Bridgetown Part II

Made some very slight improvements to Bridgetown's images, and made a major decision; Bridgetown is going to be where Alpon von Lechfeld lives, Revecca's father, an important sage-like NPC in DARKNESS IN THE HILL COUNTRY, and a raison d'etre for what happens in CULT OF UNDEATH. I also want to change Alpon's first name, since I believe that I subconsciously got it from the original Carrion Crown adventure path, although it applies to a very different character there, so I'm going to go with some similar like Anton or Albrecht von Lechfeld. 

Bridgetown will be a large town, as you can probably see from the image, although rather crammed. Not much more than two hundred feet wide, and about three quarters of a mile long, crossing the Humber River at nearly it's widest point; but at a relatively flat one. A number of hamlets and villages are within just a few miles, or even less than a mile in some cases, but they are simply farming communities that support the "greater Bridgetown" region, north of the Copper Hills and Haunted Forest and south of the Golden Wolds, which is what the farming frontier gives way to in the south and north respectively. The waters around the wide spot in the river on either side of Bridgetown are also rather slow and shallow, as the water spreads out and eddies in its especially wide channel, making for rich fishing.

Professor Anton von Lechfeld and his only daughter Revecca live in a townhouse, as nearly everyone does, but as a relatively wealthy fellow, his is wider than most and actually spans the entire width of the bridge (minus the walkways up against the water on either side, of course) and even has a modest peaked tower where the Professor keeps his study, laboratory and library.

The immediate vicinity around Bridgetown is relatively quiet and peaceful; orderly and safe. But, as always, not everything is as it seems. About a year and a half ago, a serial killer stalked the streets of Bridgetown, striking seemingly at random and widely enough separated in time that it took some time to put together the clues to identify him. The man was hanged, of course, but persistent rumors of either his ghost or the ghost of at least some of his victims linger on certain foggy nights, and small attached building to the main buildings where he lived has never been reoccupied, and still gives of a sinister mien to those sensitive to such things. Worse, he seems to have been some kind of strange cultist, and persistent rumors that he wasn't the only one in town also still linger. 

Danger from hostile Tazitta tribesmen wandering further afield than normal from the Haunted Forest or even the downriver Tazitta Bandlands is one thing, but rumors of some other kind of mysterious threat occasionally striking isolated farming homesteads of ranches have started coming in to town from its more far-flung neighbors. Strange cryptids, including the skunk ape are said to lurk in marshes along the riverbanks and rumor claims that they attack lone boats late at night... although always with some degree of separation from the person telling the rumor. Strange cattle mutilations occurring out isolated ranches far from the homes of any people have also started to spread.

The most obvious ominous feature is the Blackstone menhir, a tall standing stone of dark basalt, with heavily weathered carvings or runes that are undecipherable on it. This stone stands about a mile outside of town, but can be seen from taller towers. It has a notable sinister feel to it, and even those not sensitive to occult or psychic "emanations" report feeling uneasy, light-headed and anxious just being within a few hundred yards of it. Few indeed can approach it close enough to study it up close without being triggered into a fainting spell, a panic attack, or about of such unease and nausea that they must withdraw from it. On moonless nights it is especially avoided, when the people of Bridgetown claim that some form of queerness from the distant (but not as distant as they may like) Plateau of Leng or from deep within the Haunted Forest approach the Blackstone menhir, although if there is any truth to this local legend, nobody has any idea what it is that they do. Professor Anton von Lechfeld may be the foremost expert on this phenomena, although he doesn't advertise his deep expertise in matters of occult.

Anyway, here's the fixed images.