Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 15

Day 15 - Things Best Avoided

Day 15-What are some things in the setting that are best avoided?
Dangerous terrain, haunted places, angry natives, and even unpleasant beverages; name some elements in your campaign that should be given a wide berth. Obviously these are beings and things in the setting the tourist should avoid but which Player Characters would likely run towards. 

Elowen's Journal

"People warned me about West Haven when I first arrived. They said it was dangerous. Haunted. Wrong. I think that’s funny now.

The places I avoid are quieter than that.

I stay away from the lake. I can’t explain it properly, only that the ghosts there feel unfinished in a way that makes my chest hurt. Not loud. Not violent. Just… stuck. Some of them don’t even know they’re dead. Others know too well. I can stand at the shore, but I never linger. I don’t like how the water remembers.

East Haven makes me nervous. I can walk its streets. I have. But it feels like a place that watches you back. The rules are clearer there, sharper somehow, and I am never quite sure which ones I am breaking just by existing. My first real adventure started there, and I learned quickly that “safe” and “familiar” are not the same thing.

I will not go near the Cailleach’s Bones. Everyone says you can feel them before you see them, and they are right. The spirits there are old and proud and very sure they were right to die for what they believed. That kind of certainty frightens me more than anger ever could.

The Maiden Wood is worse. Everyone avoids it. Even people who pretend they don’t believe curses can affect them still take the long way around. I know better than to ask questions. I have seen Larina walk into that forest more than once, calm as if she were stepping into her own kitchen. That does not make me feel safer. It makes me feel like there are rules I do not yet understand.

What surprises me most is that people think West Haven itself is frightening. They whisper about witches and ghosts and strange folk in the streets. To me, it feels honest. The dangerous places announce themselves here. The truly terrible things do not bother with disguises.

If I have learned anything, it is this: not everything dangerous feels threatening, and not everything that feels safe actually is. West Haven taught me that. It also taught me how to listen when the land says, quietly but firmly, do not go there."

Designer Notes

This day reframes classic adventure locations as lived warnings rather than explicit hooks. Elowen’s perspective emphasizes instinct, emotional danger, and spiritual weight over physical threat. Places players will be eager to explore are introduced as areas locals avoid for reasons that are felt rather than explained. 

West Haven is a paradox: widely feared by outsiders, yet experienced by residents as a place of clarity, where danger is visible and negotiable. This reinforces the setting’s core philosophy: witches and ghosts make the world safer not by removing danger, but by naming it. This is a "witch village," the villagers are not afraid of the same things.  

This sets up future adventures while reinforcing trust in intuition, boundaries, and the idea that some places are not meant to be entered until you are ready—or ever.

There is an ancient elven ruin in the Goblin Wood. The Lake is cursed, as are the Callieach's Bones. The Maiden Wood isn't cursed, but the dryads are violent to outsiders. There are more haunted houses in West Haven than in cities five times larger. 

There are wererats fighting aligatormen in the sewers and septic pits under the village. Werewolves roam north of the village, and they are barely contained by the Rangers of the North Star. There are enough undead to keep the Church of Light and the Knights of St. Werper busy for decades. 

There's a lot to do here, and almost none of it is safe. Elowen might avoid these places, but I suspect adventurers won't. 

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 14

Day 14 - Eat Like a Local

Day 14-What to order to 'Eat like a local'.
Are there any foods unique to the campaign setting? If so, what are they like?

Elowen’s Journal

"Eating like a local in West Haven is not about ordering the right dish. It is about knowing what you need. And where to get it. 

Renee’s always tastes like safety to me. Warm bread, gentle herbs, tea that settles instead of wakes. When I sit there, I remember learning how to breathe again. How to listen. How to stay in one place without feeling like I needed to flee. The Purple Dragon tastes different. Heavier. Louder. It makes me think of Aisling and Eodard, of music and laughter and the way healing is not a straight path. She is further along than I am, I think. That is all right. I am still walking.

