The village of Hamschik sits on edge of the Bitter Moors in Wasteland. It is only a small community of pig herders, coal burners and other serfs that mostly work to pay for the little protection the local lord, Hans Gruber, offers against beastmen of the moors, green skins of the Pale Sisters and the raiders from the North.
Right in the middle of this small village next to the old well stands the Three Knights Tavern the only notable man-made location in miles. It is ran by a striking Ulrika Grünkopf with his three young sons. Three Knights doubles as a local town’s house where important meetings are kept and where the locals might learn the news of the outside world – if they cared about such things.
Ulrika’s husband died two years ago fighting in the army of Empire and even though suitors have come from quite afar Ulrika has yet to re-marry. According to the old midwife Sigrid Ulrika is being courted by lord Gruber. Ulrika herself neither acknowledges or denies this rumour simply choosing to keep her personal matters to herself.
Another notable feature at Hamschik is the Roteblüte, a great big oak that weirdly blooms red flowers during summer. The blooms smell lovely but there no insects ever land on them to gather their pollen. A half-remembered song tells that Roteblüte was once a brave captain in the Emperor’s army who never married nor had sons. Mórr took petty on him and let his soul to linger in the tree waiting for a young maiden who would smell the flower and be conceived by it.
Some years ago a Witch Hunter of the Order of the Flame came to Hamschik. He studied the dead and suspected it was tainted with chaos. He ordered the men to hew it down and burn the logs but when the men took axes against the tree the Witch Hunter suddenly ordered them back. He offered no excuse for his actions simply stating that the tree should stand. Later that evening he left the village for Altdorf.
