In the dreary village of Fulhurst Moors, most residents spend their days cutting peat from the nearby bogs or tending flocks of rugged sheep on the moor. When night falls, the villagers huddle in their homes or gather inside the solid stone walls of the Bell and Whistles. Here they trade stories of the latest gruesome misfortunes to befall those foolish enough to venture out onto the moor after sunset or unfortunate enough to be caught by sudden fog or rain while working in the bogs.

The local priest has been driven close to madness by his inability to provide solace to his congregation, and the mayor and constable become increasingly concerned as a growing number of villagers drown their fears in moonshine whiskey. The fearful atmosphere is well deserved, for ancient beings of malice and cruelty haunt the mists beyond the village. And they have struck a terrible bargain with someone inside Fulhurst Moors.

Ruler: Minerva Meriweather
Government: Autocracy
Population: 140 (127 humans, 6 dwarves, 2 half-elves, 3 half-orcs, 2 halflings)
Alignments: LN, LG, NG, N, CN, NE
Languages: Common
Resources & Industry: Sheep farming, peat cutting

The windswept moorland around Fulhurst Moors was once a lush forest. Savage clans lived here and sacrificed captives and slaves in the bogs below the hills, where the waters of the Blackraven Creek cut through the acidic valley soil.

The sacrifices attracted strings of will-o’-wisps, who fed eagerly on their dying victims’ fears. The tribes began to see the wisps as woodland spirits, ancestor ghosts who must be placated for luck in the next raid. The clansmen built cairns, lit ritualistic forest fires and increased their reaving.

The more the clansmen pillaged and sacrificed, the hungrier the will-o’-wisps became. As the tribes cut down trees for timber and firewood, the rain washed the nutrients from the exposed soil. Wisps and kelpies sucked the life out of the underbrush. Desolate moor replaced the forest, the clans migrated elsewhere, and the wisps starved.

Centuries passed in silence until a caravan of military deserters settled beside Blackraven Creek. They built solid stone houses, raised flocks of rugged sheep on the moor and dug peat from the bog’s brown waterlogged soil.

Life was hard, but far safer than the war they fled. The wisps and kelpies—shapeshifting bog spirits—were diminished from years of human abandonment. Fulhurstians kept their fires bright and their ale strong. Traditions became holidays. Chance encounters became trade routes. And taboos became laws.

For decades, the most dangerous things in Fulhurst were the rare kelpie encounters, errant will-o’-wisps and a deep-seated addiction to hard liquor.

Six years ago, the wizard Kelurn Tinddar settled in the village. Seeking ancient artefacts buried in the sacrificial sites, he struck a terrible pact with the will-o’-wisps still haunting the bog: in return for the locations of ancient sacrificial sites, he began arranging deadly accidents and ambushes to both foster an atmosphere of fear in the village and provide the will-o’-wisps with fresh victims.

Notable Locations

Most of the Fulhurst Moors comprises peasant homes. A few locations, however, are of interest to adventurers:

Brackenridge Mercantile: Aisha Brackenridge and her wife Heather run this well-stocked general store.
Eliza Reede's Hut: From her modest hut, Eliza Reede offers potions and remedies to her neighbours.
Grefford Hinks's House: Thirsty villagers know to call on Grefford for a jug of moonshine.
Mayor Meriweather's Home: This large stone house is home to Mayor Minerva Meriweather and her husband Darinn.
Temple of the Fathers: The local temple is often half-empty even during services these days, much to the chagrin of chaplain Esmond.
The Bell and Whistles: Despite the mayor having banned strong alcohol, the tavern is full almost every night.
Village Hall: The village hall functions as a meeting hall, courthouse and jail. The constable, Devyn Matson, lives here.
Wizard’s Tower: Here dwells the wizard Kelurn.
Yake Hadley’s Hut: This rotten dwelling is home to the inbred Hadley family.

Want More?

Village Backdrop: Fulhurst Moors by Jeff Gomez and Jacob Trier is available at our store both in paid and free editions. Download your copies and add Fulhurst Moors to your campaign today!