Crown Pasture (1 in 10/3 hrs; 2d6)
02. Ankheg cluster (d3+1)
03. Ankheg (1)
04. Giant soldier ant gang (d3+1)
05. Medium viper (1)
06. Stray dog (1)
07. Goblin gang (d6+3)
08. Small viper (1)
09. Giant ant work crew (d6+5 plus 1 soldier)
10. Dire weasel (d2)
11. Huge viper (1)
12. Spider eater (1)
Frail Forest (1 in 10/2 hrs; 2d6)
02. Spider eater (1)
03. Owlbear (d8)
04. Dire wolf pack (d4+4)
05. Black bear (d2)
06. Elf squad (d3+1)
07. Kobold gang (d6+3)
08. Wolf pack (d10+6)
09. Krenshar (1)
10. Krenshar pride (d5+5)
11. Giant owl (d5)
12. Ettin gang (d3+1)
Skunk Ridge (2 in 10/3 hrs; 2d6)
02. Bulette (d2)
03. Ettin gang (d3+1)
04. Dire wolverine (d2)
05. Dire wolf pack (d4+4)
06. Dire weasel (d2)
07. Troglodyte clutch (d4+1)
08. Troglodyte squad (d6+5 plus d2 monitor lizards)
09. Giant wasp (d5)
10. Giant stag beetle cluster (d4+1)
11. Giant stag beetle mass (d6+5)
12. Hill giant raiding party (d4+5 plus d3+1 dire wolves)
Tooth Marsh (2 in 10/2 hrs; 2d6)
02. Tendriculos (1)
03. Manticore (d6)
04. Lizardfolk band (d5+5 plus 50% noncombatants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level)
05. Choker (1)
06. Lizardfolk gang (d2+1)
07. Stirge (2d4)
08. Orc gang (d3+1)
09. Crocodile (d6+5)
10. Orc squad (d10+10 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level)
11. Five-headed hydra (1)
12. Eight-headed hydra (1)
Udders Well, Rivers/Lakes (1 in 10/2 hrs; 2d6)
02. Five-headed hydra (1)
03. Merrow (d8)
04. Nixie band (d6+5)
05. Nixie gang (d3+1)
06. Troglodyte clutch (d4+1)
07. Kobold gang (d6+3)
08. Small viper (1)
09. Medium viper (1)
10. Crocodile (1)
11. Huge viper (1)
12. Scrag (d4)
Vernal Wall (1 in 10/3 hrs; 2d6)
02. Ettin colony (d3+2 plus d2 brown bears and d6+6 orcs or d8+8 goblins)
03. Ettin (d4)
04. Troll (d4)
05. Bugbear band (d10+10 plus 150% noncombatants, 2 2nd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 2nd-5th level)
06. Giant eagle eyrie (d8+4)
07. Bugbear (d4)
08. Dwarf squad (d10+10 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level)
09. Gargoyle (d12+4)
10. Mountain lion (aka dire lion) (d2)
11. Dire bear (d2)
12. Stone giant raiding party (d4+5 plus 1 elder)
Showing posts with label vernal valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vernal valley. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Vernal Valley Sub-Regions
Crown Pasture: Occupying the southeast corner of the Vernal Valley, the Crown Pasture is the primary farming land used by the citizens of Floivin Province. Much of the land is broken off into farmsteads, who trade among themselves and also bring their goods to Halehusk and Livenoak where they barter them for clothing and other necessities. Several of the farmsteads serve as local distilleries or breweries, and several are overseen directly by the Eidolorn government. The rest of the farmsteads pay an annual tithe to the Empire, but are allowed to buy and sell their produce as desired. While it's not an extremely dangerous area of the Valley, farmers are often beset upon by ankhegs, giant ants, dire weasels, vipers and goblin marauders who creep into the Valley through the Great Westermarch road.
