Thornvale

“The Quiet Village”

“Nothing special ever happens in Thornvale. That’s exactly why it’s special.”
—Common saying among residents

Quick Reference

Thornvale - The Quiet Village

Overview

Thornvale is exactly what it appears to be: a small, quiet farming village where nothing dramatic ever happens. No ancient ruins, no strategic importance, no political intrigue. Just 350 people living simple lives, growing food, raising families, and maintaining the kind of tight-knit community that larger settlements have lost.

The village sits on a single small island, with orchards dominating the landscape (apples, pears, cherries) and grain fields filling the spaces between. A single main street holds the essential buildings: general store, communal hall, small chapel to The Radiant, and a handful of workshops. Most residents live in scattered farmhouses among their fields.

Life follows seasonal rhythms: planting in spring, tending in summer, harvest in autumn, rest in winter. Neighbors help each other with heavy work. Children play in orchards. Elders tell stories in the communal hall. The village council meets monthly to discuss practical matters (irrigation, trade prices, road maintenance) and reaches decisions through unhurried consensus.

Thornvale’s only claim to fame is being the birthplace of Elder Mira Thornwell, who left for Skyport Eos decades ago but whose values—community, service, compassion—were shaped here. The villagers are quietly proud of her success but don’t make a fuss about it. That wouldn’t be the Thornvale way.

The village’s greatest fear is the Rot. So far, Thornvale remains clean, but corrupted islands drift closer each year. Refugees pass through regularly, bringing stories of lost homes. The villagers help when they can, but they also worry: will Thornvale become another forgotten name on the list of consumed settlements?

Geography and Structure

Island Layout

Size: 800m diameter (small but sufficient)

Terrain: - Gentle slopes toward center - Small stream (spring-fed, reliable) - Rich soil (generations of cultivation) - Thorn hedges at edges (natural boundaries, gave village its name)

Districts (informal):

1. Village Center (100m radius)
   • Main street
   • General store, communal hall, chapel
   • Village square (market days)
   • 15-20 buildings
2. Orchards (surrounding center, 300m belt)
   • Apple, pear, cherry trees
   • Scattered farmhouses
   • Storage sheds
   • Most residents live here
3. Fields (outer ring, 200m)
   • Grain (wheat, barley)
   • Vegetables (personal gardens)
   • Pastures (small livestock)
4. The Docks (north edge)
   • Small landing area (3 berths)
   • Warehouse (modest)
   • Cargo handling area

Natural Features

The Stream: Spring-fed water source, reliable year-round

Thorn Hedges: Wild growth at island edges, natural barriers

The Old Oak: Ancient tree in village square, community gathering spot

Orchard Paths: Network of walking trails between farms

Key Locations

Village Square

Description: Open area at village center, dominated by ancient oak tree

Function: - Market days (weekly) - Community gatherings - Festivals - Informal meeting place

Features: - Benches under oak - Small shrine to The Radiant - Notice board

Communal Hall

Description: Largest building (wooden, well-maintained)

Function: - Village council meetings - Community meals - Celebrations - Emergency shelter

Features: - Large dining area - Kitchen - Storage - Meeting room

Thornwell Family Farm

Description: Medium-sized orchard farm (apples primarily)

Significance: Elder Mira Thornwell’s childhood home

Current Status: - Run by Mira’s nephew (Gareth Thornwell) and his family - Mira visits occasionally (rarely, given responsibilities) - Family proud but not boastful about connection

Features: - Farmhouse (expanded over generations) - Apple orchards - Small vegetable garden - Barn

The General Store

Owner: Merchant Bram Goodbarrel

Stock: - Basic supplies - Tools - Seeds - Some luxury goods (limited)

Function: - Trade hub - News center (Bram hears everything) - Social gathering spot

Chapel of the Radiant

Description: Small wooden chapel (seats 50)

Clergy: Lay priest (part-time, farmer primarily)

Services: Weekly, festivals, life events

Philosophy: Simple faith, practical spirituality

Economy

Primary Production

Orchards: - Apples (primary export) - Pears - Cherries - Preserves, cider

Grain: - Wheat, barley (subsistence plus small surplus)

Livestock: - Chickens, pigs, few cattle - Eggs, meat, dairy (mostly local consumption)

Trade

Exports (to Skyport Eos and Windmere Farms): - Fresh fruit (seasonal) - Preserved fruit (year-round) - Cider - Surplus grain

Imports: - Tools, metal goods - Cloth, luxury items - Seeds (new varieties) - Medicine

Trade Route: Part of Farming Circuit (Windmere → Thornvale → Eos → Ironhold → back)

Frequency: Weekly airship service

Economic Status

Prosperity: Modest but stable

Self-Sufficiency: High (80%+ of needs met locally)

Vulnerability: Low (diverse production, strong community)

Debt: Minimal (conservative financial culture)

