Apr 29, 20237 min read

Dire Den: Village Design

Updated: Apr 30, 2023

Village of Three Willows

Using this Adventure Location

The map above labels 14 locations. Each one corresponds to the numbered descriptions below. The unnumbered locations provide creative options. If you want to add NPCs to this adventure, simply pick an unnumbered building and describe it as the new NPC's home and/or business.

The location descriptions include non-player characters. The NPC descriptions include a bolded word that names a stat block from the 5e Monster Manual you can use as needed. For example:

Sherza, the hobgoblin scout and fletcher sells arrows, quivers, longbows and short bows.

This example describes a hobgoblin scout. Scout is bold because using the scout stat block is recommended instead of the hobgoblin stat block.

Secrets are also included. This represents information that an NPC is unlikely to share about themselves. However, don't hesitate to give this information to your players from a different NPC who would reasonably know the information. You can reward players for engaging in investigation and roleplay but giving them these secrets.

Current Events

The week-long Festival of Hope began three days before the player characters arrived in Three Willows. This spring celebration should conclude at the end of the week by using the Orb of Hope to create rain storms to water newly planted crops. However, during the first night of the festival a group of kobolds stole the magical Orb of Hope from the village. Mayor Grendenhal blames the Hunter's Guild for allowing this to happen. She placed three members of the hunter's guild under house arrest, and sent the other four members of the guild to find the Orb of Hope. Those four guild members have not returned. This provides a plot hook to send your players on the Arcane Academy adventure presented in the previous blog. This village further provides you with a quest hub to send your players on other adventures, and/or investigate the issues with Mayor Grendenhal.

The Village

The people of Three Willows currently celebrate the Festival of Hope. No one is farming or fishing during this week. The only people actively working are the merchants who sell their goods to visitors. The other villagers will be giving away food as part of the celebration. Venison stew and fish from the river are the most commonly served dishes. Visitors from Benville often share berry cakes and pies made from their early harvests. The visitors wear houndish masks, and the children of Three Willows wear dragon masks. The children chase the visitors in a game of tag. Once a visitor is tagged, they remove their mask and give the children the treats. This game takes place every evening during the festival week. This game commemorates the time dragonborn mages from the Arcane Academy saved the village from marauding gnolls.

This game provided the perfect cover for kobolds to sneak into the village and steal the Orb of Hope. Kobolds don’t look that different from children wearing dragon masks, afterall. The village leaders (all the named NPCs below) know the Kobolds stole the orb. However, the remaining villagers don’t know about the theft. The leaders are in a hurry to reward anyone who returns the orb before the end of the festival three days from now.

1. Road to the Delian Tomb:

Dungeon by Matt Colville https://youtu.be/zTD2RZz6mlo

2. Road to Benville

This sleepy farming community was infiltrated by the Great Old Ones’ Cult. Subject of a later adventure.

3. Road to Stormspire City

Great Old Ones’ Cult plans to use Benville and Three Willows as a staging ground to infiltrate Stormspire City.

Subject of a later adventure.

4. Road to the Arcane Academy

This road leads to the dungeon found in the previous blog. A group of Kobolds stole the Orb of Hope from the village and are hiding in the old ruins of the Arcane Academy.

5. Mayor's Manor

Mayor Grendenhal is a neutral evil doppelganger who masquerades as a human female. They are a member of the Old Ones' Cult. The cult recently took over the nearby village of Benville.

Things the Mayor says: “The Orb of Hope was stolen. I will pay 200 gp to the persons who return our precious orb.” “Those fools at the Hunter's Guild were responsible for guarding the orb, and they neglected it. I placed their leaders on house arrest as punishment. Whatever you do don't talk to them.” “I wouldn't be surprised if that weird gnome is in on the theft. He keeps strange things in that tower of his.”

The manor is staffed by the following NPCs

The butler Mr. Foxburg a lawful evil human spy.
Stephan, the carriage driver, a chaotic neutral human thug.
Hook Downwater, the chef, a chaotic neutral halfling commoner.

6. Docks

Drea Rivendelver is a chaotic good female dwarf spy.

She currently spends her days running the docks for Mr. Rothwin’s shipping company.

However, she secretly works for Lady Goldsong of Stormspire City. Drea Rivendelver hides behind an unkempt beard and plain clothes to be as unassuming as possible. She spends her evenings at the Griffon’s Nest Inn quietly eavesdropping on the latest gossip.

7. Griffin's Nest Inn

The Griffin’s Nest sits near the docks and offers hospitality to travelers. The downstairs is a tavern that serves a variety of dishes provided by the river. Its most popular entries are raw oysters, crawfish stew and gator tail steak. The upstairs is home to the dwarf proprietors. The three story tower on the back of the building contains one guest room on each level. All the rooms have two double beds and a window that faces the river. The rooms cost 8 sp a night.

The inn is run by a family of neutral good dwarves.

Mordred Alebelly, a commoner, is the bartender with a neatly trimmed beard and a sweet singing voice. She’s in a band and a relationship with Lornn and Horace.
Lornn Redbell, a commoner, is an entertainer with dashing mutton chops, they specializes in drumming and dwarven throat singing.
Horace Silvermail, a commoner, is also an entertainer with a neatly braided bread, and plays a morin khuur. He also knows minor illusion and prestidigitation which he uses to suppliment the band's music. (If you want to play music during your session, you can use the band The HU to repress their sound.)
Kren Bronzeaxe, a thug, is the chef and happily avoids people by staying in the kitchen. He is Mordred’s father and loves his family dearly, but doesn’t seem to enjoy anyone else. If any one makes trouble in the inn he will charge out of the kitchen with an extra large rolling pin to protect his family.

