The Dell

The people of Daring Heights had explored the surrounding area in earnest as the town was being founded. They mapped the nearby hills in some detail and delved into every cave and grove they could, often being chased out again by monsters. So it came as some surprise when the Erina people finally announced themselves more than a year later - a small community less than a day's travel from the city.
Stout and spiky hedgehog-like people, their little village had survived in a dangerous land like Kantas by being almost impossible to find. It lay just within the northern borders of the Feythorn Forest, just south of a small lake which sat right on the edge of the woodlands. Access to the village, known as the Dell, is apparently only done via a long tunnel hidden behind moss and stone, barely passable to a human, but plenty large enough for the short Erina.
The Dell sits at the bottom of a gorge, curving upward above them with the canopy of the forest just visible through the rocks and vines that crisscross above them. They have survived a long time by being incredibly hard to find. The village is a quiet affair, settled among the trees that have grown at the base of this grassy canyon. Food is largely a hunting and gathering affair, with a small farm at one end of the village to grow some core crops which require less sunlight. Though until they encountered Daring Heights they didn't have any need for trade, they do produce incredibly fine quality leather and hide goods, stitching intricate and unusual designs into each item for a textured effect that has seen Daring citizens trade readily for them.
It isn't more than a 10 minute walk to take the tour of the place, but in that tour you will see an entire society thriving in what was previously complete isolation - guards and warriors training in the art of the spear and spike, leatherworkers tanning and crafting, people preparing food, caring for families, stitching clothes. Daring has continued to work with the Dell, but what they repeatedly find is that while the Erina take an interest in this strange new neighbour, they really have no need of them.
_{Particular thanks to Matt for introducing this area to Kantas and Josh for writing about the session so I had a record to use.}

Government

Elder Council

Type

Village

Inhabitant Demonym

Erina