Introduction
The Homesick
Halfling has a confession to make: visiting the
Borderlands doesn't actually make me homesick. I grew up on the outskirts of
Modére, and even this dashing high-class vagabond sometimes dreams of hanging up his Bag of Holding in one of the charming homes on Oak Street. But despite my personal bias, I hope you'll find in these pages a compelling argument for the charm and wonder of the region. It's accessible even for the most naïve of travelers, and yet holds interest and beauty even for the more experienced among my readers. Even the most jaded of adventurers could benefit from a stop in the region... perhaps
especially those most jaded, if only as a respite between haunted, forbidding landscapes and deeds of daring-do. Journey with me, readers, to a simpler place, sheltered from the woes of the world and yet beautifully appointed with some of its finest hidden treasures.
Area Overview
The
Borderlands is a charming little region in-between the Free City of
Cantonova and the main body of the Kingdom of
Dreibach, right on the northern edge of the
Gaeno Woods. Whether it is included in the Empire itself or part of the protectorate of
Cantonova is a matter of serious political debate; for the sake of both my Cantonovan readers and any potentially royal-aligned ones (hello, Your Majesty!), I shall demure from coming down on one side or another of the distinction.
It's a bit of a liminal area, as the name suggests. Populations tend not to cluster in towns so much as small communes here and there among the trees. The largest towns of the region are
Modére towards the northern end,
Nolber to the western side, and Lómelindë at the edge of the deepest part of the
Gaeno Woods. Of these, this guide will cover the most ground in Modére; accuse me of favoritism if you must, but I assure you, it's simply because this town has the most in it to see and do. Far be it from me to stop you from staying in Lómelindë for your whole trip! That is, if your heart's truest desire is to eat a döner kebab every night at the Wolf and Wand and spend every day birdwatching, as that's about all there is to do in the place.
Modére, much like the
Vignión area to the south, is predominantly halfling, although some of the diversity of Cantonova can certainly be found throughout the Borderlands. Modére's as close as we halflings like to get to city life… no fancy living can compare to the clean forest air and a farm-fresh egg for second breakfast.
Nolber is an oddity, a commune-by-the-sea almost entirely composed of secretive silk-weavers. They boast a higher
Wood Elf population than the rest of the Borderlands... though I'm not sure "boast" is the best word choice there. (I'm sure my editor will find a more neutral way to phrase this, assuming he's not drunk on dragonblood wine again... oh, I kid, Mr. Balchester! Your work is much appreciated!)
[Ed. note: I'm leaving this in. I'm perfectly sober, I just want your readers to know that you leave me these kinds of insipid notes constantly and it's above my pay grade to keep taking them out. It's getting old, Jaunt.]
Finally, Lómelindë—despite its
Elvish name—is more
Human than the rest of the Borderlands, though with a significant halfling population, as should always be expected of the region. It's by far the smallest of the three towns—in fact, birds seem to outnumber people by several orders of magnitude. This is fantastic if you're a fan of birds, and perhaps less fantastic if you're a fan of people... or a good night's rest.
Landmarks
Of primary note is Modére's beautiful historic riverwalk, which begins just under the main bridge leading into the city of Cantonova. Walk down the winding brick staircase and onto the cobblestone path, and admire the river-grasses and lavender bushes planted alongside the riverbank. There are many lovely benches, each designed by a different local craftsman, from which to sit and admire the views or toss bread and seed to the waterfowl. Careful not to anger the region's famous blue swans, though. Beautiful creatures, but they do bite!
The riverwalk eventually wanders away from the river and towards the town square of Modére, which boasts a charming collection of traveling merchants primarily selling antiques, fresh produce, and home goods. Be sure to toss a few copper coins into the fountain at the center of the square, and admire the lovely limestone
Fey creatures sculpted into it as you do so. The
Pixies are my personal favorite.
Just off the town square is the Hestian chapel—you'll recognize it by the lovely woodwork around the entrance, and of course the statue of the harvest and home goddess Herself outside. You'll rarely meet a more welcoming group of worshippers, let alone one with a better post-service luncheon spread.
The border between Modére and Nolber is marked by a particularly handsome stone bridge over the
Dreibach River, adorned at the ends with statuettes of the goddess
Brigantia. Towards the Nolber side, you'll get a beautiful glimpse of the lowlands where the village's mulberry groves grow. Alas, this is likely the closest you'll get to the famous Nolber silk... that is, until it's already spun into a fine fabric you've paid a pretty penny for. The
Circle of Weavers guards the groves fiercely and readily, and nosy outsiders are quickly driven away from the heart of them. Don't ask how I know this; just know that most Nolberians seem not to have heard of the famous
Merriweather Jaunt!
Special Events
My favorite holiday to celebrate in the Borderlands, of course, is
Jarmas. You truly cannot beat a Borderlands
Jarmas with a wooden spoon... mostly because all of the wooden spoons are in use. It's the best time to visit, so long as you don't mind being put to work! It's well worth it for the dizzying spread of foods that you'll get to partake in after the canning festivities are done.
Each May beginning at the full moon, artisans from throughout the Borderlands gather in the town square of Modére for the annual Arts and Crafts Festival. I tend to travel light, but I admit to falling in love with a few too many clever toys, enchanting glasswares, and other bric-a-brac purchased from the brilliant and oh-so-welcoming folks who ply their wares here. Fortunately, they make wonderful gifts... if you can find it in your heart to part with them!
