Ratenwell

Ogre Town

Ratenwell is a Frontier village known primarily for its population of Ogres. The locals keep to themselves, choosing not to ally with any other settlements. They depend primarily on defensive structures to ward off Beasts and Raiders. That said, the intimidating presence of armed Ogres gives even rabid Raiders food for thought.
Ratenwell lies at the edge of a large lake and next to a narrow river, both serving the town as a supply of fish and clams. Across the river lie the Beast Lands, starting with plains that allow for a clear line of sight. Other points of interest include a nearby forest, large farmlands, and the iron mine which doubles as quarry.

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History

Ratenwell was originally founded by an alliance of Ogre tribes. Ogre society is centered on smaller groups, as such they felt uncomfortable in large cities. Furthermore, in armed conflicts Ogres are often forcibly enlisted or imprisoned due to their size. Due to these factors, the tribes teamed up and ventured towards the Frontier. Their stories say the trip took seven years, as they frequently made temporary settlements to prepare for the next stint of their journey.
Having eventually settled down in Ratenwell, the Ogres and allied Wanderers quickly set to work. Over time they built several iterations of stone walls, while settling more and more land. The quarry also expanded over time. Based on observable terrain and building remnants, it appears the town was expanded three times. Furthermore, the forest was slowly forced back, until only the treefarms remained near the town.
As a sidenote, the Ogres claim they don't know when Ratenwell was founded exactly, on account of not having a written history. They lie. They do keep history through various means, including oral sagas, to a level of detail that would let them identify exactly how old the town is. We don't know why they don't wish to share this information. All we know is that other sources suggest the town is somewhere between 97 and 243 years old.

Demographics

Total Population: 655
Primary Race: Ogre
General Attitude: Shy and Guarded

Geography

Fluvial Alluvial Plain
Elevation: 247 meters above sea level

Water Features

Large Lake

• Depth: 42 meters
• Navigable: Yes
• Aquatic Animals: Catfish, Trout, and Clams

Narrow River

• Depth: 2.2 meters
• Width: 32 meters
• Navigable: Yes
• Aquatic Animals: Clams and Trout

Climate

Cool Temperate Grassland
Avg. Annual Temperature: 8°C
Avg. Annual Precipitation: Approx 80cm
Avg. Annual Snowfall: Approx 2m
Seasons: Long winters, equal other seasons
Prevailing Winds: Southwest to Northeast

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Area

Ratenwell is located approximately 250 meters above sea level, at the southern shore of a large Frontier lake. Directly to its east lies a narrow river originating from mountains. The land west of the town is used for farmlands as well as grazing areas for livestock. This area also houses an iron mine which doubles duty as stone quarry.
To its south are woods, with the land near the town used as foresting source. Fortified woodcutter camps gather the wood before sending it to the saw mill adjacent to the river. During fall the lumberjacks will travel further into the forest and gather firewood.
Across the river lie the Beast Lands. A lack of high vegetation allows the locals to see Beasts and Raiders from far away. No coincidence, for the locals use controlled burns to keep the nearby area treeless. Incidentally these fires are why the eastern part of town doesn't use thatched roofs.

Town Layout

The town, surrounded by a hewn stone wall, is split into two districts: the western Wood District and the eastern Stone District. Inbetween them are simple docks, used for fishing boats and shipping rafts. The Stone District uses stone foundations and fire treated logs, whereas the Wood District consists of log cabins with thatched roofs.
The Stone District contains varying utility buildings. This is where the Fletcher, Blacksmith, Iron Smelter, and Tanner do their business. It also has food processing businesses, including two fisheries. The entirely-stone church serves as place of refuge in case of emergency, with the town guard barracks located directly next to it.
The Wood District is solely residential, and is home to many farmer and livestock families. Outside winter some families live outside the town wall in fortified homes. The district has open space meant to house livestock in case of Raiders or Beasts.

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Ratenwell Area

Ratenwell by Fantasy Town Generator

Population Breakdown

• Children: 157
• Adults: 426
• Elderly: 72
• Ill/Infirm: 69
• Known Criminals: 2
• Urban Population: 521
• Rural Population: 134

Infrastructure

• Granite Town Roads
• Macadam Main Roads
• Dirt Side Roads
• Border Strip Irrigation

Special Town Assets

• 3 Woodcutter Camps
• 1 Saw Mill
• 1 Stone Quarry
• 2 Iron Mines

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Architecture

The main element of Ratenwell's architecture is stone. Mined in the quarry to the west, stone is essential in solid building foundations. This prevents Beasts from easily breaking into buildings. The Ogres can carry larger blocks, allowing for sturdier walls. They also use their own mortar recipe, which includes egg white as special ingredient.
Buildings all have sloped roofs, to be able to handle the severe snowfall. Furthermore, most houses are built on a raised foundation. All the buildings outside the city are essentially constructed on a 2 meter high stone hill, so that snow will not block the entrance. This also helps fortify the buildings from Beast attacks.
The east and south wall have a rather high number of watchtowers, because these are the most likely to come under attack. On the other hand the east wall only has one non-corner tower. The towers are well-shielded, using a mix of metal and stone. They serve as a great vantage point for archers.

Society

The local population is very guarded, making it hard for outsiders to blend in. On the other hand, once someone has gained their trust, the town will treat them without any form of bias.
The founding tribes learned to roll with the punches, using local crops and supplies. This includes the local dromedaries, which are now partially bred to serve as work animals. They did however bring chickens, sheep, and goats.
The Brahma chickens are a large breed, both fitting the Ogres their size and capable of fighting off the local predators. Not only does Ratenwell have dozens of professional Poulters, most families have at least one chicken.
The sheep and goats are employed for grazing, meat, wool, and milk. The sheep help keep the plains short and without bushes, while the goats serve the same purpose in the foresting areas.

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Wayfarers

Due to increased interest in the Beast Lands, the Wayfarer Guild sent representatives to Ratenwell 16 years ago. The representatives own two houses in the Stone District, which also house any visiting Wayfarers. Since the Ogres don't need help managing the nearby Beasts, only researchers and bodyguards tend to come to Ratenwell.
The nearby Beasts tend to come in two types, malicious and overly aggressive. Other types see no reason to cross the plains. Deeper expeditions have proven other species do exist. There also are large Beasts in the deeper parts of the Lake, which is why the residents only fish near the shore.

Economy

Forget your coins when you come to Ratenwell. Local trade is all done by barter, with payments made in goods, supplies, or labour. Excess wood is turned into rafts and loaded with processed iron, iron slag, and conserved food. These rafts are sailed west to other settlements in summer, and traded for other metals and tools.
Barter also completely replaces a taxation system, with locals socially pressured to contribute to development and maintenance. Those that don't join in the work, provide supplies or food instead. While not a perfect system, it has served the town well. Ratenwell may not look like much, but its roads and walls are all of proper quality.