Faldendorf, Vanar

## The Town of Faldendorf

* *Leader:* Baron/Burgomeister Unther Trague
* *Population:* ~2,500 (Human 77%, Dwarf 13%, Halfling 4%, Half-Elf 3%, Half-Orc 1%, Other races <1% each.

The largest town in the Morrow Valley, Faldendorf is surprisingly cosmopolitan for such a small place. The frontier town is built on the ruins of a much older settlement, the ruins and foundations of which are still visible here and there. Even the old walls have been integrated into the walls of the city in points.

Home to farmers, woodcutters, fur traders, fishermen, and prospectors drawn by stories of gold in the foothills of the mountain. The main religious organization in town is a temple dedicated to the Dawnfather, Pelor, and a traveling Shepherd for the Wildmother who stops through town at the change of every change of season.

The townspeople are simple and superstitious, especially in regards to the Wargenwald. The gates to town are closed at nightfall and do not open for any reason, both the Main Gate and the Lakeside Gate. Fishermen are the backbone of the town, though miners and prospectors are starting to become more common, especially since the founding of the Miner's Exchange.

### Districts

There are five main districts of the city, which denote economic status. The four districts are the Border, the Crest, the Hill, the Market, and the Waterside.

#### The Border

Less a "district" than a general region, the Border is anything that lies near the outermost limits of town or, in some cases, beyond the walls entirely. This does not include the docks or the Nordlache. There are almost no businesses in the border; nobody would chance walking there most days. It's mostly farms, orchards, and the like.

* **Edermath Orchard:** Daran Edermath is an old human man who lives in a tidy cottage beside an apple orchard. A fit, silver-haired man at least seventy years old, he is known to be polite and keeps to himself. His apple cider is said to be the best in the area. People can come and pick some apples, for a few silvers.
* **Hunter’s Circle:** An old longhouse found near the docks. Local hunters and trappers make their living here; they gather to discuss the goings-on out in the wilderness, and to sell furs, hides, and the like. They also sell bows and arrows. The Circle is run by a wood elf named Aliver Kallit.
* **Saffron Hall:** A former guildhall for the Merchants Guild, before its dissolution and the coming of the Lionshield Coster. The hall now serves as the headquarters for the local adventuring group, the Saffron Society.
* **Waterside Shrine:** One of the only religious sites in Faldendorf beside the Dawnfather's temple, this small shrine is made of stones taken from nearby ruins. It's dedicated to Melora, goddess of storm and seas. The shrine is in the care of a scholarly acolyte named Sister Garaele.

#### The Crest

The Crest lies beyond the top of the Hill. Few businesses are found here, as it is mostly home to the city's wealthy. Trague Hall can be found here, as can most of the town's more influential families. The streets are clean, the homes spacious with well-tended gardens and lawns. A small shrine to the Lawbringer can be found here, tended to by a young halfling named Alden Showen.

A pair of guards are always posted here to keep an eye out for "suspicious persons" who may be trying to commit a robbery. It's the safest and wealthiest district in the town.

* **The Bottle & The Blade:** This establishment, formerly a the home of a local wealthy merchant who passed away nearly a decade. Today it is a gathering place for the intrepid. The merchant, Iri Cyaneye, once called on “adventurers” from afar to hear tales of their stories, and upon his death his home was converted into a local branch of the Adventurer’s Union. Adventurers come here to train, discuss their craft, trade information, and band together. Those who wish to do so may acquire a legal adventuring charter here.

#### The Hill

The Hill is both Faldendorf's primary residential area and its central government district. Those who live in the Hill tend to be merchants or well-paid laborers, and they own modest, affordable homes. While one or two more spacious residences can be found, most homes are one story and rarely more than a couple rooms. Apartment buildings can be found here along the outer edges, nearer to the walls.

The section of the Hill closest to the Market is home to Faldendorf's administrative buildings; the jail, the Twin Timbers, and more can be found in the Hill. Some business can be found here, but these tend to be highly specialty places or shops that can afford to charge slightly-higher prices.

