New Area: The Village of Denpole - Completed

Questions and suggestions for new locations, business plans, and changes to shops or other places around the empire

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New Area: The Village of Denpole - Completed

Postby Kooky on Tue Dec 27, 2016 7:57 pm

I've used this area in quests and have been tempted to have chars from there. I'd also like to give others a chance to utilize it for their character backgrounds.


Denpole

Layout and Landscape
Denpole is a small village located in a valley of four large icy mountains, about three day's journey by horse, north from Nanthalion. Surrounding the town are large, thick wooden walls comprised of massive logs from trees that were cleared as well as collected from the avalanches each year. These walls withstand the onslaught of snow and ice and there are four well-guarded gates that keep the village folk safe and keep bandits out. Every one coming and going is subject to search by the local guard, a pack of wolven and elves who thrive in the icy wilderness' harsh conditions. Surrounding Denpole are large, thick trees of white pine, which can grow up to 200ft tall and 9ft around the trunk alone. Denpole is known for its lack of racism but high dislike of both ice mages and fire mages, as many an avalanche has been caused by those who try to show off and assume to know the foundation of the valley just because they know the element they use. The entire village centers around the marketplace, where the library, inn and mayor's office at town hall are located. Surrounding this central apex are numerous houses of varying height, to a maximum of four stories. Many of these houses are built up on stilts to allow for the easier melting of snow and passing frigid winds. The layout of the village centers on its history, where it started out as a small caravan of people who drew their wagons in a circle, and expanded from there onward. The guards man the walls and there's a guard tower for the village law on the outskirts, just like there was a group patrolling and encamped in Denpole's origin. There are no buildings made of stone here; everything in Denpole is made up of wood, from furniture to buildings, even the surrounding walls. And the wood is kept in its most natural state of logs and not often processed into barkless lumber.

Places of Note
The Guard Tower - Located on the outskirts of the village, it's built into a large hill of stone that rests between the wooden wall surrounding Denpole, allowing guards to exit without the need of gates. It's build deep into the earth, and contains an office on the ground level with a hall of simple cells, and stairs leading down to more cells and a torture chamber. The higher levels of the tower contain indoor training rooms, an armor and weaponry, and the barracks for rest. The top room opens into a balcony where at least three guards are on patrol at all times.
Town Hall - This is the most fortified building. While made out of wood, its walls are doubled and it contains a tunnel straight to the guard tower. The town hall also contains the granary for food stock, should anything go wrong with the public storage and individual stores of goods. During harsh times or natural disasters, everyone flocks to the town hall for shelter and community. The building is set up high, resting on a set of 10ft steps made of Frost Marble that span outward from all sides, as the cube-shaped building has one door on each side. Its held up by columns of wood and Frost Marble alike, making it the strongest building in Denpole.
The Market Place - Void of any permanent structures save for the inn, there are multiple wagons and carts set up, along with blankets and tents. People are always bartering and trading wares, though the market as a whole is governed by a specific manager who settles disputes and ultimately handles issues with thieves and general upkeep, as well as the trade of goods from other lands.
The Snowflake Inn & Tavern - Named because one day during a horrible storm, a small group of carpenters and sculptors were trapped inside during its construction. Not wanting to freeze to death but also needing tinder for making a fire, they carved the table-tops into snowflake deigns, complete with carving straight through and elaborate edges. This kept the tables functional, but got them through the storm without wasting any of their effort and time in building, or risking wasting wood to burn. This inn and tavern is home to many folks who pass through, and those who come and haven't yet set up their own residence. It's also the only place to acquire Frost Ale.
Beyond Denpole - The surrounding woods are treacherous. Bandits lay in wait, there are murky swamps of undead and cool-hued goblins,plenty of distorted land that ruins roads from the avalanches and false paths that are semi-frozen waterways and whipping frost winds that render flying races and creatures unable to fly. This makes trade and travel rare and dangerous.


