Odendorf

With Forzenwald, Orlbar, and Birkenberg in ruins, Odendorf is the last bastion of civilization in the Valley of the Lost. If the town is worried, it doesn't show it. Odendorf provides a welcome respite for weary caravan and riverboat drivers, not to mention adventurers. It lies on both sides of the Y River, the two halves linked by an arching stone overpass built by dwarves to honor the Empire. Ancient wards placed on the overpass to preserve it had an unintended magical side effect: river trout attempting to swim under the bridge are propelled over it instead, which is why locals refer to it as the Flying Fish Bridge. People crossing the bridge are occasionally struck by these fish, which deal no damage. Whenever a fish hits a traveler and flops onto the bridge, it's a local custom (and considered good luck) to toss the fish back into the river.
Once a home to dwarves, Odendorf is a mixed race town today. Its grand wood-and-stone buildings are overgrown by vines and hung with flowering plants. Streets curl and meander. Huge, old trees line the riverbanks, and gardens and bowers are everywhere. The town replaced its earthen rampart with a wall years ago, but the wall has flowers growing along its foundations both inside and outside the settlement. The river is unusually wide here, providing the town with space for a modest harbor.
The High Lord's Hall is a mansion on the west side of the river. The town's current high lord is Telbor Zazrek (N male human mage), a retired adventurer and well-paid puppet of the Scarlet Society who enjoys the power that has been handed to him. Through Zazrek, the Scarlet Network maintains an invisible stranglehold on the town. All goods that aren't supplied by the Zhentarim are heavily taxed, and the cost of living in Odendorf is so high that all of its establishments are forced to charge exorbitant prices.
Adding to Odendorf's problems are the stone titans of the Ironback Mountains, who have begun laying waste to Forzenwald, Orlbar, Birkenberg, and the hamlets of the Valley of the Lost. Refugees are pouring into Odendorf, and those who can't afford to stay at the local inns are being herded like cows into warehouses overlooking the harbor. As if that weren't bad enough, stone titans have been seen spying on the town from afar, no doubt trying to determine its defensive capabilities. Since the Scarlet Network keeps its forces well hidden in Odendorf and the town militia is a small force, Odendorf might seem like an easy target.

Location under

The Valley of the Lost