Historical Guide to Langenfirth (book) - Revision history

CARAAMON at 06:20, 9 March 2009

2009-03-09T06:20:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:20, 9 March 2009
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	pledging never to leave again.		pledging never to leave again.

			{{cat\|Book}}[[page type is::book\| ]]
	[[Category:Book]]

Maintenance script: Added some links

2007-12-08T03:44:45Z

Added some links

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:44, 7 December 2007
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	it stands today. On the surface Langenfirth does		it stands today. On the surface Langenfirth does
	justice to its modern history, from the time of the		justice to its modern history, from the time of the
	founding of the local ~~Rangers~~ guild to the present,		founding of the local [[Ranger]]s guild to the present,
	but to truly know Langenfirth a scholar must delve		but to truly know Langenfirth a scholar must delve
	much further back.		much further back.
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	the lake with any ease.		the lake with any ease.

	During the time of the Empire, the lake was filled		During the time of the [[Empire of the Seven Pointed Star\|Empire]], the lake was filled
	with Imperial ships, which afforded passage across to		with Imperial ships, which afforded passage across to
	[[Therenborough]]. All that ended after the Empire ended,		[[Therenborough]]. All that ended after the Empire ended,
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	accomplished by canoe across the lake and then up a		accomplished by canoe across the lake and then up a
	small, barely navigable stream. Long before the		small, barely navigable stream. Long before the
	[[Dragon Priest]] wars, the stream was filled with silt and		[[Dragon Priest War I\|Dragon Priest wars]], the stream was filled with silt and
	rock to allow passage of anything but water, fish and		rock to allow passage of anything but water, fish and
	the occasional duck. An arduous overland journey		the occasional duck. An arduous overland journey
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	The area now known as the village of Langenfirth was		The area now known as the village of Langenfirth was
	one of the few low-lying areas of the Danduwen Forest,		one of the few low-lying areas of the [[Danduwen Forest]],
	and rested in a sheltered cover, a firth, along the		and rested in a sheltered cover, a firth, along the
	northwestern shore of Lake Gwenalion. It quickly		northwestern shore of Lake Gwenalion. It quickly
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	The waters were shallow at the shore and a flat basin		The waters were shallow at the shore and a flat basin
	of forest nestled behind the firth, giving an open		of forest nestled behind the firth, giving an open
	passage into the hills and north to Therenborough.		passage into the hills and north to [[Therenborough]].

	Most of the early history of the area, that predating		Most of the early history of the area, that predating
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	goddess obscured by subsequent worshipers. It is		goddess obscured by subsequent worshipers. It is
	known to predate the wars for several reasons. While		known to predate the wars for several reasons. While
	it is known to have been used by the Dragon Priests		it is known to have been used by the [[Dragon Priest (cult)\|Dragon Priests]]
	at the height of their influence from the artifacts		at the height of their influence from the artifacts
	found under the altar and markings made on the walls,		found under the altar and markings made on the walls,
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	Excerpts from traders journals give us a brief look at		Excerpts from traders journals give us a brief look at
	what Langenfirth was like, before it took its name,		what [[Langenfirth]] was like, before it took its name,
	and was nothing more than a mere muddy shore to pull a		and was nothing more than a mere muddy shore to pull a
	canoe upon. Early travelers found that the cove was		canoe upon. Early travelers found that the cove was
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	Soon, a young ferryman, tired of his		Soon, a young ferryman, tired of his
	employment working the ropes over the river between		employment working the ropes over the river between
	Riverhaven and northern [[Zoluren]], counted his savings		[[Riverhaven]] and northern [[Zoluren]], counted his savings
	and set about having a rough barge built. The barge		and set about having a rough barge built. The barge
	soon replaced canoes as the mode of travel across the		soon replaced canoes as the mode of travel across the
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	About this time an old monk arrived in the firth, both		About this time an old monk arrived in the firth, both
	penniless and a bit touched in the head from years of		penniless and a bit touched in the head from years of
	isolated living in the Danduwen Forest. He claimed to		isolated living in the [[Danduwen Forest]]. He claimed to
	be a brewer by trade and excitedly extolled the		be a brewer by trade and excitedly extolled the
	virtues of the lake waters. Most laughed at him, as		virtues of the lake waters. Most laughed at him, as
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	convinced someone, for he was soon producing a fine		convinced someone, for he was soon producing a fine
	ale, quickly bought up by the traders and exported to		ale, quickly bought up by the traders and exported to
	Riverhaven. Known as Langen Ale from the Firth, it		Riverhaven. Known as [[Langen Ale]] from the Firth, it
	was popular from its inception. Most historians		was popular from its inception. Most historians
	believe that this was the origin of the name		believe that this was the origin of the name
	Langenfirth.		[[Langenfirth]].

