| The Town of Maplewood | |
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| Summary: | The town in which the game takes place.
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| Primary Topics: | History of the town.
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| Secondary Topics: | Locations in town, governing structure.
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| Tertiary Topics: | Current events in town and tertiary topics. |
Maplewood is the town in which the game takes place. Some events, like Dungeon Crawls, may take characters to other places in the Freelands but characters will spend most of their time here.
History
Founding
The founders of Maplewood stumbled upon the object they would name the Helix by sheer luck. In the wake of the War of the Avatars, the land was scarred. Earthquakes rocked what is now the Freelands, unearthing things previously unknown. Among them was the Helix.
After the destruction of Nalbendel survivors, fleeing the explosion and the remnants of waiting armies, desperately sought shelter. They found a clearing surrounded by rocks, a seemingly defensible spot for the night. Amidst the chaos, they were spared a full company of troops but still feared deserters and the wild creatures conscripted by Gersh and the Dellins.
That night, something strange occurred. The group felt an uncharacteristic sense of security. Meanwhile, the lookout witnessed an even stranger sight. Orcs, kazvaks, and other hostile creatures fleeing Nalbendel's crater approached the clearing only to stop, look around fearfully, and turn back. Initially dismissing it as imagination, the lookout realized something was amiss by the third encounter. She chose not to disturb the others, waiting to dispatch the lone enemies with her bow.
The following morning, the group discussed their shared sense of safety. Though unable to explain it, they felt compelled to stay. They began building makeshift fortifications and throughout the day watched as more dangerous creatures veered away from their location.
That night mindless undead, fallen soldiers unable to find rest, approached only to turn back even sooner than the living creatures. The location was clearly special.
Over the next month more survivors found them, approaching without incident. The group grew into a small settlement. The original discoverers, now known as the Founders, had learned to communicate with the Helix in their dreams. It didn't speak, they explained, but shared emotions. They guided the others.
Food became a critical issue. By February of 1185, a particularly harsh winter threatened their survival. Then a High Light Fae calling itself the Host wandered into the settlement. The refugees were surprised; nothing but their own had entered the clearing for months. Why this one, and what did it want?
The Founders met with the Host and struck a deal. The terms remain unknown to the public, but the Founders seemed pleased. The Host agreed to create a temporary Fae Feast Hall in the center of the camp, open to all. The food was real, filling, and sustained them through the winter. The next morning, the hall vanished, but the Host promised its return every winter, as part of the agreement-the first of many Founder's Feasts.
No longer facing starvation the people focused on improving their settlement, building homes and businesses. More refugees arrived and were welcomed. The Founders became known as the Elders, continuing to commune with the Helix. Its appearance and location remained a secret known only to the Elders, who claimed it would be coveted if revealed.
The town was named Maplewood, after the many maple trees prominent in the area.
Adventures Arrive
Throughout the Freelands' tumultuous history of the last 400 years Maplewood stood quietly, largely untouched by the conflicts swirling around it. While nearby Pinedale? suffered countless attacks, Maplewood remained unscathed and its citizens content.
Then in 1595, a lich known as the Al'Cairn? raised an undead army in Pinedale. Though ultimately defeated by adventurers the undead horde persisted, sweeping out of the town and directly toward Maplewood. For the first time in its history, the Helix's protection faltered. Perhaps it was weakened by the Dellin invasion of 1592, or the Fae Plague of 1588, or simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of undead; in any case the horde breached Maplewood's defenses, inflicting significant casualties. Unaccustomed to violence Maplewood, with its few constables and no standing army, was ill-prepared for such an assault.
A month later, the sea rose as Pisces? claimed the Eiderloch as her domain, flooding Pinedale and displacing its inhabitants. These refugees, too, sought shelter in nearby Maplewood.
The initial months were fraught with tension. Maplewood's residents blamed Pinedale's adventurers for unleashing the undead horde. The vacated homes, now offering refuge to the displaced, were seen as a further insult, a desecration of the graves of friends and family. It was the Elders who intervened. Recognizing the unrest in the Freelands and the strain on the Helix, they decreed that the presence of the adventurers would be a benefit, not a burden. Though not universally popular, the decision was accepted.
The adventurers' arrival, however, also attracted unwanted attention. Followers of the Dark Three, now aware of the Helix's existence, sought to claim its power or, failing that, destroy it. They launched repeated attacks that targeted the Helix directly. The Founders' foresight in concealing the artifact proved crucial; though the cultists inflicted damage, the Helix endured. With the influx of new residents, the Helix's protective field fluctuated more rapidly than before, but the situation remained manageable.
The Invasion of the Avatar of Grak and the Fall of the Helix
Then came the invasion of the Avatar of Grak, who called himself 'Grak'. His horde swept through the Freelands, heading directly for Maplewood. This force proved too powerful even for the adventurers to withstand and the people of Maplewood were driven from their homes. The orcs established a crude fortress, "Marrowhold", which they intended to hold indefinitely. For reasons unknown, they chose Maplewood as their base.
The adventurers, regrouping, eventually drove the orc horde from the land and confronted the Avatar of Grak? himself. After a grueling battle that lasted many hours the Avatar was weakened, though whether it was near defeat remains uncertain to this day. Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted, and the Avatar of Grak vanished.
The victory, however, came at a terrible cost. It soon became clear that the Helix had been the light responsible for the Avatar's disappearance, expending nearly all its power in the process. It fell dormant, its protection now limited to the local inn. The Elders were terrified. They had never known a time without the Helix's constant presence; its silence was deeply unsettling. They were, in a sense, on their own.
