Thursday, December 7, 2023

Majros "Rosie" Tanner
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax

Majros Tanner, or Rosie as she is called by everyone, is a young female human, formerly an adventurer. She is a skilled ranger. She has an athletic build and braided ginger hair, and she is dressed in a faded green outfit over a white shirt together with an apron and low boots.

Rosie manages the Gray Hare Inn in Desul Torey together with her twin sister, Tika. Her animal companion is an old fox with grey whiskers called William, who likes to sleep in front of the fireplace.

Trait: A guest should always feel welcome and be treated like family.
Ideal: Posterity. I hope my future children and grandchildren will live in Desul Torey and see it grow and prosper.
Bond: The Gray Hare is my home and where I meet my friends and family.
Flaw: I can be bossy at times, and I work harder than most. Sometimes I don’t notice when others are flagging and need to rest.

Rosie has lived in the region region all of her life. Her parents died when she was very young and she remembers little of them. She was raised by her aunt, in Desul Torey until she passed away two winters ago. Her aunt was the former owner of the Gray Hare and so upon her death Rosie took over the Inn and has been running it ever since.

Rosie has never married, although she would like to some day and she wants to eventually have children of her own, maybe when she retires from running the inn. She is very friendly towards her customers, she knows most that visit the inn personally with them being locals of Desul Torey. Prior to becoming the owner of the Gray Hare, Rosie was a wandering ranger and adventurer who journeyed widely. She is easy-going and talkative and can size up her guests at a glance.

Rosie knows much about the region and will gladly offer any information she has to patrons "when time permits of course, running an inn is busy work". Rosie prefers waiting on tables herself "as much as she is able". During busier times she does have some additional staff to help with waiting tables and such.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

The Gray Hare
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax

This spacious two-storey structure is located at the heart of Desul Torey. The inn was built on the foundation of an ancient dwarven building, huge slabs of weathered granite make up most of the foundation, while the walls are made of thick pine wood and stone. Its many windows keep the tavern well lit, and its stables house a dozen horses. A battered wooden sign, featuring the inn’s name, a mug of ale & a lute, creaks in the wind where it hangs above the entrance.

This is only Inn within the settlement, a natural and comfortable meeting point, since it is the largest building in Desul Torey.

In the common room, local hunters and other villagers meet after long trips into the woods to share news and rumours over hot meals and mugs of cider or ale. Farmers, tradespeople and visitors exchange stories by the large fireplace or at the bar. At times, travelling bards provide entertainment. Farmers from nearby, traders, and the occasional merchants exchange stories and gossip by the open fireplace.

The Gray Hare is owned and operated by Rosie Tanner and serves as the main gathering place for the people of Desul Torey. It is a large, comfortable establishment that serves good food and ale. Rosie Tanner has managed The Gray Hare for almost two years. Prior to running the inn, Rosie Tanner was a wandering adventurer and travelled widely.

She is easygoing and talkative and can size up her guests at a glance. She has an animal companion, an old grey fox with grey whiskers called William, who likes to sleep in front of the hearth.

The Barkeep, Tika Tanner, is the twin sister of Rosie Tanner. It is not uncommon to see Tika tending bar and helping her sister on a regular basis.

The Gray Hare is a rustic inn found close to the center of the settlement. The Inn is rather ordinary looking but has a warm, comfortable feel to it. The walls are filled with various plants, flowers and other assorted flora. A long bar runs along the opposite wall.

The taproom in the cellar supplies the drinks to those who enter while the chambers above are available to rent. The prices of the food and drink served here are of reasonable prices and this establishments services are well worth the coin.

The Gray Hare may be common in appearance but the food and drink served here is known across the region, even if the inn is of more common build, the food and drink are excellent. Respectable customers are always welcome as long as they have the money for their drinks and meals.

The establishments employees are for the most part locals from Desul Torey. The furnishings in the dining area such as the tables and chairs are worn and smooth from years of use. Many candles are scattered through the main floor for maintaining a comfortable ambience for its customers.

The main floor of this establishment is for the most part a long open area with a large hearth set into the southernmost brick wall. This structure appears to have been kept remarkably clean and organized. The locals take great pride in calling this the settlements only Inn and tavern . . . one would be wise to not insult this establisment around the locals. The second floor of the building is where all of the guest rooms are located, a total of twelve standard guests rooms and 5 private rooms are available. Usually most of them are vacant due to this towns remote location. Each room has a comfortable single sized bed, several covers & blankets, a wash stand, chamber pot, a couple of towels, pegs for garments, and a comfortable sitting chair. All of the guest rooms are identical in appearance, all stocked with the same exact items. Each room is the same price and they each sleep a single person.

