Goldenfields
OVERVIEW
Goldenfields is located in the Dessarin Valley south of the Sumber Hills. It is a large walled farm north of Waterdeep covering over 20 square miles. Managed and maintained by farmers and priests in the name of the agriculture goddess Chantea, it is sometimes called the “Breadbasket of the North”. Some say it is one of the largest temples in Faerun. Within the walls themselves are miles and miles of orchards, fields, gardens, animal herds, farms, and waterways. The sprawling facility actually contains several smaller communities under the auspices of a centralized hub, itself called Goldenfields, a municipality that shelters most of the area's population and closely approximates the nature of a small town. The population numbers approximately 5,000 humanoids, supplying a huge amount of edible foodstuffs for the large population of Waterdeep several hundreds of miles to the south. A complicated system exists to manage the collective farming of the fields and orchards, with various residents participating based on their skill level, work history, and age. Farmer priests usually head up small cadres of workers, but to some extent every person is a farmer and an evangelist for Chauntea. The large facility is partitioned into several smaller sections, each surrounded by a high wall of stone and wood with several gated entrances. The slow generational expansion of tillable farmland has enabled the temple to annex more land and grow more crops. The walls are patrolled by hired adventurers and armed militiamen (called “Postulant Soldiers”) garrisoned in towers and gates at various points throughout the facility. These guardsmen provide security for the populace within and act as a rudimentary policing force. Geography The rolling low hills of the southern Dessarin Valley are well suited for farming. Goldenfields is located on a small hillock that descends both north and south for several miles. While land has been cleared of forestation in several areas, small groves and minor forests still grow throughout the farm, providing wood and shelter for a small population of wild animals. Trails have been worn into roads over the years, and bridges have been constructed over streams and brooks and the eventual aqueducts created in Chantea's name. Different areas of the facility have been developed to nurture different types of crops including fruits, herbs, nuts, and grains. Other areas have been set aside to accommodate herd animals that have rendered sustaining meats for the populace as well as wools, draft animals and beasts of burden. The river and aqueduct that descends down the northern and southern hill slopes from Goldenfields itself is fed by what many have called a divinely wrought spring, This source of water has been fundamental in the development of the surrounding farming lands and has been channeled throughout the low sloping fields in the newer southern portions of the community. Streams, brooks, and ponds have all been utilized to render water-based crops. The fields themselves have been terraced in some places where necessary, maximizing crop yields along the slopes.Townships & Populace
While the majority of the population resides in Goldenfields itself, there are smaller hamlets dotted throughout the region to facilitate the planting, maintenance, and harvesting of the crops. While these smaller townships are loose clusters of barns, sheds, and animal corrals, they expedite an elaborate system of collectivized farming that seasonally shifts its emphasis and harvests. Some of these smaller crossroads even have mills and granaries that supplement the larger facilities in the central hub, but most lack the merchants and other establishments typically found in common communities. Those that may elect to stay and contribute to the blessings of Chantea are provided a work position by the ecclesiastical governing bureaucracy, room and board in the large dormitories that are connected to the temple itself, and a very modest stipend. Tithing is greatly encouraged. Families of multiple generations have also engaged in the collective farming endeavor, and become contributing members of Goldenfields society. Given a residence and positions appropriate to their skills throughout the facility, they are especially desired and considered blessed. Subsequent births and children have necessitated the development of a rudimentary school system. Akin to an expanded apprenticeship program, skills in agriculture, math, cooking, furniture making, and animal husbandry are particularly emphasized. Families may live among the townships, so travelling tutors are required during harvest months and teach a reduced educational load. Formal schooling is most common in the winter months as families pull back from the far corners of the facility and shelter around the central hub. Those students who desire to study fields not pertaining to agriculture are encouraged to develop apprenticeships in other communities outside of Goldenfields. Residents refer to the various hamlets within the walls by names that are either indicative of the locale's primary function or have been retained through the years out of habit. Each village has a small shrine to Chantea that needs no designated maintenance person; each resident dutifully tends to the shrines, so they are always in impeccable condition.Goldenfields
