Location #1 in the Village of Cross Tree is the Cross Tree Inn.

The smell of roasted meat emanates from this inviting two-story wooden building. Facing the structure, a pair of worn double-doors welcome weary travelers on the right. To the left, a low wall partitions off a courtyard, where barrels of ale are stored, and a couple chickens run about aimlessly.

A sign bearing the name “Cross Tree Inn” hangs above the entrance. The sign itself depicts a curious scene of ghostly figures circled around a large oak tree. The inn is both the geographical and social center of the village. Especially during the evening, it is likely some of the other residents will be found in the common room, enjoying a meal or tankard of ale.

Killian Merric

The proprietor is a stout man named Killian Merric. At 50 years of age, Killian was raised in a large city but relocated to Cross Tree and inherited the Inn from his uncle Tobyn. That was 20 years ago and Killian has been running the place ever since.

Killian stands 6’2” tall and weighs roughly 280lbs. His dark hair, beard, and bushy eyebrows. are starting to give way to a good deal of gray. The large man dresses simply, wearing cotton breeches and a plain tunic, On most days he’ll also be wearing an apron, adorned with splashes and dashes of whatever happens to be on the menu that day.

Nearly always sporting a grin, the innkeeper is nothing if not hospitable. Killian will greet guests warmly and take an interest in their adventures. He knows a fair bit about the local area and is generally willing to share information with travelers, if he feels that they have good intentions. For information he may lack, Killian is certainly well acquainted with the citizens of Cross Tree and able to suggest someone else who may be able to help.

The innkeeper loves a good tune. Any customer who happens to break out in song or play an instrument while visiting the inn is likely to be rewarded with a complimentary meal. If it’s particularly good, it wouldn’t be unheard of for Killian to take off his apron and dance a little jig in the middle of the dining room.

Despite being a fairly large fellow, Killian has no practical combat experience.

Killian keeps a simple room for himself at the inn. While he has had various employees over the years, his niece Karia is currently his only employee.

Karia Merric

Karia Merric is a young woman of 25. After the passing of her mother, two years ago, she relocated to Cross Tree and has been helping her uncle Killian manage the inn. A no-nonsense woman, Karia usually keeps her blonde hair pulled back and wears simple, woolen dresses.

While she adores her uncle, Karia was also interested in relocated to Cross Tree due to it being nestled in the wilderness. She has been studying herbalism for a number of years and her move has allowed her to pursue this passion. When not serving drinks or helping out at the inn, Karia spends her time collecting specimens in the forest and furthering her studies.

Like her uncle, Karia is quite friendly. However, her mind is often occupied, thinking about different tinctures and ointments. She may not be outwardly chatty, though if any travelers come by with obvious wounds or ailments, she will immediately offer to help. Depending on the rules system you are using, I would allow Karia to at least provide some basic healing to injured party members.

If any travelers happen to come through town and mention having a background in herbalism or another similar skill, Karia will be fascinated and try to gain as much knowledge from them as possible.

Food, Drink, & Lodging

You can assume that pricing for food, drink, and lodging will run on the lower end of what is typical in your game system. Killian is a wonderful cook and accommodating host but this is a modest operation. Highlights of the inn’s menu include flapjacks with locally made maple syrup, a fabulous “restoring” stew, and roasted potato wedges.

Killian has 4 modest rooms for rent. Three of these have a single bed, while one has two. However, a simple sleeping cot can be added to any of the single rooms if it becomes necessary to house more guests. While he wouldn’t rent out his own 2^nd floor room, on occasion Killian will allow cots in the common areas upstairs, to accommodate extra guests. Obviously, this would be offered at a reduced rate.

Legend of the Cross Tree

As the Cross Tree Inn is the first stop for weary travelers, Killian will often be asked about the name of the town. On such occasions, he will be more than happy to pull up a chair and share the tale.

“Perhaps you saw the old Cross Tree as you made your way into town. Just west of here, across from the church stands an ancient oak tree, with a cross burned into the side of its trunk.”

“Many, many years ago, long before this wee village was founded, another settlement existed here. There are still traces that can easily be seen. Just northeast, tucked back in the woods, stands a ruined tower. Old Nicodemus dwells there now, though the gods know that Karia and I try to get him to come stay with us. There are bits of some other structures still standing out in the woods if you explore a bit, then there is the Cross Tree itself.”

“The legend tells that those who lived here before were a superstitious lot. For reasons lost to time, they believed that some of their number were practitioners of dark magics. They deemed these poor folk to be witches and doomed them to a horrible fate. The accused were tied to the great oak, with arms outstretched and burned alive. The cross you see burned into the tree is said to be the result of many such executions.”

“Now, I don’t want to be putting a scare in you good folks. However, many around here claim that the poor souls who lost their lives like this still roam these parts at night. Oh, I know that ghost tales like these are often the fare of simple country folk. Just don’t let it be said that I didn’t warn you, if you hear something go bump in the night.”

Whether there is anything to this legend or whether it is a simple folktale is up to you. Go with what works for your game. However, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to drop in little bits to keep your players on edge. The inn is an old building, so there will certainly be strange creaks from the floorboards or the occasional cold draft.

Plot Hooks & Encounters

If you already have plans for future adventures, it should be easy enough to drop in any plot hooks while the PCs are visiting the Cross Tree Inn. There is a message board in the common room and Killian, Karia, or any of the other townsfolk could be used to reach out to the party and ask for their assistance.

Left to their own, both Killian & Karia have a few tasks that they might approach a party of travelers for help with.

• Killian might offer the party a fair price to go on a hunt for a day and try to bring back a stag or wild boar.

• Karia might hire the party to help her locate certain herbs or mushrooms, only available in the deepest part of the forest.

• It’s rare that the innkeeper has the ability to make the trip to a city. If Killian gets to know the party well or they stop at the inn frequently, he may hire them to bring back certain spices or ingredients.

Conclusion

That concludes my first entry for the Village of Cross Tree. Coming up next week we’ll pay a visit to the church. Due to the number of maps, I’ve opted to include the color versions with all labels and grids. As always, if you find something that would be useful for your own game but you’d like the labels removed (or changed) or might prefer a black and white version for more of an old-school feel, just leave me a message in the comments and I’ll hook you up.

That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

For more on the Village of Cross Tree, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.