The Westhaven gnome inns taste like discovery. Every meal feels like a small, pleasant surprise, as if the village itself is reminding you that kindness can be inherited and practiced without being announced. Even the Drunken Orc has its place. I cannot help laughing when I eat there, remembering how uncomfortable my parents were the first time they visited. It is not comfort food, exactly, but it is honest.

Still, if I am telling the truth, my favorite place to eat is Larina’s kitchen. A long table. Too many chairs. Someone is always cooking. Someone is always talking. Food passed without ceremony. That is what belonging tastes like. It is not something you can order. It is something you are invited into. We are a coven, but we are also a family. Despite what Katrina says. Or maybe because of it."

Designer's Notes

In West Haven, food functions as emotional shorthand. Each location feeds a different need. Healing, celebration, grounding, nostalgia, or belonging. None of these spaces are random. They are designed to support character arcs and reinforce the idea that rest and nourishment are part of play, not distractions from it.

Day 14 intentionally avoids listing signature dishes. Instead, it frames eating like a local as an act of understanding context and community. Players who pay attention to where they eat, and with whom, learn as much about West Haven as they would from any lore dump. Food here is memory made edible, and the kitchen table is often where alliances, confessions, and character growth truly begin.

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 13

Day 13 - Food & Drink

Day 13-Where can we get a drink and a bite to eat?
Give us a few of your most notable restaurants and bars in the campaign setting. Tell us something about these places and what makes them distinctive.

Elowen's Journal

"If you want tea, you go to Renee’s. That part is simple. It is perfect for luncheons, for afternoon conversations that turn into confessions, and for evenings when you only want something light and warm before heading home. Renee always seems to know when to refill your cup without asking, and I have learned that whatever pastry she suggests is the one you should take.

The Purple Dragon is better when you are hungry in a serious way. Big meals. Loud tables. Music drifts through the room, whether you planned to listen or not. It feels like a place where stories get told out loud, not whispered. 

But if you want the best food in West Haven, truly the best, you go to one of the inns run by the Westhaven gnome clan.

They used to be called 'Winterhaven,' long before the flood, back when Haven was still one settlement. The stories say they hid a group of witches during a hunt, fed them, sheltered them, and never asked for anything in return. The witches blessed them in return, and when some of the clan stayed in the valley, they changed their name to Westhaven. Their cooking is… more than good. I do not know how else to say it. Their bread alone feels like it remembers every meal you ever needed. I dream about it sometimes. They make this pastry, which they call "walking bread." It's light, fluffy, sweet, and filled with fruits and cream. It's crazy how good it is. One day, Doireann and I went all over the village and got a different one at each inn. I was sick to my stomach, and Doireann laughed, but it was completely worth it. 

Food changes with the seasons here, too. Each quarter does its best work in its proper time, but no one does autumn like the Mabon Quarter. Stews, roasted roots, apple breads, things that make you feel like winter will not be quite so cruel after all.

Friday the 13th is my favorite. It is not a big festival. No banners or speeches. Just a quiet understanding that luck bends a little differently that day. Extra dishes appear. Drinks get stronger. People linger longer. Witches smile more than usual. It feels like the town is taking a breath and remembering who it belongs to."

Designer's Notes

Food in West Haven is intentionally grounded. Meals are communal, seasonal, and often layered with subtle ritual meaning, whether the diners are aware of it or not. Eating together is one of the ways the town maintains cohesion between witches and non-witches, locals and travelers, living and lingering.

Different locations serve different roles. Renee’s Tea Shoppe is a social and conversational hub, ideal for quiet scenes and character development. The Purple Dragon handles larger gatherings, music, and shared stories. Gnome-run inns, particularly those of the Westhaven clan, represent inherited magical hospitality. Their food is blessed not through spells but through tradition, gratitude, and long memory.

Friday the 13th functions as a minor holiday in West Haven. It is not announced, but it is observed. On that day, luck, fate, and appetite all run a little stronger. For witches especially, it is a reminder that nourishment is not just physical. It is ritual, protection, and belonging made edible.

It is Friday the 13th here as well, and my son's bakery is doing its annual Pączki day, which may or may not be a good substitute for Westhaven Walking Bread. But don't try to eat more than two at a time unless you are a goblin. 

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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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