The Way Inn
The Way Inn
Location Region Sword Coast North
Realm Duchy of Daggerford
Barony Barony of Vaelendaer
Societal Civic Population 950
Max Seasonal Traffic 2,500
Demographics 79% Humans, 7% Halflings, 5% Elves, 4% Gnomes, 3% Dwarves, 1% Half-Elves, 1% Others.
Liege Nanthar Harcourt, Baron of Vaelendaer and the Council of Elders
Physical Acreage 16.3 acres
Elevation 330 ft
Climate Warm, moderate summers; cold, wet winters
Biome Alpine forest
Terrain Plains (Hill)
This isolated stone inn has been a famous landmark for many years, starting from when it was the last inn along the way south from Waterdeep for many days of hard and dangerous riding (hence its name). In recent years, as evil grew, fell, and rose again in ruined Dragonspear Castle, the Way Inn became ever more important as a base for mercenary armies raised by the Lords' Alliance to keep the Trade Way clear and as a haven for merchants hurrying along that long and perilous overland road.
The decay of the southern Barony of Vaelendaer has seen an even greater influx of refugees and immigrants leaving the small holds and villages of the southern Trade Way. The destruction of the forces of Dragonspear have left the Way Inn a booming and prosperous settlement, and debates now rage within the circle of town elders about petitioning the Duke of Daggerford for more official recognition.
Geography
The Way Inn stands on the western side of the Trade Way two days hard ride (about a hundred miles) south of Daggerford. It was a walled compound atop a flat, grassy plateau about three acres in extent that overlooked a loop of road that leaves and rejoins the main trade road, giving caravans plenty of room to camp.
From the loop of road, steep cart-ways lead up to three gates. All of these cross wooden bridges. The bridges slope on central pivots when support timbers are retracted from inside the compound to dump attackers into large spike-filled pits.
The gatehouses are small stone keeps. Each is topped with a catapult. All firewood for the inn is under cover in these gatehouses, so fiery missiles can be hurled at attackers or an overrun gatehouse can be torched to prevent attackers from pouring in until the flames die down.
The inn itself is of stone, with a tile roof. Its windows look out over the road, and it is topped by a lookout tower equipped with several multiple-crossbow guns called airhurlers. Each of these is equipped with firing cords and shields for a person firing the gun, so that the airhurlers can be fired directly or aimed and fired from the room below.
The stables for the inn are in one corner of the plateau. Three fenced paddocks open out of them, and more airhurlers are located on the stable roof. The inn staff and attendant businesses (a wagon repair shop, a smith, a trading post, an apothecary, and a trail wares shop selling rope, skillets, tarpaulins, tents, sledges, harness, and the like) are housed in a row of stout stone cottages along the west wall of the plateau. A small orchard and hedged gardens provide fresh fruit and herbs for the inn's cooks.
From the walls of the inn, a new village of thatched and tile roofs spill outward and down along the slopes of the fortified hill, with log lined corduroy roads to provide traction when climbing the steep roads to the keep. A forest of new wooden buildings built upon the foundations of the old village destroyed during the Dragonspear War are steadily being replaced by stone buildings, providing booming business for stonemasons and architects from Daggerford and points beyond.
Places of Interest
Abbey of the Watch (Temple)
Watchknight Terjon Prost, Cleric of Helm
(Sharp featured and dark eyed) The cleric of Helm and commander of the Abbey of the Watch at the Way Inn considers his charge to be the observation of the former Dragonspear lands.
Canoness Delenn, Prophet of Helm
(Aging and careworn prophetess) The aging and forlorn Delenn has seen the rise and fall of the evil of Dragonspear twice in her lifetime, communicated to her in visions by the Watchful One. She haunts the walls of the castle looking ever to the south.
Built against the inner keep wall of the Way Inn to serve spiritual counsel to the armies of the Lords' Alliance who have swept through the Open marches twice in the last century. The clergy and faithful of the Abbey have learned to respond to the visions of the Canoness Delenn and keep the faith of their charge against the rising of any evil in the southern lands.
Ashen Grove (Temple)
Kalgan Ashstaff, Druid of Eldath
(Tall, imposing human male) The aged and powerful Kalgan Ashstaff has long been a force of religious stability for those of the Old Faith.
