Docks and piers along the Drunhollow River

Sailing the Drunhollow is a slow and arduous task, as ships designed for going fast, such as sloops and galleys, would get stuck on the muddy banks and shallows of the Drunhollow. In some places, there’s less than 3 ft of water from the surface down to the mud. The Drunhollow is also prone to flooding over it’s shores, in some areas like the flat, open Onnich Plains between Abhelm and Catacrach, that means that river becomes one with the rest of the landscape. Another point against the use of fast ships, is that they rely heavily on wind. To move a boat by wind, it requires a sail, and a sail requires a mast. Unfortunately most of the bridges crossing the river are low-arched creations of stone, so anything taller than 10 ft would likely hit the bridges along the river’s flow.

Instead the Drunhollow is sailed by barges, gondolas and row-boats. Barges haul surprisingly large amounts of good from the southern regions, with most of them heading to Catacrach. Even where the Drunhollow is at it’s most narrow places, three barges can easily pass each other at the same time. Barge crews are expected to be strong, able to move the larger shipments, as well as staking the barge out of a bank of mud and forward into the water. Gondolas are much smaller and slimmer than barges, not meant for wares any larger than they can be held by a person. Rather the gondolas freight people, acting as ferries. It’s safer to travel south by the Drunhollow, than on the Ivory Road, even if it is slower and more expensive. A particular route is transporting nobles and wealthy individuals from Catacrach to the pompous, monthly balls at Applewatch Estate, though you have to get an invitation if you want to enter. Row-boats are more common near Coolelool in the south, here they are used by fishermen to catch some of the many edible fish, that call the waters their home.

From it’s source at Coolelool lake, the Drunhollow runs past several docks and smaller piers. Each description is also marked on which shore the landing is located.

• Coolelool. The stilt-town in the middle of the lake, many of the barges are build here, and it’s an important trade-hub for many southern parts of Fellmir.
• De Caballier estate. One of the highest praised vineyards in Fellmir, a single De Cabal bottle cost around 70 gp. It started as a small private pier, made from logs and planks, but increased export of their priced wine, caused the De Caballier family to hire workers to fortify and strengthen the pier to an actual dock-site. W.
• Lethillith. Small village of mostly fishermen, the huts and houses are Elven in architecture. A wooden stilt-bridge makes the first land-based crossing point across the river. With no trade routes of note, the wooden piers aren’t well suited for barges. W.
• Ston-gar. After nearly a day on the river, you’d finally reach the first landing on the eastern bank. Ston-gar was originally built by Hill Dwarves, settling due to the nearby hills being rich in both quarried stone and several miscellaneous ores. For those travelling light, and for the barges that aren’t in a hurry, Ston-gar is the first stop where wares, other than wine, are hauled onto or off of barges. A dirt road leads north-east towards Dalb. E.
• Torshridge. The stone bridge across the river, just north of Torshridge, is an example of making sure measurements are correct, before you finish building. When the bridge stood finished, it is only wide enough for a single person (or a very skilled rider on a horse) to cross. At first the bridge was meant to enter into the embankment below the ridge, where Torshridge is built, but the bridge is built over the town and onto the top of the ridge. Torshridge’s location means little trade, and though fortified, the pier is shorter than most barges, making landing here a difficult task. W.
• Boulderhead. Once a larger outpost for the Abborgardian Empire, but as the news of Abborgard’s Fall reached, more than half of the citizens left. For a long time the city stood mostly empty, the former mansions going into various states of disrepair. However, after a roaming band of vagabonds, known as the Bucklands, arrived, the city have been returning to normal. Boulderhead is on of the oldest docks along the Drunhollow, built in the same marble like stone that was the mark of Abborgard. W.
• Tyllonwyrth. The first town from the south. Originally two small villages on either side of the river, Tyllon and Wonwyrth. With the assistance of Abborgard, a stone bridge with trading in mind was built, connecting the two villages as one. Abborgard also helped enforcing the docks on both sides. Tyllon have a smaller road leading out to the Ivory Road, and road towards Cyndarr from Wonwyrth was also started, this however was around the fall of Abborgard, and the road was never really completed. Brave merchants sometimes take this route though.
• Applewatch manor. Unlike De Caballier manor, Applewatch doesn’t have a large stock of wares to sell, so the pier isn’t built to be used by barges. The torches and lanterns are always on, as nobles from south and north come to Applewatch to make business deals. The gondolas, run by Applewatch’s own people, make the trips between Catacrach and Lethillith several times a week. W.
• Reikwâer. The smallest of the Cyndillian cities, and last port before Catacrach from the south. From Coolelool the journey by the river takes about four days to Catacrach, three if the vessel makes no stops, as it’s often nighttime or late evening, and Catacrach doesn’t allow barges in before sunrise. Because of this, many barges halt at Reikwâer, though often not for trade, rather just for sailors to get some shut-eye and maybe a meal. E.
• Catacrach (Haddorn Dockyards district). Two enormous iron portcullis, spanning the entire river, closes off access for barges after sunset. During daytime the dockyards are bristling with life and trade, Catacrach is the only city, along with Drummuch, that employs ware haulers. Anywhere else, the moving of wares is carried out by ship crew and people employed by the merchants.
• Absel Landing. The dock-site for Abhelm, in it’s time, the mages used to visit here often, and a small village started to sprout near the quay. Since Abborgard’s Fall, the village have been mostly abandoned, though treasure hunters to Abhelm often land here. W.
• Vull Thrazbur. Hill Dwarven logging camp on the south-western edge of the Flyntwick Woods, the largest forest in Fellmir. Though Dwarves aren’t known for their carpentry skills, they are known for mastering axes. Utilizing the massive forest to send barges of lumber up and down the river every single day. E.
• Drummoch. Sitting with three rivers running into the falls that make the Grehlyg Valley, Drummoch’s main feature and purpose is freighting wares from barge to boat, or from boat to barge, which requires the wares being lifted 74 ft up or down a sheer cliffside. The people of Drummoch works with every aspect of making this possible, from rope-makers making extra strong rope, carpenters and engineers keeping the cranes and runways in top condition.