Frail Forest: The Frail Forest is home to both bands of elves native to the Vernal Valley: the Roodeyes and Reddenbalms. Both are nomadic families who wander about the forest seasonally, occasionally crossing over to the Crown Pasture or Skunk Ridge to set up their camps. Otherwise, the Forest is a great source for woodland game, and the primary source of lumber in Floivin Province, so camps of woodcutters are quite common on the outskirts. In the center of the Forest lies the beautiful Eastnesse with its crystal waters, so clear that one can often see close to the bottom of its 30 foot depths during a bright summer day. It's the primary source of fresh water for the game in the area, so hunters will often set up around its shores. The villages of Livenoak and Littlewolf are also found here, and the ruined dwarf keep known as Ettencap, which is dangerous and off limits save for the Last Eidolorn soldiers who maintain a vigil upon it. The Forest has been cleared of most of its most deadly game by now, but some predators still exist, including krenshar, black bears, dire wolves and giant owls. Several small clans of kobolds are also believed to exist in the region, though they are known more as pests who steal supplies from hunting and logging camps than an outright threat.
Skunk Ridge: Skunk Ridge is so named for the plethora of bizarre skunkweed plants that dominate its otherwise rocky, rolling hills. The region comprises the entire area between the Pinewater and Midge Creek rivers, stretching south over the Udders Well and north through Oldbone Pass which eventually arrives in the Province of Wintersbreath. Tarndim is a fishing community on a small bridge of rock over the Well, and Cedarway is a small shipping stop located on the west ban of the Pinewater, where goods are checked and organized for trade to the neighboring Province. The skunkweed and other herbs are noted for their medicinal or olfactory traits, but the Ridge is also home to a number of dangers. Giant stag beetles, dire wolves, troglodytes and even mating bulettes are known to frequent the area, and citizens are advised to stay far away from them. In addition, there are a great many small, abandoned mines dotting the region, and many a hollow hill which might house a dwarf barrow from times predating Imperial rule.
Tooth Marsh: Perhaps the most diverse terrain of the Vernal Valley, the Tooth Marsh is full of swamp groves to the north, peters off into flat wetlands in its center, and becomes slightly more solid and rocky to the south, where a valley pass leads through the Mimresh to the Fyreklaw barrens beyond. A great range of herbs and wildlife can be found within, as the Marsh has a more diverse ecology than any other area of the Valley. Hobfast is the one settlement here, on the western bank of Udders Well, but scavengers, hunters and pickers can often be found scattered through the Marsh. Though the war against Fharkkas the Gnawer catalyzed the cleansing of most of the more dangerous creatures in the Marsh by the Last Eidolon guard, there remain a number of hostile enemies: lizardfolk, stirges, chokers and small hydras have been spotted here through the years, and there is always the threat of an invasion via the Mimresh.
Udders Well: One of the largest freshwater lakes in all of the Eidolorn Empire, the Udders Well is fed by the 'Udders', an ancient damn that controls the flow of the higher Dimnesse waters into the lake and out through the Pinewater and Midge Creek to lands beyond the Vernal Wall. The Well is a major resource for fishing, drinking water and recreation, and probably the real lifesblood of both the Empire living here and the previous Gnarlbottom clan. Small fishing craft are common on its waters, and occasionally a river barge from Wintersbreath, but the Last Eidolon guard maintain no naval force in Floivin Province. The Well is suspected to be close to 200 feet deep in its center, and there are a number of dangerous denizens which fishermen must do their best to avoid: scrags and merrow raiders that come upriver through the Midge Creek are not unheard of, dire bass are a deadly prize, and more than one freshwater hydra is known to lurk beneath its waters.
Vernal Wall: The massive mountainous enclosure surrounding the Vernal Valley is both a blessing and curse. It provides great protection from both the elements and invasion, provided you can defend the various river and land passes which offer access. But it's also home to some of the more dangerous monsters of the region, and its vast walls are dotted with old mines, burial sites and former dwarven holds: Haunted Horrn, Crowslode and the Dwarf Lords' Rest are all found upon its cliffs and slopes. There is only one community in the Wall, the Hud Horrn which lies below its overrun neighbor on the Haunted Path in the western mountains, but mountaineers, miners and even the more daring birdwatchers of the Empire are often found in the heights, which rise above 2,000 feet in some areas. It's suspected that deep below the Wall, various old dwarf fortresses and cities may lie, that predate Floivin Keep itself. The more common denizens of its heights include mountain lions, dire bears, giant eagles, gargoyles and bugbear tribes that ascend to the peaks from the subterranean depths, and who knows what else lies below the roots of the Vernal Wall's many, many caverns.
