Diggerby Hill
a Setting Primer for A Quaint, Rural Town
Designed for Tier 1 characters
Credits
About the Author
Benjamin Xiaofang Hurley wrote this setting book. Neat, huh? You can follow him on
Twitter @bbxhurley.
Primer
Designed and written by Benjamin Xiaofang Hurley.
Art
Cover art (Blue-bee), page art, and Red Elefant Mask by Benjamin Xiaofang Hurley.
Pink Flower and Boar in Field by Holly Emma Fernyhough
(https://www.instagram.com/coneymoo/)
All other art: DMsguild Art Packs.
Maps
Maps designed by Benjamin Xiaofang Hurley, made with use of Watabou’s Procgen Arena:
(https://watabou.github.io/)
Game
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft,
Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names,
and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other
countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other
authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for
Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2023 by Benjamin Xiaofang
Hurley and Holly Emma Fernyhough and published under the Community Content
Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
1
Diggerby Hill
A map of Diggerby Hill
The town of Diggerby Hill is a mid-sized Diggerby Hill is not perfect, though.
rural settlement that sits in a temperate zone Elders lament the changing times as more
between the chilly Shard uplands to the east and more youngsters leave for the city.
and verdant Silverian plains to the west. During hardships, outsiders become targets
Diggerby Hill seems to be a pastoral of suspicion and ire. Under it all, there is an
paradise. It is close enough to the major unspoken fear of the surrounding woods.
cities to access news and aid, yet secluded Superstition states that dark powers will
enough to suit a slow-paced lifestyle. punish the folk of Diggerby Hill if they ever
try to expand its borders…
2
1. Trader’s Way
Syl’s Wares Price
This road links to the western plains and Ale (Mug) 5 cp
veldts, the major cities, and eventually the
Ale (Gallon) 2 sp
coast of the Spoken sea. Many travellers
come to Diggerby Hill, or leave it, by this Mead (cup) 3 sp
road.
This route sees traffic nearly every Mead (bottle) 10 gp
day. During the busy times of year, all kinds
Meal 5 sp
of travellers and traders pass through
Diggerby Hill. Even in the quieter months, Cheese Board 2 sp
the royal mail-carriers tirelessly work this
route.
3. West Fields
2. Digger’s Den
The west fields are
This welcoming tavern is dedicated to raising
the first sight that most animals for meat, dairy and
travellers see when they wool. Sheep and cattle can
enter Diggerby Hill. Its be found grazing here, or
sigil is a little, pink flower. huddled in the pens during
The proprietor is an winter.
ebullient, enterprising One might notice a
young half-elf noble named particularly grizzled,
Syl Gosluck. They are a one-eyed old goat who has
recent transplant to been isolated from the
Diggerby Hill, and their other animals. This is Old
eagerness to adopt its Snore (use the stats of a
symbols and traditions- giant goat, although Snore
especially for the sake of is medium sized.) When
profit- has drawn suspicion Snore’s original farmer tried to slaughter
from some. Still, nothing Syl has done is him, the goat gored the farmer to death.
against the rules, and drawing in more Since then, it's been considered bad luck to
commerce helps the whole town. try to eat Old Snore, and he has largely been
Many travellers to Diggerby Hill left to his own devices. Some believe Old
mistakenly believe that its blue-bees create Snore to be a fiend in the guise of an animal.
honey, and therefore expect to find mead in He seems to have lived longer than a goat
Digger’s Den. Instead of educating these ought to.
travellers, Syl has- controversially- started
selling imported mead at an extortionate
price.
3
4. The Sword Road
Goda’s Wares Price
Less busy than the Trader’s Way, the Sword Ration (Dry Crackers) 5sp
Road connects Diggerby Hill to the southern
Bread (Loaf) 1sp
expanse, with its hollow hillock-communes
and tribes of nomadic rain-elves. Fruit Pastry 7cp
If one goes more than 20 miles down
this road, regular guard-posts become few Gnomebread* (Loaf) 5sp
and far between. Travellers often resort to
Gnomebread* (Muffin) 2sp
hiring mercenary bodyguards- or “swords”-
before making a long journey. Vita-Bun* 10gp
Wild Magic Muffin* 25gp
5. South Fields
The south fields are dedicated to staple crops Gnomebread. Gnomebread is a
and vegetables- wheat, potatoes, cabbage spicy-sweet delicacy made with powder
and choy can all be found here. created by grinding up toxic mushrooms. If
A special crop unique to Diggerby a non-gnome character eats gnomebread,
Hill is the bee-blessed tomato. This small, they must succeed on a DC15 Constitution
