Talgard

Talgard

Ruler: Baron Monteney
Government: Semi- autonomous barony
Population: 10,000 (5,000 in the town, 5,000 in the surrounding area)

History
Talgard was founded in 194 WR by settlers from Westmark. The settlement was established after Druthnia beat Wesmark to claim Stormhaven Bay. The original ship, Earlspride, sent from Wesmark was lost at sea with all hands and never heard from again. The mystery of the ships disappearance still rankles certain officials in Westmark and they would dearly love to know what happened to their ship.

The following spring the King of Westmark dispatched a second vessel, the Ocean Swallow, to search for the missing ship and to conduct a survey of the land north of Stormhaven to see if there were any other places suitable for settlement. The ship returned the following spring with good news. The ships captain had discovered a suitable location several hundred miles further north from Stormhaven at the mouth of a river he'd named the Iceflow. This too had a natural harbour and the surrounding area held plenty of game. In fact the crew had spent a month trading with the native elves in the nearby forest and had gathered several hundred valuable animal pelts and furs. The king took this to be a good sign and began making arrangements for the first ship full of settles was soon dispatched.

It was decided to build the village of talgard on a rocky bluff overlooking the Iceflow River. This bluff dominated the surrounding countryside and commanded the entrance to the river so controlled shipping along the mighty waterway.

The first years of the colony were fraught with peril, the winter in the far north was far harsher than that further south for the winds howled in from the tundra lands without respite, bringing heavy snow and chilling the settlers to the bone. For several months they were cut off from the outside world and as supplies began to run low settlers starved to death. The following spring brought fresh supplies and fresh settlers to the fledgling colony and the new arrivals began to build upon the foundations of the village. Storehouses were built and the first crops sown and the autumn harvest was bountiful, ensuring the colonies survival through the winter. However, even though the food supplies were secure the colony wasn't for this year a horde of gnolls from the northern tundra besieged the settlement for two months. Fortunately the walls had already been built and the original palisade strengthened during the summer months and as the winter abated the gnolls were forced to retreat. This was but the first of many such winter sieges.

Talgard Today
Since its founding Talgard has slowly grown and prospered. Life in the town is far from easy and it takes a special type of person to live here for the community is cut off from the outside world for most of the winter. Winters here are long, cold and bitter and the town is often besieged by humanoids during these months, and on a couple of occasions by frost giants as well. Fortunately the rocky bluff where the town is situated protects it and acts as a natural battlement, a battlement that has been further reinforced over the years.

Summers in the north are short and the most must be made of them so many people help out in the sowing of the crops but again the weather plays an important part and an early frost can decimate the crops.

The climate and location of Talgard has installed the people who live here with a strong, independent character and a frontier spirit that binds them together. They have learned to rely upon themselves and not upon others so have become fiercly independent and free spirited. The younger men often spend months at a time in the wilds and the sub-artic tundra lands of the north braving the many humanoids and perils of this land. These forays into the wilds have made them experts at living off the land. Irongard continues to maintain close contact with the elves and the elves of Valanost have taught them many skills that have helped them to survive in this harsh climate.

The settlement has also spread along the southern bank of the Iceflow and several small communities have developed. Often the more independent minded settlers strike out long the river to build a free hold of their own and these farmer/settlers are amongst the toughest people in the north for not only do they have to break in the land, toil to plant and harvest their crops, but they also have to contend with the occasional humanoid raid as well. For this reason the settlers often build a fort in the centre of their newly acquired territory where the nearby families can shelter should an attack occur.

Government
Talgard is ruled as a fief of Westmark. The king granted the land to the founder of the settlement, Gurtan Monteray the territory as a barony, and the baron rules the territorry on behalf of the king to this day. Since Westmark is several weeks journey by sea away the baron maintains a degree of independence that barons in the kingdom proper can only dream of. The baron maintains a small standing army that is also partly funded by the king and leaves the day to day running of the town to a council, the members of whom he appoints himself.

Population
Talgard has a population of 5,000 most of whom are humans. About another 5,000 people live in small communities along the banks of the Iceflow river. The city, and fief, has a fair number of half-elves living it in as well as there has always been close contact between the elves and human settlers. Talgard is one of the few places in the North where one can find elves mixing freely with humans.

Economy
The towns economy is based partly on farming (local crops being wheat, corn, maize and pumpkins) but mainly upon hunting and trapping. The furs of the northern beaver and the silver wolf of the tundra (also known as winter wolves) are especially sought after and fetch high prices in the south. In fact furs make up most of the towns exports to the south. The military garrison also contributes an sizeable amount to the local economy and the upkeep of the troops is an important business in Talgard.

Armed Forces
Talgard has a permanent garrison of 400 troops, much more than a town of its size would normally warrant but given the fact that sieges are an annual occurrence the number of troops is more than justified. Every able bodied person must belong to the militia and all have their own weapons and armour that they maintain, for they must be ready for war at a moment's notice (especially in the newer settlements on the frontier).

The troops of Talgard are well trained in the art of guerilla warfare preferring to strike suddenly then disappear back into the woods before their foes know what hit them (skills taught to them by the elves) and are experts at bush craft. Most patrols are led by rangers and are often accompanied by elven scouts as well. Troops are lightly armed and equipped and are used to living off the land; leather armour, bows and swords are the main weapons of war as the climate is unsuitable to wearing the heavier (metal) armours favoured further south.

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This page was last updated on

Tuesday, 11 September 2001