The Ashen Grove is set some distance from the Way Inn between the hill and the verge of the Misty Forest. The small cluster of trees sits astride a brook and is often pervaded by the mists of the nearby wood. A feeling of watchful peace lays upon the grove.
Dawn Chantry of Lathander (Temple)
Yether the Keen, Cleric of Lathander
(Late 50s, ruddy-faced, short gray beard) Recently dispatched to the Way Inn by Lightlord Liam Sunmist to supervise the growing population of the small town.
This small chapel of Lathander is as new as the village upon the hill below. Built into the eastern facing tower of the Way Inn, the chapel's congregation is rapidly outstripping its small footprint. The clergy are considering building a new fortified chantry on the hill beyond the Inn's walls.
The First Facet (Moneychanger)
Nira Brightjewel, Banker
(Logical, precise gnome)
Operating out of a bunkhouse set against the foundation cliff of the Way Inn, the First Facet serves the growing community as both a bank and a money changer. Nira has a reputation for honesty and asking-no-questions, and charges a reasonable 10% on top of exchange value.
Hard Shield's Trade Depot (Shop)
Rannos Davl and Gremag Davl, Traders
(Slow, fat, clumsy, placid & tall, thin, fussy)
The brothers Davl run Hard Shield's trade depot, as they have for several years. Set against the interior wall of the Way Inn, the brothers Davl negotiate tough deals for everything from livestock (held in the nearby stable) to weapons and salvaged goods. They have also been known to hire out their groom and a man-at-arms to protect caravans traveling the Trade Way for a fee.
Spugnoir Potions & Elixirs (Shop)
Galem and Renne Spugnoir, Alchemists
(Middle aged balding male & braided brown haired girl)
The father/daughter team of Galem and Renne run the newly built Potion & Elixir shop in upon the hillside. Galem makes the potions and his precocious daughter serves as the shopkeeper and accountant.
The Way Inn
Dauravyn Redbeard, Ostler
A stolid and weathered ex-adventurer and town elder.
Rufus Burne, Mage
His Most Worshipful Mage of the Trade Way. Longtime companion of Dauravyn Redbeard and man about town.
Provender Price
Lodging, private (with meal and bath) 2 gp
Lodging, common 5 sp
Stabling 1 sp
Coster stabling 1 gp
Night watch 1 sp
Meal (daily) 1 sp
Firewood (armload) 1 cp
Water (daily) 1 cp
Wagon wheel and axle 25 gp
Livestock varies
The stone rooms of this new and solidly built stone inn are lined with tapestries and have fur rugs underfoot. Heavy draperies are provided to cut the chill and breezes from the eastward-facing windows, each of which opens onto a private balcony, when desired. The dimly lit halls are also carpeted with furs.
Beds are canopied for warmth, but remain simple. Each has a pull cord to summon service, which is efficient and attentive. Lighting is provided by brass-and-glass full-shuttered candle lamps. These can be unhooked easily and taken elsewhere in the event of battle.
The inn serves good, hearty fare, notably braised bustard on buns. This dish has a spreading reputation. It utilizes the stale leftovers of the large, oval loaves of hard-bread baked at the inn, toasted and spread with a gravy based on onions, chicken livers, and offal from slaughtered livestock. Onto this are laid the cooked fragments of meat from bustard (plentiful on the moorlands, with a taste similar to grouse) brought back by the patrols. Its simple but good - and is usually served hot enough to burn the mouth of an incautious diner badly.
Meals are often enlivened by a minstrel. Redbeard hires traveling singers for a tenday at 5 sp per day. If other minstrels Redbeard likes arrives in the midst of another performer's stint, they'll be given free room and board to stay on until they can begin their own tenday stretch.
The Way Inn is a small village of about 100 souls. Another 400 or so live in dependent hamlets nearby. The village is dominated by a large inn. Both the inn and the village share the same name.
The Way Inn is used as a base for adventurers and hunters. The village maintains a force of archers and spearmen armed with firepots. This force is sometimes called on to repel trolls and other wandering creatures.
The Way Inn was used as an operations base by forces from Waterdeep in its fight against Dragonspear Castle. However, Waterdeep has no permanent treaties with The Way Inn.
Both the town and the inn are run by a stout, middle-aged swashbuckler named Dauravyn Redbeard. His beard is now mostly gray.