* **The Chipped Flagon:** A smaller establishment, with a cover fee of 5 stags to enter. It’s quiet and more intimate, and the drinks are more expensive but of much higher quality. Songbird Mead, a honey wine brewed by a local halfling family, is sold here. It is known as the higher-end establishment in town, and going here is seen as something of a status symbol.
* **Faldendorf Miner's Exchange:** A trading post that looks more like a squat, stone fortress. It's where local miners have their valuable finds weighed, measured, and paid out. Due to lack of any central governmental authority, the Exchange also acts as an unofficial records office, registering claims to various streams and excavations around the area. There's isn't any real gold rush in Faldendorf, but enough wealth is said to be hidden in nearby streams and ravines to support a good number of independent prospectors for some time. It's a great place to find people who spend a lot of time in the countryside or foothills. The guildmaster is a calculating and ambitious dwarven woman named Halia Torarr. She is a vocal critic of the Baron and the official security force for the Exchange patrol the town to serve as a makeshift militia force. This has earned her some good will, especially considering her people are generally far more skilled at battle than the local militia.
* **Lady Moira’s Red Room:** Best described as a “house of indulgences”, where crude alcohol, strong tobacco, gambling, and prostitutes are all available to suit one’s appetite. The place is operated by a dwarven woman named Moira Copperbuckle. The local church has been trying to get the place shut down for years, to no avail.
* **Lionshield Coster:** This newer building is owned by the Lionshield, a merchant company based in the far-off city of Posen. They ship finished goods to Faldendorf and other small settlements throughout the region. It is a handsome, impressive building that is difficult to miss. It is run by a sharp-tongued elf named Lairno Graywind.
* **Twin Timbers:** This guildhall is actually two separate buildings, each a mirror image of the other. The local guilds for the masons, fishermen, carpenters, weavers, mapmakers, scriveners, and a pair of moneylenders operate from these stout wooden towers.

#### The Market

The central area of town and also the largest district. Also called "The Gates". The Market is basically built around the Faldendorf Fountain, with that serving as the Town Square and the rest of the Market sort of radiating out from that. The Faldendorf Market is a collection of general and specialty stores which occupy the central section of town. Here, one can find fresh fish, vegetables, forged steel, trinkets, sparkling jewelry, handmade toys, pots, rope, seeds, and anything else one might need for day to day living.

The Market is the busiest part of town by a large margin, as the vast majority of Faldendorf's businesses, shops, and taverns can be found here. Office space here is considered prime space and worthy its weight in gold: it may not be in a wealthy part of town, but a shop in the Market will instantly have more foot traffic and visibility to the common folk.

The Temple to the Dawnfather is found in the Market District.

* **Barthen's Provisions:** The biggest trading post in town. Its shelves stock most ordinary goods and supplies. The place is open from sunup to sundown. Barthen's does not stock weapons or armor; those in need of those things are directed to Hammerhand's Forge. Derwina Barthen runs the place, and has for the last twenty years since her husband passed. Her son, Ian, is a bit slow and works sweeping the place.
* **The Eagle’s Roost:** The most popular tavern in town, which also functions as an inn for travelers. It’s a spacious establishment, as well as the cleanest and most efficient in town. The proprietor is a short, friendly human named Trudy Zimmer, who inherited the place when her father passed a few years back. She is a native of Trost, to the north. Her family came to Faldendorf to prospect, but soon realized that there was a lot more money to be made providing thirsty and tired miners with ale and beds. She is known to be friendly, if not a bit surly when the situation calls for it. It’s got a solid reputation among locals and visitors alike, noted for its fair prices and soft beds.
* **Gaia’s Miracles:** This stone building is cluttered with dozens of pots and cauldrons, each bearing odd plants and flowers. The owner, a half-elf named Gaia Mayberry, is an herbalist and she makes a comfortable living creating herbal remedies and potions. She is known to be an eccentric, to say the least, and she usually keeps to herself and her craft when she isn’t called upon. Due to her eyes, one blue and one green, and her pale, straw-colored hair there are rumors that she is secretly a witch or a hag, or perhaps the daughter of one. But it's just a rumor, probably.
* **Hammerhand’s Forge:** A dwarf named Felnir Hammerhand is the village’s most skilled blacksmith, and he spends most of his time in his shop. He typically fashions farming tools, wheels, locks, and other mundane tools and equipment. However, he is more famous for his excellent weapons and armor smithing, which he sells for a fair price.
* **The Junk Drawer**: An antique store and second hand shop run by the tall, broad shouldered Oleson Pab. The place is usually decently organized and occasionally sell magical items that come into their possession. Oleson himself is a jolly man with a good reputation. More recently, his wife passed, leaving him and his two daughters alone.
* **Rellholdt Book Sellers:** This squat building is owned by an elderly human named Wilhelm Rellholdt, a scholarly man with an impressive collection of books for the region. He can talk about books for hours, and will happily buy new books just as easily as he will sell them to others. He has three cats, named Ben, Ren, and Jen though he never seems to remember which is which.
* **Starra’s Knives:** This shack, found a street over from the central market, is owned by Starina “Starra” Lehey, a half-elf woman who is not from Faldendorf; she arrived seven years ago and opened her shop not long after. The shop has knives displayed on the walls and nearly every surface, of many different makes, styles, and quality. One or two are magical, which she makes no fuss about. Nobody knows anything about the woman, aside from the fact that she is an excellent fighter and has a no-nonsense, tough attitude, and that she frequents the Wicker Mann Inn at night.
* **Twinkle Toes:** A cobblers and tailors shop, run by twin gnome brothers Olaf and Ulaf Waddleduck. The place seems chaotic and messy, but there is a method to the gnome’s madness. The brothers work in perfect unison and are known for making excellent shoes and clothing.

