Fantasy snowblind | lore

[vanquishable]

Fool's Errand At Large​

general look
Buildings in the village are generally made of brown stone or wood, and rest on high foundations because of thick snow. Most buildings are connected by a series of thick, colorful ropes, so that one can find one’s way around even in white-out conditions. Banners, flags, and garlands are common, generally made from textiles waterproofed by proprietary methods. These advertise the names and purposes of businesses, as well as serving as decoration, to liven up the barren landscape. Lanterns dot the village common, and it is a point of pride that they are kept burning regardless of conditions.

demographics
Fool’s Errand is a village of about 350 people, located near the peak of Mount Chiel. The community there is very tight-knit, and often extremely wary of outsiders. The population is comprised almost entirely of people who were born there--a generous estimate would be that there are twenty people living permanently in Fool’s Errand who were born elsewhere.

locals
Fool’s Erranders--known amongst themselves as Snowshoe Folk--are a particular sort. There is very little diversity in their appearances--they are almost always very pale, blue- or green-eyed, and platinum blond. Red and light brown hair is seen as well, but less commonly. They are typically shorter and stockier than most. Their clothing seems to be designed principally for warmth, with fur linings and trim and quilted or woolen fabrics. Clothing is colorful, so that people might stand out in the drab landscape. Commonly-used colors are bright reds, blues, and greens, as well as warm browns. Elaborate embroidery is common.

culture
Fool's Errand is a matriarchal society, and though gender roles look more or less the same--men go out into the mines, women stay home and make textile art--these are interpreted differently. Women are seen as being more spiritual and cerebral, and these qualities are prized. Hunting and farming, being seen as a mix of physical skill and spiritual connection, are gender-neutral tasks, and are often attended by a priestess.
When Fool's Erranders are not at work, they spend time in the village common or at home. Occasionally, several will venture to the inn to catch a performance, but this is seen as somewhat unorthodox. Generally, small groups will gather in private homes in the evenings to chat, pray, share a meal, and work on handicrafts such as textile art.
The Snowshoe Folk are a superstitious people. They can divine meaning from the manner of a snowfall, or the way a baby fusses. They are particularly interested in bird augury--finding omens in the flight patterns of birds, or in the entrails of sacrificed specimens. It’s best not to talk about such things in front of them--it is easy for the uninitiated to misstep. The Snowshoe Folk also practice their own religion, centered around a mountain goddess, but because of their tight-lipped nature, little is understood of it.

industry
The village generates trade goods via several avenues. They trade basic supplies for furs, traditional textile art, hardy seeds, and a rare ore that is of particular interest to jewelers and alchemists. A particular breed of draft horse, the Snowshoe Roan, is also in demand.
The Snowshoe Folk have a very limited interest in goods other than basic supplies. They import mainly dry grains and raw iron or steel, and will as a general rule reject such objects as clothing, books, or luxuries. They do not accept money, conducting both internal and external trade exclusively on a barter system. In addition to bartering for goods, internal trade is carried out via a complicated system of IOUs--it would not be unusual for a resident to be in possession of upwards of twenty IOUs for various goods and services at a time.
Due to their distrust for others, and also their physical isolation, Fool's Errand generally strives to be self-sufficient. There are healers, smiths, masons, carpenters, and more, operating on traditional procedures that are often centuries old. This has... varying degrees of success, and certainly Fool's Errand industry could use an update--if one could convince the locals to accept one.

climate
The climate in Fool’s Errand is superlatively unpleasant--hence the name, since it is more or less a stupid idea to go there. Winters there can last upwards of six months, and white-out blizzards and temperatures far below zero Fahrenheit are common. Spring is short and wet, and the conditions in summer would generally pass for early spring in most other places. The growing season is short. Autumn is something of an afterthought. Because of the condition of the mountain roads, Fool’s Errand is accessible to traders for approximately five months out of the year.

