The small, quiet, farming community of Watertown has received ill tiding brought to it by the current of the al’Brian river…
THE VILLAGE OF WATERTOWN…
Key features of Watertown include:
Al’Brian’s Field: This field is the place of town meetings and the annual Harvest Festival’s evening festivities. This field features a great Oak Tree which is the backdrop of the meetings and festivities. The trees shade, age, and beauty have been revered byWatertown folk for decades.
- Matthias al’Brian, human, who is the “mayor” ofWatertown. The al’Brian family were the first to settle this area and farm it. The river that runs throughWatertown was named after them.
- Baily McCoy, Halfling spokesman of the Halfling Shires east ofWatertown, down theal’BrianRiver. Baily is well respected both in the Shire and inWatertown, and even south in the city, Ilos. Both Baily and Matthias speak at the opening of the Harvest Festival.
- Emilyee Armstrong, human, widow of ex-solider, Gavin Armstrong, who served in Allelon’s armies to the north in thekingdom ofAllelon. Emilyee is soft-spoken, but well respected. Her husband was an adventuring sort, and Emilyee shares some of his stories from time to time. They retired inWatertown, because Gavin wanted to farm and enjoy the quiet. Emilyee is found at all town meetings at Al’Brian’s Field.
Priesthood: Watertown’s residents mainly follow the worship practices of the god of Agriculture. All of the farmers participate in the ceremonies of the priesthood, whether believers or not. The priesthood is responsible for the opening ceremonies of the Harvest Festival as well as performing all the weddings, funerals, and various blessing throughout the year. The priesthood meets often at Al’Brian’s Field, as well as in its member’s homes, and often at the Chapel of Prayer on the shores ofLakeWallace to the south ofWatertown. The priesthood is small, but well received. Its members are humble, helpful, and known to be good with melee weapons.
- Father Perrhie, human priest of Agriculture. Father Perrhie heads the town (and area) priesthood, which is mainly responsible for blessings, marriages, funerals, and are actively involved in the ceremonies throughout the year.
Orin’s Pub: Orin’s Pub is a place of local cheer, appetizers, and good ale and wine. Both traveler and local can be found at Orin’s.
- Orin came toWatertown from Ilos a decade or more ago. His chili is famous and has won the Festival’s cook off twice in the last decade, trophies proudly displayed.
- Thom Beckwith is a well known human Bard who frequents Orin’s Pub. He is very popular in the surrounding areas, and is also well known in theKingdom ofAllelon, which the people ofWatertown and Ilos have little to do with.
Hogan’s Trade & Surplus: Hogan is a member of Olsen Trading House, a merchant consortium based in nearby Ilos. Humans and Halflings are members of this trading house, and Hogan has many things that the local farmers need, or he can get it through the consortium.
The Bridge: Watertown is spread over both sides of the Al’Brian River and is connected by a large, ornate and well built stone, metal and wood bridge that is the width of three carriages. The bridge was built by departed Phillip Trimball.
THE SURROUNDING AREAS…
The area surrounding Watertown has been cultivated as good farm land. The land fromWatertownto the Shire isWatertownfolk farmland. There is much trade of goods betweenWatertown, the young daughter village, and the Halfling Shire. There are also trade caravans that take farm goods, canned goods, and other goods back and forth from Ilos, too.
To the west of Watertown is forest. This forest is largely unexplored, as the residents ofWatertownare not really explorers in nature. Besides, of late there have been many who have given witness to the forest having “eyes”. The forest extends south-west as far as Ilos, and surrounds the farmlands to the north running up into the Land of Alendor.
Alendor is one of the Four Lands. It contains one old Kingdom, the Kingdom of Andor. Decades ago some people came down from the kingdom of Andor to establish the city ofIlos. Once Ilos was apart of Andor, but with Andor’s kingdom dwindling throughout the decades, its reach shortened due to long forgotten reasons.
To the east, down the Al’Brian River along the rolling hills lye the Shires of the Halflings. The Halflings have been there longer thanWatertownand even Andor, keeping mostly to themselves, while being open to the humans who have come to settle the lands around them. The Halflings produce weed, tobacco, and many flower types that humans find pleasant and decorative. They are also actively involved in the affairs ofWatertown, and some even venture to Ilos for trade, adventure, and to cure your curiosity.
Further down from the Shires, the Al’Brian splits, and in the midst of that split lays a vast Swamp. This swamp is of little to no interest to the folk ofWatertown, and its daughter village. Even the Halflings pay no mind to it, accept to gather a couple of swamp moss, herbs, etc, to help in their brews, potions, and cures. Father Perrhie has shown interest in these cures, but has not gone as far as using them, yet.
Several days south along the main road is the city Ilos. The city ofIlosis much larger thanWatertown, and certainly holds much more in the way of trade, religion, education, magic, foods and culture. While theKingdomofAndorhas diminished over the decades, Ilos has seen much growth and improvement. The folk ofWatertownhold to the view of the creation and breaking of the World that is most widely held. In Ilos varying opinions and philosophies are tolerated and given a voice. In recent years Ilos has been the place of much debate of these views, and a debate center, called Mars Hill, has been established for the hearing and divulging of said views.
THE FOUR LANDS…
ThevillageofWatertownand surrounding area resides in a larger area of the continent known to its residents as The Four Lands.
