The Troubles

Until recently, Prosperity has been blessed with peace. The goblins of the Hedgewood are cowardly and disorganized, rarely posing a threat to those who do not trespass into the forest. Despite the darkness that pervades Persirra, Prosperity has been an unwavering point of light and hope for civilization.

Several months ago, that changed.

The first time a wagon coming from Greenvale was found overturned and the oxen that pulled it were found dead, locals declared it a freak accident. The second time, it was an unfortunate coincidence. In the weeks since then, however, the accounts of missing travelers have increased in number and frequency. Entire trade caravans have been found smashed and splintered, with broken bodies lying amidst the wreckage of the carts.

Somewhere in the Tower Hills, evil is afoot.

Not all travelers have vanished, of course. The number of horses and their riders that have passed through Prosperity on their way down the Shale River still outnumbers those that seem to have been waylaid on the road. Nonetheless, the fact remains that the North Road is unsafe—who knows how much worse the situation will get before someone does something about it?

In addition to missing persons and lost caravans, a new problem has blossomed within the past two weeks: every few days, early in the morning, animals will be found mutilated. Thus far there have been seven or eight instances where pets and livestock were found dead upon the ground, their bodies torn to shreds and mauled nearly beyond recognition.

The unfortunate beasts have included guard dogs outside the general store, a wagon mule at the logging camp, several cows at the Osburn steading, and even a wild deer at the edge of the Hedgewood. At first thought to be wild animals, the local elven rangers were quick to point out that hungry animals would not likely leave their prey half-eaten. So far, luckily, no persons have suffered this grisly fate.

Sheriff Malcolm Stormraven has placed the blame for the disappearances and maulings squarely upon the goblins of the Hedgewood. A standing reward has been posted outside the sheriff’s office door: ten silver shillings per right goblin ear.


DRAMATIS PERSONAE

CONNOR MACMORDHA – Dan's Character; human fighter
GIDEON MACMORDHA – Erik's Character; human wizard
RHAASK – Chris' Character; dragonborn paladin
TAVUS SATORI – Kyle's Character; tiefling ranger
KILGRIM DARKSCREAM – Jamie's Character; dwarf warlord
JHORI WISEWHISPER – Garett's character; halfling rogue

LIAM MACMORDHA – Connor and Gideon's father, presumed dead; human
GWENDOLYN MACMORDHA – Connor and Gideon's mother; human
KHULESS – Rhaask's father, presumed dead; dragonborn
ZHANT SATORI – Tavus' father, fled the village after murdering his wife; tiefling
ARA SATORI – Tavus' mother, deceased; human
KAYLEIGH HALLETT – Tavus' sister; human
TIMBA WISEWHISPER – Jhori's father, Shale River ferryman; halfling

GLENN HALLETT – Tavus and Kayleigh's uncle; human
FRIEDA HALLETT – Tavus and Kayleigh's aunt, Ara's sister; human

CARTER GYLLENBORGH – Former companion of Liam, Kilgrim, and Ara, now the town drunk; human
FATHER SIMON RINNMORE – Priest of the Trinity of Light; human
OZRICK ULVERSON – Innkeeper at the Green Lady Inn; human
MALCOLM STORMRAVEN – Prosperity village sheriff; half-elf
JESWIK – Stable hand at Rhaask’s ranch; human
LYAL'LIAH SILVERMOON – Commander of the Hedgewood Rangers; elf
AVERY O'BRIEN – Logging camp overseer; human
BRIANA QUINN – Herbalist and apothecary; human
ULAF FLAMEBREW – Proprietor of the Tipped Tankard public house; dwarf

LI'AH (LYE-AH) - An acid-scarred warrior woman, leader of the Black Wing; human
MARCOS - An enormous, hammer-wielding northman; human
ELIANDER - Likely the Black Wing's sorcerer or wizard, and a conniving weasel; elf
DREK - A mysteriously-cloaked dwarf with scarred gray skin and no beard; duergar


The Persirran Calendar

Currently the continent of Persirra observes no year.
There is no significant event in recent history to begin marking the passage of time.

SR: Secundum Ruare (After the Fall) - Current epoch
DL: Diei Lumeno (Days of Light) - Previous epoch

One solar year is 340.2 days long.
Each year has 12 months of 4 weeks. A week is seven days long.
Each year has four Festival Days which fall outside of the regular month.
Every five years the calendar is extended by a single day, which takes place before the first day of the new year. In large cities this (or any other) festival often heralds the arrival of week-long tournaments, fairs, and carnivals.

Calendar by Season

Spring - Warming, Rainfall, Spring Festival, Brightgarden
Summer - Seeding, Seethe, Summer Festival, Quell
Autumn - Leafturn, Harvest, Autumn Festival, Frozenearth
Winter - Darkveil, Ravenous, Winter Festival, Graysky

The Spring Festival is held at the end of Rainfall. This festival is often celebrated with tournaments and brightly-colored decorations crafted from freshly-bloomed flowers.
The Summer Festival is held at the end of Seethe, celebrating the end of the blistering summer heat.
The Autumn Festival is held at the end of Harvest. A great feast is usually held to celebrate the end of the traditional harvest week.
The Winter Festival is held at the end of Ravenous. The worst part of winter has usually ended by this time and people celebrate the inevitable arrival of spring.

