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The small village of Falcon’s Hollow is a wild place. Nestled
in the shadow of Droskar’s Crag, the people of Falcon’s Hollow are hearty and stern. Theirs is a life of hardships, broken only occasionally by a handful of festivals and the infrequent merchant caravan. They face constant adversity from both the wilderness and the wiles of man. Wolves nip at their heels and cutpurses ply at their pockets. It is a testament to their strength that they even manage to survive at all.
Originally named Ironwolf Keep, the abandoned
fortress is now known as the Shadowed Keep or Valentin’s
Folly.
Valentin was a skilled warrior‐adventurer who built
the place forty years ago. Valentin’s enemies – the goblins and
orcs of the surrounding woodlands – slew him and his retainers
at the culmination of a long and savage conflict.
Valentin was a famous adventurer and was
rumored to have hidden a great treasure in the keep
somewhere.
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Dust kicks up on North road of Falcon's Hallow in the wake of a charging white wolf, marbled with grays, tans and black. Feathers woven into the wolf's fur flail in the wind, barely concealing the narrowed yellow eyes of its Gnome rider.
Upon the wolf's back, Nibb's long vine-like hair extends wildly behind her, with various feathers and trinkets woven in, rustling in the wind like leaves. A wide grin extends across her face as she clutches closely to the wolf's neck.
The wolf and rider move in unison, as if a singular creature. The sound of the wolf's pads impacting the hardened dirt echo behind him as is darts the villagers in his path, only narrowly avoiding collision. Nibb laughs gleefully at each of the villagers who leap away for fear of being trampled. "Ha! Almost got that one, Skori!", she cackles.
I'm assuming that we have to pick one or the other, versus trying both
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A masked stranger strides into town. His clothing is dark, from head to toe, with a brimmed hat and mask so that only his eyes are exposed. Closer examination shows that under his loose outer shirt is darkly enameled mail, and he moves easily despite its weight. A rapier and bullwhip hang at his belt.
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Skorl comes to a stop outside of Roots and Remedies. Nibb hops off the wolf and unties a large pouch, overflowing with roots, from the wolf's saddle.
Nibb and Skorl enter the shop. On entrance, Nibb calls out to her old friend, "Laaaaurel! I've got some goodies for youuuu!"
Years back, Nibb met Laurel not far off from the hut Nibb calls home. After spending some time in a tree while spying on Laurel as Laurel sifted through the underbrush, Nibb tossed an acorn at the woman and giggled as it bounced off Laurel's head.
"Whatcha doin'?" Nibb hopped down from the tree.
"Oh! I didn't see you there", Laurel responded hesitantly as she slowly stepped back.
A large sniff from behind her startled Laurel causing her to shriek. She spun to see Skorl just beside her. Laurel's wide eyes darted around the woods in search of quick escape.
"Aw, don't let ol' Skori scare ya. He's a big ol' softy. Aren't you Skori?", said Nibb. Skorl lowered his head to the ground as his body followed and looked upwards at Laurel with calm yellow eyes.
Regaining her composure, Laurel turned back to Nibb. "I am only looking for some Rat's Tail. I do not mean any harm. I do hope you and your", she paused to look at Skorl, "friend do not mind."
"Ah, well you won't be finding any here, the fennecs ate them all. Come, come, I'll show you a spot they haven't found yet."
Nibb and Laurel formed a friendship over the years, sharing their foraging finds and various recipes for ointments and tinctures, many of which came to be staples in Laurel's herbal shop, Roots and Remedies.
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Zordlon stands at the side of the road, observing the tavern across the street and debating whether to enter and seek information about Ironwood Keep, or continue into town. Considering his sore feet for a moment, he decided that this was as good a place as any to begin making inquiries. He started across the street, only to come within a hair's width of being bowled over by a wolf! Was the wolf's mad flight an attempt to dislodge the wild gnome on its back? This isn't something that Zordlon sees every day, and so sore feet or no, he decides to follow.
Wet pulp and sweat permeates the air as Falcon's Hollow comes to life. Sawdust clings to everything, hanging over the earth and streets that occasionally shines like pandered gold when the sun strikes it right. Most buildings have log walls, or are finished with wooden siding. The roofs are covered in wooden shingles.
Racing through the heavily worn streets, Nibb nimbly maneuvers between corded loggers and stoic townfolk; many giving the local witch space with intentional effort to look away. Stopping at a two-story shop covered in ivy, dotted with yellows and purples from a potpourri of plants in the window box, Nibb demounts and enters. Zordlon, following the frenetic gnome, arrives at the Roots and Remedies.
A rail-thin woman with thickly plated spectacles, hair pulled back, greets Nibb's welcome.
"Oh, it's you Nibb. How are you? What exciting things have your today from The Woods?" Laurel asks as she sorts through various vials and poultices.
A masked stranger strides into town. His clothing is dark, from head to toe, with a brimmed hat and mask so that only his eyes are exposed.
Alcalde also finds that the townsfolk are brusque to move around him. There are no friendly smiles here, only the grim determination of survivors.
"Rat's Tails, Appleleaf, and a special treat this time, Glowmold!" Nibb lowers her voice to a whisper. "Aaand extra special, just for youuu, a bit of the Pesh." Nibb taps a small pouch hanging from her belt.
Nibb tosses the large pouch above her head towards the counter top but before it vanishes before it can land. The pouch reappears some feet behind Nibb at the entrance, spilling out onto the floor across Zordlon's feet.
"Nivi's dice! The spirits are keen to have their way today." Nibb laughs. "Watch your step there, Mister."
Nibb moves to collect up the plants and pouch from the ground.