The central hub of the sprawling complex that shares its name, this village is by far the largest of all the population centers in the temple facility. It is the seat of the primary Temple of Chantea and administrative center for the farming collective. Most of the roads spread out like branches from this particular center, and it is the focus of most of the area's activity. The village normally houses around 3,000 inhabitants while the balance of the population occupies the rest of the hamlets. This town has what most other towns would require: sundries, stables, granaries, a school, mills, scribes, wainrights, clothiers, banks, merchants and pubs. Several inns provide services for those who travel through Goldenfields. The dominant feature that can be seen for miles around is the original Temple of Chauntea. A large round building of several stories with several wings that extend outward like spokes, this building towers over the surrounding structures. The other significant feature is a large aqueduct that comes from a natural spring very close to the temple barn. Stone channels have been constructed to sluice water southward from the river of water, which seems to perpetually and rapidly fill an incredibly large circular cistern almost 150 yards in diameter. A secondary, naturally formed channel rushes northward, creating a river that continues to be deep and wide for many miles. Children are not permitted around the cistern as its waters are deep and dangerous, and its depths are not determined. Besides the inordinate number of granaries and mills around the temple, there is also an extensive wagon convoy mechanism that continually sends goods outward along the roads to destinations beyond Goldenfields. Traders looking for the high quality foodstuffs produced here often have several wagon caravans of their own besides those established by the church itself for delivery to Waterdeep. An eclectic group of traders can sometimes be found in Goldenfields, but those who don't understand local decorum are not encouraged to return, resulting in very few troublesome incidents. Traders often have long-standing relationships with the denizen farmer priests, sometimes even generational, and keeping the peace is mutually beneficial for everyone. Key NPC. Abbot Allardin Darovik (male Tethyrian human priest). Abbot Darovik is in charge of the entire facility. The Orchards This particular area of Goldenfields is focused on fruit- and nut-bearing trees, including apples, cherry, lemons and other citrus, as well as pecans and walnuts. Several presses create ciders and other juices. A cooperage is here as well, creating the casks and barrels that are used to store and ship the fruits as they are harvested. Trees in this grove are not purposely harvested for wood, and there are few types of wood here that would actually be desirable for carpentry or construction. The large pond in this area helps facilitate the growth of the trees, and it is stocked with freshwater fish. Key NPCs. Elyra Canda (female Chondathan human commoner). Elyra lives in s small cottage by her fruit presses. She is growing older and keeps a sharp eye on young apprentices whom she might be able to recommend as a suitable replacement. Bad pains in her back have developed, and she knows her time may be short. Still, she works to the best of her ability, and is renowned for making a tasty apple cider that no one can match. Recently she has been disturbed by a bit of blight that has developed in the orchard, as well as noticing movement in the trees at night that she suspects is something unnatural. She hasn't found the time to report it to anyone yet. DMs may decide that what Elyra sees is a symptom of age, or an actual threat. The creatures might be anything from a clutch of twig blights to an owlbear. Simmon Perl (male Chondathan human commoner) is the cooper who is kept busy making barrels for storage and transport. A specific section of the orchard is chopped down for wood, but sometimes other types are brought in from different sections of the Goldenfields. Simmon is middle aged and single, and regards Elyra as a kindly old aunt whom it is his responsibility to care for. He hasn't seen anything strange, and is not sure whether to believe Elyra's stories.Crossing
This small hamlet is the oldest in Goldenfields and marks the first of two havens between the North Gate and the central Temple (the second being Waypoint to the southeast along the road). It features a water crossing that has the oldest bridge in the facility. Several families live here, with many barns for farm animals and equipment. Pointedly, there are no inns here, as travelers are intentionally directed further along the road to reach Goldenfields itself before they stop. On any given day, a small garrison of Postulant Soldiers is housed here on rotation. Their patrols of the area are considered more important than others due to the proximity of the North Gate. Postulants are housed here for several weeks, then shifted to another location. Key NPC. Lt. Postulant Kenser Mythe (male Rashemi human knight) has just been promoted, and he is quite young. His fellow militiamen are older than he, and they humorously tolerate his authority over them but don't have much faith in his capabilities. They are fond of him, but a few won't hesitate to overstep their bounds. The question is whether Kenser will actually do anything about it. In an emergency situation, Kenser aptly demonstrates why he earned his promotion, and send a rider to warn his superiors of any danger. He is proud of his rank, and wise beyond his years. once she's had to wrap many unruly men across the head to get them to go to bed. She and her two boys (who have begun to idolize specific soldiers and look for their return on rotation) manage the dormitory building as well. She is often the first person travelers meet in Goldenfields, so she is adept at being welcoming and answering questions.Waypoint
