Willowside

Willowside

WILLOWSIDE SETTLEMENT 5 LN TOWN

Insular community dying in a blighted forest

Government elected leader (mayor)

Population 1,831 (77% humans, 7% halflings, 5% halfelves, 11% other ancestries)

Languages Common

Religions Abadar, Erastil, Iomedae

Threats blighted vegetation, odd nightmares, xulgaths The Welt A spreading blight known as the Welt afflicts local vegetation and chokes local industry.

Estessa Vandy (LG female human mayor 7) Open to outside aid, Mayor Vandy grasps at any hope to save the town she’s seen decline around her.

Ledorick Banyan (N male human folk hero 14) Dashing and vain, Ledorick Banyan leads the Banyan Boys, the town’s peacekeeping force.

Trytalla Frynt (LG female human priest 5) This elderly priestess of Erastil also serves as town historian.

The town of Willowside on the north side of the Isle of Kortos is nearly as old as the island itself, taking its name from the large number of willow trees that separate the Dunmire from the forest that, until recently, surrounded the town. The residents of Willowside lead simple and peaceful lives, primarily as fishers and farmers. They trade mostly with nearby cities Escadar and Pier’s End, with some trade routes going all the way to Absalom. Many sailors who worked around Kortos have retired to the seaside town, enjoying the scenery and preferring the quiet life to the bustle of Diobel or Absalom. The town has unusual weather, with far more storms than other communities in the Starstone Isles, but the residen ts are accustomed to the frequent rain, and their buildings are constructed to keep them warm and dry.

Things have gone horribly wrong for Willowside in the past several years. A terrible blight, known as the Welt, originated in the western edge of the Dunmire and gradually spread into the forest sheltering Willowside. The willows that gave the town its name have all but vanished, and the Welt has destroyed both wild forests and cultivated farmland. These days, the town barely gets by on fishing, foraging, and what little farming the townsfolk can still eke out. Dangers lurk in the Welt, so Willowside has relied more and more heavily on its docks to obtain the goods it needs via sea trade. The travel from the dock to Willowside—situated a safe distance inland to avoid occasional flooding from the region’s fierce storms—formerly brought visitors through bountiful fields and lush forest. Now, it passes through only blighted lands consumed by the Welt. It is difficult to overstate the impact of the Welt on the town. More people leave Willowside with each ship that docks, food is increasingly scarce, and the residents who remain must skip meals to make ends meet. The most reliable source of food in Willowside today is fishing; fish accompanied by dried imported food and spices form the staple meal for most people in town. The few folk who manage to keep livestock do so only for milk, so meat other than fish is extremely rare. Several industries have dried up completely, and none have replaced them, leaving shops out of business and many residents unemployed.

Yet people in Willowside aren’t entirely miserable all the time. They enjoy music, gossip, and gambling with the coin that’s now more plentiful than food. Willowside’s elected mayor serves for life (or until retirement), and the elderly but energetic Estessa Vandy has held the position for over 20 years. She works hard to make the town a viable and pleasant place to live, though she must fight a difficult battle against both the Welt and the despair of her townspeople.

Willowside had about 2,500 residents at its peak, though recent emigration has reduced that number to fewer than 2,000. Humans make up the vast majority of residents, though some half-elf and halfling families have been in Willowside for generations. Immigration to the town has never been common: the people of Willowside are insular and usually slow to accept outsiders, and newcomers also complain of terrible nightmares featuring storms, drowning, or immense reptiles. Long-term residents are immune to these dreams, and speculate—incorrectly—that such nightmares are probably not unusual in an old town populated by fishers and sailors.