	At about this time in history the Langenfirth Ranger's		At about this time in history the Langenfirth Ranger's
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	pledging never to leave again.		pledging never to leave again.

	End.
	[[Category:Book]]		[[Category:Book]]

Maintenance script at 21:04, 17 November 2007

2007-11-17T21:04:04Z

Maintenance script: Book:HxxHGL moved to Historical Guide to Langenfirth (book)

2007-11-11T18:25:05Z

Book:HxxHGL moved to Historical Guide to Langenfirth (book)

← Older revision	Revision as of 13:25, 11 November 2007
(No difference)

Maintenance script at 17:16, 1 November 2007

2007-11-01T17:16:29Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:16, 1 November 2007
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	would rather paddle a canoe then pay a high barge fee!		would rather paddle a canoe then pay a high barge fee!
	One night, it is said, while visiting a festival held		One night, it is said, while visiting a festival held
	in the south, he met a man named Ditsworth, the owner		in the south, he met a man named [[Ditsworth]], the owner
	of a traveling casino, looking for an opportunity to		of a traveling casino, looking for an opportunity to
	travel far from his shrewish partner, his wife Erma.		travel far from his shrewish partner, his wife [[Erma]].

	As they chatted, Ditsworth saw the opportunity to use		As they chatted, Ditsworth saw the opportunity to use

Maintenance script: New page: ==Historical Guide to Langenfirth== Too often historical assumptions are made about the origins of Langenfirth from looking at the village as it stands today. On the surface Langenfirt...

2007-05-06T21:12:21Z

New page: ==Historical Guide to Langenfirth== Too often historical assumptions are made about the origins of Langenfirth from looking at the village as it stands today. On the surface Langenfirt...

New page

==Historical Guide to Langenfirth==

Too often historical assumptions are made about the
origins of Langenfirth from looking at the village as
it stands today. On the surface Langenfirth does
justice to its modern history, from the time of the
founding of the local Rangers guild to the present,
but to truly know Langenfirth a scholar must delve
much further back.

Lake Gwenalion is more loch than lake, its shores
steep hills rising out of deep water. Once one has
traveled along the river from Riverhaven and entered
the lake there are very few places where one can leave
the lake with any ease.

During the time of the Empire, the lake was filled
with Imperial ships, which afforded passage across to
Therenborough. All that ended after the Empire ended,
and for considerable time, travel in that area was a
difficulty. Journeying north to the Barony was
accomplished by canoe across the lake and then up a
small, barely navigable stream. Long before the
Dragon Priest wars, the stream was filled with silt and
rock to allow passage of anything but water, fish and
the occasional duck. An arduous overland journey
through the Danduwen Forest limited travel to a few
strong souls and served to isolate the northern part
of the province.

The area now known as the village of Langenfirth was
one of the few low-lying areas of the Danduwen Forest,
and rested in a sheltered cover, a firth, along the
northwestern shore of Lake Gwenalion. It quickly
became a portage area for use by traders and trappers.
The waters were shallow at the shore and a flat basin
of forest nestled behind the firth, giving an open
passage into the hills and north to Therenborough.

Most of the early history of the area, that predating
the Dragon Priest wars, has been lost to the ages, but
there stands in Langenfirth a testament to the early
residents of the area. An ancient stone temple rests
in the woods near the lake, its originating god or
goddess obscured by subsequent worshipers. It is
known to predate the wars for several reasons. While
it is known to have been used by the Dragon Priests
at the height of their influence from the artifacts
found under the altar and markings made on the walls,
its construction is not that of any kind ever known to
have been used by them. Additionally, the stone used
to build it is one not found in any area near
Langenfirth. The stone is a type found far to the
northeast and must have been brought to the area at a
time shipping and travel on the lake was much greater,
a time now lost to history.

Excerpts from traders journals give us a brief look at
what Langenfirth was like, before it took its name,
and was nothing more than a mere muddy shore to pull a
canoe upon. Early travelers found that the cove was
not deserted, although the population in the area was
small and most transient. After the wars, traveling
clerics maintained and worshipped at the stone temple,
and its deity changed many times. A one room cabin or
two sprang up near the shore and the temple to afford
trappers and traders a place to weather a storm or
wait for the ice to break on the lake so their journey
could continue. That is El'Bain's Stop.

Game in the woods and fish in the lake were a
plentiful source of food and pelts for trade. This
soon attracted the attention of men with ideas of
great riches to be found in the north. As more
Rangers heard of plentiful lands to hunt and trap, and
took their canoes up river into the lake, those with
enterprise on their mind petitioned their guild to
open a trade post at the firth.

