Moosehop

Nestled along the Hop river, in the southern foothills of the Jarnfjoll mountains lies the small town of Moosehop.South east of Gullborg this small town is known for its sheep related industries, including wool, cheese and mutton.

Demographics

The residents of Moosehop can be split into one of four factions: the Shepherds who raise the sheep; the Craftsmen who turn the raw produce into new goods and products; the Merchants who manage the sale of these goods; and everyone else who live and work in the town, but are not aligned with these factions.

Shepherds

In the idyllic peaceful hills that surround the town are the many shepherding families that raise and tend to the great flocks of sheep that the town depends on. The shepherds are split into families, mostly human with a few elves and dwarves who have married in. The oldest of the families have been in Moosehop for nearly 300 years after large flocks of wild sheep were found living in the hills. The shepherds are strong folk, use to the hard labor of tending a flock and fighting off predators. The township provides a place for them to come, trade their livestock and acquire goods.

Craftsmen

Moosehop started as a meeting point for shepherds to come and trade livestock with each other, and over time to sell their raw produce. In this location sprung up several small guilds who process this raw produce into goods that can be sold all over Nornhil. The Craftsmen as they became know are a collection of weavers, cheese makers and butchers who take fleece, milk & livestock respectively and turn them into wool, cheese & various meats. There are numerous other craftsmen in the town, as every town needs smiths, farriers, tailors, etc. However the Weavers, Cheese makers & Butchers guilds are the largest and hold the most political power in the town. Working with the shepherds they rule and guide the city.

Weavers

The weavers take raw wool, fleece, and turn them into various woolen products. Initially a human guild over time more elves have been admitted bringing with them many new styles and techniques for making finer fabrics from the wool. Presently the elves make up slightly less than half of the guild.

Butchers

The butcher class take livestock and turn them into meat products which are consumed by the town and exported. Meat is processed and preserved using salts, sausages and other techniques to extend its shelf life. Very little of the animal is wasted with nearly all of the meat, bone and blood being turned into a consumable product. In the early days a large number of livestock were sold to the dwarven cities in the north. Over time a number of dwarven butchers who grew tired of city life came and settled in the town. Today the guild it mostly dwarven with a few humans, gnomes and other species.

Cheese Makers

The sheep of Moosehop are known for produce an exceptional quantity and quality of milk. Initially the shepherds would preserve this themselves into milk products. Over time a guild sprung up to gather the milk and bring it to town where it is processed into cheese. An efficient transportation network has been established to transport the milk from farm to town. Here the milk is processed into cheese before being stored in cool underground warehouses. Being descended from the shepherds the guild was human. In recent years they have wholeheartedly accepted Gnomish refugees who have taught them new techniques and skills to create new types of cheese, flavored in new and interesting ways.

Merchants

The Merchant class are responsible for helping move goods into and out of the town. As the newest guild it is treated with a level of distrust from the other three as it is seen to be profiting off their work. The merchants own and operate the docks and surrounding warehouses and are engaged to procure what ever items are required by the townsfolk. The merchants are a much more interesting mix of all the major species and a few members of the smaller ones, including a couple of tieflings, which may in part fuel some of the distrust.

Government

Moosehop is ruled by a council of 11. 2 members are elected from each the shepherds, the butchers, the cheese makers and the weavers. The final three are elected from the remaining townsfolk. The council act as both the legislators and judiciary system. To work in the town requires individuals be members of a guild, the guilds are responsible for the well being of their members as well as the collection of dues and levies which are used to fund the upkeep of the town. Any individuals or businesses that are not members of a guild (e.g. the Taverns and Inns), have come to an agreement with the council over how to pay their contributions.

Defences

Like most towns in Nornhil, Moosehop is surrounded by a wall. Being in the south, surrounded by fields with good visibility for miles,  the wall is mostly a wooden palisade. A small contingent of The Queens Fist is garrisoned in the town for defense.

Infrastructure

As a town dedicated to the industry of sheep there has been a significant investment in tools and equipment over the years to support this. The town boasts a large well built dock and a significant smithing operation to support the various industries.

History

For many centuries the hills surrounding the Jarnfjoll mountains have been full of sheep. These animals are larger than other species found around Porun. Being in such a cold climate they have both a thick winter coat and can provide a decent amount of meat. These flocks were discovered and tamed by early settlers in the foothills. As the shepherds grew their flocks they began to meet regularly on a spot on the Hop river to trade with each other. Over time a small settlement grew, and eventually a dock was founded to export excess wool taken from the sheep. As the city and its wealth grew different groups of craftsmen began to set up guilds and formally contribute to the city. Eventually it was decided that a proper government was required and in 529 the first council of eleven was assembled.

Architecture

Shepherds in the Hills

The shepherds living out in the hills, away from the safety and security of the town, keep family and flock close together. Most live in longhouses with everyone and everything dwelling under one roof. Most homes are split into living quarters and a barn/livestock area. The architecture typically contains high ceilings to trap the heat and help spread it across the building. A hearth or fire pit is  often located in the center, which is used for cooking and warmth. The living quarters are located next to this, with the sleeping quarters normally at one end of the building. The central fire warms the entire home and keeps the livestock warm in the cold of winter. Each long house is built on top of a basement area which is used as a cellar and for storage. Cheese, meat, and other preserved foods are stored here for the long winter months, as well as oats and hay for the livestock. Typically the basement is as large, if not larger than the house built atop it. The building is often a mixture of heavy wood and stone.

The Town

Being located in the middle of hilly fields and near the mountains, the preferred building material in Moosehop is stone. The town is built from using stone from the local quarry. Buildings are rarely more than two stories with the upper floor being of wooden design. The town has been laid out to try and stop the flow of the cold winds that come off the hills and mountains. With stone being relatively cheap most roads are cobblestone to reduce the mud in the town.

Geography

The Hop rivers flows from the southern tip of the Jarnfjoll mountains, through the hills and out into the ocean. It is a wide, slow moving river. Due to its size it rarely freezes over in the winter, despite how cold it gets. The town hugs the western side of a small bend in the river.
The hills surrounding the Hop river are covered in long rich grass, perfect for life stock. In the surrounding region there are few trees, with the bulk of the lumber used by the town coming from a small forest south of the town. This forest was planted and intentionally grown for the sole purpose of supplying the town.

Founding Date

529 (Year of the 1st council)

Type

Town

Population

2000

Inhabitant Demonym

Hoppers

Owning Organization

Nornhil

Related Historical Events

• 529
  Founding of Moosehop