A backwater town in South Reach arling, a day or so's travel from the main road.
Butting up against the Brecilian Forest, Cloudcatcher's isolation makes for a self-sufficient, if generally poor village. Most families farm and hunt, to supplement any other trades; some more adventurous sorts search the forest for wealth in its ruins (a notably short-lived profession). Outside income enters the village primarily through the trade of herbs and furs — and more rarely, through the harboring of smugglers and others looking to disappear.
Due to its location, Cloudcatcher is an entirely human settlement. The town has mixed relations with the Dalish clans that occasionally pass through: Though trade isn't uncommon, neither is violence. Mages born in Cloudcatcher are sent to Circles, though even prior to the Mage Rebellion, the town hid the occasional, paying apostate.
Generally, families are as large as can be fed, and relatives often live together. Many marry their children into other nearby villages; arranged marriages are seen as a way for one to advance themselves in the world. When Cloudcatcher youth leave, most do so in order to send money back to the village.
Elders claim that Cloudcatcher was settled more than a century ago. The veracity of these claims is unknown, due to scant record-keeping. The local Chantry Sister freely teaches younger children, but local literacy rates remain low. Most villagers are devoutly Andrastian, and children are occasionally named after virtues associated with the faith. Running into a 'Fortitude' or a 'Dependable' is not uncommon.
In its time, the town has lost more than a few villagers to the werewolf curse. Since the Fifth Blight these attacks have ceased, however, problems like sylvans remain relatively common. The number of families has been steadily growing in the past ten years, as refugees from other parts of Ferelden looked to resettle somewhere quiet.
The Brecilian Forest is a strange place, and Cloudcatcher has attracted an unusual number of eerie stories as a result. For the most part, it's all just made up to make the place sound more interesting.
Cloudcatcher [ Ferelden, the Brecilian Forest ]
Butting up against the Brecilian Forest, Cloudcatcher's isolation makes for a self-sufficient, if generally poor village. Most families farm and hunt, to supplement any other trades; some more adventurous sorts search the forest for wealth in its ruins (a notably short-lived profession). Outside income enters the village primarily through the trade of herbs and furs — and more rarely, through the harboring of smugglers and others looking to disappear.
Due to its location, Cloudcatcher is an entirely human settlement. The town has mixed relations with the Dalish clans that occasionally pass through: Though trade isn't uncommon, neither is violence. Mages born in Cloudcatcher are sent to Circles, though even prior to the Mage Rebellion, the town hid the occasional, paying apostate.
Generally, families are as large as can be fed, and relatives often live together. Many marry their children into other nearby villages; arranged marriages are seen as a way for one to advance themselves in the world. When Cloudcatcher youth leave, most do so in order to send money back to the village.
Elders claim that Cloudcatcher was settled more than a century ago. The veracity of these claims is unknown, due to scant record-keeping. The local Chantry Sister freely teaches younger children, but local literacy rates remain low. Most villagers are devoutly Andrastian, and children are occasionally named after virtues associated with the faith. Running into a 'Fortitude' or a 'Dependable' is not uncommon.
In its time, the town has lost more than a few villagers to the werewolf curse. Since the Fifth Blight these attacks have ceased, however, problems like sylvans remain relatively common. The number of families has been steadily growing in the past ten years, as refugees from other parts of Ferelden looked to resettle somewhere quiet.
The Brecilian Forest is a strange place, and Cloudcatcher has attracted an unusual number of eerie stories as a result. For the most part, it's all just made up to make the place sound more interesting.