Crug Hywel, Ironbrow's Hill

Edge of the Mountains

This small independent mining town in the Upper Wysg Valley, once a part of the Kingdom of Brycheiniog has grown rapidly due to the influx of coin and resources unearthed by adventurers. The town is nestled in the Upper Wysg Valley some two leagues from Caer Gafenny, crouching in the shadow of the old hillfort and its long-disused limestone quarries to the north. A semi-independent mining town, it has been supported by both Gwent and Gwynedd as a buffer between the two kingdoms. With the fall of Gwynedd to the Dragon Queen of Penllyn, however, the town is now being claimed, along with the rest of Brycheiniog, by the Kingdom of Dyfed. The town is protected by its lordless, freedom-loving citizens as well as the Temple of Aelhaearn Ironbrow the Delver-Below.

Demographics

Humans (60%) Halflings (20%) Gnomes (20%)

Government

Crug Hywel is ruled by its Merchant Council, supported by a town guard to keep watch against the possibility of goblin raiders from the Black Mountains. Rhys ap Cador, lord of the surrounding lands, maintains law and order in the areas outside the town.

Defences

Crug Hywel is a walled down, capable of sheltering farmers from the surrounding area if the need should arise. Its stone walls and towers were constructed during the Imperial Era, meant principally to deter goblin and brigand raiders from the mountains. The walls are 15' high and surrounded by a ditch and rampart. Each of its four gatehouses is flanked by stone towers and protected by a portcullis on the outside and two sets of bronzewood doors reinforced with iron bands on the interior. There is likewise a bridge spanning the fordable portion of the Wysg River.
The town has recently replaced its local militia with soldier-refugees from other places. There are currently 100 warriors in the town watch, led by the formidable Ysgawyn Gawr, an 8-foot tall powerhouse said to have ogre blood. The lands surrounding the town are patrolled by Rhys ap Cador and his closest followers-2 human and 5 elfin fighters. Additionally, Rhys commands a force of 50 warriors who guard his hall and has led the local clans against brigands attempting to invade from Dyfed. There are reports that Rhys leads troops into battle mounted on a magnificent flying horse-and that his hall is protected at night by an enormous bear.

Industry & Trade

Most of the inhabitants are miners, gathering iron ore and coal from the hills to the north. Farmers in the narrow valley manage to produce a small surplus of grain, and they fish the Wysg and its tributary streams. The hill folk are for the most part herdsmen, hunters, and trappers, for the rocky land allows only the barest subsistence farming.
Traders come westward from Gwent with wine and cloth from as far away as the Merovingian Kingdoms, while those from Gwynedd follow the old imperial high road with seal skins, oil, and brandy from Eriu. The town welcomes the grain merchants of western Mercia, as it has only a small surplus of grain for frequently hard winters.

Infrastructure

Roads and Bridges:
The town is connected to Caer Gafenny on the east and the Black Mountain pass on the west by means of the old imperial high road. The eastern section is kept in good repair, as it passes through the relatively civilized lands between the border of Gwent and the borderlands at the edge of the Fallen Kingdom of Brycheiniog. To the west, the road is more hazardous and despite the efforts of the road wardens designed to keep it safe, subject to raiding brigands or goblins. North of the town, a path leads to the mining communities around the hill and the sparse settlements near the entrance to the Upper Greenway Valley. To the south, another path heading to a wooden bridge over the River Wysg leads to the lands of the free clans scattered at the foot of the mountains.
River Dock:
Only smaller craft can navigate the Wysg at this point, so there is but little commerce on the waterway between Grwyney Vale and Crug Hywel. For the most part, the river is worked by the local fishermen who sell their catches to the fishmongers on the river docks below the town.
Inns and Taverns:
The Ogre's Den Inn: Located outside the town walls and near to the area where the Greenway flows into the Wysg, this hostelry and tavern is always a lively place. It is run by a half-ogre named Grog, a former adventuring companion of Rhys ap Cador. The inn features food and drink at affordable prices, and reliable stabling for horses and mules. Due to the influx of dwarf engineers at work on Ellyw's Tower, Grog has recently had to take on even more help, relying on the influx of refugees to do his hiring.
Regulars at the Ogre's Den include:

• Fist, a burly bouncer with ogre blood who is only less strong than Grog himself.
• Matilda, an enormous woman with ogre blood who is the chief cook at Grog's. Despite her fearsome appearance, she is fond of cats, defenseless creatures, and pretty things.
• Sevim Ronard, a barkeep with orcish blood in his veins.
• Shod, Grog's ostler, is also of ogrish blood, though somewhat more slender than the others. He is entirely mute and prefers the company of the horses to any others (with the exception of the stableboys who help him).
• Salae Silvermoon, a high elf minstrel who entertains guests nightly with her performances on lute and flute.