Society and Culture

Social Structure

Egalitarian: No formal class system

Respect: Based on age, competence, contribution

Leadership: Village council (elected, rotating)

Values: - Hard work - Mutual aid - Humility - Community over individual

Daily Life

Work: Dawn to dusk, seasonal rhythms

Meals: Family-based, communal on festivals

Entertainment: - Storytelling - Folk music - Simple games - Seasonal celebrations

Education: Informal (apprenticeship, family teaching)

Community Traditions

Harvest Festival: Autumn celebration, largest event

Spring Planting Ceremony: Blessing of fields

Winter Storytelling: Long nights, elder tales

Market Day: Weekly social gathering

Mutual Aid: Neighbors help with major work (barn-raising, harvest)

Notable Figures

Gareth Thornwell

Role: Farmer, Mira’s nephew

Age: 38

Personality: Steady, practical, proud of aunt

Family: Wife (Lena), three children

Connection: Maintains family farm, occasional contact with Mira

Elder Harvin Rootwise

Role: Village council head (informal)

Age: 71

Personality: Wise, patient, traditional

Reputation: Respected mediator and decision-maker

Bram Goodbarrel

Role: General store owner

Age: 45

Personality: Jovial, gossipy, shrewd trader

Function: Information hub (knows everyone’s business)

Priestess Kella

Role: Lay priest of chapel

Age: 52

Dual Role: Farmer and spiritual leader

Personality: Practical faith, down-to-earth

Current Situation

Stability

Status: Peaceful, stable, unchanged for decades

Threats: Minimal (so far)

Prosperity: Modest but sufficient

Morale: Generally good (with underlying anxiety)

The Rot Concern

Distance: The Murk is 100km south (getting closer)

Refugees: Pass through regularly (stories of lost homes)

Fear: Will Thornvale be next?

Response: - Some advocate evacuation planning - Others maintain “it won’t happen here” optimism - Council debates preparedness vs. panic

Connection to Mira

Pride: Village proud of Mira’s success

Concern: Worry about her burden (rumors of exhaustion)

Support: Would help if asked (but she doesn’t ask)

Hope: Her success proves Thornvale values work in larger world

Defenses

Military

Force: Volunteer militia (30 members)

Training: Basic (hunting skills, simple weapons)

Equipment: Personal weapons (bows, spears, few swords)

Leadership: Retired soldier (Sergeant Torven, age 67)

Effectiveness: Adequate for bandits, useless against Rot-Beasts or military

Fortifications

Walls: None

Watchtower: Single wooden tower (basic)

Warning System: Bell, signal fires

Philosophy: “We’re not important enough to attack”

Evacuation Plan

Existence: Informal (discussed but not formalized)

Airships: 3 resident ships (capacity ~100 total)

Destination: Skyport Eos (Mira would help)

Problem: Not enough capacity for everyone

Quest Hooks

1. The Homecoming: Accompany Mira on rare visit home (family dynamics, roots)
2. The Rot Approaches: Corrupted island drifts toward Thornvale (evacuation? Defense?)
3. The Harvest Crisis: Crop failure threatens village (investigate cause)
4. The Refugee: Thornvale refugee arrives Eos with news (village in danger?)
5. The Simple Life: Party needs to lay low (hide in unremarkable village)
6. The Recruitment: Someone trying to recruit Thornvale into larger conflict
7. The Memory: Investigate Mira’s past (what shaped her values?)

Secrets

The Quiet Strength

Reality: Village’s unremarkable nature is its protection

Observation: Dramatic places fall first (Thornvale survives through insignificance)

Question: Is anonymity sustainable strategy or just luck?

The Hidden Wealth

Secret: Village has modest collective savings (emergency fund)

Location: Hidden in communal hall

Purpose: Evacuation resources if needed

Knowledge: Only council knows amount

The Old Ruins

Location: Small pre-Shattering foundation under orchard

Status: Deliberately ignored (superstition)

Belief: “Leave the past buried”

Reality: Probably nothing significant (but who knows?)

GM Notes

Using Thornvale

Purpose: Contrast to dramatic locations

Tone: Peaceful, ordinary, grounded

Function: Shows what people are trying to preserve

Mira Connection: Explains her values and motivations

Potential Arcs

The Loss: Thornvale falls to Rot (emotional impact, Mira’s grief)

The Refuge: Becomes safe haven during crisis

The Change: Forced to adapt to dangerous world

The Preservation: Represents hope that simple life can survive

Related Topics

• Elder Mira Thornwell
• Skyport Eos
• Windmere Farms
• The Bright Reaches
• Outland Clans

“We grow apples. We raise families. We help our neighbors. That’s Thornvale. Nothing more, nothing less. And honestly, that’s enough.”
—Elder Harvin Rootwise

“I left Thornvale to serve in Eos. But everything I do there, I learned here: work hard, help others, community matters most. You can take the girl out of Thornvale, but you can’t take Thornvale out of the girl.”
—Elder Mira Thornwell