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  VILLAGE BACKDROP 
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  ARCMOOR
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  VILLAGE BACKDROP: ARCMOOR 
  For much of its life, the village of Arcmoor was a sleepy place, far removed from the doings of heroes, kings and warlords. All that changed, 
  however, when an orcish horde was destroyed near the village by the hero Therald Arcmoor. Therald died at the moment of his greatest 
  triumph, and his death—strangely—heralded great change in the village. A shrine raised in his honour has grown increasingly popular of late 
  and Arcmoor is slowly being transformed from a sleepy backwater into a popular destination for pilgrims, visiting warriors and the like.  
  Recent sightings of two dragons, and their depredations, have cast a pall over the village. The fearsome pair apparently dwell somewhere in 
  the nearby Tuskwood, and the villagers fear the dragons will bring economic (or actual) ruin down upon the village. Villagers fear adventurers 
  ﬂocking to the village could make the situation worse; thus far, the dragons have stayed away from Arcmoor proper but if the heroes fail to 
  slay the scaly beasts the pair could destroy the village in retaliation. Thus, Arcmoor’s future hangs in the balance. 
  C RE DI TS 
  Design: Fabian Fehrs 
  Additional Design: Creighton Broadhurst  
  Development: Creighton Broadhurst  
  Art: William McAusland and Matt Morrow.. Some artwork 
  copyright William McAusland, used with permission. 
  Cartography: Tommi Salama 
  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, 
  stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any 
  means, without the prior permission in writing of Raging Swan 
  Press or as expressly permitted by law. 
  ©Raging Swan Press 2019. 
  CONTENTS 
  To contact us, email gatekeeper @ragingswan.com 
  To learn more about Raging Swan Press, visit ragingswan.com  
  To learn more about Raging Swan Press on Patreon, visit 
  patreon.com/ragingswanpress 
  Credits 
  1 
  ....................................................................................................
  Contents 
  1 
  .................................................................................................
  Arcmoor at a Glance 
  2 
  .............................................................................
  Therald Arcmoor and the Severed Ear 
  2 
  ........................................
  Village Lore 
  2 
  ......................................................................................
  Villagers 
  2 
  ...........................................................................................
  Whispers & Rumours 
  2 
  ......................................................................
  Notable Locations 
  3 
  ...........................................................................
  Other Nearby Dwellings 
  3 
  ................................................................
  Life in Arcmoor 
  4 
  ......................................................................................
  Law & Order 
  4 
  ....................................................................................
  Trade & Industry 
  4 
  ..............................................................................
  Village Dressing 
  4 
  ..............................................................................
  The Surrounding Locality 
  5 
  .....................................................................
  Tuskwood Locations 
  5 
  .......................................................................
  Notable Locations 
  6 
  .................................................................................
  1: Arcmoor Shrine 
  6 
  ...........................................................................
  2: Graveyard 
  7 
  ....................................................................................
  3: Old Battleﬁeld 
  7 
  .............................................................................
  4: The Ark 
  8 
  .........................................................................................
  5: Zich’s General Goods 
  8 
  .................................................................
  OGL V1.0A 
  9
  .............................................................................................
  
  A R C MOO R AT A GL ANCE 
  Ruler: Mayor Celiri Bold (on behalf of the local lord, Liofa Othen) 
  Government: Autocracy 
  Population: 142 (85 halﬂings, 53 humans, 3 half-elves, 1 dwarf) 
  Notable Folk: Celiri Bold (mayor and owner of the Ark, location 4) 
  and Dagmara Tuseilis (location 1 and location 6, bailiff and 
  priest) 
  Alignments: NG, CG, N, LN, CN 
  Languages: Common, Halﬂing 
  Resources & Industry: Agriculture (rye, wheat and ﬂax), logging 
  (beech, ﬁr and pine), tourism (Arcmoor shrine) 
  When the PCs arrive in Arcmoor, the following items are for sale: 
  •
  Potions & Oils healing (400 gp), heroism (500 gp), ﬁre 
  resistance (400 gp)  
  •
  Scrolls (Magic-User) gust of wind (900 gp) 
  •
  Scroll (Cleric) chant (600 gp), create food and water (600 gp), 
  light (300 gp) 
  Arcmoor is a small village situated at the border of the Tuskwood; 
  it lies at the end of a muddy road about 300 ft. south of the wood’s 
  eastern fringe. The village stands near an ancient battleﬁeld upon 
  which long ago a horde of orcs was destroyed by the hero Therald 
  Arcmoor and his loyal soldiers and retainers. 
   