Meals are served on pottery, pewter or copper services according to the customers order. When full meals are ordered they come with potatoes, carrots, bread and string beans or yams. Various leather jacks, pottery mugs, wooden tankards, pewter steins, glass flagons, crystal goblets, or silver chalices are used for the beverages.

BREAKFAST MEALS
Peppered Bread: 12cp
Oatmeal: 8cp
Chicken Eggs: 1sp
Fruit and Cheese: 10cp
Pork Sausages: 1sp

AFTERNOON MEALS
Game Pie: 2sp
Boar Steak: 2sp
Venison Stew: 3sp
Beef Stew: 3sp
Parsnip, Mutton & Nettles Soup: 1sp

DESERTS
Cloudberry Pie: 1sp
Old Granny's Cinnamon Apple Pie: 1sp

BEVERAGES
Pear Cider: 2sp
Apple Lemonade: 5cp Goat Milk: 2cp
Cloudberry Cider: 2sp
Winterhold Mountain Ale: 3sp
Wild Strawberry Black Tea: 2cp
Apple Lemonade Juice: 5cp
Ashbrew Bitter: 2sp
Ashbrew Stout: 2sp

TRAVEL RATIONS
Dried & Smoked Meat, Goat Cheese, Dried Berries, Oats and Honey (wrapped in waxed paper): 5sp

The upper rooms are very clean, and all of the rooms are heated. Each room has a fine bed, many covers & blankets, a wash stand, chamber pot, towel, pegs for garments, and several chairs and stools.

ROOM NIGHTLY PRICES
Guest Room 6sp

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Easthill
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax

Easthill is a small hamlet within the Barony of Harkenwold that has a standing population of 155 people. It is 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.

Nestled in the midst of a beautiful grassland region, surrounded by trees with a view of the beautiful skies of the region. This small hamlet of Easthill maintains a stable population of around 155 but does see a dozen or so visitors each week that are passing through the area. Farms and fields dot the landscape where the residents grow a variety of crops, including wheat, corn, potatoes and many more vegetables. The hamlet itself consists of a collection of small homes, cottages, buildings and structures of various sorts.

These buildings are well constructed and have been very well maintained by the community. Most are of stone, cobblestone and wood construction. The few roads that exist in Easthill are made of cobblestone construction. The buildings often feature thatched roofs, and some of the surrounding properties include mid to large farms, spotted with gardens. A few cobblestone roads that exist lead to key establishments with the hamlet.

A small stream flows through the center of Easthill that runs off of the eastern Nentir River, which is an additional source of fresh water to the community. The settlement and surrounding lands was once ruled by local Paladin, Lord Edmond Sternholm until he went mad and killed everyone everyone within his castle and died with no heirs. His last loyal surviving knight, Sir Richard Dupree, escaped and created the local militia in the settlement to continue to protect the lands around Easthill until the area and castle could both be restored with a new and proper lord.

The settlement also has a local priest by the name of Brother Tiberius, who leads the druidic rituals on the Hill of the Standing Stones and offers guidance to the villagers on matters of faith and morality. Brother Tiberius is not a member of the settlements militia but is an important figure in Easthill nonetheless.

Overall, the power structure in Easthill is hierarchical, with Sir Richard Dupree at the top with Brother Tiberius and groups of merchants and villagers supporting him. The locals are content with this arrangement, as it provides a stable and prosperous community in which they can live and work which is why most support Sir Richard Dupree as the settlements lord and plan to keep him in the position for a long time to come.

The villagers are a close knit community, with a strong sense of comaraderie and shared purpose. The are hardworking and very self-sufficient. Despite their isolation within the Barony of Harkenwold, they are friendly but suspicious to outsiders because of the recent raids on the settlement.

Life here is simple and peaceful, and the community is content to live out their days in the beautiful region of Nentir Vale. Many of the locals are involved in a religious group called the Order of the Sun which meets once a week on the Hill of the Standing Stones to the west for prayers and rituals. It is an ancient nomadic religion based on nature.

Notable Locations
• Inn of the Whistling Pig
• Local Jeweler
• Fletcher Shop
• General Store
• Tailor's Shop
• Winemaker
• Hostel & Stable
• Moneychanger Shop
• Local Bakery
• Cobbler & Leather Worker Shop
• Stable
• Local Mason
• Blacksmith
• Apothecracy Shop

Surrounding Locations
• Hermits House
• Cemetary

Monday, December 4, 2023

Apple Hollow Farm
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax

Nestling among the grass-covered hills is a small farm. The farmhouse has white cladding and exposed oaken beams along its front. Next to the farmhouse is a low barn, three small stone sheds, an outhouse, two chicken coops, and a sheep pen. The farm’s perimeter is marked by a wooden roundpole fence that is easily climbed.

