Maerdooth was a village along the Methflow in Rogg-Vaasa. It was part of the Flowtowns and, despite its small size, was quite important in Flowtown economics.

The village's key to survival was its being a trade hub. The Methflow connected it to Chessenta and Ferdr people coming to the Meth delta; the frozen Walmoor allowed it to trade with the Thar kingdom and Mittendale pilgrims; and goblin tribes could easily reach Maerdooth. To this effect, there were two trading posts in town, a human-run one that bought and sold everything and a dwarven relay that sold Thar goods. Additionally, the settlement had a tavern and inn, which were very profitable thanks to the large throughflow of traders and adventurers.

Economy

With exception of Thar dwarven coin, which could be used only with dwarves and those who dealt with them, Maerdooth did not have actual coinage. Most payments were made in barter of non-perishable food or commodities such as fur and tools.

Although some traders, like the dwarves and goblins, reached Maerdooth in their own ways, shippers were important for Methflow transport. They drifted down the current and punted up, using the shallow and rocky ground of the wide river's center. The shippers were paid with a part of the goods they were transporting or in items they could easily exchange for what they needed.

Maerdooth produced a small surplus of food, and it usually had a contract for goblinoids to ditch Nightwood logs into the river as payment for Ferdr. It received animal products from goblins, cheap weapons and specific worked goods from Ferdr traders in the delta, high quality goods from Thar, magic items and secrets from Mittendale, and luxury scrimshaw, fish, and various trinkets from Chessenta and Rogor. Most of these goods just passed through Maerdooth as they went from one place to the other.

Domestic Politics

Maerdooth, like Chessenta, had an elder system rather than the traditional town council. One elected elder ruled a council of lesser elders, such as the fishing elder or the trade elder, who oversaw the village's various economic domains. With the very small population and high specific skills of the various elders, this system was very popular and worked well.

In addition, the clergy had a somewhat special role. There was just one church of Tempus, with one priest, but it had much influence on the people. The priest served as counselor to everyone, resolved tensions and difficult situations, and offered important magical support to the health and psychological well-being of the people.

Foreign Relations

Maerdooth was a network linchpin, and it entertained good relations with many people.

Thar Kingdom

The dwarves of Thar were by far the greatest military power in Rogg-Vaasa, though they were very isolationist and rarely came down into the plains. Still, they were good trade partners, and had an embassy of sorts in Maerdooth. Though the alliance was not warm, the two factions worked well enough together and were satisfied with their trade. In fact, Maerdooth sometimes supplied eager young fighters and adventurers to join Thar in its ongoing battles against Vercy orcs.

Kalder Ein and Mittendale

A group of frost giants lived in Kalder Ein, a settlement far into the Tharmounts. They were very good-natured compared to other frost giants, and even shared their knowledge and magics with people who visited them. The Tempus and Auril believers found the long pilgrimage northwards to be very rewarding and a good proof of holy fervor, and the promise of magic was a powerful incentive. The pilgrims established a small village near the giants, Mittendale, and managed to survive in the very rough Tharmounts.

Occasionally, groups of pilgrims went back down the mountain, trading with Maerdooth and sometimes rejoining society. Most Rogg-Vaasan clergy, and its spellcaster adventurers, accomplished such a pilgrimage in their young adult years; in fact, among the Auril monotheists, the pilgrimage was a rite of passage into true adulthood.

Nightwood Goblinoids. The Ferdr folk, who lived on the opposite side of the Moonsea, were seafarers and had goods at a good price to offer. For this, Maerdooth regularly paid goblinoid tribes with commodities the village had enough of, and in exchange, the goblinoids put dark oak logs into the Methflow. Dark oak only grew in the Mruggenrykz and was very useful for high-quality shipbuilding. This close alliance between the Nightwood and Maerdooth was very important to the humans, and adventurers were usually told to not even go close to that forest, so as to not endanger it.