Town Name: Blackthorn Hollow

“A town on the edge of shadow and stone.”

Location & General Overview

Blackthorn Hollow is a small, isolated town nestled in the foothills of the Sword Mountains, south of the Mere of Dead Men and west of Kryptgarden Forest. Though not far from the High Road, it remains off most major trade routes, making it largely self-sufficient but reliant on occasional merchants. The town has a population of about 400 souls, including farmers, miners, craftsmen, and a handful of merchants and travelers.

The town’s economy is built on two major exports:

• Farming: Blackthorn Hollow is known for its blackthorn berries, which grow in the surrounding woods and are used in wines, jams, and medicinal tinctures. The soil, though rocky, also supports hardy root vegetables, wheat, and livestock.

• Mining: A local iron and silver mine provides metal for trade, though deep shafts have revealed ancient ruins, leading to strange occurrences.

Blackthorn Hollow is governed by a council of influential townsfolk, but a noble family once ruled it—House Vanthreist—before mysteriously vanishing over a decade ago. Some say their ancestral manor holds dark secrets.

Notable Locations

1. The Gloaming Hearth (Tavern & Inn) – The town’s only real inn, a dimly lit but cozy establishment run by Eldrin Hallowbrook, a half-elf barkeep who always seems to know more than he lets on. Locals gather here to drink blackthorn mead and share rumors.

2. Blackthorn Hollow Mine – A deep silver and iron mine worked by the town’s laborers. Lately, eerie whispers echo from its depths, and miners have vanished without a trace.

3. Temple of the Veiled Lady – A small, weathered temple dedicated to Shar, the goddess of darkness and loss. Though officially abandoned, flickering lights are sometimes seen inside at night.

4. Vanthreist Manor (Ruins) – Once home to the noble rulers of Blackthorn Hollow, the Vanthreist family mysteriously disappeared about 15 years ago. Their mansion is now a looming ruin, avoided by locals due to strange happenings.

5. Market Square – A modest trading post where traveling merchants occasionally visit, bringing wares from Waterdeep and Neverwinter. The townsfolk barter rather than use coin for many goods.

6. The Hollow Wood – A thick, foreboding forest surrounding the town, full of gnarled trees, hidden caves, and strange lights at night. Hunters have reported sightings of eerie figures.

Adventure Hooks

1. “The Hollow Whispers” (Horror & Dungeon Exploration)

Strange whispers have begun emanating from the mine, unsettling the workers. Several miners have vanished, and those who return speak of shadowy figures and unnatural tunnels that shouldn’t exist. The foreman, Durrek Stonefist (Dwarf, LG), is desperate for outside help.

➡ The party is hired to investigate. The tunnels beneath the mine lead to an ancient crypt that pre-dates the town. Inside, they uncover remnants of House Vanthreist’s dark past, as well as a lingering curse tied to the family’s downfall.

2. “The Vanthreist Legacy” (Political Intrigue & Mystery)

A stranger arrives in town, claiming to be Esmir Vanthreist, the last surviving heir of the noble family. He seeks to reclaim his family’s estate but refuses to step inside until it is “cleansed.” Some townsfolk believe he is an imposter, while others whisper that the Vanthreists were cursed and should not return.

➡ The party must uncover the truth. Investigating Vanthreist Manor reveals dark rituals, ghostly echoes of the past, and a hidden threat that may still lurk beneath the ruined estate.

3. “The Silent Night” (Supernatural & Survival Horror)

One evening, a heavy fog rolls into Blackthorn Hollow, and the town wakes to find the streets empty. No animals. No people outside. Doors are left ajar, meals half-eaten, and the town square is eerily silent.

➡ The party must navigate the abandoned town, uncovering what has taken the townsfolk and how to bring them back before they, too, are lost to the mist.

Would you like more details on any specific aspect of the town or adventure hooks?

Duskwatch Hollow

A Town of Secrets, Shadows, and Silent Screams

Basic Overview

• Location: Near the foothills of the Sword Mountains, nestled in a valley south of the Kryptgarden Forest.

• Population: ~400 (250 adults, 150 children).

• Main Exports: Grain, root vegetables, and iron ore.

• Governance: Led by a council of three prominent citizens.

• Atmosphere: A quiet, hardworking town with an undercurrent of fear—strange disappearances, hushed whispers, and locked doors after sunset.

Town Description

Duskwatch Hollow was founded over a century ago when prospectors discovered iron veins running beneath the valley. Farmers soon followed, attracted by the fertile soil of the lowlands. The town remains small, isolated, and largely self-sufficient, but those who live here harbor a deep-rooted fear: something lurks beneath Duskwatch Hollow.

