Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mageframe 08-23-07, 06:01 AM	I am working on a module story and I need a place in Forgotten Realms to stage it. Can anyone suggestion a location that fits the following? I need a mountian village that has nearby river or stream access. It should be on some road that ties other communites together. It should also be borders at least some patch of heavy woods and forest. Here is the story outline but the names are not set since this needs to happen somewhere else: Rafa The story begins with a small forest village named Rafa. This community has been an outpost to the local government and it sees enough road traffic to provide a rest stop for weary travelers. Many villagers grow their crops and pasture their own livestock. Merchant caravans frequent the road often enough to trade spices and other hard to find items. Strange things have been happening lately though. The village is going insane. In the past year more and more villagers are losing their minds. They become incoherent shells that are not at all like their former selves. The only cure has been provided by the wanderers. They are a group of gypsies that have stopped in the forest. Some villagers seemed to have been helped by the wanderers but their close family members claim that they are not truly the same. Eventually the village is forced to send the unfortunate ones that cannot afford or do not respond the gypsies cure into “camp” where they cannot harm others. The “camp” is run by a local church that has questionable intent. But no one else can handle “The Lost”. No one recalls how it started. “The Lost” began with a simple farmer, then a militia guard and then an old couple near the edge of the village. The player enters and speaks with various villagers who all have stories about family or friends that have joined “The Lost”. The player can find some mundane work such as goblin hunting while exploring the local area. The local area should consist of: Village center with sign and postings for help. This also holds the ranking of the goblin ear collectors. Inn with pub and patrons. Town hall for redeeming goblin ear bounties. Meager homes and farms. Chickens and eggs, cows and fences. Good Church with healing and potions. River and well for water. Wagons and merchant that sells just about everything. Evil Church is on the outskirts of the village with “The Camp”. WestWood The west forest is unexplored and dangerous. Packs of wild wolves roam freely and it would not be uncommon to encounter a patrol of goblins or worse in this dense wood. Not much is known about this expanse of wilderness and the rangers who occasionally come out of it talk little to anyone in the village. In fact some villagers have related the ranger visits to other bad things happening around the village. “Someone always loses a cow to wolves or worse!” they claim. Rangers rarely walk the village in mid-day and players who are rangers will be treated with suspicion. Unknown to the villagers the WestWood consists of: · Two rangers that communicate with the natural wildlife of the forest. · A large den of wolves that has regular pack activity. · A goblin lair that is commanded by one lone Ogre. The goblins are in possession of a document that details proper irrigation and water routing techniques. Acquiring the document begin the quest to look in the mountains of the north road. · A few wild creatures of varying challenge ratings. North Road The North Road leads on up and through the mountains. There is a waterfall here and this is where Gog has poisoned the water supply or Rafa. Gog has a well armed post here hidden in the mountains. He employs men militia and trolls. Once Gog is defeated the player discovers evidence of MayGog who is a much more powerful archmage that has planned the entire endeavor. This is the beginning of Chapter Two if there is one. South Road The South Road runs into the plains and lower hills. The gypsy camp is here and the players can trade with them at higher rates. The player can also get a fortune telling that states any victory in the future may be like poking a sleeping bear with a stick. There may be a riddle to reward the player with a special item. Run when you ____, Fight when you ____, Rest when you ____. Any answer is correct using the following: Have to, Must, Can. The gypsies will ask the player to join them forever. If the player consents they join “The Lost”. (Maybe they wake up in “The Camp” and they have to sneak out. I don’t know how to do this but we’ll see.) thanks! Mageframe
charonsg 08-23-07, 06:26 AM	the dalelands will be good choose one of the more obscure dales for the location
Red_Wizard 08-23-07, 08:54 AM	I'd suggest either near Mulmaster on the Moonsea, or down near the lake of Steam.
mageframe 08-23-07, 09:10 AM	Thanks for the quick response! I will do some research at lunch on both suggestions and let you know. Thanks! Mageframe
Halidan 08-23-07, 09:54 AM	I've gotta agree with charonsg - I think the dales will work well. Specifically, I'd go with either High Dale. Located between Sembia and Cormyr, it's got the mountains, forest and stream you're looking for. The road through High Dale runs East-West rather than North South, but even so, it wouldn't be much of a change. Your description of the North road sounds like the western pass between High Dale and Cormyr, so make the South Road and gypsies something that the players encounter on the eastern road in Sembia.
