Mosstone

Mosstone was a walled caravan-stop town in Tethyr on the Trade Way near the Wealdath forest. The residents referred to themselves as Mosstonians.

Description
Mosstone was a walled settlement, like so many others along the Trade Way, offering the weary caravaners safety from trolls of Muranndin and comfort on their long journey. Mosstone was the first civilized stop past monster-infested Muranndin to the north.

The town was famous for its unlikely communal nature and governance. Most public tasks, like wall repair, were voluntarily done by the skillful and capable residents who were rewarded by the community with heartfelt thanks and goods and services.

Many buildings within the city walls were rustic cottages. The town was cool, damp, and shady. Most of the buildings had their own fresh springs in their cellar. The building walls and surfaces were often cleaned to keep various molds at bay.

The street known as the Rimmon's Lane led through Mosstone and was used by entering and leaving traders. Just outside the town's walls on the spot that assembled and dispersed the moving caravan traffic stood the Drover's Last Drink where travelers could quickly grab a drink before embarking on their journey op or down the Trade Way.

Geography
Located on the busy caravan path, around 90 miles south past Trademeet, with the Trade Way stretching further south over Starspire Mountains to Zazesspur, Mosstone was located on the patch of shore often referred to as Firedrake Shores. The town of Mosstone was on the crossing of the Trade Way and the Firedrake Road that ran along the shores of Firedrake Bay to the east from the town.

Wealdath forest that bordered Mosstone was home to the druid population of the town, where they could be found in the Archdruid's Grove.

Flora & Fauna
Calantra, red-barked and thick deep-brown wood trees, could be found growing in abundance to the south and east of the town. Calantra wood was favored for its durability and longevity after being chopped down and used for Calishite carving.

Shadowtop trees of immense size surrounded the Archdruid's Grove outside Mosstone's walls.

Many streets of Mosstone were covered with green soft moss, and most residents had lush gardens of tangled greenery that was more akin to wildly growing plants. Fences and walls were covered in carefully trimmed thorn vines. Aromatic plants and herbs were planted in dangling pots and hanging baskets throughout the town. Many gates, walls, and arches were wrapped in berry-bearing vegetation, ready for harvesting during certain times of the year.

Government
The town was self-governing, and residents as well and druids reached decisions through consensus. Mosstone valued balance and peace, living respecting the forest that surrounded the town as well as its elven inhabitants. The residents were kind to each other and watched out for their neighbors, which was almost unheard of in many places across Faerûn.

The Archdruid of Mosstone was one of the five emissaries to the crown of Tethyr, representing interests of Mosstone residents, druids, and their elven allies in the governance matters.

Trade
Most inhabitants of Mosstone provided services to the trade caravans that regularly passed through the city, offering supplies, lodging, and hearty meals.

Circa 1364 DR, a rich farm that grew pipeweed could be found to the south of Mosstone. The farm was said to offer a good price for wild elf slaves.

Defenses
Mosstone was inhabited by many druids. They lived within and outside the city walls as part of a powerful druid circle ruled by the Archdruid of Mosstone. The druid grove surrounded the Great Oak of Mosstone. Among other authorities in town were twenty five guards and defenders under the command of the constable. The constable was often sent to represent Mosstone when dealing with outside issues and neighbors.

The druids did not hesitate to hire adventurers to deal with any unruly guests, vandals, or criminals inside and outside Mosstone walls, as well as had summonings ready to call on giant eagles or treants.

Apart from druid defenders, Mosstone maintained troops jointly with Port Kir. The forces were stationed in Kirgard, a rebuilt manor of a long-dead baron, located exactly halfway between Mosstone and Port Kir, on a sea cliff, one mile west of the Trade Way. Along with troops, Kirgard housed the Greenshores baron, his consort and their office in the late 14 century DR.

History
Mosstone was founded in 687 DR by King Strohm II of Tethyr, sometimes referred to as the Stag King, who was also its first Archdruid. As a king, he gave refuge to the elves of destroyed Myth Drannor who settled in the forests of Tethyr that surrounded Mosstone.

