Nyridda Heartlands
During the Second Great Turbulence
The Nerys River , which provided the main source of irrigation to the heartlands, was signficantly diverted due to landmass shifts. This caused crop failure and famine throughout the heartlands, as well as a significant loss of trade. By 8 SGT, residents were starving, most cattle had been slaughtered, and stores had been used up. The region no longer had the funds to ship in food, and it lacked the political import to gain aid from better-off regions. Aid came from a strange source. Wren Barrowright, great granddaughter of Mair Barrowright, claimed her great grandmother's boon from Lord Kestrin Mithering .
Lord Kestrin agreed to the validity of her request, and to aid the villages of the heartlands until the end of the famine.
Seconds later, a host of strange people came trekking through the tree, carrying basket upon basket of fruit, fresh and luscious. Within an hour, there was enough to load several carts, and Lord Kestrin promised to send more the next day. He did so, and for every day until the first successful harvest after the restoration of the Nerys River . The village dried much of the fruit and sent it to the other villages. It was unusually satiating, taking only a few bites to satisfy any appetite. For a long time, Wren was seen as a hero.
During the Second Calm
But fey help rarely comes without unforeseen consequences. In 11 SC, the famine officially ended with the restoration of the Nerys River to its original route, and the first successful harvest for many years. The fruit shipments stopped.
But when the villages began to eat regular food again, the residents found that it tasted ashen, and failed to satisfy. They began to grow pale and wane, some even ceasing to eat. They petitioned Wren to call upon Lord Kestrin again, which she did by knocking on the tree in the instructed rhythm, at which point one of his servants appeared, and heard her request. She was told that Lord Kestrin was too busy to meet with her, but her request would be considered. Wren went through the tree with several others to petition the lord personally, but never returned.
Several weeks passed, and the residents lost hope. Then the servant returned. They said that the supplies of fruit could be reinstated, but this time there would something would be needed in trade. Once a year at midsummer, the heartlands must send Lord Kestrin a new servant through the tree for as long as it pleased him. The residents weren't happy about this, but felt they had little choice. They agreed to the deal.
The fruit shipments resumed, though overtime they reduced in frequency until their arrival was a monthly event. New residents would be warned not to eat the magical fruit, and parents would refuse to let their children eat it, so over time the amount needed dwindled. Though there were always some who ate voluntararily, out of curiousity, or because of the rumours that a rare few of those who consumed it would be blessed with magical gifts.
Slowly, the monthly arrival of the fruit began to be celebrated as a sort of fete day, and began to be combined with the heartlands general market day. Fey traders began to come through with the fruit, bartering magical trinkets, keepsakes from the feywild, and even small creatures, in exchange for memories, secrets, souvenirs, and oddities. This began attract curious folk from neighbouring regions, particularly those with magical interests, and helped generally improve trade in the heartlands.
Finding volunteers to go to the Feywild was difficult for the first few decades, however it was rare that someone had to be chosen, as usually somebody would eventually volunteer, if only to save their family and friends from potentially being chosen. None of the volunteers returned, and no word would ever be given of them, but rumours spread. Some said that they lived lives of unimaginable luxury in the Lord's court, or were now powerful sorcerers in their own right, exploring the feywild. These rumours invariably tempted someone to volunteer, and eventually, the difficulty would be choosing only one person, from a small group of hopefuls.
Traditions
Region Information
The majority of the population are humans and halflings, but a small half-elf population is building, as those interested in the feywild roots of their people are drawn to the area. The following settlements exist in the Nyridda Heartlands during
The following settlements exist during the Second Calm.
Bedd Guto
Cilifor
Caebrew
Bedd Mair
Bedd Eirwyn
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