This regional setting is a modification of the generic "Points of Light" setting of 4th edition. The following text overrides any other material wherever there are differences (so it's very important to know). The world as you know it is composed of isolated pockets of civilization surrounded by dark areas of untamed wild. The small communities and even largest cities' inhabitants are mostly cut off from the world outside their walls. Travel between cities and villages is dangerous, and most people are ignorant about the rest of the world aside from rumor. Bandits, vicious humanoids, and monsters of all kinds inhabit the darkness between settled areas, and those who wish to venture out do so at their own risk.
Fallcrest lies near the middle of the broad borderland region known as the Nentir Vale. The vale is now mostly empty, with a handful of living villages and towns scattered over this wide area. Abandoned farmsteads, ruined manors, and broken keeps litter the countryside. Bandits, wild animals, and monsters roam freely throughout the vale, threatening anyone who fares more than few miles away from one of the surviving settlements. Travel along the roads or river is usually safe—usually. But every now and then, travelers come to bad ends between towns.
The Nentir Vale is a northern land, but it sees relatively little snow—winters are windy and bitterly cold. The Nentir river is too big to freeze except for a few weeks in the coldest part of the year. Summers are cool and mild.
The “clear” parts of the map are covered in mixed terrain—large stretches of open meadowland, copses of light forest, gently rolling hills, and the occasional thicket of dense woodland and heavy undergrowth. The downs marked on the map are hilly grassland, with little tree cover. The hills are steeper and more rugged, and include light forest in the valleys and saddles between the hilltops.
Fiveleague House
Fiveleague House is more properly known as the Fiveleague Inn. It’s a strongly built innhouse surrounded by a wooden palisade. Fiveleague House caters to travelers and merchants coming or going from Hammerfast, a day’s journey (five leagues) farther east. The proprietor is a big, bearlike human named Barton.
Gardmore
The Gardbury Downs take their name from this striking ruin, a large monastery and town that has lain in ruins for almost one hundred fifty years. The abbey was dedicated to Bahamut and served as the base of a militant order of paladins who won great fame fighting in Nerath’s distant crusades. The paladins brought a dark artifact back from a far crusade for safekeeping, and evil forces gathered to assault the abbey and take it back. The Lords of Gardmore have recently reclaimed the ruin and have resettled the town as an outpost of civilization and welcome home for outcasts and wanderers.
The Sword Barrow
This large burial mound stands near the middle of the Gray Downs, a desolate region. The old human hill-clans who lived in the Vale raised the barrow centuries before civilized folk settled in Fallcrest. The hill-folk are long gone, but their grim barrows remain. The Sword Barrow gained its name because scores of rusted blades of ancient design are buried around its edges, blades pointing inward; a visitor can turn up several in a few minutes of looking around.
Hammerfast
A dwarven hold cut from the rock of a deep vale in the Dawnforge Mountains, Hammerfast is the largest and wealthiest town in the region. The Trade Road runs through the citadel gates and continues eastward beyond the Dawnforge Mountains. Hammerfast is governed by a council of masters, each the leaders of one of the town’s powerful guilds. The current High Master is the leader of the merchant guild, a dwarf named Marsinda Goldspinner.
Harken Forest
This large woodland stretches from the Nentir River to the mountains and extends for miles to the south. It separates the Nentir Vale from the more populous coastal towns of the south. A strong goblin keep called Daggerburg lies somewhere in the southwest reaches, not too far from Kalton Manor; the goblins sometimes raid the river-traffic moving along the Nentir, or send small parties of marauders to Harkenwold’s borders. An elf tribe known as the Woodsinger Clan roams the eastern portions of the forest. They occasionally trade with the humans of Harkenwold and keep an eye on travelers along the old King’s road. They have a long-standing feud with the Daggerburg goblins, and the goblins keep to the western parts of the forest to avoid swift and deadly elven arrows. However, the goblins are growing more numerous and have become bolder in recent months.
Harkenwold
Half a dozen small villages lie along the upper vales of the White River. Together, they make up the Barony of Harkenwold—a tiny realm whose total population is not much greater than Fallcrest’s. The people of Harkenwold are farmers, woodcutters, and woodworkers; little trade comes up or down the old King’s Road. The ruler of Harkenwold is Baron Stockmer, an elderly man who was known for his strong sword arm in his youth. He is a just and compassionate ruler.
Kalton Manor
Back in the days when Nerath was settling the Nentir Vale, minor lords in search of land to call their own established manors and holds throughout the area. Kalton Manor was one of these, a small keep raised by Lord Arrol Kalton about two hundred years ago. Lord Arrol intended to settle the lower vale of the White river, but it was not to be—monsters from the Witchlight Fens drove off the tenants Arrol had brought with him. At the end, Arrol and a handful of his servants and family lived alone in a half-finished keep slowly falling into ruin until they disappeared as well. Stories tell of hidden treasure—the old Kalton fortune—hidden in secret chambers beneath the ruined keep.
Keep on the Shadowfell
Long ago, soldiers from Nerath built a strong fortress over the Shadowfell rift to protect it. The old keep lies in ruins now, and is rumored to be haunted.
Kobold Hall
Like Kalton Manor, the wreck now known locally as Kobold Hall was the estate of a minor lord who came to Nentir Vale to establish his own demesnes. Ruined during the Bloodspear War, the old castle has been abandoned for almost a century. Kobold tribes from the Cloak Wood are rumored to lurk in its depths.
Nenlast
This tiny human village lies at the east end of Lake Nen. The folk here make a meager living by trading smoked fish to the dwarves of Hammerfast. They also deal with the Tigerclaw barbarians of the Winterbole Forest. When the wild folk choose to trade, they come to Nenlast to barter their pelts and amber for good dwarven metalwork.
Raven Roost
This small keep stands at the southern end of the Old Hills. Once it was the seat of a small manor, but it fell into ruin long ago.
Ruins of Fastormel
Once a prosperous town on the shores of Lake Nen, Fastormel was destroyed by the Bloodspear orcs and has never been resettled. The town was ruled by a Lord Mage (the most powerful wizard in town claimed the ruler’s scepter), and the Mistborn Tower of the last Lord Mage still stands amid the ruins of the town. The tower is shrouded in a strange silver mist that never dissipates, no matter what the weather would otherwise dictate.
The Stonemarch
A rugged land of stony hills and deep gorges cut by white-rushing rivers, the Stonemarch is home to tribes of dangerous humanoids and giants. Orcs, ogres, giants, and trolls haunt the farther reaches of these barren lands. Fortunately for the residents of the Vale, the monsters rarely come east over the Cairngorm Peaks.
Temple of Yellow Skulls
The ruins of an evil shrine stand in the middle of these desolate hills. Legend tells that a rakshasa prince summoned demons to this place and bound them to his service by imprisoning their vital essences in gold-plated human skulls. None of these have yet been recovered from the ruins, but the story persists.
Thunderspire
This striking peak is the largest of the Old Hills.
Winterhaven
Hard under the Cairngorms at the west end of the Nentir Vale lies the remote town of Winterhaven. Like Fallcrest, Winterhaven is a small town surrounded by a few miles of farmland and pastures. It was recently saved from monstrous invasion by the Lords of Gardmore, but the town was then overtaken by a religious zealot named Erban and given a new theocratic rule.
Religion
The player's handbook (page 20) lists the most commonly worshiped deities. Most people do not worship gods in the modern sense, but rather offer respect or reverence out of tradition or fear. This setting is unique in that there is no indisputable worldly evidence of any god's existence or power. Commoners who don't tend to believe strongly in a particular faith will generally think that a cleric's powers are not god-given but instead are a delusional version of the same sort of mystical powers a wizard or a warlock wields. This means that effectively in the world gods may not even exist, or may in truth be something completely different than they seem. True believing clerics have true faith, instead of a certainty through experiences that their gods exist and grant them power to follow a chosen path. Even the very faithful are without undeniable evidence that their gods exist, and are thus subject to doubts like anyone else.
Gods, commonly worshiped or known
Bahamut (Lawful good; Justice, honour, nobility, protection; good dragons)
Moradin (Lawful good; Creation, artisans, family; dwarves)
Avandra (Good; Change, luck, trade, travel)
Pelor (Good; Sun, summer, agriculture, time)
Corellon (Unaligned; Arcane magic, spring, beauty, the arts; elves and eladrin)
Erathis (Unaligned; Civilization, invention, laws)
Ioun (Unaligned; Knowledge, prophecy, skill)
Kord (Unaligned; Storms, strength, battle)
Melora (Unaligned; Wilderness, sea)
The Raven Queen (Unaligned; Death, fate, winter)
Sehanine (Unaligned; Trickery, moon, love, autumn; elves)
Asmodeus (Evil; Power, domination, tyranny; devils)
Bane (Evil; War, conquest)
Gruumsh (Chaotic evil; Turmoil, destruction; orcs)
Lolth (Chaotic evil; Spiders, shadows, lies; drow)
Tharizdun (Chaotic evil; Annihilation, madness)
Tiamat (Evil; Wealth, greed, vengeance; evil dragons)
Torog (Evil; Underdark, imprisonment)
Vecna (Evil; Undeath, secrets)
Zehir (Evil, Darkness, poison, serpents)
Asmodeus murdered another god known only as He Who Was.
Corellon blinded one of Gruumsh's eyes in a legendary battle.