qmslager 08-23-07, 10:57 AM	I like the dales and think that High dale may be worth some investigation but the dales people tend to stand together so what affects one will make the others more likely to respond. Plus the High Dale lacks a large untouched forest. heck it lacks anything more than highland scrub. I think a better position is in the western Heartlands. There is ample forest there along with a very well maintained edge of non interference between the various cities and towns. And since everyone tends to be afraid of Darkhold the chances that a larger city state actually cares about a Timber town on the edges of its protectorship are very low. And since the plague is penned in then the leadership will probably see this as a non issue. Especially if you put the town near any of the swamps. Also the people tend to view the deeper forests with greater suspicion so you have everything you desire in one area. There is even a band of evil druids in one of the forests making it any even likelier site for townsfolk to be suspicious of rangers and their ilk. Not to mention the werewolf problem that beset Baldur's gate years ago. Anyways those are my suggests. Have fun
mageframe 08-23-07, 01:28 PM	these are all good ideas. Thanks for all the responses! The Western Heartlands sounds promising to me at this point. My lunch was cut short so I didn't get time to research as much as I wanted to. I will dig into some details tonight. In fact I think it may be better to have the forest neutrals as Druids. I thnik I like that better. That would really spook the locals. Thanks and more ideas to flush this out are totally welcome! Mageframe
MarkusTay63 08-23-07, 03:35 PM	The Town of Sling**** sounds perfect for what you need, or you could create a village NW of it, between there and Castle Krag. See the following MAP - (http://markustay.deviantart.com/art/The-Stonelands-61560107) Sling**** is not that well known, and the region could lead into other adventures. Also, Impiltur would work fine. You could have it on the road north of Wye, just before the High Pass that leads to Lake Icemelt - see MAP. (http://markustay.deviantart.com/art/Impiltur-Campaign-Map-62424946) You could even set it somewhere in the Western Heartlands - there are MANY good spots, especially to the far north. There is a known waterfall (the Dancing Falls) you may want to use, located in the Highe Forest, and you could use the small town of Nontar's Hold, although the N/S direction will be off then. You can see that on This Map (http://markustay.deviantart.com/art/Large-Silver-marches-map-49808728), with a smaller Printable Version (http://markustay.deviantart.com/art/Large-Silver-Marches-part-3-49809137) as well. Lastly, the mention of gypsies made me think 'Rashemen', so I give you location #4, and even added it to my map. The falls worked out perfectly (they're canon), but I had to 'tweak' the forest just a bit. Enjoy - The Rafa Campaign (http://markustay.deviantart.com/art/The-North-East-63082585)
qmslager 08-23-07, 06:42 PM	I see I have a fellow cormyrian lover here or do you just like all the cities. Although I remember there being the castle's there I can't for the life of me remember there being a woods in the stonelands. Rashemen is a great idea. There is a lot of old magic in those woods same with aglarond or even unther. However not the stonelands unless you somehow get rid of the giant war wizard contingent just north of them and dragon knights also stationed just north of them. I think Cormyr may be too settled for this purpose, a lot of interfering magic users and clerics.
MarkusTay63 08-23-07, 09:11 PM	I see I have a fellow cormyrian lover here or do you just like all the cities. Although I remember there being the castle's there I can't for the life of me remember there being a woods in the stonelands.I LOVE the whole planet. :D As an aside, I mentioned the add of the forest in the notes below the map - I usually try to note any changes I make. As far as the forest goes, one of the sources (it could have been any one of three) noted that there was a treeline all along the mountains on the Cormyrian side. I didn't want to draw a pencil-thin line of trees, so I just fit in one decent size patch of woods in a spot I thought appropriate. Sorry for the confusion. Also note, as per the text on the map page, that the town of Collinswood was added by me as well - I just hate empty areas. ;)
mageframe 08-25-07, 08:03 PM	Ok I think I got it. Thanks for all the great suggestions! I am thinking to set the adventure in Velarsburg. I will have to alter the storyline a bit to accomodate this but the Halfaxe Trail could be the the connecting roads I needed. Then I can say River Duathamper is the local water source. The Velarswood forest can supply my wood scenes. I am not very familiar with Cormyr or the Cormanthor areas. I am reading their backgrounds now. Can someone let me know the most important policital and social themes I should be aware of when I write material in these areas. I know these are large areas but i have not read any realms novels that really covered them. What should I watch out for in this Harrowdale region? I have the old "Volo's Guide" and the current FR Campaign sources. Thanks ! Mageframe
MarkusTay63 08-25-07, 11:32 PM	Nice choice - I'll have to remove Rafa from my Northeast Map... or maybe I'll just leave it. ;) Anyhow, the big news locally is all the Drow in the Forests. If you have the FRCS, just read the entire Dalelands section. The only thing not covered there is the return of the Elves to the Elven Court, which in turn has most likely stirred the local Drow up even more. Before that, the big news was the destruction of Tilverton, but that was way on the other side of the region.
