TEXT: Keepers of the Vale 
  Version 2.0 
  Page 1 of 3 
  Keepers of the 
  Vale 
  by Mike Haakstad 
  Edited by James Zwiers 
   
  The Keepers of the Vale is a 
  group of halflings who are 
  dedicated to their home, the Vale, in the Duchy 
  of Urnst.  They work together to protect its 
  borders, teach its children, and make it beautiful. 
  It is considered fashionable for young Vale 
  residents to join this group for a few years before 
  settling down to raise a family.  Many life-long 
  partnerships and marriages come from within the 
  ranks of the Keepers of the Vale, as both males 
  and females are found equally in membership. 
  Sometimes, a particularly dedicated member will 
  remain active in the Keepers for an entire 
  lifetime, devoting countless hours tending 
  gardens and parks, and working with the many 
  children in the Vale.  Until the recent orcish 
  invasion, the senior Keeper was an elderly 
  female 
  halfing 
  Drd13 
  named 
  Amberlee 
  Sunmeadow.  She seldom left her grove, within 
  the largest nature preserve in the Vale, but could 
  be seen on rare occasions tending to injured Vale 
  residents or wildlife in any part of the Vale.  Her 
  largest responsibility was to preside over the 
  Midsummer Festival, where she invoked the 
  power of Yondalla to protect the Vale and 
  nourish its flora and fauna.  The position of 
  senoir Keeper is currently vacant, until a suitable 
  replacement can be found. 
  During the Midsummer Festival of 592 CY, a 
  huge army of orcs invaded the peaceful Vale.  
  Amberlee Sunmeadow was taken back into the 
  arms of Yondalla, and walks no more on the 
  Oerth.  The Keepers of the Vale (in Exile) still 
  love their homeland, and are fiercely determined 
  to win it back. 
  The Keepers of the Vale is an organization allied 
  with the International Halfling Society.  The 
  local Chapter House is in the currently occupied 
  village of Splendorrill. 
  Joining the Keepers of the 
  Vale 
   
  Members of the Keepers of the Vale have the 
  following responsibilities: 
   
  • 
  Contribute 100 gp, assessed with the first 
  Time Unit of the new year, to the 
  administration of the Keepers of the Vale. 
  • 
  Assist any halfling, of the Vale or otherwise, 
  who is in need of aid.  Note that evil or 
  criminal halflings are best aided by capture 
  and rehabilitation. 
  • 
  Spend six time units per year (eight time 
  units for characters who aren't halflings) 
  contributing to the maintenance and upkeep 
  of the Vale, according to ability and need.  
  Duties might include guarding the frontiers, 
  caring for common gardens and parks, 
  teaching young halflings to read, or other 
  appropriate tasks.  Additional duties, given 
  the current orc problem, could include 
  spying on orc encampments, escorting 
  shipments 
  of 
  food 
  and 
  supplies 
  to 
  communities still in the Vale, and gathering 
  aid from the rest of the Duchy. 
  • 
  Must 
  fulfill 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  following 
  prerequisites:  +1 base attack bonus, 4 ranks 
  in Craft (any), 4 ranks in Profession (any), 4 
  ranks in Wilderness Lore, or 4 ranks in 
  Knowledge (any). 
   
  This organization is open to any character of 
  good alignment, with one restriction.  The 
  halfling must be a resident of the Duchy of Urnst 
  at the time of joining, although the character can 
  remain a member if his home region changes in 
  the future.  The organization is also open non-
  halfling characters, but the character must be 
  willing to maintain a residence in the Vale, must 
  spend one Duchy of Urnst regional influence 
  point relating to the Vale (or any three other 
  Duchy of Urnst regional influence points), and 
  must pay a higher time unit cost as described 
  above. 
  Home Region 
  Members of the Keepers of the Vale must be 
  residents of the Duchy of Urnst when initially 
  joining, and when increasing in rank.  The 
  member's home region at other times can change 
  as the player wishes. 
  General Benefits 
   
  All members of the Keepers of the Vale receive 
  the following benefits: 
  
  Keepers of the Vale 
  Version 2.0 
  Page 2 of 3 
   
  • 
  Free Adventurer's Standard upkeep when 
  playing Duchy of Urnst regional events. 
  • 
  50% discount toward Adventurer's Standard 
  upkeep when adventuring in a region with 
  an IHS Chapter House outside the Duchy of 
  Urnst. 
  • 
  Access to divine spells from clerics of 
  Yondalla within the Duchy of Urnst does 
  not require spending a regional influence 
  point.  This effectively functions as a 
  permanent influence point with the Church 
  of Yondalla. 
  • 
  A +1 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy, 
  Gather Information, Innuendo, Bluff, and 
  Sense Motive checks when dealing with 
  halflings. 
  • 
  Access to the halfling skiprock as described 
  in the Sword and Fist class guidebook. 
  • 
  Access to the expandable pole and the 
  musical 
  instruments 
  banjolele, 
  fiddle, 
  harmonica, mandolin, and whistle-pipe 
  (along with their special rules) as described 
  in the Song and Silence class guidebook. 
  • 
  Access to the armor special ability Ease as 
  described in the Masters of the Wild class 
  guidebook. 
  • 
  Access to the following magic items as 
  described in the Masters of the Wild class 
  guidebook:  arrows of cure light wounds and 
  collar of cleverness (1 trick to 3 tricks). 
  • 
  Ability to take levels of the Thief-Acrobat 
  prestige class as described in the Song and 
  Silence class guidebook.  Membership in the 
  Keepers of the Vale organization fulfills the 
  requirement to be a member in good 
  standing of the local thieves' guild. 
  • 
  Access to the following feats described in 
  the Song and Silence class guidebook:  
  Acrobatic, Athletic, Dash, and Hamstring. 
  • 
  Access to the following feat described in the 
  Sword and Fist class guidebook:  Monkey 
  Grip. 
  • 
  Access to the following feat described in the 
  Masters of the Wild class guidebook:  Clever 
  Wrestling. 
   