Humans were created by an unknown god.
Temples do not hold regular services. They are always open, and act as community centers for worshipers. The faithful only congregate in temples on holy days, which are social holidays.
Most often: knightly orders are dedicated to Bahamut or Bane, colleges are devoted to Ioun, civic organizations honor Erathis, travelers aid societies are dedicated to Avandra, craft guilds invoke Moradin's name, roadside/wayside shrines are dedicated to Avandra, Melora, and Sehanine, goblins worship Bane, gnolls worship Yeenogu, and yuan-ti worship Zehir.
Cosmology
The places of the gods (as well as uniform dogma) is unclear at best, as even most civilized cities do not have shared records or much communication.
Nothing is known of planes, devils and demons, or angels, or any other purely planar being, and effectively they do not exist in the setting.
Outside of ancient myths, undead have never been heard of or seen by anyone, until extremely recently when the Lords of Gardmore accidentally unleashed an imprisoned necromancer lord. Bageron escaped his red crystal prison and re-initiated his necromantic cult, and undead have been cropping up all over the Vale.
Races
Eladrin are city-dwelling elves with different traditions. Most races simply call eladrin "elves" as well.
Elves live in forests, and feel a connection to particularly ancient and wild areas.
Dragonborn travel far and wide, and are at home in deserts.
Gnomes live in homes burrowed beneath the roots of trees.
Dwarves are native to fortress cities in the mountains.
Tieflings are clan-like and have always been a part of the nobility in human civilizations.
Humans are very slightly the most common race, and are the most easily corrupted in nature due to their unlimited ambition.
Halflings favor river travel, and mostly live near rivers and streams.
Religious Knowledge
Primordials were the god-like masters of the chaotic elements that existed at the dawn of time. They forged the world from elemental chaos.
The gods sought to control the primordials' creation, and there was a war. The gods won and the primordials were killed or banished.
The Temple of the Celestial Mountain is dedicated to the worship of Bahamut, Moradin, and Kord.
The Temple of the Bright City is dedicated to the worship of Pelor, Erathis, and Ioun.
The Temple of the Fates is dedicated to the worship of Avandra, Ioun, and the Raven Queen.
Elves, eladrin, and drow were the same race until Lolth split them apart.
Eladrin temples (and some elven ones) feature altars to Corellon and Sehanine - and a few have bare altars where no sacrifice is offered, saving a place for Lolth when she is ultimately reconciled to the other gods of her family.
Abominations are said to be living weapons created during the ancient war between the gods and the primordials.
Baphomet, Demogorgon, and Orcus were primordials corrupted.
The mad god was defeated by the other gods and imprisoned in a secret place. He became known as the Chained God.
Bahamut and Tiamat were formed when the dragon god, Io, was split in half by Erek-Hus, King of Terror. The two halves of Io became Bahamut and Tiamat and killed Erek-Hus.
Giants were created by the primordials.
Historical Knowledge
Ruins of the tiefling empire of Bael Turath and the dragonborn empire of Arkhosia are frequent in the world. These empires fought each other to their mutual destruction long ago.
Nerath was the most recent world empire, and was human and tiefling created. It collapsed following a war with organized gnolls and orcs, and internal corruption.
The Kingdom of the Horselords, Lograd, is a moderate-sized kingdom formed from a remnant of Nerath. The first king of Lograd, Adorn Marethal I, formed his kingdom with treasure and reputation won from slaying nearby dragons.
Hobgoblins once had an empire in which bugbears and goblins were their servants. This empire fell to internal strife and interference from fey creatures, whom many goblins hate.
Early dwarves were slaves to titans and giants. Those that did not escape became azers and galeb duhrs.
Arcane Knowledge
There are no spells that bring characters back from death, and no one has ever heard of such a thing. It is commonly understood that death is irreversible, but even the more powerful spellcasters have never encountered a spell that transcends death. Very recently, the Lords of Gardmore discovered a magic that can resurrect the newly dead in certain circumstances. They managed to create this magic as an offshoot of the studies of Bageron's necromantic cult and its efforts to isolate the soul and relocate it. This powerful magic is now spreading and shaking the world.
Despite numerous attempts, there are no large organized magic guilds or networks of information. The closest thing would be the Spiral Tower, a somewhat fragmented wizard order devoted to Corellon.
Major cities were once linked with Teleportation circles, but almost none are still functioning.
The Order of the Golden Wyvern is a loose association of spellcasters who use their talents in military pursuits.
Fallcrest stands amid the Moon Hills at the falls of the Nentir River. Here travelers and traders using the old King’s Road that runs north and south, the dwarven Trade Road from the east, and the river all meet. The surrounding ridges shelter several small valleys where farmers and woodsfolk live; few are more than six or seven miles from the town. In general the people outside Fallcrest’s walls earn their living by farming or keeping livestock, and the people inside the walls are artisans, laborers, or merchants. People with no other prospects can make a hard living as porters, carrying cargo from the Lower Quays to the Upper Quays (or vice versa).
Fallcrest imports finished goods from the larger cities downriver and ironwork from the dwarf town of Hammerfast, and exports timber, leather, fruit, and grain. It also trades with the nearby town of Winterhaven.
The surrounding hills hold several marble quarries that once produced a good deal of stone, but the area has little demand for ornamental stone these days, and only a few stonecutters still practice their trade.
A small town built from the ruins of a larger city, Fallcrest is the crossroads of the Nentir Vale.
Population: 1,350; another 900 or so live in the countryside within a few miles of the town. The people of Fallcrest are mostly humans, halflings, and dwarves. No dragonborn or eladrin are permanent residents, but travelers of all races pass through on occasion.
Government: The human noble Faren Markelhay is the Lord Warden (hereditary lord) of the town. He is in charge of the town’s justice, defense, and laws. The Lord Warden appoints a town council to look after routine commerce and public projects.
Defense: The Fallcrest Guard numbers sixty warriors (see the accompanying statistics block), who also serve as constables. Moonstone Keep is their barracks. The Lord Warden can call up 350 militia at need.
Inns: Nentir Inn; Silver Unicorn. The Silver Unicorn is pricier and offers better service; the Nentir Inn sees a more interesting clientele.
Taverns: Blue Moon Alehouse; Lucky Gnome Taphouse; Nentir Inn taproom.
Supplies: Halfmoon Trading House; Sandercot Provisioners.
Temples: Temple of Erathis; Moonsong Temple (Sehanine); House of the Sun (Pelor).
Fallcrest’s Story
Up until four centuries or so ago, the Moon Hills and the surrounding Nentir Vale were thinly settled borderlands, home to quarrelsome human hill-chieftains and remote realms of nonhumans such as dwarves and elves. Giants, minotaurs, orcs, ogres, and goblins plagued the area. Ruins such as those on the Gray Downs or the ring-forts atop the Old Hills date back to these days, as do stories of the hero Vendar and the dragon of the Nentir.
With the rise of the empire of Nerath to the south, human settlers began to move up the Nentir, establishing towns such as Fastormel, Harkenwold, and Winterhaven. A Nerathan hero named Aranda Markelhay obtained a charter to build a keep at the portage of the Nentir Falls. She raised a simple tower at the site of Moonstone Keep three hundred ten years ago, and under its protection the town of Fallcrest began to grow.
Over the next two centuries, Fallcrest grew into a small and prosperous city. It was a natural crossroads for trade, and the Markelhays ruled it well. When the empire of Nerath began to crumble about a century ago, Fallcrest continued to flourish—for a time.
Ninety years ago, a fierce horde of orcs known as the Bloodspears descended from the Stonemarch and swept over the vale. Fallcrest’s army was defeated in a rash attempt to halt the Bloodspears out on Gardbury Downs. The Bloodspears burned and pillaged Fallcrest and went on to wreak havoc all across the Nentir Vale.
In the decades since the Bloodspear War, Fallcrest has struggled to reestablish itself. The town is a shadow of the former city; little trade passes up and down the river these days. The countryside for scores of miles around is dotted with abandoned homesteads and manors from the days of Nerath. Once again the Nentir Vale is a thinly settled borderland where few folk live. This is a place in need of a few heroes.
Some Key Locations
1. Tower of Waiting
This old fortification was built on a small island in the Nentir to guard the city from any waterborne attack from the north. It fell into ruin even before the sack of the old city, and now is little more than an empty shell overrun by mice and birds.
2. Upper Quays
Boats proceeding down the Nentir must stop here and offload their cargo, which is then portaged through the town to the Lower Quays and loaded onto boats below the falls. Likewise, cargo heading in the other direction is carried up to these quays and loaded aboard boats bound upstream.
A surly dwarf pugilist named Barstomun Strongbeard runs the porters’ guild.
3. Five-Arch Bridge
Dwarf artisans from the citadel of Hammerfast built a fine stone bridge over the Nentir two hundred years ago. Although the bridge was destroyed when Fallcrest fell, the great stone piers supporting it remained intact, so a few years back the people of the town laid a new timber trestle over the old stone footings.
A small toll house guards the western side of the bridge. Five Fallcrest guards under the command of Sergeant Thurmina watch this post. They collect a toll of 1 cp per head (and 1 sp per mount) making use of the bridge in either direction.
The river current begins to pick up on the south side of the bridge. Boats (or swimmers) venturing far from the banks are in danger of being carried over the falls.
