Poplar Falls
A tree-laden logging village comprised primarily of orcs, Poplar Falls sits at the base of Mundus Ferox’s great mountain range.
Origin
From Mt. Arrigo's sheer stone cliffs and pirate coves, The Grove traveled to the heart of Mundus Ferox. On the way, they discovered a hungry and destitute-looking orc. Unlike the orcs of the The Orc Lands, this one was not instantly aggressive; he lamented that he and many of his blood brothers were starving, having been attacked by monsters. Their livelihood and their village was destroyed. He submitted himself to the traveling warriors, all but giving up on life.
Population Center: Village
Location: Mundus Ferox
Faction: The Grove
Hex: 4219
Upgrades: Lumber Mill, Carpenter's Shop
Affiliated: Yarp Bloodfeather
The Faction Leader, Oonagh Cardot, took pity on the orc, finding him food and directing the Faction to give him sufficient means to survive. She suggested that instead the Orcs partner with the Grove to rebuild their village. The Grove would build them back and give them a second chance, “for when the poplar falls, there is always means to grow again.” The Orcs now stay peacefully on their ancestral land, rule themselves autonomously, and receive protection and access to the Grove’s trade network. In exchange, the Orcs have provided lumber and carpentry to the Grove.
Revitalization
The woods of Mundus Ferox are dense and wild, and Poplar Falls is no exception. It is seated at the base of the mountain range, climbing up via rickety planks of wood and makeshift structures. The village itself, while once rough-and-tumble, has slowly been rebuilding. Scars of the tragedy that originally befell the community are still visible, but many are now healed by fresh-cut wood and thoughtful decoration. Industrial structures are plentiful and cobbled together of both gnarled, ancient, and freshly milled wood, though the latter has become more prevalent through the years. Not all are fully operational yet, but progress has been made. With a bit more investment and hard work, the village may become downright prosperous.
Poplar Falls is a logging community of orcs. Much of the infrastructure runs outward from a central heart: the Lumber Mill which the Grove has provided at the core. Various mine cart railways transport wood to and from the lumber mill, both near and even far to the east. This has made for creative structures for dwellings along the mine cart pathways, as workers will fan out during the days and return to the village heart in the evenings, when it grows cold.
The newest addition to the village is a casino, run by Yarp of the Grove. The casino bears the name of the famed Silvery Snapdragon, licensed by Yarp after an apprenticeship with Imra, Master of Elixirs, and currently provides games to both local orcs and travellers from across Osterra. The casino has been instrumental as a means of passive income for community projects-- Yarp has started to direct its profits solely to help the community enjoy little moments as well as where they live.
