Places of Interest

Milbourne:

A small town of 160 people, most of whom live in the farmsteads that surround the town on both sides of the river. Buildings are almost all of wood; only the Old Granary, the Mill House, and the Mansion House are of limestone. Virtually everyone here earns a living either from farming or from mining in the southern Blanrydes for lead and copper. Near the town itself, most work is agrarian; the miners live in work camps just outside the mines, though they bring their ores into town to sell at the Exchange.

The people of Milbourne are fairly friendly but insular, quite happy that their town is a backwater. They hear tales of monsters and adventures and heroics from travelers now and again, and they think that kind of thing is all very well for people with more enthusiasm than sense. They are mostly decent, honest people, getting by day to day without much in the way of undue disturbance.

As the exploits of the Red Feather Company have been told around Milbourne and the valley of Haranshire, the members of the Company have somewhat become celebrities around the town itself. The recent troubles in the area has brought more focus to Milbourne than usual and therefore more travellers and traffic, some of which is unwanted by the peacefull people of Milbourne.

The Baron of Mutton: This tavern is the one frequented by most town people, and it has accommodation for up to 30 guests at any one time. Guests here have a choice of living well or roughing it. Roughing it means sleeping in a 12-bed common room, possibly shared with the barge workers who come with their merchant masters to Milbourne and are not averse to the odd spot of pilfering or to a knuckle-fight after far too many pints of ale. The beds are hard bunks covered only with an old blanket. For those wishing to wash, there's the horse trough outside the tavern. A bunk costs 3 sp per night, a sum that includes a skimpy breakfast of day-old bread and small beer. Staying in one of the two-person rooms costs 5 sp per person per night: a guest gets a slightly better breakfast and a more comfortable bed with actual sheets.

Andren and Barthelew run the Baron of Mutton for their grandfather, Dirkaster. The Company was hired by Andren to find his lost love, Jelenneth, when they first entered the inn and walked into the disturbance caused by her disappearance. Because the party is searching for his love, Andren ensures that their are always rooms available for the members of the Company when they are in Milbourne. The Baron of Mutton has become the 'unofficial' headquarters of the RFC.

Temple of Tyr: Home to the young priest Semheis, the temple is none too well attended due to the overzealous nature of Semheis. However, the beautiful gardens around the small temple are a popular meetings spot fo Milbourners who just want to pass the time of day. On spring evenings, it is the traditional trysting place for young lovers; no one minds that it abuts on to the town cemetery.

Rastifer's Store: This is a treasure-trove of curious, though also well stocked with basic equipment such as waterskins, packs, rope, lanters, oil, basic clothing, and the like. The store is protected by sturdy walls, barred windows, and a pair of fine heavy locks on both the front and back doors. A pair of guard hounds generally lurk around the store. The store is owned by a middle-aged man named Rastifer.

The Silver Crown: This tavern is the closest thing Milbourne has to a hangout for riff-raff. This is a spit-and-sawdust tavern, mostly frequented by miners having a break from their work in the northern mines and intending to spend their free time drinking themselves senseless. Fist fights break out regularly, continuing until stopped by the burly landlord Thimpsen and his son Gergel. Old Grizzler is usually to be found here, holding forth about all and sundry.

Carman Mansion: Known by all locals simply as the "Mansion House," this stone building surrounded by a high wooden wall is home to Darius Carman and his family (his second wife and four children). Four townsfolk are employed as servants.

Thurmaster:

Thurmaster is a walled village of some 100 people. Approaching the town you will see a great many abandoned houses, now falling into ruin, lying outside the rickety wooden walls surrounding the village. Fishing, agriculture, harvesting of marsh reeds and hay, and light forestry on the margins of the Blessed Wood are the main sources of income here.

Hound and Tails: Like much of the village, this tavern has seen better days. The "Tails" of the name are those of foxes, as the battered painted in sign shows. Run by the unmarried and surly landlord Weismar, only shared rooms are available here. Getting to sleep in the inn's decrepit beds is difficult, as the rather distressingly stained sheets are home to many inquisitive and hungry bugs. Breakfast is a fairly hideous affair of cold fatty mutton pies and ale swillings served by a yawning waitress. The ale here is weak, and the food should definitely be avoided.

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