History

The ancient town of Willowside has a long history with its fair share of unpleasantness. When Aroden pulled Kortos out of the sea, he created disturbances in the waters that drew the attention of many powerful creatures, including the Great Old One Bokrug. This strange entity—or perhaps only a reflection of its true essence, which slumbers in the Dreamlands—then visited the island under cover of night. Bokrug’s faithful thereafter congregated on the north of Kortos, where their dread god had purportedly touched the land. As the town grew, the cultists of Bokrug kept their faith a secret from unknowing sailors, fishers, farmers, and woodcutters, and their power waxed and waned over the intervening millennia. They met in the sea caves beneath town, making the slick and treacherous passage from a hidden opening near the docks. Like most sites dedicated to the Water Lizard, the Willowside shrine centers around a hyperrealistic statue of Bokrug, which the cultists regard as their most sacred and treasured icon.

A few generations ago, the leader of the cult was Lyrt Cozurn, who also owned Willowside’s general store. Lyrt made the cult’s worship easier by carving a new entrance right from the basement of his store. This entrance also allowed the cultists to more easily whisk away a kidnapped drifter or merchant for sacrifice to the Water Lord. Over the years, the town’s perceptive peace officer, Sheriff Banyan, realized something was afoot at the general store and followed the cultists into the caves. Shocked at what she saw, the sheriff and several townspeople she trusted confronted the cult at their next meeting. Lyrt led a vicious counterattack. At the base of the Bokrug statue, Sheriff Banyan and her crew killed all of the cultists, and they then sealed up the caves. The sheriff gave strict orders to the survivors to say nothing about what they saw on that bloody night, and forbade the people of Willowside from attempting to access the caves, insisting that a terrible collapse had led to many unfortunate deaths. Sheriff Banyan and the surviving members of her posse kept the secret, but all became plagued with terrible dreams and died within two years, paranoid and miserable.

Bokrug’s influence pervades Willowside to this day, drawing uncommonly strong weather to its shores and afflicting visitors with nightmares. Although no one in town knows the details of that night, there remains a residual paranoia among the townsfolk, as no one ever wholly trusted Sheriff Banyan’s story, and rumors of some supernatural disaster spread throughout town. The Banyan family continued to protect Willowside for many years, and the current generation—the siblings Ledorick, Stirvyn, and Tashlock, known as “the Banyan Boys”—take their roles seriously, but they are completely unaware of their ancestor’s role in the town’s dark history.

The Welt, however, has a different source. Until recently, the nearby aeon tower known as the Marsh Stone Tower bathed the countryside in the nutritive glow of the aeon orb that circled above it. As with the other aeon orbs, the one atop the Marsh Stone Tower began fading in power upon Aroden’s death, although few noticed it. Ten years ago, a nature cult called the Circle of Stones came to inhabit the tower and study the diminishing orb. As the tower was so far from the town, the residents of Willowside never discovered the presence of the Circle of Stones. The nature cult learned how to remove the aeon orb and took it away to their leaders elsewhere. The Circle of Stones was split about this decision, however, as this theft accelerated the environmental degradation known as the Welt, which now advances a mile or more with each passing year. An offshoot of that cult—called the Empty Stones—still resides within the aeon tower (which they now call the Tower of Empty Stones), trying to stem the worsening decline as best it can.

Notable Personalities

The people of Willowside are cliquish and insular, and only a few rare exceptions—such as the town’s current mayor—actively try to recruit newcomers to the community. A resident who’s lived in Willowside for a decade or even longer might still be referred to as a “newcomer” by locals who’ve never been more than a mile from the village.

ARGLYNN PRANSON

ARGLYNN PRANSON

Arglynn Pranson has overseen the Willowside pier for the last 30 years, and she is the only resident to live near the pier rather than in town. She left Willowside as a young woman to be a merchant sailor, but after 10 years, she grew disillusioned with the sailing life and returned to take up the family business. Willowside’s pier is far from busy, but Pranson keeps ship traffic moving, oversees disputes among the fishers, and arranges maintenance of the pier. Though she’s sad to see so many of her fellow townsfolk leaving Willowside through her harbor, she would never dream of trying to stop them.

MAYOR ESTESSA VANDY

Estessa Vandy has served as the town’s mayor for the last 20 years, and is reasonably well-liked among the residents. Mayor Vandy is desperate to keep the townsfolk from leaving Willowside for other cities, and the announcement board at Town Hall often showcases her latest plan to make the town more desirable, posted over the scraps of previous plans. Her latest effort involves attracting the Circus of Wayward Wonders to bolster town morale.