4. Nentir Inn
A fine new building constructed of fieldstone and strong timber, the Nentir Inn stands on the west bank of the river. Merchants from Winterhaven or Hammerfast make up the clientele, along with travelers who happen to be passing through. A good room with two single beds goes for 5 sp per night. The Nentir Inn also boasts a lively taproom, which is popular with the folk who live in the vales on the west bank of the river.
The proprietor is a charming half-elf named Erandil Zemoar who showed up in Fallcrest one day about two years ago, bought land, and built an inn.
5. Knight's Gate
Fallcrest’s northern city gate is known as Knight’s Gate, because the Lord Warden’s riders normally come and go from the city by this road. The gate consists of strong outer doors of iron-reinforced timber and an inner portcullis between a pair of small stone towers. The portcullis is normally lowered at sunset, and the gates close only in times of danger.
The gatehouse barracks accommodates five Fallcrest guards plus Sergeant Nereth, who commands this gate.
6. Silver Unicorn Inn
For many years, the Silver Unicorn has billed itself as “the pride of Fallcrest,” charging high rates for its attentive service and well-appointed rooms. The recent opening of the Nentir Inn put a big dent in the Silver Unicorn’s business, and the owner, a stern halfling matriarch named Wisara Osterman, strongly disapproves. She’s certain that there is something shifty about Erandil Zemoar, but can’t put her finger on it.
A room in the Silver Unicorn costs 2 gp per night.
7. Halfmoon Trading House
The Halfmoon family is a large, far-flung clan of halflings who keep small trading posts in several settlements throughout the Nentir Vale. This is the largest and most important of those establishments. It’s under the care of Selarund Halfmoon, a friendly halfling who dispenses a never-ending stream of advice to his customers.
8. Moonstone Keep
The seat of Lord Warden Faren Markelhay, Moonstone Keep is an old castle that sits atop a steep-sided hill overlooking the town. The outer bailey includes barracks housing up to sixty Fallcrest guards. At any given time about twenty or so are off-duty. Other buildings in the courtyard include a stable, an armory, a chapel, a smithy, and several storehouses. The keep is the large D-shaped building at the north end of the castle.
Faren Markelhay is a balding, middle-aged human with a keen mind and a dry wit. He is a busy man and sees to local matters personally. He is eager for news of other towns in the Vale (and farther lands as well) and never turns away someone who brings him news or waits to see him.
Lord Markelhay’s wife is Lady Allande Markelhay. She is a cool and reserved woman ten years younger than her husband. A student of the arcane arts, she uses her powers to advise her husband. They have four children; the eldest, Ernesto, is currently away in the south, living in the court of another ruler.
9. The Tombwood
Along the southern slopes of Moonstone Hill grows a large thicket that has never been entirely cleared. Within its tangled paths lies the old castle cemetery (now heavily overgrown), as well as a battle-mound dating back centuries.
10. House of the Sun
When Fallcrest was a larger city, it supported several good-sized temples located in the Hightown districts. With the town’s depopulation, several of these were abandoned, including the House of the Sun, a temple dedicated to Pelor. The place also includes shrines to Kord and Bahamut. Recently, a zealous dwarf priest of Pelor named Grundelmar came to Fallcrest from Hammerfast and reestablished this old temple. Grundelmar is loud and opinionated, a real fire-breather who goes on and on about smiting evil wherever it might lurk.
11. House Azaer
A small, well-off trading company, House Azaer is owned by the tieflings of the Azaer family. They import goods (including arms and armor) from Hammerfast, Harkenwold, and the lands to the south, and organize caravans up to Winterhaven several times a year. House Azaer is an excellent place to purchase nearly any mundane equipment, although its prices are a little on the high side.
Amara Azaer is in charge of the house business in Fallcrest, and spends her time on the premises.
12. The Nentir Falls
Here the Nentir River descends nearly 200 feet in three striking shelflike drops. On the small island in the middle of the falls stands the statue of an ancient human hero named Vendar, holding up his hand as if to challenge enemies approaching from downriver. Local legend tells that Vendar slew a dragon whose lair was hidden in caverns beneath the falls.
13. Temple of Erathis
This large, impressive stone temple is finished with Fallcrest’s native marble. Its chapel is a large rotunda with a 30-foot-tall dome. The Temple of Erathis is the largest and most influential temple in town. The place also includes shrines to Ioun and Moradin.
High priest Dirina Mornbrow oversees two lesser priests and several acolytes—townsfolk who spend part of their day tending the temple. Dirina is a woman of about sixty who is convinced of the superiority of Erathis’s dogma, and disappointed that more people in Fallcrest don’t pay proper reverence to “our city’s patron god.”
14. The Bluffs
Fallcrest is divided in half by a great cliff snaking northwest to southeast across the town. The bluffs average 150 to 250 feet in height. They are not strictly vertical, but are too tall and steep to be easily climbed.
15. The Catacombs
The limestone bluffs between Hightown and Lowtown hold a number of caves, which the folk of Fallcrest have used as burial crypts for centuries. As caves fill up, they are walled off and forgotten about. Naturally, stories abound in town about treasure hoards hidden away in the crypts, and the restless undead that guard them.
16. Moonsong Temple
The third of Fallcrest’s temples is devoted to Sehanine. It also includes shrines to Corellon, Melora, and Avandra. The Markelhays regard Sehanine as their special patron, and over the years they have given generously to the temple. The temple occupies a commanding position atop the bluffs, and its white minarets can be seen from any corner of Lowtown.
The leader of the temple is High priest Ressilmae Starlight, a wise and compassionate elf who finished adventuring decades ago and retired to a contemplative life. He is a musician of great skill who happily tutors the local children, even those who are poor and can’t afford to pay for their lessons.
17. Fallcrest Stables
Lannar Thistleton owns this business, providing travelers with tack, harness, stabling, shoeing, wagons, and just about anything dealing with horses, mules, or ponies. He keeps a larger corral about a mile outside of town, and at any given time Lannar has several riding horses, draft horses, or mules in his paddock near Wizard’s Gate. The halfling is an excellent source of rumors, since he sees the travelers coming or going by the roads. He is a friendly fellow of about forty, with a large brood of children at his home out in the countryside.
18. Wizard's Gate
Fallcrest’s eastern city gate is known as Wizard’s Gate, because it’s the gate most convenient to the Septarch’s Tower. The road to the east travels a few miles into the surrounding hills, linking a number of outlying farms and homesteads with the town.
The gate resembles Knight’s Gate in construction, and is similarly watched by a detachment of five guards and a sergeant. The leader of this detachment is Sergeant Murgeddin, a dwarf veteran who fought in the Bloodspear War and was present at the Battle of Gardbury, where Fallcrest’s army was defeated.
19. Naerumar's Imports
Considered the finest of Fallcrest’s retail establishments, Naerumar’s Imports deals in gemstones, jewelry, art, and magic trinkets. The owner is Orest Naerumar, a tiefling who displays impeccable manners and discretion. Orest corresponds with relatives and colleagues in several towns and cities outside the Nentir Vale; given a few weeks, he can order in items of unusual value. Similarly, Orest purchases interesting items such as these, since other dealers in distant towns or cities might be looking for them.
20. Kamroth Estate
This is the home of the self-styled “lord” Armos Kamroth, a wealthy landowner who collects rents from scores of farmers and herders living in the countryside nearby. Armos is a brusque, balding man of about fifty who makes a show of loaning money in good faith and exacting only what the law allows—but somehow he has quietly bought up dozens of free farms over the years and turned their owners into his tenants.
21. Moonwash Falls
A small, swift stream known as the Moonwash flows through Fallcrest to meet the Nentir river. The stream is rarely more than 20 feet wide or 5 feet deep. The town’s children love to play in the pool at the base of the falls in the summertime.
22. Septarch's Tower
This lonely structure is a tall, seven-sided spire of pale green stone that doesn’t match anything else in the town. In the days before the Bloodspear War, this was the seat of Fallcrest’s mages’ guild—an order of a dozen or so wizards and arcane scholars. Defensive enchantments prevented the orcs from sacking the tower, but the guild’s members died fighting for the city or fled to safer lands.
The tower is now the property of Nimozaran the Green, an elderly wizard who was once apprenticed to the last of the old guild mages. Nimozaran considers himself the “High Septarch of Fallcrest” and master of the guild, whose membership now includes only himself and a rather unpromising male halfling apprentice named Tobolar Quickfoot. Nimozaran expects any potential new guild members to pay a hefty initiation fee, and so far none of the few other arcanists living in or passing through Fallcrest have seen reason to join.
23. Blue Moon Alehouse
This brewhouse on the banks of the Moonwash Stream is the best tavern in Fallcrest. The owner is a nervous, easily flustered fellow of fifty or so named Par Winnomer. The true genius behind the Blue Moon is the halfling brewmaster Kemara Brownbottle. She is happy to let Par fret about running the taphouse, while she spends her time perfecting her selection of ales and beers.
The Blue Moon is popular with halfling traders whose boats tie up along the Lower Quay, well-off town merchants, and the farmers who live in the countryside south of Fallcrest. The old dwarves Teldorthan (area 24) and Sergeant Murgeddin (area 18) hoist a tankard or two here on frequent occasion.
