## **Overview** Oakrest is a **small frontier village** nestled on the eastern fringe of the **Deadwood Glade**, just west of **Blackmere Lake**. It clings to the edges of safety, with only a few farmlands and timberyards separating it from the mists of the Glade. Though Duskwatch is the dominant settlement of the region, Oakrest is considered the **last safe haven** before one ventures into the Glade proper. The **Armsworth Road** skirts along the western shores of Blackmere Lake, linking Oakrest northwest to **Duskwatch**, where it joins both the **Broken Causeway** and the **Roststream** routes. This road is Oakrest’s lifeline—through it flows trade, supplies, and travelers unwilling to risk the haunted Deadwood paths. --- ## **Population & Culture** - **Population:** ~180 permanent residents. - **Demographics:** Mostly humans, with a scattering of elves, half-elves, and hardy dwarves who maintain timber and mining interests. - **Culture:** Oakrest lives in the **shadow of fear and necessity**. The people are cautious, quiet, and deeply superstitious. They avoid the Glade at all costs, ringing bells at night to “ward the shadows.” Many wear charms of oakwood around their necks, believing it keeps the forest’s curse at bay. --- ## **Economy** - **Timber Harvest:** Carefully managed logging, but the villagers never cut deep into the Glade. - **Fishing & Lake Trade:** Small boats run between Oakrest and Duskwatch, ferrying goods across Blackmere Lake. - **Roadside Trade:** Travelers use Oakrest as a **rest stop**, making the single inn—the **Gallows Rest**—an infamous place of rumors about the Deadwood. --- ## **Notable NPCs** - **Mayor [[Mayer Harlon Deyne|Harlon Deyne]] (Human, stern, pragmatic):** Keeps Oakrest’s militia alert, fearing a day the Glade’s horrors spill out. - **[[Sister Malwen]] (Half-elf, priestess of Laurel):** Maintains the village shrine; secretly feels Alira’s presence and believes Oakrest must aid her. - **[[Garrick Thresh]] (Dwarf, logger foreman):** Bitter, outspoken critic of Duskwatch politics; believes Oakrest is used as a shield against the Glade. - **Mira “Bellringer” (Human, innkeeper of the Gallows Rest):** Famed for her nightly bell-ringing ritual; knows countless stories of disappearances. --- ## **Ties to the Deadwood Adventure** - Oakrest is the **launching point** for any Deadwood Glade expedition. Its people know the most rumors and folklore. - Villagers whisper about **Alira’s disappearance**, some claiming she still walks near the Glade. - Strange dreams plague the youth of Oakrest—possibly echoes of the Circle’s corruption. - Sister [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]] may direct the PCs to investigate the Glade after describing her visions of **Alira bound among the stones**. --- ## **Adventure Hooks** - A logging crew disappears after cutting too close to the Glade—only bloodied axes return. - The nightly **bells of Oakrest stop ringing** one evening, and shadows are seen near the edge of town. - A relic from Fenya’s order surfaces in Oakrest’s shrine, stolen long ago by raiders who vanished into the Glade.