  For much of its existence, Arcmoor has been a sleepy place far 
  removed from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the realm. In 
  recent months, however, two dragon-like creatures have beset the 
  surrounding area. From their lair somewhere in the Tuskwood,  the 
  scaly beasts have ﬂown forth to attack travellers, shepherds and 
  even remote farmsteads. The pair are far beyond the capabilities 
  of normal folk to deal with and their depredations have begun to 
  worry Mayor Celiri Bold who worries the dragons will bring 
  economic (or actual) ruin down upon the village. 
  THERALD ARCMOOR AND THE SEVERED EAR 
  Centuries ago, a warlike and fecund orcs tribe (the Severed Ear) 
  claimed a great swath of the Tuskwood. Advanced for orcs, they 
  had discovered the rudiments of civilisation and even developed 
  the habit of burying their glorious dead in crude cairns.  
   
  Therald Arcmoor, a hero of old, defeated the host of the 
  Severed Ear in a bloody, hard-fought battle. Therald was slain at 
  the moment of his great victory, but such was the love his soldiers 
  bore for him that some of them elected to settle in the area and 
  erect a shrine in his honour.  
   
  In the past four years, several locals and visitors have had 
  visions allegedly sent by Therald, and the shrine is becoming an 
  increasingly popular destination for pilgrims who look to meditate 
  and receive wisdom—or perhaps a quest—from the hero’s spirit. 
  VILLAGE LORE 
  A PC may know something about Arcmoor, its history and 
  surrounds. Determine how knowledgeable the PCs are and then 
  impart some (or all) of the information below: 
  •
  Arcmoor is a farming community on the border of the 
  Tuskwood. The majority of Arcmoor’s inhabitants are halﬂings. 
  •
  The villagers are industrious but keep mostly to themselves. 
  They distrust strangers. 
  •
  A few hundred years ago, a battle with orcs was fought and 
  won near the village. A shrine dedicated to the battle’s hero 
  stands in the village. 
  VILLAGERS 
  Most of the halﬂing villagers are farmers who tend to the 
  surrounding ﬁelds. The humans mainly work as woodsmen on the 
  Tuskwood’s fringes.  
   
  Appearance: Since most of the villagers work outside, tanned 
  skin is the norm among humans and halﬂings alike. The small folk 
  have fair hair, while the humans tend to have darker hair.  
   
  Dress: Most villagers own clothing that can withstand the wear 
  and tear of everyday life. Yellow and green are their colours of 
  choice, if the garb is dyed at all. 
   
  Nomenclature: male Agris, Dikan, Ermanis, Gedimas, Tolek; 
  female Ineses, Junia, Riina, Sanda, Wirki; family Bold, Dunning, 
  Keblis, Laurits, Prieks. 
  WHISPERS & RUMOURS 
  While in Arcmoor, a PC may hear one or more rumours. The PC 
  can learn this information in several ways: perhaps by overhearing 
  two locals gossiping, chatting with regulars over a few drinks at 
  the local taverns and so on. Use the table below, to determine 
  which rumours the PC learns. 
  *False rumour 
  1D6
  RUMOUR
  1*
  Astein Coalter (see “Trade & Industry”) is cheating his 
  colleagues. When they ﬁnd out, they’ll be hell to pay!
  2*
  Eron Zich wants to retire soon and has treasure hidden 
  somewhere for that purpose. Apparently, he found the 
  treasure on the old battleﬁeld to the east. 
  3*
  Orcs have inﬁltrated the area again and are killing folk. 
  4*
  The pilgrims are actually bandits and are responsible 
  for the killings. They just make it look like it was orcs. 
  5
  Undead roam the nearby Old Battleﬁeld. Most are weak 
  things, barely able to hurt stout folk like the villagers or 
  the adventurers who sometimes poke about the area!
  6
  Nojus Makalis the gravedigger wanders the old 
  battleﬁeld at night.
  �2
  
  NOTABLE LOCATIONS 
  Arcmoor is a rambling, spread out affair. The villagers value their 
  privacy and leave a lot of space between their houses. All the 
  buildings except the shrine are of timber framework on stone 
  foundations topped by thatched roofs. Halﬂing homes are more 
  suitable for small folk, of course.  
   
  The muddy track leading to the village ends at the village 
  square with its communal well, where both the Ark (location 4, the 
  village’s only inn) and Zich’s General Goods (location 5, the 
  general shop) are located. The shrine stands on a low hill on the 
  eastern side of the village; a wide, beaten path leads there.  
   
