Highmere (WH9)

• Hamlet, pop. ~60
• Quarry and mining hamlet north of Cragford, at the edge of the Griff mountains. The land is a patchwork of rocky gravel stone and grassy fields. Highmere overlooks a gentle valley where the Zumker River cuts a path southward before sloping down and sharply turning west.
• Being at a higher altitude, the temperatures are a few degrees cooler and windier and winters are harsh.

Places to Go (Locations & Services)

The Stone Table (Tavern/Inn)

• A squat stone-built tavern carved partly into the hillside.
• Run by Mara Tannell, a widowed matron (Flan), famed for her hearty root stews and bitter ale.
• Decor: Walls are slate-grey, with quarrymen’s tools hung like trophies.
• Accommodations: 4 guest rooms, common hall for 10.
• Signature Drink: Quarryman’s Bitter — a dark, earthy ale with a hint of pine sap.

Quarry Yard

• Overseen by Rogan Marrick (distant cousin of Tavin in Cragford), pragmatic foreman.
• The heart of Highmere. Massive blocks of stone are pulled by oxen and stored until caravans can move them south. The stone is dragged on sledges or wagons by oxen supplied from Oxenford.
• This has created a small but steady trade route between the two hamlets — Oxenford’s farmers profit from their herds, while Highmere depends on them for quarry operations.
• PCs who’ve helped Oxenford (WH2.1 “Stolen Herd”) will find the quarrymen here very grateful, as without oxen, Highmere literally grinds to a halt.

Silver Veins Mine

• A narrow shaft on the eastern slope. Iron is common; silver rare but valued and rumors of a platinum vein.
• Dwarves handle reinforcement and safety, resented by some Flan who accuse them of taking more than their share.

Halfling Orchards

• Tended by the 3 halflings from Duuthmere — the Hillstep Trio (Cerrin, Nalla, Tob).
• Produce cider, chestnuts, dried fruits, and a sweet spirit traded with caravans.
• Though outsiders, they’re popular because they lighten moods with song and cheer.

Shrine of Beory

• A modest circle of standing stones by a rivulet.
• Kept by Elda Morrain, an elder Flan woman. She urges balance and restraint in quarrying.

People to See (NPCs)

• Mara Tannell (Innkeeper): Stern, practical, motherly, but suspicious of dwarves’ “silver hunger.”
• Rogan Marrick (Foreman): Business-minded, wants to keep ore flowing, quietly fears sabotage.
• Izrek Stonehand (Dwarf Mason): One of the 5 dwarves; blunt, insists safety and structure come first.
• The Hillstep Trio (Halflings): Orchardists, cider-sellers, loved by kids. Cerrin (storyteller), Nalla (cook), Tob (musician).
• Elda Morrain (Flan Elder): Keeper of the Beory shrine. Sees mining as sacrilege but urges non-violence.

Things to Do (Sidequests)

Highmere represents a questchain that exposes some of the underlying prejudice against demi-humans that is latent because of a perception that they are abusing nature (e.g.: dwarves dig too deep and rob the earth of minerals for their own greed; gnomes somewhat less but still in the same grouping). This story gives the party the opportunity to decide for themselves what to do when things don’t line up with cultural perception and whether they want to set things right or go with the flow. Both have an impact.

• WH9.1 – Smoke in the Hills
• WH9.2 – Ashes of Trust
• WH9.3 – Waters Run Red
• WH9.4 – The Shattered Shrine

Flavor Hook for NPCs:

• Rogan Marrick often grumbles: “Without Oxenford’s beasts, these stones don’t move an inch. If the herds vanish, so do my profits.”
• Mara Tannell uses Oxenford ox-hide leather for tack and harnesses in the inn’s stables.
• Even the Hillstep Trio tease: “Oxenford feeds us all, one beast at a time — meat, milk, or muscle.”

Additional Quest Chain Impact:

• If PCs solved Oxenford’s herd theft → Highmere is friendlier and even offers a discount on quarry goods.
• If they failed or ignored it → ox-shortage here worsens tensions, miners get desperate, and blame might shift back to dwarves or Flan farmers (fueling your prejudice arc).