Morkrets

"Morkrets"
Known for its rare fungi, and rainy weather, the growing Morkrets is tucked away below the Skugga Flod River, south of Meza Enu Forest, between the East and West Skuggaberg Mountains. Despite it’s out of the way location, those who travel here remark on its amazing fungi production, diverse population and endeavor to harmonize with nature.

Demographics

The founding of Morkrets by half-elves has led to a greater acceptance of the various races. All are welcome and as word spreads of the town’s tolerance and acceptance, more and more flock here each year.
During The Shadow Rift event: 58% human, 25% half-elf, 9% elf, 8% dwarf
Today: 50% human, 35% half-elf, 5% elf, 5% dwarf, 3% Halfling, 2% gnome

Government

Upon entry to the town, all are quickly met by the town’s custom agent. His job is to collect tax on all imports and exports and direct visitors to one of the nearby exchange offices. At the exchange office foreign coins are traded in for the official silver and copper coins of Morkrets at a 1:1 rate with a slight 2% transaction fee.
Day to day town operations are run by the burgomaster. He is hand selected and represents the descendants of the original founders. The descendants always stay behind the scenes and are personally unknown by the town’s inhabitants. They have absolute authority over every aspect of the town and the surrounding areas.
Being that the founders were half-elven and their descendants are half-elven, they have mandated that all peoples living and working in the vicinity of the town must work with nature and cannot work against it. Hence there is no commercialization of resources or over harvesting of animal, vegetable, or mineral. (No clear cutting of forests or over fishing of the river). Anyone wishing to use nature, requires a permit which explains the limitations, which can vary from year to year depending on circumstances. Permits are available at the exchange offices and violators are subject to fines, incarceration, or even banishment.

Defences

While there are sporadic outlying homesteads, most of the population lives inside the town walls. The main town is surrounded by four wooden walls with periodic watch towers at the four corners and midsections of the wall. Each watch tower contains a fully functioning catapult and armory for the peace keeping forces. Two entrance gates are located at the east and west end of the town and are protected with a portcullis and murder holes.
The peace keeping force is run by the sergeant of the guard who can quickly call on 5 to 10 officers to deal with any local issues occurring inside of the town. During times of battle 4 squads of archers will man the battlements of the 4 wooden palisades walls and 2 squads of ground troops will be ready to provide additional support where needed. Generally the archers will be made up of mostly half-elves and a few elves and humans, and the ground troops made up of mostly humans and a few dwarves.

Industry & Trade

Being an out of the way town, Morkrets has tried to become a self-sufficient community. Traders and visitors are always welcome. All excess town produced goods are available for export. Of particular interest are the rare mushrooms and truffles, which are considered a delicacy and command top price.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure is much today as it has been since its beginning. Hard packed dirt roads weave themselves throughout the town, with many shops and services located at the center of town and residences towards the edges. At the middle of town is “Proclamation Hill”, where the burgomaster dispenses any pertinent information.

Guilds and Factions

There are no guilds permitted in the city and any allusions to creating one are quickly shut down and discouraged.

History

Morkrets began as a secretive encampment for escaped slaves and refugees of the war. The founders being a group led by the half-elves Sundimst Moor and Isra Kreets. This group continued to find expatriates and bring them here as well as free peoples wrongly apprehended. The surrounding landscape was ideal to protect and hide the groups that came here.
It was decided by the freed peoples that the new encampment and eventual town be named Morkrets, after Morla Kreets, who was the first to be born here.
As the encampment grew, they looked towards Sundimst and Isra to guide and lead them. After the end of the war and no longer secretive, word began to spread and the population continued to grow, the encampment became an outpost and small village, and eventually a recognized independent town. Morkrets has had its ups and downs, survived The Shadow Rift , and despite being out of the way, it has grown into a self-sustaining good sized town, renown for its mushrooms and truffles.

Architecture

River and field stone, as well as oak and maple wood is used throughout the architecture here. While some building may be entirely made from stone or entirely of wood, most buildings usually consist of stone foundations and wooden wall and roofs. These are often left as natural colors to help blend in with the surroundings.

Geography

Morkrets stands on the south side of the Skugga Flod River, just below the Meza Enu Forest, which is surrounded by the steep East and West Skuggaberg Mountains. The tall, shadow filled woodland and numerous mountain tributaries provide many natural resources that have helped Morkrets develop.
Due to the competition for sunlight, and frequent rainstorms caused by the prevailing winds and orographic lifting, the trees here grow exceptionally tall, competing for the limited sunlight that is blocked by the tall mountains for much of the day. The tall trees shade out most sun loving plants and only shade tolerant plants and fungi will flourish here.

Natural Resources

Wood: Lumber of oak and maple is readily available as the trees are relatively fast growing and tall.
Rocks & Minerals: There is a readily available and vast supply of natural field stone and river rocks. It is not uncommon to find small quartz crystals in the mountains.
Crops: Some people have started to try and grow grain and corn. A variety of highly sought after mushrooms and truffles grow in the forest.
Livestock: A few farmers have taken up raising sheep, chickens, and even some cattle. Wild pigs roam the forest with deer, turkey, and bear. River eels and trout are caught in the river and streams.
Processed Goods: Most are small scale, but known to be available for purchase. Some products are eel skin belts, eel skin scabbards, rye beer, rye whiskey, wheat beer, wheat whiskey, corn beer, moonshine, wooden carvings, furniture, wool blankets, wool clothing.

Type

Town

Population

2,500

Related Historical Events

• 9819 A.S.
  The Founding Of Morkrets

Currency
Morkret’s currency consists of two main coins. The Morkrets Candidum and the Copper Shroom. No other tender is legal inside of the town.
The Morkrets Candidum or “Mork” as it is more commonly called, is a silvery copper metal alloy made of 50% silver and 50% copper. One side depicts a central forest with a half circle of mountains surrounding it and a river flowing below it. On the reverse side is large stylized letter M made out of chain links. It has a value of 1 sp in Morkrets and ½ sp or 5 cp in locations outside of Morkrets.
The Copper Shroom is a small copper coin used to purchase most goods in town. On one side is a depiction of a large mushroom surrounded by a semicircle of mountains, and on the reverse is a large stylized letter M made out of chain links. Despite being thinner and smaller than most copper pieces in the realms, it has a value of 1 cp in Morkrets and a value of ½ cp in other towns.
During the time of The Shadow Rift, slits or holes where punched through the center of the coins (right through the forest on the silver pieces) and strung on a cord, in order to make them harder to lose or be stolen. Looking back, one might wonder if this was a subconscious referral to The Shadow Rift itself.

Notable Places
“Shrooms And Such”
Is an alchemist shop that offers rare mushrooms, herbs, crystals, and unusual potions, slaves, oils, and tinctures.
Located in a small side alley, the alchemist shop is a stone-walled simple building, with a moss covered wooden tile roof and vine covered walls. Inside is a taxidermied black bear near the entrance and fragrant dried herbs hang from the rafters. The basement contains racks and trays for growing mushrooms, storage shelves, and a hidden tunnel that leads outside beyond the walls.