THE BANYAN BOYS

The Banyan family has taken charge of law enforcement in the town of Willowside titles such as “sheriff” or “deputy,” which might limit their authority, the current generation of Banyans are known simply as the Banyan Boys. Ledorick Banyan is the oldest and leads his brothers, Tashlock and Stirvyn. The trio is beloved by almost everyone in Willowside, and they take their job seriously—though Ledorick is known to be bit full of himself.

FERDAN AND VIRDIMIR MYRATCH

The two owners of the Myratch Boarding House opened the boarding house when they retired from fishing. Alas, their venture has been far less idyllic than they anticipated, leaving the men disillusioned. Ferdan makes general repairs while his husband Virdimir does the cooking. Virdimir heads out to the sea when their food supply runs low, and Ferdan worries that one day Virdimir might decide not to come back.

GRISTARN VRICK

The hunter and woodsman Gristarn Vrick dwells in a large cabin just outside of town, and no one from Willowside knows the surrounding forests better than him. He is one of the few transplants to Willowside, having come from the Carpenden Plains of Andoran 12 years ago. Rumors abounded at the time regarding why he left Andoran, including speculation that he had committed murder. Gristarn is a middle-aged human man with a large bushy beard. A hunter by trade, he has made his living by selling meat, furs, and other products made from the animals he catches. Unfortunately, the Welt has killed or driven away most animals, and Gristarn has been struggling along with the rest of the town.

SAUNTILLE CAFFRON

The general store is the main place in town to buy goods, and Sauntille Caffron’s family has owned it for several generations. A human woman in her forties, Sauntille cheerfully minds the till and does her best to fill special orders for her customers, even though such orders can take a few weeks. Sauntille is notoriously superstitious, and various charms dangle from the ceiling of her shop for protection.

TRYTALLA FRYNT

An elderly human woman devoted to Erastil, Trytalla Frynt was born in Willowside and has served as the town’s principal priest for the last few decades, as well as the most knowledgeable town historian. Children of Willowside know that it’s easy to get out of doing chores at the temple by asking “Old Talla” questions about the town’s past. The natural storyteller often gets so caught up in describing the town’s history that she forgets that her audience is supposed to be cleaning the pews or sweeping out the church.

VORINTA IRRINESSE

VORINTA IRRINESSE

The innkeeper Vorinta Irrinesse is one of Willowside’s few half-elves. She’s been around longer than just about anyone else in town and often mistakenly calls people by their parents’ names. She is gruff but kindly, and she does her best to provide quality food at the Hooked Inn for her lodgers and the locals, despite the impact of the Welt.

Locations in Willowside

Willowside map

Key sites of interest in Willowside include the following.

1. BANYAN CLUBHOUSE

This odd-shaped building near the edge of town is where the Banyan Boys can usually be found. An old manor that has been in the Banyan family for many generations, the Banyan Clubhouse has an unusually large number of doors, hallways, and secret passageways. Even the Banyan Boys aren’t sure if they’ve found every secret entrance, though they won’t admit that publicly.

2. BIRTRAX BREWING

While barley doesn’t grow well since the Welt took over, Miltynne and Sindrick Birtrax somehow keep their brewing operation running. Their operation keeps the Hooked Inn stocked with alcohol, and they sell bottles of their brew at the general store.

3. GENERAL STORE

Residents come to Sauntille Caffron’s shop to buy whatever they need between visits from ships with traveling merchants. This is thought to be the oldest building in Willowside. Sauntille lets Willowside residents sell their own stock on consignment, and her shop is often filled with handmade clothing, jams, toys, and other goods.

4. THE HOOKED INN

The light-hearted name of this inn is somewhat at odds with demeanor of its gruff innkeeper, the elderly half-elf Vorinta Irrinesse. This is one of the few places where Willowside residents can go out to eat, and while nearly every room of the Hooked Inn has sat vacant since the Welt began, Vorinta’s dining room is usually packed. It’s often one of the more upbeat establishments in town, with musical groups performing on alternating nights.

