               
Oliver D.
Bernuetz's Regions -
Sartar
- Knucklesdeep
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Sartar
Knucklesdeep
Part of the Ernaldori clan of the Cloymar Tribe Knucklesdeep1 is a small stead at the junction of
the Nymie River and the Stream. Set
on the western shore of the Stream
Clearwine is only a few kilometres away on the eastern shore and easily
reached by boat. Knucklesdeep was first settled sometime after
Clearwine itself. Originally it was important as a ferrying point
for people travelling from the west or south to Clearwine and was once
inhabited by over 200 people. Because Sartar's roads bypassed
Knucklesdeep and established a crossing
to
Clearwine across the Nymie to the north Knucklesdeep lost much of
its importance.
The ferry business has been very slow since Sartar's time.
About the only people who bother are the Zethnoring to the south.
When it was still important
as a ferry it had fares set as 1 clack for Ernalda
worshippers, 1 silver coin for Orlanthi worshippers, 1 gold wheel for Sun
worshippers (except Grazelanders who are carried for free) while Darkness
creatures were charged a bolg.
All others are charged varying tolls, often whimsical amounts or tasks
like a riddle or joke. Traditionally the toll was for a boatload, with the
fee based on the cultic affiliations of the majority of the passengers,
rather than an individual so many people waited until they have a boatload
to reduce the fare. Despite the decline in
ferry traffic there were many arguments about what to charge Lunars
when they took over. These arguments were settled by the Lunars
removing the right to charge a toll to Lunars and Sun worshippers.
Local lore states that everything was great BS (Before Sartar) and
things have gone downhill since then. Nothing really exciting has
happened here in many years and anyone who has a strong love or loyalty to
Sartar is looked on by the locals in a patronizing manner. The stead
has an air of resignation and failure about it. "He (she) has gone
to Knucklesdeep" is an expression used in Clearwine to either describe
someone who has either given up on life or has gotten far too attached to
White or Death Knuckles.
The stead is now mostly dedicated to fishing and occasionally ferrying
people across the two rivers.
A weir is also managed across part of the Nymie River. Next to the weir is
a watermill that crushes grain or grapes for the locals. This marvel
was built by a Mostali2 who performed the work in exchange
for free ferry rides for a year.
Traditionally the stead is run by the
oldest man and woman (who may or may not be married) who take on the names
Grandfather and Grandmother Knuckles.
When Kangharl Blackmoor became King of the Colymar in 1615 with the
overthrow of the popular Leika Ballista the then Grandfather Knuckles who
was actually married to Grandmother Knuckles said he would refuse to serve
Kangharl in battle and undertook a Nandan heroquest.
Now there are two Grandmother Knuckles who share power equally and
are perfectly content in their married life.
While the stead is mostly fisherfolk
and boaters there is also a small shrine to Elmal on a nearby hill.
This shrine has a palisade around it and serves as an emergency
shelter from attackers in case there isn’t enough warning to seek shelter
in Clearwine. The Elmali often
spend their time in Clearwine standing guard and usually return to the
stead to sleep. The Elmali also rent horses and have a very sporadic
business boarding horses for travellers visiting Clearwine from the South
and West who don't wish to risk their horses crossing the river by
swimming alongside the ferry boats.
The mill is somewhat controversial since it replaces the traditional
pipeage3 with mechanical crushing. This
crushing has the odd side effect of making the wine more powerful as an
intoxicant than more traditional methods do. The product of the mill
is known as White Knuckles. Because of its location on the wrong
shore of the Stream it's problematic for the denizens of Clearwine to use
it so production is fairly small. Some locals refuse to drink White
Knuckles saying the Mostali connection has tainted it. Oddly when
the mill is switched to grinding grain for flour, a process that takes a
full day to perform, no one seems to have any problem with the flour which
is particularly fine. A quarter of both products are set aside to
deliver to the ruler of the Colymar in Clearwine4.
Beside the shrine to Elmal there are
also shrines to Engizi the Sky River Titan, Minlister and
Keranna and Vuranna, the Daughters of the Vine.
Most other worship, especially to Orlanth and Ernalda is
usually carried out at Clearwine. It is rumoured that there is a
shrine to Orlanth the Borrower in the Borrowers House. Outsiders are
not welcome in that house so no one has verified that.
Recently identical twins were born who
seem oddly attracted to spirits.
No one in the stead has truck with spirits so they’re uncertain as
to what to do with the pair.
113 people call Knucklesdeep home, 60 children,
evenly divided as to gender and 53 adults, 20 men and 33 women. Once
twice as many lived there and the urn field and ruins of two more
longhouses reflect this.
Knucklesdeep has a somewhat unsavoury reputation in
Sartar. No one calls the residents thieves outright5,
but lost things have a habit of ending up there.
Residents of
Knucklesdeep.
Recent History
| Year |
Event |
| 1582 |
Several locals were at the Battle of Grizzly
Peak. These included
Rosoe Enastarrason a farmer who was married to a noble exile from
the Orleving clan, Keki Grave-robber.
