Ashveil
At a Glance
Type: Village Country/Region: Borderlands — TBD with DM Population: Small, isolated — maps mark it only vaguely Ruler/Authority: Elder-led; no formal political authority
Description
A small, forgotten village on the edge of something wilder — old forests, dark hills, or borderlands where old magic has deep roots. The kind of place people in cities don’t think about. Ashveil doesn’t appear on most maps, and those that do mark it only as a dot with no label. The surrounding land feels older than the village itself.
Currently afflicted by a curse laid by Maren Voss — a wandering scholar who was a hag in disguise. The curse is slow and ongoing. Residents are dying.
Notable Districts / Areas
- The village proper — small cluster of homes, a healer’s space, communal gathering area
- The edge — where the wilder land begins; where Maren Voss was sometimes seen
Key NPCs
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Corwen | Elder — afflicted but still alive. Accepted Vesper after the hexblood transformation. |
| Aldric Crowe | Vesper’s father — afflicted |
| Nessa Crowe | Vesper’s mother — afflicted |
| Maren Voss | Former visitor — wandering scholar (hag in disguise). Laid the curse. Gone. |
Points of Interest
- TBD with DM — the site of Maren’s ritual, healer’s stores (missing ingredients), locations connected to the curse’s origin
History
Ashveil’s history before Maren Voss’s arrival is unremarkable — a borderlands village that survived by staying small and unnoticed. Maren arrived presenting herself as a wandering scholar or hedge mage. She took Vesper Crowe under her wing, trained him, and at some point performed a ritual that transformed him into a Hexblood. When the curse hit the village, Maren was gone. Vesper traced the signs back to her and left to find a cure.
Secrets & Rumours
- The curse is slow — some villagers are further along than others. Corwen is still alive.
- Why Ashveil? Was the village the target, or was Vesper — and the village collateral?
- The nature of the curse (poison vs. dark magic) is still being determined
Plot Hooks
- Vesper’s entire personal arc — find the cure, return in time
- Corwen is still alive and may have information about Maren’s time in the village
- Someone in Ashveil may have seen or spoken with Maren beyond what Vesper knows