  Most of the village comprises peasant homes made for small 
  folk. A few locations, however, are of interest to adventurers: 
  1.
  Arcmoor Shrine: This small temple on a hill outside Arcmoor 
  features a somewhat weathered stone statue of Therald 
  Arcmoor (depicted as a human) in front of the building. A 
  mural depicting the hero’s deeds dominates the interior. The 
  shrine serves as the village’s main place of worship.  
  2.
  Graveyard: Arcmoor’s graveyard lies in the shrine’s shadow 
  and looks well tended. It comprises simple graves with 
  headstones and the gravedigger’s home. Currently, the black-
  hearted Nojus Makalis serves as the village’s gravedigger, but 
  the Braal worshipper has a deeper purpose at the village. 
  3.
  Old Battleﬁeld: The site where the orc horde was 
  vanquished many years ago lies in the hills east of the village. 
  People still ﬁnd remnants of rusted weapons, other rotting, 
  broken gear and skeletal remains scattered about the area. 
  Strange mists and fogs often cloak the battleﬁeld and 
  persistent rumours describe the place as haunted. 
  4.
  The Ark: Arcmoor’s inn is one of the few two-storied 
  buildings in Arcmoor. As a result of Celiri Bold’s attempts to 
  proﬁt from the pilgrims, room prices are 50% higher than 
  standard. The Ark is the centre of the village’s social scene 
  and often busy in the evenings. 
  5.
  Zich’s General Goods: The village shop sells typical fare for a 
  rural shop and may have a few unusual items lying around—
  some plucked from the old battleﬁeld and some pulled from 
  the various cairns lurking under the Tuskwood’s boughs. 
  OTHER NEARBY DWELLINGS 
  The Arcmoor village map only shows a dozen or so buildings. 
  Most of the populace live outside the village’s bounds. No homes 
  stand too close to the Old Battleﬁeld; Arcmoor’s villagers are 
  superstitious folk and none want to awaken or anger the spirits 
  slumbering therein. 
  �3
  
  L IF E I N AR CMOOR 
  Arcmoor has been a quiet backwater village for a long time. While 
  humans and halﬂings mostly keep to themselves, one can barely 
  feel any racial tensions. Due to the increasing inﬂux of pilgrims 
  visiting Arcmoor’s shrine (location 1), however, the village is slowly 
  becoming busier. Not all villagers are happy about this, since they 
  fear the shrine’s rising popularity will also attract miscreants, 
  vagabonds, thieves and adventurers.  
   