The Fifth Year Festival, called Birth Day by some, is held on the day between Graysky and Warming. It is considered the last day of the year during years in which it occurs and, like other festival days, is not marked as a day of the week.

Days of the Week
Sunsday - First day of the week; Pelor's blessed day for agriculture
Moonday - Eve of the moon; significant primarily to elves, eladrin, and fortune tellers
Twiceday - The week's second holy day for those devout enough to attend two services
Windsday - Traditionally the "lucky" day for new sea voyages to set sail
Kordsday - For warriors and holy men of Kord, this is a day for martial training
Fireday - Day of the blessed forge; commonly the Market Day in most settlements
Godsday - Final day of the week; a day for rest and worship


TIMELINE

35 years ago: Liam, Carter, Ara, and Kilgrim form a band called Prosperity’s Shield after they defeat a trio of trolls that had been plaguing the northeastern hills. Word of their valor spreads through the Heartlands and to the Crimson Coast, and they are soon summoned to Winecrest by wealthy patrons to serve the great city.

18 years ago: Ara meets a charming tiefling man in Winecrest and, shortly thereafter, gives birth to Tavus. Zhant, the tiefling, then convinces her to leave the adventuring life behind to raise their son.

17 years ago: Liam returns to Prosperity, where he settles down with wife Gwendolyn to start a family—within the year twin sons Connor and Gideon are born. Prosperity’s Shield is disbanded.

15 years ago: Kayleigh is born, Ara is murdered by Zhant. Confronted with his crime, Zhant flees.

14 years ago: Kilgrim departs Prosperity on a pilgrimage to Hammer's Hope in the northern mountains.

10 years ago: Timba Wisewhisper and his son Jhori take up residence in Prosperity, having left their home of Orchard Meadows to the north.

7 years ago: Word reaches Prosperity of a red dragon plaguing the Crimson Coast from Gull’s Cove to Westport. Liam and Carter gather a party of dragonslayers to ride east in search of the monster. Only Carter returns.

4 years ago: Khuless, without explanation, leaves Prosperity. He rides northward, toward Greenvale. Days later, the dragonborn’s mount is found with his supplies still in its saddlebags. Khuless never returns.

2 years ago: Kilgrim returns from Hammer’s Hope. He takes up the mantle of the town’s only blacksmith, whose years have overcome him.

Kryptonian Scion

PROSPERITY

The village of Prosperity straddles the Shale River just north of the goblin-infested Hedgewood. It is populated by less than five hundred people, the majority of whom are humans. A handful of half-elves, dwarves and halflings inhabit the settlement as well, and approximately half a dozen elves call this hamlet home. The tiefling known as Tavus and the dragonborn called Rhaask are unique members of their respective races as far as locals go, and eladrin are unheard of in backwater Prosperity.

Most of Prosperity’s citizens are farmers or wood cutters by trade. Families that have lived in Prosperity for generations own huge swaths of farmland on the Shale River’s eastern banks and northeast of the village’s dusty main road, employing travelers and newcomers to town in their fields. A logging camp, meanwhile, sits sprawled at the Hedgewood’s northern edge between the forest and the Thorn Slough—a mist-shrouded swamp that, legend has it, is haunted by those who perished in the war between the Old Empires.

Separated by the broad river, which is spanned by a high and sturdy wooden bridge, the village’s eastern and western neighborhoods have distinctly different atmospheres.

On the east riverbank, along the well-traveled trade road that stretches from Greenvale all the way to distant Winecrest, can be found small, quaint shops such as the tailor and toymaker, the local church of the Trinity, the Green Lady Inn and the sheriff’s office. An open square at the river’s bend serves as a market on warm days, where farmers and craftsmen come to sell their wares from wagons and canvas tents. The buildings in this section of town are built of gray stone or heavy logs, each sturdy and able to endure the test of time.

The western bank of the Shale is Prosperity’s “rough-and-tumble” neighborhood. Wood cutters fortunate enough to live on their own, rather than in the logging camp, dwell here along with fishermen, tanners, porters, and stable hands. Among the humble wooden shacks that make up this part of town is the Tipped Tankard—a dingy, smoke-filled watering hole preferred by loggers and those who cannot afford the Green Lady’s prices.

Prosperity falls within the boundaries of the province of Greenvale, and is thus ruled by the Baron of Greenvale—a hereditary title currently held by one Thomas Ladimore. Baron Ladimore has little influence on the village’s day-to-day affairs, however, leaving the governance of Prosperity to the local sheriff and town councilmen, whom he selects.