A small consolation emerged from the chaos. Diplomats from Vargainen, witnessing the battle, were awestruck by the sight of a god's Avatar on Novitas and even more so by mortals challenging it. They quickly returned home and returned with a larger delegation, intending to establish an embassy in Maplewood. The location was ideal: it offended no nation by favoring one over another, and it was a site where they had witnessed divine intervention. This embassy has already begun to transform Maplewood, making it a destination for citizens of many nations seeking news of Vargainen.
Current Events
This section is related to an ongoing metaplot and is subject to change. If you have any questions about the contents that are not answered here, you should ask other characters in-game or lore more information. |
In 1602, a new and terrifying threat emerged: the Veilwalkers. These eldritch horrors, originally confined to Vargainen and connected to the Entity (though the full extent of that connection remains shrouded in mystery), infect their victims with a curse. This curse, in turn, transforms the afflicted into Veilwalkers, though the timeframe for this transformation is unknown. The first Veilwalker on Novitas was discovered in Maplewood when a Vargainen ambassador, the former Voz'Venzi Sasur'amon?, transformed and infected several adventurers. While the origins of other Veilwalkers near Maplewood remain a mystery, their presence is now undeniable.
Currently the only known defense against them is Blight, an alchemical created by the High Priest of Nox in Varganien. Though a limited resource, a commissary was established in Maplewood to distribute this to adventurers who are willing to fight and prevent the spread of Veilwalkers in the Freelands.
Government
The Helix
The Helix itself is a great unknown. No one knows exactly what it is or why it does what it does. While it was working it would drive mindless creatures away from Maplewood, and intelligent creatures with hostile intentions would feel severely ill while in its presence.
For some reason it has always been most potent in the location of the Spinning Jenny, the local inn. There, any attempt to harm another individual has resulted in them being removed from the building much like the Avatar of Grak? was removed from the town, though these individuals typically wind up in a nearby field.
The Elders have spoken for it for centuries now, and any who wished to become citizens of Maplewood were sworn in through a ritual that gives them access to some healing powers the Helix also provided. Those rare citizens who committed crimes would sometimes be shunned by the Elders and from that point on, the Helix would treat them like they intended to harm the community regardless of their actions.
When it still worked the boundaries of the Helix were flexible, capable of moving seemingly based on where the citizens resided around it and if the Spinning Jenny relocated.
Constables and Elders
Maplewood's leadership comprises the Elders, who interpret the will of the Helix, and the Constables, who enforce their pronouncements. The Elders are all long-standing citizens, chosen for their demonstrated trustworthiness and, presumably, their connection to the Helix. New Elders are selected periodically by the existing Elders, based on criteria they keep secret. There is no fixed number of Elders; those deemed worthy simply join their ranks in a periodic induction ceremony.
Constables are also citizens, though not necessarily long-time residents. They earn their positions through distinguished service to the community. Traditionally, with Maplewood's low crime rate, their duties largely consisted of assisting citizens who encountered trouble outside the town. However, since the influx of refugees from Pinedale? and the arrival of the adventurers, the Constables now spend considerably more time mediating conflicts between the locals and the newcomers.
Around Town
The Spinning Jenny
"The Jenny," as it's commonly known is Maplewood's central hub, the place where everyone gathers to eat, drink, and socialize day and night. It's easily the most popular spot in town. Since the arrival of the adventurers, and especially with the Helix's dormancy, trouble has become a much more frequent occurrence. Townsfolk in need of assistance often make their way to the Jenny, hoping to find a helpful adventurer- or perhaps even a whole adventuring party- willing to lend aid.
People who come to the inn and attempt to harm anyone in it are expelled by the Helix.
The Bazaar
Just outside the Spinning Jenny, Maplewood's bazaar serves as a bustling hub for merchants hawking their wares. Constables enforce a two-table limit per organization, ensuring space for all who wish to participate. The bazaar's recent resurgence is largely thanks to a local adventurer who has spearheaded the effort to revitalize trade in Maplewood. Even one of the local temples, its original building lost in a fire started by zealots, has taken up residence there.
The Vargainen Embassy
The Vargainen diplomats constructed their embassy directly adjacent to the bazaar and attached to the Constable's office- a mutually beneficial arrangement. The proximity allowed the Constables to easily monitor the embassy while the diplomats felt more secure, knowing they wouldn't inadvertently cause an international incident if forced to defend themselves. This arrangement was complicated by the fact that a member of the Vargainen delegation, Halyttah, went on a killing spree that primarily targeted other Vargainen delegates.
Lake Bullhead
Nearby Lake Bullhead is a frequent haunt of the Piscenes, who often visit to lodge complaints about debris tossed into its waters. An amphitheater graces its shore, having hosted such renowned performers as Xerxes the All-Dancing Yeti?. While some whisper of a curse and claim only misfortune befalls those who linger there, on a sunny day, the lake makes a pleasant spot for a picnic.
The Druid’s Grove
Not far from Lake Bullhead lies a druid grove, carefully tended by the local druids. It was here that a local adventurer tragically lost their life while performing a ritual to purify the grove, corrupted by a dark fae plot. Legend claims the forest remained pure for a full five hours before a worshipper of Darkness defiled it once more.
Mercy House
Sometimes a name sticks, even if its origins become obscure. This particular location was named by a Septa who attempted to establish a triage center there when the Pinedale? adventurers first arrived in Maplewood. Though the triage center ultimately failed, the name endured.
Categories: Maplewood | The Helix | The Spinning Jenny | Setting | Worldbook | Current Events
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