13. The Green Barrel Coopers & Caskwrights
Tucked along the northwestern loop of Twilight Falls’ trade road, just behind the Weary Woodsman and within earshot of the lumber mill’s rhythmic saws, sits a low, broad-beamed workshop painted with fading green trim. The carved sign above its door shows a smiling barrel with a mug for a hat—though those who know Belma Lork, the owner, know the smile ends there.
The Green Barrel Coopers & Caskwrights is the village’s central source for all things woodbound and watertight. Whether it’s barrels for brew, crates for ore, or casks for pickled roots, the shop is as vital to Twilight Falls’ commerce as the Forest Road itself. Beneath its rustic charm, though, hides a darker utility—custom false-bottom containers and smuggler’s gear discreetly offered to those with the coin and the caution.
“I don’t care if it’s holy water or Nulb rotgut—if it leaks, I’ll hear about it.”
Structure & Atmosphere
Exterior
- Stout timber walls with flaking green paint and vine-covered posts
- A hand-painted wooden sign depicts a laughing barrel raising a mug
- Smells of pitch, pine, and sawdust mingle on the wind
- Rear yard often filled with drying staves, hoop piles, and a stubborn mule
“If you want it airtight, I’ll seal it. If you want it secret, keep your mouth shut.”
Interior
- Warm and cluttered, with barrels stacked floor to ceiling
- A long central workbench cluttered with tools, hoops, and shaving curls
- Suspended lanterns sway on chains from old rafters above
- One corner holds finished crates and sealed casks for upcoming caravan orders
- A barred cabinet in the back contains "special commissions" for trusted clients
Political and Social Role
Though Belma Lork keeps her head down and her barrels tight, she sits at a quiet crossroads of politics, trade, and secrets in Twilight Falls. Her business touches everything from Mayor Tyne’s outbound caravans to hushed favors for druids and Rangers. She plays both sides of the coin with quiet disdain for authority, and if something needs to disappear, Belma probably knows where it went.
- Publicly neutral, Belma’s business depends on both honest merchants and shady smugglers
- Occasionally called upon by Mayor Tyne to outfit caravan shipments for Dyvers, Free Lands of
- Quietly resents Robleth Tyne’s taxes and regulatory inspections
- Respected by the The Gnarley Rangers for her discretion and woodland survival knowledge
- Rumors whisper she once helped the druids spirit away a cursed artifact sealed in a barrel
“Mayor Tyne can tax my hoops when he starts hauling them.”
Adventure Hooks
- A shipment of sealed barrels bound for Narwell vanishes—inside was a relic meant for the Domain of Myhriss
- Belma discovers one of her crates has been tampered with—inside is a list of names tied to a local cult
- A rival cooper from Nulb arrives, backed by a merchant syndicate, threatening Belma’s hold over the forest trade route
- Tomwick is caught snooping in Mayor Tyne’s ledger room and goes missing the next day
The Green Barrel Coopers & Caskwrights is a place where the line between trade and subterfuge is as thin as a stave plank—and only those who listen closely to the wood know its secrets.
“I’m gonna have my own wagon-tavern one day. Gonna serve cider from a cask and secrets from a smile.”
Inventory & Services
Goods Produced
- Barrels: Ale, wine, brine, dry goods, waterproofed shipping models
- Crates and lockboxes: Custom sizes for merchant caravaners
- Specialty Goods: False-bottom containers, breakaway compartments (discreet clients only)
- Repair Services: Barrel re-hooping, stave patching, cask refinishing
Notable Items
- Brineminder Barrel: Sealed so tightly it keeps pickled goods fresh for six months (15 gp)
- Moonroot Crate: Disguised scent-trap for herbal contraband (25 gp)
- Narwell False-Bottom Brandy Cask: Hidden chamber beneath the slats (30 gp – by reputation only)
“I’ve made more smugglers disappear than the Gnarley at nightfall.”
Belma Lork – Mistress Caskwright
A stout Halfling hobniz woman in her mid-60s, Belma wears a long canvas apron, boots far too heavy for her size, and a wool cap perpetually askew. Her cheeks are ruddy, her arms sinewy, and she is rarely seen without her cherry-wood pipe clenched between her teeth.
Personality
- Gruff, practical, and quick to snap, but fair to those who respect the trade
- Distrusts "fancy talkers" and deeply resents being underestimated
- Fiercely loyal to her fellow tradesfolk, especially those in the brewers' and herbalists' circles
- Keeps her own ledgers, her own secrets, and a hidden crossbow behind the counter
Background
- Born in Narwell on the Wild Coast, Belma learned cooperage from her father before fleeing political strife
- Arrived in Twilight Falls nearly forty years ago and built her shop from salvaged timber and stubborn grit
- Once ran barrels for a smuggler ring operating out of Nulb —knowledge she keeps well hidden
- Maintains quiet trade ties with dyers, brewers, and certain Shadow Guild agents
Shop Apprentice: Tomwick "Tumbler" Grinfall
A lanky halfling teen with oversized gloves, a missing front tooth, and a laugh that echoes off the barrel walls.
Personality & Role
- Light-fingered, mischievous, and fiercely loyal to Belma
- Hates sweeping but can build a basic barrel blindfolded
- Frequently serves as messenger between Belma and less reputable clients
- Dreams of someday owning a rolling tavern wagon he’s already named The Roundabout
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