  Due to the occasional sightings of dragon-like creatures ﬂying 
  overhead and the rumours of vicious attacks in the vicinity, the 
  villagers are a bit on edge and may react even more aversely to 
  outsiders than normal; however, adventurers arriving in the village 
  with the stated goal of slaying the dragons are given a cautious, 
  but warm, welcome. 
  LAW & ORDER 
  For the administration of justice, Arcmoor relies on itinerant 
  judges. However, the village is a tightly knit community and Mayor 
  Bold has enough inﬂuence to keep everyone in line. Arcmoor’s 
  bailiff, Dagmara Tuseilis, usually has little to do in the village. She 
  has proven herself to be competent when dealing with strangers 
  and minor problems, which she either drives away, kills or locks in 
  a small cell in the inn’s cellar. She deputises other people only 
  when the need arises. Maris has not decided how to deal with the 
  dragons’ depredations, as she is not prepared to deal with what in 
  her eyes is a pair of green dragons.  
  TRADE & INDUSTRY 
  Arcmoor is a mixture of an agricultural and logging village. Most 
  of the resident halﬂings are farmers cultivating wheat and rye 
  mixed with vegetables. Recently, a few have started to grow ﬂax. 
  Because of heavy competition elsewhere, the logging business 
  has made only small gains since the ﬁnal battle with the orcs (and 
  mostly because of Astein Coalter’s [N middle-aged male dwarf 
  ﬁghter 3] efforts), but it sufﬁces to support the families involved. 
  Astein has held his position as the elected spokesman for the 
  w o o d c u t t e r s f o r 
  almost 70 years. He is 
  known as a shrewd 
  a n d 
  c h a r m i n g 
  negotiator who gets 
  t h e m o s t o u t o f 
  business deals and 
  keeps inter-business 
  conﬂicts in check. He is 
  in the woods most of 
  the time, but loves a 
  good tankard of ale and 
  spends most evenings at 
  the Ark.  
  VILLAGE DRESSING 
  Use this table to generate the minor sights and sounds the PCs 
  experience as they move about Arcmoor.   
  D20 DRESSING/EVENT
  1
  An unusually thick fog wafts from the Old Battleﬁeld. It 
  carries faint sounds of clashing weapons and death cries. 
  2
  Lightning strikes and blackens the statue of Therald 
  Arcmoor in front of the shrine, during a thunderstorm.
  3
  Several lumberjacks are killed or injured by a falling tree.
  4
  An argument between pilgrims at the shrine escalates into 
  violence and attracts a small crowd until Dagmara Tuseilis, 
  or the PCs, end the altercation.
  5
  An itinerant judge arrives in Arcmoor to settle several 
  minor outstanding legal disputes.
  6
  A dragon-like shape is seen ﬂying over nearby a farmstead 
  during the night. The news of the sighting upsets and 
  frightens several of the villagers. 
  7
  Several halﬂings stroll through the village, sharing a ﬂask 
  of wine as they laugh and joke amongst themselves.
  8
  A wagonload of freshly cut lumber from the Tuskwood 
  rolls through the village. Two woodcutters lead the tired 
  horses pulling the heavy load. 
  9
  Ducks glide majestically across the village pond; a small 
  child throws a handful of stones at them and they scatter.
  10
  A half-dozen pilgrim warriors wander through the village 
  on their way to the Arcmoor Shrine.
  11
  A dour man on horseback makes his way to the Ark 
  (location 4). He throws the reins to a stableboy and barges 
  his way into the inn. 
  12
  A ﬂock of sparrows swoop overhead, ﬂying from the west 
  toward the village’s ﬁelds. 
  13
  A farmer rushes into the village, breathless with news of 
  another dragon sighting and missing cattle.
  14
  The clamour of blade on blade—coming from the shrine— 
  rises above the general village hubbub.
  15
  Over the Tuskwood, dark clouds scud across the sky.
  16
  Two halﬂings rest under a tree and share a ﬂask of wine.
  17
  A faint mist hangs over the old battleﬁeld (location 3).
  18
  As #18, but strange faint sounds—perhaps oddly muted 
  sounds and screams—reach the PCs’ ears.
  19
  A halﬂing’s voice raised in song ﬂoats over the village.
  20
  Priestess Dagmara Tuseilis wanders the village and—on a 
  whim—comes over to speak with the PCs.
  �4
  
  T HE S UR ROUN DIN G LOCALIT Y 
  The Tuskwood is a temperate forest composed mostly of pine, ﬁr 
  and beech trees. Apart from Arcmoor’s small logging operation it 
  has not been touched on this side of the Cutting River and 
  remains relatively wild. Small streams and brooks feeding the river 
  break up the undergrowth. The further one travels eastward, the 
  rockier and hillier the ground becomes. 
   
  The Tuskwood is dangerous. Boars are common but the dire 
  variant is thankfully rare. Wolves howl at night, but are seldom 
  seen, as they generally avoid humanoids. A few giants spiders 
  make the forest their home and creatures sometimes fall into their 
  old, abandoned webs. A sprinkling of fey lives in the Tuskwood, as 
  well. The PCs could run afoul of a sprite or two. 
   
  In the forested hills, kobolds skulk as a few tribes have 
  excavated lairs there. They ﬁght among themselves and do not 
  bother other people. However, orc tribes—although scattered—
  attack civilised people. Groups of orcs are frequently found at 
  their ancestors’ burial mounds performing rituals or simply trying 
  to prevent other creatures from disturbing the dead. 
   
  TUSKWOOD LOCATIONS 
  Acornﬂow: This stream ﬂows down from the hills through the 
  forest and eventually joins the Cutting. The Acornﬂow’s cold 
  waters run quickly and can be deep. Of particular interest to 
  loggers is the number of acorns the stream carries beginning in 
  late summer. It means there have to be oaks somewhere along its 
  banks, which would be a treasure trove for the lumberjack 
  association.  
   
  Briars’ Patch: The Baleful Briar Band is a group of sprites 
  living in a tangle of thorny vines a short distance north of the old 
  battleﬁeld. The fey are ﬁercely territorial and take offence at “big 
  folk” coming too close to their abode. The sprites can be placated 
  with gifts, in the form of magical items, after which they turn out to 
  be helpful, albeit erratic, allies with somewhat off-putting ideas of 
  helping others. 
   