purple variant is pollinated by the town’s saving throw or become poisoned for 5
bluebees. It is striking, but bland. minutes. Goda must be convinced with a
DC13 Persuasion check before she will sell
6. Goda’s Gnomish Bakery any green gnomebread to a non-gnome.
Vita-Bun. The Vita-Bun is an attempt
of Goda’s to combine the power of
This mushroom-shaped building always
confectionery and the healing power of
smells of sweet treats and fresh bread, and is
potions. Eating a vita-bun restores 1d4+1 hit
among the most popular attractions of the
points.
town, though it is quite new.
Wild Magic Muffin. Eating this
The bakery is run by a precocious
muffin produces a random effect on the
young gnome druid named Goda Hough.
Sorcerer’s Wild Magic Surge table (see
Even for her age, this bronze-haired gnome
Chapter 3 of the Player’s Handbook). Not for
speaks and carries herself with a childlike
the faint of heart, Goda will only sell one of
manner. Nevertheless, she takes her business
these a day, and only to sober adults.
very seriously. She is severely honest, and
always pays back her debts.
Goda has dreams of introducing true 7. The Stonepick Smithy
gnomish cuisine to the world. With the help
of the town’s mage, Aryxian, she also The Stonepick Smithy is a place where tools,
dabbles in magically modifying her food- armour and weapons are made and sold. It is
though opinion on the wisdom of this kept in neat order at all times, and soot is
practice is mixed.
4
assiduously cleaned by its owner, Delmin
Arrow 1,000 gp,
Stonepick. Catching Three throwing rocks
(All weapons and armour found in Shield hewn by giants
Chapter 5: Equipment of the Player’s
Handbook can be purchased here.) Sword of 1,000 gp,
Delmin is a dwarf veteran with a Wounding Teeth and claws from 5
undead creatures
thick beard and eyes like burning agates. She
is a retired adventurer, and loves to hear Flame Tongue 1,000 gp,
about news from other regions. Cinders of an elemental
Delmin doesn’t talk about her past, associated with fire
leading many to believe that she retired due
to a tragic event. Wild rumours abound, but Spellguard 10,000 gp,
Shield Shell of a flail snail
a common theme is usually a climactic battle
that only she survived.
Magic Upgrades. Delmin is very
interested in using monster parts to create
magic equipment. When characters have the
necessary funds and parts, Delmin will
happily turn a mundane weapon or suit of
armour into a magical item over the course
of 2d4+2 weeks.
The table below gives some examples
of magical upgrades that Delmin can
provide, and the materials and gold that
must be paid beyond the item itself.
Product Materials
Mariner’s 100 gp,
Armour Bones of a monster with
a swimming speed
Sentinel 100 gp,
Shield Eyestalk of a beholderkin
Weapon of 100 gp,
Warning Brain matter of any
telepathic creature
8. Diggerby Hill Sundries
Armour of 1,000 gp,
Resistance Scales of a relevant Diggerby Hill Sundries is a cramped, shabby
dragon
general store where items are shoved into
disorganised piles.
5
(Any item that costs less than 100gp
15 Immovable Rod
from the Adventuring Gear section of
Chapter 5: Equipment in the Player’s 16 Helm of Comprehending
Handbook can be purchased here.) Languages
Diggerby Hill Sundries is run by a
17 Ring of Swimming
red dragonborn named Aryxian, who spends
most of the day playing with his “familiar” 18 Boots of the Winterlands
Grimmo (in fact just a mundane cat.)
Aryxian is a brilliant mage, but lacks 19 Decanter of Endless Water
drive and ambition. He dropped out of his 20 Bag of Holding
arcane university, and burned most of his
bridges with academic and court magi. He
9. The Meat & Bone
enjoys playing the big fish in the small pond,
but even the locals of Diggerby Hill are
beginning to suspect he isn’t as powerful as The Meat & Bone is a butcher’s shop that
he pretends to be. sells meat and spices. The owner is a lanky
Magic Items. Occasionally, Aryxian human scout named Anson Drywall, who
will have a magic item in store. It is not clear inherited the business from his parents.
where he gets them. His moods are Anson speaks little, and often follows
changeable, though, and what he asks for in instruction without any verbal response. He
exchange for the item is unpredictable. If he will speak at length only about his favourite
feels like selling it for gold, it will be priced subject: hunting. Some of the meat available
at 1d4+2 x 100 gp, but he is just as likely to in the Meat & Bone comes from animals he
ask for a strange favour or a silly joke in has hunted in the woods. He has been
exchange for the item. If a customer upsets admonished many times for not clearly
or bores him, he may refuse to sell it at all. distinguishing between farm raised meat and
If you need to check if Aryxian has a game. Sometimes he even forgets which
magic item in stock for a given week, roll on species a piece of meat comes from.
the table below or choose an item.
