This outpost village goes by nearly as many names as it has denizens. Founded by Blackjack Amistad as "Pinewood Vale," the adventurer-turned-lumber foreman nevertheless declined to pitch his hat in for rulership of the settlement, being too busy with his own lumberyard operations closer to Frogmorton. Still, his name has marked the place, and the people of the village are so devoted to him that he might as well be mayor. Because of this, the town is de facto known variously as "Amistad's Vale," "Pinewood Vale," "Pinewood," "Amistad's Town," or simply "Amistad"—along with any varied combination of the above. Amistad comes and goes as he pleases, making decisions for the town when the fancy strikes him.
The place is still fledgling, relying almost entirely on the export of fine timber downriver to Frogmorton. Trade is hard to come by, and the road back to civilization is dangerous. Therefore, the town has formed a cartel with the local ogres, who protect the road in exchange for payment according to their own interests: a modicum of comfort, a bit of coin, and lots of food. Because the ogres are so necessary to the survival of the place, their greedy and extortionate practices are wholly welcomed by the other inhabitants of the Vale.
The frontier village of Amistad's Pinewood Vale is surrounded by an impressive wooden palisade, designed to require travelers to enter through one of three passageways: the main southern "Road" gatehouse, the small northwestern "Wilderness" gatehouse, or directly from the river dock at the east end of the settlement.
The palisade walls and gatehouses are guarded by both ogres and humans.
READ THIS BEFORE POSTING!
Anyone who comes to this settlement without a Town Seal of Entry will be stopped by the guards and questioned. If you do not have an entry seal to display, you will have to post here before entering Amistad. MARK YOUR POST WITH A TIMESTAMP.
PAYMENT TO ENTER THE SETTLEMENT:
The ogres run an extortionate enterprise along the road. There is an official entry tax of:
1cp per person
1sp per animal
1sp per cart/wagon/boat
5% tax on 'trade goods' (to the ogres, this means tools and food)
…however, the ogres will only demand these fees if you catch them on a greedy day. The 5% tax is quite often ignored in any case. If your relations are terrible and/or they are in an unusually greedy mood, they might demand much more, as much as 1sp per head and 1gp per animal/wagon. Having a good rapport with them and/or catching them on a good day, or having a Seal of Entry, means the fees will be waived entirely.
