Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 12

Day 12 - Entertainment

Day 12-What do people do for entertainment around here?
Music? Theatre? Sports? Gambling? What do the adventurers in your campaign do on their 'day off'? What is there for tourists to spend money on?

Elowen's Journal

"I used to think entertainment was something you planned for. A concert. A festival. Something announced ahead of time. West Haven taught me that it is more like stumbling into the right room at the right moment.

There are tea shops everywhere here. My hometown had one, and I thought that was very impressive. In West Haven, I find a new one every time I go out. Some are quiet places meant for thinking. Others are loud with laughter and gossip. You can always tell which coven favors which shop by the kinds of cups they use and how long people linger. At the risk of sounding pedestrian, my favorite is Renee's. I know, everyone loves Renee's; it has more teas than I ever knew existed (it was just "tea" singular before I came here), and has the most variety of patrons. But it is still my favorite. I think I could now write a book on the opinions witches have about tea.

Young witches race brooms through the streets when they think no one important is watching, even though the elders pretend to scold them while remembering when they did the same thing.

Larina once told me there used to be poetry competitions, years ago, until too many witches started sneaking spells into their verses. Apparently, it became impossible to tell whether people were applauding the poetry or the enchantments, so they stopped altogether. These days, she prefers a card game called Pentacles, played with a modified tarot deck and four other witches. Esmé plays too, but I have never managed to keep track of the rules. There are halls where the game is played seriously, but Larina treats it as a way to pass the time. Witches rarely gamble with coin. They gamble with favors and promises instead.

Aisling drags me to the Purple Dragon whenever she can. Her boyfriend, Eodard, plays music there, and the food is always good. She sings along and dances in the crowd. Amaranth occasionally dresses in something that would make a courtesan blush and disappears into the night, not returning until morning. When I asked her about it, she said she would tell me when I was older. I blushed and decided not to press. West Haven has taught me that some entertainments are not meant to be shared."

Designer's Notes

West Haven is designed to feel alive at all hours, especially at night. It never truly sleeps, because there is always something happening somewhere, whether it is a quiet game of cards, an impromptu performance, or a coven gathering that looks suspiciously like a social call. Entertainment here is communal, informal, and often layered with meaning that outsiders may not immediately grasp.

Different spaces serve different social roles. The Drunken Orc Inn caters primarily to adventurers and outsiders, a place to unwind loudly and visibly. The Purple Dragon is more for locals, a hub for music, good food, and familiar faces. Tea shops act as neutral ground for conversation, negotiation, and quiet observation. Together, these locations reinforce the idea that rest and play are part of survival in West Haven. In a setting where danger is never far away, entertainment becomes a way to stay human, connected, and grounded.

Mostly, I want a place where adventurers can find as much adventure even when they are not on the road.

AND if you get the chance wish our host Adam Dickstein a very Happy Birthday today!

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 11

Day 11 - Where to Find Adventure?

Day 11-Where would we go to find 'adventure'?
We've left the relative safety of the starting area and now we're looking for action! 

Elowen's Journal

"Adventure seems to be everywhere near West Haven.

The Goblin Wood is the obvious answer. It always feels like something is watching you there, even when the branches are still, and the paths look clear. The lake seems safer, wide and open, but it is not. There are so many ghosts in the water, and not all of them are quiet. Some of them remember drowning. Some of them are still trying to get home. The Maiden Wood frightens me more than either of those places. It is too calm, too deliberate, as if it is waiting for permission to be dangerous. And the Cailleach’s Bones… I do not linger there. Some spirits are old enough that they no longer remember being human, and that is not the kind of attention I want.

My first real adventure did not even involve leaving the region. Aisling and I took what we thought would be a harmless weekend trip to East Haven to see the markets. Somewhere along the way, we ended up with someone else’s pack full of stolen jewels. By the end of the day, we had the town authorities and the thieves’ guild both looking for us, and I learned just how uncomfortable a jail cell can be when you can see the ghosts pacing outside it. Katrina had to come get us out, and I do not think she has ever let us forget it. We did manage to sort it all out and even got a reward. 

That is the thing about West Haven. You do not usually go looking for adventure here. It finds you first."

