As of 5/24/99
A full day's travel north along Sorrow's Highway after leaving the bustling
coastal city of Vollmer, one comes to the turn-off leading to the village of Babble
Vale. This place is recognizable by a small clearing, obviously used for many
years as a traveler's overnight stop judging by the circles of ash dotting the
area. From here a well maintained path heads off east into the woods, arriving
at the village after about an hour of easy walking. Marking the place where the
path leaves the clearing is a cairn of moss-covered rocks piled up to a height
of some four feet. As the path gradually ascends through pleasant, moderately
timbered forest, consisting mostly of the striped white Ghost pine and the
twisted Manna Phar, an occasional glimpse of the towering Barsqu can be caught
through the overhanging canopy.
The most likely encounter a traveler will have along the path to Babble Vale is
with one of the diminutive local Havanathe, accompanied by a boar-pulled wagon
piled high with goods, on their way to Vollmer or the more distant market at
Heichorn's Spring. During the last one hundred years it has been almost unheard
of for there to be bandits on this road, so it is generally a relaxed and
enjoyable journey - a chance to admire the scenery and listen to the calls of
the forest creatures. Even in the midst of, Darkwinter the journey is fairly
pleasant due to the sheltering forest and the well drained roadway (keeping
muddy pot-holes to a minimum). Known to the locals as "Brewster's Folly", or
just "The Folly", this track is named after an old Havanathe named Brewster
who took it upon himself to improve and maintain this route connecting the
village to the outside world. Unfortunately, he seemed to become somewhat
obsessed with his work and was seldom at home; what with pot holes to fill,
drains to be cleared, and fallen branches to be removed, there just wasn't time
to take a break! After putting up with this behavior for a few years his wife
lost patience and finally left him, taking herself and the children back to her
parents clan in Pecksville. This all happened 150 years ago. After Brewster died
about one hundred years past, the name, "Brewster's Folly," gradually came into popular
use. Currently, the road is mended only when needed by the citizens of
Babble Vale.
Indicating the journey is almost complete, the path levels off at the top of a
small ridge, granting the traveler a fine view down into the small valley
that houses Babble Vale, some three hundred feet below. Once the crest of the hill is
crossed and the path begins to descend, stone-walled fields start to appear
beside the road, replacing the rapidly thinning forest until the landscape is
dominated by tilled fields, meadows, narrow lanes, and the occasional stand of
trees. Catching one's eye is a noisy stream which snakes its way down the valley
floor, crossing the boundary of forest and cultivated land, passing beside
scattered farms before returning to the quiet woods once again. Stands of trees
are restricted to out-of-the-way corners and boundaries, clearly indicating the
dominance of agricultural activity over the wild forest this close to the
village proper.
Not much of the Havanathe dwellings can be seen from the tops of the surrounding
hills. Only the sun glinting of the occasional brightly painted door and the
wisps of wood-smoke rising from the ground indicate their location amongst the
patchwork of meadows, orchards, cultivated gardens, and winding lanes that
blanket the hillside between the river and forest edge. Only two above-ground
buildings can be seen: the small mill on the west bank of the Larch and the inn, perched higher up on the east bank beside the main thoroughfare. The track
leads to a bridge which spans the river, giving access to the village proper.
This structure is a simple affair, built from a few massive Barsqu planks, laid
down side by side across the stream. At either end the ground has been ramped up
to the thick wooden slabs with cunningly laid river stones and packed
earth. The bridge is a good twelve feet wide, and the lack of side rails is no
cause for fear.
The river passing through the valley is known as the Larch. It probably would
more correctly be labeled a large perennial stream, but the Havanathe of Babble
Vale certainly think of it as a river! It is fairly shallow, averaging about 5
feet deep, and not particularly wide (about 20 feet), but runs quite swiftly,
making a good deal of noise as it rushes past the steep banks. Most of the local
Havanathe are cautious around deep water and have a great respect for the
swiftly flowing Larch. None of them swim for fear of drowning - as did young Soim
Toodlebrock a few years back - and haven't taken to boating either. On
particularly hot Midsummer days, braver - some would say fool-hardy - folk have
been known to tentatively dabble their feet from the reedy banks or wade in the
shallow rapids. Originally the area of rapids was used as a ford, later to be
replaced by a bridge in the same spot. The shoaling bottom quickens the swiftly
flowing water, causing it to gurgle and splash as it negotiates the small
boulders and gravely bottom. Fishing the river is popular, and fat trout
lurking under the banks are especially sought after for the table. The
occasional shallow pool of quiet water found along the river's reedy banks are
popular spots for collecting tasty blogg frogs and river shrimp. In the morning and
evenings - with long shadows cast by the half light - willow jay swallows
often flit up and down the waterway, ducking under the drooping fronds of the
swaying willows, or alighting briefly on the rocks below the bridge. The Larch
runs clear and fast, with the sweet cool water originating in the foot-hills of
the Twins. Drinking water for the inhabitants is collected from the Larch a
short distance upstream of the village.
Climate in and around Babble Vale is generally moderate, with harsh conditions
considered unusual. This sheltered valley is exceedingly kind on farming and the
little folk alike. The shorter days of Darkwinter through to Midwinter combined
with cooler weather makes the wearing of an extra outer layer a necessity, but
snowfall is very unusual; on the rare occasion when this does occur it is always
used as an excuse by the local Havanathe to drop tools and celebrate!
Most of the local Havanathe supplement their pantry by foraging in the
surrounding forest. Mushrooms, berries, nuts, plants, herbs, and the occasional
rabbit or plump Sorrow pheasant are collected. Draggonberry pie is an old
favorite with the children, as are the nuts collected from the Ghost pines; either
ground to a flour and baked into delicious pastries, or simply roasted over the
fire.
Firewood and kindling is collected from the forest for cooking and heating the
burrows, but this activity is managed by just one Clan in the community. To them
falls the task of overseeing the harvesting of the forest under the village's
care in a responsible, controlled manner, making sure not too much deadwood is
removed from any one area. The majority of firewood is collected as dead fall
from the dry, fast-burning Ghost pine. Despite the massive Barsqu being one of
the hottest and slowest burning woods in Western Glashia, it is not a popular
fuel with the citizens of Babble Vale. The long drying time (about 25 years for even a one inch thick plank) of
this oily timber, as well as difficulties in transporting, or even cutting, the huge
trunks, makes lumber from this tree an unattractive choice for fuel or
construction. Only the patient Dervatear smithies and their ever hungry forges
contemplate using the Barsqu for fuel. Even they, respecting the great age
and slow growth of the Barsqu - if not its living nature - prefer to use the
blackstone known as tow-hak. The Dervish of northern Torresan, on the other
hand, may be a completely different story; though there is always the forest's
vigilant guardians - the Fpathen - to ward of this kind of desecration.
Dangerous, intelligent creatures, such as orcs and goblinkind, haven't been sighted in
this part of the forest for some two hundred years. This may have more to do
with the vigilance of the neighboring Fpathen community than any real absolute
safety in the kingdom, though most of the Havanathe don't realize this,
believing they live in the peaceful, tame forest valley.
There are other paths leading to and from Babble Vale, the most notable
following the Larch upstream in a southeasterly direction for a half day's walk
to the small community of Pecksville. From there it is a further solid day's walk
south to another Havanathe community; the hamlet of Logan.
Return to the Babble Vale Main Page.