Pelts For XP - Fort Southfur

Anglo-Saxon Burh

This forested hex has a large tract of cleared land either side of the Redriver. Straddling the bloodstained waterway is Fort Southfur, a dense collection of timber buildings enclosed by an earthwork palisade and surrounded by a collection of smaller homesteads.

The fortified burh and its surrounds have a population wavering around ~1,000, a mixture of sailors, trappers, sharecroppers, fishermen and convicts. The colony mostly exports furs, alchemical reagents, exotic plants and surplus food. The Bloody Glades are filled with old Serpentman ruins, so there's occasionally a shipment of pilfered silver or magic items as well. 

THE DRUID MAFIA

Ever wonder why nature cultists forbidden from wearing metal go adventuring for fistfuls of gold? 

It's because of these assholes. 

Postmodern revisionists who treat their class restrictions like any other code of conduct, doing the bare minimum to get what you want. These urban druid mafiosos are recognisable by their spider silk suits, mass-produced shillelaghs and ensorcelled monster pets.

Like every other mafia, the druids "protect" an in-group from outsiders whilst isolating them into a cycle of extortion and victimisation. Unlike other mafias, they can also run their rackets on wildlife. Blackmailing fish into scouting out the location of hidden beaver dams. Coercing beavers into providing free lumber lest the trappers descend. Promising dryads they'll protect their sacred groves from the rodent loggers, then pimping out the desperate tree-ladies as exotic prostitutes.  

The druids control of Southfur, having purchased controlling shares decades ago when the place was still just a tiny fort bordering the decaying Serpentman Empire. The "fort" moniker sounded quaint, so they kept it going even after the settlement expanded.

Cor Jarings

RION BLOODSMOCK

Rion heads the mafia's Southfur branch. The Bloodsmocks were one of many clans in the Emerald Dells who weaponised hereditary lycanthropy to win the region's constant pissant wars. The runt of his litter, Rion sold his people out to scalphunters in exchange for becoming a made man. 

The mob boss controls his curse with an Amulet of Clarity, lacking the mental fortitude of his barbarian forbearers. He's fastidious about cleanliness, fearing an upstart spermjacking his infected bodily fluids and overthrowing him as top dog. But paranoia can't outweigh his lust; the mafioso pays regular visits to Southfur's brothels. Though not a popular client, he always wears protection, dolls out Potions of Cure Disease like candy and pays awfully well.

Under Rion's leadership, Southfur turns a blind eye to the sale of lycanthrope pelts. He likes encouraging scalphunters to wipe out the competition.

(Stats as Druid 10. Attacks and immunities as Werewolf, OSE. Unaffected by mind-altering magic.)

Tactical Breach Wizards

THE BRIARCOATS

Southfur's garrison are recognisable by their distinctive spiky pauldrons, an insurance policy against Sleep intended to painfully stab the wearer when they fall over. There's 71 Briarcoats, mostly foreign mercenaries. The mafia has a penchant for hiring warriors from far flung civilisations. Exotic roid-raging lunatics in funny helmets are part of their brand recognition. 

Briarcoat patrols are D6+6 Berserkers (OSE), led by a Barbarian of Level D3+1. Half carry a musket and a sword, the rest swords and shields. A preferred tactic is to fire an initial volley and send the battle-raging swordsmen in whilst the musketeers prepare to either reload, or join the fray themselves.

If defending a siege, the Briarcoats can bring to bear a quartet of Culverins that deal 5D6 DMG on a direct hit. The cannons also kick up shrapnel, dealing D6 DMG unless you Save vs Breath Weapon.

SandRoman History

THE BLACK THORNS
Like most modern militaries, the Briarcoats maintain a cadre of levelled characters to deal with threats the rank-and-file can't. The "Black Thorn" posse consists of:

• Avogato, Cleric 6 with a +1 Mace of Disruption, a suit of cow-headed plate mail and two Milks of Kindness (as Potion of Healing). Disables casters with Silence, locks down skirmishers with Hold Person. Clears debuffs and heals allies when necessary.

• Brock, Barbarian 6 with +1 Chainmail, Shield of Spell Turning and a +2 Axe of Glaciers (can summon Walls of Ice, 3/day). Isolates casters with ice walls, then dismembers them.

• Muscle Wizard, Fighter 6. Alchemical juicer who fights bare handed. Stats as Polar Bear (OSE) with AC as Plate. Focuses high-priority targets, unloading DPS and tanking damage.

• Thistleweed, Druid 5 with a +3 Suit of Protection. Has an ensorcelled Carrion Crawler, which he loves casting Growth Of Nature on and watching it run rampant. Uses Heat Metal to melt anyone wearing armour.

• Whitefeather, Halfling 5 with a +2 Musket of Infravision. Shoots clerics first, then wizards.

• Zephyr, Harpy dominated by Charm Monster. Carries Whitefeather to sniping positions, then disrupts enemy formations with her songs.

Daggers Of Darkness

TOWN SERVICES

The Gnomish tinkerers of Mimblewimble Arms sell compasses, wheellocks, spyglasses, and Hyrcinian Lamps - special lanterns containing a Hyrcinian Bird (CC1) fed alchemical food pellets that let it emit UV light. Great for spotting the bioluminescent pelts of crepuscular animals like platypuses. Wheellocks are priced per Carcass Crawler 1. Hyrcinian Lamps cost 200 GP, and 15 GP per day of food.

The Druid Mafia run their business out of the Gun & Rose, a coaching inn in the centre of town. Their alchemists have cornered the potion market, slinging tinctures at 400 GP per spell level. They don't care about homebrewers, but set up a rival operation and they'll feed you to Carrion Crawlers.

The most popular brothel in Southfur is All The Same Meat. The establishment is run by Madam Anastasia, Cleric 4 of the Knacker. The priestess has a sizeable minority stake in the colony, and wouldn't mind ousting the Druids. She accepts gifts of coin or exotic perfumes in exchange for a roll on the Rumour Table.

THE MAKING OF

I'm not satisfied with this settlement, but I can't tell if it needs more content or less. First time designing a home town, so I'm bound to make mistakes. Ho-hum.

I want to add in plot hooks, rumours and quests the various NPCs can hand out. It'll be a good way of offering some direction in what is otherwise a sandbox. But I need to finish stocking the hexmap before that can be done, so it'll come later.

Much of this is inspired by Mellonbread's work. The idea for a frontier colony is taken from ANGUISHEDWIRES, and the squad of levelled goons is from his Black Mariahs post.