General

Region: Delimbiyr Vale, Sword Coast
Type: Hamlet
Deity of Note: Chauntea
Primary Exports: Dairy, produce, grains, cider
Threats: Lizardfolk raids, Trade Way bandits, undead in the crypts beneath the hill

Gillian’s Hill is the smallest of the four hamlets dotting the Trade Way south of Daggerford. Named after the legendary protector Gillian Cantilar, the settlement is an unassuming collection of farms and orchards perched upon a low rise of earth and grass. Though modest in size, the hamlet serves as an important crossroads for farmers, traders, and travellers moving between Daggerford, Liam’s Hold, and beyond.

The villagers are simple folk devoted to the land and to Chauntea, gathering in orchards to share kegs, songs, and gossip rather than crowding into taverns — as none exist here. At first glance, Gillian’s Hill appears entirely ordinary… but the soil hides darker secrets than its peaceful surface suggests.

Geography

A half-day’s ride south of Daggerford, Gillian’s Hill sits along the Trade Way, its namesake mound crowned by an old signal cairn tower once used to warn of approaching armies from Dragonspear Castle or the Serpent Hills. Moss-covered milestone markers mark the approach, and fields of barley and apples stretch for miles in every direction.

Beneath the mound lies a vast ancient tomb, sealed by enchantments that punish trespassers with violent storms of lightning until disturbed soil is replaced. Even the strongest spellcasters of the region have failed to unravel its wards.

Economy & Trade

Gillian’s Hill functions as a local agricultural hub, where surrounding farmers meet to trade and distribute goods north toward Daggerford and Waterdeep.

Common exports include:

• Churlgo Cheese (a Daggerford delicacy)
• Corn, grains, flour, fruits, and cider
• Fresh milk and beef

Distributors such as Sejellus Krimp ensure the hamlet’s wares reach larger markets, though competition and corruption occasionally draw unwanted attention — such as the Iron Throne agent Yentai, who once operated a rival goods shop in town.

Defences

Though small, Gillian’s Hill is not defenceless.

• The tomb beneath the hill is magically trapped, deterring would-be grave robbers or invaders from the Underdark.
• The signal cairn on the summit once served to alert Daggerford of danger, though it has since been repurposed (and occasionally occupied by bandits).
• Lizardfolk raiders from nearby Lizard Marsh are a recurring nuisance, pilfering tools, livestock, and anything resembling a weapon.

History

• c. 1346 DR — A colony of illithids established a hidden lair in the tomb beneath the hill, preying on passing caravans. Adventurers eventually cleared them out.
• c. 1367 DR — Harpers reported phaerimm activity within the same tomb.
• c. 1372 DR — Gillian’s Hill suffered a mysterious plague marked by insomnia, fever, and delirium. Cleric Liam Sunmist of Daggerford believed it to be an outbreak of vampirism, linked to the local crypts and an alleged creature named Gothma.
• c. 1372 DR — Bandits seized the fire cairn tower, extorting merchants along the Trade Way.
• Late 14th century DR — Sculptor Yujist Glemp gifted the village a statue of himself, later vandalized. His unfinished second attempt — and his sudden disappearance — remain unsolved.

Notable Locations

• Gillian’s Hill Graveyard:
  A quiet resting place at the town’s edge, marked by crude epitaphs and a crypt rumoured to house Gothma, the vampiric bat said to curse the region.
• The Tomb Beneath the Hill:
  An ancient passage to the Underdark, spell-locked and perilous. Formerly held by illithids; now warded by lightning enchantments.
• Torleth’s Treasures:
  An antique shop operated by Torleth Mindulspeer, known for feuds with Daggerford merchants and keeping the defaced Glemp in Granite statue.
• Yentai’s Shop:
  A short-lived general store that trafficked in stolen goods and counterfeit produce.

Notable Residents

Rumours & Legends

• The Curse of Gothma: Locals whisper of a giant vampire bat that stalks the crypts beneath the graveyard. Livestock found drained of blood are said to be Gothma’s handiwork.
• The Vanished Sculptor: Some claim Yujist Glemp’s spirit still polishes his statue at night, waiting for it to be "perfect."
• Lightning Beneath the Hill: On stormy nights, faint flashes of light are said to flicker from within the mound — as though the tomb itself still remembers trespass.

Travel

8 hrs per day
Exhaustion Level: 0

Quests

NPCs