Bifen Village
"Bifen be a bit of a strange place, as one might expect of a village within zone of a Scar upon Reality, and it is remote despite only being but a week on foot from Kelethan. The people here are as rural as rural comes, they don't like strangers most of em, cause the closest thing to guests they get besides adventuring sorts like yourselves passing through are the Depen soldiers who come by once a year to collect what little tax these people generate. Its a subsistence settlement, and one that is a very insular community. So just, careful what you say. You don't wanna piss off the locals."
A warning oft given, not always listened to, by Antilis Fairmeadows to any would be adventuring groups that hire her.
Overview
The settlement of Bifen is a small village of folks whom were basically to stubborn to move. With a population numbering just below a thousand, it is a small community, all but abandoned for the most part, self sufficient, though the Depen government still insures they collect their meagre taxes once a year. For most residents that one time a year is the only time they ever really find out they are part of a larger country, the only time in their lives they will ever see the uniform, the only real contact they'll have with the outside, besides of course wandering adventuring groups whom come through.
Demographics
Bifen's population is mostly Wylde Elves, Koltani Humans, and of course, uniquely because of the Scar upon Reality that the village now lies within, half breeds. Half-breeds are not natural and considered a mutation and are supposed to be destroyed, they are a heresy, because they cannot naturally occur. But the region Bifen is in of course is not wholly natural. So half-elf, half humans make up another notable demographic. There are no Dwarves or Skye Elves living within the village, the rest of the populace being made up of mostly mixed humans, two small Tantur families, and five halfmen. One of the most notable people besides the Lord Mayor happens to be one of these Halfmen, the infamous explorer and debatably madwoman Antilis Fairmeadows
Government
The village of Bifen is very much stuck in the past, still operating under an almost feudal like structure, with the Reed family in charge to this day, and having a little private band of about forty to fifty individuals whom operate as tax collection, law enforcement and guards. The idea of a constabulary, or a modern police system does not exist here. Reed's rule is law, and though he is seemingly a reasonably fair man, the run down nature of Bifen, the sheer nature of the place, and how out of step with more modern society it is most definitely speaks so some problems.
Part of Reed's power lies with his wife and their son. His wife Temanil Arth'ivas, is the villages religous head, she runs the small chapel to the Lady of the Leaves, and she is a hardline fanatic. She believes in the truly old ways, even going to far as to imply that offerings of goat kids or lambs should be left out in the wilderness in very specific places for one of Talia's Favored Children, and that any child born with The Scaling a mutative condition that seems to crop up commonly within the village in babes, be slaughtered for they are unclean, they are heretics from birth, for they are mutants. This is in spite of her own son being, in a strict religious law sense, branded as the same thing.
Part of Reed's power lies with his wife and their son. His wife Temanil Arth'ivas, is the villages religous head, she runs the small chapel to the Lady of the Leaves, and she is a hardline fanatic. She believes in the truly old ways, even going to far as to imply that offerings of goat kids or lambs should be left out in the wilderness in very specific places for one of Talia's Favored Children, and that any child born with The Scaling a mutative condition that seems to crop up commonly within the village in babes, be slaughtered for they are unclean, they are heretics from birth, for they are mutants. This is in spite of her own son being, in a strict religious law sense, branded as the same thing.
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In truth however, the reason the Hisker clutch that lives and raids in this region of the Forgotten Moor has not wiped this village off the map is because those scaled babes, the ones born early, are not a mere mutation. Those children are mutating into Hisker human hybrids, and as such, the clutch oft finds them, as there have been plenty of times a mother has not had the heart to kill her babe, and instead merely leaves the village, travels almost a half day into the swampland surrounding Bifen, and simply...leaves the child, praying to Talia to do what must be done. As such, the Hisker for now leave the Village be, as it helps increase their numbers.
Defences
Bifen's only really defences, besides Reed's own goons, whom really shouldn't be trusted to actually help the common folk, is that most everyone at least knows how to throw a javelin, use a knife or shoot a bow. Its all part of growing up here, one must learn to take care of themselves, and have the means available. This is not to say these people are well armed. Most equipment is crude, of a poor quality, and there are very few metal weapons, fewer still those of even halfway decent steel. Only a small handful of trusted men in Reed's private little goon squad are decently armed with steal headed axes and blades, and mail armor. However in recent years, Antilis' arrival, settling to stay, and her prowess with her firearm, and her ability and knowledge in gunsmithing, have helped. Antilis keeps her own home under heavy guard, multiple locks, booby traps and more, including a large Santhuli Wuulfhund she calls Fang. This is because she keeps about two dozen other guns, along with plenty of powder and ammo..