Frail Forest: The Frail Forest is home to both bands of elves native to the Vernal Valley: the Roodeyes and Reddenbalms. Both are nomadic families who wander about the forest seasonally, occasionally crossing over to the Crown Pasture or Skunk Ridge to set up their camps. Otherwise, the Forest is a great source for woodland game, and the primary source of lumber in Floivin Province, so camps of woodcutters are quite common on the outskirts. In the center of the Forest lies the beautiful Eastnesse with its crystal waters, so clear that one can often see close to the bottom of its 30 foot depths during a bright summer day. It's the primary source of fresh water for the game in the area, so hunters will often set up around its shores. The villages of Livenoak and Littlewolf are also found here, and the ruined dwarf keep known as Ettencap, which is dangerous and off limits save for the Last Eidolorn soldiers who maintain a vigil upon it. The Forest has been cleared of most of its most deadly game by now, but some predators still exist, including krenshar, black bears, dire wolves and giant owls. Several small clans of kobolds are also believed to exist in the region, though they are known more as pests who steal supplies from hunting and logging camps than an outright threat.
Skunk Ridge: Skunk Ridge is so named for the plethora of bizarre skunkweed plants that dominate its otherwise rocky, rolling hills. The region comprises the entire area between the Pinewater and Midge Creek rivers, stretching south over the Udders Well and north through Oldbone Pass which eventually arrives in the Province of Wintersbreath. Tarndim is a fishing community on a small bridge of rock over the Well, and Cedarway is a small shipping stop located on the west ban of the Pinewater, where goods are checked and organized for trade to the neighboring Province. The skunkweed and other herbs are noted for their medicinal or olfactory traits, but the Ridge is also home to a number of dangers. Giant stag beetles, dire wolves, troglodytes and even mating bulettes are known to frequent the area, and citizens are advised to stay far away from them. In addition, there are a great many small, abandoned mines dotting the region, and many a hollow hill which might house a dwarf barrow from times predating Imperial rule.
Tooth Marsh: Perhaps the most diverse terrain of the Vernal Valley, the Tooth Marsh is full of swamp groves to the north, peters off into flat wetlands in its center, and becomes slightly more solid and rocky to the south, where a valley pass leads through the Mimresh to the Fyreklaw barrens beyond. A great range of herbs and wildlife can be found within, as the Marsh has a more diverse ecology than any other area of the Valley. Hobfast is the one settlement here, on the western bank of Udders Well, but scavengers, hunters and pickers can often be found scattered through the Marsh. Though the war against Fharkkas the Gnawer catalyzed the cleansing of most of the more dangerous creatures in the Marsh by the Last Eidolon guard, there remain a number of hostile enemies: lizardfolk, stirges, chokers and small hydras have been spotted here through the years, and there is always the threat of an invasion via the Mimresh.
Udders Well: One of the largest freshwater lakes in all of the Eidolorn Empire, the Udders Well is fed by the 'Udders', an ancient damn that controls the flow of the higher Dimnesse waters into the lake and out through the Pinewater and Midge Creek to lands beyond the Vernal Wall. The Well is a major resource for fishing, drinking water and recreation, and probably the real lifesblood of both the Empire living here and the previous Gnarlbottom clan. Small fishing craft are common on its waters, and occasionally a river barge from Wintersbreath, but the Last Eidolon guard maintain no naval force in Floivin Province. The Well is suspected to be close to 200 feet deep in its center, and there are a number of dangerous denizens which fishermen must do their best to avoid: scrags and merrow raiders that come upriver through the Midge Creek are not unheard of, dire bass are a deadly prize, and more than one freshwater hydra is known to lurk beneath its waters.