8. Marketplace

The market place is home to many vendors and shopkeepers.

Kugshek, the chaotic good bugbear, is a blacksmith and sells axes, shields, spears and medium armor. Kugshek is the leader of the Three Willows Merchant Guild and the most outspoken member of the marketplace.

Things Kugshek says, “Don’t trust the Mayor… she’s up to something.” “I'll make you a suit of my finest armor if you return the Orb of Hope to me instead of the mayor.” “Yeah, I used to be chief of the Axekin Tribe, but after years of war with Spiderfang Tribe we left the forest and settled here. It’s a quiet life; I want it to stay that way.”

The other market vendors include:

Sherza, the hobgoblin scout and fletcher sells arrows, quivers, longbows and short bows.
Zhirken, the hobgoblin spy and clothier sells adventurer's clothes, common clothes, and fine clothes. He's married to Sherza.
Grozan, the goblin locksmith, sells a variety of supplies including burglar's packs dungeoneer's packs, and explorer's packs.
Zuggo, the goblin musician, sells instruments and entertainer's packs.
Meax, the goblin tanner, sells leather goods including backpacks and light armor.

Secrets: Kugshek is genuinely good-hearted and cares for the villagers. He truly is tired of battle and wants to live a simple life. The rest of the goblinoids are chaotic neutral members of the thieves guild. They all speak common and know thieves’ cant. They fence stolen goods and smuggle supplies in and out of Stormspire City. Despite their illegal business they are loyal to Kugshek and will defend the villagers from harm for his sake.

9. Memorial Sanctuary

This shrine honors the once great mage Reytalia, the dragonborn wizard who saved Three Willows from a gnoll incursion 40 years ago. Her statue stands in the center of the memorial atrium. The shrine is also home to three neutral good dragonborn acolytes who worship the god of magic and protect the village.

The shire sells healing potions as well as priest’s packs and scholar’s packs.

Cylbeth, the silver dragonborn, focuses on healing others and caring for the downtrodden. She brews healing potions.
Ammon, the bronze dragonborn, focuses on diplomacy. He regularly expresses concerns about the mayor and the trade policies with Stormspire and Benville.
Emteth, the red dragonborn, guards the temple at night and serves as the village watchman.

10. Tower of Vixxel Vexin Vordenheim

This stone tower stands watch over the southwestern roads. Master Mage Vixxel, as he calls himself, is a chaotic neutral gnome cult fanatic. Old man Vix, as the rest of the village calls him, is more fanatic than cultist. He’s too shy to attract followers. He does, however, love dragons and magic. He visits the memorial shrine every morning and evening. During the day he sells magic items to sailors and would-be adventurers.

He always has 1d4 of the following items in stock: potion of fire breath, potion of flying, spell scroll of create and destroy water, spell scroll of dragon breath, and spell scroll of gust of wind. His magic items cost 150 gp.

Things Old Vix says, “Mayor Gendenhal sent four members of the huters guild to find the Orb Hope." "They haven't returned I think the mayor intentionally sent those four fools to their doom. The Mayor hates the Hunters Guild." "The Mayor is keeping the most experienced Hunter's Guild Members under house arrest." "I’ll give thee potions to anyone who returns the Orb of Hope to me instead of the mayor.”

Secrets:

Vix is so fascinated with dragons that he dresses up as one. His upstairs room has a disguise kit and different colored dragon costumes. Due to his gnomish stature he looks more like a kobold when he dresses as a dragon. He’s ashamed of this due to the volatile history between kobolds and gnomes.

11. Shipping House

Mr. Rothwin is a chaotic good commoner who runs a shipping and transportation business. He and his wife own two sailboats that navigate the river, and a dozen wagons that send supplies from the docks to Stormspire city.

He is loyal to the mayor, but knows nothing about doppelgangers or cults.

12. Warehouses

Ms. Rothwin is a lawful good veteran who runs the warehouses. She retired from Stormspire’s citywatch and is the brains behind their family business. The Rothwin’s adopted two neutral good orc children who are now in their teens, Durash and Jayhuk. The brothers work at the warehouse and the docks alongside Drea Rivendelver. The brothers desperately want to join the Hunter’s Guild.

13. Hunter's Guild

The guild tower stands watch over the north eastern roads. The guild is responsible for making sure adventurers don't abuse the village's hospitality. Guild members typically charge taxes called 'membership fees'. Any adventurers who don't pay the fees aren't allowed to carry weapons or wear armor within village limits.

Currently, three guild members are under house arrest. They can't legally leave the tower.

Quus the chaotic good aarakocra wears a ring of feather falling. He believes in freedom from tyranny. He is very suspicious of the mages and nobles.
Pharryn the lawful good drow uses a lute as a spellcasting focus. She is particularly charming and outspoken. The villagers adore her; this concerns the mayor greatly.
Haven Whistle-leaf the neutral halfling scout has a giant badger for an animal companion. She has a grudge against Mayor Grendenhal. Her grandparents lived in Three Willows long before the trade agreements with Stormspire and Benville. She feels that the Grendenhal family cheated her family out of their land.

The other four human guild members are currently searching for the missing Orb of Hope. They were sent by Mayor Grendenhal to retrieve it. These guild members are the ‘foolhardy adventurers’ in the Arcane Academy dungeon adventure.

Secrets

Mayor Grendenhal isn't exactly lying. The guild members on house arrest were responsible for guarding the Orb of Hope. Haven and Quus were busy spying on Mayor Grendenhal while she entertained two nobles from Benville. Haven and Quus were trying to find evidence of suspicious activity. This left Pharryn alone guarding the orb. Pharryn was ambushed by several kobolds and barely escaped with her life.

14. Hidden Cavern

Home to the Spiderfang Goblin Tribe.