Haxthwaite is a tough, hardworking village nestled along a river that traces the base of the Crumble Top, below Grimbles How ridge.
Originally settled by clearing dense woodland for farmland, the trees thin toward the village centre, where a balance of arable farming, woodland crafts, and boatbuilding supports life along the nearby fen waterways.
Haxthwaite’s wooden buildings, darkened by years of smoke and rain, stand close together like a fortress against the wild.
At the settlement’s heart stands a central wooden structure, semi-open on the sides, serving as a communal hub where villagers gather to socialize, sharpen tools, coordinate timber felling, and share childcare duties. This meeting place occasionally hosts shared meals, reflecting a close-knit but practical community.
Rather than attempting complete self-sufficiency, the people of Haxthwaite set out weekly in their own boats, heading straight to the nearby trading post, The Cup and Reed, focussed on swift, practical exchange without unnecessary socialising or delay.
The villagers are are known for their resilience, shaped by the demands of physical labour and life close to the land. It is rumoured that they descend from a distinct tribe called the Hax, rather than being merely settlers who spread from neighbouring villages. However, their insular nature keeps outsiders at a distance, leaving the truth of their origins a mystery.