Tucked off in the hills of northeast Tennessee, at the edge of the Cumberland Mountains, there's a little town goes by the name of Coal Creek.
Now family, y’all may not know it by that name. You see, in the 1930's, after the Tennessee Valley Authority built Norris Dam on the Clinch, they started calling themselves Lake City.
But y’all may not know it by that name either. These days, you might hear it called Rocky Top, like the song.
But for our story, it’s Coal Creek--a safe and sleepy town. Or at least, it is now. Long about twenty five years ago, it was the site of a labor uprising called the Coal Creek War. The coal company decided to replace their employees in the local mines--good union men on the payroll--with some leased convict laborers to save a little money.
The aftermath was quite the mixed bag. Just a few years later, Tennessee would end private convict leasing, in part because of the Coal Creek War. But that same year, over in Petros, Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary would be built, where convicts worked in the mines for the state.
And Coal Creek, Tennessee would return to being a sleepy little mining town for a while.
Family, y’all each have your own reasons for being in Coal Creek. Maybe you grew up here, maybe you work in the mine, maybe you’re visitin’ kin, maybe you’re just passin’ through. Maybe you're seeking refuge, hoping that the strong presence of the Green here will shelter you from whatever's on your heels.
Whatever the reason you’re in town, you find life here charming. There’s a well-equipped hospital and some fine churches. There’s even a two-story community center, where the town gathers to socialize with community theater, pie eating contests, spinning circles.
And dances.
Coal Creek is (was) a real place in TN. This adventure starts with a mod of Luthier's Folly, one of the sample adventures, with the following changes:
Stonega, VA becomes Coal Creek, TN
Jimmie's Hell becomes Jeffry's Hell