Sites North of Favaro
by Geoff GanderDarilon-on-Streel [1st village north of Favaro] (pop. 685): Darilon-on-Streel used to mark the southernmost extent of Daelbar, and, with its sister community of Koren-on-Streel in the Duchy of Favaro (now largely in ruins), was part of a thriving community. After Favaro’s collapse, and the subsequent sacking and abandonment of Koren, Darilon became a heavily fortified town. Many adventurers and mercenaries based themselves there, even after the fall of Daelbar.
Although Darilon weathered decades of anarchy by virtue of its fortifications, and its proximity to Favaro (which survived as a fortified city-state), by the time the republic was proclaimed it had shrunk to the size of a village. There are still many abandoned and crumbling buildings within its walls, and whole streets have been razed to establish protected vegetable plots. In more recent, stable times, people have begun to reclaim the ruins of Koren-on-Streel. The latter settlement (now just called Koren) is technically part of Darilon, but the 50-odd people living there tend to be free spirits, and the place has an “anything goes” atmosphere.
[EDIT: If you want to use this, I'd suggest moving the village one hex to the northeast, so it sits right on the river]
Rennalen (ruins) [5 hexes SW of Rennydale, then 1 hex north]: Rennalen was a fairly prosperous village whose inhabitants mined copper and silver from the nearby hills, and whose only claim to fame was being the birthplace of Jaenelle Lynwyth, the legendary sword-singer. Located within the heartland of Daelbar, Rennalen enjoyed many years of peace, but all that came to an end by AC 840, when humanoid activity in the northwest surged. Following a string of humanoid victories (including the destruction of Ardelphia in AC 846, and the Daelbaran capital of Mintarm the following year), the hill country north of Rennalen became very dangerous. Many villagers fled to the relative safety of Darilon-on-Streel, and those who remained turned their community into an armed camp. By AC 880, Rennalen had been abandoned to the humanoids, who used it as a base. Soldiers from the Duchy of Corunglain routed them in AC 886, leaving behind a smoking ruin.
After the humanoid menace passed many former residents returned to their homes, but did not have the heart to live there anymore. They founded a new settlement – Rennydale – in honour of their lost home.
Caldenhill (pop. 420): Located at the only bridge over the Calden Stream, this isolated village was once a stopover for caravans using the Corunglain-Mintarm Road. It is also one of the few remaining settlements from the old Duchy of Ardelphia. As most of Corunglain’s exports to Daelbar were arms and armour, local merchants bought up surplus stock. As a result, the Caldenhill village militia was unusually well-equipped – a distinction which made the difference on a number of occasions. The region surrounding Caldenhill became unsafe after the losses of Ardelphia and Mintarm in AC 846-847, and the caravans were re-routed south to Favaro. People began abandoning the region soon afterwards.
Caldenhill is now half its former size, and those who remain are a determined lot. Most passers-by are now adventurers, or soldiers on leave from Fort Runnels in search of solitude.
[Note: This is the village upstream from Rennydale]