Best "starting village" products (and a question about Shadowdale)

[Mercurius]

I'm starting initial plans on a new 5E campaign to start in January and want the first "tier" or so to take place in and around a small town or village, something along the lines of Shadowdale. I'm wondering: what are the best examples of such a setting? Which are your favorites? I'm looking for examples that are pretty detailed, with maps of the town and environs, NPCs, rumors, etc. I'm looking into villages and small towns - nothing more than 1,000 in population (or so; I'm willing to be sold on large places, but I want it to have a "homey" and manageable feel).

Speaking of Shadowdale, what is the best product from any edition? I was looking at my grey box and white book, and neither had a really in-depth treatment. I seem to remember the 2E box set having a Shadowdale book, but I no longer own it.

Thanks!

 

[Starfox]

Sandpoint, from the first part of Rise of the Runelords, is a verynicely detailed town with a lot of adventure hooks.

The Village of Homlet for 1E has a village that is very very detailed, but not so many adventure hooks.

 

[Mercurius]

Thanks [MENTION=2303]Starfox[/MENTION], I'll revisit both. Basically I'm looking primarily for inspiration, secondarily to steal ideas from. I hadn't even thought of Sandpoint but do own the Runelords book so will check it out.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

(snip) Speaking of Shadowdale, what is the best product from any edition? I was looking at my grey box and white book, and neither had a really in-depth treatment. I seem to remember the 2E box set having a Shadowdale book, but I no longer own it.

Thanks!

The second adventure in the Tearing of the Weave trilogy for 3.5E - Shadowdale: Scouring of the Dale, IIRC - had the best sandbox-ish treatment of Shadowdale, IMO. WotC also surprisingly posted hi-res versions of the maps on their website. I used it as the basis of a 4E version.

 

[wwanno]

Look at the old t1 "the village of Homlett", it is great and detailed.
The keep on the borderlands is another classic starting point

 

[diaglo]

n1 against the cult of the reptile god is also a whole village and adventure.

from d02. Of Sound Mind by Piratecate
or the whispering woodwind from CMG

are decent for ideas.

for Shadowdale feel though you can't go wrong with Trouble at Grog's in Dungeon Magazine #4

edit: another product to check out in the FR campaign is N5 Under Illefarn. it is on the lines of B2 for using a setting and adventure combo.

edit2: around the same time Dungeon Magazine was being introduced they released I13 Adventure Pack I it has a few side treks. one of them is a village iirc.