Waypoint is the second stopping point on a traveler's journey along the road southward from the North Gate into the vast facility. It has several large dormitories where farmers are housed, as well as a small pub and a park. Several barns and sheds house wagons and farm animals as well as an entire fleet of plows. Key NPC. Helena Sparroweye (female Lightfoot halfling commoner) is the proprietor of the small eatery simply called “Pub Number One”. She gets all her supplies on wagons from Goldenfields, and cooks a great stew that the Postulant Soldiers look forward to whenever they are stationed here. Her small pub is often buzzing late into the evening, and more than Spindle Spindle is unique, as it gained its name from the trade most of its residents practice: textile manufacturing. The pastures directly to the east are home to several flocks of sheep, which are sheered for their wool in Spindle. Their wool is made into cloth at this same location that also has some small dyeing facilities. The cloth created here isn't manufactured for trade but for vestments and uniforms worn by the clergy and the Postulant Soldiers. The artisans here take great pride in their work, and sometimes weave intricate works of art that grace the walls of the Goldenfields community at large as tapestries. The Chantean priesthood has commissioned some pieces as gifts to foreign dignitaries throughout Faerun. Key NPC. Grey haired Santhra Entwhistle (female Damaran human commoner) is a retired adventurer who settled in Goldenfields to escape from an itinerant life. As a youth, she learned weaving and now contributes to the glory of Chauntea by managing the weaving houses that create cloth. If pressed into fighting, she will take up a sword hidden against the wall behind her personal spinning wheel in her cottage instead of the normal club, but she hasn't had to do any combat in 20 years. While she can tell stories of her past, she is also quick to speak fondly about her chosen life of service. She can inform the PCs about much of Goldenfields history and administrative structure, as well as the development of the militia. New Town New Town is so called because it is the newest of the Goldenfields enclaves. This small community is merely a few years in the making, and has remained relatively small. This particular portion of Goldenfields is used as grazing lands for the facility’s cattle, watered by several wells pumped by windmills scattered throughout the fields. The handfuls of families that work in this corner are primarily all related. The Woltons—who came here two generations ago—decided the priesthood of Chantea was not for them. However, the walls and security was very much to their liking. They stayed, and have proliferated under Chantea’s auspices. Several brothers are Postulant Soldiers now, and several others have familial ties to the stockyards in Beliard. Key NPC. Rufus Scantragon (male Dalaran human commoner) married into the Woltons family, and is the lead cattle herd. Taciturn and stoic, he isn’t the most personable man. He knows his cattle, however, and can tell you if any of them are missing by simply looking over the herd with a cursory glance. Their security is his main priority, and it would be difficult for him to stand down if his cattle were threatened. Wall Town & The Corners Wall Town has a friendly rivalry with The Corners. Both hamlets are at the intersection of several walls, and both feature a nearby waterway. However, a huge number of the occupants aren’t actually residents—they’re part of the Postulant Soldiers that are stationed at these strategically important points in Goldenfields. Ironically, both communities are almost identical— both have pubs, dormitories, and barns. Both have small cottages for residents. Both feel a singular pride in their role as part of the gatekeeping security of Goldenfields. And this isn’t surprising—both were created at the same time when this major expansion of the facility happened several decades ago. While the Corners gate actually has a name, Wall Town’s gate doesn’t have a specific title. Wall Town’s particular responsibility is monitoring any traffic that might be using the canal systems that flow under the partitioning stonewalls. Because the aqueduct is too shallow for most water traffic larger than small flat floats and barges, there isn’t much call for alarm very often. But having a garrison stationed here has proven useful once or twice. The Corners is a bit smaller and less populated than Wall Town, but is more heavily garrisoned with an actual fortified tower. Key NPCs. Sarah and Sindra Newn (female Chondathan female commoners) are the twin sister proprietors of the Upper Tavern of The Corners and the Lower Tavern in Wall Town, respectively. They are very similar in demeanor, and it is sometimes difficult for anyone but those who are often around them both to tell the difference. They have encouraged the friendly rivalry, and constantly seek to one up each other however they can. Recently, stories of strange flocks of birds flying erratically over the rocky bluff to the southeast have reached Sarah's ears, mostly from the wagon travelers