Well, hello there! You look like an adventurous soul! My name is Paakkua Rahvi, but call me Paakkua, or Paakku. Ha, or call me whatever you like, I honestly don’t care, I’m too old to care haha. But welcome! Welcome! To our little town of Eknor! It's always been my home. It was the right place to hatch out of and it's the right place to go to my grave. Ha! WOAH, look at me talking of death and gloom, my apologies! You, on the other hand, have so much adventure ahead! You just let me know if you need anything. I’m here to oblige. Anything, anytime, I’m here for you. Trust me, after years and years of serving this wonderful town in various leadership roles, I know my way around, and I know pretty much everyone here. So, if you run into any issue, anything, you come to me. Paakkua will take care of you. Most people here owe me a favor, anyway. Ha-ha.

But welcome to Eknor! Ahh, Eknor, it’s a magical place. So many great people, so many fun things to do here in our local town. Surrounded by serene lakes, beautiful woods and cozy ponds, there are endless options for picnics and day trips. Our small population helps preserve the peace of nature. But it’s not only nature that is filled with wonder and awe. Eknor itself is a haven of peace, kindness, and safety. There are so many wonderful and talented artisans and craftspeople to visit, I guarantee you will find a fascinating trinket or two. A lovely souvenir, or maybe that perfect item you’ve been looking for. Or for the more cultured like myself, there are some establishments that have learned to do exquisite things with food and wine. The talent is abundant here in Eknor. It IS the best place to live in the Kingdom. Here in Eknor, you can live out your life in the beauty and splendor of the mountains and surrounding forests while protected by the boundaries of our township. Here you will find safety, here you will find security, here you will find peace.

Eknor is one of the oldest settlements in the entire kingdom. Why my family's been here for ages, and we came out here when Hallador was just getting started.

Ahh, the rich history of Eknor is not something you take lightly. Make sure you visit the old town center. So many fascinating old buildings, and one of the oldest Fighters Guilds in the kingdom. You must see some of their prized trophies. Uhhggh, not for me. I do not know where they find such hideous creatures, or why you would even want to challenge them. But the Fighter’s Guild is kingdom renowned! Even a township as small as ours has its own historical museum. We believe in honoring those that founded this village, and we build on their legacy.

Now explore the village as much as you want, but you won’t make it far without hearing about some of our local legends, such as the Cursed Valley of Myrr and the ruthless creature of Myrr! Ha-ha, such creativity. You can’t have a village as old as ours without plenty of lore and legends. They make great material for our local Frilofest, but please, don’t go believing any of the stories you may have heard as truth. It’s all a fun fictional part of our history. Probably the biggest source of contention around here. When fools go off into the mountains believing in lost treasure, get lost or stranded and then we villagers must risk our lives to go help them when they should have never gone back there to begin with! But let's focus on the positive. There is so much to see and so much adventure right here in the streets of Eknor. You will not be disappointed with all that there is to see, learn, do, and experience in the safe boundaries of our village. I can assure you that the greatest adventure lies within our own streets, homes, and shops. Now that's a promise from old gramps Paakkua!

Well, I'm sure I've talked your ear off, but I would love to tell you more about our little town. Just let me know if you want more in-depth information. Like I said, I’m here for you anytime. 

Tell me more about yourself?

You want to know more about me? Haha, well I don't think there's much to be said. I'm an old dragon that has lived a long life. But if you really want to know, I don't mind obliging.

My family came here ages ago and helped found the village of Eknor during the great expansion from Hallador. Now it's not normal for us dragons to have family units, but for us Rahvi’s, we kept track of our eggs and our family. We stick together; we support one another, and we build foundations that many can stand upon. I was born into a kind family that taught me what was important in life and how to be true to my dragon heritage, a responsibility our family has taken seriously. The responsibility to make this world a great place.

Why, when I was just a young dragon, the key industry to Eknor was farming. But my father had big plans for commerce and trade. He took me along on all his trips to the other villages and cities and to the great city of Hallador itself. These trips filled me with a sense of wonder and awe. It was so inspiring to see so many people and Dragons working together, building a life together, building a world wherein peace could grow.

I vowed at that young age to carry on my father's responsibility. I knew our little town of Eknor was meant for great things. After years of working and saving and making our farms profitable, I did my father proud by getting accepted into the Lund Academy. My goal was to go there and study business, commerce, and trade. My family had access to all kinds of land, but I saw opportunities that my father did not. I knew my time at the Lund Academy would be short, so I studied everything. I was educated in the ways of merchants and tradesmen, business, and transportation. And with any free time, I studied sciences and engineering. I wanted to learn as much as I could. I knew that knowledge was the key to help Eknor embrace its potential.

