Twilight Falls

Deep within the Gnarley Forest, nestled along the well-worn Forest Road between the Viscounty of Verbobonc and Dyvers, Free Lands of , lies the remote village of Twilight Falls. A settlement of hunters, woodsmen, and traders, Twilight Falls is a place where civilization meets the untamed wilderness. The village thrives under the watchful eye of its druidic guardians and a loose-knit community of independent foresters. While it serves as a minor trading post for travelers journeying between Dyvers and Verbobonc, it remains a place of mystery, deeply entwined with the ancient and mystical forces of the Gnarley Forest.

“Mist Home of the Earth Keepers”

History of Twilight Falls

The Age of Settlers and Strife

The origins of Twilight Falls trace back millennia to when it was known as Ilaira ath Erekon (“Mist Home of the Earth Keepers”), a settlement of elven wizards from the lands now called Celene. These mages studied geomancy, creating a conduit called the Quarlanilath, or “Soul Trees,” which channeled raw magical energy into their High Magic. This elven experiment led to the formation of several enchanted groves across the region, but their reach ultimately drew the attention of the Whispered One, Vecna, and his Ur-Flannae followers.

During the war against Vecna’s forces, Ilaira ath Erekon was besieged and eventually abandoned. The elves transported many of the Quarlanilath to Celene, but some trees remained, protected by the Aenanya ath Erekon (“Children of the Earth-Keepers”), dryads bound to the surviving groves. The site remained dormant for centuries until the era of the Great Migrations, when Oeridian invaders—guided by Suloise necromancers—swept through the region.

In a desperate bid for survival, elven geomancers attempted a powerful ritual to annihilate the invaders, but the spell misfired, devastating both attackers and defenders. The few remaining elves, along with twin dryads, Ruethel and Baelavain, worked to mend the land’s magic, renaming the settlement Naimus aul Dethali (“Companion Oaks in Eternal Shadow”). Over time, the village was abandoned, its ruins reclaimed by the forest.

Reference: The Historical Tapestry of Verbobonc

The Era of the Ur-Flan and First Human Settlements (-3000 CY to -440 CY)

• The region that would become Twilight Falls was once under threat of the dominion of the Ur-Flan, a civilization steeped in dark sorcery and necromantic rule.
• The lands saw early Flan settlements, though they were often ruled by powerful warlocks and priest-kings who followed sinister deities.
• Vecna’s rise to power led to conflicts that ultimately resulted in the desolation of many Flan settlements in the region.
• Click here for the The History of the Ur-Flan

The Twin Cataclysms and Oeridian Migrations (-440 CY to -100 CY)

• The Twin Cataclysms devastated the Suel and Baklunish empires, forcing mass migrations into the central Flanaess.
• Oeridian migrants, primarily the Aerdi and Nehri, began moving into the Velverdyva region, fighting against Flan warlords but largely avoiding major conflicts with the elves.
• Humanoid invasions destroyed the elven kingdom of Luna, forcing Celene’s elves to withdraw south of the Kron Hills, leaving the region in a state of turmoil

Recent History - The Rise of Twilight Falls

Some three centuries ago, a family of human settlers chose to make their homes at the pools of the Falls. They were kindly and responsible woodsfolk who were respectful of the elves that frequently came to gaze upon the falls and at the Twins. From those elves, they learned a little of the area, though due to language barriers, they came to call the site ‘Twilight Falls’ rather than Shadow Falls.

Slowly, other woodsfolk joined them, and by the time soldiers of the nascent realm of Furyondy arrived at the end of the 3rd century CY and informed them they owed their fealty to Chendl, there was a thriving thorpe of some sixty souls here. A century later, now paying their meager taxes to the Viscounty of Verbobonc, a village of two hundred lived in the settlement. By 500 CY, three hundred and eighty people dwelt in the growing settlement; in 576 CY, it had grown further to five hundred and twenty-two.

By the early 500s CY, humanWoodsmen of the Gnarley Forest, The Gnarley Rangers , and Druids of the Gnarley Forest rediscovered the site and began settling there, drawn by its abundant resources and natural magic. The village, renamed Twilight Falls, grew into a small but stable community. Throughout the 560s and 570s, governance shifted between two contrasting leaders: Mistress Anda Dove, who sought to make Twilight Falls an artistic haven, and Robleth Tyne, a lumber baron eager to exploit the region for profit. Their struggle defined the political landscape of the village leading up to 579 CY.

Geography and Layout

Twilight Falls is built upon the banks of a cascading waterfall, from which it derives its name. The falls serve as both a natural defense and a source of fresh water. A sturdy wooden bridge spans the Forest Road, connecting the village's two halves.

Key locations in Twilight Falls include:

• The Silver Bough Inn – A rustic haven for travelers, owned by an aging half-elf named Rhiannor Moonshadow, a former ranger who now offers hospitality to those who respect the balance of nature.
• Market Square – A modest hub where local artisans and traders sell furs, medicinal herbs, and finely crafted wooden goods.
• 4. The Circle of the Old Faith – A sacred grove maintained by the Druids of the Gnarley Forest, used for rituals, mediation, and counsel.

Culture and Society

The people of Twilight Falls are fiercely independent, much like the Woodsmen of the Gnarley Forest. They govern themselves through an elected mayor, who serves a five-year term and is advised by an informal council of elders. Until recently, this system worked well, but tensions between expansionists and conservationists have grown.

Hospitality is a valued virtue, but so is caution. Outsiders are welcomed but watched closely. A barter economy thrives here, with coin holding little value compared to trade goods and services.

