08/21/2024
Welcome back for more Worldbuilding for my Shadowdark campaign, The Shadows of the Sundered Throne. Today, we look at the starting town of Golden Fields.
Golden Fields is a borderland village in southern Thessaria. The town is known for growing food that is sent along the roads to Athendria in the West or north along the river to Sapphire Bay.
There are three starting NPCs that can give out rumors and hooks in Golden Fields: Farmer Ben, Alchemist Miranda, and Mayor Alaric.
Farmer Ben is a grizzled old farmer who is always happy to talk about the weather and the crops. He will always talk to the PCs when he sees them in town. He is going to be the town gossip.
Alchemist Miranda is a mysterious woman who runs the local apothecary out of her home in Golden Fields. She will be the party’s source for potions and healing if they don’t have that capability in the party. She might give out quest hooks for special ingredients for potions or help with other magical inquiries.
Mayor Alaric is a kindly old man who has been in charge of the town for as long as anyone can remember. He will have the resources to give out hooks like rewards for bandits or goblins.
You need a place for the party to stay so I created the Bramblefoot Inn.
Bramblefoot Inn
Owner: Tilly Bramblefoot
Drinks:
- Brambleberry Ale: A fruity ale brewed with locally sourced berries – 3 CP per tankard.
- Halfling’s Mead: A sweet and fragrant honey mead, a specialty of the inn – 5 SP per tankard.
- Sunburst Cider: A crisp cider made from sun-kissed apples, refreshing and invigorating – 4 CP per tankard.
Food:
- Hobbit’s Stew: A hearty stew filled with root vegetables, mushrooms, and chunks of tender meat – 6 CP per bowl.
- Bramblefoot Bread Basket: A selection of freshly baked bread, served with herbed butter – 3 CP per serving.
- Farmer’s Pie: A savory pie filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, served piping hot – 7 CP per pie.
- Halfling’s Platter: A generous platter of cheeses, fruits, and pickled vegetables, perfect for sharing – 8 SP per serving.
Dessert:
- Berry Crumble: A warm and comforting dessert made with freshly picked berries and a buttery crumble topping – 5 CP per serving.
- Honeycakes: Sweet cakes drizzled with honey, a favorite among patrons of the Bramblefoot Inn – 4 CP per cake.
These offerings provide a taste of home and comfort, reflecting Tilly’s halfling heritage and her dedication to providing warmth and hospitality to all who visit her establishment.
We now have to create Tilly. We turn to CHatGPT for assistance in making her a full NPC and it doesn’t disappoint:
Tilly Bramlefoot
Ancestry: Halfling
Tilly, a cheerful halfling with blonde hair and a perpetual smile, runs the cozy establishment with boundless energy, serving up hearty meals and lively conversation to all who step through her door.
Tilly Bramblefoot’s husband is named Alden Bramblefoot, a jovial halfling with a knack for storytelling and a love for gardening. They have two children: a mischievous son named Finn and a bright-eyed daughter named Elsie. Finn, at the age of 10, already shows a talent for cooking, while 7-year-old Elsie is fascinated by her mother’s tavern and dreams of one day running it herself. Together, the Bramblefoot family brings warmth, laughter, and hospitality to the Bramblefoot Inn and the village of Golden Fields.
We will also need a place in the village where goods are sold. We created a general store named Golden Fields Supplies. I copied the equipment list from the Shadowdark book and included it in the location.
| Item | Cost | Quantity Per Gear Slot |
| Arrows (20) | 1 gp | 1 – 20 |
| Backpack | 2 gp | 1 (first one free to carry) |
| Caltrops (one bag) | 5 sp | 1 |
| Coin Varies | 100 | (first 100 free to carry) |
| Crossbow bolts (20) | 1 gp | 1 – 20 |
| Crowbar | 5 sp | 1 |
| Flask or bottle | 3 sp | 1 |
| Flint and steel | 5 sp | 1 |
| Gem | varies | 1 – 10 |
| Grappling hook | 1 gp | 1 |
| Iron spikes (10) | 1 gp | 1 – 10 |
| Lantern | 5 gp | 1 |
| Mirror | 10 gp | 1 |
| Oil, flask | 5 sp | 1 |
| Pole | 5 sp | 1 |
| Rations (3) | 5 sp | 1 – 3 |
| Rope, 60′ | 1 gp | 1 |
| Torch | 5 sp | 1 |
The store will require an owner/operator. As Professor Dungeonmaster once said “Good DMs Borrow, Great DMs Steal” so I named the owner Ulrich von Munchburger from Professor Dungeonmaster’s Caves of Carnage campaign on YouTube. Again, ChatGPT makes him a full NPC.
Ulrich von Munchburger
Ancestry: Human
Ulrich von Munchburger, the corpulent proprietor of Golden Fields Supplies, is known for his sharp business acumen and a penchant for cutting deals that often leave customers wondering if they’ve gotten the better end of the bargain. His rotund figure belies a shrewd mind, and his store is a hub of activity where one can find anything from farm supplies to exotic trinkets, for the right price.
When making the area map, I wanted to have a couple more villages in the area that the party could travel to as well as some predetermined locations. so I decided to add locations from Cursed Scroll #1 – The Gloaming. (Hey, if you are going to steal, steal from the best). I add the locations of Marin’s Hold and Wardenwood to the map. I should be able to just add the NPCs in the Cursed Scroll directly as well as the adventure hooks/plots from those towns, making the worldbuilding a little easier.
Once I have this campaign setting completed to my liking, I might see about running it online as a one-shot. Who knows?!
Keep on gaming!
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