  The Fang in the Pond: A few hours travel from Arcmoor lies 
  an unremarkable lake. However, the stone structure standing on 
  an overgrown island in the middle of the lake makes sentient 
  beings uneasy; they tend to see movement out of the corners of 
  their eyes when observing it too long. The structure looks like an 
  immense needle and consists of smoothly polished granite, a 
  mineral not found in the region. 
  �5
  
  N OTA B L E L OCATION S 
  Arcmoor lies about 100 paces south of the Tuskwood. The area 
  between serves as pasturage for the villagers’ small number of 
  livestock. The village ﬁelds are located on relatively ﬂat ground to 
  the south and west. 
   
  Half a day’s travel to the west lies a road coming from the 
  south. It hugs the Cutting River while running through Tuskwood. 
  Half a mile to the east lies the Old Battleﬁeld. The ground is rocky 
  there, so the villagers have not bothered to farm the area. 
  1: ARCMOOR SHRINE 
  This small shrine stands slightly apart from the village on a hill 
  overlooking the settlement’s old graveyard. It is one of the few 
  stone buildings in Arcmoor. 
  Arcmoor's shrine is dedicated to Therald Arcmoor (and his patron 
  Kalron [N hero-god of Battle and Heroic Struggle]), the renowned 
  hero who led the army that defeated the orcs of the Severed Ear 
  tribe long ago.  
   
  In front of the shrine stands a statue of Therald (depicted as a 
  human) with axe held high in triumph. An ornate mural of his 
  many heroic deeds adorns the shrine’s interior.  
   
  The shrine’s staff comprises: 
  •
  Priestess Dagmara Tuseilis (NG female half-elf cleric [Kalron] 
  3) oversees the shrine and is an Arcmoor native. See the 
  sidebar below for more information about Dagmara. 
  •
  Eohric Frewin  (N male human cleric 1) came to Arcmoor as a 
  pilgrim in search for a meaning to his life. He found friends 
  and fellowship at the shrine and felt called to serve. Eohric is 
  slight of frame, but quick as a viper in battle. 
  •
  Hilda Alvar (N female human ﬁghter 1/cleric 1) had a narrow 
  escape from certain death in a borderland skirmish and came 
  here to give thanks to Kalron, who she believes saved her. 
  Hilda is muscular, boisterous and friendly; she enjoys weapon 
  practise with visiting pilgrims. 
  All three priests live in the shrine’s east wing. The shrine has 
  limited visitor accommodation for particularly devout pilgrims 
  who do not wish to pay the Arks’s (location 4) inﬂated prices. 
  (Visitors are expected to make a contribution to the shrine’s 
  collection box or offer some other kind of service in return for 
  their accommodation). Dagmara is pleased Therald Arcmoor and 
  his patron are becoming more popular, although it concerns her 
  she soon may not able to cope with the number of pilgrims. 
  visiting the shrine. 
  �6
  DAGMARA TUSEILIS 
  NG female half-elf cleric [Kalron] 3  
  Tall, with rugged good looks and a ﬁrm jaw, this half-elf women 
  seems like a stereotypical warrior. An open, welcoming smile 
  plays across her face. 
  Mannerisms: Dagmara has a ﬁrm handshake and makes good 
  eye contact with those visiting the shrine. 
   
  Personality: Friendly and welcoming, Dagmara is the 
  perfect person to oversee the shrine and its business. 
   
  Background: Dagmara Tuseilis has lived in Arcmoor for her 
  whole life and grew up on tales of Therald and his heroics. She 
  loves the village and the shrine. 
   
  Hook: Dagmara cares deeply about Arcmoor and the shrine 
  over which she watches. She worries about the recent sitings of 
  dragons, but also worries what might yet lurk in the battleﬁeld to 
  the east. She also privately wanders what Noius (location 2) gets 
  up to on his night-time expeditions. If the PCs seem trustworthy 
  and good, she might ask them to follow the gravedigger one 
  night to see what he is doing. 
   