The Four Mountains
Mt. Sera - The first-named and the smallest mountain. Mt. Sera contains two rivers that stream nearly symmetrically from its peak. It is also the mountain where the most Frost Marble and glass can be mined. After the snow and ice melted down a bit, the folk of Denpole saw the rivers pouring for the first time and were reminded of Sera's tears. To this day, villagers take offerings to the river and have their children blessed with the water.
Mt. Dorian - The last-named, known for causing the most avalanches. Mt. Dorian was named in ironic honor of the ice mage, Dorian, who caused the avalanche that stranded them all. Had the original folk of Denpole not been stranded, they surely would have died trying to cross a vast ice-land, which broke into water and sent many a person upon it into a frozen death. Mt. Dorian is known to randomly send snow cascading down with little to no warning. It is this mountain where many of the white-furred beasts will flee, and allow the hunters better chances of getting them for food and fur.
Mt. Morvix - The third-named. This is the largest mountain, and its wide base helps to keep the previously unnamed Mt. Dorian's avalanches from affecting Denpole. It also helps to break the wind and is the greenest mountain, by having the mint sheen from the most trees. Mt. Morvix is said to be the protective mountain, securing Denpole from harm and offering the most life with its wooded areas.
Mt. Griswald - The second-named, known for giving off tremors and rumbling shakes with loud groans in the night. These large groans started after one of the random avalanches from the previously unnamed Mt. Dorian. It was that groan that reminded people of the huntsman's groan each time something happened of similar caliber. Half of the time he was on patrol, folks thought he was dead and would poke at him, and that groan told them he lived. This mountain is the tallest, and is thought to watch over all the land. Certain groans announce the coming of avalanches from others, flash frigid floods, and other natural disasters.

Mindset: The mindset of the Denpole Villager is one of survival. Even while life is good, they're always thinking about the future.
Wastefulness is Appalling: Due to this survival mentality, they are not a wasteful people. As an example, a single tree will not be cut down just for wood. Its pine needles become tinder and fragrance, its sap becomes glue, its bark becomes aesthetic shielding and is left in-tact or otherwise added to the glues or for tinder or crafting. Even the roots of the felled tree are dug up and utilized. Nothing ever goes to waste, and waste is the biggest crime one can commit.
Survival and Function: Decorations and lavishness are not things Denpole concerns themselves with. Many of their goods that others see as exotic, are normal for them. So while they seem to be lavished with such rarities, they use such as it's all that is available to them. This said, they do consider things from other lands to be novelties and some do work hard to be able to afford to collect them or have them.
Trade over Money: While Denpole recognizes many places rely on coins, due to their origin, Denpole is a village of trade. Very rarely will someone trade their goods for coins and if they do, it's either due to the novelty of such coins or the thought of saving them for travel or to give to the young who venture out into the world. Denpole deals with service for service, goods for goods, and a mix of the two. The Mayor may accept coin for some trades with other regions, but only to use that coin to buy other goods. A deal to accept coins is never made without another avenue for the coins to be spent on. however, there is a small treasury where Denpole keeps a few things of worth, including coins, to pay the needed adventurer or warrior for certain services.
Racism? No. But fire and ice? Trouble: Denpole has a high superstition of mages who work with either Fire or Ice/Water. Even their own kin have been exiled for such arts. Very rarely has a mage working with such brought anything good to their land and most meetings wind up in disaster. The same can be said for the other elements, but they are met with much less disdain.
More Magical Superstition.. what about Religion?: In lacking a Hierophant to help clear and tend the land at first, Denpole suffered many setbacks. It started with the ice mage who tried to manipulate nature.. then the culling of trees, which caused wild beasts hunting, avalanches and more... Needless to say, the folks of Denpole live as they do to try to make up for past deeds, to try to give back and preserve nature, and stay in the good grace of the land. With this in mind, they welcome all followers of Gaea, and any god really, so long as the focus is on life and nature, on living and tending to home.
On Slavery: In Denpole, slaves are indeed common. However, they are not taken by force, by the laws of Might. Instead, slaves are born into slavery or enter it willingly. Some slaves are labor slaves, while others are pleasure slaves. Slaves may be abused behind closed doors, but in public they are well cared for and catered to, almost like prized ponies.