Law and Order

While the Viscount of Verbobonc nominally claims the region, he exercises little direct control over Twilight Falls. Taxes are collected by the mayor and delivered to the officers of the viscount in the form of the Mounted Borderers. The village enforces its own rough justice, with the Rangers and druids ensuring peace. Crimes are judged by a tribunal of elders, with punishments ranging from exile to labor service.

Bandits and cultists occasionally seek refuge in the village, but the Rangers and druids ensure they do not establish a foothold. There are whispers that agents of the Temple of Elemental Evil still pass through Twilight Falls, gathering supplies or spreading their dark influence in secret.

Despite this, true law in Twilight Falls is upheld by Bailiff Roldo Madleth, the stern and unforgiving enforcer of order in the village. A veteran of countless skirmishes along the borderlands, Roldo is a broad-shouldered, heavyset man of Oeridian descent, with sharp eyes that miss little. Unlike the druids and Rangers, Roldo believes in iron-fisted justice—swift, brutal, and effective. He has little patience for outsiders and trusts few beyond his own men.

Roldo commands a handful of deputies, each hand-picked for their ability to keep order—through intimidation, force, or cunning. These include Deputy Brann Murdock, a brutish thug who relishes cracking heads; Deputy Duncan Arlow, a skilled marksman who prefers to strike from a distance; and Deputy Garret Vann, a scheming officer who excels at extracting bribes and "negotiating" with merchants. Together, they patrol the streets, ensuring that trouble does not get out of hand—at least, not without their say.

Many villagers respect Roldo for keeping Twilight Falls from falling into chaos, while others fear the harsh justice he doles out. Some whisper that he has his own deals with smugglers and bandits, though none dare voice such accusations too loudly.

Governance

Until the middle of the fifth century, the local folk operated very much as a commune, with all adults taking a simple vote on matters affecting the entire village, and an informal council of elders took responsibility for enacting their will. The same council would be responsible for collecting taxes, which in turn would be delivered to the officers of the viscount in the form of the Mounted Borderers. However, as the number of villagers grew, that method of governance became unwieldy, and so, at length, it was decided that a mayor would be elected every five years.

The mayor, in turn, would be advised by the same informal council, and additional officers of the village would be appointed as needed. This mayor would be responsible for the defense of the town and for the collecting of taxes, a small portion of which would go toward his own upkeep. He would also be responsible for being the settlement's spokesperson at the viscount’s court (should such be needed) and for keeping up good relations with the Mounted Borderers. Until recently, this system worked well.

Throughout the 560s and the 570s, the office of the mayor bounced continually between Mistress Anda Dove and the local lumber baron known as Robleth Tyne, each of whom had radically different visions for the village. Anda sought to make Twilight Falls a true artists’ colony, a beacon of light and civilization that would attract scholars, musicians, painters, sculptors, wizards, and priests. Robleth desired to exploit the forest and the trade route through it and cared only for wealth, believing that the Gnarley was so vast that nothing could be done to truly harm it.

Religion and Spirituality

For most of the existence of the modern settlement, most of the villagers were congregants of the Old Faith, and they relied upon the local druid for healing or spiritual advice. In 359 CY, a group of monks dedicated to Allitur (Oeridian god of ethics and morality) built a monastery on the banks of the Imeryd's Run a handful of miles to the south, along a trail connected to the verge road. They sought to do good works and influence the growth of the community but, for their own reasons, the monks had abandoned the site by the turn of the 6th century.

In 512 CY, a shrine to Fharlanghn had been constructed in the village, and this was later expanded into a larger chapel, and then again into a fully-fledged temple. In the 540s, it was joined by a small church of Myhriss, founded by a small colony of artists and poets that took up residence in the settlement. They in turn would much more recently be joined by chapels dedicated to Pholtus, Zilchus, and Bleredd, both of which cater to the miners who have come to dwell in Twilight Falls.

These days, the followers of the Old Faith are still a majority in the town, but only by virtue of the smaller congregations of Fharlanghn, Zilchus, Bleredd, Pholtus, and Myhriss. Together, the worshippers of the new gods outstrip the congregation of the Old Faith two to one.

Politics and Relations with the Elves

The Elves of the Gnarley Forest have, until recently, rebuffed any correspondence with Twilight Falls. Many believe this is due to the rampant deforestation of the Ipp Wood trees that grow in the Gnarley and an increasing ‘urbanization’ of the great forest. Once a place of elven antiquity and beauty, the elves now view Twilight Falls as a blight on the land and a cyst that must be excised.

Attempts by the village’s leaders to establish trade agreements or mutual defense pacts with the elves have largely been ignored or met with cold formality. Only a few half-elves and intermediaries with personal ties to the elves have managed to maintain fragile lines of communication. The village’s expansion and continued use of the surrounding forest’s resources have created tensions that could soon erupt into outright hostility if not carefully managed.

The Gnarley Rangers, who have a foot in both human and elven worlds, work to temper conflicts where possible, but even they acknowledge the growing resentment from the elves. If the logging and mining industries continue unchecked, the elves may be compelled to take action to halt what they see as an affront to their ancient homeland.

Adventuring Opportunities

• Hunting the BLACKTHORN Orcs – A dangerous tribe threatening the region.
• Tracking Temple Cultists – Uncovering a hidden cell of the Elder Elemental God’s followers.
• Elven Diplomacy – Earning the trust of the Gnarley Elves to strengthen ties.
• Recovering a Lost Relic – Seeking an ancient artifact said to be hidden near the falls.

Conclusion

Twilight Falls is a village of intrigue, commerce, and mystery. Its location along the Forest Road makes it an essential waypoint for travelers, while its deep connection to the Gnarley Forest ensures that it remains both protected and enigmatic. Whether as a refuge, a battleground, or a place of hidden power, Twilight Falls offers endless adventure for those who dare to explore its depths.