on the circuit. She hasn't had a chance to tell any of the guards who are stationed at Corner Gate, but her instincts tell her something is not right. The New Fields This hamlet is centered in the middle of a shallow valley surrounded by large irrigated fields of corn, wheat, and grapes. Featured prominently at a crossroads that comes from the South, Fields, and Mid Gates, it is the initial stop for travelers entering Goldenfields from Southern regions. One of the more substantial villages in size, many workers are needed in this particular area and it is one of the furthest away from the central hub of the facility. This particular community has the requisite barns and equipment sheds, stables and housing, but it also has a winery, a small pub and a small mercantile of sundries and other materials. Key NPC. Hewlitt Sammerhand (male Chondathan human acolyte) is the Goldenfields lone vintner. He manages a small winery on the outskirts of The New Fields that provides high quality vintages for the priests and residents throughout the facility. A doddering old man, he has worked here for decades and is well known and loved by everyone who lives in the facility. As close to a family treasure as the community has, his sons and their families actually do most of the work as he “supervises”. They have encouraged him to strike up an acquaintance with Elyra Canda in the Orchards, but thus far he has made up excuses to avoid her. Many of his wines are secretly coveted by Waterdeep nobles and bring a very high price because of their limited availability. The Walls & Gates The actual walls of Goldenfields are approximately 10 feet wide and 20 feet tall. The walls are thick and solid, with few doors, internal hallways or rooms. The granite stone is shipped from quarries along the Dessarin River where private companies mine and transport it for the Order. The location is several miles to the southeast, and the dwarven family that owns the quarry has been supplying the area with stone for several human generations. The walls are of simple make, but incredibly solid and sturdy. A broad 8 feet wide walkway tops of each wall behind crenellations. Periodic tower fortifications with rooftop access are scattered along the walls at strategic points, but smaller wooden structures are built on top at irregular intervals that sometimes house horses lifted from below on giant winches. Inside the arrow-slatted tower are bunks for 8, a basic collection of non-exotic weapons, and a small hearth and pantry. Rarely is each tower manned by the full compliment it can accommodate—at the most there are 5 Postulant Soldiers manning each at any given time. Two-man patrols (sometimes mounted) are sent out from each tower at regular intervals. Some but not all towers and gates have mounted rotating ballistae, but not all of them. Adventuring companies rarely use the towers when doing their own patrolling, and recognize they can offer a unique aspect to security if they avoid duplicating the militia's routines. The Gates are all named. These fortifications are more substantial than the smaller towers, with more internal rooms, actual windows, and weaponry. Manned by teams of eight, each gate has a portcullis mechanism that can be raised and lowered by a mechanism on the second floor of the tower. Administration & Security Over the years, Goldenfields has been administered by several different people, each a priest or priestess of Chantea, but each with their own managerial agenda. Some have overseen the expansion of the temple's land, while some have concentrated on infrastructure. Others have shored up defensive capabilities and still others have invested in the development of new crop options and varietals. Finally, some have focused on the observation of the faith itself. The current administrator of Goldenfields is the Abbot Allardin Darovik (male Tethyrian human priest), whose predecessor developed a brigade of combatants (known as Postulant Priests) for the walled community and greatly expanded their defensive capabilities against raiders and Uthgardt barbarians. With their implementation, many in Goldenfields, including Darovik, became aware of the larger public perception that the Breadbasket of the North had shifted their emphasis to a more militaristic bent. His work has been to contradict that misunderstanding by encouraging an emphasis on faith-based endeavors and connections with other groups with similar principles and ideals. He has worked hard to engender the respect of the more feral aspects of the Emerald Enclave, of which he is a member, and reached out to those halflings from the northern parts of the Dessarin Valley who worship Sheela Peryroyl. His efforts have been less successful with the elven followers of aspects of Angharradh. His endeavors have been slow, and members of the Zhentarim at the Bargewright Inn are particularly wary of Goldenfields encroaching on what they perceive as their territory. Darovik has intensified the funding of inns and housing for visiting dignitaries, outreach to more understanding druidic circles, and the mounting of expeditions far and wide to gather seedlings and spread the works of Chantea. This has resulted in a diverse and exotic flora in the region that cannot be found anywhere else on Faerun. The unique aspect of Goldenfields patrolled walls has always drawn attention. In the past, patrols were much scarcer than in the present day, but Abbot Davorik's predecessor expanded their capabilities considerably