High on the great river Verdu is Slapershaven, a small village of some 30 souls with a further 100 or so local farmers, trappers and hunters situated on the southern bank of a lake called Slapersmeer where the slow moving Verdu meets the fast moving Ems running from the mountains to the south. Getting to Slapershaven from Takshendal is difficult as there are no direct overland roads. Travellers must follow the coast of the Starshine Sea and sail up river, a journey which usually takes two to three weeks, depending on the season.
The people of Slapershaven belong to the same ethnic group as the people of the Salten Reach and have a similar general appearance and linguistic traits. They are an independent group of people who have no need of defined borders beyond their fields and pastures, yet they accept the legal authority of Takshendal as do most other people in the region. For the most part however, they are an ignored and largely unknown community. The headman of Slapershaven is considered the guardian of the law in the region and he is often called upon to judge in any disputes. Slapershaven is fortified with a stout log wall and employs a guard to maintain a night watch. It is also the only place where supplies from the outside world can be bought and boasts the only inn on the entire river Verdu. Slapershavens only exports are agricultural goods, animal furs and fossils. The only currency accepted is the Takshendal Crown.
Farms in the surrounding area
1. Tenant farm belonging to Mattheus Lowhouse. Consists of two buildings surrounded by a palisade, and several external fields and pastures. Three farm labourers live here, tending a herd of nineteen cows and one bull.
2. Tenant farm belonging to Herluf Brethouwer. Consists of three buildings housing seven farm labourers, tending a herd of thirty two cows and two bulls and is surrounded by several fields and pastures.
3. Tenant farm belonging to Herluf Brethouwer. Consists of one building housing three farm labourers, tending a herd of seven cows and nine bullocks. Is surrounded by pastures and a forest.
4. The farm of Geert Brinkerhoff. Three buildings and a palisade housing nine human beings, four horses seventeen cows, one bull, eight goats and four swine. Surrounded by fields and pastures.
5. The farm of Verity Hacker. Two buildings housing six human beings, five goats, two horses and a swine. Surrounded by fields, pastures, the river and some forest.
6. The farm of Herluf Wetherwax. Four buildings housing fourteen human beings, five horses, twenty two cows, twelve bullocks, two bulls, four goats and four swine. Surrounded by fields and pastures.
7. The farm of Arnt Metternichen. One building housing Arnt, four goats and four cows. Surrounded by pastures and one field.
8. The farm of Samuel Hoogenboom. Three buildings housing eleven human beings, two horses sixteen cows, four bullocks and one bull. Surrounded by fields and pastures and the river.
9. The house of Mikkel Brinkerhoff (cousin to Geert). One building housing five human beings, one horse and three goats. Surrounded by pastures, two small fields and the river.
Herluf Brethouwer. Village headman. A heavy built, middle aged man with a broad handsome face and calm eyes. Herluf inherited the job of head man from his father with no protestations from the rest of the villagers (most of whom are very conservative). Needless to say Herluf is one of the richest men in the region, owning no less than forty head of cattle (most of which are grazing in pastures up in the hills under the watchful eyes of Herluf’s tenants). 
Ursula Brethouwer. Young, pretty and some what vain, Ursula considers herself the most important woman in the entire region and loves to play at being a ruler, even though it is her mother in law who seems to run the household. She does very little actual work, wears clothes imported from Takshendal rather than clothes she has made herself and loves to spend her husband’s money. None of the village women much care for her and her lack of children is a constant source of gossip.
Heike Brethouwer. De facto ruler of the village, Heike is a strong minded woman who carries the burden for her son who is often away in the fields. She disapproves of her daughter in law, but seldom criticizes her in public. Heike is considered one of the ‘three wise women of the village’ and is usually the person to whom the villagers turn for advice. She is tall, spare of frame and pale. Her hair is white and she is given to pouting a lot when speaking with people. She is also a very religious woman and was the person who proposed building a temple. She is very pleased to give shelter to Brother Jeppo and takes steps to maintain his comfort.
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