![[z_Publish/_assets/Zelkor's Ferry.webp]] # General Select Settlement: Select Category: Village +80 **Location:** At the foothills of the **Verdant Spires**, surrounded by dark pine forests and steep, misty hills. **Reputation:** A hardy forest-border village known for pinewood craft, resin trade, and as the last dependable shelter before the mountain passes into Myrathis. --- ![[z_Publish/_assets/Ixatol.png]] #### **Atmosphere** Ixatol sits tucked between hills and pine stands, its slate-roofed houses clustered around a winding forest path. Smoke from wood-burning hearths coils above the trees, giving the air a sharp scent of pine and resin. The **pine forests dominate daily life**: tall, shadowy, and ever-whispering with the wind. To locals, the forests are both a livelihood and a boundary. Outsiders see them as gloomy and imposing, but Ixatol folk find comfort in the steady presence of the trees. Life here is **tough and quiet**, shaped by short growing seasons, long winters, and constant work. Villagers are plainspoken, resilient, and tight-knit. They extend warmth to Heartlanders who come through, but their manner is clipped and practical — hospitality without excess. --- #### **Economy & Trade** - **Timber & Resin** – Ixatol’s pine forests supply strong timber and pine resin, exported for shipbuilding, pitch, and incense. - **Woodcraft** – the villagers produce fine carvings and practical goods: sturdy bows, pinewood chests, and resin-coated lanterns. - **Foraging & Hunting** – berries, mushrooms, and game supplement sparse farmland; smoked venison is a local specialty. - **Travelers & Guides** – Ixatol thrives as a **resting place** for merchants, pilgrims, and adventurers heading into the Verdant Spires. Guides, pack-goats, and supplies can all be hired here. --- #### **Culture & Traditions** - The people honor the forests with a tradition called **The Resin Blessing**: before felling a pine, they smear its bark with resin and whisper thanks to the “Treefather.” - During **Longnight (midwinter)**, every home lights pine-tar torches, filling the village with a golden glow said to keep away the mountain spirits. - Villagers are proud of their **choral songs**, deep and steady, often sung while working in the woods. These songs echo hauntingly through the trees. - Common saying: _“As rooted as Ixatol pine.”_ Used to praise someone’s endurance and loyalty. --- #### **Landmarks** - **The Timber Yards** – open clearings stacked with cut pine, where resin and tar are processed; the air is thick with the scent of sap. - **The Broken Pick Inn** – a low-beamed lodge where travelers gather; its pine-bark ale is infamous for its sharp bite. - **Shrine of the Verdant Spires** – a mossy stone shrine at the forest’s edge, where villagers leave pinecones and resin offerings. - **The High Trail** – a steep path leading up into the Spires; marked by old standing stones, its origins are older than the Heartlands. # NPCs List important NPCs here. # Travel hrs per day Travel Calculator / Exhaustion Level: | Destination | Travel Days | | ---|---| | Next Town A | 🕓: | | Next Town B | 🕓: # CAMPING C - Commerce (Economics and Entertainment) - Shops, Malls, Theatres, Markets, Carnivals, Electronics A - Agriculture (Resource Production and Collection) - Farms, Mines, Fisheries, Lumber Yards, Oil Rigs, Power Plants M - Military (Protection and Transportation) - Forts, Bases, Armories, Walls, Seaports, Airports, Spaceports P - Philosophy (Religion and Education) - Houses of Worship, Schools, Universities, Laboratories, Arboretums I - Industrial (Resource Utilization and Processing) - Factories, Metalworks, Bakeries, Artisans, Jewelers N - Nesting (Housing and Civil Engineering) - Residential Areas, Inns/Hotels G - Government (Legislation and Judicial) - Town Halls, Courthouses, Tourist Stops, Monuments/Landmarks ## Commerce **C - Commerce** (Economics and Entertainment) - Shops, Malls, Theatres, Markets, Carnivals, Electronics *(none published yet)* ## Agriculture **A - Agriculture** (Resource Production and Collection) - Farms, Mines, Fisheries, Lumber Yards, Oil Rigs, Power Plants *(none published yet)* ## Military **M - Military** (Protection and Transportation) - Forts, Bases, Armories, Walls, Seaports, Airports, Spaceports *(none published yet)* ## Philosophy **P - Philosophy** (Religion and Education) - Houses of Worship, Schools, Universities, Laboratories, Arboretums *(none published yet)* ## Industrial **I - Industrial** (Resource Utilization and Processing) - Factories, Metalworks, Bakeries, Artisans, Jewelers *(none published yet)* ## Nesting **N - Nesting** (Housing and Civil Engineering) - Residential Areas, Bridges, Parks, Inns/Hotels *(none published yet)* ## Government **G - Government** (Legislation and Judicial) - Town Halls, Courthouses, Tourist Stops, Monuments/Landmarks *(none published yet)*