Shining Falls (village)

Shining Falls was a halfling village in the Delimbiyr Vale in the Savage Frontier in the late 13 and 14 centuries DR. It was preceded by many human and elf settlements on the same site.

Geography
It lay on the northern bank of the River Delimbiyr, between it and the High Forest and downriver of the Shining Falls, the breathtaking waterfall after which Shining Falls was named. These were a magnificent sight from the village. It was linked to the city of Loudwater by a road.

History
Occupation of the site began with the Granite Tower, which the master dwarf builder Iirikos Stoneshoulder built for an Illuskan wizard named Silifrey the Spraystrider. He ignored the warnings of his elven friends, who'd heard Silifrey practiced dangerous dark magic, and quickly finished his task using summoned elementals. But he also installed magical wards that would activate and destroy any who worked evil magic within its walls. Silifrey was dead within a month after moving in.

Afterward, several settlements grew up around the Granite Tower over the centuries, with nearly half-a-dozen human communities and at least two elven ones. But, without fail, every one of them suffered the mysterious disappearance of nearly all its residents, with the reason for or connection between these disappearances unknown.

The latest known was that of the elven colony of Thelthin'dul. The elves sent caravans between Loudwater and Thelthin'dul, which were escorted by the Fengrath family of mercenaries. The last caravan, some time before 1272 DR, returned and discovered all of the citizens had vanished. The few remaining elves in the caravan refused to ever come near the place, so the fearless Fengraths moved into the Granite Tower and declared themselves rulers of the renamed town. No one contested their claim.

The new ruler, Gauntlet Walenburh Fengrath, invited strongheart halflings to settle the village in the 1280s DR. They came and they flourished, heedless of stories of curses and ghosts.

In the, in the High Forest near the Dire Wood, trappers returning from upriver clashed with patrols of "savage elves" said to be serving a "Forest King". In the summer, goods meant for Merrymar's Merchandise were raided on the road by bandits, thought to be orcs of the High Forest. Tragically, the Merrymars lost not only merchandise but also all four of their sons and three nephews, leaving the extended family decimated and the store understaffed. Meanwhile, Gauntlet Deogol was more concerned with hiring adventurers to uncover the legendary dwarven caves behind the Shining Falls waterfall.

Some time after Shieldmeet that year, Gauntlet Deogol went missing for at least a month, his fate and whereabouts unknown. Around the same time, a grim band of adventurers passed through Shining Falls on their way to the Fallen Lands; they numbered 12–15 humans, mostly warriors with one wizard. Any connection between them is unknown.

Population
Circa 1372 DR, the town had a population of 578, including 540 halflings, many of them strongheart halflings, and 38 humans, who included the Fengrath family.

Government
Since its founding, Shining Falls was ruled by members of the Fengrath family, from its founder, Walenburh Fengrath, to her great-grandson, Deogol Fengrath. They adopted the traditional local title of Gauntlet and dwelled in the Granite Tower with their family, servants, and guards, who tended also to be family. Circa 1372, Deogol Fengrath ruled with a light hand, preferring to leave the day-to-day running of things to his sheriff so that he could concentrate on his magic in peace.

Defense
Defense of the town, and even some governance, was in the hands of the Sheriff, who around 1372 DR was Vendal Viccstray. He was served by Sergeants Hethat Deegrell, Jren Prencertal, and Nemmet Viccstray and forty guards. They wore a uniform of green beret, striped yellow-and-green blouse, leather breeches, and studded leather armor, and were armed with halfling-sized longswords and light shields, slings and bullets and rode war dogs. In the event of trouble or crime, the people of Shining Falls made a hue and cry that brought the town guard riding in on their war dogs.

Trade
The village had a number of trappers. They usually took rabbit, so this was the main meat for the village.

Blaz Merrymar of Merrymar's Merchandise had exclusive deals with all crafters in town so that only he could sell their wares to outsiders. His reasonable commissions and prices made this monopoly profitable for all.

Description
The village was laid out rather like a wagon wheel if viewed from above, with roads running in concentric circles forming the wheel and occasional roads coming from the center as its spokes. At the very center was the Granite Tower, taking the role of the axle. Standing tall and bedecked with carved monsters, and considered either a work of art or an eyesore, it dominated the settlement.

The buildings themselves were for the most part single-story, stout houses of a rambler style that northern strongheart halflings preferred, built to accommodate the predominantly halfling population. A few of Thelthin'dul's elven tree-houses remained and were repurposed by some of the more daring halflings. Otherwise, the rest of the buildings consisted of grain silos and barns.

Shining Falls shared some attributes with Loudwater. It was a lush garden town with small copses of various trees—ash, birch, oak, and a few blueleafs—scattered around, but these were overshadowed by the woodlands of the High Forest that spread to the northwest. Just north of the village, within the forest boundary, was the Hearthcircle of Yondalla.

Notable Locations

 * Granite Tower: Seat of power of the Fengraths
 * The Ale and Rabbit: Shining Falls' only inn
 * Merrymar's Merchandise: The only general goods store
 * Hearthcircle of Yondalla: A sacred grove to Yondalla and the center of worship for the village

Rumors & Legends
By the late 14 century DR, folk feared that the Granite Tower was cursed or still haunted by the vengeful spirit of Silifrey the Spraystrider, and moreover that she sometimes went on rampages and was the cause of the disappearances. Legends added hidden tunnels beneath the tower and village that housed the undead skeletons of all those who'd vanished over the years. The halflings scoffed at such stories.

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Extermination • Denial of Resource • The Truth of Hearts