When I returned to my hometown, I worked. Knowing I only had so much time in my life to make this village what it could be, I turned farmlands into workshops for tradesmen and craftsman. I helped expand our downtown area opening businesses for individuals and merchants. I help build bigger roads to connect us to the surrounding villages, and a primary thoroughfare all the way to Hallador. I helped develop land so the residents could have a place to live, a place they could call home within our safe little village.

Ha, look at me. I'm just bragging at this point! My apologies. I think I get so excited seeing how far Eknor has come since my family first founded this area.

I absolutely cannot take all the credit! So many wonderful people have been involved in this endeavor, so many people have helped me turn my knowledge and training into a reality. It would be unfair to tell this story without giving them proper credit.

The village of Eknor really is like a family. We take care of one another. I think that's what led me to get involved in the government here. It was a way to serve this town and give back to say thank you for all it has given me. I made a lot of money with my investments and with the businesses I created, but I feel like that money is not all mine. I want to share it with everyone. I help people build homes, buy land start businesses. I was even able to invest my money into many of the government programs here in Eknor. Yes, it's been quite a wild ride. A lot of ups and downs that I won't get into ha ha. But it's been so worth it to be a part of a town as amazing as Eknor is. If you stay for a while, you'll never wanna leave.

Tell me more about the history of Eknor?

You would like to know more about our history? Well, I can hardly cover that in a few minutes! Let's see where to start. Well, during the great expansion there was a group of dragons and humans that wanted to find a place far away from the city life. A place of simplicity for peace and healing. So, they began traveling east, following the coastline as far as they could, then heading north to explore the lower foothills of the beautiful mountain range to the north.

That's when they discovered the scenic mountain valleys of this area. Natural resources, the hills were filled with game; the fields were fertile, and crops grew well. Not to mention it was the most scenic and beautiful place in the entire Kingdom. What it would be like to be some of the first people to walk into this area and witness such untouched beauty!

After getting established, it was a simple life. They were far away from Hallador and had to learn to live on the land, being self-sufficient. Sure, there were some tough times. Some tough winters when crops were not as plentiful, and they barely had enough food without connection to the larger civilization. But that's what makes Eknor so great! It's perseverance and resiliency. Those old world Eknorians continue to push on, to build and to grow and make it a town that many other early villagers relied on. Yes, Sir Eknorians do not know how to quit, that is for certain.

Huh, I suppose one minor blemish in the history of Eknor were these foolish stories of treasure in the hills. So many stories. But you know there has never ever once been treasure found in those hills. It was such a problem that the government had to pass laws to keep track of who was venturing into the mountains and what they were going there for.

You see, it became a strain on the residents of Eknor and the economy. The residents knew to stay far from the horrific terrain of the mountains to the north. They are indeed impassable. But all you need is one smooth talking salesman to show up and sell the foolish “get rich quick” schemes. These charlatans were a virus infecting the soul of our town. At first, many villagers and local dragons fooled by the propaganda went looking for treasure. It seemed a small fee was nothing compared to the riches they dreamed they would find. But it all ended in heartache, disappointment and often death. Some areas are just not meant for dragon nor man.

The villagers quickly learned to steer clear of the impassable territory. It only meant bad things for them and their businesses. But the lies of the salesman to make money on expedition gear, or animals or fake maps or whatever they thought they could sell to convince people that just beyond those mountains was a carefree financial future. Those fools!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just get worked up when people try to take advantage of others that just don't know any better. It frustrates me even more when outsiders try to take advantage of the residents of Eknor. You can see why we had to pass laws to keep people from traveling into the northern mountains. It cost Eknor dearly to save them. After losing some of our own residents, we had to be OK with letting people venture on their own. It wasn't worth the sacrifice of our own people for the lives of the foolish.

I'm sorry. I'm sure you didn't want to hear me vent and complain about some issues with our history. I'm sure you wanted to hear about the historical buildings and accomplishments of Eknor, which have been many. But still, to this day, we deal with people trying to pilfer the safety of our town.

