The Old Well

The Old Well

The young farm hand leant closer and said with garlic laden breath, “…and then you’d be looking for the Wolf’s Bane Inn. Best place for pathfinders like yourself, it attracts all sorts of travelers up and down the river and lake. Someone there might know something about the old ruins you were asking about.” With that the young man leant back into his plow and lifted the reigns to move the oxen back into motion.

But he stopped.

“Mind you, all sorts of visitors make up all sorts of reasons for the Inn’s name. My ‘pa and his says it’s nothing to do with the unpleasantness with the wolf men, and I believe them. I’ve been there and it’s a normal place with the strangest thing being the guests that spend the night. Yes sir, people like you explorer and adventurer folk.”

He paused to push his sweat drenched Blondie hair from his eyes.

“Don’t you spent too much time in the courtyard behind the inn. It’s all old paved stones and overgrown with Wolf’s Bane. It’s creepy as is, but there is the old well back there.”

He stopped, as if that was enough.

“The old well. The first well. That well was here before the first people came through here to settle down and grow crops. Some older people, dark… all sinister like, once lived here. Not much was left when the first humans came through here, except for the water well. Those settlers used it, and all those that drank from the well became wolf-men at the next full moon. It is true or may my oxen’s hooves fall off.”

He looked over at the oxen, hesitantly and is anticipating some great supernatural punishment. None came, and relief washed over the man.

“You go look at it, that old well. It’s all gated over with the old cold-wrought iron that the darkness hates. The evil was locked out and wolf’s bane was tossed in to grow and take root. The whole inside of the well is overgrown with it.” he swallowed deeply “but sometimes you can still hear grumbles from deep inside come out at night.”

“Stay clear of that well. Nothing good there.”

All Wolf's Ear project posts can be found here. (link)

The Taverns of Wolf's Ear

A note to clarify the location of Wolf’s Ear- It is located on the map of Varisia at the northern most tip of Ember lake, where the lampblack river meets the lake.

What I wanted to work on next for Wolf’s Ear were some taverns for the town. Mainly because every adventuring group eventually goes for food and beer and you can’t beat the pc-to-npc role-playing possibilities that can all taken place in a tavern. I wanted three taverns, so there would appear to be some options for players. There is one tavern that is more interesting than the rest, with the intent that players would gravitate toward that tavern.

The Image attached to this post is of Monk's Hood, aka "Wolf's Bane".

Three Inns & Taverns

Gray Turtle

From the outside the Gray Turtle is as drab and boring a tavern as anyone would ever see. That is exactly how the locals like it. This tavern is the common nightly meeting place for many of the town’s residents that don’t want to be bothered by any guests to the town.

Though there are rooms to rent, vistors to Wolf’s Ear will find that they always seem to be taken up by long term renters. The Tavern’s owner, Dorin (Variscian Male) will point out-of-towners to one of the other two taverns.

The Sacred prostitutes are never found here, as the locals already know they can always go to the temple of Calistria if they need to contract their services.



Wolf’s Bane

The locals of wolf’s ear tell visitors the tavern gets its name from the abundant Monkshood, aka Wolf’s bane, that grows in pots, patios and trellises around the tavern. Of course, some choose to believe there must be something more sinister in the tavern’s history. The tavern’s owner, Hoydan (Variscian Human Female) tries to convince visitors that even before the werewolf incident in the town, this tavern has always had its name. Hoydan, now in her 40’s, inherited this tavern from her father and it has been a fixture of town life for as long as anyone can remember. As travel has increased, this tavern has become a focal point for visitors to the town, particularly those that would be interested in the werewolves in the town’s history. Pathfinders always seem to stay at this inn.

Except for a mounted Wolf’s head (a “normal” wolf, as Hoydan often points out) the inside of the tavern is quite unremarkable, yet comfortable. This is the only place a person can go for any gambling via cards or dice without a prior invitation, since open games are common place every night. A few locals can be seen here, but they usually just come for some of the taverns great food or to win a few coins off guests. The tavern has many rooms of good quality to rent and always has rooms available.

