Home's Heath

'''"If pies were soldiers Home's Heath would rule the world by now!" -Jurea voq Guerin Baroness of the Krak Geurin'''

Home's Heath is a sleepy harbortown and capital of the Petty Kingdom of Min. For well over five hundred years the voq Moreau family has held court from the Heath, the family's ancient castle overlooking the town. Though a minor power today, the Kingdom of Min is but a vestige of a once great nation that stretched from Midwaith to the Rhom. Some blame Ravenna for the decline of the once great Minnish nation, but others whisper of a curse on the voq Moreau family. The stories of the curse vary widely between tellers. Some blame the much loathed, and long dead, King Reynauld for a poorly worded wish from a Djinn. Others claim that the Heath was built atop a sacred spring, and the angry water spirits have ruined the voq Moreau. Regardless of the origin, the family have seen better days.

The present patriarch, 'King Aelfred II,' has been largely absent of late, and some question if he's still alive. His wife Queen Eleanor has taken over the day-to-day running of the Kingdom, but great suspicion lingers about the King's whereabouts. The official claim is that Aelfred is ill and bedridden, but after two years of his absence many have begun to ask questions.

The Town
Home's Heath sits on the gentle hills that meet the Umber bay. The old town is clustered around The Heath, home to wealthy merchants who earn their livings trading with both Ravenna and the guild houses of Ocean's Meeting. As the path leads down towards the harbor the white stone walls give way to younger wood frames. The harbor holds a modest fleet of merchant cogs trading in lumber from the Pine forests south of the town. Economically, Home's Heath is a town of artisans. With access to fine materials out of Ocean's Meeting, Home's Heath has become known as a center for fine craftsmen. Guilds have the run of the town outside of The Heath. Opening a shop without express guild permission is asking for a beating, a fire, or far worse. Other than occasional guild violence Home's Heath is a remarkably quiet town. A small corps of professional guards offer security to the markets, and patrol the modest palisades that ring the town.

The People
Known for their friendly demeanor, and quaint sensibility, the people of Home's Heath share a great deal of culture with Ravennans. Extravagant pies are a notable cornerstone of the Minnish diet, and a special pie is baked for each of the dozens of town holidays throughout the year. Festivals are a common and much beloved part of Home's Heath culture, and the colder the weather the more frequent the festival days. The most famous of these festivals is the ancient 'Feast of the Sleeping Bear' in which sweet honey rolls are baked throughout the day to honor their folk hero 'Bernard with the Honey Voice' who allegedly sang an angry bear to sleep in order to steal its magic honey.

The Heath
The ancestral seat of the voq Moreau family has a sordid history. Small as castles go, the Heath is nonetheless imposing as it looms atop a rocky hill by the same name. The architecture of The Heath is notably ancient. Some scholars suspect the structure is as old as ancient Kalemport, but how this castle would have survived that cataclysm is unclear. What is clear is how old the stones at the foundation are. Ancient carved stone scenes are worn to near illegibility, but those few that survive seem to tell the story of the building of the castle. Famously, one of the great stone panels is missing and some suspect this holds damning information about the allegedly cursed structure.

The Heathwood
Surrounding the curtain walls of Home's Heath is the ancient Heathwood. Stately pines and birches crowd the foothills of Min, leaving room for only narrow pathways as they snake down the coast. Despite the forestry guilds of Home's Heath carving out greater and greater swathes of forest each year, the Heathwood never seems to shrink.

The Heathwood is home to fauna of all types. From common deer, to vicious owlbears, to the extraordinary Crystal Wyrm. The density of the Heathwood has kept its deepest reaches largely unexplored, but a few minish rangers have from the deep wood with stories few believe. Talking deer, or walking trees are common staples of these ranger's tales, but few take them seriously. That said, the old-deep wood is still viewed with a fearful respect within Home's Heath. Noone dares wander too far off from the Heathwood paths, still fearing the unknown in the deep dark.

The Great Barrow
Buried deep within the Heath is the ancestral tomb of the voq Moreau family. The great barrow predates even the oldest foundations of the Heath, and has held well over a hundred generations of voq Moreau. The legendary founder of the family, Aetherd, lies deep in the heart of the Great Barrow, but none have visited his grave in centuries. Some claim that Aetherd's spirit still haunts the Barrow, unsettled by the violation of his resting place.

Though mapped centuries ago, what little is known about the Great Barrow is kept a family secret within the Heath. To deter looters traps, dead ends, and various other obstacles guard the ancient resting place. Knowledge of the traps in the Barrow are long forgotten, so noone has dared enter the Barrow in decades. There are legends that claim Aetherd was buried with a great and magical boon within the Heath, but none have dared to test the truth of these legends.