Eknor prides itself on maintaining their original beliefs. Keeping life simple keeping life peaceful, but striving for excellence in all we do. Some of our farms produce some of the most food in the Kingdom feeding countless other towns and villages. Our farms produce some of the unique and harder to find fruits and vegetables that are sent throughout. Our ranches produce some of the harder to find and most sought-after dairy as well as the finest cuts of meat. And don't get me started on the artisans and craftspeople here. We have shops and trades that people travel from across the Kingdom just to get access to. Why the Eknor claim of Malmstin has been one of the most successful mining operations of the ore and most sought after with any weapon maker throughout the Kingdom We have our fair share of unique food items but I'll let you discover those on your own. Be sure to visit during our Frilofest! That’s the time to exploring the food vendors. It is an exquisite experience you will never want to miss. Eknor really is the gem of the kingdom. There's nowhere else to explore other than the beauty within our little town.

Wait, lost treasure and curses? Tell me more about the local lore of Eknor?

Ha-ha, yes, curiosity is a dangerous thing, and that seems to be all I’m giving you! Ha-ha! Ah yes, our little village has a lot of folklore and tall tales. I suppose one of the most popular is our local Ruundyr, the legend of the vicious Creature of Myrr. As the legend goes, a vicious beast roams the valley over the northern ridge. Claws like daggers! Teeth like knives! Jaws that can swallow a man in one bite. The creature is said to embody all evil consuming and devouring any that enters its territory! This would be a fun story to tell if only the ‘witnesses’ could keep their stories straight. Sometimes it has a wingspan twice the size of any dragon, other times it has horns instead of wings. The story is always changing depending on who is telling it.

 Ha-ha, the stories we come up with to explain the unknown. I couldn't tell you how the story started, whether it was based on some sightings by weary travelers or stories invented by the parents of our village, to keep their kids from wandering into the dangerous territory. Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of wild animals and trolls in the upper hills. It’s always safer to keep your distance from the impassable territory and the valley to the north. But stories of evil beasts and mythical creatures are nothing to worry about. They don’t exist.

Eknor has been here for hundreds of years with no incidents or “real” sightings of such creatures. Even in the historical documents, nothing was ever written that showed any truth to these sightings. Eknor is a quiet town. Not much happens here, and we like to keep it that way.

Then what is your favorite story to tell?

Let’s see, oh wow, I’m always telling stories. You know my memory is not as good as it used to be, but once I get talking, the ol’ brain remembers things like they were yesterday. So, off the top of my head, I can’t think of one in particular, but once we get into a conversation, well then, I’m sure I’ll have more stories than you prefer!

Though, hmmmm. Well, there is one story I tell a lot of people. You know, for their protection. We get a lot of salesmen that come to our little town to take advantage of us country folk, thinking they can easily swindle our simple minds. I’m constantly trying to warn others that these men do not care about our welfare, they don’t want to make a better life for us, they just want to use us for our resources and the few dollars we have earned. I just don’t understand how one can live a life of lies. It’s just never worth it. I can’t handle lying. It’s too much to keep track of. Life is so much simpler when we live by the truth.

But I love to tell the old fable of the Farmer and the Serpent. You’ve heard of that one before? It’s a cautionary tale to help us see the world how it really is. Let’s see, how does it go again? Now, this isn’t my story. Give credit where credit is due. This fable has been around for ages, and I don’t remember the originator of the fable.

As the story goes, a farmer was high in the hills of his land. It was an early onset of cold weather. The farmer was hiking along a trail when he came across a poisonous serpent.

The Serpent called out to the farmer, “Please help me, the cold has kept me from finding shelter for the winter. I will die soon unless I get to a warmer environment. Please sir, can you take me with you to the warmth of the lower lands?”

“No serpent,” the farmer said. “You are a poisonous snake, and if I pick you up, you will bite me, and I will die. Snakes like you are dangerous.”

“Please sir,” the snake said, “I’m too cold to bite anyone or anything. Even if I could, your death would only mean my death. I cannot get to a safer location on my own. Please!”

The farmer thought for a moment. What the serpent spoke was true.

The snake continued, “Do you value life? Why is my life any less important than yours? If you leave me to perish in the cold, how can you truly value life?”

The farmer thought about his crops, his animals, the responsibility he had for all of them, to bring them life. The farmer valued life very much. And he would prove it.

“I will help you this once,” the farmer said. He carefully picked up the poisonous serpent and curled him up in his pack, holding it next to his body to provide warmth for the snake.

“Thank you! You have saved me!” The serpent said.

The farmer walked back to the lower lands of his farm. Finding some shelter of fallen trees, he opened his bag and carefully pulled the serpent from his bag and set him on the ground. The snake uncurled.

“Thank you,” the snake said.

The farmer smiled, knowing he saved the snake’s life.

The snake immediately bit the farmer.