Hoydan has never married and runs the tavern with the assistance of two Chelaxian sisters and their brother who have lived and worked here for the past 6 years. The twin sisters, Aula and Luina, have also never married but have courted several of the local men. Their old brother Manis is possibly the best cook in town, and is known to have once been married but lost his wife in whatever caused this family to flee Chelaxia.

Sacred prostitutes to Calistria can always be found here and display the mark three-bladed mark of Calistria very openly so that there is no question about their right to be the the tavern. They rarely provide their services in the rooms here, but will take their clients across the street to the temple of Calistria. A few of these sacred prostitutes have been known to act as informal bouncers during the few fights that break out. (levels of cleric, fighter or rogue)


Cart’s Rest

This tavern’s sign depicts an old cart, unhitched, with a full load of barrels and crates in the back.

It is run by Kale (Taladan, Male) who spent many years as a merchant before an accident injured his leg and he had to slow down his life considerably. Kale prides himself in remembering everyone that has ever visited his tavern and he is quite popular with the merchants that travel up and down the lampblack river.

The food, drink and rooms are all of average quality. It remains busy as a nexus where traveling and local merchants can meet and talk about their business with like-minded folk. As a result, the tavern is always has guests and is a very quiet, perhaps“boring” place by most pathfinder’s standards.

Calistria’s prostitutes are can be found here every so often, perhaps a few nights a week. They will entertain their clients in the rooms here

Where wolves? (The Polgrom)

The balding man with white bridles of hair under his chin leans a bit further up in his chair. He might be in his late 40s or early 50's. He looks right at home in this Galdurian tavern, but his story is not that of the common farmer.

"Remember it like it was just this past Oath day I do! The Cleansing of Wolf Ear! I was there! I saw the fires of the man-furs and the walking pyres! Round-headed farmers thought the best way ta deal with them were-wolves was fire. Some of us knew better and used some recast silvers, while others knocked bits of silvers into branches to make mighty maces that would kill a wolf-man outright.

The year was 4682. I know it was cause that was the year the bitch in Korvosa", the man takes a good long pause to spit and unhealthy wad of something onto the floor, " took in those hellknights. Nasty year it was. At least we used it ta clean up our lands and didn't take in more filth like she did eh?"

He waits a few seconds to make sure you agree.

"Fifthly beasts they were. Took ta sleeping with their sisters and breeding their people in all sorts of manners not fit for man nor dog. Beasts best left out in the wilderness, far from home or flock, or better yet killed before they git too close."

The man takes a long sloppy draw from the mug in in hand. Some of the ale clings to his whiskers.

"Look. We killed them all. The priests gat us all together, after the slaying of the Hardley kids. You hear about that right? The kids that we found with their guts all ripped apart and spread across the floor of the Hardley farm. That was it, we knew at that moment that we had gone taa far. We let those beasts live with us when no one else would give them peace. We took them in and gave them a place when no one else would and they repaid us in blood and misery.

Bloody creatures. Not just werewolves, mind ye! We had all sorts of creatures! Man-rats, tigers that would turn into lovely ladies, boars that were men, bears with human hands and even a few bat folk that lived under the town! We were a nightmare and we didn't even know it! A town of monsters protected by some gullible farmers! Us!

We taught them... hic! Yeah, that's right! We weren't going to hide them anymore. After the Hardley incident we took up our axes, bows and what silver we could and we set on every beast-man we could! We had the priests of the hunter behind us, protecting us and showing us who was one of them and who was not. We cleaned up the town good!"

The man grows silent, his face changing from elation to sorrow.

"We killed them all. One was a young man no older than I was at the time. He had a wife and family, all like him. Beasts. We strung them up in silver chains that had been brought back to town by hero-folk and watched them hang and shake. Some we drove silver nails through while others we just beat to death. A few they boys thought they were getting creative and did really wicked things."

