Stoneford is a small village on the Turandarok River in Varisia, just east of the Tickwood, upstream from Sandpoint. Originally nothing more than a few piers for loading granite blocks from the dwarven mines to the north, it now is home to the wizard Kynthelig, a small shrine to Milani, and a trading post, along with the expected tavern and inn.
Stoneford takes its name from the granite blocks which provide a sturdy crossing just above the small falls. Most of the year the blocks are under water, but occasionally during a very dry spell the river barely trickles between the blocks and the ford itself becomes part of the roadway. The road connects the river with the Lost Coast Road as an alternate route to Sandpoint.
Janessa & Melshanto Bitti:
The Weeping Treant Tavern is next to the wharf, where Brewer Janessa Bitti oversees both the brewing and the rowdy river crews who congregate there at the end of the day. Her brother Melshanto can be found there between caravan trips.
Clarissa & Sebastian Hyggeburrow:
Across the road is the inn run by Clarissa Hyggeburrow. Originally built by and for halfling travelers, the inn later added a few rooms sized for larger people. The inn is a local landmark because of its room for bathing, which some townsfolk also rent on special occasions. Sebastian Hyggeburrow, her husband, is a botanist, who spends much of his time searching for and preparing herbal remedies much in demand for minor ailments and bruises.
Brytha & Burt Giltram:
Clarissa is assisted occasionally by Brytha Giltram, the daughter of a local farmer who also keeps many hives of bees. The Giltram farm honey is a prized sweetener at the Sandpoint bakery.
Danine; Tearamiriel:
Danine is the priestess of Milani, who maintains a shrine up the hill from the river. Danine and Halsted, the scribe, have worked together to create a small library next to her home where he and Danine run a school for local children. Danine is the local healer, called upon when Sebastian's herbals and tinctures are not sufficient.
Danine also provides housing for Tearamiriel Elenelon, the daughter of an elf noble who needs to keep her hidden for her own safety.
Draold & Vertky:
Draold Woren, a local orphan also lives at the shrine with Danine and Tearamiriel. He is usually accompanied by his dog, Vertky.
Halsted:
Halsted is a retired Pathfinder who believes that he was too distracted in Magnimar to finish his treatise on demons. After consulting with Danine, he moved his entire library to a stone building next door, where he can be found when questions of history and current affairs are raised. He's quite knowledgeable about Golarion, and especially Varisia. Due to his past as a pathfinder, he can also fill in a lot of information about monsters and unusual beings encountered in Varisia, especially what their strengths and weaknesses might be.
Tordruck Gruthorfik:
The local trading post is run by the dwarf Tordruck Gruthorfik, who also serves as the local money exchange. Unbeknownst to most people, Tordruck has a hidden basement strong-room where he can store large quantities of gems and gold coins entrusted to him by river traders. More commonly people rent space in his warehouse by the river to store shipments needing to be combined with other goods to make a trip to Magnimar worthwhile.
Ockar:
Ockar the blacksmith is also a wainwright. His shop is behind the stables. Ockar is from the clan of dwarves who mine the granite near Stoneford and who created the ford itself. He relocated to Stoneford because of its proximity to both the Tara river and the Lost Coast Road.
In addition to his blacksmithing skills, he's become known as a wainwright who can find ingenous ways to repair even the most hopeless of battered caravan wagons.
In the evenings Ockar can be found in the Weeping Treant, silently watching the goings on. He's quite aware of Melshanto's shenanigans and sometimes drops a word in Janessa's ear if he thinks Mel is going too far.
Conyer, Heather, Jillian:
Conyer, the young widow of a local farmer, runs the stables. Conyer breeds horses for caravans, farmers, and mounted fighters.
A large caravan camp along the Lost Coast road is also the source of business for both Ockar and Conyer.
Conyer's daughter Heather helps with the stable chores and will walk your horse to and from the inn to stable it over night.
Jillian is Conyer's older sister, a former teamster who learned leatherwork after a serious injury. Jillian can make leather armor, saddles, and harnesses. She also buys furs and hides for her shoe and boot business, which she sells in Magnimar specialty shops.
Kynthelig, Larson, Yaziyah, Chochok:
The most eye-catching building in town is the wizard's sanctuary, built east of the main street between the river and the Lost Coast road. At four stories, it towers over all the other buildings, but does not over-top the woods behind it. Kynthelig has lived here longer than even the dwarves who quarry the granite. He has a staff of four: his steward Larson; Yaziyah and Chochok, his body guards; and a cook. Local youngsters curious about magic can exchange housekeeping services for an introduction to magic. Kynthelig naturally encourages any of them who display talent to apply to his alma mater, the nearby Twilight Academy.
