Welcome to Eveningstar

Introduction

Every company of adventurers needs a base of operations, and for those that venture into the Haunted Halls the town of Eveningstar is the place they return to for rest and recuperation. The locals are well-versed in the doings of adventurers and will listen with a sympathetic ear to tales told over a mug of ale or three at fireside.

Profile

Eveningstar (small town): Conventional; AL NG; 800-gp limit; Assets 38,000 gp; Population 954; Mixed (humans 96%, halflings 2%, half-elves 1%, other races 1%).
Authority Figure: Lord Tessaril Winter, female human Wiz12/Ftr6.
Important Characters: Tzin Tzummer, male human Brd7 (local herald); Auldo Morim, male human Ftr3 (town clerk and purser); Flaergan Hondh, male human Ftr6 (commander of the Purple Dragon garrison); Charisbonde Belon, male human Clr11 (Lathander); Jelde Asturien, male human Clr9 (Lathander); Myrkyr, male human Clr8 (Lathander); Baskar Lendo, male human Exp5 (sage); Deltar Tummarlin, male human War2/Exp3 (miller); Ebbard Highsong, male human Ftr4 (butcher); Dhurthal Ironhand, male human Ftr2/Exp5 (smith); Arbold Tethyr, male human Exp3 (merchant); Vilnar Orsborg, male human Rog1/Exp3 (barber and tattooist); Amathaea Arryn, female human Exp4 (jeweler and artist); Syndair Thorn, female human Wiz5 (weaver and dressmaker); Maea Dulgussir, female human Wiz4 (tavernkeep); Cale and Willem Bandor, male human Com1 (innkeeps); Dunman Kiriag, male human Ftr5 (brewer); Maethlin, male human Rog3/Exp3 (alchemist).
Others: Purple Dragon garrison, Ftr4 (x4), Ftr3 (x7), Ftr2 (x14), Ftr1 (x23); Militia, Com1/War1 (x50); Exp3 (x11); Com1 (x 828).
Notes:

1. Eveningstar is a quiet, bucolic little town just north of the King's Forest in Cormyr. Its pastoral beauty, as well as its location astride the intersection of the High and the Starwater Roads, make it is a popular waystop for caravans and travelers of all sorts. It has been described by Elminster, the Sage of Shadowdale, as "an orchard with buildings in it." [1, 2]
2. The war with the Devil Dragon and her army took its toll on the town and its inhabitants—many homes and businesses were heavily damaged in the fighting and too many lives were lost in defending the rest. As of mid-1372 DR (specifically, the "leap day" of Shieldmeet), all businesses and dwellings have been repaired and life has returned to a fair approximation of "normal."
3. The Lonesome Tankard and the Golden Unicorn inns have both been closed [3], each for different reasons. The Steel Regent increased the local Purple Dragon garrison to help deal with the orcs raiding out of the King's Forest and to maintain firm control of the Starwater Gorge. Needing additional barracks space, the Crown offered Dunman Kiriag a tidy sum for the Tankard, which he accepted. Dunman now serves brew to the Evenors through a side window of his old establishment [4]. Selda Imyara, former proprietess of the Unicorn, took her family and moved to Suzail where "it may not be pretty, but at least there are no orcs waving swords and axes about." Tessaril has the keys to the Unicorn in case additional barracks space is needed on a temporary basis, with rooms to be paid for at a discounted rate. It remains to be whether Selda will return once the orcs have been dealt with or sell the property to an interested party.
4. Myrmeen Lhal, Lord of Arabel, recently used Eveningstar as a base of operations in the retaking of her city. Soon after, Eveningstar began to suffer occasional raids by orcs [5]. It is suspected that this may be in retaliation for the town's aid in the liberation of Arabel.
5. With an alarming number of orcs and goblins currently loose within the borders of the kingdom, the Steel Regent has followed her father's example from the Time of Troubles [6] and relaxed the law requiring private citizens to have a license to bear arms in Cormyr. This should not be taken to mean that Cormytes and travellers within the realm may now charge around recklessly, blades bared—that is, unless one wishes to be taken into custody and put to work rebuilding Arabel or repairing some other damage caused during the war. The established rules for peace-bonding weapons are to be observed and will be strictly enforced by all agents of the Crown. Violators can expect little sympathy.
6. Eveningstar's population saw an increase due to an influx of refugees from Tyrluk who decided to stay on even after it became reasonably safe to return home [7]. With the loss of life due to goblin and orc raids, more than enough farms were available for them to take over.
7. The assets of 38,000 gp listed above assume optimal conditions, and considering the current state of affairs in Cormyr reducing this amount to somewhere around 16,000 gp (or even less) is easily justifiable.

A Note from Mellomir: The profile for Eveningstar listed above is definitely in draft form—please expect changes. For example, the racial diversity is a compromise between the list given for Cormyr as a whole in the FRCS3 and the information in 'Generating Towns' from p.140 of the DMG, with adjustments for what I know of the local population and considering the likely influx of refugees from other villages and towns.

Important Characters

Crown Officials

Lord Tessaril Winter is a former adventurer and was a close friend of the late Azoun IV. As Lord of Eveningstar, Tessaril is responsible for locally administering the King's justice, defending the town, and collecting taxes for the Crown. She handles these duties with fairness and efficiency, and for this she is loved and respected by all Evenors. She is assisted by Tzin Tzummer the local herald, Auldo Morim the town clerk and purser, and the local Purple Dragon contingent.

Tessaril resides in a sturdy, two story stone house with a tower in one corner reaching another two stories. To Evenors, the house is known as Tessaril's Tower, which she shares it with Tzin and four of the Purple Dragons. Hanging beside the doors leading into the entry hall is a carved wooden plaque proclaiming Tessaril's name and title. A map of the Tower may be found in FRQ1 and the FRIA.

Of late, Tessaril has begun to spend some of her free time working at the Iron Hand crafting spear and bolt heads to augment the supply of weapons being expended in the ongoing battle against the orc raiders.

Tzin Tzummer, Crown herald of Eveningstar.
Auldo Morim, town clerk and purser.
Flaergan Hondh, commander of the Purple Dragon garrison; holds the rank of Lionar.

Clergy of Lathander

Charisbonde "Trueservant" Belon, Patriarch of the House of the Morning, the temple to Lathander in Eveningstar.
Jelde Asturien, seneschal to Patriarch Belon.
Myrkyr, secular liasion to "adventurers".

Merchants

Goods & Services

Still to come...

History of Eveningstar

Still to come...

References

1. FRQ1 Haunted Halls of Eveningstar, p.3
2. Volo's Guide to Cormyr, p.142
3. Into the Dragon's Lair, p.11
4. Information from Ed Greenwood regarding changes in the 'home' Realms campaign brought about by Into the Dragon's Lair.
5. Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, 3rd Edition, 'Eveningstar,' p.113
6. FRE3 Waterdeep, p.6
7. Into the Dragon's Lair, p.19