Places to Know: Vaillhen

From the tip to the southern valleys of the Cailleach Mountain, the howling and barks of dogs, both wild and tamed, can be heard. It is at the more secluded area, shrouded in fog, secrecy, and superstition that the village of Vaillhen can be found.

Located on the southern base of the Cailleach Mountain, this small village is inhabited by some of the Goddess' most devout followers. Shrouded in the same, though thinner, fog as the mountain, this area is completely cut off from the rest of the island. Marcher Lords know not of its existence, nor would they dare enter its grounds. Superstition within and about the village is strong, though tales regarding the supposed monsters within vary so wildly that it is impossible to draw any clear conclusion as to what these monsters could be.

Economically, the village is completely self-sufficient, relying on their seasonal Goddess for their crops and holding her creatures completely sacred. These creatures include wolves, dogs, deer, swine, goats, cattle, and fish. Hunting is forbidden within their subculture, though they do use their Lady's sacred creatures for milk and will occasionally use their horns or antlers for artistic or conventional purposes. They do not, however, frown upon hunting by foreigners --- to each his own, so long as they do not harm those under the direct protection of the townsfolk.

Their buildings are simple and made from blessed stone (one of Cailleach's mediums), and wood from the surrounding area. The architecture is simple, with the single exception of the shrine at the village's center. Intricate and both beautiful and terrifying, the shrine is their center of worship for the Winter Goddess, and offerings surround it within it's well-like base. Aside from this and the houses, the village's only structures are housings and fencing for the herds it keeps.

Their culture is simple, though unusual. As mentioned, they will not harm anything that their Lady holds sacred, but they are not completely vegetarian either. If ever anyone is able to find or capture other game (bears included as well as aquatic animals that are not considered fish), the villagers will hold a grand feast, paying tribute to their beloved patron. They are governed by a single member of their community, a priest or priestess selected and blessed by Cailleach herself. It is through this member, who can be of any age, that their Lady communicates with them; if the priest dies by horrible means, it is the community's belief that they operated outside of Cailleach's will. Through their priests, the villagers have come to acknowledge and accept that it is not the will of their matron for the elves to be wiped out. It is for this reason that they selflessly offer aid to any that make it to their village.