Factions of the Pale Reach
Five groups operate in and around Thornwall. Their goals sometimes align, sometimes collide. Who you work with — and who you work against — shapes the balance of power in a region that can't afford to lose any more of it.
Thornwall Garrison
Led by Commander Alara Vess
The soldiers who hold the line. A dozen troops, a handful of scouts, and a commander who refuses to admit how thin the defenses have stretched. The garrison maintains the roads, patrols the perimeter, and posts bounties for work they can't handle themselves.
They are the closest thing the Pale Reach has to law and order. Earn their trust through service, and you'll find steady work, reliable intelligence, and a place at the table when decisions get made. But the garrison is shrinking, supplies are dwindling, and Vess is running out of options.
The Thornwood Goblins
Led by Boss Skrag
Raiders from the deep forest. The goblins hit supply lines, steal what they can carry, and vanish back into the Thornwood before the garrison can respond. They've been a problem for months — bold enough to attack wagons on the road, numerous enough that patrols can't stamp them out.
The garrison considers them hostile. Most people in Thornwall would agree. The raids have been getting bolder lately — more frequent, hitting closer to Thornwall. Nobody's bothered to ask why.
The Prospectors' Compact
Led by Halvard Greystone
A well-equipped band of dwerrow miners camped in the Ashfall Crags. Halvard and his people are here to reopen the old mines — specifically the deep shafts that the previous miners sealed and abandoned. The Compact has coin, expertise, and the kind of stubborn determination that comes from believing there's a fortune waiting underground.
They're friendly enough to anyone who shares intelligence or stays out of their way. They clash with the garrison over jurisdiction — Vess wants the mines sealed for a reason, and the Compact doesn't much care for reasons that get between them and profit.
The Fenway Pilgrims
Led by Mother Dace
A group of travelers camped in the marshes, following a faith that most people in Thornwall find unsettling. The Pilgrims believe that something dwells at the heart of the Fenway — a guide for lost souls, a shepherd of the dead. They call it benevolent. They're making their way toward its shrine to complete a funeral rite for their fallen.
The Pilgrims are gentle, welcoming, and utterly convinced they're walking toward salvation. They know the safe paths through the marsh, and they'll share that knowledge freely. Whether their destination is what they believe it to be is another question.
The Antler Court
Led by the Thorn Queen (unseen — communicates through heralds)
Something lives in the ruins of Greenmere Valley. Not human. Not animal. Something older, stranger, and operating by rules that don't map to mortal logic. The locals call them the Antler Court — fey creatures of terrible beauty who deal in bargains, debts, and an ancient pact that no one living remembers agreeing to.
The Court is neither hostile nor friendly. It is transactional. Everything has a price. Every favor creates a debt. And the fey honor their bargains to the letter — never the spirit. Dealing with the Antler Court is never free, and the cost is rarely what you expect.
Travelers in Greenmere Valley report standing stones, impossible gardens, and the sound of distant music. Some report conversations with figures who weren't there when they turned around. The Court is watching. It has been watching for a long time. And it wants something.