Hourns

Hourns is a fictional village and setting used in fantasy literature and tabletop role-playing games. The town is typically described as a small coastal settlement situated at a river bend, with a working harbor, narrow lanes, timber-framed houses, and markets clustered around a central quay.

The name Hourns is usually explained in in-universe lore as a derivative of Old Norse or early English terms relating to a corner or bend in a river or coastline, though scholars within the fiction sometimes propose alternative derivations.

Hourns lies at a sheltered estuary amid forests and peatlands, providing harbour protection and fisheries. The economy historically centers on fishing, timber, salt production, and crafts; in more recent narratives, it serves as a waypoint for caravans and river trade.

In the fictional timeline, Hourns grew from a fisherfolk hamlet to a town governed by a guild council, with leadership by merchant and shipwright guilds. Notable events include a treaty between river clans and a devastating flood that reshaped the harbor.

In fiction and media, Hourns appears across novels, campaign guides, and role-playing adventures, where it functions as a starting locale and source of local lore. Landmarks such as the Gatehouse, Salt Pier, and the Weeping Wharf appear in some depictions.