Corm
Orp
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Orp |
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This small road-hamlet lies west of the Sunset Mountains on the Dusk Road southeast of Hill’s Edge.4 Here, in the lengthening shadow of Darkhold, halflings and a few humans produce the bulk of the food consumed in the nearby city of Hill’s Edge. The traveler won’t find much more to Corm Orp than its horse pond, caravan camping ground with paddocks, wood lot, public pump, a few houses, and the Hungry Halfling inn and tavern. The pump is covered by a pavilion to shelter it in wet or winter weather.
Under the hills east of Corm Orp, however, are hundreds of halfling burrows. In fact, here lies the fastest-growing halfling community north of the land of Luiren. Every Shieldmeet, more halflings gather in Corm Orp, like what they see, and decide to move there.
Corm Orp is ruled by a human lord, a good and just man by the name of Dundast Hultel, who trains and leads the village militia of 30 human riders. In recent days, faced with increasing Zhentarim-sponsored beast and brigand raids, Dundast has turned to both Hill’s Edge and the Harpers of Berdusk for aid. Several fierce battles have been fought in the hills east of the hamlet.and in most of these the halflings, boiling up out of their underhill homes with fierce determination and ready daggers, have decided the day.
The halflings of Corm Orp are rightfully proud of the food they produce, especially their mushrooms and free-range hogs. Another product of pride is mass-produced red clay pottery’simple, sturdy items widely used throughout Faerûn. Dealers can be contacted at the Hungry Halfling.
Places of Interest in Corm Orp
Temples
The Ladyhouse
Nestled in a hollow among the green, pig-roamed hills east of Corm Orp is this large, prosperous center of worship to Sheela Peryroyl, the halfling goddess of nature, growing things, and agriculture. The Ladyhouse is filled with flowers and climbing vines inside and surrounded by gardens outside, including .wild. gardens, which are preserved plots of tangled weeds, shrubs, and scrub trees. Travelers should take note that these and the roadside wood lot in Corm Orp itself are sacred to the goddess and should not be burned, cut into for firewood, or otherwise despoiled.
Halfling worshipers bring their best flowers and plants to the temple for use in breeding and in rituals, and the clergy spend their days working with the halfling farmers, keeping watch over the hills for Zhentarim raids, thieves, and wandering beasts who might harm the crops, and chanting the praises of Sheila the Watchful Mother. (The hogs are a constant lure to wolves. One expert archer among the priests has even developed a recipe for wolf stew!)
The clergy are led by the widely respected matriarch Alliya Macanester, the Old Lady of Corm Orp. Her wisdom and foresight have prevented weather spoiling the crops on two important occasions: the Great Frost of early 1346 DR and the drought of 1322 DR, which brought down desperate attacks on Corm Orp, as on so many other places in Faerûn, from starving monsters.
Inns/Taverns
The Hungry Halfling
This wayside house was originally a local human lord’s manor and still sports an elegant stone entry arch and gatehouse. Within is a courtyard, muddy in all weather because of the spring that wells up in it to run through the wood lot and then sink down into the underways again. Also inside is a low, timber-built taproom, and behind it.down a long corridor that adds privacy’the old stone manor, which now forms a very comfortable inn.
The Halfling is a favorite of traders who travel the Dusk Road. They like its quiet, slightly shabby rooms because they.re peaceful and feel like home. The staff see that the rooms are always fully furnished with writing paper, spare boot thongs in the walk-in cloak closets, old slippers in a variety of sizes for wear around the inn, a few bottles of fruit liqueur and mintwater for late-night thirst quenching; sharpening stones for weapons, spare candles and wicks. and all the other useful clutter found in one’s own home. Much of this stuff does get .borrowed. by the needy. but then, that’s what it’s there for.
As much as possible, regular guests are given rooms they prefer to better make them feel at home. The inn has rugged food boxes insulated with wool sacks in which hot food is brought from the kitchens to the room of any guest who likes to eat alone.or at least avoid the cozy dining room.
Most don’t avoid the dining room, though. The food served there is as good and hearty as popular lore credits halflings for. (The chicken dumplings are superb.) This inn is definitely recommended.