Piptoll
In a previous post I destroyed Ashborne (DMN128, not canon … until this is), so going with that let’s talk about its neighbor Piptoll
(finally figured out how to add my own pictures, no idea how to make it larger)
1. Piptoll. Over 300 years ago Pip and the Halfling Hoggers (Halfling cowboys on Boars) chased the Toll Trolls from the region (then known as Toll) into the Pathless Peaks. Halflings have resided in this region ever since.
2. What races live there in what numbers? 2000: 70% Halflings, 20% Gnomes, 5% Goblins, 3% various, and 2% satyrs. 500 (mostly Human) refugees from Ashbourne.
3. Who is in charge (form of government, important people, etc.)? Poppy Brightmoon, Head Pip. Head Pip is selected by Earllong (demi-god, DMN 23) in a surprise tea party on a rainy day every spring.
4. What are important features and landmarks that set it apart (5 senses)?
Everyone is very studious (especially in spring) and always welcomes visitors.
Taste: in the evenings you can practically taste the tea on the wind. Warm pies on the open window sills will make your mouth water (these are always extra small sized pies because several are expected to be stolen by playful children).
Smell: the region smells Damp and muddy. Once you enter the town smells of rich teas and flowers fills the air. Rather than taverns this town has tea houses, smoke is always coming from these chimneys except on the hot summer days. The yards are filled with flowers and small trees (commonly flowering tea trees).
Feels: the spring is cool and rainy, summer is hot and humid though cool breezes come in over the lake in the evenings, autumn cool and breezy with frequent storms, winter is cold and snowy.
Sounds: in the spring and autumn it is usually raining. During the day Halfling children may be heard playing and laughing as they run through the streets, music can often be heard from the satyrs in the fields, singing from inside the houses with open windows, and bee’s fly lazily from yard to yard. In the winter music can often be heard behind doors that usually have visitors.
Looks: cobblestone from the nearby hills has been used to build houses composed of several round rooms with reed woven roofs. Nearly every yard has flower gardens in front and clovers growing into the dirt roads. It's common to see a goose or pig/boar loose. If you have a horse you stand out as boars are used for the primary beast of burden as well as beloved pets.
In the winter every hearth has a welcoming smile and hot cup of tea to greet you as you tell them what they can do to help, then a helpful member will take you to a tea house just down the street or to the head pip’s office.
There are about 100 parks in the town.
Beside Shady Park on the south-east edge of town is a giant red wood tree, in it lives Tuwilligger Treetoper the Tumultuous a crazy Elven wizard.
East of Piptoll lay the Howling Hills. These hills seem alive, sometimes the ground moves or unexpected gusts of wind blow briefly. These tremors and breezes often affect Piptoll.
5. What quest hooks exist at this location?• Though very generous hosts, the town’s resources are running “short”. The refugees are currently set up with undersized tents and donated provisions spread out through the parks. If aid could be gotten from Barmwich, with their “larger” population, it would go a long way.
• Ashborne and Hoblin have been at war for over a year, so if the Hobgoblin king below the pathless Peaks find out about the refugees there could result in more conflict, though Hoblin has lost nearly their whole army recently as well.
• Deputy Dandywead has led his squad of Hoggers towards Ashborne one week ago, has not been heard from.
• Many boars and geese have gone missing. They are always getting out, but have never gone missing before. The Pip’s suspect the refugees.
• The refugees Ashborne are openly hostile towards the friendly local goblins. One goblin house burnt down, the family escaped with minor burns; the fire damaged two other houses and could have destroyed half the town. Many have accused the refugees. If much time is spent in Piptoll and a full moon occurs, several of the more violent refugees will disappear (the secret police).
• Fishers are reporting that a group of Hoblin survivors are camped at Rabbit Rock across the Farmers inlet, undead can still be seen in the Ashwood forest. There is at least one Halfling Hogger with them. The fishers would like to help them cross, but Head pip Brightmoon has told them not to, they are already having problems with refugees and this would elevate those. As of yet no undead have been seen on this side of the inlet.
6. You do you!Main exports: tea, gnomish cookware and pottery, many kinds of stone from the Howling Hills (gnome), mushrooms of all kinds, live fish (in barrels), and fireworks. Trading is done with the goblinoids of Hoblin as well as the more socially acceptable Barmwich and Ashborne.
• Head pip Brightmoon knows that Earllong would want them to help both the Ashborne and Hoblin refugees but the community has worked hard to stay out of their war.
• Town guards are ride’n rope’n Halfling Hoggers. Wereboars work as the secret police; many prominent people from town are secretly wereboars.
• Deputy Dandywead and a few other hoggers are with survivors from the Hoblin Horde across the inlet at Rabbit Rock.
• The Goblins that live in town have migrated from the Pathless peaks, some generations ago, and are upstanding citizens, mostly own and manage a fish nursery and mushroom farmers.
• The Howling Hills: The ground is solid rock only a few feet down, but somehow gnomes mine the caverns below and there is rumor of a hidden gnome city somewhere within. A lot of trade happens off the books between the Neighborly Gnomes and Piptoll. The gnomish cookware and pottery exported is considerably more than the gnome potters and tinkerers make in town, likewise when stone is needed the gnomes are always able to come up with more than enough. There is a hidden Gnomish town in/below the Howling Hills. The Hills are actually several stone giants enchanted to sleep (by gnomes) so long ago that the earth has grown over them.
• When tension gets at its height Earllong will show up, calm emotions, and everyone will have the best tea party in history; Ending in long lasting peace between Ashborne and Hoblin if both groups of refugees are present.
• Earllong is the primary deity of the town, however it is also well loved by Quart Bumbleroot (DMN 118, the demigod of Combustion/ pre DMN 119)