mageframe 08-26-07, 02:56 PM	Ok here is the update outline. Thanks for all the help! Adventure Plot Between Brother and Sister Vhaeraun is believed to have been killed by his sister, Eilistraee, when he attempted to enter her realm and assassinate her. But many of his followers think she has held him captive and they can strike vengeance on her by turning the whole realm against her. Vhaeraun followers are trying to bring shame on Elistraee with the poisoning of the people of Velarsburg. They are trying to anger the entire population Harrowdale so that they will vanquish the Eilistraee drow from all of the Cormathor forest. Eilistraee is the goddess of benevolent dark elves who strive to live in peace with the surface folk and gain redemption for the evil ways of their kind. Eilistraee, also referred to as "The Dark Maiden" is a goddess in the drow pantheon, and her portfolios are song, swordwork, hunting, the moon and beauty. Her worshippers are good-aligned drow hoping to escape the Underdark's evil, Lolth-worshipping matriarchal society, and regain a place in the surface world. She is worshipped by song and dance, if at all possible, in the surface world under the moonlit night among the woods. She takes great pleasure in bards learning new songs, craftsmen at work, and the doing of kindhearted deeds. Among her followers are drow, humans, gnomes, elves, shapeshifters (children of the moon) and half-elves. Eilistraee, the daughter of Corellon Larethian and of Araushnee (who after being punished by Corellon assumed the name Lolth and in some regions known as Lloth) was cast down along with the rest of the drow pantheon for her apparent part in the war against the Seldarine. Once she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she insisted to her father that she be punished in the same manner as her sibling Vhaeraun and mother. She realized that the drow people would later need an escape from the malevolent priestesses of Lloth. Individual titles vary greatly from temple to temple, but some suitable examples include Moon Dancer, Moon Singer, Dark Huntress, Argent Maid, Living Sword, Unsheathed Blade, Sword Smith, Bright Edge of Darkness, and Ghost of the Moonstruck Night. Vhaeraun (/veɪ'ɹɔn/ or vay-rawn), also known as the Masked Lord and the Masked God of Night, is the drow god of thievery, drow males, and evil activity on the surface world. His worshipers include assassins, male drow and half-drow, poisoners, shadowdancers, rogues, and thieves. The church of Vhaeraun is loosely organized, mainly due to persecution from the priestesses of Lolth who rule over the majority of the drow race. Vhaeraun's clergy is almost entirely male, and they practice a passive opposition to Lolth. Aside from that, Vhaeraun strives to reclaim the surface world from which he was forced to flee. This leads to frequent conflicts with the clerics of Eilistraee, benevolent dark elves who strive to live in peace with the surface folk and gain redemption for the evil ways of their kind. Excerpt from “Volo’s guide to the Dalelands” Landmarks Velarsburg is small and rustic with orchards providing shade around cottages the nestle amid wildflower gardens. Intersection of Halfaxe trail has the local temple Chauntea. Excerpt from “Volo’s guide to the Dalelands” Harrowdale Once this land was called Velarsdale after its founder, and Harrowdale town was Velar. Today it produces a lot of beer, mutton,wool and cheese, some respectable ale and small amounts of superior fruit, furs, and lumber. It has always needed to import metal ores, refined metal and metal goods such as tools and weapons, but the Dale’s increasing sophistication has also led to a recent steady demand for paper, silk and spices. Harrowdale is rules by the Council of the Seven Burghers. The seven wealthiest citizens of Harrowdale town. Harrowdale consist of an old, shallow valley whose river, the Velar, dried up long ago and some gently rolling wooded uplands to the north and east of Harrow Vale that are wrapped around the old, deep forest known as Velarwood. The land in Harrowdale shows it age. Roads cut through hills in deep time-worn ditches. The traces if earlier habitation- crumbling stone wall, bridges that lead nowhere, and old mill stones are everywhere. Harrowdale town has a town watch. The watch’s proud, no-nonsense captain, a female, elven fighter and mage named Ellarian Dawnhorn, has little time for adventurers. The presense of the Fall of Stars in her duty area is a constant irritant to her, and some of its mightier patrons delight in humiliating her. She is quick to punish adventurers. Velarsburg Standing on the western edge of the Velarwood between two arms of the old thickly grown forest is the small village of Velarsburg. As stated in “Volo’s Guides” Velarsburg is the market town for the farmers of the northern Harrowdale and the center of the busy Harran logging and carpentry trades. Many villagers grow their crops and pasture their own livestock. . It has always needed