Woodholme

The town of Woodholme sits about 75 miles southeast of Tynard, and about 100 miles southwest of Hourglass. It is positioned on the edge of the Elderwood. In olden times it was the site of much activity, especially forestry, but recently the town has diminished in population as younger generations leave for Cylestol, Tynard or Hourglass. Still, however, it retains a fairly healthy population.   Recently the noble Von Croft family hired a party of adventurers to retrieve their son Wilhelm from the abandoned pleasure palace known as Brightblossom, aka The Blind Palace. Even more recently, the criminal Druuzhak set himself up in the abandoned Greythax Keep, former home of the dark magic-dabbling Warlord Iguronin Greythax. He was ousted by a band of determined heroes who killed him and forced the surrender of goblin and grakthal forces. These brave souls were celebrated by the local townsfolk.    LOCATIONS:   The Gilded Strumpet Tavern   A raucous but well-established tavern frequented by all manner of individuals, from nobles to vagabonds. If you want to get in touch with Woodholme's underbelly (as small as it is) this is where to start. During the Grim Epoch, this tavern was named the Feisty Ferret, and was run by a take-no-prisoners publican named Rhonda. She became like a goddess to the soldiers fighting in the area, and amazingly the tavern stood throughout this time, Woodholme protected against the ravages of the Emberlings and the Riffthera. She passed away some five years ago, and has been immortalized by a large bronze statue which sits in the middle of the bar. When patrons get exceedingly drunk they hug and kiss the statue for luck. Some in exceeding states of intoxication have even been seen asking Rhonda to marry them! The tavern was also renamed in her honour - The Gilded Strumpet.   The Crossed Spears Tavern   A more reputable establishment, the Crossed Spears is run by a female gnome named Ryllia. She is a retired soldier, and keeps an arsenal of weapons in a secure locker. Regulars: Grey Rowe, Male human assassin. Gwoinan. Male heimfolk warrior. Riffolki, female human ranger. Sengolla, female Callenthi wizard.   Forge of Three Smiths   The original Forge was founded by a heimfolk rune expert, a human enchanter, and a Callenthi magus from the southlands, all master blacksmiths. Since then, the franchise has spread across the continent, providing high-quality arms, armaments, and enchantments that combine the three races’ strengths and styles. In many cities, the Forges have to operate under a waiting list system, as high demand means that they develop hefty backlogs.   Greythax Keep   The former keep of the warlord Iguronin Greythax, this dark and mysterious place has long been avoided by locals. However, recently the criminal and self-styled "Lord" Druuzhak took up residence there and began amassing an army around him, mainly grakthal but also human, goblin, and all others who he could attract to his cause of anarchy. He was killed by a bunch of freelance heroes.