Hazelwood

Hazelwood is a thriving halfling settlement tucked within the embrace of a dense forest along the shimmering banks of the Turquoise River, named for its striking blue-green waters fed by mineral springs upstream. Founded by halfling wanderers, Hazelwood has grown from humble camps into a bustling community renowned for its hazelnut groves and river-crafted goods. The forest canopy arches overhead, filtering sunlight into a dappled glow that dances across homes built from river-smoothed timber and stone, their round doors painted in earthy hues of brown and teal. Winding paths of mossy cobble weave through the settlement, linking shires to the river’s edge, where docks hum with trade and the air carries the nutty scent of roasted hazelnuts.
The Turquoise River is Hazelwood’s lifeblood, its gentle current powering watermills and ferrying goods to distant markets. The halflings have cultivated sprawling hazelnut orchards along its banks, their harvests fueling a vibrant economy of nut-based delicacies—candied treats, creamy spreads, and spiced ales. Despite its prosperity, Hazelwood retains a cozy, familial charm, its shires bound by tales of the forest’s whispered secrets and the river’s quiet song. Festivals light up the groves with lanterns, celebrating the land’s bounty and the halflings’ enduring spirit, making Hazelwood a hidden gem of warmth and resilience in a turbulent world.

Demographics

Hazelwood is predominantly a halfling community, its population a tapestry of generational shires tracing their roots to the original settlers who tamed the forest centuries ago. These halflings are stout and nimble, their hands skilled in tending hazelnut trees and crafting river goods, their faces etched with the quiet pride of a people who thrive in nature’s embrace. Each shire is a tight-knit clan, bound by shared hearths and traditions like the annual Hazel Blessing, where families offer nuts to the river in thanks. Children scamper through the groves, while elders weave tales of the Turquoise River’s origins—some say it flows from a fae-touched spring deep in the forest.
A small contingent of humans, mostly traders from Markia drawn by Hazelwood’s nut trade, have settled here, their taller frames blending into the community with ease. These humans bring tales of the wider world, enriching Hazelwood’s culture with new recipes and songs, though they adopt the halfling love for communal feasts. Rare dwarven wanderers occasionally visit, their presence fleeting but impactful—some teach the halflings stonework and hearth reinforcement. This blend of residents fosters a welcoming yet cautious spirit, open to outsiders who respect the shires’ ways but wary of those who might disrupt their harmony.

Government

Hazelwood’s governance is a reflection of halfling values—consensus, tradition, and a deep respect for the land—led by the Council of Grovekeepers, a group of elder representatives from each shire. Chosen for their wisdom and connection to the forest, these Grovekeepers meet beneath the Great Hazel, a massive tree at the settlement’s heart, to decide matters of trade, land use, and community welfare. Decisions are reached through patient debate, ensuring every voice is heard, a process that mirrors Applecall’s council of mayors but emphasizes Hazelwood’s bond with its groves and river. The Grovekeepers also oversee the zoning of hazelnut orchards, preserving ancestral plots while expanding cultivation sustainably.
A River Warden, elected every five years from among the council, serves as Hazelwood’s spokesperson in dealings with outsiders. This role blends diplomacy with festival planning, as the River Warden organizes the Nutfall Revel, a harvest celebration where shires compete in crafting the finest hazelnut brews. This governance fosters a sense of shared purpose, reinforcing Hazelwood’s identity as a community where family and forest are one, thriving through cooperation rather than hierarchy.