Anson’s Wares Price
d20 Item
Meat (Chunk) 3 sp
1-9 None Meat (Whole Carcass) 2 gp
10 Lantern of Revealing Spice Pouch 1 gp
11 Wind Fan
10. The Great Hall
12 Gem of Brightness
13 Wand of Secrets The spacious Great Hall is a large communal
space that can be used for all kinds of
14 Alchemy Jug meetings, feasts and miscellaneous activities.
6
By tradition, the Hall is also the town vermin can be seen scuttling across the
elder’s residence. The current elder is a straw-carpeted floors.
human guard named Aza Sung. Aza is a Masks. It has become a tradition to
worthy leader, for she is truly passionate donate masks of all types to the Red Elefant,
about helping others. Unfortunately, much is and the interior’s walls are lined with an
expected of her. She is always busy and often eclectic range of masks depicting people,
in a foul mood. Her perpetually flustered animals and monsters.
appearance is a clue that there is a great deal Some say that staring deeply into the
of unseen work that goes into maintaining eyes of a mask before resting at the Elefant
even the sleepiest of towns. grants insightful dreams about the homeland
The elder is an unelected position, of the mask. These can be used as adventure
and each elder chooses their successor. That hooks. If your party wishes to stare into a
said, by tradition the elder will host a maks, you can roll on, or choose from, the
meeting in which all residents can voice Dreams table below:
their opinions before making such a choice.
The Hall’s basement contains a
stockpile of arms and rations. Although
Diggerby Hill lacks an organised guard,
most able bodied must pledge to be part of
the militia, ready to defend Diggerby Hill in
times of need.
11. The Red Elefant
This inn is named after the curio that hangs
above its door: a carved, wooden mask
depicting the visage of a red elephant,
purchased from some far off land. It is a d8 Dream
bright piece of art that shows a kind of
unrestrained creativity. Indeed, it is clear that 1 Octopus. A giant metal tube sits at
the bottom of an enormous crater,
the artist was not burdened by the
somewhere out west. Something is
knowledge of what an elephant actually
in it.
looks like.
The proprietor is a huge, human 2 Monkey. Pink clouds whirl around a
thug named Bartus Thorne. He appears mountain peak. Here, a monkey in
stoic, but underneath, he is suffering from the trees is wearing a queen’s
chronic stress due to a large number of stolen ring.
unpaid debts. He charges 5 sp for a stay, or 2
3 Bearded Scholar. A mage is
gp for “the nice bed.” It’s not that nice.
trapped in a hidden well. Her
The Red Elefant is among the oldest captor will not release her until she
institutions in the town, and is showing its shares astrological secrets.
age. The leaky roof is falling apart, and
7
the ground for themselves and their young.
4 Skull. Somewhere in the ocean,
ships are lashed together to form a These rows look like little farmer’s furrows.
kind of floating island. Skeletons The adult bees die in winter, but
walk the boards. their larvae quietly survive in the furrows
until they all burst out at once as adults
5 Bird. A helmed horror stalks a during high spring.
handful of travellers in a desert. Its
The exact day cannot be predicted,
pursuit is slow, but relentless.
but the festival of “Bee’s’wake” is swiftly
6 Laughing King. A crowned organised and celebrated the next day.
skeleton sits atop a throne, covered During Bee’s’wake, the residents sing, dance,
in cobwebs, dust, and unclaimed drink, and do no work. For one or two days,
jewellery… the constant buzzing of the energised
blue-bees creates a harmonious, symphonic
7 Bugbear. A community of
song that lasts from dawn till dusk.
bugbears deep in a primaeval
Blue-bees cannot sting and make no
forest care for an alien orphan: a
human infant. edible honey. However, they are important
pollinators for local flowers and crops.
8 Green Dragon. A small astrological
body has appeared in the sky. It
looks like a tiny moon- but you
know that it is the backside of a
skull.
