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L A D Y C R O S S A T A G L A N C E

Ruler:AldermanJarssonTrondGovernment:AutocracyAlignments:NG,N,LN,NEPopulation: 86 (74 humans, 6 dwarves, 1 gnome, 1 half-elf, 4

halflings)Notable Folk: Alderman Jarsson (location 1, The Lady’s Rest),

MarkusVorgmann(location9,TheGates).Languages:Common,Dwarven,ElvenQualities:Prosperous,strategiclocationCorruption: +0; Crime: +0; Economy: +2; Law: +0; Lore: +1;

Society:+1Danger:+0

M A R K E T P L A C E

Resources&Industry:Distilling,brewingandhospitalityBaseValue:715gp;PurchaseLimit:3,750gp;Spellcasting:3rd

(GrindinWell-Read[location4])

Severalyearsago,AdalbertGall—abrewer—cametoLadyCrosswithhisdaughter, Eadith, abeautiful girl comingof agewithabewitching smile and mischievous eyes. Within a day all theyoungladswerevyingforherattention.She,however,hadeyesfor only one: Pepin—the sonof Jarrson the tavern ownerwithwhom her father sought to trade spirit recipes. Late at night,whilethemendiscussedbusinessinthetaproom,thetwoloverssneakedintothecellarstoconductbusinessoftheirown. Strugglesoftwodifferentkindsbrokeoutatthesametime;as the lovers fell to the floor so did the two brewers, fightingoverthevaluablerecipesthateachheld.Withdreamsofwealthandprestigedancingbeforehiseyes, JarrsonattackedAdalbertandstruckhimafatefulblowtotheheadwithaheavypitcher.Hethendraggedtheheavybodydowntothecellar tohidehistreachery only to interrupt the youngsters in their passionateembrace. Feigning innocence, he blamed the attack on Eadith andaccusedherofwitcheryandofbeguilinghisson.Hedraggedthescreaming girl into the village square where a vengeful mobquicklyformed,enragedattheattackontheirfriend.Eadithwastied to a large oak tree and burned whilst the frenzied mobwatched. Even now, her burnt skeleton still adorns the tree,whichhasnowgainedthename“TheSorrowTree”. Hoping things would return to normal, Jarrson prosperedusing the stolen recipes whilst his son slowly descended intomadnessover theguilt from thedeaths.Oneyear later, as thevillagecelebratedasuccessfulharvest,Pepinhunghimselffroma tree overhanging the mill pond. Soon thereafter, whispersbegantobeheardinthetaproomatnightandguestsbegantocomplainoffitfulsleepintheguestroomsandofseeingawhiteladystalkingthecommonareaslateatnight.

V I L L A G E L O R E

A PC making a Knowledge (geography) or Knowledge (local)checkmayknowsomethingaboutLadyCross.Asuccessfulcheckgainsalltheinformationrevealedbyalesserresult. DC 10: The village of Lady Cross is a famed centre ofdistillery.Itisparticularlyknownforisgins. DC15:Standsof juniperandeldertreespowerthevillage’sdistilleries.Anyonecaughtdamagingorstealingfromthetreesisviewedveryharshly. DC 20: Once nothing more than a rest stop for travellersLadyCrossisnowabustlingcommunity,attractingpeoplefromfarawaytosampleitswares.

V I L L A G E R S

Appearance: Tall and dark haired, most villagers have tanned,leatheryskin.Menareusuallyarmedwithbowsandhandaxes;womencommonlycarrylongknives. Dress:Villagerswearthick,windproofcanvasoverfurs.Longscarves and coats are preferable to cloaks. Thick fur lined hatswith a canvas coveringhave recentlybecomepopular.Womenwearlongtrousersunderopenskirtsandthickjackets;theirhairis usually long and plaited or tied back. Blue and red patternsprintedwithinkmadefromlocalfruitsadornmostclothing. Nomenclature:male Jurian, Markus, Darien; female Bella,Mawgen;familyJarsson,Millsson,Morganarr,Huvlarr.

W H I S P E R S & R U M O U R S

APCcanuseDiplomacytogatherinformationaboutLadyCrossanditssurroundings.Thistakes1d4hoursandrequiresaDC10check. A PC gains one additional rumour for each 5 points bywhich the check result exceedsDC10.Use the tablebelow, todeterminewhichrumour(s)thePClearns.

D6 RUMOUR1 AldermanJarssononcehadason,Pepin.

2 Sometimes a crying woman can be heard in thebasementfromthetopofthetaproomsteps.

3 Peopleshunthemillpondsincetheghostofayoungmanwasseenthere.

4 Pepin, the Alderman’s son wasn’t right in the headandtookhisownlifeintheoldmillruins.

5*Nooneentersthevillageaftersunset.Onedayalonetraveller was found frozen to death with a look ofsheerhorroronhisfacejustbytheSorrowTree.

6 A network of tunnels under the inn and the ruins oftheoldmillhidesinistersecrets.

*Falserumour

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N O T A B L E L O C A T I O N S A T A G L A N C E

MostofLadyCrosscomprisespeasanthomes.(Severaloftheseare sturdy, single storey stone houses with large cellars fordomestic animals to shelter in when the weather turnsparticularly harsh; every household has at least one cow orgoat).Gardensarewelltendedandmanyhavehutsforchickens,rabbitsorgeese.Large,longhaireddogsarepopularaspetsandguardians. ScatteredaroundLadyCrossaresixwellswhichdrawwaterfrom themazeof tunnels andpassagewaysweavingbelow thevillage. Afewlocationsareofparticularinteresttoadventurers:

1. TheLady’sRest:Thissquatstone,rose-coveredbuildingisthecentreofvillagelife.Borderingthevillagesquareontwosides,it,andthespiritssoldhere,arethereasonsmostpeoplestopinLadyCross.

2. Harrigan’s Stables and Forge: This large open-air forge alsodoublesasthestablesfortheinn’smanyvisitors.

3. Stoneforge Distillery: Built of thick black stone bricks, thistypicaldwarvenbuildinghousesseveralginstills

4. The Book End: Small and innocuous, like its owner GrindinWell-Read,thissmallshopholdsmanybooksandmaps.

5. Wundrel’sTeaShop:Tuckedawaybeneath tall juniper trees,thiseateryprovidesaccommodationforsmallerclientsaswellasalargercommonroomandoutdoorseatingforall.

6. TheRuinedMill:Nowunused,thisoldmillstandsbehindthevillageslowlydecaying.

7. TheMillPond:Hiddenbehindalargetangleofjuniperbushes,thispondisnowmostlyignoredbythebusyvillagers.

8. TheSorrowTree:Shatteredbylightninginasavagestorm,thisburnt treeoverlooks thevillage fromasmallknollbesidetheroad.Eadith’sscorchedandweatheredskeletonisstillchainedtothetree.

9. The Watchtowers: Each of the three village gates are builtinside a sturdy stone tower. Fromhere, guards canuse theircrossbows to great effect through the arrow slits or frombehindthecrenelatedwall.