About Miller’s Hive

Miller’s Hive is a small shard, so named for two reasons – its shape resembles a wasp’s hive turned inside out, and the mill that occupies some of its middle.

Some explanation of those comments is likely in order.

The shard takes the form of a cavern, not quite spherical in shape, measuring about 300’ from top to bottom, and with a largest possible radius of about 100’, slightly below the halfway point between top and bottom. People’s lodgings are burrowed into the walls of the “hive”, and a series of wooden staircases and ladders allow access to the different burrows. The hive is lit with lanterns and a few everburning torches, most of which are extinguished for “night”. The topmost point of the “hive” is a flowing portal [a special kind of portal which allows only liquids to pass through] which pours a stream of water down the middle of the shard, ending in a pool at the bottom which drains into another flowing portal. In between these two are various pipes used for siphoning off drinking water, and a waterwheel which drives a number of useful devices, the most prominent of which is a mill. Local legend claims that the flowing portals in Miller’s Hive were the first flowing portals encountered anywhere in the Polychotomy, and the occasional arcane researcher comes to visit precisely to study their properties.

A number of portals lead off from Miller’s Hive to other shards. There is a rather large, flat shard used for growing crops and pasturing livestock, and a wooded shard used as a source of timber and game meat. Both of these together are just large enough to support the needs of the population of the Hive, and do not seem to have any portals elsewhere. Strangely, both show a diurnal (day-night) cycle, and are exactly synchronised with each other. Another portal leads directly into a mine which the residents of the Hive use as a source for minerals and the occasional gemstone. The residents of Miller’s Hive often use that name to refer to all of these shards together, as traffic amongst them is constant.

A fourth portal leads into a large and rather dangerous jungle – the door on this portal is generally kept locked except when necessary. There are other portals as well, mostly of the unfixed variety, leading to a variety of more- and less-pleasant places.

The Hive is nominally governed by the Mutual Defence Co-Operative, and many residents are members of that phyle. But many other phyles have at least a few representatives, and all residents generally get along with each other. Similarly, at least half the population is human, but a significant portion of the population come from the other standard races, and a few more unusual creatures live here as well. The day-to-day affairs of the Hive run smoothly for the most part, but problems are taken to the elders. The chief of the elders is Miller Shem, allegedly a descendant of the humans who built the first mill. Shem is old and not particularly dangerous, but is supported by the other elders (some of whom are not to be trifled with).

The relative peace of Miller’s Hive is due to two factors: its relative isolation, and its lack of inducements to looting. Although it is possible to get to major population centres (such as Kiszuna’s Peace) from the Hive, the journey takes a number of days and is not entirely safe. Those who are powerful enough to attempt such a journey would generally find their reward insufficient upon reaching the Hive, as the residents generally only produce what they need. Local economics are largely based on barter and people share with each other in times of need.

Demographics

The total population of the Hive is around 300. In terms of the DMG’s town statistics, it is a “hamlet”, the gp limit is 100 gp (nothing of value over 100 gp can be bought in the Hive (talk to the DM if you think you need to make an exception)). The total (monetary) wealth of Miller’s Hive is about 1500 gp.

Adepts (we’ll likely use the Eberron modified version of the Adept in this campaign. now i need to recall what the details were…)

• 1 3rd level
• 10 1st level

Aristocrats

• 1 1st level (run away from a high profile Regium family somewhere?)

Barbarians

• 1 1st level (not sure who this is yet. a half-orc from the Maul, maybe?)

Bards

• none

Clerics

• 1 4th level (likely a devotee of the Warm Hearth)
• 2 2nd level
• 4 1st level

Commoners

• 1 11th level (this is Miller Seth, mentioned above)
• 2 5th level
• 4 2nd level
• 205 1st level

Druids

• 1 3rd level (likely an elf)
• 2 1st level

Experts

• 1 6th level (a gnome – i have a backstory for this guy which will come out fairly soon)
• 2 3rd level (one would be the local smith?)
• 15 1st level

Fighters

• 1 5th level (possibly a dwarf veteran from the Fourth Inter-Phyle War?)
• 2 2nd level
• 4 1st level

Magewrights

• 1 3rd level
• 10 1st level

Rogues

• 1 6th level (don’t know who this is yet)
• 2 3rd level
• 4 1st level

Socerers

• 1 2nd level (stationed here by the Clock Tenders to study the flowing portals?)
• 2 1st level

Warriors

• 1 4th level (likes to call herself “Captain of the Guard”, not that there’s much to guard in Miller’s Hive)
• 2 2nd level
• 15 1st level

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