Keeper's Grove

by Azgaar

1 hex = 25 ft

Keeper's Grove

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General Description

Minor holy site which has seen better days

The People

A handful of old, haggard priests and a score or more of young, boisterous, slightly-rough-around-the-edges acolytes

GM Notes

1-in-20 chance of a caravan leading to Stionhays

Points of Interest

There are tunnels linking all the buildings in town. They were mainly used to get around in winter but have been repurposed by The Owls

Businesses

Fishmongers

1

Glovemakers

1

Factions

Rules for the Faction Game can be found here

The Owls are a slavery gang that's moved into the Grove recently and our using it as a hideout by disguising themselves as priest. The leader of the Owls is the sister of the head priest who is exploiting her brother, which is why they chose here.
But the Owls, getting comfortable with their operation, are now running amok and The Priests are getting sick of it. They can’t directly fight back because they’re old men but will make the Owls’ lives miserable in any other way they possibly can.

Divine Factions

NPCs

Major

Minor

Dead

General Info

Gen. Demographics

Total Pop: 23
Area (acre): <1
Dwellings: 10
Buildings: 15

Nations Breakdown

Loch (Knach) 1 - 60
Elf 61 - 85
Meedt (Knach) 86 - 98
Orc (Jopvi's Horde) 99
Other: 100

Religion Breakdown

The Brotherhood 1 - 99
Other: 100

Government

Leader(s)

(dejure) Head Priest Irhard

(defacto) Sinner Marioki, leader of The Owls

Vassals

None

Overlord(s)

(dejure) Baroness Wollscha Illo Barony of Loch

Because they're bannered by the Count of Wollsch, they have special rights and privilages and enfiefed directly from them

(defacto) High Priest Blindwolf Ditliv Prensuchdt

While they could press their County Fief rights, day-to-day, they're happy to default to Blindwolf Ditliv

History

Recent

Ancient

Awarded a banner by a previous count of Wollsch for them taking him and healing him when his bodyguard was ambushed

It is told that the priests didn't know who he was and didn't ask for coin or recompense

Founded by Two-Ways Karulona

Inspirations

This section is just a freeform area to jot down inspirations as they strike so they're not forgotten when it's time to fit out the article more fully or update it.

Regional Map

1 hex = 2 miles

North Wisthulz

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Table of Contents

Relationships

Black Brothers

Th slavers here are being extorted by the Black Brothers, who use their connections to make putting in at the Prensuchdt docks.

Gifahringopfil

The Gifahringopfil nearby are said to weep at night; that crying can be heard. The final echo of a maiden who threw himself off the cliff.
The outlaws hiding in The Keeper's Grove warn people away from the Gifahringopfil as being extremely dangerous and tell people to simply go around. This is because they use the caves for keeping the slaves they're trading.

Hangman Tribe

The Hangman Tribe know about The Keeper's Grove and where the slaves are kept (Gifahringopfil) and use that information to blackmail the priests and outlaws.

Kraftvulli Styrzi

Just a beautiful waterfall. The people of the The Keeper's Grove say that their founder, Two-Ways Karulona, heard the voice of Estra at this location and knew it was where the Grove should be made.

Stionhays

The villagers of Stionhays are extremely suspicious of The Keeper's Grove. While they're not targets they've still seen a change in the priests. If someone is going to do their devotions at the grove, someone from town will volunteer to go with them. They won't reveal their suspicions unless they trust the person because they're not 100% sure.

Questions

Why Here?

Two-Ways Karulona thought she heard the voice of Estra in the waterfall
But the waterfall isn’t a Place of Power so what did she hear/why?

What Does the Village Provide?

Nothing: it’s barely a village

What Does It Lack?

A stable population
Steady food supply
Most of its population were old men and women (until recently) so now there are old men, old women and young men
It survives on donations and endowments, mainly coming from the Count of the Wollsch and the Brynholders
It gets new priests via assignments from the Brynholders who used it to isolate priests who displeased him

What Threatens It?

The Owls who’ve moved in to expand their slaving industry - they’ve been using it as a staging area for the crossing of Firdt Lake
Estra’s displeasure

How does it Protect Itself?

The Owls have moved in and are becoming more brazen.
The remaining real priests have put their foot down about people from Stionhays but that doesn’t stop them from taking the few pilgrims and travelers to the grove.
The Owls continue to do their devotions and sacrifices to Estra to keep her happy and will donate to hedge their bets
What is the cost?
Obviously, there is growing suspicion in Stionhays
There is also growing unrest among the priests who feel like they’ve been trapped in a horrible situation by their head priest

What Are the Norms?

Traditions, Beliefs, Religions, etc. What does the average person value? What are its Traditions? What beliefs does everyone have? What are the major and minor religions? How do the people see themselves?