To come to the firth with pelts, sell them and collect
a fee, and return to the woods, for the most part
suited the Rangers and the outpost did well. Soon
traders were sending well loaded canoes on a daily
basis south, and bringing trade goods north. It did
not take long for several other enterprising parties
to realize what might be achieved on the northern lake
shore.
Soon, a young ferryman, tired of his
employment working the ropes over the river between
Riverhaven and northern Zoluren, counted his savings
and set about having a rough barge built. The barge
soon replaced canoes as the mode of travel across the
lake, as it plied its way north with goods and
passengers and returned with game, pelts and those
weary of the rigors of the wilderness life. In time
the young man married, and when his oldest son was of
age, bequest him with a second barge, and the two
plied the rivers for many years.

About this time an old monk arrived in the firth, both
penniless and a bit touched in the head from years of
isolated living in the Danduwen Forest. He claimed to
be a brewer by trade and excitedly extolled the
virtues of the lake waters. Most laughed at him, as
the brown waters of the lake had an odd taste and were
thought to carry "evil" airs, and were shunned as
drinking water. He spent many a day convincing the
unbelieving that the water was not "evil" but
discolored from the mineral content of the surrounding
forest. The untouched forests floor was a rich, peaty
mulch, from centuries of decaying leaves, logs and
underbrush. The runoff from rains carried the high
mineral content into the lake, and here at the firth
the water was perfect for brewing a great ale.

Langen was this monk's name, and he must have
convinced someone, for he was soon producing a fine
ale, quickly bought up by the traders and exported to
Riverhaven. Known as Langen Ale from the Firth, it
was popular from its inception. Most historians
believe that this was the origin of the name
Langenfirth.

At about this time in history the Langenfirth Ranger's
Guild was founded. Ranger tales tell that one day a
great Ranger arrived, and the woods in honor of his
arrival bent their trunks and built him a home, one
where all Rangers could gather. Most historians
surmise that the Guildleader in Riverhaven looked
about one day and realized that the Rangers never came
out of the north anymore, as their few needs were met
by the traders outpost in Langenfirth. He considered
his empty dues chests and moved northward to be most
accessible to his Guildsmen. It is hard to tell which
tale is closer to the truth of the matter. Upon close
examination of the guild house itself, one cannot find
the mark of even one knife whittle on a wall, and
certainly no sign that an axe felled the building
logs.

Soon a small rustic village had sprung up upon the
shores of the lake. Rangers build winter homes, or
those with wives, homes for their family. Older
Rangers taught younger ones the ways of their kind in
the large yards about their guild home. Rangers no
longer able to hunt or trap came out of the woods to
settle into enterprises connected with their ways of
life. Even a small inn sprung up, offering hot,
wholesome meals and fine brews to the locals as well
as travelers.

Langenfirth, though now a community, was now no safer
than the land had ever been, from animal attacks or
invasions from trolls, and perhaps less so as it
offered more to them now, as there was a static
population off which to feed. Most villages wall
themselves in, erect gates to close against the night
and the danger, but not Langenfirth. A village of
Rangers, used to living a free and wandering life
amongst the trees could not abide the thought of
fencing itself in. This influence is seen to this
day. Langenfirth still is unwalled, and the streets
wind about like mere trails, to preserve trees that
otherwise would have been cut down to build straight
thoroughfares.

Near the center of the village was a great tree that
towered over all others, and it was put into use by
the villagers. Lookouts watched from there,
announcing the coming of barges across the lake, and
warning of suspicious movements in the forest. A
large bell on a nearby cabin was rung to gather
together the residents to defend the village. From
these gatherings, and the need for someone to lead,
came about the first government of Langenfirth.

That is if one can call it that. The government has
long consisted of a Mayor and the cabin with the bell
outside, use by the Mayor during his term as home and
office, which is fondly called Town Hall, apparently
from times when the villagers hoped their home would
grow to that size. Records, as such, are a haphazard
collection of ledgers noting births, deaths and land
contracts, if the Mayor at the time remembers to write
them in. There are no taxes, except for guild dues,
but the guild handles that. There is no guard force,
for justice is that of the wilderness, swift, direct
and long over by the time it comes to anyone else's
attention.

It is in truth a harsh, if picturesque existence.
Winters are long and hard, and a roof not built with a
sharp enough pitch easily collapses. The winds, even
broken by the trees, are fierce, and windows are not
paned with glass that would shatter against the force,
but are heavily shuttered with thick slabs of wood.
Summers in contrast are pleasant if short, affording
great lake fishing and swimming in the refreshingly
cold lake waters.

Langenfirth and the northern woods still remain
tenuously connected to the southern cities and
provinces. Travel overland is almost impossible since
all routes north overgrew once the lake route was
discovered. In deep winter the barge is often forced
to remain docked until the ice recedes. During those
times, Langenfirth is isolated from the south. There
the barges have ceased to run while they exchanged
hands or underwent repair. Several years before the
writing of this history the owners of the river barges
had allowed them to fall into disrepair and they ran
infrequently and often swamped. Trade from and with
the north dwindled and Langenfirth was all but cut off
from the south.