The town is bisected by the Duskwatch River, which flows from the mountains and disappears underground into a vast cave system, known as the Hollow Dark. Superstitions claim that the Hollow Dark is cursed, and few dare venture inside.

The mines have been the town’s lifeblood for decades, but recently, the miners have reported voices in the tunnels, flickering lanterns revealing shadowy figures that vanish when approached, and strange glyphs carved into the stone—glyphs that no one remembers making.

Key Locations

The Hollow Hearth Inn

The only inn in town, run by Lorna Greaves, a no-nonsense widow with a sharp tongue. The inn is warm and welcoming, but travelers often note the uneasy stares of the locals when night falls.

Duskwatch Mine

The mine lies at the town’s edge, descending deep into the Hollow Dark. Once a prosperous operation, it has slowed considerably due to recent “accidents” and missing miners. The foreman, Jareth Cole, is desperate to keep the mine open but is running out of workers willing to descend into the depths.

The Duskwatch Council Hall

A stone building where the town’s three leaders convene:

• Edric Langley – A pragmatic elder farmer, more concerned with the harvest than with rumors of shadows.

• Marla Hallowind – The town’s healer and apothecary, who secretly knows more than she lets on.

• Harvin Drexley – The mine’s owner, who is growing increasingly paranoid about something he refuses to discuss.

The Sunken Chapel

A ruined temple on the outskirts of town, half-swallowed by the earth. Once a place of worship to Lathander, it was abandoned when its foundation cracked and sank into the ground decades ago. Some claim that on certain nights, one can still hear voices chanting from below…

Adventure Hooks

1. The Vanishing Miners (Horror & Dungeon Exploration)

Miners have been disappearing in the tunnels beneath Duskwatch Hollow. The foreman, Jareth Cole, hires the adventurers to investigate. Deep within the mine, they find evidence of a long-buried cult that worshipped an ancient, subterranean entity. Strange symbols pulse with an unnatural glow, and something hungry lurks in the darkness.

Threats: Twisted undead miners, corrupted earth elementals, and a lurking horror—a many-eyed, chittering nightmare from below.

2. The Council’s Secrets (Political Intrigue)

The town’s leaders are hiding something. As the adventurers investigate, they uncover a tangled web of hidden alliances, buried crimes, and secret pacts with forces best left undisturbed.

Twist: One of the council members (Harvin Drexley) knows exactly what lies beneath the town—but has been covering it up to maintain his wealth and status.

3. The Sunken Chapel’s Call (Horror & Mystery)

Locals claim to hear strange whispers and chanting from the ruins of the old temple. If the adventurers investigate, they discover an entrance to an ancient crypt, where the spirits of long-dead priests warn of an awakening darkness.

Danger: The crypt contains trapped spirits, magical wards barely holding back something ancient, and remnants of an old ritual that should never have been interrupted.

Underlying Mystery

Long before Duskwatch Hollow was founded, the Hollow Dark was home to an ancient, forbidden cult that worshipped Valthyss, the Maw in the Deep, an eldritch being that slumbers beneath the valley. The cult was wiped out centuries ago, but their remnants—forgotten altars, mind-warping glyphs, and half-buried rituals—remain beneath the town.

The recent mining efforts have disturbed something that should have remained buried.

Now, the town’s people hear whispers in their dreams. Doors unlock by themselves at night. And deep below, something is beginning to stir.

The First Adventure: "Whispers in the Hollow"

The party is hired to investigate the recent disappearances in the mine, but what they uncover is far worse than anyone imagined. They must navigate collapsing tunnels, evade shifting shadows, and confront the remnants of the old cult—before the thing beneath the town fully awakens.

Final Encounter: A half-awake, partially-formed manifestation of Valthyss—a seething mass of eyes and mouths that must be sealed away before it devours the entire town.

Conclusion & Next Steps

If the players survive their first adventure, they will have made powerful allies—and even more powerful enemies. The council will be forced to take action, but some may seek to silence the adventurers rather than face the truth.

And deep below Duskwatch Hollow, the whispers will never truly stop.

Would you like me to expand on any NPCs, dungeon layouts, or town events?

Welcome to Black Hollow

A quiet town on the edge of darkness...