Frika Ingeborgsdottir, a "borrower" was also at Grizzly
Peak but she was killed by Lunar spirits. Fighting the
spirts there was the mighty shaman Korlmhy Bear-Warmth of the
Seven Winds Tradition.
Roscoe and Korlmhy went on to Alda-Chur where
they both survived.
Someone who wasn’t a local but has a later
connection was one Vigrid, a warrior in the service of King
Tarkalor. He also
fought at the Battle of Grizzly Peak and survives.
He also fought in the
Battle of Alda-Chur and witnessed the Alda-Churi acclaim
Tarkalor’s son Terasarin as Prince of Alda-Chur.
|
| 1597 |
Rosoe Enastarrason fought in the Holy
County and survived. Wray Isrodson, "borrower" fought in the
Holy Country where he witnessed the murder of a member of the
Sartar royal house. Vigrid fought in the Holy Country.
During that time, he witnessed the murder of Prince Saraskos by
hired assassins and swore vengeance on the Lunars. |
| 1602 |
Rosoe Enastarrason was at Boldhome and
unlike so many survived. Wray Isrodson, "borrower" fought at
Boldhome where he died bravely. Korlmhy Bear-Warmth,
Shaman went to Boldhome when the evil Lunars brought their evil
spirits into Sartar. Luckily he was on the east wall when the Bat
hit the west wall.
Grandpa Bori Ragnar was called to defend
Sartar and fought with the legends defending the city. He died
fighting off 10 lunars trying to get into the city. He came home
on his shield and Grandma Keki the generous would wear his lucky
cloak clip as a pendant.
Vigrid died gloriously fighting in
the defense of Boldhome. His exploits earned him the epithet Vigrid
“The Mighty”. |
| 1603-04 |
Rosoe Enastarrason died in fighting with
the Malani.
To escape Lunar retribution following the death
of her eldest son Vanir during “the troubles”, Vigrid’s wife,
Fulla Vingasdotter, younger son Thorfinn and daughter Ingrit move
to New Pavis in 1603. There Thorfinn marries Astra, known to some
as “the Red” (after her fiery red hair) and others as “the Bitch”
(after her fiery temper). Astra gives birth to twin daughters,
Brenna and Ingemar.
Brenna has her mother’s red hair and is also nicknamed “the Red”. |
| 1605 |
Helja Kekisdottir, daughter of Keki
Grave-Robber married Arick Farmerson a dirt poor farmer and they
have three children: Styr Heljason, Auden Heljadottir and Harald
Heljason (deceased).
Keki the Generous, the Miller, got
into an argument with a Mostali who shot her with something that
exploded. Aren Ragnarsson inherited the water mill and with his
wife Freya Swanhilda were happy for a few years with their small
family (2 boys – Odell and Vignar) .
Hearing of the Lunar
invasion of Holy Country, Fulla, accompanied by Thorfinn, join a
band of mercenaries hired by the Esrolians. Newly married to
Magnus, Ingrit remains in New Pavis, along with Astra and her
daughters. Fulla dies gloriously avenging her husband during the
siege of Karse. Thorfinn survives and returns to Pavis a seasoned
warrior.
|
| 1608 |
Arick Farmerson, farmer dies of illness.
Jorunn Astredsdottir, borrower fought in the First Invasion of
Prax alongside the Praxians. She survived numerous ambushes but
grew to hate the Praxians for their treachery.
Aren
Ragnarsson, son of Keki the Generous was on a boat in the river when it was attacked from
something in the deep. He fought it off as best he could and
saved the other three people on the boat but the Chaos thing with
lots of tentacles dragged his body into the deep. The only thing
the others could do was hold on to his cloak as it was ripped off
his body.
Thorfinn joined the local resistance to the first
Lunar invasion of Prax and witnessed the Lunar submission to the
Pap Priestesses. He is now known as Thorfinn the Spear. |
| 1610 |
Helja Kekisdottir travels to Prax where
she fights on the side of the Praxians against the Lunars at
Moonbroth. She does not return. She leaves her sons
Styr and Harlad and daughter Auden to be raised by their
grandmother Keki Grave-Robber.
Because Jorunn Astredsdottir
hated the Lunar Empire slightly more than Praxians she fought
alongside the Praxians again in the Second Invasion of Prax. She
survived.
Thorfinn and Astra, Ingrit and Magnus, and
their families return to Sartar and settle in Knucklesdeep in
1609. 1610 is normal year otherwise. |
| 1613 |
Oysten Korlmhyson and Hallgerd Yulesdottir,
steadholders and parents of the Spirit Twins went off with the
fyrd to help Princess Kallyr. They were at the Battle of
Hofstaring's Flood and helped defeat the Lunars good but they also
fought at Larnstes Table where they were killed by evil demons.
Freya Swanhilda, widow of Aren Ragnarsson got to see action In Starbrow’s Rebellion and
grandpa’s lucky cloak clip was actually lucky and made it back
home.