Designer's Notes

West Haven was built to make adventure feel close at hand. The surrounding locations, the Goblin Wood, the lake, the Maiden Wood, the Cailleach’s Bones, even the Broken Mountains, and the larger presence of East Haven, all sit within easy reach, but none of them are truly safe. Each presents a different kind of danger, and witches in particular learn to read those dangers before swords are drawn or spells are cast.

One of the design goals was to ensure that adventure did not always require long journeys or epic quests. Trouble can emerge from a simple trip, a bad coincidence, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For witches, danger is often social, spiritual, or situational rather than purely martial. West Haven supports this by placing mystery, conflict, and consequence not just beyond the village gates but with the alleys and buildings of the village as well. It is a place where the world presses close, and where players quickly learn that staying alert matters more than seeking glory.

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 10

Day 10 - What’s the First Thing We Should Do?

Day 10-What's the first thing we should do?
When heading out on a trip through the campaign setting (even just the 'starting area'), where should you go first? 

Elowen's Journal

"If you ask me where to start in West Haven, I will always say 'Omar’s.'

Other witches have their own answers. Some go to shrines or groves or straight to the coven halls. I understand that. But Omar’s shop was one of the first places where I felt… normal. He asks questions when you come in, real ones. Not 'what do you want' questions, but 'why do you need it' questions. He listens carefully to the answers, even when they are not very good.

Mostly, though, I love Omar because he wanders around his shop in a fez and bunny slippers, singing dwarven opera at the top of his lungs. I cannot understand a single word of it, but I am certain it is about old battles, lost gold, and making your family proud. He sings while polishing armor, while counting coins, while handing you a coil of rope and telling you not to do anything foolish with it. I think he likes pretending he is not paying attention, but he always knows exactly what you walked out with.

If you are going to leave West Haven, you should stop there first. Not just for supplies. For perspective. Omar reminds you that preparation is an act of care, and that going out into danger does not mean you have to be grim about it."

Designer's Notes

Omar is one of those NPCs who started as a convenience and became indispensable. He is a fourth-generation dwarven goods seller whose shop provides a reliable starting point for adventurers across editions and systems. Out front, he sells mundane gear. Packs, ropes, torches, weapons, armor. Among these is Omar’s Standard, a 50 gp backpack filled with everything a beginning adventurer needs. The contents shift depending on the system being used, but the price and intent never change. It is always useful, always fair, and always exactly what the party forgot they needed.

In the back, Omar deals in magical items. Nothing flashy, nothing careless. His inventory reflects the setting. Practical magic. Old things with stories. Items that have passed through many hands before reaching his shelves. Omar works because he reinforces a core theme of West Haven: preparation matters, context matters, and people matter more than stats. Players trust him quickly, and that trust pays dividends later when choices start to have consequences.

Why does Elowen like Omar? Why should you?

Omar is a bit of absurdity amid an overwhelming number of odd things. Witches, goblins, ghosts, and even devil-people (tieflings) walk the streets. Omar is a weird dwarf with a penchant for fezzes and opera. He is here to make the characters (and maybe the players, too) feel at ease. Because Omar knows happy adventurers spend more money.

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 9

Larina will still read your cards

Day 9 - Who’s in Charge?

Day 9-Who's in charge here?
Who are the major movers and shakers in the campaign?

Elowen's Journal

"If you are looking for a throne, you will miss the people who matter.

Larina lives in a small cottage with a large hearth, a kitchen big enough to seat an entire coven, and a soft chair she favors by the fire where she reads late into the night. There is a painting of her and her daughter above the fireplace, I have not met her yet, but she looks exotic. Larina just looks happy. If you did not know her, you would never guess she was one of the most powerful Witch Queens in the world. Esmé once told me she loves Larina dearly, but that she is also the single most terrifying thing she has ever known. I believe her. I know Larina rescued Amaranth from a terrible life. I know she saved Aisling from something like hell. Katrina calls our little circle “Larina’s Misfits,” and I suppose that includes me now.

Katrina herself is no less dangerous, just sharper around the edges. Where Larina is warmth and gravity, Katrina is clarity. Together, they do not rule so much as define. When either of them enters a room, the conversation changes. Not because people are afraid, but because everyone wants to hear what will be said next. 

That is how power works here. It gathers attention. It does not demand it.

