Newport: An Example Small Town Port

Newport: Population 247.
Local Noble: Lord Shasp
Mayor: Edward Edwardson
Mayor's Daughter: Jolene Edwardson
Harbourmaster: Terrence Keeper
Wife: Anna Keeper
Customs Officers: Tom Jones, Greg Edels
Sheriff: Nick Aleksandr, two dozen town guards
Lord Shasp's retainers: an even dozen, two officers
Captain Rosseau Aleksandr
Sergeant Jorge Keeper
Tavernkeeper: Frederick Crosh(miserly)

Newport is a small, newer port town. It services primarily trading vessels and it's small fishing fleet, and the local economy is based on hunting, fishing, and farming. They sell fresh water and rations to the trading vessels, and import most of their luxury goods. A recently discovered vein of fine iron ore has attracted a small clan of Dwarves, the Forge-hammer clan.

The docks are too small for large shipbuilding, but can repair and service the large trading vessels. Lord Shasp is currently building a manse in the town, and a wall for the town. It stands at just two feet, but the gatehouses have been completed at fifteen feet with the wall planned for ten feet. The Forge-Hammer clan has been contracted to build it.

The local goblin tribe steals produce and livestock from the outlying farms but are growing more bold. A hobgoblin with an enchanted mace is riling them up, and will, without player intervention within a day, attack an outlying farmstead. They will continue attacking farmsteads under the cover of night until defeated, or until they try the walls in a week. The mace can, once per day, cast a 1d8 thin bolt of lightning, or deliver that damage on contact once per day.

Recently, an assassin tracked a Wizard to a cavern near the town, and attempted to kill him. The wizard managed to summon a demon into a prepared circle of holding, which scared off the assassin, but before the Wizard could release or instruct the demon to a task, he died, leaving the demon stranded there. It is trapped in our world, and cannot leave until time erases the circle holding him, or until someone breaks it for it. It will perform a task for a character in exchange for freedom, or peacefully vanish if asked, but if not asked to begone or to do a task, it will attack the characters immediately(any minor demon will do).

Before the goblins attack the town, the Dwarves will offer assistance to Lord Shasp and dig a concealed, stake-lined trench behind the walls to protect the town. The Harbourmaster will provide a nearly depleted wand of fireballs if the Players ask him for aid in defending the town. The miserly tavernkeeper will offer a free ale if his tavern is undamaged at the end of hostiles. Just one. The goblins have only ten slings and a bow, and are armed with clubs. They will swarm the gatehouses, and push to the edges to take the stairs if they attack the town, before pushing into the town. Shasp will offer a reward of gold(fifty each for the players) for a report on goblin activities after the first farm is attacked. He will also outfit the PCs with armours or weapons to a certain gold limit, from his armoury if the PCs defend the town(they'll keep them).

Secrets: The Mayor is a widower, and will do whatever his daughter asks of him. His daughter is spoiled rotten and is dating Greg Edels, the customs officer. Tom Jones works with the local Rouges, a father and son, as smugglers. They procure and fence goods, and stash them in crates of produce they grow, and Tom marks it as clean for Rogues in other ports to collect. If the players save the father and son, they'll part with a small stash of gold hidden in their chicken coop. The harbourmaster's wife is cheating on him with the Tavernkeeper.

Best part of this material is, the port town is in a long valley with a bottleneck end leading to... Anywhere you would need it to. It would be a great place for anything, like a maze of twisty canyons, a deep forest, or so on.