Vidar

*from the compiled travel notes of the "Esteemed Travelling Bard, Sosthia"*
Hello, dear reader, it is I, Sosthia, once again here to regale you with another tale from our travelling troupe, "The Wandering Odyssey"! Normally, I only write about the larger-than-life destinations that inspire me, or the indescribable wonders that strike a sense of awe into my soul that I try to capture through my lute, however, in this entry, I simply must relay the genuine hospitality from the kind souls of Vidar, for without their generosity, we would have had many uncomfortable days of hard travel at best, or a dangerous border-crossing at the worst.
Vidar is situated in Eastern Oaken-Shield territory, near the borders of Acadia, Oaken-Shield, and Ethimble's jurisdiction (anything going *near* Ethimble itself would be too hazardous for instrumental concerts or anything pleasant, so sane people live close to the jurisdiction of Ethimble nowadays). We had just done a performance for one of the Acadian barons in the South when one of our carriage's axles gave way to wood-rot. Without any means to repair the axle through mundane or magical sources, we were considering hauling all of our instruments, coin, treasures, and other equipment necessary for a travelling group of troubadours, but then a few friendly villagers from Vidar arrived. They claimed that their mage in the wizard's tower had forseen our accident and dispatched some of the villagers to offer their assistance, which we eagerly accepted. The villagers had their own carriage and said that the axle we had was shot, so they would have to go into town and build a new one for us, which they had already started working on (apparently, the mage could see our carriage axle shattering and knew the measurements of the carriage axle and was able to relay that to a carpenter for a replacement. Our hosts, in their infinite charity, offered a place to the stay for the duration of the replacement, and mentioned a local inn that would offer us a place to sleep for a discounted price. I assured the villagers that we had the coin to pay, which we did, considering our last audience, but they insisted that they wanted us to feel welcome. It would be bad for our reputation if word got out that we were taking advantage of these kind souls' hospitality, so we agreed that we would do an impromptu performance at the inn when we arrived, and with that, we set out for Vidar.
As we were getting close, as pointed out by our chauffeurs, we noticed the wizard's tower that was the residence of some important court-mage. The drivers mentioned that villagers wouldn't make many trips to visit, since they wouldn't be allowed entrance in, but they would occasionally leave out foodstuffs for the mage and any apprentices and attendants inside should they need it. In exchange, the mage would offer their protection from animals, bandits, and occasionally help with a village project. The mage's tower was made of a shiny black stone that seemed somewhat alien to me, but it didn't appear malicious in nature, but it did give off an imposing sort of feeling that did not entice me to want to see the insides of it...
Past the tower, along the road t the northwest, we made it to the village square, which possessed a number of quaint amenities that can only be found in the rural countryside of Eregoth: a perpetual stew, a small fountain surrounded by some small plants and wild hedges, a few travelling merchants making a pit-stop towards either Acadia or more deeply into the heart of Oaken-Shield territory, and a stall or two for local goods and supplies. The main buildings at the center of town were the mayor's residence, the general goods store, a carpenter's workshop, and the inn called "'Venturer's Wayrest" - the entire village was so endearingly quaint, which just enhanced the charm of the warm people living here, away from the world's troubles. Were I of a mind to settle down and cure my traveler's bug, I would be hard-pressed to find something as isolated, yet blissfully rustic as this.
However, all I was ready to cure was my traveler's fatigue from the day's events, but I knew that I had a duty to perform for these people. In return for their open hearts, we unleashed our musical repertoire that night for the tavern. One could tell that they haven't had an exciting bard or minstrel play a good tune in awhile, and it was so successful, that the entire village showed up and asked us to play in the center of town so that all could dance and enjoy the songs we had to offer, and for such an audience, an encore that lasted throughout the night in the center of town was a simple request that we would be all too happy to acquiesce to. Harps, lutes, voices, and drums carried our souls to theirs, as their kindness, warmth, and hospitality had carried their souls into ours, and city-musicians and agrarian villagers harmonized that night into a joyous celebration. I don't remember when we went back to the Venturer's Wayrest, but I woke from my bed at the inn, had a pleasant breakfast, and passed time with music for anyone who would care to listen, until our carriage axle replacement was made and installed. The same drivers who drove our carriage had taken the time early that morning to get our carriage, secure it with the help of the mage, and transport it to the village for the replacement axle to be installed. Once that was accomplished, we packed our bags, paid our inn-fare, said our "thank-yous" and "goodbyes" to the audience we had come to know and love in the past two days, and drove off of our own accord.
It may not be the capital of Eregoth, but Vidar holds a high place in my heart for charm. I hope to return one day, and perhaps I'll see you there too, reader. Should you ever find yourself at Vidar, expect hospitality, but also be a gracious guest, for they will repay every kindness you offer three-fold, and you'll make memories here that will have a value you cannot quantify because you will want to keep coming back. A special "thank you" goes out to any reader reading this from Vidar - I know I will find myself back here one day, and I will be sure to play you a song that will bring all of us together in the town-square again.

Demographics

(formerly) villagers and peasants with a dedicated mage.
(at present) Soldiers, knights, and mages from Acadia sent in to create a front against Valkar at Ethimble.

Alternative Name(s)

Fortress of Vidar

Type

Outpost / Base

Inhabitant Demonym

Vidarians