Northpost

Written by EmperorCharlesII

You’ve gotten used to the chill by now, and you’ve finally got the hang of the gloves you got in Kharesh. You still feel the harsh cold on your face, despite it being summer now.
But you’ve finally arrived at the edge of the world. As you crest over the hill, the town of Northpost comes into focus. You see the ice floes in the bay, glittering in the endless days. The orange light glints off the white snow piles at the side of the few dirt tracks that pass for roads out here. And all the houses are all built of some kind of mossy stone and peat.
In the centre of town are the only two buildings made of wood, which had to have been brought from further south. One is a large hall with a large gable and two large wooden doors. The other is a thin, tall tower with a shingled roof and one large glass window facing towards to the sea.
You begin to travel down the side of the hill, the hooves of your horses kicking up a little mud and dirt. The chill is annoying but you cannot help smiling at the beautiful sight of civilization at long last.

Demographics

Only humans and the occasional darukhasi live in this settlement, as many other races tend to shun the cold and dangerous valley of the Frozen Vale.

Government

Due to the precarious nature of the settlement, tight governance is needed to keep Northpost running. Because of this, a High Director of Northpost is chosen by the Emperor of Quempo himself. This person has sole and complete control over the city’s guard, its people and most importantly its resources.

Defences

Bandits and crime are rare in the tundra, so the guard contingent here is small. In times of need, the people are expected to get what they can and flee.

Industry & Trade

Fishing, quarrying and masonry are the main trades out here, one providing vital food and the other two providing key building materials.

Infrastructure

The town’s largest buildings are also its most important. First is long gabled Icewyrm Hall, which serves as the Empire’s headquarters out on the tundra. The other large and thin building is the local temple which was dedicated to the god Vasil'har (or Silar as he’s known to the local Quempians).

Assets

Out here on the tundra, any settlement is in a precarious balance. It is a wonderful resupply point for those exploring the Frozen Vale, but otherwise doesn’t have a large amount of anything of value.

Architecture

The houses and buildings here have to be built in a special way to survive the constant freezing and thawing of the ground. To do this, the Postmen dig long cylinders and fill them with cement. These foundations anchor the stone buildings on the ground, otherwise they would eventually sink into the permafrost.
Otherwise, most houses are built from a mixture of peat and stone, or moulded cement. Roofs are usually grass on stone supports, but they are commonly leaky and uncomfortable.

Natural Resources

The land here is much too cold to support farms or much in the way of animals, but fish are plentiful. Occasionally, the people here catch a whale to sell the verdigris and waterproof hide for fresh vegetables and wooden furniture.

Type

Town

Population

1500

Inhabitant Demonym

Postmen

Location under

The Frozen Vale

Owning Organization

Empire of Quempo

Geography

Northpost is located in a small bay at the northernmost tip of the continent of Sedesta. Small hills surround the town on all other sides, filled with heather and grass if not buried under snow.

Local Guilds & Factions

One adventuring company in town, the Northpost Hiking Company, makes treks to the Craggy Peaks and the Mist Mountains. They are locals who have gotten engaged in the occasional traveller who makes their way there to explore the First Era ruins buried in the ice.

History

The settlement is rather new by the standards of many Sedestan cities, only being built at the beginning of this Era about four hundred years ago. During that time, the settlement has been abandoned once and destroyed by frost giants

Cover Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)