Many residents of Prosperity have never left the village, content to live their lives simply. Others, however, have traveled north to the provincial capital, most often to trade or purchase desperately-needed supplies or commodities. The ride to Greenvale takes approximately five days on horseback, following the winding North Road along the course of the Shale River through the Tower Hills. A handful of folk have been as far as the city of Winecrest on the Crimson Coast, though such well-traveled citizens are rare.
Authority Figures

Currently, the sheriff of Prosperity is Malcolm Stormraven, a middle-aged half-elven man who is not known for his sense of humor. Despite his grim disposition Sheriff Stormraven is well-liked in the village, enforcing the law fairly and keeping the local militia trained and paid. Other than enforcing the law and protecting the populace from goblins and other dangers, it is the sheriff’s duty to collect taxes in the name of Baron Ladimore.

The councilmen chosen by Greenvale’s baron are charged with hearing and adjudicating the villagers’ grievances and insuring that the sheriff is performing his duties. In the event of the sheriff’s absence or demise they are authorized to install a temporary sheriff to fulfill his duties.

Prosperity’s councilmen include Ozrick Ulverson, owner of the Green Lady Inn, Father Simon Rinnmore, priest of the Trinity of Light, and Avery O’Brien, owner and overseer of the logging camp.

Religion

A single church can be found in Prosperity, run by Father Simon Rinnmore. This church is devoted to the Trinity of Light—a common religion in the Heartlands that combines the worship of Bahamut, Pelor, and Avandra. On the seventh day of each week, Father Rinnmore holds services for all in the town who wish to attend, praising the Trinity for the protection and luck they have bestowed upon the tiny frontier settlement, and praying for a good harvest when autumn approaches.

Prosperity’s only cemetery is located beside the Church of the Trinity, on the eastern edge of town. Though mostly filled with simple headstones and small monuments, the small, walled-in graveyard also houses a very old mausoleum. The crypt beneath the mausoleum was built for Luther Bravecloak, the founder of the village, and his family, but when the man’s descendants abandoned Prosperity it became a place where heroes are interred.

Trade and Travel

The wide, slow-moving Shale River is an important aspect of Prosperity as a community. The river is a source of food and income, as well as a means of transportation for those who can afford boats.

Fishermen’s homes dot the western banks of the Shale, where tiny wooden boats are dragged into tiny sheds at night or hoisted into the boughs of bent and weathered trees. When the river freezes during the winter season, the same fishermen carve holes into the ice to continue their trade. The Shale River is rich with trout, catfish, and freshwater eels.

Every so often, long ships or barges with large supply loads will traverse the river. Such vessels pay a toll to the village of Prosperity as they pass through, and must submit to a cargo inspection by the sheriff as ordered by the Baron of Greenvale. These inspections are intended to prevent smuggling or other suspicious activity along the waterway.

The river is, of course, a secondary travel option to the well-traveled yet dangerous trade road that runs parallel to the Shale all the way from Greenvale to Gull’s Cove. The road is dotted with small settlements, inns, and the occasional lonely homestead, many of which must contend with the dangers of the wilderness on a daily basis. Those that survive savor their freedom and independence far from any nobleman or aristocracy. Those that fail are rarely ever heard from again.

Other Landmarks

Prosperity is bordered on the west and south by the Hedgewood. This primordial forest is infested with goblins and other monsters that delight in the taste of human flesh—or elven, dwarven, or halfling flesh for that matter. Those who know where to look can find a broad, flagstone-paved road that has long been overgrown with thorny underbrush and small trees. Many decades ago, the road connected Prosperity and the trade road to the lost dwarven clan hold of Deephold. Some tragedy must have befallen the dwarves long ago, however, for the mountain city has not been heard from in two generations.

The Tower Hills border Prosperity to the north—a rather broad swath of terrain that varies between rolling, green hills and dark, rocky tors. The dwarves of Deephold once held these lands as their own, and the ruined remnants of several stout structures can be seen perched upon hilltops throughout what locals simply call “the Towers.”

The Thorn Slough is swamp that is perpetually enveloped in thick, clinging fog. It encroaches upon the Tower Hills and Hedgewood from the west, stretching for many, many leagues toward a mountain range called the Trident. Legend has it that the Thorn Slough was once an expansive moor, but the clashes that took place there between the Old Empires churned up the earth and weakened the ground. Eventually the river that once flowed through the moor turned the area into swamp and mire—ultimately sucking the remains of those mythical battles beneath the muck.

Perched on the very edge of the Tower Hills, on a low, rocky tor, sits a ruin called Anvil Hill Tower. This is one of the dwarven structures found throughout the Towers, well-known for the strange sounds that emanate from it late at night—moans, howls, and even blood-curdling screams have been heard coming from Anvil Hill, and none have investigated the site for many years.

Open fields and farmlands lie to the east of Prosperity, largely unexplored as one ventures further from the village. What might be found in the unmapped regions of the Heartlands?

Kryptonian Scion