  Finally, Dagmara serves as the village bailiff and it is she who 
  deals with troublemakers and the like in the village. She drills 
  the (unenthusiastic) village militia once a month on the day 
  following a new moon.  
  KALRON 
  N hero-god of Battle and Heroic Struggle 
  Epithets: The Warrior 
  Symbol: A two-headed battleaxe 
  Favoured Weapon: Battleaxe 
  Raiment: Followers of Kalron normally wear armour of some 
  sort over which they wear a tabard with the god’s axe 
  sigil emblazoned upon it. 
  Worshippers: Guards, soldiers, mercenaries and warriors  
  Teachings: Through hardship and struggle comes strength 
  and glory. Sacriﬁce begets strength. Become one with 
  your weapon, for in such unity lies unbreakable strength. 
  Holy Texts: Kalron’s followers study the Art of the Fighting-
  Master. This book sets out the techniques required to 
  wield an array of weapons including the battleaxe, 
  longsword and morningstar. Additionally, it comprises 
  many lessons on the subjects of determination, struggle, 
  courage and strength through adversity. Various 
  worshippers have written additional treatises—for 
  example, Lempinen's On the Axe—which deals with more 
  advanced ﬁghting techniques and practises. 
  Additional Notes: Kalron was an ancient hero elevated to 
  divine status because of both his legendary bravery, 
  battleﬁeld exploits and his devotion to his martial skills. 
  
  2: GRAVEYARD 
  Arcmoor’s graveyard has never seen better days. The graves stand 
  in neat, well-tended rows and all seems peaceful and tranquil. 
  Gravedigger Nojus Makalis (NE male human cleric [Braal] 4) keeps 
  everything in order without so much as a complaint. Noius is a 
  relative newcomer to the village so quite a few residents are still 
  wary of him, although even the most suspicious person cannot 
  deny his dedication to his work. 
   
  Of course, Makalis’ rumoured nightly wanderings over the old 
  battleﬁeld, and what he is doing there, would be cause for 
  concern if someone could actually ﬁnd out what he is doing. 
  Before coming to Arcmoor, he received a vision from Braal (NE 
  lesser god of Hate, Malice and Revenge). Makalis would not 
  hesitate to kill if someone found out about his mission. 
  3: OLD BAT TLEFIELD 
  Rocks and boulders pockmark this swath of hills standing to the 
  east of the village. Grass and gorse bushes grow in profusion here 
  concealing small sections of boggy ground.  
  The hills east of Arcmoor are the site of Therald’s ﬁnal battle with 
  the orcs. Visitors can sometimes ﬁnd rusting weapons, rotting gear 
  and skeletal remains amid the grass. The locals don’t come here 
  (except for Makalis), as the land is unsuitable for farming and there 
  are no trees to fell. Also, the temperatures here seem to be lower 
  than average for the region, which spooks most people.  
   
  A PC searching the battleﬁeld spots several irregular lumps 
  among the grass and bushes growing throughout the area—
  remnants of the long ago battle. Roll once on the list below and 
  make an additional roll for every 30 minutes the PC spends 
  searching. Each item can be found only once. 
  1.
  The hilt and rusting remnant of an orcish falchion juts from a 
  muddy puddle. The weapon is worthless and unusable, but a 
  small black gem (an onyx worth 50 gp) yet decorates its hilt. 
  2.
  A small pile of bones lies under a low, thorny bush. Several of 
  the bones have been smashed—clearly this individual suffered 
  a violent death. The remains of a rent silver necklace lie amid 
  the bones; it is worth 15 gp. 
  3.
  Shreds of sodden, rotting studded leather armour lie half-
  buried in a small hollow. This was once a ﬁne suit of studded 
  leather armour. An arm bone—still encased in a silver and iron 
  bracer—lie amid the remains. The bracer is worth 10 gp, but of 
  its mate there is no sign. 
  4.
  A small pile of sunken, moss-wreathed stones serves as a 
  burial marker for a score or more slain orcs. The surrounding 
  ground is disturbed and torn up—as if something had crawled 
  forth from the bowels of the earth. 
  5.
  Intermixed with fragments of bone and the like, shards of 
  rusting metal and scraps of rotting leather lie scattered across 
  the ground. 
  6.
  A crude iron circlet rent into two halves lies either side of a 
  smashed skull. The iron is rusting and crumbles at all but the 
  lightest touch. Three white transparent stones (moonstones 
  worth 50 gp sack) lie amid the ruin. 
    
