The Village of Spirit Lake

So... you're looking to get away and experience the interesting quaintness of the Frontier? Make sure you're in Spirit Lake when Wailing Day comes around. The lake's haunted, you see, and on Wailing Day, they say you can hear the crying of some poor elf maid spirit who died long before the Strife. They make a big deal of it in the town... even have a resort Inn that schedules boat tours on the lake during that week. Superstitious lot down in the Feywood, to be sure, but it sounds like it'd be a good laugh.
— Two wealthy Endmerans discussing travel plans
As the road joining the town of Dryad's Falls with the city of Karnstown deep in the Feywood passes south of the great Feywood Lake, it runs along a shores of a smaller lake. This lake, as the Elves had known for thousands of years, and as other Folk would learn as they ventured onto and around it, was the home to ancient mysteries. The Elves had named the lake Spirit Lake, and as the humans and others began to arrive about two hundred years ago, they adopted this name as well. Despite the mystery and eerie forebodings, a village sprung up along the road and those shores, and took the name of the lake for its own. It is said that the Lake is haunted, and that sometimes - when the weather is right - the crying and moaning of a long-lost elf maiden can be heard drifting across the waters all the way to the town. This is especially true around the date the villagers call Wailing Day. The fisherfolk don't venture onto the lake during the days before and after that date, but tourists from elsewhere pay good coin for a boat trip into the lake to hear the strange sounds.

Geography

The village is located along the north shore of Spirit Lake about midway between the lake's eastern and western reaches. The trees of the Feywood surround the village, though the forest gets a bit sparse if one travels due north through the hills toward Feywood Lake.

The Village of Spirit Lake


History

The village was founded as most others in the Feywood were - it began as a common roadside stop along the trade route between Dryad's Falls and Karnstown. An inn was built around 160 years ago, and was soon followed by a smithy and a stable-keeper. Eventually, some folks moved to the area to take advantage of the fishing offered by the lake.

The town officially marks its founding as being on the 15th day of the Time of V'nbarrggh's Axe in the year 2018CR. Since then it has grown at a slow pace to its current size of a ittle over 1800 inhabitants.

Demographics

Mostly human with a scattering of halflings and elves; a few dwarves, gnomes, and goblins.

Government

The Council of Elders makes all major decisions; these are five respected long-time citizens. When one of the positions on the council opens on the death of a member, a replacement is elected by the townsfolk.

The Council appoints one of its members as Mayor; this is a ceremonial and representative position, not one of real authority.



Infrastructure

The village is small, situated on the road that connects Dryad Falls with Karnstown. This road sees a lot of merchant trade, so the village has become an important stopover and resupply point. Two inns, two livery stables, and two blacksmith establishments (one at each end of the village) exist to serve the merchant trade as well as the villagers. It is also possible to ship goods from Dryad Falls to the village by barge, so a small dockyard exists for that purpose.

The village itself relies on a mix of fishing and local farming for sustenance.

Natural Resources

The major exploitable resources around the village are the forest and the lake. The Forest provides wood for local building; the lake provides sufficient freshwater fish which, along with local farming, keeps the village well fed - especially in the winter months.

Tourism

A small tourist trade has also been developed - playing up the the "mystery" of the Ghost of Spirit Lake. A third inn is situated on the lakeshore just outside of town. While this inn is open year-round, it is especially busy during the summer months as a resort for folks of means who wish to avoid Karnstown's summer squalor. It is also a popular destination for Folk who wish to hear the Ghost for themselves. The second week of the month called the Time of Caleran's Crown is a busy one; the Day of Wailing is on the 10th of Caleran's Crown - the fourth day of that week.



Credits

Page banner image by DarkmoonArt_de from Pixabay

Comments

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Mar 24, 2021 18:15 by John Johnson

Wow, that's a great article. I wonder why the elven maiden is crying for.

Mar 25, 2021 13:22 by Bob O'Brien

Thanks for taking the time to comment! The crying elven maid is a hook for future adventure... but the short answer is that it's a Banshee who lives in a ruined tower in what is now swampland. She was betrayed and murdered by her human lover long, long ago.

Check out my latest efforts:
Laurels & Loot is a new, lightweight TTRPG rules system that hearkens back to the early days.
Mar 28, 2021 13:16 by John Johnson

That's... better than I expected. I just thought that she was lost, or drowned or something like that. But that's a very cool idea ! I am making a fantasy world of my own, and was wandering if you could give me some advice on how to make it.

Apr 2, 2021 01:50 by Bob O'Brien

I'll offer whatever advice I can... I love to share! Are you thinking of building an RPG campaign world? A novel setting? Something that could be both? Worlds are big, and my personal approach is to do some very high-level global stuff and then concentrate on a much smaller area where things will actually happen. I'll start with the same advice that Dimitris gives... create a world in WA and go immediately to the World Meta. Filling that out forces you to think about why you're building a world, and what you want it to be like before you place your first mountain or ocean. Start with that.

Check out my latest efforts:
Laurels & Loot is a new, lightweight TTRPG rules system that hearkens back to the early days.
Apr 4, 2021 09:25 by John Johnson

Sounds good, especially since I realise that I have no idea what the meta is T_T. Thanks for the advice. As for the purpose of the world, I think I'm gonna use it as kind of reference for whatever game I want to make in it, and to kill time. Thanks again, dude !

Apr 4, 2021 13:09 by Bob O'Brien

Under World Configuration in the left menu, there's a "Meta" option. Look at the questions/prompts... think about what you have in mind... fill out the parts that you can. Don't worry if you can't decide on some answers yet, or if some answers are "all of the above"... The stuff is to help you focus on what you want your world to be like... nobody else will ever see it.

Check out my latest efforts:
Laurels & Loot is a new, lightweight TTRPG rules system that hearkens back to the early days.
Mar 24, 2021 18:39 by Time Bender

How fascinating! Very well-written. and I am curious as to why the lake makes a wailing sound. Is it a natural phenomenon, or is it actually haunted, i wonder?

Mar 25, 2021 13:23 by Bob O'Brien

Thanks for the comment! (If you check out my response to Alixzere above, you'll have the answer to your question :)

Check out my latest efforts:
Laurels & Loot is a new, lightweight TTRPG rules system that hearkens back to the early days.
Mar 25, 2021 20:03 by Time Bender

Thank you! That's very tragic, but it seems like an interesting hook for an adventure at a later date. :) I hope to read it!

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