There are other leaders, of course. The Lord Mayor and the Witan Council meet to handle the business of the village. Each quarter has its seasonal figure, Lord Summer, Lady Ostra, Lady Mabon, and Lord Winter, who preside over rites and celebrations and quietly settle disputes when the season demands it. But even they listen when witches speak. West Haven is not ruled by crowns or councils alone. It is shaped by those who keep it from unraveling."

Designer Notes

Authority in West Haven is deliberately layered and informal. On paper, the village has a Lord Mayor and a council known as the Witan, composed of respected elders from each quarter. These bodies handle civic matters, trade, disputes, and day-to-day governance. Alongside them exist the seasonal figures tied to the quarters of the town. Lord Summer, Lady Ostra, Lady Mabon, and Lord Winter oversee festivals, rites, and the rhythms that keep the community grounded in the turning year. Their power is cultural and ceremonial, but it is very real.

Above and around all of this sits witch authority, which is not codified but universally acknowledged. Larina is the most powerful witch in the region, with Katrina close behind, but their influence comes from reputation, history, and trust rather than formal titles. Among witches, power is social before it is magical. Elders lead because others listen. Covens follow because they choose to. This structure allows West Haven to function without collapsing into tyranny or chaos. Power here is not about command. It is about presence, memory, and the quiet understanding of who will step forward when things go wrong.

I wanted a place where if the characters asked, "Who is in charge here?" the answer would be, "It depends on what you want."

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 8

Day 8 - Local Peoples & Cultures

Day 8-Tell us about the local peoples and their cultures.
Describe the people and their Species, Nationalities, and other identifying features. 

Elowen's Journal

"When I first arrived in West Haven, I could not stop staring. I had never seen so many different kinds of people in one place before. At home, everyone fit into neat categories. Humans, a few elves, the occasional dwarf passing through. Here, the streets felt like they were unfolding into something larger every time I turned a corner.

Now I do not notice it the same way. They are neighbors. Friends. People who wave when they see me and ask how my parents are doing. There are tieflings who look like devils but have never once been unkind to me. Goblins like Doireann, who splash through puddles and laugh too loudly. Gnomes everywhere, running inns and kitchens and making sure no one leaves hungry. I even know a trolla, Grýlka, who is bigger than most doorways and a lot smarter than she lets on. Esmé says she herself is from another world entirely and came here by magic. Aisling says the same, but she never talks about where she is from, and I have learned that some questions are better left unasked.  Larina even said she spent a month and a half as a fox, but I am not sure whether she was teasing me or telling the truth. Reality is different for witches. 

What still stands out most, though, are the dead. There are more ghosts here than anywhere I have ever seen. No one talks about it, and yet everyone knows. They linger at the edges of crowds, in doorways, near the fountain. The living make room without meaning to. I think West Haven draws in those who do not fit elsewhere, living or not. And somehow, it makes space for all of us."

Designer's Notes

West Haven is intentionally inclusive in both population and tone. While the mechanical roots may lie in AD&D 1st Edition, the social philosophy leans more toward modern sensibilities. This is a place where misfits, outsiders, and the unusual are not just tolerated but expected. If a species is sentient, whether living or dead, there is a place for it here. 

That inclusivity is not accidental. 

Witches are the cultural glue that makes it work. Their presence normalizes difference, manages spiritual overflow, and enforces boundaries without erasing identity. The unusually high number of ghosts in West Haven is a feature, not a bug. The town attracts the lingering because it knows how to live alongside them. In contrast, East Haven's population dynamics are more traditionally oriented, closer to a classic AD&D model. West Haven, by design, lets diversity run wild. It is a place where the strange can call home, and where players are free to explore identity, culture, and belonging without needing justification beyond the simple fact that West Haven exists.

West Haven is by intent and design a place where the strange, the exotic, and the wonderful can call home.

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 7

Day 7 - Weather

Day 7-What's the weather like today?
Is there a particular climate or weather that's prominent in the region of the campaign? Does it vary? What is it like and how bad does it get?

Photo by Péter Kövesi

Elowen's Journal

"I have learned that the weather in West Haven is not something you check. It is something you listen to.

