Gloya’s Bridge is a village swathed in secrets. Wearing masks and veils in the streets is normal, giving a chance at unparalleled anonymity and the freedom to indulge in a variety of entertainments with minimal restrictions. Those who want a second chance flock here, in no small part because an unconventional order offers a chance for criminals to leave their pasts behind and be recognised as reformed. Yet, not everyone has the will to reform or the patience to prove it, and the work of the Merciful Order is not enough for all the foes dogging some troubled souls. The offer of a new life for anyone is an important promise to many in Gloya’s Bridge, but the richest patriarch has designs on a new, firmer order. And deep below the surface, a conspiracy threatens to dim or even extinguish this beacon of hope as it gathers the hidden secrets of dangerous and troubled people who have come here from across the region.

• Ruler: Elder Sidow Hawthorne

• Government: Autocracy

• Alignments: CG, LG, CN, LE

• Population: 192 (69 humans, 46 dwarves, 10 elves, 6 half-elves, 13 half-orcs, 38 halflings, 10 goblins)

• Notable Folk: Eilu Clanless (the Angry Badger), Goranna Bridgemason (Bridgemason Manor), Grandmaster Clew (the Merciful Order of the Mask), Smoke (the Masquerade Market)

• Languages: Common, Dwarven

• Resources & Industry: Fishing, hospitality, rehabilitation, textiles, training, woodcarving

Once a sleepy, nameless hamlet at a ford on the bountiful Telnus Creek, Gloya’s Bridge grew after its namesake bridge was built over a century ago. Gloya Azacral, an architect exiled for neglect that got many of her fellow dwarves killed, built the bridge as an act of penance. She then founded the Merciful Order of the Mask, which maintains the bridge and provides a path back to social integration for criminals.

Now, Gloya’s Bridge is a relatively prominent stopover for travellers crossing Telnus Creek, which brings a steady stream of guests to be entertained, fed and housed. It has developed a culture of great privacy, allowing people to share as little as they like about themselves. This, and the presence of the Order of the Mask, has give the village a reputation for attracting ne’er-do-wells, troublemakers and the worst sort of criminals. While there is a hint of truth to this, the community does move quickly to respond to serious crimes within.

A community full of people with dark pasts has proved a breeding ground for intrigue. Many here have prices on their heads, protected only by concealing clothing and the village’s ban on bounty hunting. A criminal syndicate called the Bloody Veils has begun blackmailing over a dozen villagers into secretly resuming thievery (and worse) on the gang’s behalf. Some bounty hunters use the acceptance of anonymity to work here anyway.

Notable Locations

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

1. Gloya’s Bridge: Gloya’s Bridge—the site after which the village is named—sees steady traffic much of the time. It has a toll, collected by Masked guards. Pick pocketing has recently become a problem on the bridge.

   1. Telnus Quays: The creek’s banks are mostly used by fishers, halflings and goblins. Iltham Arrakus, the quay master, secretly uses his runners as pawns in the schemes of the Bloody Veils.

   2. Masquerade Market: The main marketplace is a shadowy place of music, incense and masks. Its master is known only as Smoke and it is watched by the elder’s tax deputy Elgian.

   3. Merciful Order of the Mask: This building houses criminals willing to work for a chance at redemption. It offers crafts, labourers and trainers to the public. Gentle Grandmaster Clew is ultimately responsible for deciding whether aspirants have earned the right to have their crimes formally forgiven.

   4. The Broken Chain: The innkeeper Milentia Free welcomes anyone without question and offers customers private underground storage for their precious items.

   5. The Angry Badger: The tavern is a popular place for merry-making and for merchants to make deals more privately than in the busy Masquerade Market. The proprietor Eilu Clanless feeds valuable intelligence to the Bloody Veils.

   6. Azacral Hall: The overworked village elder Sidow Hawthorne and her peace-keeper deputy Ursalla are usually here.

   7. The Waning Moon: The apothecary Wolfsbane is as secretive as anyone in Gloya’s Bridge, but she offers many useful concoctions. She secretly sells poisons to the Bloody Veils.

   8. Bridgemason Manor: This is the fine home of the village’s  richest and best-established family. It is the only place to get steeds. The family’s most prominent members are the meddling patriarch Andelius and his niece Goranna. Goranna is the family’s face in the Masquerade Market and the secret mastermind of the Bloody Veil conspiracy.

   9. The Warrens: A series of tunnels, root cellars and caves honeycombs the cliffs on the river’s west bank. These hide the hideout of the Bloody Veils, who exploit those seeking to escape their past in the village.

Want More?

Gloya’s Bridge appears in GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrop IV (for 5e and SN/OSR) and GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrop VII for Pathfinder 1st edition here at the Raging Swan Press store.