The fields around the village are usually grazed by herds of goats and droves of domesticated rabbits. Any sewing of seeds leads to small subsistence patches for the villagers, with the net result being large areas of fallow grasslands, covered in flowers for the local bees.
On foot, it would take roughly a week to walk to the city of Queenstown, along the eastern road. Crossing the ford and travelling north through the Barrowight Hills, one would eventually reach the Old Moors, and chiefly Raethmoore, the old capital of the Moorish Elves. Travelling along the much more dilapidated Old Kings Highway to the west would eventually bring you into the Dragonspine Mountains (which curve up to the north behind Raethmoore at some considerable distance).
To the south of the village lies Slateleaf Forest, named for the grey-green leaves on the tips of the branches. A verdant hunting ground for the villagers, it is however known to harbour several scattered tribes of goblins.
The buildings of the village cluster around a small square, which sometimes includes the stalls of travelling merchants. The eastern side of the square is dominated by the largest building in the village, the temple. Of particular interest is the veneration of the local harvest deity, Hermione.
The north of the square is walled by the Kingsmead Inn, and adjoining bakery. The western side holds the smithy and the start of the Old Kings Highway (created by a large stone marker of unknown age), and the south side is a wide avenue that passes through an old archway, presumably from some old fallen building. It is sometimes known as the Kingsmead Gate by locals, despite being in the centre of town.
At the centre of the square is the village well. An interesting enchantment seems to exist upon it, whereby it will always be able to produce enough clean, fresh water for all the people in the village. It has never been known to run dry, even during the busy Harvest Festival, when the population usually quadruples.
Other important buildings in town are the Apiary and the Brewer family's house and stables, referred to by the locals as The New House.
A smaller brewery lies near the orchard on the north bank, owned by the Potter family.
The local windmill serves fields to the north and east.
A wayside shrine just outside the village is marked by a large black stone, obviously not from the locality judging by the stones of the riverbed. Upon it is carved the mark of the Traveler (or Avandra in D&D 4E), and chained to it are two battered metal cups. One is covered by a slotted metal plate, to receive donations, the other is enchantments to purify liquids place in it (once some kind of coin has been dropped in the other cup). These shrines are dotted about the roads at regular intervals (or slightly less regular down the Old Kings Highway, due to lack of travelers and therefore upkeep).
I'd be happy to receive any and all comments about the overview so far. I may add in a few further landmarks if I'm reminded of them. A map is forthcoming once I manage to draw a decent version of it. The next post will likely be about some of the characters inhabiting Kingsmead village.
Damn it, lost my comment >.<
ReplyDeleteOk, in short, by British standard nomenclature Kingmead would mean 'royal meadow'. Perhaps the honey was produced there by Royal mandate. That would also explain the bakery and the brewery AND why there's still meadowland rather than being overrun by farms.
ReplyDeleteI find it useful to think of the history of a place in building it up, rather than just the modern day. If you set out the lay of the land and think how the village might have grown and been revised over time it may help.