Forgotten Realm (3.5) Where to start a village

[Dragon queen]

I asked my Dm if I could start up my own village. Not like own it, just like start it up and maybe receive a little tribute. I keep looking at the map (The one that comes with the book) but everywhere I look I see the same thing. Monsters, evil cult of darkness, evil apes, etc. I can't start it near any mountains, forests, and definitely not near any major-league cities like Waterdeep. Got any ideas?

[Boci]

One of the small islands?

[hamishspence]

I picked the Icepeak for mine- giving it a small town and a whaling industry- since its situated close to the narrow crossing point between the Sword Coast North, and Icewind Dale (further east is a massive mountain range blocking the way).

I later found out the island is mostly uninhabited except for a very big white dragon.

[Moriato]

There's always Narfell.

Sure, it used to be a empire full of crazy demon summoners, but this is the realms, what place hasn't been filled with demons from time to time?

The only thing there to worry about now is a few barbarian tribes.

Ok, there might be just a couple leftover demons and traps and stuff, but again, it's the realms. You can't swing a dead vrock in the realms without hitting some forgotten evil artifact or some such thing.

[realbombchu]

The Holy Realm near and in the Gulthmere Forest. You'll need Champions of Valor to read more about it, but the area is led by good aligned people and although Malar and the people of the black blood cause problems, the fellowship of the purple staff and maybe the fangshields would ally with you for mutual benefit.

[AslanCross]

In the middle of the Western Heartlands? Maybe somewhere in Cormyr?

Make sure you're always by a river, in any case.

[J.Gellert]

Why not near an evil cult? Evil people have families too, and traditional "evil spots" on fantasy worlds usually neglect that. I mean, either that or 95% of evil mooks is celibate.

Either way I wouldn't go in a land such as Cormyr, where one lord or another is bound to come looking for tribute sooner or later. Make it someplace "hidden", near food and water but away from major trade roads.

[LibraryOgre]

Well, where are you now? That would be a good place to start. Personally, I've almost always played in the Western Heartlands or the North, so I'd look in places like that.

Just looking at the map, I'd say a not-bad place (if you're not too picky about location) is east of N'Jast, on the Long Road towards Nathoud, preferably by the river feeding Lake Ashane. It's about midway between them, good source of water, a nearby, unnamed forest (for building materials and fuel). Build a bridge at that point, or defend one already built, and you've got a reason to be there... you help run trade with Nathoud, and provide an alternate route down to Immilar.

A lot more "busy" than you're looking for, you might try where the Trade Way splits, part going to Baldur's Gate, part to Soubar. If you can defend it, and get a good well (and with the High Moor nearby, you should have decent groundwater), you'd be in a prime spot for caravans to stop and resupply... more water, etc. Start with a high pallisade, then build earthworks around it, then stone when you can afford it. You're looking at trying for a northern version of the Friendly Arm Inn... a defensible position from which caravans can set out. You can also make it a place to resupply on caravan guards.

For either of them, start by hiring workers and guards for them. Get walls up quick, then shelters, then send for families. In both cases, you're going to want to bring in wheel and wainrights, in addition to your "producers". Since the Trollbarks have an explicit problem with the beasts, you may want to concentrate on grain crops (which they'll leave alone), and use pigs as your primary livestock (since pigs can be fed nearly anything and be kept in a relatively small space, if necessary; the other option is to turn them loose in the Trollbarks to feed themselves). Up in the Great Dale area, you can be a bit freer, but I would suggest sheep... dual-purpose wool and meat, and fairly hardy (if stupid).