Known exports: The Nanthalion bazaar does frequent trade with the village of Denpole, resulting in their wares being thought of as exoitic goods.
Frost Marble - No matter how polished, this marble always resembles frosted glass. It's mostly transparent with swirls of white and found in the deep recesses of the surrounding mountains, where hotsprings are. It is thought that this unique stone is an amalgam of indigenous white rock and compressed sand into glass from the heat beneath the springs. In some cases, the veins of this rock are known to be gray and even a light blue. Other rarity formations include the rock being pure white with veins of clear, smokey gray and translucent green or blue.
Chocolate Bars - These are delivered in the shape of beams due to how they come out from being mixed and cured. Denpole chocolate is derived from a single sprout, which a Druid from the original founders fawned over and grew, developing into a large plantation of special plants that do not survive beyond Denpole's earth. This chocolate is very sweet and decadent, and even when inside, feels as if it's been sitting out in the cold. Once it touches skin or tongues however, it doesn't take long at all to quickly melt into a savory treat.
White Furs - Most of the animals around Denpole have natural adaptations to the cold and wintery wonderland, resulting in bears, foxes, deer, rabbits, wolves and even boar being white-furred. The most exotic of these furs have gray or black rings, akin to snow leopards and mountain cats. Denpole never exports their meat, and only kill what is needed, so the exporting of any furs is a costly trade.
White Pine - These trees have very light minty bristles and their wood is just as light. White pine becomes VERY sappy when exposed to heat and must be kiln-dried for use indoors, outside of being a wall from the elements. Compared to other woods, folks may confuse it with various birch woods at first due to its coloration, but the feel of the wood and ability to produce such sap, as well as scent, is what gives it away as part of the pine family.
Glue - The tacky, milky sap from the white pine trees never goes to waste. Even in building, it becomes its own natural glue. Residents of Denpole noticed this and never being folks to waste a thing, they began collecting the shavings and peelings of dried sap from their kilns to revitalize with fresh sap, and then stored it in jars. Denpole Glue is a great glue to use for things expected to be in the cold and it has a higher water resistance than most other glues. It does not dry clear however and retains a milky-white translucence.
Denpole Clydesdales - These horses can be traced back to the usual clydesdales found around cities like Nanthalion, however over the years, they have been bred for living in the extreme cold and working through it as well. Denpole Clydesdales are always white, cream, light gray or sand-buttermilk colored with manes of similar hue. Their manes and tails are always let to grow out, but are braided at the ends, giving the horses more comfort, style and making it easier for them to not have their hair tangled. Their legs are likewise thickly furred with large tufts that traverse down each limb and are known to fully hide their hooves.
Denpole Wagons - A cross between a wagon and a sleigh, these wagons are massive and build to be carried only by Denpole Clydesdales. Their wheels are modified with wide, long metal flaps that extend out and spring downward as the wheels rotate, being pulled against the wheel again by gravity of turning and relying on one another. These flaps allow for smoother rides and for the wagon to continue, should its axles freeze up or the wheels be unable to turn due to clogging of snow or lack of friction. The springing flaps also help to absorb impacts better. However, these wheels must be changed or enchanted with Mend for the wagon to ride on normal roads of pebbles, stone and dirt. Anything but ice, snow, rock and sometimes grass, will cause the wheels to wear out and flaps to bend and break.
Frosted Glass - Glass gathered from the deep mines below the hotsprings. The glass itself is sometimes imported, but is more commonly used for Denpole to create their own goods for trade. The glass comes in many colors, however due to its makeup, the glass is always frosted once fully cured from the heat.
Frost Ale - A crystal clear ale that resembles water at a glance, save for the thick slush-like froth that forms at the top of the glass from the exposure to the air. It burns going down, bringing heat to the cheeks and belly alike and is known for its rather bitter taste but sweet scent. Most say it's an acquired taste.


