Red Oak Village

Red Oak Village is a small village in the central part of Orodeth. Named for the small grove of oak trees that were cut down to make room for the village, it has prospered due to its location on the road since its founding in 2738. Though a significant portion of the village burned down in 2964 during an attack by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, the villagers were determined to rebuild. Sadly, they would never get the chance. The following year, the emergence of Olhydra and Ogrémoch into the world resulted in the Shattering of Orodeth. Red Oak Village was utterly destroyed in the cataclysm, and all of its residents were killed.

Locations in Red Oak Village
Numbers correspond to the map at right.

1. Allfaiths Shrine
The Allfaiths Shrine is a small temple used by many faiths, but consecrated to none. Priests of various deities travel here from Drakkengarde or Northeron to care for it in two-month shifts, and welcome worshipers of virtually all good deities.

2. The Swinging Sword
This three-story inn is crowned by a steep slate roof bristling with chimneys and includes stables and a small collection of outbuildings. Its rooms are considered luxurious by the rustic standards of inner Orodeth, with each room containing a hearth, draperies and tapestries, and running water from the rooftop cisterns. The top floor consists of shared dormitories in which travelers can sleep cheaply, which the lower floors consist of suites. It also serves as a social hub and neutral meeting ground for the villagers of Red Oak. It is run by a friendly woman named Kaylessa Irkell.

3. The Helm at Highsun
This ramshackle two-story tavern is large, but dimly-lit due to the rusty metal grills covering its dirty windows. Not a place for refined dining, the locals nonetheless gather here to relax, gossip, flirt, and grouse about their work. It is run by a jovial man named Garlen Harlathurl. Though the taproom was set ablaze by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, the building itself remained largely intact.

4. Mother Yalantha's
A dilapidated three-story boarding house, known for its cheerful (albeit noisy) atmosphere. The inside is a virtual maze of narrow passages snaking between small rooms with flimsy partition walls. Most of the rooms are occupied by transient workers, though there are always a few available if the Swinging Sword is full. It was run by Yalathna Dreen until she perished during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack.

5. Thelorn's Safe Journeys
Consisting of three huge sheds, Thelorn's was perhaps the best-known wagonmaker in all of Orodeth, known across the region for its quality such that the workers have to toil flat-out to keep up their founder's decree of "dozen spare wagons in stock, ready to go." The entire compound was razed during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack, but the Thelorns are determined to restore it to its former grandeur in time.

6. Chansyrl Fine Harness
This leatherworker was once considered one of the finest in central Orodeth; many merchants passed through the village specifically to purchase goods from here. It burned down during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack.

7. Tarnlar's Clothier
The only place to buy quality clothing for a hundred miles, Tarnlar's was once known for selling sturdy but fashionable clothing to the travelers and merchants who regularly passed through Red Oak Village. Their goods were known to be fine, warm, and sturdy, though few locals were able to afford them. The building was completely destroyed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame in a blaze that claimed the lives of half the Tarnlar family.

8. Lorren's Bakery
This tidy bakery always has fresh bread for sale, but its specialty is buns topped with melted mushroom cheese from Red Oak's outlying farms. Run by the energetic Mangobarl Lorren, it was badly damaged in the attack by the Cult of the Eternal Flame. Despite the damage, however, Mangobarl intends to keep his bakery running unless the repairs force him to do otherwise.

9. Tantur Smithy
This sot-stained building was once capped with massive stone blocks that rose into tall, wide chimneys. The din of forge hammers was known to ring out late into most nights. The smithy was run by Eldras Tantur and his family, who were known for being able to make virtually anything so long as it did not require any specialized alloys or treatments. The smithy caught fire during the attack by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, and burned down while the Tanturs worked to save as many villagers as they could. Eldras treats it as a given that the smithy will one day be rebuilt.

10. Drouth Fine Poultry
This large poultry shop is always well-stocked thanks to the local farms, and regularly frequented by travelers. This long, narrow building is nondescript apart from the name painted simply above double doors large enough to drive a wagon through.

