Grave Hollow

Grave Hollow was a haunted barrow located in the center of the city of Archenbridge, and a popular picnic destination amongst the townsfolk.

Description
The hill of Grave Hollow was said to be the tomb of an unknown warrior. According to the locals, anyone trying to dig into the Hollow or lighting a fire in the glen would bring forth moaning spirits&mdash;and anyone foolish enough to continue this endeavor would be subject to a terrible curse. Those rumors were encouraged by the owners of the grand mansions along the River Way, trying to discourage adventurers and other undesirables from camping in their backyard.

As long as visitors didn't disturb the peculiar rules of the place, the hill was a peaceful and pleasant place. It was used by the local population for picnics, lover's escapades, and shady meetings. Stealthy agents of the Swords of Archendale patrolled the place, eavesdropping on visitors. They wouldn't usually confront anyone, except if witnessing battle, murder, kidnapping, or other grave crimes.

Geography
On the outside, Grave Hollow was a grassy hill encircled by trees. Under the hill was the tomb of an elven tribe, built by superstitious gnomes long before Archenbridge was built.

Defenses
According to Elminster, at least four baelnorns guarded the tomb. They were equipped with many elven magic items, and were responsible for creating the wraith-like spirits which attacked trespassers. They would also curse interlopers with a powerful ironguard spell effect which prevented their victims from interacting with any metal object for a whole year. That curse was nigh-impossible to dispel, except by the most knowledgeable spellcasters.

History
The tomb was built by gnomes to serve as a resting place for an elven tribe poisoned by rivals. The gnomes entombed the elves with their belongings out of superstition, fearing that keeping anything would bring them misfortune.