Vernal Wall: The massive mountainous enclosure surrounding the Vernal Valley is both a blessing and curse. It provides great protection from both the elements and invasion, provided you can defend the various river and land passes which offer access. But it's also home to some of the more dangerous monsters of the region, and its vast walls are dotted with old mines, burial sites and former dwarven holds: Haunted Horrn, Crowslode and the Dwarf Lords' Rest are all found upon its cliffs and slopes. There is only one community in the Wall, the Hud Horrn which lies below its overrun neighbor on the Haunted Path in the western mountains, but mountaineers, miners and even the more daring birdwatchers of the Empire are often found in the heights, which rise above 2,000 feet in some areas. It's suspected that deep below the Wall, various old dwarf fortresses and cities may lie, that predate Floivin Keep itself. The more common denizens of its heights include mountain lions, dire bears, giant eagles, gargoyles and bugbear tribes that ascend to the peaks from the subterranean depths, and who knows what else lies below the roots of the Vernal Wall's many, many caverns.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Adventure Sites of the Vernal Valley
Crowslode: Located in the Southern face of the Vernal Wall, far north of Floivin Keep, is a walled off mining shaft where a substantial operation was once thriving. In the year 764 I.D., a band of over 40 human and dwarven prospectors were killed by what rumors insist was the poisonous gas vents and various natural deathtraps. Few of the remains were recovered, but those that were seemed to show not only signs of asphyxiation or burns, but other evidence of struggle. Regent Goosearm, the 4th to hold the title in the Province of Floivin, sent a team of seasoned adventurers from across the Empire into the mine to see if it was salvageable. When the team never returned, it was decided that the mine be sealed off. The only individuals to venture here today are foolish prospectors with no sense for self preservation, and an occasional foot patrol from Cedarway, checking on the area.
Dwarf Lords' Rest: The entrance to this vast mountainside tomb in the southeast corner of the Crown Pasture is flanked by a pair of great dwarven statutes, carved nearly a thousand years ago. It's a landmark so impressive that the Eidolorn Empire has ordered the team sealed off since they took over the Valley. Legend has it that the entire lineage of the Gnarlbottom clan, as well as their predecessors, are buried deep within the tomb. While the 'official' word is that the vaults are guarded out of respect and the site's historical value, some speculate that the Last Eidolorn guard has long since plundered the graves of the kings. Of course, such speculations tend to arrive on the lips of the Gnarlbottom's bitter descendants who remain in the Valley today. The only thing for sure is that a patrol of 4-6 Eidolorn soldiers is found camped about the tomb at all hours of the day.
Ettenhead: A crumbling forest keep that was once the entrance to an underground passage that led through the Vernal Wall to an ancient dwarven hold on the other side. The Ettenhead has long since fallen to a savage clan of ogres and other brutes that are led by a crafty, hidden figure known as the Titan of the Glen. Every decade or so, the Last Eidolorn guard have launched a formidable assault on the site, only to be driven back by the dangerous defenses the ogres have in play. Yet, the giant-folk have never launched a retaliation, even on the nearby community of Littlewolf. The situation has long since cast an uneasy shadow on Floivin Keep. Are the ogres and their shadowy master slowly gathering forces through the years, from beyond the Valley, to launch one decisive strike? Or are they worried the Empire will get through? Most dwarves will answer that the old keep had fallen long before their time, and that the ogres have held it for many centuries.
Haunted Horrn: High in the Vernal Wall, towards the West of the Valley, and beyond the sheltered community of Hud Horrn, lies a ruined dwarf stronghold which was razed by predators from the depths of the Underdark, 50 years before the Empire arrived to claim the region. This site is very popular with adventurers, who come far and wide from all the Seven Provinces to test their hand in its dark chambers. Through the years, several of the upper levels of the Horrn have been 'cleared', only to restock themselves as more powerful creatures move up to replace the weaker. It is now considered one of the most dangerous places in the Vale, and the Last Eidolorn keeps a constant vigil that the denizens, which now include a potent warband of bugbears known as the Blooded Lash, do not expand their territory beyond the ruins.
Mimresh: A tower of obsidian and steel, which was once the property of the Gnarlbottom dwarves who used it as a defense against orc invaders from the Fyreklaw barrens beyond. When the Gnarlbottom Clan attempted to stave off the Eidolorn Empire's advance, they drew forces from the tower, leaving it relatively weakened, and it was then that the orcs would strike in vast numbers, under the guidance of then-warlord Fharkkas the Gnawer. Realizing too late their mistake, the Gnarlbottom Clan surrendered to the Empire that they might drive out the orcs and spare the dwarf families a life of harsh slavery. But while able to free the Valley of the Gnawer's invasion force, the foul creatures had successfully captured and defended the tower, now known as the Mimresh, and they hold it to this day, though they serve a new master, Dror Gheel, the Slavemaster of Sothos Karr. The tower is 60' feet of fortified stone and steel, with twisted, barbed coils of mesh that lie strewn about the pass before it, and over 100 orc troops that will defend for fear of failure. At all times, an encampment of at least 20 Imperial soldiers including one Sergeant or higher rank will be found a half mile to the north of the Mimresh, should the brutes decide one day to again attempt a violent expansion.