24. Teldorthan's Arms
The dwarf Teldorthan Ironhews is the town’s weaponsmith and armorer. He is a garrulous old fellow who spends his time trading stories with his customers with a pipe clenched in his teeth, while his apprentices (two of whom are his sons) do the work. Make no mistake—Teldorthan is a master armorer, and under his supervision his apprentices turn out work of exceptional quality.
25. King's Gate
Fallcrest’s southern gate was destroyed in the attack that devastated the city long ago, and it still has not been entirely rebuilt. One of the two paired towers is nothing but rubble, and several large gaps remain in the town walls south of the bluffs through which anyone could enter the city.
Despite its lack of functionality, the King’s Gate is still used as a guardpost by the Fallcrest guards. Sergeant Gerdrand is in charge here; he is a tall, lanky man who doesn’t say much, answering questions with a grunt or a shake of the head.
26. The Market Green
The majority of Fallcrest’s folk live above the bluffs in Hightown and walk down to do business on the streets of Lowtown, which bustle with commerce. This wide square is an open, grassy meadow where Fallcrest’s merchants and visiting traders do business in good weather. The town’s children gather here for games of tag or kick-stones.
27. Sandercot Provisioners
The largest general store in Fallcrest, Sandercot’s deals in just about anything—food, clothing, stores, rope, tools, gear, leather goods, and more. Compared to the Halfmoon Trading House, Sandercot’s has slightly cheaper prices but goods of somewhat lower quality.
The owner is Nimena Sandercot, the widow of the late and unlamented Marken Sandercot. She has three young sons, all of whom are quickly learning the family business.
28. Lucky Gnome Taphouse
The Lucky Gnome is widely regarded as the cheapest and coarsest of Fallcrest’s drinking establishments. It caters to the porters and laborers who work the nearby docks, and fistfights are a nightly occurrence.
The owner of the Lucky Gnome is a gruff human named Kelson.
29. Lower Quays
Keelboats and similar craft put in here to unload their cargo and portage it up to other boats above the falls.
Boats belonging to a number of different travelers tie up here, the most common of which are the keel-boats of the halfling Swiftwater Clan. The Swiftwaters carry cargo all the way down to the Nentir’s mouth, hundreds of miles downriver. They’re more than willing to take passengers for a small fee. Irena Swiftwater is the matriarch of the clan.
Hammerfast is a busy place, as merchants and travelers from the Nentir Vale and beyond congregate here. In the early spring after the snows melt and in the fall after the harvest, the streets are choked with caravan wagons, pack mules, and travelers. A band of a hundred mercenary warriors en route to a paymaster might clog the streets one day, and a winding caravan of priceless treasures from the unknown east could bring traffic to a halt the next.
High Master Marinda Goldspinner - The High Master of Hammerfast and the leader of the Trade Guild is a tough, elderly dwarf who refuses to suffer fools. She speaks ina rapid-fire, direct manner, and she believes in action over words. In Marsinda's eyes, a good plan executed today is far better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow. Marsinda is popular among the common folk of Hammerfast and with many of the important movers and shakers in town. The dwarves appreciate her candor and aggressive bearing, and the non-dwarves see her as a patron of sorts. Marsinda cares little for petty grievances. She would let an army of trolls camp in town if it was in the town's best interest. Marsinda's hair is snow white, and she dresses in regal purple and sports a small fortune of jewelry. Her many admirers refer to her as the Lady of Gold; her enemies refer to her as the Queen.
Lord Commander Tenkar Stoneshield - The leader of Hammerfast's town guard has earned respect, but the extended period of peace has proven toxic to his competence. Tenkar led several successful expeditions against goblins early in his career and earned his position based on skill as a battlefield commander. During times of peace, however, he grows bored with his duties.
Loremaster Geld Seekingstone - The head of the Lore Guild long ago gave up on the research and study in favor of politics. Geld is Marsinda's greatest rival, and he constantly seeks ways to undermine the High Master's authority. Geld, an opportunist, takes a great interest in hiring adventurers. One of the wealthiest people in town, he sponsors mercenaries to undertake expeditions against monsters. Any victories his hirelings achieve help him establish him as a benefactor of the town, especially if he can avenge a looted caravan or track down notorious criminals.
Master Artisan Frelda Blackshield - The head of the Craft Guild was a compromise candidate, and it shows in her actions. Frelda hates politics and accepted the position only when it became apparent that the factions within the guild could agree on no one else. Her tendency to spend more time in her workshop forging weapons and armor than in her office negotiating with the Trade Guild has not helped her standing of the Craft Guild in Hammerfast's politics.
Some of the tombs remain sealed. Their treasures are a powerful lure for adventurers, but raiding such a tomb is punishable by death. In some of the inhabited tombs, secret doors to forgotten passages and chambers await discovery.
The dwarves must endure the presence of orcs. As part of the divine compact that created the town, Gruumsh demanded that his dead be honored, too, by a temple devoted to his power.
Hammerfast is divided into four wards. Three of the wards are home to the major guilds in town, and the fourth, the Gate Ward, serves as a gateway between Hammerfast and the rest of the world.
Houses of the Dead
Although some of the tombs in Hammerfast were reduced to rubble by the attacking orcs, most were simply picked clean of their contents. The orcs smashed open coffins, pounded sarcophagi into rubble, and scattered remains across the necropolis.
The dwarves rebuilt Hammerfast, keeping as much of the necropolis intact as possible. Most homes and businesses use the same thick-walled, stone structures that once housed the dead. The interiors have been cleaned and reorganized. In some buildings, the original sarcophagi, murals, and other decorations remain.
In the summertime, some of the structures become unbearably hot. For this reason, structures in Hammerfast were built downward, not upward. Most families use the first floor of their homes as workshops or for storage, with the basement level set aside for sleeping. Most structures in Hammerfast house several families, each living within a subset of the chambers found in a typical tomb.
The tombs that remain intact are off limits. The town guard patrols the necropolis, and anyone caught looting existing tombs faces a death sentence. That doesn’t stop some thieves, and rumors abound of tombs that were looted by thieves despite the vigilance of the town guard.
Many folk suspect that even the tombs now used as homes and businesses still hide ancient treasure chambers, hidden passages, and other secrets. Although looting intact tombs is against the law, tombs that have already been opened are fair game. Thus, adventure might be as close as the secret door beneath one’s bed.
Gate Ward
Visitors to Hammerfast arrive at the Gate Ward, a small, walled off section of the town that once served as the living quarters and garrison for the necropolis’s living inhabitants. Today, the Gate Ward is Hammerfast’s doorstep, a place where visitors and residents mingle to conduct business. A bustling market unites traders from the Nentir Vale with those from beyond the Dawnforge Mountains. The Hall of Justice reminds the folk of Hammerfast and all its visitors that the dwarves lack any tolerance for troublemakers and criminals, yet this neighbourhood is also a haven for smugglers, thieves, and rowdies.
To many travelers, the Gate Ward is Hammerfast. They have no need, and probably lack permission, to enter the other wards. The rowdiest and most chaotic of the wards, the Gate Ward is the ideal place to go if you’re an adventurer seeking a job, a thief in need ofa fence, or a hothead in search of a brawl. The town elders accept that some level of illegal activity is inevitable in any settlement. They just hope to keep it confined to the Gate Ward.
1. West Gate
Two massive towers flanked by steel doors reinforced by a portcullis control the ebb and flow of traffic through the West Gate. A squad of four guards watches this gate at all times. Visitors to Hammerfast are directed to the Revenue Hall, where they must register their goods and pay any appropriate fees for conducting business in the town.
2. Revenue Hall
This plain stone building houses Hammerfast’s tax collectors. Charged with assessing a 1 percent fee on all trade goods and treasure brought into Hammerfast, the bookish dwarves who work here have the tenacity of bulldogs and the manner of prosecuting attorneys. In their eyes, every traveler hides taxable goods until proven otherwise. They keep careful records, and have a reputation for honesty despite their demeanour.
Tathik Glodreddi is Hammerfast’s head tax collector. This surly, bitter dwarf is an ex-adventurer who lost his comrades in an encounter with trolls near Summerdown Valley years ago. His brother, Boltac Glodreddi runs Boltac’s Goods.
3. Hammerfast Guard Tower
A number of guard towers dot the walls of Hammerfast. Each tower is 30 feet tall, with three stories and a cellar, and each has a squad of six guards on duty at all times. The cellar holds supplies, such as dried food, water, and ammunition. The first floor features a kitchen, mess hall and lounge, the second floor holds living quarters, and the third floor and roof are used for observation. Each tower has either a catapult or a ballista atop it.
4. Hammerfast Empty Towers
Hammerfast was once much more heavily defended, as the long ago dwarf halls of distant lands supplied warriors, weapons, material, and money to defend the burial grounds. Today, the town lacks the resources to staff each tower. The empty towers also each have either a catapult or a ballista atop them, but they have no guards assigned to them unless the town faces an attack. The town guard is supposed to patrol the empty towers, but unless a high level of alert has been issued, only the most dedicated guards walk through them on a regular basis.
5. Gate Market
A number of colourful tents and stalls stand in this open area from early spring to late fall. Only in the winter, when snow chokes the Trade Road, does this place fall quiet. Merchants from across the Nentir Vale, dwarves from Hammerfast, and visitors to the town crowd this location, seeking exotic goods and unmatched bargains. If it’s produced anywhere in the region, it’s for sale here in the market. Tarras, an eladrin bard, performs nightly at Rondal’s Inn, as well as in the Gate Market and at the Foundation Stone.
