Nestled in a small valley between Mount Varya to the north and the Wyvern Watch Alps to the south, Gryphondale is a bustling township under the protection of Baron Otto VII, the ancestral ruler of the area. Gryphondale has seen tremendous prosperity in the past four decades. Otto’s leadership in the wake of the near-destruction of the town was bolstered by the presence of the wizard Snezelthas, who set up a tower a safe distance from the town, but placing it under his protection.

The town has grown, with a burgeoning trade in mined ores from beneath the mount, as well as a highly coveted and extremely rare commodity - riding griffins. To the north of Gryphondale, on the southern slopes of Mount Varya, DuHammer Aerie raises the small and fast Needlebeaks, coveted by couriers and messengers from every city along the Sword Coast, while the Silverwing Ranch to the south raises the huge Mithralwings, highly sought after by the War Wizards of Cormyr.

Recently, troubles have started to plague the town. Townsfolk have been experiencing a rash of small thefts, mischief and small scale destruction. The Wizard Snezelthas has apparently gone missing, and his apprentice, Kaff, has fled his Tower, offering small magics in exchange for food and coin in a small shop along the commerce way. Strange problems in the mines have led to widespread interruptions in ore output, and there are rumors of monsters, which the foreman of the miners, Glimdrag Glumglitter staunch refutes.

Worst of all, Thelonious Silverwing, the Patriarch of the Silverwing Ranch, and Meliana DuHammer, the heiress of the DuHammer Aerie have both gone missing, along with Otto IV - all of them disappearing as the town leader tried to broker a truce between the age-old feud between the two families. The town has suddenly found itself leaderless at a time of trouble and crisis. Though Ismora, the head of the watch, has locked down the keep and is keeping order, without her lord, her powers to govern are severely limited.

Dark times ahead for Gryphondale. Ismora has sent to the War Wizards as well as the Lords of Waterdeep, to see if they can spare any investigators to help in the search for her lord and the head of the two local Houses, but it will take weeks for the messages to get there and back, lacking the magical communications Snezelthas once provided to the isolated hamlet.

The townsfolk fear dark times ahead, unless the problems facing the town can be tackled by local heroes, investigators, and do-gooders.