  At night, the area comes “alive.” Apart from the eerie mists that 
  sometimes reach Arcmoor, a number of mainly harmless haunts 
  linger about the area and a few skeletal undead occasionally claw 
  their way out of the churned earth to aimlessly wander the 
  battleﬁeld. If the PCs explore the battleﬁeld at night, roll on the 
  table below to see what—if anything—they encounter: 
  1D20 NIGHTTIME RANDOM ENCOUNTER
  1-15
  A faint mist rises to cover the battleﬁeld in a soft, 
  ethereal cloak. While strange, half-seen shapes seem to 
  move in the mist, the PCs encounter no undead.
  16
  A lone orc skeleton staggers toward the party, its bony 
  arms outstretched.
  17
  Three orc skeletons emerge from the mist—the 
  battleﬁeld’s sodden earth, and wriggling worms, 
  tumbling from their rib cages.
  18
  The harsh clamour of battle suddenly ﬁlls the air around 
  the party. Strange ﬁgures move and twist in the mist 
  before fading away into nothingness. This can be a 
  short or drawn out encounter, as the GM desires. 
  19
  Combine the results of #17 and #18.
  20
  As #18, but add a wraith.
  �7
  NOIUS MAKALIS 
  NE male human cleric [Braal] 4 
  Clad in dirty workman’s clothes this burly man has thick, bushy 
  black eyebrows and a great mop of unkempt hair tied loosely 
  back with a thin leather band.  
  Mannerisms: Noius has a way of looking someone up and 
  down that makes them feel like he is measuring them for burial.  
   
  Personality: A quiet man, Noius prefers the peace and 
  solitude of his own company (or the dead)—he despises 
  pointless conversation and worries he might say something to 
  give himself away. He worries about Dagmara Tuseilis’ power 
  over the undead and therefore—unsurprisingly—hates the half-
  elf. 
   
  Background: Noius settled in the village only four years 
  ago; before that he travelled the land doing his dark lord’s 
  bidding—he particularly enjoyed sacriﬁcing screaming victims 
  and misses “the good old days”.  
   
  Hook: When Therald Arcmoor defeated the orc horde, its 
  warlord Boralak Reginar was slain. Noius seeks the warlord’s 
  earthly remains. He believes if he can ﬁnd and raise Boralak 
  from the dead, and bind him to his will, the rest of the orcish 
  horde will rise and follow him to battle and slaughter in his 
  patron’s name. Noius has a scroll of animate dead carefully 
  hidden away for the night when he ﬁnds the warlord’s remains. 
  
  4: THE ARK 
  Arcmoor’s only inn—the Ark—is a large, two-storey building of 
  timber and stone construction. 
  The inn’s proprietor, Celiri Bold (N middle-aged female halﬂing), is 
  a charming and industrious halﬂing. She sees the opportunities in 
  Therald Arcmoor’s rising popularity and tries to use her inﬂuence 
  as the village’s mayor to bring her people around to the idea of a 
  prosperous and growing Arcmoor.  
   
  Celiri has invested heavily in the Ark’s expansion over the last 
  few years, adding new rooms and stables as well as hiring a farrier 
  and sundry stable boys, servers and the like. As a result, she is now 
  deeply in debt and has raised room prices by half. 
  •
  Food & Drink: Rabbit (or other game) stew served with black 
  crusted bread and cheese (5 sp), ploughman’s lunch (3 sp), 
  spiced parsnips served with vegetables and bread (3 sp); 
  tankard or ﬂagon of mead or ale (6 cp); pitcher of wine, ale or 
  mead (3 sp). 
  •
  Accommodation: One-bed chamber (7 sp; ten available), 
  ﬁne two-bed chamber (3 gp; ﬁve available). 
  5: ZICH’S GENERAL GOODS 
  A sign showing a set of balanced scales hangs above the front 
  door of this long, single-storey building. 
  Here lives and works Eron Zich (N old male human). He sells 
  anything the villagers might need, from food and tools to even a 
  few weapons. Zich also purchases items and even acts as 
  pawnbroker at times. As a result, the store’s many shelves feature a 
  wild collection of objects (most with questionable value). Zich 
  knows his trade and is able to normally recognise valuable items. 
  However, some things slip through his ﬁngers and can be found 
  collecting dust in his shop. 
   
  Zich is quite the grumpy fellow. He feels his age and looks 
  forward to retiring. He plans to leave his business to his daughter 
  Alhanna (NG female human), who has proven herself to be at least 
  as shrewd a trader as her father. 
   