Grog has been known to disappear from time to time, and it is rumored that these disappearances are for the purposes of adventuring. When he goes, he leaves the inn in the care of Fist, Matilda, and Shod.
The Bountiful Burrow Inn: A new inn built in town to welcome gnomes and other refugees, this place is run by a gnome who goes by the name of Kruvengiel. It caters especially to gnomes with small rooms designed to create the feel of a gnomish burrow. There are, of course, rooms available for bigger folk as well at an added cost of 1 sp for every inch over 4 feet.
The Horseshoe Inn and Stables: This comfortable inn is across the River Wysg in the community of Llangattock. It is frequented by foreign traders who wish to do business with some of the local clans in the area. At a cost of only 1 gp 10 sp per night, a bath service, and complementary halfling black tea, it is a popular location.
The River Troll Tavern: Located on the River Dock, this tavern is popular with the local fishermen and others who make their livings along the length of the Wysg.
Religious Houses:
Temple of Aelhaearn Ironbrow: This temple compound, dedicated to the god of miners, is located near the center of town. It is now being rebuilt after the original building was destroyed by fire in CY 714. The compound is enclosed by a low wall, with one entrance on the west leading to the outer buildings, a main entrance on the eastern face leading directly into the temple itself, and a third to the south leading to the lower courtyard where the underpriests of the temple meet with outsiders.
The chief priest of the temple is the Prefect Rhyll, who was once an acolyte at the temple and later returned to supervise its reconstruction after the fire. Rhyll comes from a mining family himself; he would prefer laboring along with the rest of the miners north of the town but his duties to the temple keep him here. In the meantime, he has two new acolytes-Tewdri and Gef-who can see to the day-to-day needs of the miners. Rhyll is on good terms with Lord Rhys, who in memory of his dear wife has recently donated a new font with a silver basin to the temple.
Friary of the Peaceful Perambulator: Located in the northern part of the town, this little oasis contains the following features:

• Shrine to Twrog, patron of wanderers
• Dormitory for visiting brothers
• Stable for mules or pack-horses (since the Brotherhood always travels on foot)
• Cloister for quiet contemplation
• Hostel for travelers who cannot afford to pay for other lodging.

The Keeper of the Friary is Egled Hen, who has grown too old to walk in the paths of the god but now sees to the shrine and oversees his fellows in ministering to the needy. He is aided by two priests, a single acolyte, and a handful of novices who intend to devote their lives to the service of Twrog.
Shrine of Manawyddan: This small shrine to the mariner and patron of river crossings can be found on the dock. Most frequently one will find the wives of the local fishermen here making sacrifice for their husbands' safe return (or possibly otherwise!). Offerings of coin are collected daily from the small fountain area within the shrine itself.
Church of Saint Cadoc: Located across the Wysg in the small community of Llangattock, this church serves the needs of the more lawful folk of the area. The chief cleric is the Prefect Gryffes, who is assisted by a priest and a constantly changing group of 1-3 acoloytes. The acolytes can often be found across the river in Crug Hywel proper, soliciting donations and evangelizing on behalf of Saint Cadoc.
Gardens of Morr: The graveyard of Crug Hywel is located just north of the town. There is a chapel dedicated to Morr, the Lord of Death, taken care of by the servants of the god. As is typical of the sacred sites of this god, the servants do not include clerics but rather morticians and lay members of Morr's Cult. Although the morticians are not clerics in the strictest sense, the rituals they invoke over the dead effectively protect the bodies from exploitation by necromancers. Therefore a visit to the necropolis on the hill is peaceful-though still few would choose to go there at night.

Assets

Andofan's Trading Post: This trading post is run by a former mercenary from Kerniu called Adofan ap Berddig. He had once fought as a soldier in the service of the Brenin of Dyfed, raiding villages and slaying the inhabitants to expand the territory of that worthy lord. But on one of these raids he met a young woman named Eirwen, with whom he fell in love. He single-handedly saved her village from his own invading forces and then took her to wife. The vengeance of the Brenin put the couple to flight and they eventually came to Crug Hywel with Eirwen's aging father in tow, far from his life of war and violence. Andofan is not especially close-mouthed about his past, sharing the details with any who strike up a conversation with him. But he still has a roughness that he will never shake, so Eirwen provides the more welcoming face of the business.
Ifor the Apothecary: Ifor sells healing salves and ointments, treatments for minor ailments, sleeping draughts, aphrodisiacs, fertility potions, and the like. Most popular medicines for adventurers include:

