Sleeper's Forge

Mhiilamniir's Eighth District

Originally a halfling settlement, Sleeper's Forge grew exponentially after the abandonment of Noantar, the region's previous supplier of lumber. It is the eighth district of Mhiilamniir, lying approximately seven miles outside of the city itself. Containing a population of a little over 250 people, it is still the smallest community in the Realm of Eaerlann, with elves, half-elves, and halflings being among the most populous races. Besides its heavy involvement in the logging industry, the village is also renowned for the halfling-owned Burdock Brewery and Winery, which produces a lot of traditional alcoholic drinks that are sold far and wide. A peaceful and close-knit community, 'The Forge' as it is also known is currently led by the half-elf Neera Moonfire, who serves as the representative for the settlement on the Council of Mhiilamniir.

Demographics

Most of the population of Sleeper's Forge are either employed in the logging business, managing the surrounding forest or working at the mill, or they are hired on to work at the Burdock Brewery and Winery. Typically, the elves and half-elves take the former career path, whereas the halflings take the latter. Although the community tends to be close-knit and peaceable, residentially they are very much split along race lines. The halflings, being the original inhabitants, have most of their small, stone cottages in the section of the village known as 'The Burrows', which borders the river used by the settlement to power the lumber mill and form a natural defensive barrier. The elves and half-elves, most of whom can trace their lineages back to the people who fled the abandoned district of Noantar, have built their larger, wooden houses in the two sections known as 'The Cliffside' and 'The Shallows'. Universally, the people of the village tend to live modest to comfortable lives, with most of the wealth lying with the Riverhopper family (owners of the Burdock Brewery and Winery), and the Taerleaf family (owners of the lumber mill).

Notable Residents

• Neera Moonfire - The representative for Sleeper's Forge on the Council of Mhiilamniir, Neera Moonfire is a half-elf whose family has a long and storied history in the region, although she's quite happy not to talk about it. Being the official village leader, most folks have come to respect the somewhat capricious wild mage, going to her with their concerns over local matters so that she can sort them out for the community back in Mhiilamniir. Although some of her children are grown and moved out, she still lives on the outskirts of the village with her husband Tristan of Argive and her two youngest children, Ronan and Ember.
• Tristan of Argive - A retired adventurer, Tristan is one of the few humans living in Sleeper's Forge, where he is mostly known as the man married to the village representative. This suits him just fine; there are things in his past that he would rather keep hidden, and so Tristan does his best to support his family working as an independent woodcutter whilst helping his wife with their children.
• Buckley Riverhopper - The patriarch of the Riverhopper family is the aged Buckley, who is currently responsible for the daily running of the Burdock Brewery and Winery, as well as the management of its vineyard and herb garden. He tries to stay cheerful, but his legs don't work like they used to anymore, and he's finding that drinking his beloved beverages only eases the pain a little. He's also reluctant to hand over the running of the business to one of his children, most of whom are largely preoccupied with other things.
• Lianna Taerleaf - After recently taking over the lumber mill since her father's death, the young elf Lianna Taerleaf has found the responsibility thrust upon her somewhat dull and not at all like she imagined. Having lived a life of carefree comfort up until now, she is finding that not paying attention to the business knowledge her father was trying to impart on her was probably not the best idea. She remains whimsical and full of laughter, but the stress of running the business is starting to grind her down.
• Dedrik 'Ironcast' Dulfr - The only dwarf in Sleeper's Forge and owner of the Smoking Hammer Smithy, Dedrik Dulfr supposedly got his interesting nickname when he drained an entire barrel of 'slops' (leftover drinks) without passing out. He is the type that is always up for a drink, a game, and a laugh, with his considerable skill at the forge being somewhat wasted in a backwater place like Sleeper's Forge, but the aging dwarf is seemingly content with repairing axes and tools, whilst making the bare minimum weapons and armour for the militia.

Government

Like all districts of Mhiilamniir, Sleeper's Forge is governed by the Council of Mhiilamniir, through its elected representative. The representative is key to bringing the concerns of the settlement's citizens before the council to be discussed and hopefully resolved. Local taxes are set by the council for each respective family of the village, with consideration to their general income, residence, family size, and owned businesses to make it fair for all. Taxes are collected monthly by a council administrator, with considerable repercussions for those who attempt to avoid paying. Credit is generally given to those who genuinely cannot afford to pay the entire fee, on the understanding that they will negate the debt at a later date.

Defences

Sleeper's Forge is partially encircled by the Chatsdwell River, a tributary of the Delintyr River, which provides some natural defence against would-be attackers. Thanks to the abundance of lumber in the region, a sturdy wooden wall 15 feet high was constructed about thirty years ago, and runs along the eastern bank of the river, around the village. The walls have parapets for defenders to take up positions on, in addition to gates on the north and south sides. The gates are flanked by stone and wood towers that are capable of lowering drawbridges over the river, although these are often left open day and night and closed only during emergencies. The towers also serve as excellent defensive points, with arrow slits inside the towers themselves and crenellations on the roofs.   

Industry & Trade

Industrially important to all construction work that takes place across the Realm of Eaerlann, The Forge's lumber mill provides most of the region's access to wood since the fall of Noantar over 200 years ago. Woodcutters, most of which work for the mill, are also vital in providing firewood to the various communities. Due to this, forest management is also extremely important to the local area; not least because of a lack of trees, but also because deforestation would greatly upset a large majority of the forest's inhabitants. Sleeper's Forge also has the great benefit of the Burdock Brewery and Winery, which brings in many traders looking to buy huge quantities of alcoholic beverages. It is argued that the brewery elevates the village beyond that of a simple lumber settlement, with the injection of the artisan craft being beneficial to numerous other businesses that would otherwise struggle to thrive without an influx of travellers. 

Founding Date

16th Kythorn 1022 RH

Alternative Name(s)

The Forge

Type

Village

Population

257

Inhabitant Demonym

Eaerlanian

Location under

Mhiilamniir

Owning Organization

Realm of Eaerlann

Characters in Location

• Tristan of Argive