Wracked by disaster, Tigley is a village reborn. Standing on the fringes of the noisome Gnatmarsh, its folk make their living from the swamp and harvesting guano from the caves honeycombing the spire of rock upon which stands much of the village. But all is not peaceful in Tigley. The villagers’ burial rituals have attracted undead to certain nearby sunken ruins and goblins now lurk in the locality. In the village itself, influential figures vie for control of the local industries, a bully uses his influence to spread lies and cause trouble and the village priest hides a terrible secret. Once again, Tigley is a village teetering on the edge of disaster, but this time it is a disaster of the village’s own making.

• Ruler: Silas Hinge

• Government: Autocracy

• Population: 89 (78 humans, 3 dwarves, 3 elves, 2 half-elves, 1 half-orcs, 2 halflings)

• Alignments: LN, N, NG

• Languages: Common, Goblin

• Resources & Industry: Bat guano, hemp products (rope, wax, resins, lantern oil, canvas, paper), sugar

Wracked by disaster, Tigley is a village literally risen again. Decades ago, a powerful earthquake devastated the village. Many of its buildings collapsed and much of Tigley was destroyed or fell into the swamp. Even the land itself was rent. A great gorge opened up, and Tigley’s remains were left marooned on a spire of splintered rock jutting from the marshland.

But Tigley endured and although it hasn’t exactly prospered, it has begun to grow once again, becoming a centre of commerce. Shacks and half-timber buildings cling to the stack’s flanks and cliffs like a vertical shanty town creating a maze of short, precipitous alleyways. Cliffside itself is the newer part of the village and comprises sturdier buildings; here stand many storehouses with attics built above for the workers to live in.

Now the villagers work the surrounding swamplands and adventurers use the village as a base from which to explore the surrounding Gnatmarsh and Blackboar Forest. Goblins living nearby spy on  and occasionally raid, the village—although (at least recently) this is a rare event. Hidden deep in the woods, a group of all female bandits, each accompanied by a massive wolf, prey on travellers. Strangely reports of these women are mixed, some saying they were polite yet forceful during their robbery while others speak of caravans completely destroyed but for shell-shocked and terrified female survivors. A bigger, yet so far hidden, threat are the Blackboar orcs in the forests to the north east of the village. Reclusive compared to other humanoids they have thrived in the wildlife-rich woodlands and are slowly building up their numbers. The orcs ride the huge black-skinned boars the forest is named and could easily destroy Tigley if they so chose.

Not all is doom and gloom, though. The powerful wizards’ guild in the closest city, Port Blackstone, have taken an interest in Tigley. Investing money in the guano farming and setting regular patrols along the roads they have had a positive effect on the area. Now guild-sponsored young adventurers head to the ramshackle village to make a name for themselves by searching for ancient secrets in the locality and keeping Tigley’s enemies at bay. The elite Mage Guard patrol the roads between Tigley and Lady Cross to the east whilst the dwarven Cragrunners, another faction from Port Blackstone, patrol the forests north and south of the road.

Rival guilds also look to Tigley and its unique resources. Hidden agents collect information and spread dissent amongst the villagers. Merchants looking to outmanoeuvre the wizards’ guild buy the workers’ loyalty on Cliffside with gifts and gold.

Notable Locations

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

1. The Stack: Tigley stands on this cave-riddled promontory.

2. Stone’s Throw Orphanage: This large half-timber building houses orphans from nearby Port Blackstone.

3. The Belt: This rough and rickety rope and wood bridge spans the chasm dividing the village.

4. The Square: This cobbled open area is used for village celebrations and festivals.

5. The Well: Bats use this disused well to exit their cavern-home.

6. The Foundation: This large stone tower and several wooden building is the village’s centre of worship. Dead villagers are lowered from a platform into the lake below, during funerals.

7. The Sink: The villagers use this large, muddy lake to bury their dead.

8. The Paper Press: This well-maintained wooden building has a watermill. Looking slightly out of place, the wood of this building is obviously imported.

9. The Crack in the Wall: Several shacks and huts serve as Tigley’s only tavern and inn.

10. Cliffside: A large forge and its warehouses cover the far side of the cliffs. Several lifts and pathways connect them.

11. The Wash: This open cobbled area has wooden jetties and a sturdy stone bridge. It is busy most times of the day.

Want More?

Village Backdrop: Tigley (in 5e, OSR, Pathfinder 1 and Pathfinder 2 editions) is available here at the Raging Swan Press store.