when she established a more regimented militia. Now a force of almost 200 armed guards is used to patrol the walls at 24 towers and gates spread throughout the facility and at various hamlets. The Postulant Soldiers are housed in a series of dormitories and barracks at the local level, resulting in a systemic effort by the populace to facilitate and support their endeavors. The Postulant Soldiers have a widely varied reputation, and don't fully guard the facility entirely. The historic precedence of hiring powerful magic users and adventuring groups to guard the walled city has not receded, and there are always adventurous souls hired by the priesthood's more traditional administrators to thwart most attempted security breaches. While the Postulant Soldiers are indeed a force to be reckoned with as a whole, their relatively loose training, lack of equipment, and non- combative experience relegates their ranks to support troops at best. They are not an army but a collection of guardsmen, and as their service is done in the name of Chauntea they are primarily pious farmers doing their duty. This situation has required the hiring of tactful adventuring parties. Often people that the priests trust, whether they are family members, important nobility, or faction contacts, recommend groups to the administrative personnel. Adventuring parties are swiftly let go if they prove to be a bad fit. However, some retired adventurers have returned to Goldenfields to live out the rest of their years because their experiences were satisfying and the community idyllic. Key NPCs. Cpt. Postulant Halissa Stoneson (female Damaran human gladiator) is in charge of the Postulant Soldier militiamen. She inherited the position from her superior, and finds herself frustrated by her men's lack of discipline. She disagrees with Abbot Davorik's stance on appeasing the region's leaders with a show of non-aggression. She feels there are real dangers threatening Chauntea's pastures and fields, and desires a much more proactive approach to defending them. Some of the Temple bureaucracy would agree, but the majority simply tolerates the need for security as a means to an end, which is a perspective Capt. Stoneson finds frustrating. Lt. Postulant Mersy Canthwistle (male Dalaran human knight), assistant to Capt. Stoneson, is a young man who does what he's told, and secretly works on his swordsmanship so he can set off to bring the word of Chauntea to distant lands. He is a paladin in the making. Armsman Postulant Hensen Gaegen (male Illuskan human guard) is an absent-minded man particularly fond of beer. He brews his own in his dormitory quarters. An adventurer who expresses an interest in beer making will certainly earn an invitation to taste his own homebrew. Temple of Chauntea The largest structure in the entire facility is the original farm building that started it all, commonly known as The Temple. Oft expanded, this barn- turned-church is the heart of Goldenfields, and its multiple wings house almost 500 working farmer priests who administer and supervise the other farmers in the community as well as the temple itself. The stone and wood building is multiple stories tall and dominates the landscape for several miles around. Circular in shape, eight attached dormitories radiate outward from the original barn, which is used on holy days and throughout the year for important gatherings. The many wings have specific purposes ranging from administrative offices, militia needs, dormitory lodgings, granaries, open cafeterias and baths, ecumenical functions, and shipping and transportation. Attaching each wing is an outer rim of colonnades creating working plazas where different functions are performed. Open archways permit easy access and egress into the different yards. Some are training yards, some are paved for wagon access, and some are designated gardens. The tops of the colonnades are covered in tended rose gardens featuring hundreds of different species and hybrids, creating a robust perfume that sometimes wafts through the area when there is a soft breeze. The center of The Temple is a large 250-foot- diameter stone and glass tower. A divinely strengthened roof and walls of tempered glass top the seven-storied round building through which the sun shines, turning it into Faerun’s largest greenhouse. Earth-covered balconies surround the interior where unique strains of grain are developed and nurtured. Scattered throughout the room are pews for quiet observation as well as large sloped greenswards, trees and gardens where people may gather and sit for religious observations. Waterways & Roads There are three types of major waterways in the facility—rivers, ponds, and man-made aqueducts. Forming near the temple itself from a divinely wrought spring, a single river channels northward that splits in two directions to gently finish in ponds. The western pond is stocked with fish, while the eastern has a marshy area where crops requiring much more water can flourish. The aqueducts were created to help irrigate the fields south of The Temple. Stone-lined sluices were constructed to guide the water away from the spring near the source, but turn to earthen channels in various places the further away it descends down the slightly sloping hills. The aqueducts are monitored and maintained, and new ditches are developed as needed. Averaging 5-10 feet in depth, at its widest the aqueduct is 50 feet but it narrows depending on what is required for irrigation. Very