Frosts Edge

Frosts Edge is the furthest north of the United kingdom's frontier settlements, located a days travel to the north-west of Northreach and reached by travelling through the frozen boughs of a spirit-haunted old woodland. Originally, the settlement was to be the staging ground for further expansion into the north. However, several setbacks, including the harsher than expected elements and the actions of hostile, native clans of pale Tundra Elves have delayed any work in this regard.
The settlement itself is a two-level village built in the side of a short cliff face, a wide ledge that drops from the forest level down to the frozen, expansive tundra that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Some buildings have been expanded into the cliff-face itself, but in general the town itself is formed from log cabins cut from the cold wood from the claustrophobic forest that chokes any expansion south-eastward.
Facilities available include a functional, if rather sparse Inn (normally reserved for loggers, hunters and the few explorers who are on good terms with the locals and spend their time exploring the Tundra), a trading post with limited stocks of equipment and doubles as a storage house for cured and smoked meats and fish. A family of carpenters are well respected for their skills, being responsible for most of the buildings in the village, including the fortified wooden palisade that protects them from danger. The governor has a home in the lower half of the village which has been expanded downwards into the earth, having been built over a natural cave system that has, technically only ever been partially explored.
There was a failed attempt to expand logging operations to turn it into a viable trade with nearby Northreach. However, the hostility of both the forest and the Tundra Elves rendered it too expensive and dangerous to continue, and the Logging Hall that was built has been mostly abandoned, instead used as a temporary camp for hunting parties.
A small home has also been set aside for use as a headquarters for the Royal Exploratory Unit, manned by a single, eccentric young gnome who is dedicated to the task of exploring the region for new wonders, creatures and materials to catalogue for the crown.

Demographics

Citizens of Frosts Edge are almost entirely human, save for the gnomish official in the Explorers cottage and a small number of elves and half-elves that operate as hunters and liaisons with the local Tundra Elf tribes.

Government

The village is governed by a single Governor, appointed by the nearby city of Northreach but is generally able to act independently without much oversight.

Defences

A small number of guards are stationed as protection at the village gates, but in general a loose defence agreement with the local tribes, independent hunters and bandit gangs help keep trouble away from the gates of the village. A larger guard presence would cause a great deal of tension with those who like secrecy with their business transactions...

Industry & Trade

Legitimate trade: Furs, Animal Flesh, Limited Logging Illegitimate trade: Smuggling precious ore from Northreach, Looting of local artifacts and relics

Infrastructure

Most of the village's heat and food comes from a Thermal pool sheltered against the foot of the cliff that splits the town in half. The warmth is enough for them to have planted hardier vegetables and grains to supplement their primary food source - hunted creatures in the Tundra and forest.
There have been several attempts to locate new mineral deposits along the length of the cliff face, which stretches several miles to the north-east and south-west, but little of interest has been discovered so far. Most of the towns legitimate money therefore comes from furs, animal flesh and a small amount of the local wood - a hardy specimen which is ideal for sturdy home-building.
Illegitimately, most of the small villages wealth comes from a smuggling operation that is essentially an open-secret to locals. Mostly they use this underground railway to ferret precious minerals too and from Northreach, which in recent years has included the dangerous and volatile Victaline Ore. Because of this, several small, discreet, bandit operations are active in the region, occasionally clashing with the local tribes and causing no end of trouble for the Governor, who does their best to balance the needs of his people, the local elves and the authorities.

Assets

Trading post (Basic equipment ,winter gear, hunted food storage), Carpenter (wooden goods - mainly log cabins and similar structures), Black Market (rarer equipment, ores, spell components, tribal artifacts looted from the barrow mounds to the north) Inn ("The Frozen Nip" Rough and basic tavern and Inn facilities).

Guilds and Factions

There is a small branch of the Royal Exploratory Unit present in the village. Mainly focused on exploring the Tundra, and the Barrow Mounds to the north, much to the annoyance of the local elves.

History

The village was first established immediately prior to the outset of the war, as part of the United Kingdoms policy of expansion and control. However the lack of real profit or progress from the frontier meant that it was largely forgotten by the time the war rolled around. Which was something of a relief to those living there, as they were far enough out of the way that neither side paid any particular attention to them.

Architecture

Almost exclusively wooden log cabins made from local timber. Some structures are extended into the cliff face, or into underground ice caves below ground.

Geography

Located partly on a low cliff overlooking a wide expanse of Tundra. The lower half is situated at the base of this cliff, accessible by a natural sloping trail which has been reinforced with wooden steps. The village is almost entirely surrounded by hostile environments, with the thick, frozen woodland to the south-east and the wide open wild tundra to the north-west.

Natural Resources

Frozen wood from the forest, Meat and furs from the woods and tundra. Precious goods either traded with the native elves (or looted from their barrow mounds).

Alternative Name(s)

Frost Folly, The Folly

Type

Outpost / Base

Population

Generally ignored by war recruiters, the population of Frosts Edge is still relatively the same as it was when first established - around 40-50 individuals, including hunters, explorers and woodcutters who tend to be rather more transient.