In 1347 DR, terror came to the Mosstone and the entire region when a green dragon emerged from the deepest eastern parts of the Forest of Tethir. The creature plagued the Trade Way, devouring caravans that traveled along the route and praised a small village north of Mosstone. The beast's presence was disturbing the trade, and the Archdruid of Mosstone placed a bounty on the wyrm's head. The adventuring company known as the Company of Eight answered the call, becoming the town's heroes and life-long allies.

In 1364 DR, the rich pipeweed farm to the south of Mosstone was attacked by Wealdath's wild elves in retaliation for the farmers using their kin as slaves. The elves torched the farm's barns and slaughtered the owner's family as well as most of the farmhands.

In 1367 DR, Zaranda Star became acquainted with the Company of Eight while investigating a series of murders in Mosstone. The town's rangers were slain by a pack of wereboars. Zaranda and the Company of Eight became fast friends and fought for the same goals of law and equal responsible governance in the lands of Tethyr. Later, on Higharvestide, Zaranda Star was blessed by the Archdruid of Mosstone during a ceremony in Port Kir with the forest and coastal Tethyrians accepting her regency.

In the month of Eleint, 1369 DR, the Archdruid's Grove of Mosstone became the site of the Interregnum Tribunal. Seventeen nobles who were imprisoned during the Reclamation Wars were moved from Cloister of St. Ramedar on the Starspire Peninsula to Mosstone for the proceedings.

A year later, in the month of Eleint, 1370 DR, following the fall of Imnescar and Trademeet to the "Sythillisian Empire," elves of Noromath and defenders from Mosstone were attempting to hold the invaders off the Tethyrian portion of the Trade Way.

By 1370 DR, Arkaneus Silvermane was the reigning Archdruid of Mosstone and represented its inhabitants in the court of Queen Zaranda Star Rhindaun and King Haedrak Rhindaun III as one of the five major emissaries.

In 1449 DR, a strange "Sword of Spells" started seemingly random daring and stabbing wizards in Zazesspur, and a tenday after, two more in Velen and one in Mosstone. Locals were investigating strange murders. The murdered wizard in Mosstone was a hireling of the Oromanche trading family.

Rumors & Legends
Local legends stated that each Archdruid of Mosstone entered the forest at the end of their lives and became an oak tree within Old Oak Dell, merging essence with the Great Oak.

It was widely believed that the living trees within the Dryad's Dreams festhall actually had dryads living in them.

Unlike many other settlements found throughout the Dragon's Neck Peninsula, Mosstone had no ghosts. Some believed this was due to a lack of strife. Some said it was because of Mosstone's balance with nature, while others assumed that the undead were simply spooked by the sheer number of druids in the area.

Notable Locations

 * Great Oak of Mosstone: the center of the Archdruid's Grove of Mosstone that served as the secondary place of druidic worship. The grove itself housed only three buildings. The biggest building made of stone was the Archdruid's residence that housed living quarters for his small staff, a large meeting hall used for town gatherings, and the Interregnum Tribunal. Two smaller wooden houses were the druids' library and the seminary.
 * Old Oak Dell: the main center of worship of Silvanus in Faerûn, located due east of Mosstone.

Inns & Taverns

 * Drover's Last Drink: the tavern that served travelers and caravans that exited Mosstone as they waited to collect their wagons and beasts of burden. The tavern did not have any seating space apart from the spots at the bar where cheap drinks of good quality were dispensed.
 * Dryad's Dreams: the only festhall in town that also offered inn's services to its guest. The interior and furniture were magically shaped out of trees, and the inn had three living trees inside it. In the 14 century DR, the owner's, Hlargrim Sturnshon's nine daughters worked the inn, dressed as dryads.
 * Jessyleia's Drinking Jack: the newest tavern in Mosstone as of late 14 century DR. Jessyleia's was a supremely clean, bright, draped in pinks and purples establishment that served only tiny sweet pastries and had a mediocre alcohol selection.
 * Oak-Father's Boon: the most popular inn in Mosstone, often frequented by the Archdruid, Count Gallum, and even an occasional visiting elf. The inn was expensive but also offered excellent service. The Boon was onwed by the old Father Olondar Rajarn, a human cleric of Eldath in the mid-to-late-14 century DR.
 * Rumnthorygh's Welcoming House: a large, popular, cheap, and crowded inn owned by Alzarro Rumnthorygh in the 14 century DR.
 * Stag Triumphant: the second-best inn after the Oak-Father's Boon that catered to travelers and rich merchants with the posh interior, good food, and quality alcohol. The inn also served its namesake dish "stag triumphant".
 * Walking Out to Meet the Dragon: was a hidden drinking establishment with quiet high-walled, curtained booths that offered privacy. The tavern was built by an adventurer Flindarl Alaekynjack who named it after the bravest deed of his life. After his death, the place was run by Kardeera Alaekynjack, the adventurer's daughter in the late-14 century DR.

