houseofhavenfarm_3000.jpg

The 210th Map of the Week is from the second Jörðgarð (TM) Trails adventure (not yet released) on the Fallen Empire Trail, "Draug Hunters."

A mystery that has appeared in recent times in the ruins of the Æsir Empire are the houses of haven. These are isolated farms run by a single occupant, always a seeming human woman of middle-age. They appear to be scattered through the ruins without any particular logic or plan. Each is surrounded by a simple wooden fence. All have found have a dead tree in the front yard and a ley stone somewhere within the fence. A ley line runs through the fenced area and the farmhouse.

The houses of havens provide shelter to all elves, half-elves, dwarves, humans, draugs (undead), orcs and ogres who respect the peace of the house. Minions of the Darkness who do so suffer no ill effects from the ley stone or the ley lines during their stay. The house matrons are as mysterious as the houses themselves. When one arrives at a house of haven, one may not proceed beyond the dead tree without hanging one's weapons, armor, spellcasters' staffs and other magical devices upon the tree. These things must remain there until the guest departs. The house matron always will appear in her doorway and warn visitors of this requirement. She will tell them that before they may proceed, they must make an oath to maintain complete peace while within the farm's fence. She also will tell them the rules for use of the house.

Violating those rules is a fatal mistake – always. If anyone begins a fight, even a mere fist fight, within the farm's fence, the ley stone will quickly light up red, shift to purple and turn blue. At the same time, it will irreversibly dissolve the miscreants(s), sending their souls directly to Hela. Usually the ley stone will destroy only those who provoke the fight, but if their targets become aggressive and do anything more than defend themselves, they too will meet their end. On the other hand, those who behave properly will be in good hands during their brief stay in a house of haven. Normally, a house matron will allow anyone to spend three nights in the house.

Key to the Scenario:

1. Gate

2. House of Haven

3. Garden Plot

4. Woodshed

5. Outhouse

6. Chicken Coop

7. Stable and Corral for Guests' Horses

8. Pig Pen

9. Shed

10. Ley Line

11. Ley Stone

12. Dead Tree

You can get this scenario in two versions:

1. The Fractal Mapper (TM) 8 version in FMP format, fully editable (23 MB) from the Jörðgarð website.

2. As a JPG flat map of 3000 x 2250 Pixels (3 MB), available above.

Both versions are released for personal and commercial use under the Open Game License Version 1.0a, which you can read on the Jörðgarð website at:

http://www.vintyri.org/joerdhgardh/

Next Week: Interior of a House of Haven