A farmer named Roderick lives here along with his wife, Becca. They have four children, two sons by the name of Christopher who is 8 years old and Adon, who is 10. They have two daughters, Mina who is 17 and Trista who is 9.

All buildings are worn and weathered, but well maintained. Next to the farmhouse are two stony fields with wheat ready for harvest, and a smaller field with potatoes, carrots, and beets. Old apple trees grow everywhere around the farm and between the buildings. A narrow, stony road leads up to the wooden field gate with crossed braces. It is surrounded by fields with sparse vegetables and wheat that sways in the wind. Here and there are crooked apple trees, clad with leaves in vivid autumn colours. Apple Hollow is located near Rabbit Hills, a two-day journey south of Desul Torey. The farmhouse has white cladding and exposed oaken beams along its front. Next to the farmhouse is a low barn, three small stone sheds, an outhouse, two chicken coops, and a sheep pen.

The farm’s perimeter is marked by a wooden roundpole fence that is easily climbed. All buildings are worn and weathered, but well maintained. Next to the farmhouse are two stony fields with wheat ready for harvest, and a smaller field with potatoes, carrots, and beets. Old apple trees grow everywhere around the farm and between the buildings. A narrow, stony road leads up to the wooden field gate with crossed braces.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Woodworker Shop
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax
Thel Dendrar is a woodcarver that lives in Phandalin. Thel is the patriarch of the Dendrar family. He has a wife, Mirna, and two children, 10 year old Nars and, 14 year old Nilsa.

Saturday, December 2, 2023

The Twins
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax
The Twins are roughly a half day journey from Desul Torey. The gloomy rolling hills around the Twins are covered with yellow grass and low thorny bushes. Even during the daytime, the land rests in a faint gloom. The Twins are two stone monoliths that are smooth with age and draped in veils of fog.

The tallest monolith is nearly 20 feet tall, while the other is broken and stands only half as tall. Around the area of the Twins are multiple piles of granite stones that have been neatly stacked into man-sized columns with a pyramid shaped top. These are ancient cairns, the final resting places of fallen members of a long forgotten dwarf clan over a thousand years ago. The monoliths are situated on a low hill and surrounded by dozens of ancient cairns. The remnants of the broken monolith lie on the ground, shattered into several pieces.

The reason why the monoliths were erected has long been lost to time, but according to some legends, two storm giant twin brothers were buried here aeons ago.

Friday, December 1, 2023

The Baited Hook
The Valelands & The Nerath Timeline
The current year for our Valelands campaign is set during the year 103AE.
Inspired By Gary Gygax

Once a popular tavern that served the finest fish in all of the vale now is nothing more than an occassional gathering place for meetings and such. Outside of it hangs a sign bearing the name of the establishment. The tavern's central lounge contains a small hearth. The main entrance features a stout bar that can be swung down to bar it against forceful intrusion.

And additionally, its upper rooms act as guestrooms, with chimneys poking out from each of them. The establishment overall lacks in luxuries, but feels as comfortable as any home. The inn is ran by Glint, the half-orc proprietor and bartender. He offers strong spirits, ales, and wines. Rooms are available and Glint is always ready to chat and share the latest rumors at no additional expense to the guests, since so few frequent his establishment these days, visitors are always a welcome sight.

The inn itself is made of stone with a tile roof. The windows of the inn look out over the lake. The Baited Hook has small stables which are located on the side of the building. Surpisingly, being a Half-Orc, Glint is surprisingly well liked amog the remaining folk of Mistwatch. He has a soft heart and tends to cater to the ladies who visit his inn, showing them extra politeness.

Glint has worked very hard to keep his establishment operating through these tough times and even has taken one of the upstairs rooms as is own living space. The Baited Hook is all Glint has left and he does not mean to lose it.

BREAKFAST
Peppered Bread: 4cp
Oatmeal: 5cp
Boiled Goose Eggs: 4cp
Chicken Eggs: 10cp
Fruit and Cheese: 5cp
Cheese Omelet: 7cp
Fried Potato Wedges: 3cp

AFTERNOON MEALS
Beef Stew: 1sp
Poached Salmon: 2sp
Spiced Sausages: 1sp
Roast Goat & Cheese: 1sp
Shellfish Platter: 2sp
Stockpot Stew: 2sp
Stockpot Soup: 1sp
Steak and Kidney Pie: 3sp

BEVERAGES
Bitter Black Ale: 10cp
Whiskey: 6cp
Rum: 7cp
Beer: 2cp
Heavy Beer: 3sp
Hill Cider: 1sp
Goblin Piss: 2cp
Ale: 4cp
Mead: 1sp

ROOM NIGHTLY PRICES
Standard Suite: 2sp