History
Long ago, a large caravan of merchants become lost in a huge blizzard. An ice mage human named Dorian tried to manipulate the paths for them, but this resulted in a massive avalanche, which swept the caravan into a deep valley. He was killed in the process. The group was composed of many different races from many different backgrounds, all merchants and traders looking to sell their wares. At first, each wagon and family kept to themselves. The Overseer of the caravan however, did not. he mingled with each and to show his good faith in their rescue, purchased various goods and wares from them all at higher prices. For even higher amounts of coin, he was able to pay those who had no goods to sell, but talents and services, to build him a shelter, since he had no wagon of his own. The disturbances of the land however brought down avalanches, and the avalanches brought down the predatory animals seeking food. The Overseer had everyone circle their wagons, to create a barrier against the wilds and protect each other. In the end, the traders were starving, huddling together, and staring at the nice, lavish wooden cabin that was in the center of their wagons. The Overseer had been the one to carry all weapons in the first place, an agreement as part of the travels. It had worked for years-- until now. He sat in his warm building, armed with every sword and bow, with his trusted henchmen at his side as guards.. while the merchants had their pockets filled with coin-- which was useless in their current state and location. The merchants tried to hunt-- but their axes were meant for wood-- not beasts. Only the hunters and trappers had any luck, with their snares and traps and hunting bows. Everything changed when a young elf child, with their whole lives ahead of them.. had it cut short. She had gone to the door of the Overseer and knocked, trying to give him back a coin she had found, in exchange for some bread. The Overseer went for a laugh with trying to use his catling tail to sweep the girl's feet out from under her, for her to land in the snow... However... the land was not properly cleared. The girl, Sera, was tripped and fell back, head cracking open on a rock under the snow. She died just as the healer, an elf named Morvix, came to her aid. Enraged, Morvix attacked the Overseer, and was shot by one of his henchmen. The arrow thankfully missed anything important, and as the door slammed shut, the caravan merchants rushed forward to aid Morvix. His daughter, Lena, was also into the healing arts, and thankfully Morvix was saved with him guiding her on what to do to tend to him, and the other merchants helping. This teamwork finally had them all realize that alone, they would fall, no matter what.. but together... ... That night, the merchants all got together. They gave the hunter, Griswald, some materials, so he could fletch some arrows and bows. They gave the healer shelter, so that he could mend and later tend to them if needed. They divided their goods to feed the young and able-bodied, and the able-bodied began to hunt under the teachings of the hunter in exchange for his food being butchered and cooked for him. They became a community. They faced hardship after hardship, and together, they brought down trees to make each of them a home. By the time the Overseer finally opened his door, he was surrounded by wagons and then the cabins built for the people, by the people. They were not just surviving, but thriving. Having eaten all of his food that he bought off the merchants, he tried to buy more.. but none would sell, for they had no use for coin. And he had no skills or talents that they wanted. It was a non-violent approach, as his henchmen were turned against him, bought with food by the merchants in exchange for them being laborers to move logs and cut trees. In time, the Overseer died of starvation, a lonely, cold, painful, miserable death. His cabin was dismantled, the area left bare. The wagons were also dismantled for repairs and building better wagons suited for the area. That vacant spot became the marketplace. And each year, Mayor elections were held. Only those nominated by others were considered, and all were voted upon. Denpole eventually attracted others to the trade lifestyle, and families were made. The caravan became a village, and the village, a home. Nothing would ever be built in the center. And they would never forget their hardships; for the suffering of those few led to the foundation of the survival of many.
Dev Team Member | Manager of the Bazaar (Lumio) | Assistant Manager of the Arena (Lumio) | Assistant Manager of the General Store (Spotzen Strype) | Manager of Chocolates 2 Cherish (Calvan) | Assistant Manager of the Siren's Call (Sammy)

Most known characters - Lumio, Misk, Rumplelynx, Moxie Fink, and Icki
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Kooky
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