few boats travel the waterways but for rafts or small barges. The roads throughout the majority of the facility are dirt, but in Goldenfields itself some are paved with cobblestones as they approach The Temple. Small paths branch off from the major roadways intermittently, enabling access to fields. Uniquely, an elaborate series of covered wagons traverse from hamlet to hamlet on a circuit each day. Driven by older youths of several families called “Wagoneers”, they take on passengers from one locale and transport them to the next village on the circuit free of charge as a service of the church. Courier services and a rudimentary mail service have developed, and many farmers use the wagons to travel to their various farming responsibilities. A single militia guard is assigned to each wagon. Large equipment is not allowed as the wagons are primarily for passengers. While their schedule is never guaranteed, wagons generally arrive and depart three times each day from each village, and are constantly arriving in Goldenfields itself from dusk till dawn. Circuit wagons do not travel at night, and horses are exchanged when necessary from each of the farming stables. The exterior roads that lead away from Goldenfields all go to different locations. The roads outside of West Gate and North Gate probably receive the most traffic in and out, as they lead to Amphail, Waterdeep, and Baldur's Gate. Fields Gate's road is used mostly for access to the stone quarry to the south, and Mid Gate was built in anticipation of an expansion being built on the east side. There is no road that leads out of Mid Gate, and it is used mostly as a stopover on the interior road between the communities of The New Fields and Spindle. Finally, East Gate leads to the Dessarin River, where a dock facilitates trade barges for shipping. Fields & Orchards The actual fields of Goldenfields are a dazzling example of both variety and abundance. Wheat, field and sweet corn, sorghum, rice, tobacco, sugar cane, and other crops are planted and harvested seasonally in large fields. A wide variety of vegetables are also farmed, especially potatoes, tomatoes, squash, carrots, and melons. Orchards are developed and tended as well in a variety of places, but mostly in the heavily wooded quadrant in the northwest corner. Seasonally, personnel efforts are reallocated to the harvesting of the fruits and nuts as each crop ripens. Livestock & Supplementary Trades Animal Husbandry and butchering are also practiced at Goldenfields. Herds of cattle, pigs, and sheep graze in specific areas and supply most of the food and wool needs for the local populace. While the greater output of the facility is agrarian on the whole, fine cuts of beef, pork and mutton ensure most homes have plenty to eat. Meats are dried and hard sausages are traded and shipped throughout the Dessarin Valley. Meats are often sold to the Bargewright Inn where they find their way on trade caravans heading east and west, but the primary consumer of any salted meats Goldenfields produces in Waterdeep to the south. None of the livestock and beasts of burden are owned by the residents themselves—they belong to the Order. Horses are also bred, but in much more limited numbers and mostly as beasts of burden. Quality riding horses aren't the emphasis here, as the community of Amphail to the south has several specialized stables and is well known for their animals. Some small vineyards exist creating high quality vintages, but they are mostly consumed locally. Cotton and flax are also planted in the interests of weaving cloth, but are not developed for trade. Spindle is the primary weaving center of Goldenfields, very nearby the herds of sheep directly to the east. Because of the variety of flora, bees are common and a welcome aspect to life in Goldenfields. In recent years, beekeepers have harvested specific flavors of honey that have become highly desirable in aristocratic social circles in Waterdeep and Amphail, allowing the development of yet another trade. Divine Intervention One cannot enter Goldenfields without seeing what many would interpret as the direct divine intervention of Chauntea apparent everywhere. The quality and quantity of the crops themselves are a testament to how much can be yielded from relatively limited spatial resources. The sprawling Temple building with its magically strengthened glass roof and walls are probably the most evident example of divine intervention. Legends speak to the source of Goldenfields' spring coming from Chantea's divine tears of happiness. Interestingly, the spring generates a huge amount of water that always seems to self-regulate the amount necessary for proper growth and development of the crops. Flooding and drought do not exist in this region. While extremes in temperature can happen, rarely are crops damaged by frost or extreme heat. A gently temperate climate is the norm, with seasonal changes that have divinely avoided blizzards, tornadoes, hail, and other damaging weather conditions. Insect infestation seems to be an ongoing battle but to keep it extremely rare and but it is never eradicated completely. Swarms that devour plants outright have never developed in the history of Goldenfields. Bees, however, are relatively common. ADVENTURE IDEAS The following are potential story ideas for DMs to develop for their use with these materials. Perhaps some of these adventures happen as the PCs visit their faction contacts during the larger arch of the adventure. Perhaps