The Thorpe of Onver

Since I one of my entries finally won an Inkwell Ideas geomorph contest, I suppose that it will be fun to stat up the little settlement.  

From my contest blurb: An outpost-village at a rural crossroads.  The crossroads is overlooked by a small motte-and-bailey, and is surrounded by a number of homes roofed in thatch or slate.  Several ancient dolmen flank the north road, and are thought to protect the village from evil incursions.  They glow bright blue under the Harvest Moon, but their true purpose has not yet revealed itself.

The thorpe of Onver has grown up around a rural crossroads. The crossroads are overlooked by a small motte-and-bailey fort. The fort is monitors the road, as well as provides local defense in the event of depredations by a pair of hill giants known to raid the area. The bailey is built with a stout palisade surrounding a longhouse, storehouse, and blockhouse.

The master of the fort is Oren Staible (4th Level fighter, 15HP, AC3/16 (Plate), 2-handed flail (1d8+1), +1 dagger, 198 GP, potion of cure poison). As the local thane, he collects taxes and harvest-shares to finance the collective defense of the community. He employs six men at-arms (4-6HP, AC6/16 (Ring), heavy crossbow (1d6+1), hand axe(1d6)).

The fort's blockhouse is equipped with a scorpion catapult. The scorpion is smaller than a ballista and may be more easily moved and aimed. Reloading action is per heavy crossbow (once per two rounds), damage 2d6, range 100 ft. The scorpions fire specially-made heavy darts or arrows. Because of the length of the darts and power of the prods, on a critical hit, the dart will penetrate a primary human-sized target and strike a second target standing behind for the same damage. The scorpion requires a minimum crew of two, however, three is preferable.

Local Citizens of note:

Orchardist - Lyv Sambel (HP4, AC8/11, 1d4+1 (light crossbow), 53 GP) is the original settler to the area, planting his trees southeast of the crossroads and their stones.  His apples and pears are a boon to the community, and he takes his harvest to several nearby markets.

Beekeeper - Cael Zynzek is new to the community, peaceful, tall and of few words.  He associates only with Sambel and Dansal Leathershoulder, the innkeeper.  He is secretly a 5th level mage (AC 9/10, 15HP, Scrolls (alarm, mirror image, light, fear) +2 staff, +3 vs lycans, 500GP, gems worth 530 GP), in hiding since a pogrom against his school of magic-users arose in several of the Empires major city-states.

Leatherworker/tanner - Gerald Schock (HP4, AC8/11, 1d4 (dagger)) - He will repair leathergoods and armor for half their original value.  Collects butterflies, and will exchange work for specimens from distant locations.  Unfortunately, his most recent specimen is a poisonous Adderwing that has not quite yet expired in its collection jar (HP1, AC2/17, bite (save vs death)).

Tailor/mercer - Gerda Perkin is an independent widow who set up shop to serve the needs of hte thorpe and miscellaneous travelers.  Her departed husband was a city guard who received a large retirement for saving a prince.  (HP3, AC9/10, 1d4 (club), 108 GP, 641 SP in chest buried in hog pen).

Butcher - Stannis Tates is a stinking brute of a man, who takes a bit too long bleeding out his livestock. However, his smoked meats and sausages are popular among travelers. (HP7, AC8/11, 1d4+1 (cleaver), 53 GP, potion of cure moderate wounds).

Tavern - The Giant's Boot, a simple single- story wooden lodge with slate roof.  Overnight boarders are lodged in a side room with straw mattresses, or under blankets by the hearth in the common room. It is owned by a female dwarf Dansal Leathershoulder (3rd level fighter, 12HP, 308 GP).  Lamed during adventuring, she still keeps her splint mail (AC4/15) and mace +1 in a chest in the back.  She knows Zynzek from her adventuring days and guards his secret.

The tavern has simple fare befitting a remote crossroads:

• Oat bread with cheese curd
• Lentil soup
• Stewed Parsnips
• Sausage and field greens

The bar is provisioned with mead, cider and perry supplied by Sambel and Zynzek.

Standing Stones - Although the locals note the curiosity of the glowing stones, their true purpose is not known.  Close examination will show them to be cracked and exfoliated from lightning strikes, although no one living in the settlement can recall them being stricken in recent memory.

If hit by lightning, the stones will open up a temporary extra-dimensional gate, releasing 1d6 shades.  The shades will attempt to possess villagers or other passersby to journey off for unknown purposes.  Save vs death is required to avoid possession.  A shade will use the body for transport, discarding it as a mindless, dehydrated shell after 3 to 5 days before transferring to another victim.  Shade (5HD, AC0 /AC2 if possessing human, Atk 1d6+1, touch, [save or 1CON loss, permanent], not undead, incorporeal resistances (resistances transfer to possessed body, destroying shade also kills host)).