Watcher's Mound

A Watcher's Mound was a type of campsite found in the Earthspur Mountains of north Faerûn.

The Watcher's Mounds were constructed and maintained by the monks of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, particularly by their Watchers. They lay throughout the mountains south of the monastery, situated along the trails running down from it. There were thought to be well over a hundred of these sites; their exact number was unknown.

They could take many forms, not only mounds. One could be a simple lean-to or another could be a fire-pit with a small cave and an overhanging boulder. In any case, they were inviting, defensible campsites with shelter, where a traveler, a ranger, or a Watcher might spend a night in safety. Goblins and orcs dwelling in the mountains also made use of Watcher's Mounds.

Each site also contained a hidden cache of water, preserved food, and tools like a knife or tinderbox, intended for travelers with vital need and not their convenience. These caches might lie in the hollow of a tree or under a rock. Civilized folk of the surrounding realms knew this well, and even strangers from more distant lands might have heard of it as a rumor. The goblins and orcs were less aware.

The monks and local rangers were the most frequent visitors to Watcher's Mounds. They regularly restocked these caches, especially rangers, who tended to have more supplies to spare and took less. A Mound was thus well stocked around 90% of the time. Other travelers were obliged to leave something behind in the cache when they passed through. The monks and rangers frowned upon those who wantonly looted a Mound, noted who was responsible, and judged them on their behavior. Though they had better things to do than hunt down idle looters, they might be slower to help such folk than they would those who were considerate and took only what they needed.