Bards Rest Forest Encampment

At the heart of the forest is a clearing, occupied at one end by a hastily constructed wooden shack, reinforced over the years to be more structurally sound, serving as an open-air tavern. The constantly revolving population are free to set up their tents and lean-tos among the surrounding trees, always taking care not to encroach on one another without invitation. Bard’s Rest has an atmosphere of openness and welcome, with the only requirement of residence be that they somehow contribute to the community.   Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Bard’s Rest Forest Encampment is that nothing remarkable has ever happened there. In collective memory, by some unspoken agreement, very little thievery or violence has ever taken place. All who enter acknowledge that it is a place to rest, regroup, and to share ideas, stories and songs. Almost all take sustenance at the tavern, with overconsumption met with laughter and good-natured mockery, rather than derision and malice.   The almost indolent appearance of Bard’s Rest Forest Encampment is, however, an illusion. High in the treetops is a network of platforms and roped bridges that expands far beyond the clearing, giving ample opportunity for scouts to keep watch. Scouts trusted by, and loyal to, the ecampments leader.