11. Butcher Shop
Red Oak's butcher shop had no name, simply a sign painted with a ham being carved on the front-most of four buildings that included a workshop. smokehouse, underground cold-cellar, and home where the butcher, Jalessa Ornra, lived with her husband, Harburk Tuthmarillar. Since the town has no jail, Constable Harburk used the fourth building as both a makeshift prison and barracks for his four assistant constables who also doubled as Jalessa's assistants in the butcher shop. The four buildings were seemingly targeted specifically during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack; Jalessa plans to rebuild the butcher shop, and Harburk - in light of the recent trouble - plans to build a proper constabulary alongside it.

12. Dornen Finestone
This plain square building served as the business office of the Dornen quarry, and was always covered in a shroud of rock dust. It was burned down during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack, and Dornen died in the blaze.

13. Ironhead Arms
This simple building is full of a variety of old arms and armor, much of it repaired with basic patchwork.

14. Mhandyver's Poultry
This haphazard wooden building grew in fits and starts over the years, with wings and annexes being added in all directions with little regard for outward appearances. Inside, the exposed beams and posts gave it the appearance of a barn. Though it was not as large or prosperous as Drouth Fine Poultry, it was nevertheless a favorite of the villagers until Minthra Mhandyver and her children were killed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame. Nahaeliya Drouth is keeping the chickens fed and collecting eggs until a decision is reached on who the property should pass to.

15. Haeleeya's
This large, well-appointed home served as both a bathhouse and a dress shop. Aromatic herbs and flowers flanked the entrance and decorated the windows, and perfumes wafted from within. It burned down during the Cult of the Eternal Flame's attack on the city, but Haeleeya does not have the funds to rebuild.

16. Waelvur's Wagonworks
A cheaper alternative to Thelorn's Safe Journeys, this cluttered, untidy workshop was known primarily for replacement wheels and axles for wagons. The workers had a reputation for drinking as heavily as they worked, and while the quality was known to be less than that of Thelorn's, their wagons were nevertheless reliable and its equally lower prices enticed many who were looking to spend less money. It closed after its proprietor was arrested in connection with murders committed by a priest of the Cult of the Black Earth, and was later burned down by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.

17. Gaelkur's
This seedy wooden building served as a used goods shop, a barber, and an unofficial tavern. Marlandro Gaelkur was known for never asking questions about the items he purchased, and his customers never seemed to be in much of a hurry. The shop was closed after Marlandro was arrested in connection with murders committed by a priest of the Cult of the Black Earth, and when Constable Harburk searched his shop it was found that he also ran a side business in counterfeit coins.

18. Mellikho Stoneworks
This small house with a weedy scrap of lawn served as the business office of Albaeri Mellikho, who owned the village's northern quarry. It closed after its proprietor was arrested in connection with murders committed by a priest of the Cult of the Black Earth, and was later burned down by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.

19. Luruth's Tannery
A former warehouse, the tannery reeked with an eye-watering, throat-closing stench that overpowered all else nearby. It was burned down by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.

20. Bethendur's Storage
These four well-built warehouses were owned by Aerego Bethendur, who rented storage space on a weekly basis to any interested parties, no questions asked.

21. The Market
This muddy, well-used field is surrounded by both outhouses and rings of stones for campfires. It is sometimes used by traveling merchants wishing to sell goods, and once a week local (and sometimes not-so-local) farmers use it to sell their produce.

22. Vallivoe's Sundries
Looking more like a private home than a store, Vallivoe's Sundries was known for buying and selling a little bit of everything - furniture, lamps, carpets, mirrors, weapons, and more. Though many of the wares were haphazardly piled on top of each other, Endrith Vallivoe kept a good inventory in his head. The shop was burned down by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, with Endrith Vallivoe still inside.

Asden Thelorn
Male human. A slender man, Asden ran Thelorn's Safe Journeys alongside his brother Thorsk. Asden is known as a fair, hard-working man who hires only the best workers, but pays well to keep them. Asdan was killed when the Cult of the Eternal Flame attacked the village.

Eldras Tantur
Male human. A plain-speaking man, Eldras has been Red Oak's blacksmith for fifteen years with only a small handful of days off in that time. He and his children were all exceptional smiths, equally skilled at making arms and armor as they were tools and hardware. When the Cult of the Eternal Flame attacked Red Oak Village, Eldras and his three children immediately rushed to get as many villagers to safety as possible while their smithy burned. Though his wife and two of his children perished in the attack, Eldras intends to honor their memory by rebuilding the smithy.