The farmer stared at the snake in shock. The poison coursed through the farmer’s veins, spreading with lethal efficiency. In a matter of seconds, the farmer collapsed to the ground. The snake watched the helpless farmer as the poison took over.

“You knew what I was when you picked me up,” the snake said. The serpent casually slithered away into the shelter of the fallen logs.

Let this be a lesson! There are so many snakes around this village constantly trying to poison our peace and our way of life. I try to warn others. Not everyone can see the snake in the men of the world. But I can. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my kind.

What has been your greatest accomplishment or moment in your life?

That is a tough question for sure. When you live as long as I have, you have many things in life that you truly cherish. We could talk for nights and days on that subject. There have been so many moments of accomplishment here in Eknor. But I guess one of the major moments in my life was when we connected the Kingdom’s road system directly to Eknor.

For years and years, it took a series of paths, trails, and travel by other villages to get here. Transportation of goods was highly limited. Working with the kingdom’s planning committee, and through multiple fund-raising efforts, we could build a road from Hallador to Eknor that was far more direct, simple, and less dangerous to travel.

Ahhhh, those were good but difficult times. The project was filled with so many challenges, so many setbacks, it wasn’t easy at all. But I remember being there the day we completed the project. There was a sense of relief, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of hope. It was a highly celebrated event, but I knew, deep down inside, it was less about the fanfare and the organized celebrations; it was about knowing that we were connected.

Eknor was now connected to the larger kingdom. It meant doors previously closed were now going to be open, giving Eknor access to such great opportunities and giving the Kingdom of Hallador access to support our tiny village in times of need. That was an exciting moment. A moment knowing that everything would be fine, that everything was under control. I just think this town should get what it deserves for the greatness that has grown here.

Changing topics, tell me, in all your wisdom, what lies beyond?

Ha-ha, you overestimate my wisdom! There is a lot in this life I’ve lived through and experienced. But there are some answers that still elude my comprehension. You know, there are a lot of theories and ideas about where we came from and where we are going. But we have no way of knowing for sure.

So, I lived my life as if it’s the only one I have. Experience as much as possible, learn as much as possible, and just experience life! I think that is the key. Rather than worrying about what happens when we die, how about we worry about what happens when we live?

I, for one, plan to do everything I can, to get as much out of this life as I can. Ha-ha, I’ve even sought ways to extend my life, but you can tell by the looks of me, it’s not really working out. Ha-ha! But I have no plans to leave this life anytime soon. Old Paakkua is going to be around for a while!

So then, what is the secret to happiness?

Now there is a good question! So wise for you to always be seeking such knowledge! But I hardly doubt we could cover all the intricacies of that question in a few brief minutes. But I’m always keen to oblige my philosophies on life, yes, sir. I’ve lived long enough that I feel I have just a brief insight into the matter.

So many people like to say, “find something you love to do, and do that”. But I believe that life is more than just doing things we like to do. The one thing we crave, that our souls want the most… is meaning. Living with purpose. If we can find the meaning and purpose behind our actions, then those things we “like to do” so much becomes more of a hobby.

This world has a way of taking over our lives, weighing us down. It tries to take away our will and personality. That’s why we need to find our own meaning. It’s something you’ve got to fight for. Finding meaning in your life, find your purpose. It will take more than a relaxing weekend. But find it. And when you do, help others find theirs. That’s how you truly change the world to make it a better place.

How do you relax? What do you do to take a break?

How do I relax? Well, how do I answer that? I’m usually keeping busy, that’s what I enjoy doing. I enjoy being around the people, talking to people, getting to know their lives and their stories. Ha, well, now that I think about it, there is one thing I like to do to unwind that most don’t know about me.

I really enjoy a well-prepared bath. These old bones need a little rejuvenation now and then, and there is something about the steam and weightlessness of water. The scents of lavender, eucalyptus and mint. It makes me want to breathe it in even now. It’s a moment of meditation where I can think through my thoughts, breathe deeply, and keep this old brain of my functioning properly! Ha-ha.

How is your day? Do you need anything? A cup of tea?

Well, how kind of you, how kind indeed. Such a charitable soul. You know, the world needs more people like you, the person who thinks of others. For now, I’m quite comfortable meeting new people, and sharing my stories. These old bones are still going strong. But never too old or too slow to share a moment and a sip of tea. Maybe when I’m done talking to people, I would love to show you my favorite tea vendors. Mmmmm, the most refreshing tea you’ve ever tasted. Oh, and if you come across any food vendors with vanilla roasted almonds, we don’t get those up here often. I could sure go for a sweet treat.