The Way Inn is a small village of about 100 souls. Another 400 or so live in dependent hamlets within a few miles. The large two-story inn that dominates the village also shares its name.
The village is a popular stopover for weary trav¬elers heading north to Daggerford, Waterdeep, or Never winter, or south to Baldur’s Gate and beyond. A few travelers come here to make hunting forays into the Misty Forest, particularly wealthy merchants and nobles. The village also serves as a market and central meeting place for folks living in nearby hamlets. The village maintains a force of archers and spear-wielding guards armed with fire pots. This force is sometimes called on to repel trolls and other wandering monsters.
The granite walls surrounding the village are 20 feet tall and about 2 feet thick. Several small stone towers rise slightly higher than the walls and are accessible via ladders.
The Trade Way runs clear through the middle of the village, and the gates at either end have large doors of thick wood clasped in iron bands. These doors can be barred with thick wooden spars stored in the adja¬cent towers.
Guards stationed at the gates do a cursory check of wagons and carriages just to be sure they don’t contain bandits or some other serious threat. Otherwise, trav¬elers are welcome.
The village has stables for the characters’ horses. There is also an apothecary, a smithy, a store that sells all manner of mundane items and practical clothing useful to travelers, and a shrine dedicated to Mielikki (goddess of the forest).
The party can obtain free food and lodging at the inn by doing as Lady Morwen suggested and claiming to be agents of the duke. The inn has more than enough guest rooms, which are small but cozy. Cross Wheeler, the seasoned innkeeper, goes out of his way to make sure Lady Morwen’s friends are comfortable.
Darrondar Gweth
Alwern Mulverax
Isteval urges the characters to find out if Darrondar Gweth passed through the village recently.
Way Inn
This isolated stone inn has been a famous landmark for many years, starting from when it was the last inn along the way south from Waterdeep for many days of hard and dangerous riding (hence its name). In recent years, as evil grew in ruined Dragonspear Castle, the Way Inn became ever more important as a base for mercenary armies raised by the Lords Alliance to keep the Trade Way clear and as a haven for merchants hurrying along that long and perilous overland road.
Geography
The Way Inn stands on the western side of the Trade Way two days hard ride (about a hundred miles) south of Daggerford. It is a walled compound atop a flat, grassy plateau about three acres in extent that overlooks a loop of road that leaves and rejoins the main trade road, giving caravans plenty of room to camp.
From the loop of road, steep cartways lead up to three gates. All of these cross wooden bridges. The bridges slope on central pivots when support timbers are retracted from inside the compound to dump attackers into large spike-filled pits.
The gatehouses are small stone keeps. Each is topped with a catapult. All firewood for the inn is under cover in these gatehouses, so fiery missiles can be hurled at attackers or an overrun gatehouse can be torched to prevent attackers from pouring in until the flames die down.
The inn itself is of stone, with a tile roof. Its windows look out over the road, and it is topped by a lookout tower equipped with several multiple-crossbow guns called airhurlers. Each of these is equipped with firing cords and shields for a person firing the gun, so that the airhurlers can be fired directly or aimed and fired from the room below.
The stables for the inn are in one corner of the plateau. Three fenced paddocks open out of them, and more airhurlers are located on the stable roof. The village that once straggled around the slopes of the inns height is gone. The inn staff and attendant businesses (a wagon repair shop, a smith, a trading post, an apothecary, and a trailwares shop selling rope, skillets, tarpaulins, tents, sledges, harness, and the like) are housed in a row of stout stone cottages along the west wall of the plateau. A small orchard and hedged gardens are the only features that spoil the impression of being inside an army castle ready for war.
However, this elaborate fortress is still the same good, clean, friendly refuge it used to be, and it remains under the capable hands of Dauravyn Redbeard, once an adventurer of note. He's seen evil rise in Dragonspear Castle and be shattered only to rise again, several times over. He is taking no chances. He lives today only by the magic of a priest of Tempus who restored him to life after the last confrontation. He has a hired standing guard of 21 warriors at the inn, 10 of whom are always on patrol along the edges of the High Moor, looking for trouble. As Dauravyn often says, looking east, "If it isn't orcs, it's trolls, and if it isn't trolls, its baatezu. If it isn't baatezu, it's dragons - and if it isn't dragons, it's something worse."
Places of Interest
The Way Inn
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