  Halfling Patron/Matron 
   
  Halfling members of the Keepers of the Vale can 
  join the second rank of the group and become 
  Halfling Patrons/Matrons  The costs for this are 
  paid in addition to those for the basic Keepers of 
  the Vale organization, and are as follows: 
   
  • 
  Contribute an additional 900 gp (for a total 
  of 1000 gp), assessed with the first Time 
  Unit of the new year, to the administration 
  of the Keepers of the Vale. 
  • 
  Spend an additional 4 TU per year (for a 
  total of 10 TU) contributing to the 
  maintenance and upkeep of the Vale, 
  according to ability and need.  Duties might 
  include guarding the frontiers, caring for 
  common gardens and parks, teaching young 
  halflings to read, or other appropriate tasks.  
  Additional duties, given the current orc 
  problem, could include spying on orc 
  encampments, escorting shipments of food 
  and supplies to communities still in the 
  Vale, and gathering aid from the rest of the 
  Duchy. 
   
  This rank is open to any halfling character of 
  good alignment, with one restriction.  The 
  halfling must be a resident of the Duchy of Urnst 
  at the time of gaining this rank. 
  Halfling Patron/Matron Benefits 
   
  Hafling Patrons/Matrons of the Keepers of the 
  Vale receive all the benefits of the basic Keepers 
  of the Vale organization, as well as the following 
  benefits: 
   
  • 
  Access to the following spells as described 
  in the Masters of the Wild class guidebook:  
  animal reduction, briar web, hawkeye, 
  languor, might of the oak, nature's favor, 
  persistence of the waves, speed of the wind. 
  • 
  Access to the following adaptable prestige 
  class, as described in the Masters of the Wild 
  class guidebook:  Windrider. 
  • 
  Access to the following adaptable prestige 
  class, as described in the Defenders of the 
  Faith 
  class 
  guidebook: 
   
  Hospitaler 
  (worshippers of halfling gods only). 
  • 
  Access to the following magic weapon 
  enhancement, as described in the Masters of 
  the Wild class guidebook:  Opposable. 
  • 
  Access to the following magic weapon 
  enhancement, as described in the Dungeon 
  Master's Guide:  Bane (orcs and giants 
  
  Keepers of the Vale 
  Version 2.0 
  Page 3 of 3 
  only). 
  • 
  Access to any three of the following feats, 
  from the class guidebooks Masters of the 
  Wild 
  and 
  Defenders 
  of 
  the 
  Faith:  
  Blindsight, Natural Spell, Proportionate 
  Wild Shape, Scent, Speaking Wild Shape, 
  Divine Cleansing, Divine Might, Divine 
  Shield, Divine Vengeance, Divine Vigor. 
  • 
  Access to the following scrolls and wands:  
  scroll of animal friendship, scroll of animal 
  reduction, scroll of nature's favor, scroll of 
  divine power, scroll of might of the oak, 
  scroll of persistence of the waves, scroll of 
  speed of the wind, wand of bull's strength, 
  wand of cat's grace, wand of endurance. 
   
  Using Class Guidebooks 
   
  Members of the Keepers of the Vale who use 
  equipment, feats, prestige classes, spells, or other 
  materials described in the class guidebooks must 
  carry a copy of the relevant publications with 
  them and make them available for the DM to 
  examine upon request. Failure to provide the DM 
  with a copy of the material upon request allows 
  the DM to deny the player any and/or all access 
  to the material in question. 
   
  You should also carry a copy of this document 
  with you if possible. 
  Getting a Membership Certificate 
   
  Any PC can freely join this organization.  All 
  that is required is the initial expenditure of time 
  units and a Keepers of the Vale membership 
  certificate signed by a Duchy of Urnst Triad or 
  staff member, or your first DM after joining the 
  organization.  When gaining a new rank, have 
  your next DM ensure you meet the necessary 
  requirements before signing off your new 
  certificate. 
  Questions 
   
  This is a metagame organization for the Duchy 
  of Urnst region of the Living Greyhawk 
  campaign. If you have questions about this 
  organization, you may ask questions on the 
  Duchy of Urnst region’s Yahoo! discussion 
  group (duchyofurnst@yahoogroups.com). You 
  may also contact the individual named below 
  with questions: 
  Mike Haakstad, amysrevenge@yahoo.ca 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Duchy of Urnst/Keepers of the Vale 2-0.pdf