Industry & Trade
The logging industry, such as it is, is basically all Bifen has going for it. Recently however, the equipment breaking has become more and more common, to the point where David Roberts is honestly wondering if there is some sort of ill presence involved.
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There is, his men disturbed a Dria, a kind of fell Fae that at one point was a cousin to Dryads. The creature has cursed the logging facility, and perhaps three days after the PCs arrive, late one evening with the help of four giant Marsh Toads, they will utterly destroy the logging facility, destroying plenty of equipment, killing one worker and two others will go missing. Knowing that Reed will be useless to approach, David Roberts might instead approach Antilis, knowing her habit for bringing wanna-be adventuring types into town, and attempt to make some sort of deal for aid.
Infrastructure
Bifen is extremely run down, yet it has life within it despite how ruined it looks, and Depen coin is still the medium of exchange, though besides the Reed family and the Hammern family, no one is anything close to resembling wealthy. Dorv Hammern, a large ogre like Tantur runs the general goods store, and his two sons are the only other folk whom leave Bifen regularly outside Antilis, going to do business in Kelethan about once every two months. His shop is stocked well enough, though not with anything exceedingly impressive or highly valuable. There is the chapel and town hall of course. Town hall is little more than the only truly impressive, if still run down, structure, the Reed manor. Built onto it as ramshackle additions are the Town Hall, where a small council meet to make decisions about four times a year.
Besides these locations, their is a tavern and inn, such as it is, called the Scumskimmer, run by one Clara Irons and her daughters Mika and Gilla, the second Tantur family in town. The accomodations here are far from luxury, but at least a sight better than the muck, mud, water and pests of the swamp itself.
Then there is also the local apothecary, Shelly Vanni, a human of Mogol descent. She is a rudimentary student of herbalism and alchemy, and is the closest thing to a doctor around.
There is a second tavern, though this one does not double as an inn, called the Bloated Bowfly, run by a halfman named Thomas 'Ironguts' Sandmound. On the northern edge of the village, on the small river that flows through, this is where the local fishermen oft meet up.
Despite being as backward as it is, the village does have three guilds with active halls. The Fishermen, the Hunters, and the Loggers, as there is an active logging operation less than an hour west, run by a man named David Roberts. The timber industry is basically the only reason this village still exists, and is mostly how it pays its taxes. The mill is old, ancient even, but still manages to run, though downtime is common as equipment breaks and has to be jury rigged back together.
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In truth Reed does not really care about these councils, and just generally ignores them or does the least possible to make it seem he has listened.
Besides these locations, their is a tavern and inn, such as it is, called the Scumskimmer, run by one Clara Irons and her daughters Mika and Gilla, the second Tantur family in town. The accomodations here are far from luxury, but at least a sight better than the muck, mud, water and pests of the swamp itself.
Then there is also the local apothecary, Shelly Vanni, a human of Mogol descent. She is a rudimentary student of herbalism and alchemy, and is the closest thing to a doctor around.
Show spoiler
Shelly is actually a Shaman
There is a second tavern, though this one does not double as an inn, called the Bloated Bowfly, run by a halfman named Thomas 'Ironguts' Sandmound. On the northern edge of the village, on the small river that flows through, this is where the local fishermen oft meet up.
Despite being as backward as it is, the village does have three guilds with active halls. The Fishermen, the Hunters, and the Loggers, as there is an active logging operation less than an hour west, run by a man named David Roberts. The timber industry is basically the only reason this village still exists, and is mostly how it pays its taxes. The mill is old, ancient even, but still manages to run, though downtime is common as equipment breaks and has to be jury rigged back together.
Districts
Bifen isn't really big enough to be split into true districts, but it is built mostly in between a small rise in the land and a river bank. This rise in the land is oft referred to as "High Bifen" and houses but a handful of buildings. The homesteads of the Reed family (the manor that double as a town hall and triples as a sheriff's office/guard barracks), the manor of the Roberts Family, the manor of the Hammern family, and the Grove-Chapel to Talia, along with barrack like housing for Reed's personal thugs, sorry we mean town guard. This small hilltop is surrounded by a palisade, seperated from the rest of the village, almost like a ramshackle fort or castle, the walls some fifteen feet high. The rest of the village is down between the river and the small hillock, and is mostly unwalled, though some attempts at earthen works can be seen at the village outskirts, all failing of course due to the swampy nature of the land.
