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T H O R N H I L L A T A G L A N C E

Standingonthefringesofavastandnoisomefen,Thornhillisamiserable, hard place. The folk are insular and superstitious,keeping to the old ways and worshipping the spirits of themarsh.Survivingonamixtureofhunting, fishinganddesultorytradewithnearbytribesoflizardfolk,thefolkherecarelittlefortheworldbeyondtheirdismaldomain. Thornhillstandsatopalargeislandinthecentreofthedeep,butsluggishwatersoftheFenwater.Aonceformidablestockadeof aged, sodden timbers surrounds the place. Stands of sickly,densethornbushesgrowovermuchof the island; thevillagershave deliberately let the bushes grow wild to form an almostimpenetrablebarrieraroundtheisland’speriphery.

D E M O G R A P H I C S

RulerAelfgarWymerGovernmentAutocracyPopulation 157 (127 humans, 15 half-orcs, 12 half-elves, 2

halflings,1elf)AlignmentsN,LN,CN,NELanguagesCommon,DraconicResources&IndustryFishing,hunting

N O T A B L E F O L K

Most of the population are nothing more than hardworkingpeasants.Afew,however,areofinteresttoadventurers:

Aedwen Sirett (location 5; NG female human acolyte) Kindhearted, Aedwen is well-liked by the villagers. She oftenpreachestovillagersandtravellersalike.

AelfgarWymer (location4; LNmalehumanguard) This sullen,boringmanisthevillagereeve.

GyricWalwin(location6;Nmalehalf-elfwizard[diviner]2)ThelongestlivedofThornhill’sresidence,Gyriccareslittleforhisneighbours,mostofwhomhelabelsasinbredidiots.

Odda Kerrich (location 2; NE male half-orc cleric 1/rogue 2)Besetbyaperpetualhackingcough,Odda isoverly friendlytotravellersstayingattheDrunkenLizard.

RicolaWymer(location5;LNfemalehumancommoner)Spitefuland deliberately rude to her fellows, Ricola is universallyseenasill-manneredandstuckup.

SithricSiggers(location2;NEmalehumanguard)Aboorish,oft-drunk fisherman normally found at the Drunken Lizard. Hehasareputationasatroublemakerandbrawler.

Wulfric Isgar (location 8; Nmale human commoner) This sourfacedpoetchantsdirgesandelegieswhileathisforge.

Zissren (location 10; NG female lizardfolk shaman) A tall,cunning lizardfolk of exceptional intellect, Zissren works tomollifyherfellows’moresavageinstincts.

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

Most of the village comprises peasant homes. A few locations,however,areofinteresttoadventurers:

1. Mud Bridge: This often muddy, stout wooden bridge is theonlywaytoeasilyreachThornhill.

2. The Drunken Lizard: Thornhill’s only tavern is a dank,shadowedplace.Thefoodanddrinkareadequateatbest.

3. Wennell’s: Thornhill’s trading station is run by the family ofthesamename.Denselypackedwithallmannerofmundanethings,thereislittleofobviousinteresthereforadventurers.

4. Aelfgar Wymer’s House: Here dwells the reeve and hisspiteful, shrewish wife, Ricola Wymer. The house is wellmaintained.

5. HalloftheSun:DedicatedtoDarlen,elaboratecarvingsoftherisingsundecoratethisotherwisehumblehall.

6. GyricWalwin’sHome:Anelderlysage,GyricWalwin,dwellsinthisramshackleoldbuilding.Vinesandivygrowovermuchofhis home, crowdingoutmost of the light from thebuilding’snarrowwindows.

7. Osred’sHouse:HometoYmmaWinbow,thisstonebuildingistheoldestandlargestinthevillage.Thewindowsonthethirdfloorcommandsweepingviewsoverthelocality.

8. Blacksmith: This large building features a workshop at thefront containing not only the normal accoutrements of theblacksmith’stradebutalsoasmallpool.

9. Yonwin’s: The stench of this place permeates the wholevillage.Here the villagers sell their excess catch to Yonwin, acrippledhalflingmerchant.

10. IsleoftheLizards:Asinglehutstandsuponthisisland,whichthe lizardfolkclaimasaholyplace.Mostnights,Zissren leadsherfellowsinworshiptotheirprimitivegods.

G E N E R A L V I L L A G E F E A T U R E S

With the exception of Osred’s House (location 7) and theDrunken Lizard (location 2) all the village’s buildings are singlestorey and of wooden construction. They are low, ramblingaffairs and often in poor repair. As well as their humanoccupants,mostbuildingsalsohouselivestock—mainlypigsandchickens—whichduringthedayroamaboutthevillage. Worn wooden causeways snake their way through thevillage. In places, planks are missing or rotten and unwarytravellers can find themselves unceremoniously dropped intothemudbeneath. Awoodenpalisadesurroundsthevillage;between6ft.and10 ft. high it would not stop a serious assault but the thickmasses of bramble bushes growing up against it give even thehardiestofinterloperspause.

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V I L L A G E L O R E

A PC may know something about Thornhill, its history andsurrounds.APCmakingaDC10Intelligencecheckknowsoneormore pieces of information from the list below. A successfulcheckgainsalltheinformationrevealedbyalessercheck. DC10:Thornhill isamuddy,cheerlessplace.Itsfolksurvivebyfishingandhuntinginthesurroundingmarshes.Occasionally,lizardfolktradewiththevillagers. DC15:Thevillagersareinsular,superstitiousfolk.Theykeeptotheoldways.Theyarepoorandhavelittleofvalue.Mostoftheirhousesareramshacklewoodenaffairs. DC20:Anancientstonehousestandsatthehighestpartofthevillage.Itissaidtopredatethevillageandtooncehavebeenthehomeofapowerful,exiled(andblackhearted)adventurer.

V I L L A G E R S

Appearance Dark of hair with grey or brown eyes, the folk ofThornhill are often dirty; their clothes normally streakedwithmud.

DressVillagers’clothesaresturdy,ofboringearthycoloursandinvariablymuddy.Mostwearwell-wornknee-highboots.

Nomenclature male: Aelfgar, Brid, Eadgar, Gyric, Liofa, Osgar,Sithric, Ulf, Wulfric; female: Aebbe, Bebbe, Ealhild, Heiu,Inga, Ricola, Saeith, Ymma; family: Almer, Elvery, Isgar,Kerrich,Osmer,Siggers,Walwin,Woolgar,Wymer.

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

While in Thornhill, a PCmay hear one ormore rumours. A PCmaking a DC 10 Charisma check learns one rumour from thetable below. A PC exceeding this check learns an additionalrumourforeach5pointsbywhichheexceededDC10.

D6 RUMOUR

1*Sithric Siggers has friends among the lizardfolk of themarsh. They lead him to many of the sunken tombshiddenintheswamp

2 A huge snake has recently been seen swimming in thelake.Recently,severalchickenshavegonemissing.

3 The lizardfolk living nearby are angry about somethingandshuntravellers.

4Lights have been seen burning late at Gyric Walwin’shouse;thesagehasstartedtakingamuchmoreseriousinterestintravellersvisitingthevillage.

5 Osred’sHousehasahidden,deepcellarsaidtoleadtoapartiallyfloodedcavern.

6Ricola Wymer is the third daughter of a minor noblehouse.CaughtinayouthfulindiscretionshewasmarriedofftoAelfgaragainstherwishes.

*Falserumour