He stops to swallow and wipe his eyes free of something.

"Sick bastards we were, but no worse than they. They had it coming! They were evil. All of them. Living amongst us, evil hiding among the clean. Sick... sick.. sick..."

His voice trails off and he finishes his mug in a few swift gulps.

"That's why a lot of us moved away. The deeds done were so horrible that many of us moved south to near Galduria and some north near those odd people up in Ravenmoor.

Yeah, them folk in Ravenmoor ain't right. Buy me another mug of ale and let me tell you about them..."

The Town of Wolf's Ear (Pass 1)

Wolf's Ear
Large Conventional Town; AL N
GP Limit: 3,000
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population: 2,610
Government: Falling under Magnimar's sphere of influence, Wolf's ear enjoys the added protection of Magnimar's Military while paying little in the way of taxes to the big city. The town is overseen by the Mayor Gorcyn Tallows who consults with a unpaid 5 person council. The Mayor's election takes place every 6 years, however the council appointments made by a mayor are for life or until the council person's retirement.

Economy: Though the teachings of Erastil preach appreciation of the basics in life and self-sufficiency, Calistria's faith tends to favor excesses that require trade with other communities. Wolf's Ear has a health amount of gold and no one who is willing to work need worry about going without food or shelter.
Major Exports: Lumber from the outskirts of Churlwood, copper ore from the footshills of the Malgorian Mountains, handmade wicker or wooden furniture and a powerful whiskey called "Wolf's Bite"
Major Imports: Wolf's ear is always in the need of more livestock, as Churlwood bandits take a heavy toll on herds and flocks. Finished textiles are usually in high demand.
Legal: Wolf's ear follows the standard legal code of Magnimar, however it publicly posts the right to banish, imprison or execute any naturally shape-changing creatures that enter the town's borders.

Notable Locations:
Hunter's Arrow- A temple to Erastil Presided over by the half elven "Myrna the Calm", a priest that oversaw the pogrom against lycanthropes years ago and is a member of the town council.
The Wandering Stars- A shrine to Desna made up of large standing stones just outside on town than slowly move their way around the town in tune with the lunar cycle. No one ever sees the stones move and some say the stones can be used to chart the movement of the stars. Often a priest of Desna can be found here, but rarely is it the same priest.
The Hive- A temple to Calistria that bears no semblance to a hive at all. A Human named "Trin" has overseen the temple here for the past 2 years with little known about his life before then. He is best known for reinstating daybreak and dusk workship services for Calistia.

Authority Figures:
The current mayor, a chelaxian Gorcun Tallows has held the position for the past 9 years and is assumed to run unopposed for reelection next year. His Brother Duald, a former officer in the Magnimarian military, acts as sheriff and is in charge of both the defense of the town and law enforcement. Rumors persists that both were one-time adventurers who settled down in the town for a calmer lifestyle.

In addition to Myrna of Erastil's role as council member, the other 4 members are:
<<.... as yet unknown.>>


Should a council member die or retire while Gorcun in mayor, most believe he would nominate Trin of Calistria for the open spot.

Notes about Wolf's Ear

I will be posting Wolf's Ear material as it finishes. The Town itself will be completed as bits are finished.

Ideally the town will be used as a setting in my Halloween game this year....

Basically everything Paizo has to say about the town can be found here.

http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Wolf's_Ear

Paizo Community Use/ Wolf's Ear Project

The Wolf's Ear Project Will Describe and detail the Town of Wolf's Ear in Varisia, fleshing it out for the base of operations for a series of adventures.

Future adventures will be updated here and will be a subset of the Wolf's Ear Project. All posts for the Wolf's Ear Project will have that label, and you can filter for those posts by using the label filter to the right.

Here is the required legalese (posted elsewhere on this site)

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