Garlen Harlathurl
Male human. A bitter, cynical man, Garlen was once a merchant in Drakkengarde. After his business collapsed, he and his business partners moved to Red Oak Village for a fresh start and started a tavern called the Helm at Highsun. He soon discovered that he was a far better tavern-keeper than a merchant, so much so that one of his partners retired back to Drakkengarde.

Ghileeda Marsh
Female human. Ghileeda worked as a maid at the Swinging Sword until she was killed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.

Helvur Tarnlar
Male human. Helvur is considered a snob by the other villagers, as he has a habit of putting on airs of nobility while haughtily telling customers how to conform to the latest fashions in Drakkengarde and Northeron. He had a reputation for never dealing in gossip, considering it to be beneath his family's reputation. He has been melancholy and despondent since his wife and two of his four children perished at the hands of the Cult of the Eternal Flame when they burned down their home and shop.

Iraun Thelder
Male human. Iraun took up work as the stablemaster of the Swinging Sword after losing an eye during his days as a mercenary. He disappeared during the attack by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.

Justran Daehl
Male human. A gruff, rotund man, Justran helped found the Helm at Highsun, and worked as its cellarer until he was killed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame. Survivors of the attack said that they saw the cultists drag Justran screaming into the road before carving a strange symbol into his forehead and burning him alive.

Kaylessa Irkell
Female human. A pleasant, sturdy woman in her mid-forties, Kaylessa is the proprietor of the Swinging Sword. She is especially friendly towards any adventurers that pass through the village, as she feels that every bandit or monster they kill makes Red Oak that much safer. She is eager to share with them anything she hears from the villagers that might be cause for concern, though she does not have the money to outright hire adventurers for specific tasks.

Laefra Tantur
Female human. The wife of blacksmith Eldras Tantur, Laefra took on the task of ordering metals for the forge while her husband and children worked. She told Eldras little of the troubles the merchants told her were plaguing the world outside Red Oak, feeling that his life was better undarkened by such matters. She and two of her children were killed by a hell hound when the Cult of the Eternal Flame attacked the village.

Lorren Mangobarl
Male human. Owner of Lorren's Bakery, Mangobarl is a thin but energetic man who thrives on gossip and wild tales; it is sometimes said that the easiest way to get any piece of information to the entire village by the day's end is to simply tell Lorren Mangobarl.

Maegla Tarnlar
Female human. Wife of Helvur Tarnlar, Maegla had a keen understanding of business and a very discerning eye for quality merchandise. Especially compared to her husband, she was well-liked by the people of Red Oak Village and generally thought of as the true talent in the family. When the Cult of the Eternal Flame attacked, she was killed trying to protect her children from a hell hound. Though two of her children escaped, the other two were trapped in their apartment when their shop below caught fire, and died in the resulting blaze.

Mareesa Tantur
Female human. Daughter of Edras Tantur, Mareesa was a strong woman and widely considered to be her father's equal at the forge. She and her family worked to save as many villagers as possible when the Cult of the Eternal Flame attacked, during which time they were set upon by a hell hound. Mareesa managed to slay the beast, though not before it killed her mother and siblings.

Phaendra Chansyrl
Female human. An exceptional leatherworker and owner of Chansyrl Fine Harness, Phaendra was known for wearing finely carved and stamped leather armor of her own making as an advertisement for her business. The knives and awls fitting in the custom sheathes and belts about her body give her the look of an adventurer, though the idea of becoming one was never more than an idle fancy to her. With her grandmother's store destroyed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, Phaendra has decided to start anew in Drakkengarde and hopes to expand her new business beyond what she ever could in Red Oak.

Thorsk Thelorn
Male human. A burly man, Thorsk ran Thelorn's Safe Journeys alongside his brother Asdan. Thorsk is known as a fair, hard-working man who hires only the best workers, but pays well to keep them. Though the wagonworks were razed by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, Thorsk is determined to rebuild the business; though it dates back to his grandfather, his true motivation is to honor the memory of his brother, who was killed in the cult's attack.

Yalantha Dreen
Female human. "Mother" Yalantha Dreen ran a boarding house for many years. Rail-thin, she was known both for her habit of smoking a pipe and her keen business sense. She was killed when the village was attacked by the Cult of the Eternal Flame.