cuisine
Snowshoe cuisine is pretty boring, and most of it could be prefaced with 'Unfortunately, due to circumstances...' Fires are precious, but are pretty difficult to maintain in homes that often draft or leak despite the best efforts of their inhabitants. Therefore, most foods are cooked in one pot, which is sometimes partitioned to allow several different things to be boiled to death at once. For example, an industrious cook could partition off their cooking pot to boil the hell out of meat, vegetables, and the occasional pudding wrapped in cheesecloth. The Snowshoe people eat a lot of stews and porridges as well, made with salt pork, wild game, and such vegetables as carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and skirrets (which are a vegetable common in the medieval period--kind of like mangled, skinny, white carrots). They import and stockpile a lot of dry grain as well, so large bowls of, say, plain barley are common and extremely depressing. Spices and herbs are nearly nonexistent. The meat of birds is considered sacred and never, ever consumed. Birds are only killed for ritual purposes.
At the Frostbit arms, the story is a little less depressing. Because innkeeper Kava has more leisure time, he can keep more than one cooking fire on at a time. He is an accomplished cook, able to make popular lowland dishes such as pies and roasted meats. Birds and eggs poached by his lovely wife Simona are also on the menu, but he'd really rather she stopped doing that--she just does it to spite the Snowshoe folk, and they could get in serious trouble if they found out. Kava is a member of the Muro diaspora, and occasionally cooks traditional noodle and rice dishes--though this is rare, because of the lack of proper spices and ingredients such as shrimp or lime.

crime and punishment
Crime is relatively rare among Fool's Erranders. Given that the barter economy and IOU system more or less eliminates wealth inequality, there is little reason to steal. Violent crime is limited as well--the town is very small. Everyone knows everyone else's business, and when the only recreation available is sitting around a fire and gossiping, news travels quickly. Still, domestic abuse and brawls do happen--as well as other crimes, very rarely. There is no prison in Fool's Errand, and no money to pay fines with, so most punishment--which is decided upon at extremely unfair trials by the matriarch--consists of a strange combination of community service and public shaming. For example, one might be forced to dig a ditch, or some similar task, during which the townsfolk will gather around and shout at them. Generally, a person who commits a crime, regardless of how small the offense, will have their reputation ruined for life, and several people have left Fool's Errand because of this.

The Wider World​

crolibia
The nation in which Mount Chiel, and by extension Fool's Errand, is located. Crolibia has a Scandinavian climate--lovely summers, but horrendous winters. There are fjords. Crolibia is mostly known for its coastal area--the southern and western edges of the country are mostly coastline. The nation is located so as to be a hub of trade, and the surrounding regions are prosperous and extremely diverse. The farther east you go, however, the more homogenous, and poorer, the people get. Think of it as a gradient from Renaissance-era prosperity, artistry, and ideological exchange, to a region mostly populated by more medieval smallfolk. Feudalism exists in some places, but most are freeholders.
One way that you can tell where someone is from in Crolibia, and to an extent their socioeconomic status, is the languages they speak. Many western Crolibian people speak the international trade pidgin--which has become a language in its own right, as there do exist native speakers. They would also speak the Crolibian mother tongue, which is similar to Old Norse. Most eastern folk speak only Croli, and it is the language in which the dialogue in our fiction is spoken.
Mount Chiel is located in the mountain range that forms Crolibia's eastern border. Some Snowshoe Folk argue that Crolibian law and government have no influence over them, because the difficult terrain of the mountain range makes the actual border indefinite. There are periodic disputes whenever census takers come to call, and there would be a petition in the Crolibian high court for Fool's Errand's sovereignty if any of the Snowshoe people actually wanted to go to the lowlands and spend time speaking to the people there.

the world at large
Though the world that this story takes place in has not been fully connected, there are several other groups that trade with Crolibia. These...by no means well fleshed-out, but they do exist, I promise. Prominent empires, nations, and peoples that trade with Crolibia include the Muro people, a nation of more or less Fantasy Southeast Asian people living to the far west. There are also groups roughly based on African (think Islamic Golden Age) and Aztec cultures. Closer to home is... more or less the rest of Europe, including Fantasy Ireland from which our own Dawn and Sean hail.

Locations Of Interest
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inn--the frostbit arms
The Frostbit Arms is run by Fool’s Errand newcomer Kava--a quiet man who gained acceptance in the community by being more or less unobtrusive. The task of innkeeping fell to him more or less because nobody else felt like interacting with foreigners, but he shows a talent and quiet enthusiasm for the work. The inn is warmed by several large hearths, and the common areas are draped with blankets--some quilted by local artisans, others knitted by Kava himself. Lowland-style foods are offered regularly, and alcohol is scarce and expensive but available. The inn can accommodate nine visitors in private rooms on two stories.
Also at the Frostbit Arms is a regular song and dance performance by Kava’s feisty bride Simona, another newcomer who has decidedly not gained acceptance in her community. Still, there is an occasional audience for her performances--her skill and beauty being grudgingly acknowledged.