6. Hammerfast Warehouse
This warehouse holds the goods of merchants who stay in town for a short time. Merchants park their carts or stack their crates, barrels, and sacks in these warehouses for storage. A squad of at least five guards watches this place day and night. Local traders or traders staying for an extended period of time keep their goods in the Trade Ward to the north.
7. Hammerfast Stables
This long, low building holds the horses and beasts of burden that belong to merchants visiting Hammerfast. One of the stalls houses a white mare left here almost a decade ago by an eladrin paladin. The eladrin has long since disappeared, but he left behind enough cash to keep his mount in food and water for another twenty years.
8. Gate Barracks
Town guards not assigned to a specific tower are garrisoned here. The barracks is a two-story building. The first floor features a mess hall, chambers for officers, and a kitchen. The second floor consists of a large dormitory. The cellar is filled with weapons, armour, and other supplies.
9. Hall of Justice
This imposing stone building has a broad flight of stairs leading to its double doors. Statues of Moradin – one depicting him as a smith, the other showing him garbed for war – flank the entrance. This two-story building has a court, holding cells for prisoners, and a hall of records for the town. Tax disputes, along with criminal cases, are tried here by the town’s justice of the peace, a young dwarf named Beldrin Longbeard.
10. The Arcane Star Inn
This wooden, one-story building is painted a bright blue. The glowing symbol of a star hangs above the door. The Arcane Star has eight large rooms, six upstairs and two on the first floor, which cater to upscale travelers. The Star’s rates are 2 gp per night. Therai the tiefling and his wife Nemeia own this place.
11. Boltac's Goods
The dwarf Boltac Glodreddi, brother of the tax collector Tathik Glodreddi, sells adventuring gear such as rope, everburning torches, and ammunition in this shop. Boltac can also arrange for the purchase of commoner magical items. He expects half the listed price for an item up front, up to two weeks to acquire the item, and the second half of the price on delivery.
12. Rondal's Inn
This austere building houses a cheaper alternative to the Arcane Star. Rondal, a dour human who makes a point of keeping his nose out of his guests’ business, caters to merchants, travelers, and others who stop in Hammerfast for a short time. He offers 18 small rooms, each with two bunk beds, for a rate of 5 sp per night. Tarras, an eladrin bard, performs nightly at Rondal’s Inn, as well as in the Gate Market and at the Foundation Stone.
13. The Foundation Stone
The most popular tavern in Hammerfast for adventurers and other ne’er-do-wells, the Foundation Stone plays host to mercenaries, explorers, and roughnecks. Anyone who needs to hire adventurers for a job heads to the Foundation Stone.
Half a dozen small villages lie along the upper vales of the White River. Together, they make up the Barony of Harkenwold—a tiny realm whose total population is not much greater than Fallcrest’s. Harkenwold is a small barony in the southeast reach of the Nentir Vale. Several tiny hamlets and a number of steadings (isolated farms) are scattered across the broad dale of the White River. The great Harken Forest surrounds the realm, isolating it from the lands nearby. In better times, this quiet backwater contently avoids major trouble.
The Barony of Harkenwold is a broad valley just over 50 miles long and roughly 20 miles wide located between arms of the Harken Forest. This primarily open land consists of gently rolling hills covered in a mix of cheery meadows, light forest with little undergrowth, and the occasional thicket. The climate is cool and rainy. Many small streams wind their way across the land, eventually joining the White River. These brooks are at most a few feet wide, and small footbridges cross them regularly.
The people of Harkenwold are farmers, woodcutters, and woodworkers; little trade comes up or down the old King’s Road. The ruler of Harkenwold is Baron Stockmer, an elderly man who was known for his strong sword arm in his youth. He is a just and compassionate ruler.
Population and Demographics
Harkenwold’s total population is about 2,000, scattered across half a dozen small hamlets and a score of isolated steadings. Most of the citizens are humans (50%), halflings (25%), and dwarves (20%), with a smattering of other folk (5%).
Harkenwolders living in the countryside are primarily farmers, shepherds, or woodcutters. Denizens of the hamlets also include woodworkers, smiths, carters, brewers, cheese makers, and leatherworkers. The other villagers tend nearby fields or orchards.
Culture and Travel
Harkenwold’s Steadings
A steading is a farm or homestead in Harkenwold’s countryside. Each of these settlements features a strongly built house of fieldstone and timber, surrounded by approximately 200 acres of pastureland and cropland. Some steadings have defensive palisades around the main house. A single extended family commonly lives in the house — two or three couples with their children, their older relations, and a few hired hands. Rarely do the total inhabitants of a steading exceed 20 people.
Travel
Characters on foot average 2.5 to 3 miles per hour on roads or trails. Walking from Tor’s Hold to Easthill, for example, takes about two days. If the travelers avoid the well-traveled trails and strike out directly overland, the mixed terrain reduces their speed to 3/4 normal. Venturing into the Harken Forest or the Briar Hills is much more difficult. The rougher terrain reduces speed to half normal.
Travelers in Harkenwold are rarely more than a mile or two from the nearest steading. Most Harkenwolders are happy to put up visitors for the night, although the accommodations might be a dry barn or stable.
Villages and Points of Interest in the Barony of Harkenwold
Albridge
Population: 180
The second-largest village in Harkenwold, Albridge stands where the King’s Road crosses the White River. The center of resistance to Iron Circle rule, the rebel leader in Albridge is Dar Gremath, a retired adventurer.
Locations:
1. Old Tower
This vine-covered ruin was once a post for soldiers guarding the bridge. The roof collapsed long ago, leaving the interior open to the weather, but the awalls are still sound.
2. Erst the Wainwright
Erst is stout, middle-aged, and balding, well known as a human of few words. A crafter, he sells mostly to local farmers in need of carts, wagons, or wheelbarrows, as well as the rare merchant still making use of the King’s Road. Erst’s grandfather was a smuggler – hidden tunnels under his workshop offer the rebels a good place to hide their arms and armor.
3. Gerrad’s House
Gerrad, a hale and white-haired old halfing, is the village elder. He and his wife Nioma are skilled weavers and sell simple but well-constructed garments of all kinds. Gerrad was appointed village elder by Baron Stockmer 30 years ago, and he conducts most of the town business from the common room of the Mallard Inn. He hides the keenness of his mind behind an affable manner and long-winded stories. Gerrad is well aware of Dar Gremath’s efforts to organize resistance and supports them. He hopes to deflect Iron Circle suspicions for as long as possible, but realizes that direct confrontation is inevitable. He despairs that the rebels will not be strong enough.
4. Village Green
This open space serves as a market in good weather. On most days, the children of the hamlet gather here to play. Merchant caravans use the green as a campsite if they’re too big to fit in the Mallard’s innyard.
5. Kathrid’s Smithy
Kathrid is a black-haired, mature dwarf who served as a guard in the dwarven settlement of Hammerfast when she was younger. She is an industrious, can-d0 type who talks incessantly while she works, filling her listener’s ears with advice on every topic imaginable. She is a close ally of Dar Gremath and serves as his chief lieutenant in the resistance. If anything happens to her commander, Kathrid is ready to step in and continue the fight.
6. The Mallard Inn
This small inn and taphouse is owned by Onneth, an older half-elf man nearing retirement. Onneth is a good-hearted soul, but he is fretful, forgetful, and incompetent. Most importantly, he can’t keep a secret, so the resistance leaders are careful about what they say around him. Room and board at the Mallard costs 5 silver pieces per night.
7. White River Mercantile
This trading post deals in locally produced woodwork, leather goods, provisions, and a handful of luxury items imported from Fallcrest or the lands to the south. It is run by Roma Featherton. She is a brisk, robust, officious halfling who recently took over the business from her ailing father. Her cousin Abel and his family help out. Most mundane equipment other than armor or weapons is available here for the normal cost.
8. Gremath Stables
Dar Gremath, an aging and retired human adventurer, rarely speaks about his long-ago travels. From this base in his livery and stable, Dar has organized the resistance in Harkenwold. Under cover of stabling their mounts, locals arrive and depart regularly, reporting Iron Circle movements and carrying messages to rebel leaders in other towns.
Dal Nystiere
The eladrin settlement of Dal Nystiere fell to ruin centuries ago, destroyed by some unknown threat, and the Harken Forest has all but swallowed up its remains. Strange witchlights and evil monsters are known to haunt the ruins, and the Woodsinger elves have learned to give the place a wide berth.
Dardun
Population: 140 Surrounded by apple orchards, grain fields, and vineyards, Dardun is known for mild white wines, cheeses, and (of course) apples. Dardun’s elder is a proud half-elf woman named Madera Lirr, the matron of an old family of orchardists and cider-makers.
Dardun has been heavily oppressed by the Iron Circle. Reavers patrol the village streets and routinely tyrannize Dardun’s residents.
Druid Grove
To the northwest of Albridge stands a large grove of ancient trees, long sundered from the Harken Forest proper. Locals call this place Druid Grove. A stone menhir stands in the clearing at the center of the grove.
The old human druid Reithann lives here in a moss-covered lodge near the menhir clearing, along with her young apprentices Lorel (a halfling woman) and Theren (a young human man). Harkenwolders who venerate primal spirits come to this verdant place seeking Reithann’s advice. Iron Circle marauders avoid the grove, fearing the wrath of the spirits.