Nestled in the rolling foothills between the Mere of Dead Men and the Misty Forest, Black Hollow is a small, isolated settlement in the Sword Coast's untamed frontier. With a population of just over 400 souls, Black Hollow thrives on farming and mining, trading its surplus goods—iron ore, barley, and root vegetables—with passing merchants who brave the winding roads from Waterdeep or Daggerford. The town is self-sufficient but vulnerable, relying on its small militia and an aging town council to maintain order.

But something dark stirs beneath Black Hollow—whispers of disappearances, strange happenings in the mines, and old feuds that never truly died. As the seasons change and the shadows lengthen, the people of Black Hollow find themselves at the mercy of something ancient, waiting just beneath their feet.

Town Overview

1. Geography & Layout

Black Hollow is built along the Twilight Vein, a narrow iron-rich ravine that supplies the local mines. The town’s farms spread outward from the mine entrance, where dense pine forests press close to the edges of civilization. A single stone bridge, Harrow’s Crossing, spans the ravine, dividing the town into North Hollow (residential) and South Hollow (industrial and trade-focused).

• The Hollow Mine – The lifeblood of the town, this iron mine was dug into the ravine decades ago. Recently, miners have reported strange tunnels appearing overnight and unearthly wailing deep underground.

• The Withered Oak Tavern – The town’s lone tavern and inn, run by Mira Voska, a retired adventurer with an eyepatch and a distrust of outsiders. Locals gather here to drink, gossip, and avoid the creeping unease that has settled over Black Hollow.

• The Market Green – A modest square where farmers sell crops, traders peddle goods, and occasional caravans stop to resupply before venturing deeper into the frontier.

• The Council Hall – A timber-and-stone structure that serves as the town’s seat of governance. The ruling council consists of five members, though one has recently disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

• Harrow’s Chapel – A small shrine dedicated to Chauntea (goddess of agriculture), but with an old, unused crypt beneath it that dates back centuries.

• The Twilight Ward – A row of hastily built shacks housing miners and transient workers. Many are abandoning their homes due to fear of what lies beneath.

2. The People of Black Hollow

• Mayor Roland Harrow – An aging but shrewd leader, determined to keep the town thriving despite recent troubles. He harbors a dark family secret tied to the town’s founding.

• Mira Voska (Tavern Keeper) – A tough, no-nonsense ex-adventurer who senses trouble brewing. She is fiercely protective of the town’s youth.

• Brother Cedric (Priest of Chauntea) – The town’s spiritual leader, he is haunted by dreams of something buried beneath the chapel.

• Marshal Edrin Thorn – A grizzled veteran and head of the town’s guard. He suspects the recent disappearances are more than simple bad luck.

• Ellis Greaves (Mine Foreman) – Overseer of the Hollow Mine, he has started losing workers to accidents—or something worse.

The Secrets of Black Hollow

1. The Hollow Mine's Secret

Deep within the mine, the Twilight Vein has opened into an ancient, long-sealed vault. Something not meant to be disturbed has begun whispering in the dark, influencing the miners and causing them to go mad or vanish without a trace. The oldest families in town remember rumors of an ancient entity buried long ago, but none dare speak of it.

2. The Vanishing Councilman

One of the town’s council members, Dorian Voss, vanished three weeks ago. His home was found in disarray, with claw marks on the floor and a trail of dark ichor leading toward the mine. His widow, Isolde, has been acting strangely detached, insisting he will "return when the stars are right."

3. The Harrow Legacy

Mayor Harrow’s ancestors founded Black Hollow on land they were warned not to disturb. A forbidden pact was broken, and now the debt must be paid. There is an old iron-bound book in his possession that he dares not open, but he knows it contains the truth about the town’s origins.

Adventure Hooks

• “Into the Deep” – A local miner, raving mad and covered in strange sigils carved into his skin, stumbles into town screaming about a door beneath the earth that must never be opened. The party is asked to investigate.

• “The Widow’s Lament” – Isolde Voss, the widow of the missing councilman, hires the party to find her husband, but her erratic behavior suggests she knows more than she lets on.

• “Secrets Beneath the Chapel” – Brother Cedric seeks help deciphering strange carvings found in the old crypt under Harrow’s Chapel. They match symbols found deep within the mine.

Tone & Themes

• Horror: Unsettling disappearances, whispers in the dark, and a growing sense of paranoia.

• Dungeon Exploration: The Hollow Mine is more than it seems—a hidden vault, ancient catacombs, and something awakening.

• Political Intrigue: The town council is divided, secrets are being kept, and some would rather bury the past than face it.

Will your players uncover the truth behind Black Hollow? Or will they become just another story whispered around the Withered Oak’s hearthfire?

Welcome to Black Hollow, where the past never stays buried.