Wildseed

My version of Wildseed

Wildseed could be considered to be a land flowing with milk and honey... well, honey definitely.  And berries, nuts, seeds, and apples as well.  Being so close to Lockhaven, it is not uncommon for the guard to receive dozens of requests for aide from the mice of Wildseed - some of which requests could be considered a huge waste of time.  However, Gwendolyn is careful to answer each request, and it provides a fairly safe opportunity for Tenderpaw Guard to get a feel for just what their life as a Mouse Guard will be like.

Location/Structure
About a day and a half travel due North from Lockhaven, the trails leading to and from Wildseed are well travelled.  As to the town itself, Wildseed is situated in a massive wildflower field at the root base of an old apple tree.  Foxglove and coriander dominate the field, interspersed with red poppies, purple anemone, yellow arnica, patches of pink babystar, and blue bluecaps. 


Government
The government of Wildseed is a simple council of businessmice who each have a say in the goings on within the town. They hold regular town hall meetings where each family and business may voice their concerns and each is then cast to a vote.    

Size
Town

Major Trades and Import/Export
Wildseed primarily supplies Lockhaven with all of its food stuff needs throughout the year as it produces far too much for itself to use even when storing for the Winter months.  Thus, Lockhaven and Wildseed have developed a long standing relationship with one another.  Wildseed sends its honey, seeds, nuts, berries, dried apple slices, and apple cider to Lockhaven through out the Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and in turn Lockhaven keeps a watchful eye on Wildseed insuring that they come to no harm.

Recruitment
Many are the mice that join the Guard from Wildseed.  So many in fact that Gwendolyn has given serious thought to setting up a Wildseed Watch Guard that would primarily be made up of Wildseed hopefuls, that might not otherwise meet the standards of the Mouse Guard proper.

Traits
Fat, Hard Worker, Generous

Skills
Brewer, Cook, Harvester, Insectrist

Frostic

My version of Frostic

The Frostic Research Outpost, as it is technically called, remains the Northern most location within the Known Territories. Nestled on the banks where the Great Salt Sea meets the freshwater of the Great Sea, it presents a unique location for research and study.  So many minerals, fauna, and flora are only found in this location. 

Each Spring sciencemice and students from Elmoss and Sprucetuck are escorted by the Guard to Frostic.  There they spend their time engaging in study and experiments that could not be conducted anywhere else.  A single Guard mouse will remain on duty their for the duration.  Mail is normally delivered in mid Summer and by early Autumn the Guard arrives again to escort them back.

As Frostic is only an outpost, and has no permanent residents, it does not have the same characteristics that other Settlements do.  However, it is an excellent location to remove any Condition a mouse may have (only 1 per mouse).  Also, a patrol may be able to restock their supplies within reason.

Rustleaf

My version of Rustleaf

Rustleaf is a close community located near the Great Sea. Each mouse works and works hard, serving their community with family trade skills passed down from one generation to the next.  The settlement maintains a healthy relationship with its neighbors, and the Territories as a whole, because it understands that even as self sufficient as Rustleaf is, there will always be circumstances where it will need to rely upon others to survive.  Within the community, each mouse contributes to the community as a whole and may partake freely of anything the community produces.  The system only applies to whose who contribute to Rustleaf however, as most outsiders must barter or pay for any goods they wish to partake of.

Location/Structure
Almost due North and a little over a full day's journey overland from Port Sumac is the settlement of Rustleaf.  Located within a mature Maple tree among a small grove of Maple trees close by the banks of the Great Sea.  The settlement proper is nestled within the root structure of the tree, with small outbuildings as is necessary - those needed for processing syrup, and for maintaining Rustleaf's tiny one boat port.  The port is only used to ship its signature produce – Maple Syrup – South to Port Sumac for trade, or to accept the infrequent seaborne visitor. 

Government
The government of Rustleaf is made up of an oligarchy of eight council mice, with two additional representative speakers.  The speakers interact directly with the community and assist in bringing any matters that need discussing before the council.  They act as governmental weight a mouse can utilize when dealing with the infrequent issues that must be brought before the government.  

Size
Settlement

Major Trades and Import/Export
Primarily Rustleaf is known throughout the Territories for its Maple Syrup, a delicacy that demands a hansom price.  The coin (or more infrequently favors) which Rustleaf receives for exporting the syrup is held in trust by the government, for various needs of the community which they themselves cannot satisfy, or for an emergency.  There is very little Rustleaf imports, but those few products in which is does have been carefully selected in order to insure the goodwill of its neighbors.

Recruitment
Seldom do the mice of Rustleaf leave the community to join the Guard.  Mainly due to the simple fact that every mouse plays an important roll in the communities' survival.  On the occasion that it does happen however, any Guard who finds themselves in Rustleaf may partake of the communities bounty.