• Salve for wounds: a concoction of sage, catchweed extract, figwort, and oil of amaranth (doubles the rate of healing each day it is applied, must be used within one week, 20 gp/application).
• Poultice: Catchweed (+1 saving throw to poisonous spider and insect bites, must be applied within a round of being bitten, 10 gp/application)
• Poultice: Adderwort and sage (+1 saving throw to poisonous snakebites, must be applied within a round of being bitten, 10 gp/application).
• Oil: Monkshood (removes fatigue and increases movement, but can be a deadly poison if taken internally)
• Oil: Belladonna (aids against paralytic poisons, but can be a deadly poison itself if taken internally)

Ludd ap Aeron the Blacksmith: He can usually be found at his forge along with his youngest son Tergen. Occasionally his wife Gwendelyt will be here as well, chatting and spending time with her husband. Ludd has two other sons--19-year-old Iwan serves in the town guard, while 16-year-old Aeron works in the stables at the Ogre's Den. Recently Ludd has had to provide even more weapons and armor due to the threat of invasion from Dyfed. He has taken on two gnomes to assist him, and these have increased his productivity considerably.
Elgar ap Pedr the Goldsmith: At only 27 years old, Elgar is young for a goldsmith. His assistant is a slightly older craftsman named Iestyn. Elgar's new wife, an astute woman named Aderyn, manages the house under the watchful eyes of his iron-willed 82-year-old grandmother Iuliana. The two other members of the household are Elgar's older sister Siwsana and a naive young serving girl named Ranillt.
Goorigan Gryngolet the Goldsmith: A newcomer to Crug Hywel, Goorigan Gryngolet is a gnome from western regions who was displaced by Night Goblins. He is rumored to have bought his right to work as a goldsmith with a hefty bribe to the Merchant Council and over the objections of Elgar. Now he produces fine jewelry with the aid of his five gnomish assistants and is said to be behind some of the improvements to the town.
Madoc ap Arian the Silversmith: Since the rebuilding of the Temple of Aelhaearn Ironbrow, Madoc's services have been in continual demand. He has been commissioned to produce many of the vessels for the divine services, and most importantly the silver basin used as part of the new font donated by Rhys ap Cador.
Baeddan Powol the Locksmith: He is said to have personally made every lock in the town of Crug Hywel. He is quite fat and often out of breath, but surprisingly agile and nimble-fingered. A widower with no children, Baeddon runs the shop with the aid of his journeyman Ion and his boy Gwion. Gwion is a simple lad, and owing to his beetle-browed appearance, some folk say he is Baeddan Powol's son by a woman with orcish blood.
Urien the Furrier: The furrier owes his success in business to the quality of his work. He produces fur-trimmed cloaks and lined jackets, but also hats, coats, gloves, blankets, chair covers, and rugs. The front of his shop features his finished work while the rear opens onto a small courtyard and storage space where he can cure his pelts. He supplies Andofan ap Berddig with the cured pelts of inferior quality, keeping the good furs for use in his own work.

Points of interest

Ellyw's Tower: Perched on the steep-sided hill two miles north of the town and about a mile south of the ridge of Pen Cerrig-Calch, this new structure has been quickly built partly owing to its financing and partly to the dwarf engineers and builders employed on the project.  Its owner is a mysterious mage of partly elfin descent (or so it is rumored).  Ellyw has the reputation of a benefactress of the town but she is greatly feared by the townsfolk.  At times, she can be found enjoying a quiet meal at Grog's although the people there know well enough not to disturb her.  What lies within the tower, none may say for certain-and surely no one would be foolish enough to try to enter and steal any of the marvelous treasures this sorceress is said to possess.

Grog, Keeper of the Ogre's Den Inn

Grog is an adventurer who was originally from the west. The ogre that runs in his blood is obvious, not just in his size but in his features as well. He came to Crug Hywel because his former adventuring companion, Rhys ap Cador, had settled in the area. Grog sought out his old friend to see if he could realize his dream of beginning his own tavern. But due to his fearsome appearance, he was not immediately welcome in the town and was indeed under suspicion for some recent crimes committed against the townsfolk. It was only by the intervention of a group of adventurers that his name was cleared and he was able to keep his tavern. Now it is one of the most popular places in the town (even though it lies outside the town proper), and Grog one of the town's leading citizens.

Type

Town

Population

800 (permanent) + 400 (refugees)