Jongrath's Mill

Map showing approximate location.
Jongrath's Mill
Basic Information
Aliases	Stump Hill
Type	Inn and gristmill
Architectural style	Logs and split lumber
# of floors	2 to 3, depending on function
Location	Rural Bardshyr county, Tethyr
Owner(s)	Ilmurk Jongrath
Services provided	Room and board, milling, livestock, heraldic design, and painting

Jongrath's Mill was a wheelmill in Tethyr, known locally as Stump Hill, owned and operated by Ilmurk Jongrath. On the property was the working mill, a cottage that could be rented, livestock, and a large horse stable. It was in operation around the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR

Location

Jongrath's Mill was located about a day's ride east of Krennasar in rural Bardshyr county in the Duchy of the Purple Marches, Tethyr.

Structure

There were three main buildings all surrounding a millrun where draft horses were harnessed to the spokes of a large wheel. The mill itself was tall enough to house the shaft-and-gear mechanism—a thick horizontal shaft made from tree trunks held up by tripods so the horses could walk beneath—that turned the millstone. There was also a secondary shaft that was used to pump water from a deep well. All doors and windows were adorned with "snap-traps" of Jongrath's own design to keep vermin from spoiling his grain and flour. Jongrath slept in the millhouse to guard his valuables and left the house available for renters.

Cutaway view of the mill showing gears and shafts connecting the millstone to the horse-powered millrace. The stables and cottage are seen in the background. Click to enlarge.

The stables were large enough to hold a phalanx of draft horses and their winter fodder was kept on the second story. Plus, there were high rafters that anchored hoists and pulleys and served as a drying area for Jongrath's painted works (shields, carriage doors, etc.). The cottage was a modest two-story house with furnishings.

Atmosphere

Jongrath's holdings were mostly scrub land on which his livestock were free to roam. The borders were made of large stones and tree stumps, thus giving Jongrath's Mill the local name of Stump Hill. There was no running water. All water came from deep wells, some of which were dry and used by Jongrath to store his coinage, and were sealed with heavy, worn-out millstones. Snakes were plentiful and encouraged to keep the rodent population down. Visitors might have been taken aback by the slithering inhabitants of Stump Hill, but the snakes and Jongrath lived in harmony.

Services

The cottage for rent. Click to enlarge.

In addition to making good money as a grain mill far from any river, Jongrath rented out the cottage to traveling merchants dealing in livestock (including his own), and hunters and falconers from around the Purple Marches, but mainly Krennasar. He also plied his hobby of heraldry into a business, doing simple design work, repair, and painting of blazons on various equipment at prices greatly discounted from those of "official" standing—the local Heralds—much to their ire and indignation. He charged less than 6 gp for a simple design (less than three colors) on a small shield, or up to 20 gp for a complex blazon on a large shield. Rush orders cost an additional 5 gp, as did works on body armor and other surfaces that were challenging to paint. Touch-up work ran from 3 to 12 gp depending on size.

Defenses

There were no formal defenses other than Jongrath's considerable skill with a crossbow.

Rumors and Legends

It was rumored that Ilmurk Jongrath was in possession of a powerful magical shield that had belonged to a cleric who fell in battle before returning to claim her newly decorated property. It was said that Jongrath hid the shield well somewhere on his land and waited for her return.

Appendix

See Also

• Shield of senses