Easthill
Population: 155 A hamlet of sheperds and stonecutters, Easthill rests on the slopes of the Briar Hills. The stone used to build the crossing at Albridge was quarried from hills nearby. A human trader named Sarken Toldorff is the village elder, but he is thoroughly cowed by the Iron Circle marauders. A hunter named Adalbar has quietly stepped up to organize Easthill’s fight.
Harken Forest
The Harken Forest is much denser than the light woodlands scattered across the Harkenwold, with larger trees and thicker undergrowth. It is also more dangerous for traveler – large and hungry beasts such as drakes and dire wolves roam its shadows. Game trails or maked paths are few and far between. The Woodsinger elves live in the forested region south of Harkenwold.
Harken Village
A small village nestled near the White River, along the old King’s Road in the southeast corner of the Nentir Vale.
Population: 212; another 60 or so live in the keep. The people of Harken are mostly humans, dwarves, and halflings.
Government: The human noble Jonn Stockmer is the baron of Harkenwold. He oversees justice, defense, and laws within the six villages and surrounding countryside that makes up the Harkenwold. The baron appoints village elders to help with the daily governing of the Harkenwold. One of the town elders is called Old Kellar, an ancient and respected dwarf.
Defense: Harken village has no standing defenses, but 30 or so able-bodied warriors can be raised from the population relatively quickly. If the need arises, the baron can call up 150 militia at need from the whole of Harkenwold.
Locations:
1. The Broken Gaol
Once a respected taphouse named the Silver Nail, this tavern has been adopted by the Iron Circle garrison as a favored off-hours drinking spot. An opportunistic half-orc woman named Krutha runs the place since the bandits chased off the Silver Nail’s former owner. On most nights, a dozen or more Iron Circle ruffians gather here to drink and harass any travelers unwise enough to stop in.
The taphouse used to be a respected taphouse known to be an excellent pub and grub, a favorite of traveling merchants and adventurers.
2. Iron Keep
Formerly the castle of Baron Jonn Stockmer, Iron Keep now serves as the headquarters of Nazin Redthorn and the Iron Circle. About 60 Iron Circle soldiers are here at any given time (rough 120 more patrol other parts of Harkenwold). The Baron is being held prisoner within the jails inside is own keep.
3. Cliffside Brewery
The three Ironbeards — brothers Omurk and Dannurk, and Dannurk’s notoriously short-tempered wife Dathilda — run this fine brewery. This brewery not only brews its own ales but also sells its product to taverns in Fallcrest and Winterhaven.
They are good friends with the smith Kathrid in Albridge and quietly sympathetic to the rebel cause.
4. Old Kellar’s House
Once the elder of Harken, Kellar is an ancient dwarf who worked as a master stonecutter and mason for a century. He built much of Baron Stockmer’s keep.
5. Grimbold’s House
Grimbold and his family are shifters. They keep to themselves, making a living as woodcutters and trappers. Grimbold knows the woodlands around Harken quite well. He keeps his eyes open for folk on the run from the Iron Circle and helps them any way he can.
6.Tower of Green Flame
A mysterious crystal spire rising above the town, this tower is thought to be the residence of an ancient archmage who long ago departed the world to explore other planes. Townfolk avoid the place for the most part, fearing arcane traps or curses. Of the few explorers brave enough to venture inside, more than one has disappeared and the rest found the place empty – three small, unfurnished floors with nothing but dust and bird nests. On moonless nights, eerie green phosphorescence plays about the tower’s upper floors.
7. Harkenwold Trading Station
The major mercantile outlet in Harken, the Trading Station is owned by a stout, oily little man named Rennis. *An informer for Nazin Redthorn, Rennis gathers rumors for his master as he travels about in so-called “trading ventures.” Depending on his audience, the sneak readily claims to be spying on the Iron Circle for the rebel cause. Most mundane equipment is available for purchase in the Trading Station, and Rennis won’t hesitate to warn Nazin about groups of competent-looking, heavily armed strangers loitering about town.
8. House of Faith
A large temple built by an adventuring cleric of yore, the House of Faith has seen better days. Shrines dedicated to Pelor, Moradin, Erathis, and Sehanine stand inside. The current prelate is a kindly middle-aged woman named Sister Sondal. Nazin Redthorn has levied a ruinous tax against the temple, which Sondal has little hope of paying.
9. Nonnie’s Place
The doughty halfling Nonnie Farwhere runs a small inn with a kitchen and common room. While not a proper inn, it’s the closest thing to one you’ll find in whole of the Harkenwold. “Aunt Nonnie” is something of a gossip and busybody, but she minds her tongue around the Iron Circle soldiers. Nonnie charges 5 silver pieces a night for room and board.
Marl
Once a prosperous thorp surrounded by well-tilled fields, Marl has suffered heavily under the Iron Circle. Nazin Redthorn has ordered it burned as a warning to the other villages. Creatures such as dire rats, drakes, and goblins skulk around the ruins.
A few of Marl’s outlying farms are still inhabited. The nearest steading belongs to Curwen, a fretful old halfling. He and his wife Masie have taken in a dozen of Marl’s refugees. The rest of Marl’s folk have scattered to other steadings or taken refuge in Tor’s Hold.
Toadwallow Caverns
Located beneath a forested hill overlooking fetid marshland, the Toadwallow Caverns are unpleasant and ill regarded. The caverns are named for the unusual number of large, deep-throated amphibians that lurk in the boggy land nearby.
The Toadwallow is currently occupied by the Mud-Hides, a tribe of bullywugs that moved into the area a few months ago. The chieftain Gloorpk struck a deal with the Iron Circle – as long as he follows Nazin Redthorn’s orders, his clan is free to raid and plunder the western part of Harkenwold.
Tor’s Hold
Population: 141 Tor’s Hold is a group of steadings belonging to the seven children of Tor Hammerfist. Old Tor has been dead for many years now, and his offspring have each raised small clans of their own. The elder of Tor’s Hold is Bran Torsson.
The trouble with the bullywugs in the Toadwallow Caverns requires the folk of Tor’s Hold to spend most of their time defending their lands. As a result, they can’t come to the aid of the Harkenwold rebels.
White River
The White River runs the length of Harkenwold, varying from 200 to 300 feet wide, and up to 10 feet deep. Two ferries cross the waterway – one near Tor’s Hold, the other close to Easthill. Both are flatboats large enough for a horse and wagon, secured by thick hawsers. No one tends the ferries; travelers must haul themselves across.
The White River is home to the Reedfoot halfling clan – six keelboats scattered up and down the watercourse, each home to a large and boisterous family. The Reedfoots are allies of Dar Gremath, and help the resistance by carrying messages and spies the length of the vale. The leader of the clan is Willet Reedfoot, an olde, charmingly roguish fellow who earns a comfortable living storytelling in the villages close to the river.
Woodsinger Camp
Population: 80 The elves of the Woodsinger clans live in the southeastern part of the Harken Forest. This nomadic tribe consists of a dozen bands, numbering near 200 in total. Each band shifts from camp to camp every few months. The campsite marked on the map is closest to Harkenwold. A wise, cautious elf woman named Eriyel leads the band currently residing there.
The rutted King’s Road leads to the foot of a broad hill that holds the walled village of Winterhaven. The village is nestled in the southern foothills of the Cairngorm Peaks. The walls are weathered stone topped by defensive palisades.
Small thatched homes stand around Winterhaven, each fronting a small piece of farmland or pasture. Beyond the farms to the west and south lie dark woods, and to the north, tall mountain peaks.
Most residents of Winterhaven have never traveled beyond the village vale. The majority of villagers are farmers, though the walled heart of Winterhaven employs various craftspeople as well. Wagons occasionally head east down old King’s Road from Winterhaven to find trade with the next village, which lies five days away. Sometimes wagons come into Winterhaven, causing the villagers to excitedly gather in the Market Square to hear news of the outside world and to buy new and exotic goods."
Population: 977; With most living in the farms to the west and south of the village.
Leadership:
Ernest Padraig, the Lord of Winterhaven, was descended from the noble family that ruled the area under edict of the old empire. Folks around Winterhaven were happy with Lord Padraig’s father’s authority, and they have found answering to the rules of the new lord no more arduous. Padraig commanded the Winterhaven Regulars, a core group of ten soldiers who perform guard and police functions in and around the walled portion of the village. However, Erban, a religious zealot of Pelor, recently managed to oust Padraig and institute a theocratic regime in Winterhaven. Erban gained the unknown resurrection magic from the Lords of Gardmore, but has since claimed that the marvelous powers are gifted to Erban from Pelor and though Erban's lies are many, his "miracles" for which he takes sole credit are undeniable.
Demographics:
The population of Winterhaven is predominantly human, with a scattering of dwarf families, and a handful of individuals of other common races, including a couple of elves.
Economics:
Winterhaven is primarily an agricultural village based on barter and trade, though Lord Padraig keeps a monetary system afloat with his own coin. Adventurers should have no trouble purchasing appropriate items for which they have sufficient coin. Update Cardinal Erban has instituted his own coin, minted with his image, and now tithes the people.
Notable Locations
1. Outer Gate and Walls
Open by day, closed and barred at night, the outer gate is policed by two guards regardless of the hour. They nod amiably to locals, and point travelers (whom they assume to be traders) to Wrafton’s Inn. Winterhaven’s walls have a narrow parapet extending around the inside edge.