Defences

Hazelwood’s defenses blend halfling ingenuity with the natural barriers of its forest and river, tailored to protect its peaceful way of life. Each shire maintains a Riverside Watch, a group of deputies led by a sheriff who patrol the settlement’s edges, armed with shortbows and slings honed for precision. These sheriffs, respected for their calm resolve, can summon a militia of grove-trained halflings in emergencies. The Turquoise River acts as a natural moat, its swift currents deterring invaders from the south, while the dense forest to the north and west hides traps—pitfalls lined with sharpened hazel stakes and tripwires strung with chimes.
Hazelwood boasts a Riverguard Flotilla, a fleet of lightweight skiffs crewed by halfling boatmen. These vessels, carved from hazelwood and adorned with turquoise-dyed sails, patrol the river with agility, wielding compact harpoons and nets to fend off threats like goblinoid raiders or rogue river beasts. The forest canopy shelters Treetop Sentries, halflings perched in camouflaged platforms who signal danger with horn blasts. This layered defense—river, forest, and community—ensures Hazelwood remains a sanctuary, its halflings ready to protect their groves with quiet cunning.

Industry & Trade

Hazelwood’s economy thrives on its hazelnut groves, producing a bounty of nuts turned into sweets, spreads, and ales traded along the Turquoise River to Markia, Honeybarrow, and beyond. Watermills power the grinding of nuts and crafting of wooden goods—spoons, bowls, and skiff hulls—finished with river-polished sheen. The halflings’ river trade, facilitated by the Riverguard Flotilla, echoes Lilyfield’s fish farms but focuses on inland routes, their goods a staple at regional markets. This industry sustains Hazelwood’s prosperity, its shires pooling resources to ensure every family thrives, much like Honeybarrow’s communal fields.

Districts

Hazelwood’s districts radiate from the Turquoise River, their boundaries fluid yet defined by function and the natural landscape

• Riversong Hollow: Nestled along the riverbank, this district hums with docks and watermills, its homes built into low mounds with round doors facing the water. Boatmen and traders thrive here, their skiffs ferrying hazelnuts downstream, while the air buzzes with the clatter of millwheels and the scent of roasting nuts.
• Hazelshade Glade: Spanning the northern groves, Hazelshade Glade is a maze of hazelnut trees and cozy halfling homes, its residents tending orchards and crafting nut-based goods. Lantern-lit paths wind through the trees, leading to communal hearths where stories of the forest’s mysteries are shared.
• Turquoisewood Rise: Perched on gentle hills overlooking the river, this district blends homes with artisan workshops, their wooden facades carved with river motifs. Carpenters and brewers ply their trades here, their hazelnut ales a local pride.
• Whispering Verge: Tucked into the western forest’s edge, Whispering Verge is a quiet enclave of herbalists and sentries, its homes half-buried in roots and moss. Residents here guard the treetop platforms and study the forest’s flora, their knowledge tinged with elven influence.

Points of interest

The Great Hazel stands as Hazelwood’s centerpiece, an ancient hazelnut tree with sprawling branches that shade a natural amphitheater. Carved with runes honoring the halflings’ journey, it’s where the Council of Grovekeepers meets and the Nutfall Revel unfolds, its roots said to tap the Turquoise River’s mystic source. The River’s Mirror, a still pool off the main current, reflects the forest canopy in perfect clarity, a sacred spot where halflings cast hazelnut offerings during the Hazel Blessing, believing it connects to the fae-touched spring upstream. These landmarks embody Hazelwood’s soul—rooted in nature, nurtured by community, and whispering of deeper secrets.

Architecture

Hazelwood’s architecture mirrors halfling tradition with a twist suited to its forested riverside. Homes are hobbit-holes dug into hills or built from hazelwood timber, their round doors painted in shades of turquoise and brown, framed by hazelnut trees left untouched in the design. Verandas of woven branches overlook the river, offering shaded retreats where the scent of nuts and damp earth mingles. Interiors are cozy, with ground-level hearths for baking hazelnut bread, upper floors for communal feasts around carved tables, and basement nooks for sleeping, warmed by small stoves. Exterior carvings depict river scenes and forest spirits, a nod to the halflings’ craft and their subtle reverence for the Turquoise River’s mysteries.

Demographics
90% Halflings, 7% Humans, 3% Dwarves

Founding Date

1st of Palesun, 2392 TA

Type

Town

Population

~3200