The Four Lands have been inhabited by humans and Halflings for several centuries. The people of the Four Lands have believed that they were “brought to be”. The people of the Four Lands have always believed their existence was not by accident. It was common belief that they “were brought to be” by powers greater than the heavens that bring the rain and the Great Light that brings the day and allows the night. Many communities in fact gave personality to these Greater Powers, even going so far as naming them and worshipping them.
This ethos has been embraced for centuries and held as common knowledge by almost all. In the last couple decades differing beliefs have risen. Some of these opinions have come by research, findings, cryptic writings, and fanatic prophets.
The mainstream neo-view of how the people of the Four Lands were “brought to be” can be understood by one of its main proponents, Talik, the Historian…
Talik’s Testimony
“The world as we have known it has not always been, “Talik’s quill inked onto the rough parchment. “We have not known the world as it has always been,” he continued scribing with shaky hand. Talik’s mind was overwhelmed at the task set before him; he needed to divulge the truth of what he knew to be. “For decades, centuries we have lived in The Four Lands, cultivating them, populating them, enjoying them; our history is a rich and meaningful history. Indeed there have been conflicts, but where two people coexist, inevitably there must be. However, though it all, The Lands have prospered – are we not now exploring the Great Sea itself? How exhilarating the times we live in! We humans, along with our Halfling brethren have enjoyed much peace and prosperity since our ancestors were brought to be.”
Talik lifted the drying quill tip and paused before re-inking it in the near by ink bottle. The flicker of light from the flames of the population of various candles that littered his desk cast meaningful shadows on the paper as he stared. The people of the Four Lands have always believed their existence was not by accident. It was common belief that they “were brought to be” by powers greater than the heavens that bring the rain and the Great Light that brings the day and allows the night. Many communities in fact gave personality to these Greater Powers, even going so far as naming them and worshipping them. Talik did not doubt the existence of these Powers; what he did doubt was the veracity of his people’s knowledge of Their part in their existence.
Soon his readers would understand. His pause caused his hand to calm. Dipping the tip of the quill into the raven black ink, Talik continued to etch history into the present.
“How we came to the Four Lands is not how we have known it to be.” There, he wrote it. No turning back now. Usually the ever careful author, Talik’s pen moved with a speed and steadiness that caught him off guard. It was as if someone else was playing the part of the scribe, or perhaps the floodgates that once held his thoughts in check had broken and upon the parchment commenced the deluge. “Our people were not brought to be here, but rather we were placed here as the result of a terrible, dark event.”
“Before we were brought to be these Lands were ruled by a far greater and mysterious race. Although I am not sure of the exact name of this race, as it seems they were called by many – Elves, The People, Fey – I will for the sake of continuity be calling them ‘Elandrin’. In their dialect, from what I can gather, ‘Elandrin’ means “The People of Two Places”. It seems that this extraordinary race was able to somehow exist in two worlds at the same time. I’m not sure how this can be possible, and I scarcely believe it myself, but their writings and ancient artifacts seem to lead to this interpretation.”
“Evidently they were the protectors of these worlds and a people who held the existence of others in balance with everything else. We might see them as good, but most likely we have worshiped them as gods. “
“According to my findings, and I know they are largely rejected and made a mockery, but according to them something dark had happened in their history. Some event destroyed them, sent them away, banished them…I’m not sure what. Whatever it was that event was directly tied to our being here.”
Of course, Talik came up missing after releasing his findings. Whatever ‘research’ he sited was never found. Around this same time a group emerged that wanted to “purify” the findings of Talik. While most dismissed Talik’s version of history as laughable and not believable, a small sect was growing larger who thought that it should be stamped out like the beginnings of a dangerous forest fire.
To date people who argue in pubs and public squares against Talik’s history are loosely organized themselves into a sect called “The Purifiers”. In their beginnings they were found to be insightful and helpful but now they are some what suspect since Talik is gone and with him his beliefs.
Despite their efforts, however, some are arguing back in those same pubs and squares for Talik’s history. The Purifiers have labeled these people “blasphemers” and some zealous members have even started physically fighting with those who question their ideals.
PC’s will most likely hold to their parents point of view as it is the most common in the Four Lands, however some may decide to hold to Talik’s version of history, Although Talik has been given credit for this variation of the people’ of the Four Lands mythos, others have spouted similar views. One such person that the PC’s might know is Emilyee Armstrong ofWatertown. There are others whom, if the PC chooses this background of ethos might known (at the DM’s discretion).
PC’s might also desire to explore the Purifiers convictions for their character. This would be out of the norm but is something that could be discussed with the DM.
CAMPAIGN RULES…
The Watertown Campaign setting uses the core 2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, along with the expansion rules.
Character Races & Classes
The following races are playable at this point the campaign:
Human
Halfling
To compensate for this restriction, the Halfling class is able to learn magic, become priests, and become bards.
Class restriction: the following classes are not playable at this time: Ranger, Paladin, and Specialty Priest: Druid. Specialty Priests of Agriculture and of other gods will be allowed, with DM approval (with significant background and development of the priesthood by the PC). This also applies to Specialty Wizards.
Magic & Magic Items
Magic is not rare, but is unusual. The people of the Four Lands accept it and even enjoy it as it is commonly used in shows, festivals and in research.
There are no wizards inWatertown, which is mainly a farming community. Wizardry is more accepted and appreciated in Ilos, and tolerated inWatertown. For the most part, every mage is to be trained by the Wizard’s school in Ilos. If a PC wants to be play a mage class character then he will have to be either from Ilos or go there for training.