2. Wrafton’s Inn
This spacious inn and tavern serves as the public house for the region. Like alehouses everywhere, Wrafton’s Inn offers beer, wine, and, on occasion, spirits. Meals are served for those with the coin, and beds for travelers are available. A crowd of villagers gathers each night to drink, gossip, sing, and play games of chance.
In addition to village residents, any travelers passing through Winterhaven are found here. Wrafton’s owner and proprietor is a female human named Salvana Wrafton. She employs several waiters, waitresses, and cooks. Salvana is friendly and open, quick with a smile and a warm welcome.
3. Market Square
Every other day or so, carts and wagons gather in the square and offer goods to the people of Winterhaven. Once each week, the official Market Day acts as a siren’s song, calling most of the villagers to shop and socialize in the square. Farmers sell produce, hunters hawk smoked meats, villagers sell crafts, and sometimes a trader from the east sells implements or costly goods.
4. Stables
On market days these stables are filled with mounts and other beasts of burden used by sellers to haul wares. Travelers can stable their mounts here for 2 sp per day.
5. Smithy
A dwarf named Thair Coalstriker owns the village smithy. Adventurers can purchase a variety of mundane wares here, including spikes, weapons, heavy armor, and so on. Simple weapons are readily available, but military weapons require one day to complete, and superior weapons require a week of work.
6. Valthrun’s Tower
This five-story structure is the highest building in Winterhaven. The tower is rumored to be over 300 years old, and Valthrun the Prescient is its most recent resident.
7. Bairwin’s Grand Shoppe
Bairwin Wildarson traveled the world, or so he claims, before setting up shop in Winterhaven ten years ago. He has a variety of items available for sale, including potions of healing.
8. Warrior Guild
Winterhaven villagers can join the Warrior Guild and train, once per week, in basic sword and shield skills. The guild trains in Market Square on days when the market is not open. Some citizens earn militia pay (a few silver pieces per year) by training at least once per month and being on call for emergencies. Rond Kelfem, captain of the Winterhaven Regulars, also oversees the Warrior Guild. He can be found here, in the barracks, or on guard duty, depending on the time of day.
9. Tenements
The large tenement structure features apartments for the village residents who don’t own farms or who work in the businesses within the walls. Several families also live in the homes (buildings labeled H) on the west side of the village. Most of the villagers who live outside the walls are farmers and crafters who bring their wares to the Market Square to sell or trade.
10. Temple
This large stone structure is the village temple. Of the several deities worshiped by locals, Avandra, goddess of luck and change, is the most prominent. The temple priest, Sister Linora, runs services in the temple three times per week, but otherwise she is not often present. She prefers to travel among the homes outside the walls, dispensing care to villagers and animals and helping with various farm projects.
Winterhaven has a graveyard for which Sister Linora serves as caretaker. The graveyard is located a short distance south of the walled town.
11. Inner Gate
This gate is closed and guarded by two Winterhaven guards during the daytime. They sternly regard anyone who approaches and question all who wish to visit Lord Padraig in his manor without an appointment.
12. Winterhaven Siege Supplies
Though it hasn’t happened in a couple of years, on occasion Winterhaven comes under attack from bands of goblins, kobolds, or even gnolls. When such an event happens, the villagers seek refuge inside the walled keep and subsist on the supplies of water, flour, and other basic foodstuffs stored here.
13. Winterhaven Barracks
This military-style barracks is home to Winterhaven’s ten professional guards, the Regulars.
14. Manor House
The manor house where Lord Padraig, his wife, and their four sons lived is a beautiful example of stone architecture in a village otherwise composed of thatch and wood. Erban has claimed it as his own.
Once a great fortress of Cendriane, Mithrendain has blossomed into a beautiful eladrin forest-city whose buildings seem to grow naturally around the trees.
The city’s name is derived from the elf phrase “wall of the fortress,” but the word has become synonymous with the beauty and longevity of the eladrin. Mithrendain is a beautiful city resplendent with soaring towers and graceful architecture. In addition to its proper name, Mithrendain is often referred to as the Autumn City, since most of its towers are colored like autumn leaves, with yellow, gold, and bronze being common.
Mithrendain is in the Fey, a land distant from the Nentir Vale that seems to be in a state of eternal twilight. The only way to travel to the Fey from the Vale is via Feygroves, ancient forest portals that activate under a full moon or a new moon. A full moon allows one to travel from the Vale to the Fey, and a new moon grants travel in a Feygrove from the Fey back to the Vale. The thick forest around Mithrendain is too dangerous to travel, and the city is isolated, though protected.
Population: 5,000; Mithrendain is populated nearly entirely by eladrin.
Government: Mithrendain is ruled by a council of respected members of the community. They include: Ionel Velfarren, Saffrenia Movrymm, Laemu Spiremrul, Serriay Celshil, Vyndra Sysvani and Amon Bassiri (Commander of the Watchers).
Defenses: The primary defenders of Mithrendain are the members of the city guard. Mithrendain’s two primary defense mechanisms come in the form of revelation spheres and tremor wards. In addition to these are the secret police known as the Watchers in the Night.
Inns: The Waystop (in Old Battery) is one of the few outsider friendly inns, though there are many others in the city.
Taverns: (None detailed to date)
Supplies: Farmers Market, There are no "business hours" in Mithrendain, and few shops. An artist who makes what you seek is either at home (also the shop) and open or is closed.
Temples: (None detailed to date)
"Watch your back stranger, and if you have friends get them to watch your sides and your front, too. This is a dangerous place, which even the pirates call Troubletown. Let me be your guide. You can trust me! I will not lead you… astray. I can show you many magical things and wondrous treasures, for all things can be purchased in Scuttlecove. All things. The pirates have another name for this city - one I may repeat in such fine company anyway. They sometimes call it Redemption, for they say all goods in the world pass through Scuttlecove at some time, and those items come to be redeemed by them who can afford them. Follow me into the city and feel safe. Trust me and I will take you to some friends who will be happy to show you incredible things. Come travelers, follow me into Scuttlecove - the City of Sin."
Scuttlecove (population 11,960, very diverse) is a city of pirates on an island named Serkovia in the Midnight Sea, 150 miles southeast of Nentir Vale. You'll not find a more dastardly haven for violence and vice. The only ships that regularly sail to and from this port are pirate ships, and they are far from likely to take passengers except as prisoners. There are no other islands nearby, and the waters are choppy and dangerous near the island. To say that the small city of Scuttlecove is a ruptured boil on an otyugh's ass would be insulting otyughs everywhere. On its best days, a commoner wandering the streets of Scuttlecove during the day would be lucky to make it an hour without being assaulted. Now, with the withdrawal of the ur-priests of the Holy Triad, any semblance of order has nearly vanished, and things aren't quite that serene.
The city's economy is anything but stable, driven mostly by the arrival of pirate ships laden with loot, and pirates all too eager to spend it. As a result, the majority of the city's buildings tend to be dilapidated, since their owners do not have the regular income necessary to keep the properties in good repair. As of extremely recently, Scuttlecove is led by the Protectorate, a small council comprised of Adjanah, Cyrus, Kedward Bone, Tyralandi, and the collective Lords of Gardmore. Scuttlecove used to be ruled by its founders, a trio of aristocrats known only as the Holy Triad, a self-mocking title perpetuated by themselves as a sick joke. They keep the details of their names and personal lives a closely guarded secret, and rarely, if ever, venture out of their walled compound in the north end of the city these days. What goes on inside that walled compound is the subject of many rampant rumors: the one thing these rumors seem to be able to agree on is that the Holy Triad are cannibals and have discovered a way to increase their own power and strength by consuming the flesh of their kin. The Holy Triad imposed no laws save one: open worship of the gods is a crime punishable by public execution. As a result, there were no organized temples in Scuttlecove. Magical healing was provided by the Skindancers.
Physically, Scuttlecove is a diseased, filthy pit of salty depression. The streets are often muddy and choked with rubble. Here and there, the odd corpse yet to be claimed by a starving pirate for soup base bakes in the sun. The buildings are almost all one-story wooden affairs, with rickety walls, sagging roofs, and doorways consisting of strips of dried seaweed or cheap burlap. Those few buildings that can be construed as permanent are always the homes of powerful individuals. After the citizenry itself, fire and disease are the greatest terrors known to the citizens. A fire is more or less the only thing that can rally the low lives of the city into anything resembling teamwork, since the buildings are so closely packed that an uncontrolled fire could do incredible damage. Disease is another matter; fully half the citizens of Scuttlecove are afflicted with some sort of contagious disease - a natural result of cramming so many people together in a small place with no one capable of keeping outbreaks in check. The Skindancers charge exorbitant prices to remove diseases, so only the most prosperous can afford to stay well. Common diseases are filth fever, cackle fever, mindfire, red ache, festering anger, misery's passage, vile rigidity, and the shakes.
Perhaps the most powerful faction was the Crimson Fleet, an organization of pirates whose reach extended across the sea into civilized lands. Most of Scuttlecove's imports come from Crimson Fleet ships that use the port to sell off stolen cargoes. Yet despite its power, the Crimson Fleet had little control over the city's vices. The brutal and notorious leader of the Crimson Fleet was Cold Captain Wyther, a man whose reputation as a merciless killer and heartless taskmaster is likely well-deserved.
