Talor's Vale
Introduction |
Origins |
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Map |
Environs |
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Populace |
Talor's Vale is a small village in the wilderness of the Northlands of the Sword Coast. Set just off the Long Road, on the southwest edge of the Lurkwoods between Mirabar and Longsaddle, it sees many visitors due to the overland trade from Mirabar to Waterdeep. It is a small village, but the people there are friendly, at least on the outside.
Our heroes will begin their adventures from the Vale and I
intend them to use this as their base of operations, although I
have plans to send them to visit much of the Realms.
Talor's Vale was settled by a hero of the realms, Talor
Broadfind, some six generations ago. Upon making his fortune he
settled down here, and started an inn, 'The Yarbrough Inn'. This
inn still stands today, although there have been several additions
to it since it's start.
Talor's Vale is nestled in a small valley in the Northern part of the Savage Frontier, southeast of Mirabar and north of Longsaddle. Just to the northeast lies the Lurkwood Forest, a dark deep wood that has in the past been filled with many vermin, from goblins and orcs to bandits and marauders. The village itself rests amongst a few groves of wood, some of which were cleared for the buildings.
A stream, the Snowlock, runs through the town, passing under a small wooden bridge near the Yarbrough. This freshwater stream is always cold, varying slightly by the time of year. It's source comes from the melting snow from the mountains above Mirabar.
The soil has not always been as fertile as it now is, but even now, the village must hire the services of a priest to yearly cast a spell to revitalize the soil. The harshness of the environs makes farming difficult if best. The harsh winters and small growing season both contribute to this.
For the most part the Vale is made up of farmers, however there are of course others to fill the necessary.
The current owner of The Yarbrough Inn is the great, great, great, great, great, great-grandson of the Talor Broadfind, Pietr Broadfind. He was also an adventurer, like most of his ancestors, before settling back in Talor's Vale and taking over the Inn. He is a tall, brown haired man with handsome features. His eyes are a deep forest green in color.
The cook of "The Yarbrough Inn" is Wynde Yrennoc, who has been around longer than most remember. She is short and round, and had she a beard, one might think her a tall dwarf. Her white hair is perpetually twisted up into a bun at the back of her head. Her cheeks are almost always flushed from exertion, and she huffs about when she (rarely) comes out of the kitchen. Although her excursions into the main dining hall are rare, her voice and clattering can always be heard from the kitchen.
There are three young human women, two of which whom are daughters of the local farmers, working as barmaids in the Yarbrough. They are Jhyran, Else and Rian.
Jhyran is plump, brown haired and one of the five daughters of Neas Yrennoc, a local farmer. She appears to be a teenager, somewhere around seventeen years old.
Else is also a daughter of a local farmer, Jared Farwin. She is tall and shapely, her wavy blonde hair hangs down to just below her shoulders. She often keeps her hair tied up behind her head to keep it out of her way. She is the oldest of the barmaids, having just turned twenty four this last winter.
The last, Rian Broadfind is Pietr's baby sister. She is of
medium height and build, with long curly red hair which hangs well
below her shoulders. She is nineteen years old.
Donatt Ironmaster came to Talor's Vale about 10 years ago and
set up a blacksmith near the Yarbrough. He is a stout, black-haired
dwarf who keeps his beard in three braids. The smithy itself mainly
produces mundane wares for the local farmers, as well as the inn
and general store. The only visible weapon in the smithy is a large
gleaming axe, which is carefully polished and hanging on the far
wall behind the counter.
Mr. Raenir came with Donatt Ironmaster and settled down not long
after he set up his blacksmithy. Mr. Ranier, as he prefers to be
called, is a short man with balding black hair and ice blue eyes.
He keeps his hair shorn in tight, and his beard is a bit longer
than the remainder of the hair of his head. He has slightly pointed
ears, that and his short stature gives evidence of elven blood
running somewhere in his veins. Mr. Raenir set up a general store
across the street from Donatt's smithy. The store serves to the
caravans that pass through, as well as to the locals. The only
weapons that can be purchased here are daggers and knives.
Jamus is a ranger who lives in the cabin just on the edge of the Lurkwoods near Talor's Vale. He doesn't spend much time in town, and is rarely near his cabin.