Founded by a Sembian family from Urmlaspyr, Lonelywood is a quiet town of loggers, fishers, and scrimshanders scratching out a living on the edge of the world. The town’s oldest buildings and docks bear carvings of dragons, lions, and goats that pay deference to the family’s crest, which featured a chimera.
Roughly half of Lonelywood’s able-bodied residents trawl the lake for knucklehead trout, while most of the others spend their days in the forest felling and hewing the trees that are used to construct boats and buildings. Lonelywood’s timber is taken by cart to be sold in other settlements, Termalaine and Targos in particular.
For as long as Ten-Towns has existed, Lonelywood has attracted the region’s shadiest element, from unrepentant thieves to cold-hearted killers. The thick forest looming behind it conceals the dark and sordid dealings that sometimes transpire there. Despite its attraction to criminals and miscreants, Lonelywood is not a place where folk murder each other in the streets. The realities of survival demand that the residents live and work together, and not dwell on history. A visitor can make many friends here but would be wise not to drudge up the dark deeds of anyone’s past in this small town.
This little shop facing the docks sells the tools of the scrimshander’s trade: needles and knives in a wide array of shapes and sizes, inks in a rainbow of colors, and wax used to seal an engraving when it’s done. The shop’s owner is a doughy spinster of few words named Iriskree Harrowhill (retired neutral human assassin). She doesn’t talk about her shady past except to speak fondly of people she once knew who have since died.
Fishers and woodcutters gather here in the evenings to weave tall tales—the more outrageous and embellished, the better. From time to time, patrons whose tongues have been loosened by drink let slip valuable or dangerous secrets. Characters who loiter in the tavern are likely to hear a rumor or two. The tavern’s raven-haired barkeep, Danae Xotal (lawful evil human spy), files away these secrets as she goes about her serving work with quiet circumspection. Her secret is that she’s a Thayan agent working for Szass Tam, the most powerful lich in Thay. Danae was planted in Icewind Dale years ago to watch for enemies of Szass Tam who might seek refuge in Ten-Towns. No one else in Ten-Towns knows her secret, and those she has marked as enemies in the past have quietly vanished.
This aptly named building—which used to be the only inn in town—closed after its last owner, a retired sawyer named DeGrootz, hanged himself in the common room two years ago. Some locals believe that DeGrootz’s hanging was staged to conceal his murder at the hands of some old “friends” of his. Townsfolk are currently using the vacant building for lumber storage, but anyone interested in refurbishing and reopening the old inn is welcome to try.
Locations
Lonelywood has no inns or other places for visitors to rest, except for the town speaker’s house, which has a spacious, heated attic that can accommodate characters looking for a night’s rest. Other residents of Lonelywood value their privacy and are much less inclined to welcome strangers into their meager dwellings.The Happy Scrimshander
ShopThis little shop facing the docks sells the tools of the scrimshander’s trade: needles and knives in a wide array of shapes and sizes, inks in a rainbow of colors, and wax used to seal an engraving when it’s done. The shop’s owner is a doughy spinster of few words named Iriskree Harrowhill (retired neutral human assassin). She doesn’t talk about her shady past except to speak fondly of people she once knew who have since died.
The Lucky Liar
TavernFishers and woodcutters gather here in the evenings to weave tall tales—the more outrageous and embellished, the better. From time to time, patrons whose tongues have been loosened by drink let slip valuable or dangerous secrets. Characters who loiter in the tavern are likely to hear a rumor or two. The tavern’s raven-haired barkeep, Danae Xotal (lawful evil human spy), files away these secrets as she goes about her serving work with quiet circumspection. Her secret is that she’s a Thayan agent working for Szass Tam, the most powerful lich in Thay. Danae was planted in Icewind Dale years ago to watch for enemies of Szass Tam who might seek refuge in Ten-Towns. No one else in Ten-Towns knows her secret, and those she has marked as enemies in the past have quietly vanished.
Ramshackle
Closed InnThis aptly named building—which used to be the only inn in town—closed after its last owner, a retired sawyer named DeGrootz, hanged himself in the common room two years ago. Some locals believe that DeGrootz’s hanging was staged to conceal his murder at the hands of some old “friends” of his. Townsfolk are currently using the vacant building for lumber storage, but anyone interested in refurbishing and reopening the old inn is welcome to try.
Friendliness.
❄❄❄
Services.
❄❄
Comfort.
❄❄
Population.
100
Leader.
Speaker Nimsy Huddle (lawful good strongheart halfling commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. Ever since the local inn closed its doors, Nimsy has opened her heated attic to visitors looking for a place to crash for the night. She bakes halfling-shaped cookies and brings them to meetings of the Council of Speakers.
Militia.
Lonelywood can muster up to 50 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans.
Heraldry.
Two narrow white triangles, one descending from the center top, the other rising from center bottom, almost meet on a forest-green field. The top triangle represents an icicle, denoting Lonelywood’s northerly location; the bottom triangle is an ivory horn, representing the town’s scrimshaw trade.
Rivals.
Bremen, Targos, Termalaine.
Sacrifice to Auril.
Food.
Available Quest.
The White Moose.
❄❄❄
Services.
❄❄
Comfort.
❄❄
Population.
100
Leader.
Speaker Nimsy Huddle (lawful good strongheart halfling commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. Ever since the local inn closed its doors, Nimsy has opened her heated attic to visitors looking for a place to crash for the night. She bakes halfling-shaped cookies and brings them to meetings of the Council of Speakers.
Militia.
Lonelywood can muster up to 50 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans.
Heraldry.
Two narrow white triangles, one descending from the center top, the other rising from center bottom, almost meet on a forest-green field. The top triangle represents an icicle, denoting Lonelywood’s northerly location; the bottom triangle is an ivory horn, representing the town’s scrimshaw trade.
Rivals.
Bremen, Targos, Termalaine.
Sacrifice to Auril.
Food.
Available Quest.
The White Moose.
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