The Village of Syrnargar
General Information
The mill is the most important building and one of the largest in the village is the mill. It is here that the rock brought up from the mine is crushed, cleaned and sorted. The building also houses the general store and a cartwright who builds the carts for the narrow gauge tracks that snake through the mine and the larger carts that carry the waste to
the spoil tip.
The Temple To Ulaa is constructed next to the mill. This allows the miners to visit the temple and observe their rites at the start and finish of their shifts. Upon the altar at the southern end of the temple is a chunk of gniess with a fist sized ruby embedded in it. This was found by the first miners a century ago when the mines were new and they saw this as a sign that Ulaa blessed their work. Because of this the miners are particularly pious and fully a third of their earnings are spend on good works such as orphanages and hospitals in the land of Lune.
This building covers the vertical mineshaft that plunges hundreds of feet into the mountain. Gnomish winches lift men and carts to and from the mineral viens that follow a vertical fault line running northwest - southeast. There are several levels the upper ones are more or less worked out and are being used to store the waste rock that up till now was dumped on the spoil tip that blots the landscape. The vein continues below the lowest levels but these are still productive so for now mining is progressing horizontally rather than vertically.
Given the dangers of the mine the few clerics that serve in the temple cannot be expected to deal with the day to day injuries sustained by the miners. Sprains and bruises and simple broken bones are treated by Felbind the healer in her small house.
The inn is named after Skull Ringer Ulaa's magical hammer with which she smites those that delve below ground for greed or evil purposes. The inn serves hot meals to those unmarried miners who live in the bunkhouse at the rear of the inn, above the stables. The food is wholesome and plentyful as those who work in the mines build up a fine appetite by the end of a shift. The innkeeper doesn't brew his own beer, he tried once but the water here has a metalic taint that soured the beer. He does distill some spirits from grain brought up from the towns in the valley below. He doesn't allow any drunken behaviour on his premises as the mayor has threatened him with expulsion from the village if any did occur.
Above the stableblock at the rear of the inn is a bunk room for those miners that have no home of their own in the village. Not all miners want to settle down in such a bleak place but the pay is good and so some stay a season or more to earn enough to find themselves a wife back in their home village. The innkeeper makes sure that the bunks are kept clean and tidy and the stables below provide welcome warmth.
There is room in the stables for a dozen ponies.
The forge is named for Ulaa's husband Bleredd who made Skull Ringer and many other magical weapons of the Gods. The blacksmith Kibur makes good quality tools and equipment for the miners. He can make serviceable weapons when asked but they take him a bit more time than normal as this is not his stock in trade.
Mayor Biram is the richest man in the village. It was his father that founded the mine over a hundred years ago and he has seen it grow from a collection of rude shacks into the village of today. He is a proud man and wants to see the village prosper. He is very pious, it was he that found the altar piece that decorates the temple.
This huge pile of waste rock, some thirty or so feet high, dominates the village. Years of mining has produced this spoil tip and only recently has the mayor ordered that the older worked out parts of the mine were to be filled in to reduce the size of this mound. It is a hopeless task however and no body in the village belives it is possible.
This miner's house burnt down after a lantern was knocked over by accident. No one was hurt but the family lost many of their possessions in the blaze.
A typical miner's cottage. One large room downstairs for cooking, eating and working. Two rooms upstairs, one for the adults, one for any children. The lower story is constructed of stone the upper of wattle and daub with a local slate roof. They are warm and dry enough but could not be described as luxurious.
This low dam allows the mill workers to control the flow of water to the mill race. By adjusting the height of the wooden gate at the centre of the dam more or less water is diverted through to the mill wheel. The flow can be stopped altogether by closing the sluice at the head of the mill race.
The bridge over the River Torrenrat has been washed away twice in recent years but this one has been constructed to a higher standard. The villages hope that this will last longer as otherwise they have to walk across the top of the weir if they want to cross the river.
Adventure Hooks
- They Delved Too Deep
- The miners find a particularly fine vein of gem rich ore. They follow it deep into the mountainside before emerging into a
cavern that is obviously not natural. What have they discovered and will it prove dangerous to the village and all of Lune?
- Cough Drops
- The miners have started to fall ill and there is nothing the healer or the clerics of the temple can do. A rare ingredient is needed that only grows in the icy caves of the high mountains. The problem is that these caves are the home of Bensvelk, an ancient white dragon. Will she allow anyone to harvest the ingredient and if she does what price will the village have to pay?
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c. A.D. Jones 13/10/03