The Ranger Guildmaster finally took it upon himself to
go stay a bit it Riverhaven. His reasons were two-
fold, to find a person who would could manage the
barges in a more business-like manner, and to provide
training new Rangers were sorely in need of, as they
could not come north.

He found Riverhaven full of anxious new Rangers eager
for his instruction, but his search for a trustful
barge master seemed almost futile. In truth, running
the barges costs a great deal of money, and traders
would rather paddle a canoe then pay a high barge fee!
One night, it is said, while visiting a festival held
in the south, he met a man named Ditsworth, the owner
of a traveling casino, looking for an opportunity to
travel far from his shrewish partner, his wife Erma.

As they chatted, Ditsworth saw the opportunity to use
the barges for a profit, and a chance to escape a
nagging wife. Ditsworth traveled to Riverhaven and
bought the barges from the widow of the previous owner
and spent a good penny having them repaired and
equipped to be, in reality, floating casinos. While a
trader or traveler might not pay good coin to ride the
barge, he surmised, they would certainly spend that
coin on a chance to win a good stake!

And so, now casino barges ply the route from
Langenfirth to Riverhaven and back, carry goods and
trade in the hole, and happy gamblers above deck!
Once the barges were back in operation, the Ranger
Guildmaster returned to his home in Langenfirth,
pledging never to leave again.

End.
[[Category:Book]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:04, 17 November 2007
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	Too often historical assumptions are made about the		Too often historical assumptions are made about the
	origins of Langenfirth from looking at the village as		origins of [[Langenfirth]] from looking at the village as
	it stands today. On the surface Langenfirth does		it stands today. On the surface Langenfirth does
	justice to its modern history, from the time of the		justice to its modern history, from the time of the
Line 9:		Line 9:
	much further back.		much further back.

	Lake Gwenalion is more loch than lake, its shores		[[Lake Gwenalion]] is more loch than lake, its shores
	steep hills rising out of deep water. Once one has		steep hills rising out of deep water. Once one has
	traveled along the river from Riverhaven and entered		traveled along the river from [[Riverhaven]] and entered
	the lake there are very few places where one can leave		the lake there are very few places where one can leave
	the lake with any ease.		the lake with any ease.
Line 17:		Line 17:
	During the time of the Empire, the lake was filled		During the time of the Empire, the lake was filled
	with Imperial ships, which afforded passage across to		with Imperial ships, which afforded passage across to
	Therenborough. All that ended after the Empire ended,		[[Therenborough]]. All that ended after the Empire ended,
	and for considerable time, travel in that area was a		and for considerable time, travel in that area was a
	difficulty. Journeying north to the Barony was		difficulty. Journeying north to the Barony was
	accomplished by canoe across the lake and then up a		accomplished by canoe across the lake and then up a
	small, barely navigable stream. Long before the		small, barely navigable stream. Long before the
	Dragon Priest wars, the stream was filled with silt and		[[Dragon Priest]] wars, the stream was filled with silt and
	rock to allow passage of anything but water, fish and		rock to allow passage of anything but water, fish and
	the occasional duck. An arduous overland journey		the occasional duck. An arduous overland journey
	through the Danduwen Forest limited travel to a few		through the [[Danduwen Forest]] limited travel to a few
	strong souls and served to isolate the northern part		strong souls and served to isolate the northern part
	of the province.		of the province.
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	trappers and traders a place to weather a storm or		trappers and traders a place to weather a storm or
	wait for the ice to break on the lake so their journey		wait for the ice to break on the lake so their journey
	could continue. That is El'Bain's Stop.		could continue. That is [[El'Bain's Stop]].

	Game in the woods and fish in the lake were a		Game in the woods and fish in the lake were a
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	to realize what might be achieved on the northern lake		to realize what might be achieved on the northern lake
	shore.		shore.

	Soon, a young ferryman, tired of his		Soon, a young ferryman, tired of his
	employment working the ropes over the river between		employment working the ropes over the river between
	Riverhaven and northern Zoluren, counted his savings		Riverhaven and northern [[Zoluren]], counted his savings
	and set about having a rough barge built. The barge		and set about having a rough barge built. The barge
	soon replaced canoes as the mode of travel across the		soon replaced canoes as the mode of travel across the
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	the water was perfect for brewing a great ale.		the water was perfect for brewing a great ale.

	Langen was this monk's name, and he must have		[[Langen]] was this monk's name, and he must have
	convinced someone, for he was soon producing a fine		convinced someone, for he was soon producing a fine
	ale, quickly bought up by the traders and exported to		ale, quickly bought up by the traders and exported to