#### The Waterside

The slums of Faldendorf, and its second-largest district. Most of the city's poor can be found in this somehow perpetually damp, muddy place. The streets are narrow and buildings cramped and shoddily built. Those who live here are destitute and, often, desperate. Crime is common here.

While there are taverns and businesses here, most are owned or are involved in criminal practices and are generally seen as too shady and dangerous for the common folk.

There is a shrine to the Lady of Coin in the Waterside and, it's rumored, there is also a hidden church to the Laughing Rogue. But this is unsubstantiated.

* **The Salty Seaman:** Located nearest to the docks, the Salty Seaman is a shanty where most folk avoid if they can help it. The beer is cheap but shitty, and the place is usually pretty dirty and smells of fish. It’s a rough crowd. Behind the counter is a large glass tank, where an eel named Betsy lives.

### Rumors & Whispers

* ~~A number of bandits and brigands have settled here as well, taking advantage that the area has no real authority to chase them off. A gang called the Redbrands have been making trouble for the last two months, extorting and bullying locals.~~
* Sister Garaele, who overseas the Waterside Shrine, recently left town for reasons unknown. Someone said they saw her return in the wee hours of the morning, injured and exhausted.
* Daran Edermath, the orchard keeper, is a former adventurer.
* Big, shaggy gnolls have been spotted near Trost.
* ~~A local woodcarver was murdered in the streets. More than one person claims to have seen it. Not everybody agrees why, but most agree it was the Redbrands.~~

## Recent Events

### The Shadow Fair Massacre

On 13 Thunsheer, 396 Faldendorf was attacked during its celebration of the Shadow Fair. The attack was swift and brutal. It was carried out by the gang of bandits known as the Redbrands, who launched the attack at least in part due to the execution of their own men the day before.

To carry out the attack, the Redbrands snuck between 30 and 50 zombies into the city under the cover of night, paying off both the harbor master and Dale, who is a real son of a bitch, to keep the gates open throughout the night. **The zombies** were placed in strategic locations around Faldendorf, surrounded by oil, alcohol, and kindling, and at a specific time were instructed to drop the charged **Runestones** they held, detonating them and causing a massive explosion. Another notable aspect of the plan was the placing of two **Summoning Stones**, one at each of the main gates in and out of town. The stones summoned massive **Earth Elementals.**

The attack would have had massive casualties, if not for the efforts of **the Saffron Society.** The local adventuring party managed to find and neutralize one of the two Summoning Stones and caught wind of both the presence of the zombies and their scope. They told both Lairno Graywind and the Hunter's Lodge.

Despite three of their number perishing in the attack, the Saffron Seven went on to fight in the attack to defend Faldendorf, saving many lives in the process. They crossed paths with the Earth Elemental and after a brutal fight, managed to fell it. The Saffron Seven would go on to selflessly help the injured, clear debris, and treat the injured.

The attack lasted just over fifteen minutes from start to finish. The Redbrands fought in the streets alongside the zombies, focusing on spreading terror and killing any citizens they came across. They were mainly opposed by the security force for the Mining Exchange and Lionshield Coster, both of whom had been rallied by Larino, and the Hunter's Lodge. Due to their foreknowledge of the threat, they were able to act swiftly and efficiently.

The Redbrands would disappear as quickly as they arrived. The true extent of the attack, nor the full reasons behind it, would come to light for some time.

