Worldbuilding Week 1: In a Hamlet Among the Hammer-Heads

Pre-Class Assignment, and Class 1: Mapmaking and Character Building

Map detailing Hammerlet, Quadling Country

The Hammerlet is a small, easternmost settlement within the Hill of the Hammer-Heads, located to the south of Emerald City and in
Quadling Country. It is known to be the most reclusive dwelling among the entire species, made up of a small village
of Hammer-Heads that keeps largely to themselves and, as the rest of their kind, are unwelcoming to foreigners and
visitors (and would rather try violence). The Hammerlet is also notably the birthplace of the very Hammer-Head that
stood in the way of Dorothy and the Scarecrow as they attempted to cross the Hill to see Glinda the Good Witch.

While most of the inhabitants of the Hill of the Hammer-Heads are rather individual in thought, the Hammerlet
differs;these townspeople are closely-knit and almost identical in their way of thinking, subscribing to a very specific
belligerent philosophy for running their settlement. Hardy and Harper are two prominent socialites within the town
whose societal influence acts as government. The couple also the sponsors of a sort of military school at the heart of
the Hammerlet, known as The Nail, in which young Hammer-Heads are raised and taught principles important to their
kind. Most adult Hammer-Heads dedicate their time to providing training at instruction at The Nail, while others
guard the borders of their settlement and keep out any kind of foreign life from entering the Hammerlet.

Character: Hermit Harmon

Hermit Harmon is a hermit hammer and elderly war vet. He sees the world a little differently than the principles that
shape the worldview of most Hammer-Heads in this small settlement, and over the years he has developed a great
distaste to the widely-accepted war-driven philosophy. For this reason he simultaneously has chosen and been forced
to exclude himself from society - for so many generations that legends swarm the Hammerlet in an effort to explain
the hermit’s situation. To anyone that (mistakenly) crosses his path, Hermit Harmon professes to be tougher than nails
and to thrive in isolation. Most are unaware of the fact that he ironically desires the validation of everyone in town and
has made innumerable attempts to socialize - to no avail. In secret, Harmon hosts an unofficial B&B for foreign
wanderers and passersby, yet another deviation from the philosophy of the Hammerlet.

A small handful modern-day Hammer-Heads have only ever heard Harmon utter the words, “I’m tougher than nails;

a real hammer doesn’t care about friends and society.” Those who have spotted him on rare occasions describe him

as well-dressed.

Hermit Harmon lives at the far eastern end of the mountain village that is followed by uninhabited lands. No one

trespasses here; none of the Hammer-Heads allow their children near the hermit’s house. The Hammer-Head’s

dwelling is comprised of a small two-room house: one room contains everything that Harmon needs for daily living,

and the other he cleans daily and reserves with the hope of guests.

Harmon finds inspiration from the stray hammer-species wildlife that comes by each sunrise from the east, as they

provide a source of company for him. Then, to south of his house - about a mile’s walk - is a dumpyard where the

village discards its unwanted items. Harmon collects household objects that he finds and brings them back to the

house and refurbishes them. It is his hope to make his house warmer and aesthetically pleasing for guests staying

the night.

The west is a disheartening view for the hermit, however; this is the view from which Harmon can see the village at

a distance. Every so often he views village celebrations that he vaguely remembers being a part of many years ago,

and colors the memories negatively as he is now excluded.

On rare occasions, only when loneliness eats away at Harmon’s conscience, he heads off to the forest-laden hunting

trails with the hope of daily exercise - as well as the chance of running into a fellow Hammer-Head from town. This

is where his efforts at social interaction fails, only rendering him icier, his thoughts colored with greater negativity.