Difference between revisions of "DMs Only: Windbourne Hills"

Latest revision as of 08:20, 17 February 2024

The Windbourne Hills have traditionally been left geographically undefined so that DMs can add and subtract little kingdoms, petty-realms, and city states at will. Nonetheless, there are a few places that have been mentioned in games and other materials. Here are some of them, for use as DMs see fit.

The Windbourne Hills geography page mentions these:

Osto, City of Thieves -- This city, west of the end of the Windbourne Hills, was founded by criminals who escaped the Cursed Swamp. The Mailed Fist's Snake Company is based in the fortress of Kranah's Crag outside of Osto. It is home to a Star Mage chapter house

Geysertown -- Known for allying with its neighbors and for its geysers. Location not set.

Tyrrh Valley -- This small, isolated kingdom must constantly battle goblins, gnolls, and other savage races. The current ruler is Queen Amurla, widow of the late king. She has a reputation as a shrewd diplomat. The capital city is called Cherdhia.

Castle Surrender -- At the far east of the Hills, this many-conquered place is right up against the Scab. Named thus by the common people, it has been conquered over 100 times, including the Seven Days War, when it was conquered every day for a week in a bloodbath killing all but two people (the two who would rule). A long-running round-robin Tapestry game has info on this area. The PCs were based in a town on the coast north of Castle Surrender, and visited the Castle in this module.

Cinnamon Valley -- Home to several campaigns. Its neighbors are well known ...

Rowena -- Located just west of Cinnamon Valley, this land is populated mostly by Hill People. It is a peaceful place, but hostile to witches.

Contested Lands -- A land of anarchy and individual freeholds, northwest of Cinnamon Valley.

The Dread -- Formerly a tyranny ruled by a lich, filled with undead and oppressed villages, this realm is north and northeast of Cinnamon Valley. The lich has been defeated, and no new ruler has arisen (as of 2019). There are individual scattered and scarce villages, in a bleak land where undead still rise more frequently than in other places.

• On the north road into the Dread is the farming village of Hnate's Hamlet.
• Farther along, actually into the Dread itself, is a mining village called Ahmet on the northeast border.
• Tishan is located north of Ahmet in the Dread, near the border with Effacia. It's a community of dwarves and humans who work together for trade and mutual protection. The dwarves there are led by Yeldarb and live in a mine complex. The humans are led by Urvan and live in a walled village. Both Yeldarb and Urvan are retired adventurers.

City-State of Effacia -- This is a boisterous port town north of the Dread. Map is here. Adventure in which high level PCs lifted a siege of the town is here (search for "Approaching Effacia" in the browser window).

Tharn -- Directly east of Cinnamon Valley, surrounded by farms, Tharn is a medium size city, with a bustling trade and merchant enterprise. It has a sizable wizard force and a well organized city militia. It is a relatively orderly city, and usually is an outpost of calm in the surrounding area. (Note the source of this info: a non-canon Tapestry game.) The Sourtusk Inn is located in Tharn lands near the Cinnamon Valley border.

Lowestoft -- A lawful evil country ruled by a family that consorts with devils. There is a small penal colony and mine on an island off the coast.

For one view of where Cinnamon Valley is in the Wold, check out the map of the Culverwood. For another, see this map:

Here is another map of the same thing: