Rasfern

Rasfern is the picturesque home of Prince Benzeden, an archmage-noble known to revere Boccob. It is an oddly tranquil place, named after the purple-leaved ferns which spring up around the many small lakelets and pools of the village that are fed by underground springs.

In Flocktime, when the spring waters grow unusually warm for a short time, the pink flowers and the scent of the ferns is almost overpowering. Those waters are dangerous; while the two largest lakelets have a few nixies, water weirds may be found in smaller pools. The villagers keep well away.

There may indeed be more in the waters, for the villagers seem an almost passionless bunch, never angry, irritable—and never joyful or delighted either. They are polite, mildly helpful, and they are lacking in any personality whatever. Woe betide anyone harming them, for Benze den will certainly pursue any who do, and his vengeance will be both swift and devastating. Benzeden favors invisible stalkers, air elementals, and aerial servants as his messengers. And those he calls upon are tougher than most (his conjured elementals are always 20+ HD).

Benzeden is a recluse and does not visit, nor receive visits from, his peers. Carwend sent a messenger asking for assistance, expecting a small sum in tithes to maintain patrols and forces around the area. Benzeden sent him two iron golems with an attached note politely express ing support for Carwend and a desire to be left alone in future. The priceless guardians are among the best defenders Rel Deven has, so Carwend was delighted—but he does not want to risk asking the archmage for any further help.

Benzeden is a force none understand or can predict. What he does in his spired tower complex is shielded from even the most expert of prying eyes by powerful blocks to magical scrying and unsleeping magical guardians.