Woodhaven represents the closest outpost of humanity to the savagery of the Ga’Vin. On occasion Ga’Vin will meet with traders and travellers outside the town walls and exchange goods and hides. The near perpetual state of hostility between the people of Gilbain and those creatures of the Ari’i forest leads to more conflict than trade.
Though the Ga’Vin are savage and brutal, they do not lack intelligence and an uneasy official peace has existed with them after the last blundered attempt by Susspin to route them from their forest home. No-one is sure exactly how many of them exist within the forest, and few are eager to find out.
The pallisade around Woodhaven is sanded smooth and carefully maintained to make it as difficult as possible to climb. Iron brazziers and wall sconces provide light at all parts of the wall, and are carefully maintained so that no raid will enter unexpectedly.
Nearly half of the town’s male populace are soldiers most directly in the control of Baron Vladisok Motov. He served for many years as a thane in command of part of Harrison’s forces and upon his marriage to the daughter of the previous Thane of Clearwater he was granted lands in Gilbain. His nephew, Thane Zachary Motov assists in the maintenance of the troops at Woodhaven and has demonstrated on several occasions his own military genius in repelling invasions.
Thane Motov is only recently returned from a tour on the front lines where he earned decorations for valor from Prince Grayston. Zachary returned with twenty five new familes, recruited from among the soldiers in his command on the Eastern Front to begin a new life in Woodhaven. He hopes to one day be able to set up a fortified manor of his own outside the walls of Woodhaven, but that day looks to be long off.