Sunken Forge: An extremely well fortified crypt that delves deep below the center of Greataxe Island on the waters of Udders Well, the Sunken Forge has stood for as long as the dwarves can remember, in the dawn of their earliest civilization in the Vernal Valley. Only the topmost level of the crypt has been accessed by the Eidolorn Empire, who always maintain a pair of guards on the Island to keep watch over it. But none have been able to bypass the perplexing puzzle that promises entrance to the rest of the Forge, not even some of the greatest thinkers of the Empire or beyond, who are allowed access by appointment with the Regent. Local dwarf descendants often ramble about an extremely powerful artifact housed within the Forge, and a massive store of the finest crafting ore available, mithril, but even they do not know the specifics.
Dwarf Lords' Rest: The entrance to this vast mountainside tomb in the southeast corner of the Crown Pasture is flanked by a pair of great dwarven statutes, carved nearly a thousand years ago. It's a landmark so impressive that the Eidolorn Empire has ordered the team sealed off since they took over the Valley. Legend has it that the entire lineage of the Gnarlbottom clan, as well as their predecessors, are buried deep within the tomb. While the 'official' word is that the vaults are guarded out of respect and the site's historical value, some speculate that the Last Eidolorn guard has long since plundered the graves of the kings. Of course, such speculations tend to arrive on the lips of the Gnarlbottom's bitter descendants who remain in the Valley today. The only thing for sure is that a patrol of 4-6 Eidolorn soldiers is found camped about the tomb at all hours of the day.
Ettenhead: A crumbling forest keep that was once the entrance to an underground passage that led through the Vernal Wall to an ancient dwarven hold on the other side. The Ettenhead has long since fallen to a savage clan of ogres and other brutes that are led by a crafty, hidden figure known as the Titan of the Glen. Every decade or so, the Last Eidolorn guard have launched a formidable assault on the site, only to be driven back by the dangerous defenses the ogres have in play. Yet, the giant-folk have never launched a retaliation, even on the nearby community of Littlewolf. The situation has long since cast an uneasy shadow on Floivin Keep. Are the ogres and their shadowy master slowly gathering forces through the years, from beyond the Valley, to launch one decisive strike? Or are they worried the Empire will get through? Most dwarves will answer that the old keep had fallen long before their time, and that the ogres have held it for many centuries.
Haunted Horrn: High in the Vernal Wall, towards the West of the Valley, and beyond the sheltered community of Hud Horrn, lies a ruined dwarf stronghold which was razed by predators from the depths of the Underdark, 50 years before the Empire arrived to claim the region. This site is very popular with adventurers, who come far and wide from all the Seven Provinces to test their hand in its dark chambers. Through the years, several of the upper levels of the Horrn have been 'cleared', only to restock themselves as more powerful creatures move up to replace the weaker. It is now considered one of the most dangerous places in the Vale, and the Last Eidolorn keeps a constant vigil that the denizens, which now include a potent warband of bugbears known as the Blooded Lash, do not expand their territory beyond the ruins.
Mimresh: A tower of obsidian and steel, which was once the property of the Gnarlbottom dwarves who used it as a defense against orc invaders from the Fyreklaw barrens beyond. When the Gnarlbottom Clan attempted to stave off the Eidolorn Empire's advance, they drew forces from the tower, leaving it relatively weakened, and it was then that the orcs would strike in vast numbers, under the guidance of then-warlord Fharkkas the Gnawer. Realizing too late their mistake, the Gnarlbottom Clan surrendered to the Empire that they might drive out the orcs and spare the dwarf families a life of harsh slavery. But while able to free the Valley of the Gnawer's invasion force, the foul creatures had successfully captured and defended the tower, now known as the Mimresh, and they hold it to this day, though they serve a new master, Dror Gheel, the Slavemaster of Sothos Karr. The tower is 60' feet of fortified stone and steel, with twisted, barbed coils of mesh that lie strewn about the pass before it, and over 100 orc troops that will defend for fear of failure. At all times, an encampment of at least 20 Imperial soldiers including one Sergeant or higher rank will be found a half mile to the north of the Mimresh, should the brutes decide one day to again attempt a violent expansion.