to import metal ores, refined metal and metal goods such as tools and weapons, but the Dale’s increasing sophistication has also led to a recent steady demand for paper, silk and spices. Strange things have been happening lately though. The Velarburg villagers are going insane. In the past year more and more villagers are losing their minds. They become incoherent shells that are not at all like their former selves. The only cure has been provided by the wanderers. They are a group of gypsies that have stopped in the nearby Velarwood forest. Some villagers seemed to have been helped by the wanderers but their close family members claim that they are not truly the same. Eventually the village is forced to send the unfortunate ones that cannot afford or do not respond the gypsies cure into “camp” where they cannot harm others. The “camp” is run by a the Harrowdale Town Council of Burghers that has questionable intent. But no one else care to handle “The Lost”. No one recalls how it started. “The Lost” began with a simple farmer, then a logger and then an old couple near the edge of the village. The player enters and speaks with various villagers who all have stories about family or friends that have joined “The Lost”. The player can find some mundane work such as goblin hunting while exploring the local area. The local area should consist of: • Village center with sign and postings for help. This also holds the ranking of the goblin ear collectors. • Temple of the Harvest Moon • Black Stars Logging – Community owned by every logger who is not a Torsyld. • Torsyld Logging – Owned by the Torsyld family and consists of finer woods. • The Pushy Pixie Tavern - Known for crude pranks and rough and tumble fights. • Trader of Fine Furs – Specializes in exotic furs and skins and hires adventurers to slay specific monsters in the depths of Velarwood in ways to produce skins and furs relatively undamaged. • The Old Stump Inn • Town hall for redeeming goblin ear bounties. • Meager homes and farms. Chickens and eggs, cows and fences. • Well for water. • Wagons and merchant that sells just about everything. VelarWood The Velarwood has always been a fell place in Harran legend, home to cloakers, trolls, stirges and bonebats. A community of moon worshipping lycanthropes was said to dwell in caves at the heart of the wood where the Howling Hill rises out of the trees. They may still do so; few wood-cutters dare go far into the forest. Packs of wild wolves roam freely and it would not be uncommon to encounter a patrol of goblins or worse in this dense wood. In fact some villagers have related the druidic visits to other bad things happening around the village. “Someone always loses a cow to wolves or worse!” they claim. Druids rarely walk the village in mid-day and players who are Druids will be treated with suspicion. Unknown to the villagers the Velarwood consists of: • Two druids that communicate with the natural wildlife of the forest. • A large den of wolves that has regular pack activity. • A goblin lair that is commanded by one lone Ogre. The goblins are in possession of a document that details proper irrigation and water routing techniques. Acquiring the document begin the quest to look in the mountains of the north road. • A few wild creatures of varying challenge ratings. • Drow and a few half-elves are known to gather in a glade at the north end of the Velarwood from time to time to venerate Eilistraee the Dark Maiden. The villagers are wary of the drow but it is really the danger of the Cormanthor Drow that are causing problems. They are attempting to strike against Eilistraee in the name of Vhaeraun her evil brother. Vhaeraun is the son of Corellon and Lolth and the brother of Eilistraee. Halfaxe Trail North-West The trail is an overgrown footpath which runs through the heart of the Elven Woods, from Harrowdale to the road running from Hillsfar to the Standing Stone. There is a waterfall here from the river Duathamper and this is where Gog has poisoned the water supply or Rafa. Gog has a well armed post here hidden in the forest. He is stationed with a squad of drow soldiers. Once Gog is defeated the player discovers evidence of MayGog who is a very powerful cleric for Vhaeraun that has planned the entire endeavor. This is the beginning of Chapter Two if there is one. Halfaxe Trail South-East The South Road runs into Harrowdale Town but before that there is the gypsy camp and the players can trade with them at higher rates. The player can also get a fortune telling that states any victory in the future may be like poking a sleeping bear with a stick. There may be a riddle to reward the player with a special item. Run when you ____, Fight when you ____, Rest when you ____. Any answer is correct using the following: Have to, Must, Can. The gypsies will ask the player to join them forever. If the player consents they join “The Lost”. (Maybe they wake up in “The Camp” and they have to sneak out. I don’t know how to do this but we’ll see.)