I feel the seasons in my bones now. Autumn hums, like the air itself is quietly singing. Spells settle more easily then, and even the ghosts seem more alert, as if they are paying attention again. Winter presses inward. Snow piles high against doors and windows, and everything turns quiet and close. Summer storms tear through the sky with no warning, stripping away weak wards and careless protections as if the land itself is reminding us not to be lazy. The weather here is never just background. It participates.

I love the storms best. Doireann always tries to drag me outside to dance barefoot in the rain, laughing like she is daring the sky to strike her. Most of the time, she can only convince Aisling to join her. I usually watch them laughing outside, from under the eaves, feeling the thunder roll through me anyway. Amaranth complains about the cold from Samhain until nearly Midsummer, while Grýlka thrives in it, claiming the snow makes everything honest. You can barely get Esmé away from her garden in the spring. I think she missed her calling as a druid. Larina is...radiant, resplendent in the autumn. Everyone has a season they belong to. I am still figuring out which one is mine."

Designer's Notes

I never wanted West Haven to exist in a single mood. A place that is always sunny or always bleak becomes flat very quickly, both in fiction and at the table. West Haven needed seasons that mattered. Winters that isolate. Springs that promise too much. Summers that remind you how fragile your preparations are. Autumns that feel heavy with magic and consequence.

From a practical standpoint, I draw inspiration from a mix of sources, including the Haven boxed set, various city supplements like those from RuneQuest, and real-world climate patterns. Sometimes, honestly, I just cheat and use whatever the weather is outside and let that be West Haven’s weather for the day. It keeps the setting grounded and unpredictable. Mechanically and narratively, seasonal shifts affect spellcasting, rituals, and ghost activity, reinforcing the idea that magic in West Haven responds to the world rather than ignoring it. The weather here is not favorable. It is part of play.

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 6

Day 6 – Where Shall We Start?

Day 6-Where shall we start?
Where did the campaign begin and/or where should a traveler to the region start their journey through it?

Elowen’s Journal

"The first place I ever went in West Haven was the Drunken Orc Inn, and I still think that tells you everything you need to know about this place. Mother and Father were not impressed, and I think they wanted to turn around and take me home at that moment. 

It is loud. It is crowded. It smells like old ale, wet cloaks, and poor decisions. Voices overlap in ways that make my head ache if I stay too long. And yet, for all that chaos, it feels strangely safe. No spells are cast inside its walls. Not openly, anyway. No grudges are settled there, and no one pretends otherwise. What happens in the Drunken Orc is remembered, and that alone keeps most people careful.

It sits just outside the village proper, along the Western Trade Road, far enough that the laws of West Haven loosen their grip without letting things spiral completely out of control. When I want to feel like I have stepped outside the careful rhythm of covens and quiet streets, this is where I go. Aisling comes with me sometimes. She doesn't like me calling her "Dreamer," but that is what all the ghosts call her. They give her a wide berth and nod in respect to her. I need to find out why. We sit, we listen, we watch strangers who think they are unseen. It is not a safe place, exactly, but it does not threaten the people of West Haven. And that distinction matters more than most travelers realize."

Designer's Notes

The Drunken Orc Inn is a deliberately familiar anchor point. It is the kind of tavern players instantly understand, and that is exactly why it works. By leaning into the cliché rather than avoiding it, the inn becomes a stable social landmark where adventurers, criminals, mercenaries, and outsiders naturally converge.

In practice, the Drunken Orc functions as a neutral zone between West Haven and the wider world. It is commonly run by the local thieves’ guild, who use it to identify marks, recruit talent, and quietly enforce boundaries. Some patrons are fair game. Others are absolutely not. Elowen falls squarely into the latter category. The guild has been warned, directly and without ambiguity, by the Witch Queen herself to leave her untouched. This unspoken protection is why Elowen feels safe there without ever fully knowing why. It is also where adventurers brush up against covens and witch politics without realizing how close they are to real power.

BTW. Ghosts give Aisling respect because, like Elowen, she is half in one world and half in another. Unlike the gentle re-awakening of Elowen, Aisling came back from the dead screaming and covered in blood. Someone else's blood. Her death was tragic, her rebirth was violent, but she wants to live her life to the fullest and is, in fact, a rather sweet and nice girl. She and Elowen are likely to become good friends. Both are good people; they just had terrible things happen to them. 

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