Sunken Forge: An extremely well fortified crypt that delves deep below the center of Greataxe Island on the waters of Udders Well, the Sunken Forge has stood for as long as the dwarves can remember, in the dawn of their earliest civilization in the Vernal Valley. Only the topmost level of the crypt has been accessed by the Eidolorn Empire, who always maintain a pair of guards on the Island to keep watch over it. But none have been able to bypass the perplexing puzzle that promises entrance to the rest of the Forge, not even some of the greatest thinkers of the Empire or beyond, who are allowed access by appointment with the Regent. Local dwarf descendants often ramble about an extremely powerful artifact housed within the Forge, and a massive store of the finest crafting ore available, mithril, but even they do not know the specifics.
Communities of Udders Well
Cedarway (thorp, pop. 60)
The tiny Cedarway is essentially a shipping stop where river craft are laden with supplies to and from the Province of Wintersbreath, which lies well beyond the Vernal Wall. Goods are inspected by Lieutenant Hoary and 10 handpicked soldiers of the Last Legion Guard. There are no drinking holes, few actual structures here and few goods and services available to those who happen upon the place
Floivin Keep (small city, pop. 6500)
A massive, fortified keep that sits atop the ancient, dwarven-crafted damn known as the 'Udders'. This is both the capital and cultural center for the Floivin Province of the Eidolorn Empire, and houses the current appointed ruler, Regent Bauerkroft, his family, and over 600 soldiers of the Last Eidolorn Guard. Other noteworthy institutions within the city walls include the Arkana Arkiva (wizards' guild), the Cathedral of Blades, House Hosspotch, and the Well's Edge Market, a large, open-air bazaar which serves both the local community and the wealth of merchants and travelers who visit the city during the spring and summer seasons. Famous drinking holes here include the Dirty Dagger Alehouse, Seven Flood Inn, Twin Lizard Tap and the Fiery Rat. The Keep is accessed through two massive iron gates flanking the city, east and west, along the Udders on the Great Westermarch road, and the structure is extremely difficult to assault, due to its location upon the damn and the various anti-siege armaments the Last Eidolorn can employ when needed. Floivin Keep was built over 300 years ago by the Gnarlbottom clan, before they were assimilated into the expanding Empire.
Halehusk (small town, pop. 1200)
This pastoral settlement town sits along the eastern bank of Udders Well, and serves as both a sizable fishing community and a farmer's market. It was the first settlement established when the Eidolorn Empire arrived in the Valley through the Great Westermarch road in 718 I.D. Today the population consists largely of cooks, fishermen, shippers and receivers who transport crops and livestock along the road to Floivin Keep and across the Well to other shoreline communities like Hobfast and Tarndim. The town is governed by Captain Tarl Treadmyr of the Last Eidolorn Division, and defended by a consignment of 40 soldiers. Travelers may rest their feet at the Lone Wheel House or take their spirits at the Blind Vixen.
Hobfast (village, pop. 700)
Hobfast is a small community located on the western bank of the Udders Well, home to the local chapter of the Anglers' Guild. It's location in the Tooth Marsh makes it a popular haven for herbalists and hunters, and all manner of interesting crafts and items are made from resources found in the swamp. There's also a sizable presence of the Hosspotch family here, which runs the Crimson Harpy, i.e. the sole barroom that doubles as an inn (and gambling den). There are over 100 Last Eidolorn troops stationed in Hobfast, but as many are assigned to patrol the southern borders of the Tooth Marsh, where a narrow pass leads to the orc hold of Mimresh, you can expect only half that many present at any given time, in the command of Captain Reckon, a dour and oft drunken dwarf who is one of the fewest of his kind to take up arms for the Empire.
