Lakemont
Nestled between the base of Mount Ashakalder, quite possibly the tallest mountain in Ferlausen, and the shores of Midasu Lake, Lakemont is a small and isolated village. Although a small trail winds its way between the peaks of the Whitetip Mountains and a wide river connects it to other settlements in the region, Lakemont has always been difficult to reach.
The inhabitants of Lakemont are famously insular, with little travel to and from the large valley in which it resides. Most who visit the area come to see the famous Mount Ashakalder, whose name means "place of the god." Foreigners rarely survive the treacherous slopes, and very few Lakemont natives will guide travelers up the mountain, since it is a sacred place to them.
Within the past few hundred years, a terrible dragon has built its lair in the mountains about a hundred miles north of Lakemont. Although the village itself has survived, most nearby settlements have been completely ravaged by the dragon's terrible sway, and as its influence grows, even the protective shadow of Ashakalder may not be enough to protect them. Many of Lakemont's former inhabitants chose to flee the potential wrath of the dragon, so many buildings stand eerily empty, the older houses crumbling under the weight of time.
Demographics
Lakemont's inhabitants are primarily Hashkarlig dwarves, with a few humans and members of other races here and there. It is a fairly homogeneous populace, and as a rule the people who live there are gruff and poor, eking out a subsistence living among the mountains.
Government
The governmental structure of Lakemont is exceedingly loose. Although it is ostensibly ruled by its hereditary king or queen, currently a human man named Namdak Lewheng, in reality the people of Lakemont are more likely to listen to the dwarvish mappamappa-grishkiev, or cultural elders. One of the most revered of these elders is Grishplikkst Chanku, an older dwarvish woman who is a major religious leader in Laketown. In many ways Lakemont is two villages: the Dwarvish Lakemont and the Human Lakemont.
Industry & Trade
Lakemont is not a trade hub by any stretch of the imagination. The vast majority of the populace lives a subsistence lifestyle, with a combination of tiered crop farming, ranching, hunting, and gathering. The one export Lakemont might generously be known for is felted clothing and blankets made from the wool of Whitetip sheep. Lakemont's only major import is salt for preserving, mostly traded from Mandjula.
Architecture
Lakemont is primarily made up of low, one-story stone houses with A-frame roofs which slope to the ground. Unlike many of the dwarves of the Whitetip Mountains, Lakemont dwarves mostly build their homes above ground, although most of the buildings in Lakemont have cellars which are connected via tunnels to the other cellars, so that travel can occur below ground even in heavy snow.
Most buildings in Lakemont are oriented with their front towards Mount Ashakaldar, and nearly all homes in Lakemont have a portion of the cellar dedicated as a home altar to the elemental god Ashakal, in keeping with the religious practices of the area.
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