The Tales of the Vale

    Wow! thought Charlie, so this is what living in the country is like. Charlene "Charlie" Sheen was lying on her back looking up at the little, fluffy clouds as they drifted across the azure sky. Charlie and her family had just moved to the village of Winnat.  Charlies father had had a promotion and would be working in Normanton, at the eastern end of the valley. It was about ten miles away from Winnat (as the crow flies), so it would take Mr Sheen about twenty minutes to get to work. Charlie had always lived in towns, so the sight of the rolling hills, the huge arch of the Wind Gate Falls on the western edge of the valley were all new experiences for her. But it was the huge mass of the Shivering Tor, which she could see from her bedroom window, that had overwhelmed her the most. She was fascinated by the different moods it seemed to possess, depending on the time of day or the weather conditions. One day, she thought, one day I'll climb all  the way up to the sum...

  The Vale of Hopton: An Introduction The Vale of Hopton is situated towards the northern edge of the Middle-Lands in England. There has been human habitation in the valley since the end of the last ice age. The valley has an old feeling to it and is one of those places where the the boundaries of the Otherworld is thin.  There is a mystery about the original inhabitants of the valley, as the artifacts they have left behind are not typical of what should be found for the time. Advanced types of ceramics that wouldn't look out of place in a Mycenaean ruin tend to be the most numerous artifacts found. The valley also boasts a folklore that is rich in it's variety and subjects. Tales concerning St. Hebe and her adversary, Eld or Old Grim, form the majority. However, there are tales of elves, trolls and various denizens possessing uncanny powers as well.  Also the valley is the only place in the world where the rare but beautiful Shyral crystal can be found. It can be careful...