Winterhaven is a settlement set against the Cairngorm Peaks and has a population of approximately 1,000 residents. It is surrounded by farms and pasture and a lot of the people who claim citizenship in the village actually live outside of its walls. The location of the settlement protects it from dangerous monsters, who do not like traversing the Cairngorm range. They do have problems with kobolds and goblins at times but that is about it.
Most villagers are farmers and herders who live outside the walls, and most are human, with a scattering of dwarf families, and a handful of individuals of other common races, including even a couple of elves. Ernest Padraig is the Lord Mayor of Winterhaven, residing in his family’s ancestral manor and enjoying the benefits of wealth and privilege in the tiny village. He is recognized as the legitimate ruler of Winterhaven.
Winterhaven does see a fair bit of traffic from adventurers in spite of its size. This is because of the close proximity to several ancient ruins from Arkhosia, Bael Turath and Nerath, that dot the western end of the Nentir Vale. They have a single inn as a result, Wrafton’s Inn. Sometimes wagons come into Winterhaven, usually from Fallcrest, causing the villagers to excitedly gather in the Market Square to hear news of the outside world and to buy new and exotic goods.
Winterhaven is a walled settlement with a central castle, and is surrounded by a series of farms. The settlement walls are thwenty-five feet tall as well as very thick, with watchtowers spaced randomly along the wall surrounding Winterhaven, which stand thirty-five feet tall. Winterhavens wall is broken only by two main gates, which allow access in and out of the settlement. Winterhaven is a frequent stop for many merchants and is a bustling center for trade during the warmer months of the year. Located at the center of Winterhaven is an open market and houses merchants and wares.
The city is also home to a large vegetable market, widely famed for the availability of many different vegetables from the region. Winterhaven has a very open feel about it full of friendly folk from the surrounding region. Very little crime from within Winterhaven happens which is why the militia is so small here.
Every other day or so, carts and wagons gather in the market square and offer goods to the people of Winterhaven. Once each week, the official Market Day acts as a siren’s song, calling most of the villagers to shop and socialize in the square. Farmers sell produce, hunters hawk smoked meats, villagers sell crafts, and sometimes a trader from other villages or towns sells hard to find or costly goods. On any given day, there is a 50% chance that common items are available for sale here (items worth less 10 gp). Adventurers will almost never find armor, weapons, or magic items in the market square, however.
Points of Interest
• Valthrun’s Tower
• Wrafton’s Inn
• Bairwin’s Grand Shoppe
• Coalstriker Smithy
• Winterhaven Temple
• Tenements
• Warrior Guild
• Winterhaven Barracks
• Lord Padriag's Manor House
• Winterhaven Keep
• Traders Shop
• Market Square
• Sheerah's Parchment and Binding
• Watch House
• Winterhaven Traders Bank
• Alaster's Provisions
• Winterhaven Stables