Assets
Bifen does not really have much in the way of assets or valuables, it is a very poor village. Even the so called 'rich' three families here are barely middle class by standards of the way beyond the village's borders.
Guilds and Factions
Reed's inner circle: Made up of his wife, his son Wyndar, whom is the head of his goon squad, so the so called 'sheriff' of Bifen, along with Reed's family and the Hammerns. Roberts is the relatively new member of the village's upper elite, he has been here for 20 years running this logging operation. He is not part of the inner circle, and finds the way things are run disgraceful.
Reed's Goon Squad: Men and women Reed targeted from a young age, those who showed a malleable aggressivness.
Hunter's Guild: numbering some 2 dozen direct members, the smallest of the three guilds, yet equally as powerful as the Fishermen, because they are the ones whom feed the village. Run by one Deacon Smythe, a skilled tracker, trapper and hunter.
Fishermen's Guild: Numbering some 3 or dozen or so members, they crew the four small river boats used to fish up and down the Biney River. Their head is a skittish elven fellow named Gin'avil Teris'lin.
The Logger's Guild: Numbering close to a hundred and fifty members, the logging and timber processing industry, though small for the standards of the day, is the biggest employer by far in the village, and the head of the guild, Lief Darnell, knows it. He is one of the only people in town to defy, argue with, and even strike Sheriff Wyndar in an altercation and get away with it.
Reed's Goon Squad: Men and women Reed targeted from a young age, those who showed a malleable aggressivness.
Hunter's Guild: numbering some 2 dozen direct members, the smallest of the three guilds, yet equally as powerful as the Fishermen, because they are the ones whom feed the village. Run by one Deacon Smythe, a skilled tracker, trapper and hunter.
Fishermen's Guild: Numbering some 3 or dozen or so members, they crew the four small river boats used to fish up and down the Biney River. Their head is a skittish elven fellow named Gin'avil Teris'lin.
The Logger's Guild: Numbering close to a hundred and fifty members, the logging and timber processing industry, though small for the standards of the day, is the biggest employer by far in the village, and the head of the guild, Lief Darnell, knows it. He is one of the only people in town to defy, argue with, and even strike Sheriff Wyndar in an altercation and get away with it.
History
Bifen's history is very clouded and is quite buried by its populace. They aren't likely to share easily.
Architecture
Ramshackle and run down, very utilitarian, very improvised.
Geography
a hill within a swampy region on the bank of a river.
Climate
Temperate wetland.
Natural Resources
Timber, Fish, animal parts, pelts and feathers.
This is such a wonderfully thought out settlement! The plot hooks and how players can interact with them hidden in spoilers is great for casual readers who not be playing in the campaign. You could probably put some of the prompts like 'Geography' and 'Natural Resources' in the Sidebar if they are only going to be a sentence or two long. This gives the sidebar a bit more length and helps balance out the aesthetics of the article. You mention a 'Scar of Reality' and then NEVER follow up on it! Where are they?! I can't wait to hear how a campaign that visits this village goes!
That will be followed up on in due course and updated here :) Scar upon Reality doesn't really refer to a specific location so much as the entire area, the swamplands themselves. There is an active problem known as a World-Wound, which is why Reality is scarred. If you are familiar with Dragon Age or Warhammer thing a Warp Rift, a Fade Rift/Tear. As to where that is exactly, well that's part of campaign ideas I'm not even willing to put in spoilers in this article yet, but its another place I referenced, specifically in a military conflict article for this Summercamp. A place of great and bloody tragedy that left the world so bloodsoaked around it that reality...broke. Hence the twisted swamp all around, and the strange happenings. The very land is scarred. I will be linking the article about World-Wounds and Scars upon Reality to this once the campaign I intend to run involving this setting and the story surrounding all this stuff kicks off and the players begin to acquire the knowledge and understanding of those terms. Its very central to the whole plot plan so I didn't wanna link it in just yet. I concur I have thought about and likely intend to move some of those smaller sections over after August is over and editing can be done in good conscious/faith. I don't think I'd be in any sort of contest running, but I like the spirit of the challenge, the idea too of letting ideas percolate for a month before going back in, looking at them deeper and in a calmer time frame and then editing them.