Traits
Compassionate, Hard Worker

Skills
Cook, Harvester, Laborer

Port Sumac

My version of Port Sumac

Port Sumac is located in the Northeastern area of the Known Territories, but on the Southeastern edge of the Great Sea.  It is the main resupply and shipping point for a vast number of locations throughout the Known Territories; holding product within its numerous warehouses and shipping product upon its many boats.  The town has the dubious reputation of being a wretched hive of scum and villainy; nowhere else within all of the Territories will you find a more filthy, greedy, and corrupt gathering of mice in one place.

Location/Structure
The port town is located on a granite shelf at the base of a rocky outcropping, all of which is nestled under thatch of a staghorn sumac tree.  The town rests at the base of the granite cliff, the buildings using stilts and pylons to keep them above the water.  Wooden walkways bridge the distance between each structure, while the port presents a safe harbor between two arms of granite.

Government
Port Sumac is ruled by a council of three merchant barons, each situated into a vast Merchant House, commanding a number of boats and owning all of the warehouses.  All decisions are made by majority vote.  This triumvirate regulates shipping costs, import/export tax, and employs over 90% of the inhabitants of the town; and in return for these administrative duties, the Merchant Houses are given a share of all goods moved into and out of the port. 

Size
Town

Major Trades and Import/Export
Port Sumac is inhabited by families of labormice, boatcrafters, weather watchers, weavers, and merchantmice.  The Merchant Houses presses the town's youth into gangs of thugs and enforcers, with which to keep one another in check.  These gangs can also be pressed into serving on the boats when needed.
The town imports a variety of goods - cloth, worked metal, and grains are of primary importance.  It exports its services in warehousing and the safe shipping of goods.  Port Sumac is famous for a drink called Rhus, which is made from the berries of the sumac tree.  It also exports dark maroon dyes and tannins for working leather.

Recruitment
On occasion a mouse from Port Sumac will avoid the pressgangs and make their way to Lockhaven to join the Guard.  These mice tend to have the reputation of being ill-mannered ruffians regardless of whether they deserve it or not.

Traits
Tough, Weather Watcher

Skills
Boatcrafter, Haggler, Laborer, Weather Watcher

Wolfepointe

My version of Wolfepointe

Wolfepointe is located far on the Eastern edge of the Territories, and is the last stop before the Scent Border ends and the Wild Country begins.  The settlement is located within the root structure of an old Fir tree, and is seldom visited except by Guard mice when the Scent Border needs to be poured each Spring.  The mice of Wolfepointe are all thought to be feral, and while this is an exaggeration, there is no denying that the grizzled mice of Wolfepointe do not care much for outsiders and only wish to be left alone.

Location/Structure
Wolfepointe is located within the dense root structure of an old Fir tree.  The settlement is protected from predators by a number of means - from the density of the root structure itself, to the numerous traps laid by the huntermice who live there.  A large area of the Fir tree itself is hollowed out for a massive dining hall - with a table so large that the entire settlement may sit a eat at the same time.  High up in the tree are the Apiaries, which feature both honey bees on one side and yellowjackets on the other.

Government
Wolfepointe is ruled by a King and Queen, appointed by the prior King and Queen, and whose final duty to the settlement is to appoint successors.  Usually it is the most successful huntermice who are appointed, but sometimes another mouse that has served the settlement especially well is appointed.  The settlement is protected by the huntermice, called serkr by the locals, who act as guards, militia, and hunters. 

Size
Settlement  

Major Trades and Import/Export
Wolfepointe does not regularly trade with any other settlement, town, or city within the Territories.  That said, for those merchants brave enough to travel to the isolated settlement and deal with the grizzled serkr, there are animal pelts of every kind and honey-mead to be had.  

Recruitment
Seldom do the mice from Wolfepointe leave to join the Guard.  But those that have are renown for their skill at hunting and surviving.

Traits
Wolf-Snout, Brave, Stubborn, Tough

Skills
Hunter, Survivalist, Apiarist, Weather Watcher

Notes
The mice of Wolfepointe are all a little different than most other mice of the Territories.  Not wild, like the stories go, but definitely less civilized that most.  And they prefer it that way - there is a pragmatism that they all uniformly hold dear to.  Not to mention, the huntermice - the serkr - all purposefully lower their Nature to zero, so that they all gain either the Wolf-Snout Trait if they do not already have it, or replace the Nature Descriptor Foraging with Hunting.  These decidedly un-mouselike traits tend to put off visitors, and are at the root of the rumors about the mice of Wolfepointe.