Normar Timber Camp
The Timber Camp at the Town of Normar is a busy operation where the harvesting, hauling and processing of large amounts of hardwood is a prime revenue generator for the community. The camp is currently managing to harvest and haul 10 to 15 wagons worth of premium hardwood per week and can turn that into valuable lumber that can be used all across the briary and beyond. The camp is operating at a small profit right now, but anyone with any timber harvesting experience can plainly see it could be operating in a far more efficient and profitable manner.
The Master of the camp is Hobb Notcher, a 38-year-old veteran timber-jack from the Richwood Forest region of the Duchy. He is under intense pressure to make the camp profitable in the shortest amount of time possible but he is plagued with problems that seem to have no possible solution, and he is increasingly worried about his safety should the camp begin to run at a loss.
One of the biggest problems facing Master Notcher is a flock of deadly Harpies that have taken an inordinate interest in the camp's operation within the forest. Over the course of a month, there have been five encounters with the beasts by workers from the camp. The latest of these resulted in the near death of two loggers and the killing of two harpies by Master Notcher himself. The Master has estimated that the flock of harpies numbers at least five more individuals, and possibly as many as nine more.
Purpose / Function
To harvest, process and haul as much usable timber from the Normar Forest as possible at the greatest possible profit to the Briar, Myron Graymer.
Sensory & Appearance
The single most impacting sensation upon entering the camp is the almost overpowering smell of rot and decay that comes from the tons of oak tree bark soaking and rotting in the shallow, muddy pond in the center of the camp.
Denizens
Nearly 100 men work the camp, and 44 of those live at the site full time, either in small cabins and huts or in a large communal lodge located near the cooperage.
Alterations
Besides the timber operation, the camp also has a moderately sized cooperage, a wagon shop, a smithy, a series of saw pits, and a large bark mill and pond where the bark from oak trees is used to derive tannin for the leather industry.
Architecture
The camp is located in a shallow valley about half a mile into the northern edge of the Normar Forest. It is almost entirely constructed from local wood, with only a portion of the smithy built in stone. The camp is set up around a large but shallow pond that is currently being used as a soak point for large quantities of oak bark from which tannins are derived and shipped to tanneries all over the Duchy. Because of the pond, the entire camp smells of rot and mildew.
Defenses
Over the last two months, the workers that live at the camp full-time have taken to keeping watch in shifts both night and day, and everyone is armed with some sort of weapon at all times. At any given hour of the day or night, the number of watchmen is at least seven armed individuals, any of whom can raise an alarm that will roust another 35 armed men in the event of an attack or danger.
A view of the timber camp and surrounding shops and sites
A painting of one of the Normar Harpies killed by Hobb Notcher