Finally, make note of the date June 27th. It's not an official holiday, but it is my personal favorite day to spend in the region. If you stand at just the right spot on the bridge between Modére and Nolber at sunset, the sun shines through the trees in a particularly magical way. The light reflects just right so as to see glimpses into the
Feywild, if you look hard enough. It's simply magnificent.
Food, Drink, and Lodging
Strongpot Brewery. If you frequent any half-decent brewpub in Cantonova, you've heard the name. I admit—this is normally where I'd give you a rundown of the history of a place, but I'm afraid I had a little too much of their signature Stoutling Half to remember how far back the family business goes. Nevertheless, Strongpot Brewery is a Modére institution. If you manage to catch the brewery tour—first Friday of every month—the proprietors, Hannah and
Eve Strongpot, will treat you incredibly well.
The Drunken Goat. There aren't too many inns in the area, and none are necessarily palatial hotels. So long as you're more concerned about atmosphere than luxury, though, The Drunken Goat is a dear favorite of mine. The beds are large and comfortable, even by tallfolk standards, and the complimentary breakfast has a frankly impressive variety of fruit jams for your toast. The one drawback is that the food at night tends to vary wildly in quality. Good old Carleton Jaunt, who runs the kitchen, tends to be a bit mercurial in terms of what dishes he chooses to offer patrons. His breads, stews, and slow-roasted meats are to die for... his forays into Scaladosian-style curries, not so much. (A Jaunt? Flighty and dilettante-ish? Never! Must be no relation... alright, fine, I jest. He's a second cousin, once removed. A credit to our clan, even if he has a bit of a wooden tongue where paprika and onion are concerned.)
The Flighty Tippler. This purports to be the best restaurant and brewpub in the Borderlands. A tall order for such a halfling stronghold... and frankly, I don't buy it. The food is perfectly serviceable, served fast and piping hot, and the liquor flows freely and for quite a modest price. Where they really get you is the pricing for room and board... it's up quite the steep hill, so overly tipsy travelers are happy to pay an equally steep price for a sub-par bed so long as they don't have to roll back down to where they came from. Oddly for a Modére institution, they don't seem to serve Strongpot beer. Whether that's because of some kind of ill will with the owners or simply poor judgement on the part of the establishment… well, it's not the Homesick Halfling's place to speculate. But in my estimation, that's reason enough to stay at the Goat instead.
The Wolf and Wand. Finally, we come to the last little stop along the road before the Via
Titania plunges headlong into the Gaeno Woods. The Wolf and Wand is the only establishment of note in the sweet little hamlet of Lómelindë. It has a few communal rooms and a fine little pub on the main floor. The menu is small, but there's truly no need to look further than their signature döner kebab, which is the perfect mix of crispy, greasy, and judiciously spiced. Remarkably, a few troubadours and comics from Cantonova use this pub's small stage to test out new material from their acts, so you may catch an incredible show if you're lucky. Rumor has it that the
Heroes of Brightwater met in this very establishment! Personally, I doubt it. The signed etching of
Figaro above the bar could truly be from anywhere. But who knows? As they say, magic can happen anywhere.
Safety
You needn't ever worry about safety while staying within Modére city limits. The well-trained and well-appointed guard keeps a watchful eye on the town at all hours of
The Night and day, though not in a draconian sense. They're quite friendly, so long as you don't get too rowdy after sampling the town's exceptionally fine ale. Their counterparts in the other villages are not always quite so professional. Lómelindë's guards are few and far between; in contrast, Nolber's protection services are downright inhospitable if one happens to be a hair too inquisitive about their silk fields. I wish them no ill will, of course, but they could stand to lay off a curious traveler who means no harm!
Visitors coming up from the south through the Gaeno Woods are advised to stick quite closely to the Via Titania on their way to the region. Travel by night as well as day, if you can; owlbears and ogres abound in the woods! There are rest stations on the way, but they are quite few and far between, and more often frequented by bandits than not.
The
Fey energy of the Gaeno Woods can be entrancing and intoxicating, but it's best left to experienced travelers and perhaps even adventuring types. Fey-windows abound in the woods: secret portals through which the
Fey can do as they will, but mortals are wholly incapable of controlling. The lands of faeries are so alien and potentially deadly that even your intrepid guide has kept well enough away. Don't be a fool! If you find a phenomenon you cannot explain— a mysterious dancing light or the sound of faraway music—run far and run fast!
Once one gets through the Gaeno Woods— or, better, if one avoids them altogether—the Borderlands are, as a whole, safe and welcoming to even a novice traveler. But be warned... the storms that blow in off the coast October through December are no joke! At the first sign of thunder and lightning, seek shelter in a home or inn immediately. For truly desperate travelers, the Hestian chapel opens its doors to all that it can.
Final Thoughts
I wholeheartedly recommend this region to any traveler, be they novice sightseers or well-heeled wanderers like myself. The dangers are few and relatively easy to avoid, but the lands are beautiful and the hospitality of the residents unmatched. Even though the Borderlands live in the shadow of Cantonova—which remains, as always, the greatest city on this or any plane—they're worth a visit in their own right.
About the Author
Merriweather Jaunt, aka "The Homesick Halfling," is an award-winning travel writer whose books have reached thousands across the continent. He has written over two dozen guides, including best-sellers "(The Homesick Halfling's Guide to) Brightwater" and "(The Homesick Halfling's Guide to) Cantonova, Vol. 1 and 2." The Homesick Halfling is proud to say he has only been kidnapped by ogres twice.
A very nice travelogue with places to eat and drink and stay. Places to see and to avoid. Good job!