the PCs are urgently called back to Goldenfields at some point. Perhaps the PCs revisit the facility to discover their help is desperately needed. These suggestions are intentionally loose and provided merely for inspiration. Many have plot twists that would need fleshing out by clever DMs, and most don’t have any particular monsters or NPCs outlined. These admittedly broad ideas are “kernals”; fodder for homebrew creations of one’s own. The first section of ideas is intended to work in conjunction with events that are happening during Princes of the Apocalypse™. There are lots of expanded possibilities for adventures that can dovetail into the events of the campaign at a variety of levels, mostly created by the effects of inclement weather, natural disasters and dangerous elementals. Using the random encounter tables can help provide interesting monster options. The following sections proffer miscellaneous ideas that might be used in conjunction with holiday celebrations. Other ideas involve Tyranny of Dragons ™ and Rage of Demons ™ campaign story arcs. Any monster stat blocks referenced can be found in those resources or the Monster Manual™. Finally, the third section contains thoughts for the use of this variant supplement in your own homebrew setting. Goldenfields can serve as an interesting backdrop for characters in almost any setting. Elemental Incursions The Seeds of Chauntea Princes of the Apocalypse™ suggests that Goldenfields is home to an Emerald Enclave faction contact. It also suggests that one of the missing delegation members, a moon elf named Teresiel, was carrying a pouch of seeds to Goldenfields that would potentially grow into a magical grove. (p41) But what if the seeds simply needed to be germinated at the Temple, receiving Chauntea’s blessing? What if those seeds held the potential of beginning another Goldenfields facility at another location somewhere in the North? What if cult members learned of the seeds and wanted to warp their magical capabilities somehow to their own ends? What if they had an undercover spy racing with the stolen seeds to secretly germinate them and return them to the Elder Elemental Eye so they could be corrupted? And what if the Emerald Enclave suspected their presence and communicated that information to the party’s faction members? Adventurers could race to find the high-ranking cultist NPC before they get to the Temple, searching throughout Goldenfields and resulting in a battle royale. DMs could make the scenario as complicated or simple as they require. Wicked Witches of the Wind With the climate normally being temperate, the oddly severe inclement weather that has been occurring because of the various Elemental Cults has wrought havoc on Goldenfields. The latest incident has involved a nighttime tornado that swept through the facility and practically wiped out the hamlet of Spindle. The party arrives just as dawn is breaking and the extent of the damage can be seen. But what no one expects is that the tornado was actually used to mask a daring raid by Feathergale Knights attempting to infiltrate the facility on a suicide mission to destroy as much of it as they can. Carrying two Air Orbs in ornate lightweight cases especially designed for this purpose, the assault team rode in on their giant vultures and landed just outside the damaged area in the middle of the night. Now, the elite assault team of cultists (consisting of whatever NPCs or air-oriented monsters you find will challenge your players) is off to reach the greenhouse Temple at the heart of Goldenfields. Do they take hostages along the way? Do they reach the temple? Does this monument to Chauntea collapse around the PCs as they stand within its walls? Or do they save the day at last? Burrows & Bulettes Strange holes have been appearing throughout Goldenfields, and those within the know recognize them as dangerous. The natural order has been upset, and the most dangerous creatures of the earth are terrorizing everyone. Missing cadres of farmers, wagons, livestock, or even entire trees might draw the attention of the party to seek out and destroy the encroaching monsters. Bulettes, and ankhegs and all manner of wild animals might be disturbed by the recent tremors that have rocked the area, some of them quite strong. The local cemeteries on the outskirts of several hamlets as well as the large one outside of Goldenfields proper might be rocked to the core, angering some of the long interred barbaric tribesman hidden under the earth for more than a century, sending them on a righteous undead rampage of revenge against the new settlers and Chauntea’s colonialism. Skeletons, wights, and wraiths might be good to consider. Depending on the strength of the earthquake or how deeply the animals have burrowed, perhaps hidden ancient catacombs could be revealed that hide even more deadly denizens. This could be an opportunity for a traditional dungeon delve or randomly generated tomb using materials from other sources or created on one’s own. Wishing Well from Hell The Water Cult isn’t to be left out. Chauntea’s divinely wrought spring of water has drawn the attention of the Elder Elemental Eye, and it is looking for a way to enhance its output, flooding the entire Greenfields and destroy all the Order’s efforts. The party finds themselves in a torrential downpour and looking for shelter in the middle of their patrol. Heavy precipitation conditions exist, and the temperature drops at an alarming rate. Pools of