The Docks
These docks represent the lifeblood of the city: without regular arrivals of pirate ships filled with booty, the entire city would quickly collapse on itself and wither away. The Holy Triad understood this and kept the docks in fairly good condition. It allows any pirate ship to dock for free, as long as there is open space. The docks are clogged with ships, with additional ships moored further out in the harbor. The waters of the cove itself are quite treacherous and filled with numerous jagged reefs. In fact, the city earned its name due to the large number of scuttled ships that still rot in the cove. These ships have been left to provide cover against any large invasion; a single ship can pass through the maze of wrecks and reefs with relative ease if it has the proper charts, but a large fleet would never make it in time to pose a threat to the city.
The Waterfront
The Scuttlecove waterfront is the place to go if you're looking for something that can't be bought in more civilized areas. Slaves, stolen merchandise and magic, poisons, and rare magical components can all be found here. The most popular ware in the waterfront has always been drugs, though: fully a third of all the merchants in the region are drug pushers, and all of them who want to survive more than a week send half their profits to Kedward Bone. One curious note is the complete absence of anything resembling prostitutes in the region.
City Walls
The city walls surrounding Scuttlecove were erected by the Holy Triad ages ago, and they haven't been kept in good repair. Built of logs harvested from the surrounding jungle, the wooden wall averages 20 feet high. The wall is rotting and in several places has collapsed entirely, but the citizens of Scuttlecove have little worry for their degrading walls.
The Slums
A more depressing place would be hard to find. The slums of Scuttlecove consist of a tangled mess of temporary buildings made of wood, straw, mud, and even excrement or garbage, all heaped against the eastern wall on the far side of the Noyaro River. The river itself is fairly deep - nearly 30 feet in places - and as such it provides an excellent natural barrier to separate the lowest of the low. The vagabonds, rogues, and hopeless who live here are mostly harmless and spend much of their time hiding in their crude homes. This is where pirates go to die when they can't afford to be killed in a barroom brawl. Slums resident Riordan Darkly is a pale, jittery man addicted to drugs provided by Kedward Bone. He works developing poisons in secret in a small laboratory built from several interconnected basements accessible only by run-down shacks scattered throughout the slums.
1. Scuttlecove Palace
This enormous walled complex is a mystery to all of Scuttlecove's citizens. Visitors are not allowed to enter. The main structure is a vast palace built years ago by slaves of the Holy Triad. These slaves have since vanished, and it is unknown as to what lurks within the building's walls apart from the three ur-priests. They have all but walled themselves off from Scuttlecove and are rumored to be on some sort of spirit quest.
2. Parts Is Parts
This grim tower is built entirely of bones. The squat, two-story structure is owned by an enterprising gnome necromancer by the name of Rhemus Caldakar, a one time adventuring companion of Kedward Bone who now makes a living selling body parts. He regularly travels to the mainland to restock his supply of halfling baby fat. Rhemus has a relationship with another nearby gnome, Morann the Golem Madam. Morann creates golems under the guise of a physician and healer, but her true trade is a well known secret. Presently, Morann has five flesh golems held behind locked iron doors in her cellar. Three are horrifying mis-matches of claws and madman faces, while two are more special. They look almost exactly like extremely attractive dark elf females. Morann charges more for these two, as they were more difficult to find parts and obviously superior craftsmanship.
3. Skindancer Academy
This square tower of ivory is easily the tallest structure in Scuttlecove, with the exception of the Palace. Ten stories high, this building houses an order of bards who call themselves Skindancers after an erotic form of nude dancing coupled with stylistically torturing willing guests with needles and scalpels. However, now the Porphyry House has all but dominated the sex trade, so the Skindancers spend the majority of their time focusing on the art of performance torture. They also bring in a respectable income by hiring out their services as healers of wounds and diseases. The academy is run by an attractive halfling woman whose body is an intricate network of fine scars; her name is Beryoil Whistlecut. Although she seems friendly, her taste in pleasure is anything but.
4. Kedward Bone's Tower
Apart from the ur-priests of the Holy Triad, Kedward Bone is the most powerful and dangerous inhabitant of Scuttlecove. He's lived in the town since its founding and long ago realized that, given the direction the city was looking to grow, the drug trade in town would be the healthiest and most profitable of them all. After all, who needs to escape reality more than a down-on-his-luck, depressed pirate? Kedward quickly managed to take control of all the major inflow of various drugs, and since then has managed to control the trade with astonishing ease. Almost all of the actual dealing is performed by his numerous minions down in the Waterfront. Kedward Bone's stone tower is comprised of five stories of well-warded, well-protected floors. The first floor consists of one large room used to entertain guests and interview future business partners.
11. Scuttlecove Arena
One of the few structures in Scuttlecove constructed and maintained by the Holy Triad, this modest open air arena is a popular diversion for the people in the city.
12. Plaza of Hanging Ruin
Apart from the docks and arena, the Plaza of Hanging Ruin is the only structure in Scuttlecove built and maintained by the Holy Triad. This terrifying structure consists of metal and wood beams arranged in a series of concentric squares. Victims are hung from this frame on hooks and spiked chains. For the low price of 100 gp, anyone can pay to have someone mounted on the Plaza of Hanging Ruin. No questions asked. Aside from the random tax collections, this was the greatest money-maker for the Holy Triad.
14. Porphyry House
This elegant, squarish, two-story structure is constructed of dark purple and mauve porphyry. Four minarets rise from each of the building's four corners, and a central dome serves as a roof. The facade is decorated with several statues, bas-reliefs, and other carvings of handsome men and beautiful women striking lewd poses or engaged in various carnal activities. The doors themselves are 15 feet tall, golden, and detailed carvings on their face depict a frenzied orgy. The Porphyry House is somewhat new to Scuttlecove, and has become the center of the sex trade. The Lords of Gardmore recently killed Matron Wulvera and the Lolth cultists that founded the Porphyry House. In exchange for timely assistance against the dark elves, Tyralandi took over the Porphyry House.
15. The Rusty Shunt
The Rusty Shunt is a fairly well-built, two-story wooden tavern and inn, and perhaps the safest place to rest and relax in Scuttlecove. This inn is owned and run by a portly man named Lars Landicaster, a retired human bounty hunter who has a strict code against harming paying customers. His prices are triple standard, but it might be well worth the price for a safe place to rest.
16. Monastery of Dire Hunger
This grim structure is built of basalt and reinforced with strips of iron. This ominous building is the stronghold of the Order of Dire Hunger, a cabal of monks that long ago stumbled upon a method to make physical their basest emotions and separate them from their minds. The Monks of Dire Hunger were once human but are not twisted, monstrous parodies of the human frame. Their strongest belief is that true transcendence from the physical to the spiritual can be reached only by consuming nothing but one's own species. The Monks served the Holy Triad as enforcers, tax collectors, and general, all-purpose thugs. There are only a dozen Monks in Scuttlecove, and they are withdrawn into their fortress. When their masters, the ur-priests, retreated into their own palace, the monks followed suit and went into seclusion in this building.
17. Eralakni's Emporium
This large structure of green stone is owned and run by an industrious half-orc named Eralakni. The building is a sort of miniature marketplace with private booths that can be rented out to merchants. Eralakni is a trusted member of Cyrus and Adjanah's Protectorate.
One stall in the Emporium is Ingram Cadgraydian's Enchantments. This chamber is crammed with objets d'art, sculptures, plate castings of religious columns, skeletons of owlbears, and any manner of other strange paraphernalia. Cadgraydian is an enormous man, a figure of such astonishing girth and height that some suggest (but never to his face) that he has some giant in his blood. His services do not come cheap. "Genius," he says, "is a rare commodity."
Another booth belongs to Thevanan Quain's perfumery shop. White-haired old Quain bases his best perfumes on concoctions of osssra oils and ophiotoxins from yuan-ti poisons. His strange poison gases are unique and extremely powerful, if expensive.
19. The Violated Ogre
This large, two-story building is made of blocks of stone and painted red. The Violated Ogre is a fairly large tavern and inn that caters mostly to visiting adventurers. The tavern is owned and run by a retired adventurer by the name of Tolun Kiel.
Far to the west, past the Stonemarch mountains and then a vast desert lies the kingdom of Lograd (a goodly nation of a half dozen cities ruled by the human King Adorn). In the mountains not far from Lograd is Margontoah, the largest known dwarven settlement and home to the Steelpeak and Runecarver clans (among others). Kun hails from this dwarfhome.
To the north of the vast cold Winterbole forest (and ancestral home of the Snowfang shifter tribe of Udoros) there is simply glaciers, ice, and broken ground.
To the south of the Vale is the Barony of Therund, which consists of two towns. Therund is a town where Baron Therund makes his home - and to its east is Moonstair, a small coastal settlement. Further south is Nera, the old center of the ancient Empire of Nerath, and the impassably huge jungle that surrounds it. Yet further south of that lies larger and more foreign tropical coastal settlements, such as Sasserine. Finally, a thousand miles south, the dark mages of the Iron Circle rule over the Kingdom of Rethmil with slaves and powerful artifacts.
East and Southeast is the Midnight Sea. Most of the world beyond the Vale is connected by this sea. Moonstair, Nera, Sasserine, and the pirate isles of Scuttlecove, are all somewhat isolated on land and get most of their travel, goods, and news from the waters. This is why Scuttlecove's piracy is such a regional problem.