Hud Horrn (hamlet, pop. 200)
The Hud Horrn is a former dwarven outpost upon which numerous human structures have been built. It's a popular location for prospectors as well as adventurers, for further along the Vernal Wall, on the Haunted Path lies a nearly identical stronghold known as Haunted Horrn. Rumors persist that the place is swarming with dangerous beasts from the depths of the mountains, and perhaps even the spirits of dwarf soldiers who were slaughtered here some 200 years past by an unknown force. The Hud Horrn itself is a tightly knit group of fortified buildings to protect against dire weather and other hazards of the heights, and a few abandoned mines lie beneath it. There's an inn here known as the Laughing Hand Lodge, and the Floivin Dungeoneer's Guild, which focuses on both exploration and mining for profit. A grizzled old mountaineer named Sergeant Mastiff is in charge here, with a score of his soldiers, but a number of folks dwelling here are pretty handy in a fight. They need to be.
Littlewolf (hamlet, pop. 160)
Littlewolf is a small community which technically lies outside the jurisdiction of Floivin Province, as it is largely a gathering place for those of the Roodeye and Reddenbalm bands. However, the Empire does maintain a presence of 10 soldiers here by permission of Herr Jaeger Reddenbalm, the eldest and wisest elf in all of the Vernal Valley, over 800 years old! The elven bands take turns governing the hamlet, each 20 years. There are no drinking establishments in Littlewolf, but spirits and entertainment can be had by all, as the elves love to entertain for a fee or a favor. It is also the one place in all Floivin province where the Circle of the Crow maintains an 'official' presence. You can contact their representative Shayla the Swineherd, who is constantly toiling about with her stable of wild boars.
Livenoak (village, pop. 600)
The hearty folk of Livenoak live on the border of the Frail Forest and Crown Pasture, and see a large amount of foot and mounted traffic through the year along the Great Westermarch road. Many foresters and trappers bring wooden craftable items, skins and furs to Livenoak to trade with merchants passing through, and the village is known for the beautiful sounds made by hundreds of wooden wind-chimes that hang from the tree-limbs and ramshackle tent houses. There's a large tent-hostel here known as Leaping Knuckle Lodge, where one can also purchase some cheap ale. Captain Morse Mooney is in charge of the village's protection, and a consignment of 30 Last Eidolorn troops.
Tarndim (hamlet, pop. 400)
The Dimtarn is a purely fishing community that lies on a small peninsula of land projecting into the Udders Well from the Skunk Ridge area. It's so deep in the Valley that there are only 10 soldiers assigned to its protection, and one of the few communities governed by a non-military personnel, Blake Bauerkroft, nephew of the Regent. Most of its business is conducted by trades in other shoreline communities, so there is no real market here, unless you need a swift water craft or fine fishing gear. There is one cheap tavern here called the Steady Oar.
The tiny Cedarway is essentially a shipping stop where river craft are laden with supplies to and from the Province of Wintersbreath, which lies well beyond the Vernal Wall. Goods are inspected by Lieutenant Hoary and 10 handpicked soldiers of the Last Legion Guard. There are no drinking holes, few actual structures here and few goods and services available to those who happen upon the place
Floivin Keep (small city, pop. 6500)
A massive, fortified keep that sits atop the ancient, dwarven-crafted damn known as the 'Udders'. This is both the capital and cultural center for the Floivin Province of the Eidolorn Empire, and houses the current appointed ruler, Regent Bauerkroft, his family, and over 600 soldiers of the Last Eidolorn Guard. Other noteworthy institutions within the city walls include the Arkana Arkiva (wizards' guild), the Cathedral of Blades, House Hosspotch, and the Well's Edge Market, a large, open-air bazaar which serves both the local community and the wealth of merchants and travelers who visit the city during the spring and summer seasons. Famous drinking holes here include the Dirty Dagger Alehouse, Seven Flood Inn, Twin Lizard Tap and the Fiery Rat. The Keep is accessed through two massive iron gates flanking the city, east and west, along the Udders on the Great Westermarch road, and the structure is extremely difficult to assault, due to its location upon the damn and the various anti-siege armaments the Last Eidolorn can employ when needed. Floivin Keep was built over 300 years ago by the Gnarlbottom clan, before they were assimilated into the expanding Empire.