12. Main Square
The main square is an open meeting ground
where people chat and children play. In the 14. Temple of the Sickle Maiden
middle is the Big Pine, a hundred-year-old
evergreen tree. Legend has it that the seed of This ancient stone structure is the oldest
the Big Pine was swallowed by a fairy, which building in Diggerby Hill. The visage of the
planted itself so that it could watch over the Sickle Maiden is carved into its stone doors,
area for centuries to come. and a statue of the same goddess can be
found in its wide hall. In one hand, the
13. Hill of the Bee Furrows stocky figure holds a sickle, in the other, a
basket overflowing with comestibles. Her
The town of Diggerby Hill gets its name hood is always up, her hair covered.
from this location and its iconic blue-bees- The temple clergy are known as
also called “digger bees,” who therefore live Harvesters, although there are very few
on the Digger Bee Hill. permanent members. Morgrat Lemonrinds
These bright blue bees don’t live in is in charge- a halfling priest and
colonies, but instead dig individual holes in experienced farmer in her own right. She is
pleasant and generous, but has a low opinion
8
of people who do no manual labour. She will untimely end if they camp too far from
help the needy, free of charge, with her town.
spellcasting abilities. If characters rest in the woods, roll a
The Sickle-Maiden is a goddess of d20 each day. On a roll of 16 or higher, roll
agriculture, which makes her a fitting patron on the random encounter table below.
for Diggerby Hill. Yet some have reasoned: if Alternatively, you can roll on the table
the temple was the first building built, surely whenever you deem it appropriate.
it must predate the farms. Acolytes explain
this simply enough: the Maiden’s followers
d6+d8 Encounter
had exceptional foresight. Yet others believe
the temple originally served a different, 2 1 gnoll fang of Yeenoghu
primordial deity, and that the Harvesters leading 1d4 gnolls
appropriated it…
3 1 panther
15. North Fields 4 1 hungry brown bear
The North Fields are orchards dedicated to 5 1d6 + 2 boars
growing different varieties of apples. There 6 1d4 + 1 dire wolves
have been some attempts to expand the
range of fruit available, but the climate has 7 1d6 + 2 wolves
not allowed it.
8 2d4 hyenas and 1 giant hyena
16. The Old Way 9 2d6 goblins and 1 goblin boss
10 1d4 needle blights and 3d6
The settlement of Diggerby Hill once
twig blights
extended further into the northeastern
woods, even up to the foothills of the Shard 11 1 ogre
mountains. After a particularly bad series of
animal attacks, this area was abandoned, and 12 1 awakened tree
considered cursed.
13 1d4 will-o-wisps
All that remains is the cobbled Old
Way. Anyone following this route will 14 1 green hag in the guise of a
eventually find the eerie ruins of the old kindly old woman
town. Today, few believe in the curse, but
still avoid the place out of habit.
Adventures in Diggerby Hill
17. The Woods
If you find yourself in need of another
Dangerous predators and monsters lurk in adventure that branches from this town, you
the surrounding woods. Though they rarely can roll on, or select from, the adventure
wander into Diggerby Hill, travellers with hooks table below.
more courage than sense can meet an
9
d10 Adventure 6 The blue-bees have disappeared!
An ancient druid who lives deep in
1 Goda’s experiments have resulted the woods is said to know how to
in the creation of a bread golem bring them back.
(clay golem) that races around
town, smashing houses! 7 Days after Aryxian skipped town, a
blustering archmage appeared,
2 A crew of bandits have taken over demanding his stolen spellbook to
the town. The charismatic bandit be returned.
captain seeks a hidden treasure.
But who has it? 8 Anson went on a hunting trip and
hasn’t come back. Rumours speak
3 A traveller has come along the of a fey crossing in the forest…
Sword Road, claiming that an army
of hobgoblins is coming. He 9 Cultists from three different
demands payment for information. religions appear at the same time,
each claiming the Temple of the
4 Rumours say the fiends have Sickle-Maiden as theirs.
possessed the wildlife in the
northeastern woods. They seek to 10 A young gold dragon claims that
finish the job they started years Delmin owes her a debt from fifty
ago… years ago, and must help in the
fight against her nemesis: a young
5 A cave full of oozes has been found green dragon.
beneath the basements of
Diggerby Hill. How deep does it
go?
- Boars are native to the woods around Diggerby Hill
10
