Good Mead
Where the golden mead flows in dunes of ice and snow.
Good Mead is a small village in eastern Ten-Towns on the western shore of Redwaters. It is located some kilometres south of the Eastway crossroads. It takes its name from the Mead Hall near the small pier, which produces the northmost locally-produced mead in the Empire and is famed throughout Ten-Towns. The historic Mead Hall was initially constructed in the late Alagonid Empire period, around 1300 MA, prior to which Good Mead was called Shorewood.
Politics and Economy
Speaker and Beekeeper
The government of Good Mead centred around the communal operation of the historic Mead Hall. The Speaker is popularly elected by the community, with the principal responsibility for administering the production of mead and its sale to the other communities in Icewind Dale. The Speaker is also responsible for dispute resolution and representing the interests of Good Mead on the Speakers's Council.
The Speaker is often closely helped in his work by the keeper of the Mead Hall's fireplace. The Beekeeper is a both a practical and ceremonial role, who remains garbed in a beekeepers suit and mask by tradition. The Beekeeper is the Speaker's closest advisor.
Mead Hall
Good Mead's small houses are overshadowed by the two-story structure of the Mead Hall, its eaves carved and painted to resemble wyverns, the main animal on the family crest of the old Baron of Good Mead.
The Mead Hall was once the manor house of the Baron before it was converted into the iconic mead brewery. Every tavern in Icewind Dale is accustomed to receiving regular mead deliveries, and the town can't produce or deliver its mead fast enough. The mead hall has a large and magically-fueled fire-heated space dedicated to bee husbandry and the nurturing of beehives. The droning bees can be heard throughout the town, though most residents are so accustomed to the buzzing that they pay it no mind.
A Trade in Mead
Good Mead's economy is principally driven by its Mead Hall. The hall is the main brewery for Ten-Towns, and mead from the town is shipped all across Icewind Dale. During the warmer months, some shipments are even shipped south to Norvissen. These shipments have stopped since the Everlasting Rime set in.
The Mead Hall has a magical hearth that burns consistently at a regular temperature without fuel. The hearth allows for Good Mead to sustain a large apiary to despite the freezing weather. The buzzing drone of the bees can be heard throughout the village. The mead hall put an end to the town's dependence on knucklehead trout fishing with its famous honey wine.
Good Mead also sustains a small logging and fishing industry, but often needs to trade with its northern neighbours to make up for shortfalls of food given its intense fishing rivalry with Dougan's Hole and the small knucklehead population in Redwaters.
History
Prior to the Mead Hall, Good Mead was called Shorewood. The town was an unorganized hamlet until the later Kingdom of Icewind, when the Barony of Shorewood was created to help administer the village and its distant southern neighbour at Dougan's Hole.
In the late Alagonid period, the Baron of Shorewood decided to transform his manor into the modern Mead Hall. Production began by the early 1300s MA, and the barony was renamed Good Mead.
Following the breakup of the Alagonid Empire, the barony of Good Mead was disbanded. Tensions between Good Mead and Dougan's Hole rapidly began to escalate as Dougan began asserting their independence, breaking out into open conflict be the late 100s NE. The conflict was bloody, giving the Redwaters their iconic name. The conflict has periodically flared up since, most recently in 423 NE.
Contents
General Information
Nalemonic Empire
Nalemonic Pantheon
Reghed
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