Verdant Falls

The city of Verdant Falls lies nestled in a valley at the base of the waterfalls from which it takes its name. A group of local druids who venerated the falls gravitated to the site thanks to the lushness of the forest itself, as well as its abundance of rare herbs. Unfortunately, the hidden, picturesque places of the world rarely stay so for long. A permanent settlement was established and, before long, traders were coming and going and Verdant Falls grew to accommodate them.

Attracted by its scenic landscape and the therapeutic properties of the surrounding nature, doctors, herbalists, and sages flocked to the falls to hone their craft and build their supplies. Many wealthy lords also chose them as a peaceful place to live out their twilight years. To ensure its continued success, and to satisfy the wellbeing of its burgeoning populace, the citizens organized a council of elected members to govern them.

Once the city was established proper, and those with wealth had a foothold, yet more visitors began to arrive in droves. Whether they were there to procure substances outlawed in other lands, or looking to harvest rare herbs to sell on at a steep price hike, Verdant Falls was becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of visitors. To keep order and handle crime, the city watch had to be tripled, and guard posts were built at several key places in the city. It seemed that the once-pristine oasis was being transformed into… well, just another city.

Today, Verdant Falls is still a beautiful place to visit. It provides a plethora of rare herbs to those who can brave the deep forest to seek them out. The wealthy and upper-class citizens keep the city well maintained, but the general population has become impoverished, as the resources they used to trade as specialists are stripped by out-of-towners who undercut their prices. Organized crime racquets have started to take notice, forcing the city watch to be that much more vigilant. Tourists come for the pleasures that the city can offer, but locals have become unfriendly and resentful towards visitors, who have turned their peaceful, waterfall paradise into a bustling center of activity.

But, like any city, typical or otherwise, Verdant Falls has its share of secrets. In the forest beyond the boundary walls lives a hermit, rumored to be one of the original settlers. She keeps to herself, but can sometimes be seen at a distance, looking out towards the city... her city. Likewise, despite the heaving population, very few citizens are aware of the caverns obscured by the cascading waters of the falls. Within these caverns lies an ancient crypt from a civilization long since lost. What treasures or horrors these crypts hold are yet to be discovered but, with the very existence of the city of Verdant Falls serving as a prime example, one has to wonder if some things are best left alone.