Hodnet Ferry WH3

Hodnet Ferry (Hamlet, pop. 60–70)

Situated where the Zumkend River narrows and deepens, Hodnet Ferry is both a crossing point and a chokehold for river trade. The hamlet grew around its ferry service, which once belonged to the same families that founded Hodnet town further upstream. Hodnet Ferry is a pragmatic, slightly rough place — half rivermen, half farmers, with a reputation for being stubborn, self-reliant, and occasionally quarrelsome.

The ferry itself is a stout barge lashed to heavy ropes, capable of taking ox-carts and wagons across the river. Raiders occasionally test the hamlet, but the locals are used to defending themselves with polearms and hunting bows.

Places to Go (Notable Locations & Services)

• The Ferryman’s Rest (Tavern/Inn)
  • Rustic hall with netting, oars, and lanterns hung from rafters. Ale is weak, but their river-fish stew is famous among bargemen.
  • Proprietor: Old Garron Thale, grizzled riverman who ferried crossings for forty years before turning the ferry over to his son. Keeps the inn filled with river stories.
  • Features: 5 guest rooms, simple cots in the common room, stables for 6–8 horses.

• The Ferry & Dock
  • Heavy barge pulled on rope-guides, ferried by poles. Operated by Jarik Thale (Garron’s son) and his crew.
  • Ferry tolls are modest, but Grosskopf raiders sometimes harass the crossing.

• Holm’s Smithy
  • Proprietor: Edric Holm, human smith, specializes in boat fittings, chains, and hooks more than weapons.
  • Services: Repairs metal fittings, maintains ferry rigging, will shoe horses or forge simple spears.

• Shrine of the River Spirit
  • A small riverside altar dedicated to Obad-Hai and local water spirits, tended by Mira Lathwyn, a young half-elf acolyte who blesses ferries with river charms.
• Market Green
  • Occasional trade spot for Hodnet town’s excess produce and salted meats. Once a month, barges bring rare imports: wax, amber, or foreign wines.

People to See (NPCs & Quest Givers)

• Garron Thale (Innkeeper, Ferryman’s Rest): Old riverman, full of gossip and lore about the Zumkend River.
• Jarik Thale (Ferryman): Garron’s practical son, works the ferry and defends it fiercely.
• Edric Holm (Smith): Stout, heavy-handed smith with a soft spot for kids and stray dogs.
• Mira Lathwyn (Shrine Keeper): Half-elf acolyte, speaks softly, rumored to see omens in the river’s flow.
• Mera “Witthrope” the Rope-Maker – A widowed artisan in her late 40s, known for crafting Hodnet’s strongest tarred ropes and ferry cords. Plain-spoken and pragmatic, she notices sabotage at once and asks the PCs’ help to save the ferry. Distinct from Mira Lathwyn, villagers remember her as “Mera with rope, not Mira with books.”
• Tova Reedhand (Fisherwoman): Runs the ferry’s fish trade, outspoken, sometimes reckless.

Things to Do

• WH3.1 – River Raiders
• WH3.2 – Rope and Tar