village commons
Festooned with garlands, guide ropes, and banners, the village commons is a lively place despite the fact that its surroundings are anything but. Here, Fool’s Erranders gather to chat and trade amongst themselves. Though the place is often bustling with activity among locals, most bonhomie will come to a standstill when a newcomer passes by. Still, it’s a good place to get acquainted with people--if you can get them to trust you.
Surrounding the village common are several artisans. The most prominent of these are the blacksmith, the carpenter, and the chandler. The village healer is also nearby, and the matriarch’s residence.

matriarch's residence--heloise's house
The village matriarch’s home doesn’t appear much different from the rest of the houses in town. It is not much larger, or in a particularly well-appointed location. The most prominent difference is the decoration--both the interior and exterior of the house is nearly entirely draped in quilts and banners. This serves not only as a status symbol, but as insulation--the home is doubtlessly the warmest place in town.
The villagers come to this place for regular religious functions, as well as to conduct official business. One would come to this place if they had, say, an idea for a development project, or wished to consult on a religious matter.
The current village matriarch is an imposing woman in her late fifties, by the name of Heloise. She rose to prominence as an ascetic priestess, sometimes spending weeks in isolation near the mountain peak in the dead of winter. She is, as such, not a personable woman, even by Fool’s Errand standards. Still, she does her best to be a rational leader--she just doesn’t operate on... conventional standards of rationality, so to speak.

trading post
The trading post sits at the outskirts of town, along the main road. It is notably light on decoration, though a few banners do advertise its presence. The post is not constantly manned, and consists of little more than a large stone table, a post to which several horses can be hitched, and a bell. Travelers ring the bell and, depending on whether or not the villagers like the look of them, wait a varying period of time for service. It is not the greatest setup in the world, but it is what they have.

mines
The mines are located in a cave about half a mile out of town, down a path that is scrupulously maintained in order to be safe. The entrance to the mine is decorated in the traditional style, and decorative lanterns light the cave. The cave system, having been worked for centuries, extends very far and very deep into the mountain, and the winding tunnels can be quite dangerous to the uninitiated--or even to the experts.
Still, old rumors of treasure--or simple knowledge of the value of the ore inside--have driven several outsiders to their ruin in the caverns over the years.
The mines are overseen by a man named Edgard, who is good-natured even as he is scrupulously nose-to-grindstone. He is one of the friendlier residents of Fool’s Errand, not quite seeing the point of their exclusionist ethos. Still, he follows traditional rules to the letter.

woods--lower
The lower part of the woods consists of anything south of a line about three miles north of the village. The terrain is rocky and slippery, and several waterfalls run through it--though they freeze in the wintertime. The trees are thick and mostly firs and pines. Scrubby vegetation lines the forest floor. The forest is home to hares, beavers, moose, and several subspecies of deer. Diverse types of birds also populate the area--though it is forbidden to hunt them. Crows, white geese, and hawks are common. Additionally, one might find wolves or even a bear in the forest--so be careful!

woods--upper
This section of the woods is home to the mountain peak, as well as several caves and other sites. The beginning of this section is clearly demarcated by a decorated rope strung between trees. It is forbidden for foreigners to enter this area--because of its proximity to the mountain peak, it is considered by the Snowshoe Folk to be a holy site. However, there really isn’t much of interest up here--the terrain is even more difficult than usual, and wildlife is scarce. Additionally, the air is dangerously thin...

Maps

mount chiel
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fool's errand and surrounding area


fool's errand
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map key
H-- Matriarch's (Heloise's) home.
h-- Healer.
C-- Carpenter's shop.
ch-- Chandler's shop.
B-- Blacksmith's
B Also, But To The South Because I Made A Mistake-- Potter's shop.
o-- Communal bread ovens.
A-- Ada and Hardin's home.
F-- Communal field. Not enough to sustain a town of 350, but home gardens are common.
Dotted Lines-- Fences or barriers.

a note on map scale
I have no idea. Deal with it.

the frostbit arms--first floor
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the frostbit arms--second floor
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Note​

Of course, this is not entirely complete. There are other aspects of Fool's Errand life, and other locations that you might be inclined to visit--perhaps some that I haven't even thought of yet! If there's anything you can think of that hasn't been listed here, feel free to ask!