The Hamlet on Zaratan

Until I know for sure how many players I have I cannot have them start bidding on which of the building owner/operators they want in their family. Basically they will be choosing, one round at a time, by first response via email, for which they want. There are nine options total, to be detailed once selections are taken:

• The Druidic Site and Shrine to Zaratan
• Smithies
• Paper and Ink
• The Tavern
• Animals R Us
• Bath House
• Imported Goods
• From the Trees
• Haberdashery

Now I say on Zaratan and most people will not know what that means. According to cryptozoology a zaratan is a giant sea turtle the size of a small island. Now I am making this game for Pathfinder and they do not have a traditional zaratan. Instead in Bestiary IV (or 4 if you will) they have the Immense Tortoise. They are buoyant. Also, the description says “Plants and even trees grow atop the shell of this massive tortoise.”

Of course they do not start out massive. They start out as normal tortoises, in my opinion. Thus Zaratan, which is going to be the name of the tortoise and possibly the hamlet too, began as an animal companion for an elven druid. I was thinking perhaps Ghoran but that might be too many plant themes. As the tortoise grew, from medium to large as the druid gained seventh level, the druid began planting fruit bearing trees upon its shell.

Now, generations later, the trees are fully grown and the tortoise is colossal in size. All of the magic Zaratan and the trees have absorbed, beginning with that of the elven druid, has turned the fruit trees into a living forest. The trees form themselves into buildings and homes for the few families that have settled upon Zaratan. The branches bend to provide the hamlets inhabitants with food and other items in the form of berries and fruits, leaves, and flowers. When necessary, the trees also provide wood. Over time other seeds have been brought to Zaratan’s shell, by birds mostly, but many of those plants do not contain magic.