Heartwood

Deep in the wintry pine forests of Heartwood, there is a small, permanent enclave. This enclave is inhabitated entirely by Vampires and vampire spawn. The governer of this town is the prime vampire, almost all the other vampires are his spawn (although some have earned independence). This village has been kept a secret from the world for thousands of years. It is believed vampires have been eliminated centuries ago, but truthfully Heartwood remains the last refuge of vampire-kind. The cold and extreme environment makes it a perfect hiding place. Very few adventurers travel north into the cold, but the vampire's resistance to cold makes it bareable for them. 
There are many myths about vampires, most are generally not true or based on more vicious/carnal vampires of the past.  Since they are undead, there is no need to eat or sleep, this includes drinking blood. Biting and drinking blood are only required to make spawn. There is an urge to drink blood, but it can be resisted. This urge is stronger the first 100-200 years of a vampires life, but generally fades as a vampire matures. Although technically immortal, memories longer than a few hundred to a thousand years begin to fade. Strong memories will remain (such as when they first turned) will remain, but otherwise many memories will fade. Most inhabitants of Heartwood remember little before becoming a vampire, since they've been in hiding for many hundred years.
Once a year on the blood moon, the vampires hold a festival where they drink the blood of woodland animals. This ritual serves to both sate any desire for blood and celebrate the creation of the village, the safety of the forest, and the un-life of all the inhabitants.
In the center of the village grows an enormous coniferous tree, at least 15 feet across and a hundred feet tall, it is easly the tallest tree in the whole forest. It's bark is black as midnight and seems to absorb light around it. If you stand close or touch the tree it seems to pulse as though a living heart lies inside the trunk. This is the Heart Tree, for what the whole forest is named after. It holds a special connection to the vampire enclave. Nearly sentient, the tree has lived longer than even the vampires and its roots interconnect and spread throughout the Heartwood forest and even beyond in some places. The vampires will fight to death anyone who even so much as makes a disparaging remark about the tree.

Demographics

All the inhabitants are all vampires or vampire sapwns. However, the base races are split mainly between elves, humans, and half-orcs. There are some gnomes and halflings. There are very few dwarves or other races (tieflings, dragonborn, etc.)
While there is no monetary system in the village, there are still professions that some vampires have practiced. This inlcudes anything needed by a village with no money, food, or sleep. There are clothiers, leatherworkers, weaponsmiths, etc. However, because of the longevity of the vampires, many will take turns practicing different crafts as desired or needed.

Government

The Governer is also the Prime Vampire, but he rules benevolently. It was his original vision to create this refuge far from other humanoid interference. His word is law, although threre are only a handful of official written rules. Often the Prime Vampire will make decisions for the good of the enclave, but occasionally there will be a town hall meeting to get a vote from every vampire inteh village. This process can take days or even months.
Official Written Rules: (Mostly TBD, but ideas below) No aggression or attacking fellow vampires There are no secrets, all is known for the good of the enclave There is no leaving the Heartwood Forest You shall not be seen by anyone inside or outside the forest, if you are they will need to be eliminated New vampire spawn are allowed by a popular vote of all village members

Defences

The village itslef holds very few natural defenses. The idea is that the forest and strength of the vampires themselves are enough to defend against any intrusion.

Industry & Trade

Everything needed by the village is collected, grown, or built here. There is no trade. The village must remain a secret at all costs.

History

It is said that the prime vampire founded the enclave afer entering the forest thousands (some versions even say hundreds of thousands) years ago and felt the Heart Tree beating. The tree led him here and invited him to create a refuge for vampire-kind. This story is mostly true, and the prime vampire remembers this event very well, being etched in his mind even though it was a long time ago.

Alternative Name(s)

The Undead Refuge

Type

Town

Population

467