## Notable Citizens

### Administration

The leaders of the city, at least in name. This section covers the aristocracy and guildmasters of Faldendorf. Most of city administrators are wealthy humans, with little in the way of a middle class.

### Faldendorf Miner's Exchange

The Miner's Exchange is made up mostly of Dwarves from Kal-Khazad, though more than a few are dwarves of Kal-Barak who joined up since the Miner's Exchange opened its doors six years ago. Drawn by rumors of gold and iron in the foothills of the Rimecrown Mountains, they have set up a number of mines and mills in the region, and most prospectors and miners in the region have little choice but to work with them. They have provided prosperity, stability, and safety to the people of the Morrow Valley and the people in Faldendorf are starting to see the Miner's Exchange as more trustworthy and influential than the Baron.

 **Halia Torarr**      | Dwarf
 **Bortli Armazak**      | Dwarf
 **Walder Zekdun**      | Human

### Huntsmen

The Trapper's Guild is one of the oldest guilds in Faldendorf, second only to the Fisherman's guild. They are not especially prosperous in the area but they make do. They tend to congregate in the Lodge, located outside the city walls on a hill overlooking the docks and the lake, which most call Trapper's Hill. They are seen as strange and somewhat mad by the locals for choosing to spend so much time in the Wargenwald. Alivar, the head of the guild, is a noted ranger and huntsman who, rumor has it, has ventured into the Xandir Imperium and lived to tell the tale. Though if pressed, he claims it's only a story. There is a strong camaraderie among the hunters of Faldendorf.

### Merchants

The merchants of Faldendorf are the bulk of its slowly growing middle class. Most Merchants own businesses in the Market District and live in modest homes either above their shops or in the Hills district. They tend to be among the town's more well-known residents, considering that they interact with many different people.

### The Red Room

The Red Room is probably the most notorious establishment in Faldendorf, with a reputation nearly as infamous as the woman who runs it. The Red Room has been in Faldendorf a little longer than the Miner's Exchange, drawn here by the sudden influx of miners, prospectors, and other new settlers looking for entertainment. The Red Room operates as a bar, a casino, and a brothel--the waitresses all double as prostitutes working for Lady Moira, the dwarven woman who runs the place. It is either beloved or hated by the residents of Faldendorf--though few would actually admit to going there in polite conversation. Most of the girls who work here live in the Waterside district.

Little is known about Lady Moira, except that she hails from Kal-Glander, also called "Glitterhame" in the south near the Lucain Coast. She claims to lived in Ibrido briefly. Rumors abound about her; some say she's affiliated with the Dwarven Carta, while others say she is a priestess of the Laughing Rogue. Others still say that she is a succubus devil taken dwarf form, in the hopes of snaring the souls of wicked mortals. Who knows the truth? Lady Moira certainly isn't telling.

 **Gayna Nurarak**      | Dwarf
 **Lana Willows**      | Halfling
 **Black Jenny**      | Human
 **Moira Bazapel**      | Dwarf

### Religious

There are not many different churches in Faldendorf, though a number of small shrines exist. Most prominent is the church of the Dawnfather, which can be found in a small park in the Crest. It is well made, comfortable, and safe. Father Raem Tolle is noted as a stern and devout man. He has a noted hate for arcane magic, often preaching against its wickedness. He also is the most vocal opponent of Lady Moira and the Red Room. Sister Barda is his loyal and faithful disciple.

Sister Garaele is seen by most as an outsider; a cursed oracle of the goddess of the sea. She lives beyond the walls, in a small hut near the Lakeside Shrine. She tends it and can often be seen stalking along the water's edge, singing her strange songs.

 **Sister Barda Ogradud**      | Dwarf
 **Sister Garaele**      | Aasimar

### The Saffron Society

The Saffron Society, originally the Saffron Seven, are an adventuring party who formed in Faldendorf on 12 Thunsheer, 396 AC. They are based in the city and were formed as a means to combat the Redbrands. They are notable for participating in a number of important events throughout the Morrow Valley and being based in Faldendorf itself. While a collection of misfits, they are earning a reputation as heroes among the locals. Their patron is Lairno Graywind.

Their leader is Ilias Goldenrod, who was unanimously voted leader by the others--in part because nobody else wanted the job. He named the group because he liked the alliteration.

The **Faldendorf Campaign** follows their exploits.

### Deceased

Sometimes the worst happens. The following are notable residents of Faldendorf who have passed away due to events that have occurred in the campaign.