GM Hallowspire

What the Villagers Do Not Know

Hallowspire was deliberately isolated a millennium ago to power a gate that seals off the Ether Lake—a place where the gods could re-enter the realm and once again meddle in mortal affairs, as they did during the last great war. The mayor's seemingly cruel actions are, in truth, efforts to protect the people and prevent the Ether Lake from opening.

The Tinkerer's Discovery

After Banishing the artists they learned the gate was leaking. Now, Elric works in secret, monitoring the gate's condition and preparing contingency plans. He alone knows how close the gods are to returning, and how fragile the barrier truly is.

Hallowspire Secret History

• The town was built around the Vault, unknowingly guarding the world’s last defense.

• Fenwick never left. His machines hum with fragments of Liora’s final song.

• The Listening Hour is not tradition—it’s maintenance. Each dusk, the town sings to keep the seal intact.

• No one remembers the war. But the wind still carries echoes. And the lake still waits.

Seemingly Evil Acts of the Mayor

• Restricted Library Access – The players' employer needs a book that is unavailable, leading to trouble.

• Exile of the Artists – Certain artists have exhibited signs of inner magic, possibly omens of the gods' return or leaks in the seal. Persuaded by the Tinkerer not to execute them (he alone shares knowledge of the gate and gods but believes their return is inevitable), they were exiled beyond the village. The mayor framed it as an outbreak of an uncurable disease

• Harvest Festival – A person is sacrificed instead of an idol to empower a forest monster that keeps outsiders away.

• The Missing Cemetery – Mourning is forbidden; the dead are rejected and their choices condemned.

• Ban on Domestic Animals – Animals are loyal to their owners, not the state, and are considered a drain on resources.

• Prohibition of Entry to the Cave (The Deeper)

• Building Mechines break

The War of Sundering & the Sealing of the Ether Lake

The Ether Lake - is the root of thefarming land

Fenwick & Liora’s Final Act