water begin to form, then pools, then rivulets begin to take shape that quickly turn into flash flooding! The lower elevations of Goldenfields (particularly around New Town and Waypoint) begin to swell with water. But too late the party realizes the sudden enchanted rains have come with water elementals en tow—surreptitiously carried by powerful magic in the rain. Plagued with fighting these creatures (that seem to be able to move with almost limitless range on the pools increasingly getting larger), the players are distracted by the true goals of the Water Cult— secretly poisoning the divine spring so they may explore and magnify it’s capabilities as the population dies! Several large bricks of magically enhanced and compounded metallic poisons have been engineered to slowly dissolve in water, filtrating potently and quickly throughout the entire water table, rivers and aqueducts. Activating approximately three days after ingestion, the metals chemically react in the blood, quickly causing death. Could this be the way the Water Cult eliminates the population center dedicated to the exact opposite desires of their vaunted Elder Elemental Eye? Is there a way to remove the poison? Burn Baby Burn All it took was a single corrupt druid cultist to sneak into Goldenfields, conjure the elementals, then light the fires, and the purification would begin! This particular adventure calls for a mid- or high- level NPC to start brush fires that would sweep through the fields. Inconvenienced PCs may find themselves running from swiftly moving flames as they try to destroy fire elementals. Homes, townships and lives stand in the path of the quickly moving wall of fire as it sweeps through the hills of grasses and grains. The escaping birds, animals, and the smell of smoke signaled something was wrong... PCs may need to dig trenches, manipulate waterways or facilitate evacuations before they can find the cultist who started it all. Additional Ideas The Hidden Shrine Key leaders in the administration have been discovered to be dark agents of an evil cult. It is believed there is a corrupt shrine somewhere in Goldenfields that is maligning plants and causing all kinds of trouble for the inhabitants. Adventurers must find the secret shrine, destroy it and it's defenders, and restore balance to the area. Children of the Corn Something is wrong with the children. Their behavior is sullen, and they have become quick to anger. Their parents suspect foul play. After several interviews with a variety of youths, the adventurers learn that somewhere in the fields of grain is a hidden enclave of possessed children taken by a powerful evil entity. It has been secretly poisoning food and portions of the aqueduct system, charming children with powerful magics to secretly help it with its goal of undermining Chauntea's works and corrupting the entire facility. It's up to the adventurers to fix the problem by finding the enclave in the fields and restore balance. Holidays in Faerun Something is in that Scarecrow Halloween themes abound in Goldenfields, as any manner of pumpkin, scarecrow, or wickerman monster can be created by DMs to give the PCs a good holiday adventure. Hellish Hayride As a preliminary tryout for an extended security contract, Adventurers are hired by administrators to escort a playful and romantic nighttime hayride around the Goldenfields, filled with young couples celebrating any holiday du jour. But things turn ugly as the wagon accidentally breaks down, and the adventurers find themselves having to defend an entire group of commoners from an onslaught of wild pack animals, malevolent creatures, or even a forgotten ancient cemetery of undead. Oddric II Oddric Spiffin, a temple botanist, has been experimenting with hybrids over the years, but got a bit too zealous. Unwittingly adding damned alchemical concoctions as fertilizer, demon plants have developed that threaten to take over the entire Temple! Where did he get the concoction? Was it an evil plan by some nefarious evil that somehow snuck into Goldenfields surreptitiously? The Dastardly Dragon Cult Invasion Force Have some Dragon Cultists mounted an invasion force? Guards have discovered a disturbingly large number of forces assembling outside the walls. Could these troops be readying a siege? This might be an opportunity to explore mass and mounted combat rules as the adventurers have to mount overwhelming odds with unprepared defenders, and protect the entire facility from an oncoming army. Look! Up in the air! It's a... Dragons can attack a lot of villages. Perhaps it's Goldenfields' turn? Unhinged Underground Above the Gallery The madness of the Underdark's Labyrinth is directly below Goldenfields, which lies very close to the Gallery of Angels but miles and miles above. The water that drips from the Gallery's cave ceiling may be cause, in part, by the Chauntea's divinely wrought spring far above. Even here, she cries for these fallen angels. But the madness drives creatures to do insane things, and even they are digging their way out of the earth to find themselves in Goldenfields. The party could potentially find an unrecorded cave complex leading into and out of the Underdark. This might allow PCs an opportunity to experience aspects of that particular campaign arc, and bring creatures out of it this vicinity. The sky's the limit!Если вы хотите что то добавить или присоединится к команде редакторов - пишите комментарии
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