5. MYRATCH BOARDING HOUSE

This three-story building is a boarding house for town residents. While the Hooked Inn’s rooms are generally empty, the Boarding House is completely full; many farmers who formerly lived outside town have given up on trying to grow anything on the Welt-infested land. They’ve moved into the central Willowside area and typically try to pick up odd jobs, often only until they can afford ship’s passage elsewhere. The boarding house’s residents get meals, but the Myratches have a strict policy against non-residents eating at the property, since they have a hard time feeding their boarders.

6. TEMPLE OF ARODEN

No one has worshipped at this Temple of the Last Azlanti since the god’s death, but a rotating group of residents keep the temple clean and in good repair. Periodically, Willowside attracts traveling scholars interested in the old building, which is filled with books and art about Aroden. The priestess of Erastil, Trytalla Frynt, gives the best tours of the place.

7. TEMPLE OF ERASTIL

The only place of communal worship in town, the church of Erastil is a large building with heavy beams and solid construction. In addition to spiritual guidance, the priestess Trytalla Frynt sells potions and scrolls.

8. TOWN HALL

One of the nicest buildings in town, the Town Hall is where the residents of Willowside come to take care of government business. Mayor Vandy holds regular office hours to hear concerns and disputes. The Town Hall has a jail downstairs that doesn’t see much use, though the Banyan Boys sometimes throw a troublemaker in a cell for a while to cool off.

9. TOWN SQUARE

Most of Willowside’s big events are held in the town square, from Mayor Vandy’s speeches to town celebrations and dances. Mayor Vandy has arranged for increasingly large performances here, and even built a large stage for that purpose. The Circus of Wayward Wonders is too large to set up in this town square, but it makes a good place for advertisements. 10. WILLOWSIDE HOSPITAL

Although “hospital” may be too grand a name for this small building with eight patient beds, the officious half-orc Gellra Shozur keeps her facility as clean and professional as she can. Although Trytalla offers magical healing at the Temple of Erastil, Gellra provides medical treatment for things that magic can’t fix or would be too expensive to heal. Gellra attends to most of the community’s births and deaths here, where she keeps a large store of useful herbs.

11. WRELDA’S FORGE

The town blacksmith, Wrelda Glidser, mostly makes farm equipment and horseshoes. She grew up in Willowside but trained in Absalom, and enjoys the rare opportunity to work with armor, ammunition, and weaponry, like she did in the city. She is suspicious of outsiders, but that doesn’t stop her from taking their coin.

Willowside Hinterlands

These locations are outside Willowside, but they’re near enough to be considered part of it.

FORTUNE’S HALL

Gellra Shozur

Generations ago, one of Willowside’s mayors legally prohibited gambling in town, but a clever resident spotted a loophole and built the Fortune’s Hall on the eastern road to Pier’s End, mere feet outside the town’s jurisdiction. Fortune’s Hall sends its colorful horse-drawn wagon into town to pick up clientele several evenings each week, only to return them after a night of gaming and drinking. Subsequent owners added more attractions to Fortune’s Hall, including a theater offering stage plays and musical numbers. The current owners, Cynsa and Palben Carrister, grew up in Willowside and take pride in the hall’s racy past.

TOWER OF EMPTY STONES

This mudbrick aeon tower is nearly as old as the Isle of Kortos itself. The Circle of Stones removed the aeon orb shining from its top a decade ago, but a splinter group of nature priests that broke away from the Circle of Stones, called the Empty Stones, still resides there. The Tower has a mystical and dangerous reputation, so residents of Willowside stay far away from it. Most residents know how to get there, but none know it’s currently occupied.

WILLOWSIDE PIER

The ancient, often-repaired pier a mile north of Willowside serves a critical function, as the Welt has devastated most other avenues of travel and food production. Dockmaster Arglynn Pranson keeps the pier running smoothly.