Camp Icebreaker (SC'19)

Written by Jason Massey, Edited by Steve Tremblay

"It’s so gods-damned cold you are certain this is the end. When you chose the life of an adventurer, you always believed that when you died, it would be in battle. Who will sing songs of the traveler who succumbed to the chill of The Northlands? You’ve almost given up hope when you spot a gentle plume of smoke. Civilization at last! Or at least, something close enough to it."

Far further than most are willing to travel to the north, rests a very small outpost of only about a hundred and fifty people. The only solace a traveler will find between the Ivory Peaks and the Ashen Sea. There are a few small cabins sprinkled about, and the inhabitants live with just enough to get by. This is not a place for regular folk who want easy lives. Those who find their way to Camp Icebreaker usually do so with a purpose; whatever they are avoiding, the camp offers solitude. This life suits them, and they tend to like that just fine.

Government

There is no need for a formal system of government in Camp Icebreaker, as everyone mostly keeps to themselves. They do have a leader though, by the name of Agnes Joyce. She runs the village inasmuch as she and a few other volunteers enforce one basic law: treat one another with respect. It’s an easy law to follow with so few people to look after. Word spreads fast, after all, and it’s not easy to get away with much in such a small community. Who stole that family heirloom? Everyone turn out your pockets. For serious crimes, the most severe punishment is exile. The guilty party is sent out into the cold with nothing but the shirt on their back. It is a death sentence, only drawn out over hours, sometimes days. Agnes and her deputies also keep an eye out for encroaching wildlife and make sure everyone is provided for.

History

Camp Icebreaker was settled around 1238 AEC. Many of its founders fled north to escape modern society. While everyone in Camp Icebreaker has a story and reason for being there, the common practice is to not ask, as privacy is valued and respected.

In 1246 AEC, the Bowhunter brothers came to camp. One was a hunter, the other a butcher. They did their jobs well and didn’t seem to bother anyone. Just a few weeks after they arrived, people started disappearing. Some reasoned that it must be wolves or polar bears, but predators leave carcasses. People were disappearing at night without a sound, and no bodies were recovered. The settlers got suspicious, and accusations flew. As more people vanished, still more were packing up and leaving camp, except the Bowhunters. They stayed, and kept going on as if nothing had changed.

In 1248 when Overdale began its campaign against non-humans, people started heading up to Camp Icebreaker again, as it was a good place to lay low and wait for the danger in the south to pass. More came as the Overwatch got increasingly xenophobic and aggressive. They were met by the Bowhunter brothers. There was something off about the two men, and it was better to just avoid them. One day, the Bowhunter brothers left Camp Icebreaker without a word.

When news of Overwatch’s downfall came to camp, many packed up and went home but not all, not even most. They found that they liked their new lives in Camp Icebreaker, that they had become accustomed to the cold, small, tight-knit community, and didn’t want to leave.

Architecture

Many of the buildings that have been standing for any length of time are single-story log cabin type structures with shaker roofs. These cabins have been fortified to withstand the harsh winters in the mountains.

Type

Outpost / Base

Population

150

Excerpt taken from upcoming Adventurers Guide to Theria volume 1: Ellara