Shops

 * A Kiss Across the Table: a curious store of Maeragha Olgarlar's that dealt in spike-heeled footwear, daring dresses, perfumes, as well as some good disguise fare in the 14 century DR.
 * Steeleye's Armory and Smithy: the Mosstone's smithy of supreme quality, located almost at the center of the town. All goods in the store were created by its dwarven proprietor Angar Axeson in the 14 century DR.
 * Taluth's Shrewd Flight: Nhalbert Taluth's store next to a forgettable hot-bun store on the crossing of Sairnor Street and the southern end of the Fallowfern Lane. The store had a good selection of well-made bows and arrows.
 * Uncrimmon's Trophies & Sundries: the store that dealt in exotic monster parts and spell components. The shopkeep of the store was a secret doppelganger named Ardreth Ulnshoor who served the mysterious Uncrimmon in the 14 century DR.

Other

 * Drovers' Field: the enclosure on the north-eastern side of the town that housed caravaners' oxen while the traders and guards rested and took care of business within Mosstone. The Drovers' Field location was strategically placed, so the sea winds kept the smell of beast manure out of the city. The Field was guarded nightly to protect the beasts of burden from the unwelcomed attention of wolves and other predators.

Notable Inhabitants
Apart from hard-working, kind townsfolk and the members of Mosstone's druidic circle, the town was home or the base of operations for adventures and foresters. These individuals were often capable warriors, wizards, and rangers, who offered Mosstone additional defenses on top of the many druids found in the area. By 1372 DR, the number of druids associated with the Mosstone circle was almost two hundred.

Among less-then-savory residents were poachers, found operating north of Mosstone, and the Shadow Thieves, who maintained a presence in the city via the Sword Sect that operated in Zazesspur, Port Kir, and Wealdath.


 * Ardogh Stonegrip: a huge barbarian who worked as an escort and a companion at the Dryad's Dreams festhall in the late 14 century DR.
 * Arkaneus Silvermane: the Archdruid of Mosstone circa 1370 DR.
 * Chalavon Narthiir: a slender and charismatic escort who was a skilled chess player in the late 14 century DR.
 * Derezdreene: an older white haired actress who often was hired to be someone's mother, regal noblewoman, or an exiled monarch in the late 14 century DR.
 * Emmakk Gallum: Jordy Gallum's younger brother and the constable circa 1370 DR.
 * Jordy Gallum: the beloved Count of Greenshores who was instrumental in Mosstone's support of Zaranda's regency circa 1370 DR.
 * Liora Leaffalling: well-respected half-elven druid from the Suldusk tribe who spent over 70 years in Mosstone circa 1370 DR.
 * Maerele Oromanche: the matriarch of Oromanche trading family in the mid-15 century DR. The members of the clan were often considered to be flamboyant, and had dark stunningly good looks, and were believed to be caught in numerous romances. Maerele was good friends with Elminster Aumar and had three younger brothers Elklund Oromanche, Imraphar Oromanche, and Odyle Oromanche.
 * Shaern Gallum: Jordy Gallum's countess-consort who just like her mate was born and raised in Mosstone.
 * Strohm II: the founder and the first Archdruid in 687 DR.
 * Shulla Barandai: a retired adventurer and an acrobat who was one of the several most beautiful women of Mosstone in the late 14 century DR.
 * Tethirmin: the Archdruid of Mosstone circa 1358 DR and Arkaneus Silvermane' tutor.
 * Turnock Draether: the magister of Mystra who reigned between 709 and 762 DR, was born to a forest-dwelling herbalist family in the area that eventually became Mosstone.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Silver Shadows