Halehusk (small town, pop. 1200)
This pastoral settlement town sits along the eastern bank of Udders Well, and serves as both a sizable fishing community and a farmer's market. It was the first settlement established when the Eidolorn Empire arrived in the Valley through the Great Westermarch road in 718 I.D. Today the population consists largely of cooks, fishermen, shippers and receivers who transport crops and livestock along the road to Floivin Keep and across the Well to other shoreline communities like Hobfast and Tarndim. The town is governed by Captain Tarl Treadmyr of the Last Eidolorn Division, and defended by a consignment of 40 soldiers. Travelers may rest their feet at the Lone Wheel House or take their spirits at the Blind Vixen.
Hobfast (village, pop. 700)
Hobfast is a small community located on the western bank of the Udders Well, home to the local chapter of the Anglers' Guild. It's location in the Tooth Marsh makes it a popular haven for herbalists and hunters, and all manner of interesting crafts and items are made from resources found in the swamp. There's also a sizable presence of the Hosspotch family here, which runs the Crimson Harpy, i.e. the sole barroom that doubles as an inn (and gambling den). There are over 100 Last Eidolorn troops stationed in Hobfast, but as many are assigned to patrol the southern borders of the Tooth Marsh, where a narrow pass leads to the orc hold of Mimresh, you can expect only half that many present at any given time, in the command of Captain Reckon, a dour and oft drunken dwarf who is one of the fewest of his kind to take up arms for the Empire.
Hud Horrn (hamlet, pop. 200)
The Hud Horrn is a former dwarven outpost upon which numerous human structures have been built. It's a popular location for prospectors as well as adventurers, for further along the Vernal Wall, on the Haunted Path lies a nearly identical stronghold known as Haunted Horrn. Rumors persist that the place is swarming with dangerous beasts from the depths of the mountains, and perhaps even the spirits of dwarf soldiers who were slaughtered here some 200 years past by an unknown force. The Hud Horrn itself is a tightly knit group of fortified buildings to protect against dire weather and other hazards of the heights, and a few abandoned mines lie beneath it. There's an inn here known as the Laughing Hand Lodge, and the Floivin Dungeoneer's Guild, which focuses on both exploration and mining for profit. A grizzled old mountaineer named Sergeant Mastiff is in charge here, with a score of his soldiers, but a number of folks dwelling here are pretty handy in a fight. They need to be.
Littlewolf (hamlet, pop. 160)
Littlewolf is a small community which technically lies outside the jurisdiction of Floivin Province, as it is largely a gathering place for those of the Roodeye and Reddenbalm bands. However, the Empire does maintain a presence of 10 soldiers here by permission of Herr Jaeger Reddenbalm, the eldest and wisest elf in all of the Vernal Valley, over 800 years old! The elven bands take turns governing the hamlet, each 20 years. There are no drinking establishments in Littlewolf, but spirits and entertainment can be had by all, as the elves love to entertain for a fee or a favor. It is also the one place in all Floivin province where the Circle of the Crow maintains an 'official' presence. You can contact their representative Shayla the Swineherd, who is constantly toiling about with her stable of wild boars.
Livenoak (village, pop. 600)
The hearty folk of Livenoak live on the border of the Frail Forest and Crown Pasture, and see a large amount of foot and mounted traffic through the year along the Great Westermarch road. Many foresters and trappers bring wooden craftable items, skins and furs to Livenoak to trade with merchants passing through, and the village is known for the beautiful sounds made by hundreds of wooden wind-chimes that hang from the tree-limbs and ramshackle tent houses. There's a large tent-hostel here known as Leaping Knuckle Lodge, where one can also purchase some cheap ale. Captain Morse Mooney is in charge of the village's protection, and a consignment of 30 Last Eidolorn troops.
Tarndim (hamlet, pop. 400)
The Dimtarn is a purely fishing community that lies on a small peninsula of land projecting into the Udders Well from the Skunk Ridge area. It's so deep in the Valley that there are only 10 soldiers assigned to its protection, and one of the few communities governed by a non-military personnel, Blake Bauerkroft, nephew of the Regent. Most of its business is conducted by trades in other shoreline communities, so there is no real market here, unless you need a swift water craft or fine fishing gear. There is one cheap tavern here called the Steady Oar.
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