Hurtlepool

Gather around and let me tell you the story of Hurtlepool, the village that and will never be again.

— Start of old Folktale

Demographics

Hurtlepool was a settlement on the island of Heavystar, off the coast of Rhodesia. It was the main trading port of Rhodesia and was inhabitated by sailors, fishermen as well as members of Rhodesia's Royal Navy.

Government

Hurtlepool was part of the kingdom of Rhodesia, governed by the current ruler of Rhodesia.

Defences

Rhodesia's Royal Navy had stationed two of its largests ships in Hurtlepool. They were acting as a deterrent for any pirate ships that might come threaten the trading ships in the area.

Industry & Trade

Hurtlepool was trading the lumber, from the forests of the island as well as acting as a trading station for ships leaving Rhodesia. A safe harbor for all ships escaping the pirates of Lagobay too, due to its close proximity to the land, making any reinforcements appear rather quickly.

Infrastructure

Hurtlepool had an enormous harbor, biggest in the region but due to pirate activity, it was never fully utilized and the expected growth never came for the citizens of Hurtlepool. Despite that it was still the largest harbor in the area and accommodated many traders who visited.

Districts

Hurtlepool had two districts, one was near the harbor and the other further into the mainland, close to the forest where lumberjacks and farmers would primarily live. An abandoned third district, one designed for merchants and nobles, united the two, but few people lived there as it was considered ostetantious and there were not enough money to support such a lifestyle.

Assets

Hurtlepool had a thriving lumber business, as well as acting as a trading post.

Guilds and Factions

A lumberjack and a trader's guild were present in Hurtlepool.

History

Hurtlepool was a settlement of Rhodesia. It's initial goal, following the fall of Maramun was to act as a major trading hub in the area and deter any pirates that had started to emerge from Lagobay. With that in mind boats of money were invested into its rennovation as a major settlement of Rhodesia. However the constant pirate attacks made this project seem less and less possible, eventually forcing the nobles to abandon any grand notions and take their losses.
Despite that, Hurtlepool rose to be a trade station of the area, mainly due to the fact that once the project was abandoned the pirates lost interest. So for years, Hurtlepool was acting as a trade station from Rhodesia to other kingdoms and vice versa.
Hurtlepool had a festival, where people from Rhodesia would gather. The festival was called Lights Under The Sky and was a major cultural and touristic attraction for Hurtlepool. It was meant to celebrate the end of a cycle, and the start of a new one. People from Rhodesia would embark on boats and visit, sometimes even nobles. On the last such occassion about one thousand souls had been gathered, maybe more. Sources say that days after, people from Rhodesia disembarked on Hurtlepool and found nothing. The houses were empty, the streets filled with litter, the boats were still in the harbor and a strange fog seemed to lay heavily over the former settlement. From all the people who were present on Hurtlepool that day, noone has even been seen again after.
The royal family organized search parties and sent the Royal Navy to scour the seas, but nothing was ever found. At the time, it was considered that pirates might have abducted the people, but the number was too great for a few pirate ships to handle. Besides the Royal Navy was present with two ships and there were no signs of battle. Some reports say that a giant creature descended from the sky and ate the people, but no evidence as to that has ever been presented. The most prevalent theory is that the people somehow were persuaded of a great danger approaching and left the island on a fleet of unknown boats. But as many theories do, it holds little merit when examined properly.
It is still considered a great mystery, which has occupied scholars from all over Aell, not just Rhodesia. It is also taught in the Academy as a cautionary tale.

Geography

Hurtlepool occupied the majority of the eastern part of Heavystar isle.

Natural Resources

Lumber, a few stone mines.

Type

Village

Population

752

Location under

Aell