting rooms of the settlement elders. In times of battle, heavy shutters and thick walls make the Entry Hall the settlement’s refuge of last resort.
