14. Fernwatch Cottage
Perched on the edge of Twilight Falls, just beyond the last row of tilled soil and within sight of the lumber mill's rising smoke, lies a crooked, moss-roofed cottage hugged by elder trees. Ivy creeps over its stone chimney, and weathered antlers hang above the doorway like silent sentries. This is Fernwatch Cottage — humble in stature, but weighty with quiet purpose.
Though the rangers of the Gnarley Forest no longer ride from this place, their eyes still see through it. The cottage belongs to Loras Tallpine, a retired ranger turned forest-warden and liaison. While he walks with a limp and leans on an oaken cane, Loras's mind is sharp, his instincts keener still, and his loyalty to the Old Ways and the The Gnarley Rangers unshaken.
A modest haven, Fernwatch serves as a living archive of patrol routes, sightings, local lore, and ecological balances. It also acts as a quiet mediator between the loggers of Twilight Falls and the rangers who would see the forest protected.
Fernwatch Cottage Description
Exterior
- Single-story stone and timber dwelling with moss-covered roof
- Deer antlers, animal bones, and dried herbs hang beneath the eaves
- A hawk perches regularly on the roof’s peak, Loras’s old companion
Interior
- Woodstove, bookshelves of ranger records, and a carved table of local maps
- Bow racks, bundles of dried roots, bundles of arrow fletch, and oilskin-wrapped scrolls
- A cot with heavy quilts, a locked cabinet of old ranger reports
- Smells of pine pitch, pipe smoke, and aged parchment
Loras and Drey: The Quiet Pact
While Loras Tallpine tends the hearth of Fernwatch Cottage, the forest beyond is still patrolled by the aging but formidable Drey Garson, Ranger Knight of the Gnarley and steward of the Tor Badlands. Though Drey no longer leads warbands or chases ogres through bogs, his shadow still looms large across the frontier.
The two rangers—each scarred by time and burden—maintain a terse, respectful rapport. Their communication is sparse but meaningful, passed through coded courier, feathered messenger, or trusted ranger kin. Drey trusts no one easily, but he trusts Loras enough to act as his eyes within the village of Twilight Falls.
Though Loras would never claim to speak for Drey, his word carries weight with the rangers stationed nearby. When local patrols vanish or logging ventures grow too bold, it’s Loras who raises the banner, and Drey who answers—if only through discreet reinforcements or a grumbled directive carved into bark.
Drey’s curse, slowly petrifying him from the inside, has made him more withdrawn and focused, and Loras honors this. Yet in many ways, Loras is now Drey’s voice in Twilight Falls, and the last living soul in the village who remembers what Drey once was: not a relic, but a warden of wild places.
Key Points: Relationship with Drey Garson
- Trusted Liaison: Loras serves as the informal village contact for Drey Garson , relaying ranger intel and field observations.
- Mutual Respect: Both men understand the weight of the wilderness and speak with the brevity of those who’ve lived long, hard lives.
- Shared Burden: Loras discreetly monitors the lumber camps, relaying to Drey when balance tips toward destruction.
- No Nonsense Partnership: Their collaboration is practical, tactical, and rooted in long service—not sentimentality.
- Legacy Keepers: Together, they uphold the Gnarley Rangers' traditions in an age where politics and greed threaten to drown them.
Commander Jeska Rawl and the Falls Keep Borderers
- Loras cooperates warily with Commander Jeska Rawl of 1. Falls Keep; he respects her skill and commitment but disdains her ties to Viscount Wilfrick’s expansionist politics
- Maintains correspondence with Jeska on patrol routes, bandit sightings, and signs of humanoid movement near the logging trails
- Offers advice on wilderness strategy but avoids formal military cooperation unless absolutely necessary
- Has helped train a few of the younger Mounted Borderers in survival and forest lore
Adventure Hooks
- A Gnarley Ranger patrol fails to return—Loras has their last known route and suspects foul play near an old dryad grove
- Loras receives a coded message suggesting a cult cell is using hollow trees near the southern ridge as a signal point
- A young scout goes missing after reporting signs of elemental corruption deep in the woods
- A strange beast leaves clawed tracks near logging camps—Loras asks adventurers to track it down discreetly before Robleth Tyne escalates
Key Details for Dungeon Masters
- Loras is LN, Ranger (retired), still capable of basic divination and nature rituals
- He keeps hidden correspondence from both the druids and the Knight Rangers
- Fernwatch Cottage is not warded magically, but traps and alarms exist in the woods
- Acts as an informal "quest board" for nature- and ranger-related leads
- His cottage also holds a rare, out-of-date map of the southern Kron Hills, potentially crucial
Loras Tallpine – Warden of the Fernwatch
Appearance & Personality
- A wiry, weather-beaten human in his late 60s
- Wears a faded green cloak, patched leathers, and a carved antler clasp
- Carries a handmade oaken cane and a ranger's longknife at his belt
- Speaks with a slow, thoughtful cadence and a gravelly voice
- Observant, stern, but not unkind; patient with young rangers, cold to bureaucrats
Background
- Served over 40 years as a Gnarley Ranger, once known for his long patrols and beast-tracking skill
- Wounded in a skirmish with cultists near the Emridy borderlands, retired to Twilight Falls ten years ago
- Hand-built Fernwatch Cottage on land granted by the Old Faith clergy
- Maintains correspondences with the Knight Rangers and Gnarley command posts
- Keeps detailed ranger logs and copies of all messages received or sent
Role & Responsibilities
- Serves as Twilight Falls’ official ranger liaison and ecological advisor
- Mediates between the lumber mill interests and the Gnarley Rangers
- Keeps watch on logging boundaries, dryad groves, and druidic cairns
- Trains local scouts and youths in tracking, survival, and forest law
Political Position
- Distrusts Mayor Robleth Tyne and his expansionist policies
- Maintains a fragile alliance with the druids, acting as a go-between
- Respected by the Gnarley Rangers and Knight Rangers for his past service
- Occasionally informs Dantilus Trimber, but holds many secrets close
Comments