As a result of Thorfinn’s participation in Starbrow’s
rebellion he is outlawed by the Lunars. Thorfinn and his family
spend the next six years in evading them. |
| 1615 |
Grandfather Knuckles travels to the Other
Side and returns as Grandmother Knuckles. |
| 1616 |
To help support his family Thorfinn joins
a mercenary band and fights Harrek the Berserk and his Wolf
Pirates in Holy Country. Thorfinn survives the fighting, but is
crippled and barely manages to return home. |
| 1618 |
Jorun Astresdottir dies of Brain Fever.
Due to Thorfinn’s incapacitation Astra assumes most his
responsibilities to support their family. The twins do what they
can to support their parents. Brenna is
determined to carry on the family’s proud warrior tradition, .
She adopts the epithet “Vingasdotter” as a sign of her commitment
and in honour of her paternal grandmother Fulla. Otherwise a
“normal” year evading Lunars. |
| 1619 |
Leikan Kjartanson, borrower father of
Halldis dies in a freak accident at Pete’s Mill.
Korlmhy Bear-Warmth, Shaman went off to fight in the Hendriking
Campaign. He's still alive. |
| 1620 |
The new batch of new adults, Brenna
Vingasdottir and her twin Ingemir, Halldis Leikansdottir, the
twins Sarstan and Sarstin, nicknamed the Wide and Skinny, Styr
Heljasson and Vidar Ragnarsson travel to Apple Lane with Uncle
Bob, noted letch, suspected Lunar collaborator and all around
asshole to trade dried fish for apple products.
Korlmhy
Bear-Warmth was almost eaten by the Crimson Bat at Whitewall and
has vowed his adventuring days are over for good! |
| 1621 |
Great Winter Year 1
The stead was attacked by Tusk Riders and Styr Heljasson was
almost killed. The cold kills many including Kendrella,
older sister of the Spirit Twins Sarstan and Sarstin.
Halldis Leikansdottir was at the Fall of Whitewall where she
narrowly escaped death. |
| 1622 |
Great Winter Year 2
Brenna Vingasdottir fought in the Esrolian civil war in a
heavy cavalry company of War Women followers known as the
‘Furies’. She achieves great glory protecting Queen Samastina from
Red Earth assassins.
Styr Heljasson was at the
Battle of Aurochs Hill where he helped King Broyan to awaken
Orlanth by invoking Engizi’s connection to him. Took part in the
Civil War in Esrolia and was at the Siege of Nochet.
Halldis Leikansdottir nearly froze to death during the second year
of the Great Winter. Only her family's love kept her alive. |
| 1623 |
Styr Heljasson was at the Siege of Nochet
where he was blessed by Queen Samastina.
Halldis
Leikansdottir was nearly killed by trolls during a raid. |
| 1624 |
Brenna Vingasdottir rejoined the Furies
and they fight with great valour in the Battle of Pennel Ford.
After the battle they accompanied Argrath to the border of Prax
and witness the summoning of Jaldon Goldentooth. Brenna and her
companions acknowledge Argrath as the White Bull and return to
home. Inspired by the year’s events and to deepen her connection
with Orlanth, Brenna becomes an initiate of Orlanth Thunderous
Styr Heljasson and the Spirit Twins also fought with great
glory at the Battle of Pennel Ford and assisted Harrek the Berserk
in sacking the City of Wonders.
Halldis Leikansdottir and
Vidar Ragnarsson were also at Pennel Ford where they were nearly
killed. |
| 1625 |
Brenna Vingasdottir, the Spirit Twins,
Styr Heljasson, Halldis Leikansdottir and Vidar Ragnarsson all
witnessed and survived the Dragonrise. They all participated in
the liberation of Sartar and witnessed Kallyr Starbrow acclaimed
Prince of Sartar in Boldhome. |
Knucklesdeep in 1625
[pdf]
Jokes People in Clearwine Say About Knucklesdeep
Q. How do you get to Knucklesdeep?
A. Stop trying.
Q. What's the difference between a Tusk Rider and someone from
Knucklesdeep?
A. The fish smell.
Q. How Many Knucklesdeepians do you need to start a fight?
A. Just one but she has to be drunk.
Footnotes
1
[back] No one alive or dead remembers the origin of
the name Knucklesdeep.
2 [back]
Local legend claims that this Mostali was named Pistonlegged Pete.
The Lhankhor Mhy scholars in Clearwine state that this is highly unlikely.
3 [back]
A fancy word for grape stomping or treading.
4 [back]
An additional tenth of
the production of White Knuckles is set aside as a tribute to Pistonlegged
Pete if he ever shows up. This is kept in storage for twenty years and
then sold as an extra strong version of White Knuckles known as Death
Knuckles when he fails to show up (again)
5 [back]
Of course they do. All the time.
Last updated
April 10, 2020
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Email me at bernuetz@mymts.net
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