Craven’s Hollow

Craven’s Hollow is home to outcasts, thieves, and the unwanted. The home of those who want to escape notice. Many did not choose this residence, but the small group of ramshackle buildings welcome any who do not have any other place.

Once it was Tower Five, the last defensive line of the Kowal barony. It got its nickname as it was the most dangerous post, so often the soldiers stationed here would desert their posts. After they would be found, they were brought back to serve the rest of their days in the dark and gloomy outpost. Even hundreds of years later, as the tower fell into disuse and disrepair, the area never lost its nickname.

Statistics: Crime 7; Danger 8; Economy 2; Law 1; Knowledge 3; Magic 5

Highest Stat is 10, lowest 1

Size: Tiny

Government: Anarchy

Economic System: Capitalist

Population: 37 (Diversity: 97% Human, 3% other)

Notable NPC’s:

Vrede: An old Ishian man who lives in the Tower. He is knowledgeable and helpful. He is badly scarred and missing his right leg.
Vesson: a middle aged man who owns the Quick Trader. He is generally grumpy and unpleasant to be around. But he runs a fair establishment for trade.
Di: A secretive person who lives on the edge of the forest. They are never seen without their hood and oversized scarf on.
Face: A newcomer, he and his band of followers live in the Tents. It is rumored that they are bandits using the Hollow as a base.
Grogrem: A dweran who lives in town. He is handy with a hammer, and is known as a general handyman.
Wez: An ex-guardsman who was exiled owal
Raine: An elfling who lives out in the woods.
Dagmara: An older woman who lives out in the forest somewhere. She comes to Town to trade poltices, black rock, and other alchemical items.
Tolin: A teenage boy who is very charismatic. He is a minstrel who is quite good at the lute.

Notable Places:

Quick Trader: A small general store run by Vesson, a human from Tiren. Rumor is he is a disgraced merchant wanted by the city guard. There are also a few tables and chairs set up and Vesson brews his own vodka.
Tower: The old guard tower. Considered haunted by many, so most stay clear.
The Tents: A tent city where inhabitants come and go.
Junkpile: The trash pile of the community. It’s free to take anything left in the pile.
Town: when the inhabitants refer to “town”, it is the small gathering of buildings that surround the Quick Trader.

Cult of the Crimson King

A rumored cult of religious followers who seek the knowledge of Nithiel, a long-dead eldar king who sought to bring order to Uteria.

They are gaining power in Kowal, especially now that they are being led by a mysterious figure named Holloweye.

Cutlass Tavern

A seedy bar located by the Seagull Bay, where most of the docks of Ferryport are located. This is a hole in the wall drinking spot with an assorted patronage of mostly villains and cutthroats.

Dael

Dael is a very old blind man. He is weak, and has never adventured until now—this is his very first. He is out of shape and suffers from myriad aches and pains, though he does move around well enough.

He was born without vision, though his hearing is exceptional, and he feels a deep connection with music, particularly rhythm. When he was a child, he would beat rhythmically on items around the house, until his parents bought him a drum. Using his drum, and beating varying rhythms, he learned that he could control the moods of the people around him. He could help them sleep. He could give them and himself surges of energy. It was a subtle gift, but he found it to be powerful as he learned to give small nudges to himself and the people around him as necessary. For this reason, though he never became a man of means, he always survived handily. He is resourceful, and knows how to shift people’s psychological states to help get them through their rough periods.

His parents died of plague when he was a child. When he became an adult, he married, then had a son. A decade ago, his son died in a hunting accident. Then, several months ago, his wife died of natural causes, as she, like him, had grown quite old. It was too late for him to start a new family, and he could not just sit around an empty house, singing along with his drum to no other ears but his own. So he left and began to wander until he found a group of people on an important quest. They recognized his resourcefulness and asked him to join them. They warned him of the danger, but he had nothing to lose, and hoped that if he were to die, it would be while helping others, and preferably with some excitement.

Dael hums to find his way around places, it slows him down, but less than you would imagine. The hum is quiet, most people don’t even notice he is doing it.

Disadvantage: Deaf – Slows speed to 20?, -3 to melee attack.
Advantage: Darkvision 30?, Immune to darkness and blindness magic.

Darkwinter Tavern

Get the map on DTRPG or through my Patreon.

Darkwinter Tavern was opened after the long winter of ’93. Owned and run by Rob Bevaskin, a war veteran and ex merchant. He made his money taking supplies through the harsh lands between the neighboring cities, but “retired” by opening the tavern.

It is a popular place in Kowal for travelers, adventurers, and soldiers.

Menu:

Poached Eggs and Kielbasa 8 sp
Rabbit Stew and Hazelnut Bread 5 sp
Bread Loaf 2 cp
Cheese, hunk of 1 sp

Drinks

Rye, shot 2 sp
Rye, bottle 3 gp
Ale, Pint (Breaker’s Brew) 4 cp
Wine (Tiren Red Blend), pitcher 2 sp

Death Takers Guild

A guild of morticians and embalmers.

They were very important to the city during the many plagues, as they disposed of the diseased bodies. Since then, they have continue to serve the cities in their time of grief, for the right price.

Dirt Market

The Marketplace of Fish Town is called the Dirt Market by most, since the square was never properly cobbled. The large, open area is crowded, with dirty tents and wagons selling all variety of junk. The market’s mood can vary greatly, with the weather playing a large part. When it is rainy, the walkways turn to deep mud, while on a dry day, the dust can choke vendors and patrons.

Druid Grove of Thay

Thay is a human magic user who came to Kowal with a knight named Roe. He was a traveler from the Tiren Druidic order, sent West to find knowledge and start his own grove. The attitude towards magic in Kowal was much more closed minded than the kingdom of Tiren.

In the face of such bigotry, Thay knew his mission was to create a place of safety and knowledge for those seeking refuge from persecution. He built his grove hidden away in the Lesh Forest, where a close friend had shown him a waystone. This place of power was hidden deep in the forest and Lesh found this the perfect place for his abode. The grove is small now, but with the right guidance it shall grow.

Drunken Grin Tavern and Inn

This large three story building has been a fixture in the docks as far back as anyone can remember. The second story hangs precariously over the street, and the third floor rests unevenly on top of that. As of late, it has come under new ownership, and it is now the headquarters of the new Ferryport chapter of the Cantori Crime Family.

Duke’s Arena

An arena built outside the Northern Wall of Kowal by the Uthgard Army. Uthgard uses the Arena to entertain the people, train warriors, and recruit new soldiers.