  Among the things one would normally ﬁnd in a village shop, 
  Zich has several interesting items for sale. Most are “hidden” 
  among the shop’s normal stock. A PC browsing the shop ﬁnds one 
  of the items below. Roll once on the list below and make an 
  additional roll for every 30 minutes the PC spends browsing. Each 
  item can be found only once. 
  1.
  A ﬁne pair of supple knee-high leather boots decorated with 
  complicated stitchings of leaves. The boots are for sale for 3 
  gp, but Eron will accept 2 gp after some hard bargaining. 
  2.
  A silver dagger in a plain sheath. Eron has forgotten the 
  dagger is silver and only wants 1 gp for the weapon. 
  3.
  Although it appears battered, but serviceable this backpack is 
  actually ﬁnely made. With various pouches and 
  compartments within, it allows the wearer to organise his gear 
  more efﬁciently and its wide straps effectively distribute the 
  load. The pack is the same size as a normal backpack but can 
  hold 50% more than a normal backpack. The pack costs 3 gp. 
  4.
  A small cast iron cauldron suitable for travel and camp use. 
  The cauldron costs 5 gp. 
  5.
  Hidden in a sheaf of dusty sheaves of parchment—most of 
  which are blank—the PC ﬁnds a map of the surrounding area. 
  It marks the location of a previously unknown cairn—labelled 
  the Cairn of the Ferocious Dead—deep in the Tuskwood. (See 
  “The Surrounding Locality” for a version of this map). Eron 
  sells all 20 sheets for 3 gp, but if he spots the map he wants 5 
  gp for that sheet alone.  
  6.
  A set of four battered pewter tankards and matching ﬂagon 
  stand on a wooden tray. Eron wants 2 gp for the set, but will 
  throw in a ﬂask of wine to seal the deal, if the PCs haggle. 
  7.
  This highly polished bullseye lantern is in excellent condition. 
  Eron wants 15 gp for the lantern, which has a larger than 
  normal reservoir; when full it can burn for eight hours. 
  8.
  A jumbled bag holds a mass of dried herbs, pungent 
  unguents and the like. Sold to Zizh by an apothecary, neither 
  the seller or the buyer realised three potions of healing lie 
  forgotten at the bottom of the bag. Zich only wants 5 gp for 
  the bag and its contents. 
  9.
  A beautiful silver holy symbol of Kalron hangs from a ﬁne 
  silver chain. Zich is well aware of the value of this piece and 
  wants 25 gp for the battleaxe-shaped charm. 
  10. Entitled “On the Undead” this large bestiary offers commonly 
  known details, and illustrations, of common low-level undead 
  creatures. Zich wants 5 gp for the tome. 
  �8
  CELIRI BOLD 
  N middle-aged female halﬂing 
  Flecks of grey highlight this middle-aged halﬂing woman’s hair. 
  Immaculately dressed, she looks businesslike and professional. 
  Mannerisms: Celiri bites her bottom lip when nervous or afraid. 
   
  Personality: Charming and industrious, Celiri is also keen to 
  make money from Arcmoor’s burgeoning good fortune and 
  popularity. She believes you’ve got to speculate to accumulate 
  and has borrowed heavily to expand the inn—her debts worry 
  her and she is considering another price rise to keep on top of 
  the interest payments. 
   
  Background: Celiri comes from a long line of halﬂing 
  farmers and although she loves her home village she wants 
  more for herself. Years ago, she sold her family farm to a 
  neighbour and invested in the Ark; time will tell if this was a wise 
  investment. 
   
  Hook: Celiri borrowed heavily from a moneylender in the 
  nearby city. Every month, he sends an agent—Noroll Tusron—to 
  collect Celiri’s payment. Noroll acts imperiously when at the Ark, 
  demanding the best room and eating and drinking his ﬁll. Celiri 
  feels helpless to stop the man taking liberties and sees his 
  actions as the price of doing business. Perceptive PCs seeing 
  how Noroll acts might wonder what hold he has over the 
  normally cheerful halﬂing. 
  
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  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Open Game License v 1.0 ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
   
  Open Game License v1.0a. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast Inc. 
   
  System Reference Document: ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
   
  Dwellers Amid Bones. ©Raging Swan Press 2012; Author: Creighton Broadhurst.  
   
  Dwellers Amid Bones Collector’s Edition. ©Raging Swan Press 2015; Author: Creighton Broadhurst and Fabian Fehrs.  
   
  Village Backdrop: Arcmoor. ©Raging Swan Press 2019; Author: Fabian Fehrs. 
  To learn more about the Open Game License, visit wizards.com/d20. 
  Product Identity: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artefacts, places and so on), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, 
  characters, artwork and trade dress are product identity as deﬁned in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) and are not Open Content. 
  Open Content: Except material designated as Product Identity, the contents of Village Backdrop: Arcmoor are Open Game Content as deﬁned in the Open Gaming License version 
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  Fabian Fehrs to be identiﬁed as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
  �9
  
  R A G I N G S W A N . C O M  
   EVERYTHING  
       is Better with  
  Tentacles 
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TITLE 
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/ Any (Any System ; Generic)/Raging Swan - Village Backdrop - Arcmoor.pdf