This week’s edition of Map-A-Week is the Village of Farmer’s Retreat which is located in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting in the Savage North. See a pdf version of the map here: Farmers Retreat Map
The Village of Farmer’s Retreat is a rural village with around 25 farming families located along the Red Run River and at the edge of the Black Adder Marshes. It is near the fabled Dwarven Ruins of Kazad Saram and sees groups of adventurers coming through occasionally to test themselves against its mysteries. The village is protected by a gruff and capable Shield Dwarven Ranger/Druid by the name of Hammnar Bloodstone who has a little 2-story cottage located on the south side of the village where he grows medicinal herbs, experiments with various healing elixers and potions and tends his massive garden. His home is protected by various magics including the use of brambles and thorns that have been animated, a sentient oak tree that stands as sentinel and his pet, a Dire Boar named Shredder who roams the area, wallowing in the mud, doing Boar things but also reporting happenings directly to Hammnar and chasing away any uwanted visitors.
Over 100 years ago, the village was attacked by a large band of maruading Marsh Trolls and Lizardmen from the Black Adder Marshes. The village was then protected by a much younger Hammnar and a Wizard named Kalliff. Kalliff and Hamnarr were able to slay nearly 2 dozen trolls and there are several reminders of the battle still in the area, such as the Troll statues near the southern entrance to the village where Kalliff turned them to stone. The village has since constructed a large mounded rampart on the edge of the marshes that is guarded by several towers and has a small contingent of 12 hireling soldiers who protect the area.
The nearby ruins of Kazad Saram have recently been overtaken by a nasty band of Spider-Eye Goblins and Narleth who are lead by a very ancient and devious Fiendish Aranea named Zusairn Shadowweb. She is a high level Wizard and can shape shift into several forms to entrap and fool unwary travelers, villagers and adventurers. She is also in league with a group of Drow that are trying to regain their prominence in the area and teach the villagers a lesson. This map is a great start for any adventure or campaign as it offers access to several large underground complexes and dungeons.
Please let me know what you think of the map. Any comments are appreciated.
-Grant
The Players' Aid 