George R. Shirer's Blog, page 17

Atela: NPC Enemy Races

            In the Last Kingdom, human existence is threatened by a number of enemies.

Dwarves.             In Atela, dwarves are not a hardy, roistering race of adventurers. In Atela, dwarves are small creatures, their minds as twisted as their bodies.  To humans, dwarves resemble gnarled old men with gleaming black eyes and scraggly beards.  No human has ever encountered a female dwarf and it is widely speculated that there are none, that dwarves emerge from the ground through some diabolical form of reproduction.            Unlike elves, dwarves do have souls, but they are shriveled things consumed by greed. Dwarves love wealth, particularly gold, more than anything else in the world and they spend their lives accumulating great hordes of treasure. They are hesitant to part with so much as a single coin and it is common knowledge in Atela that one never steals from a dwarf. The dwarf will hunt down the thief, retrieve their missing wealth and interest, usually in the form of the thief's hands.            Dwarves live in Atela, far beneath the ground, in secret burrows. They live alone and their burrows are defended by lethal traps. The only time they venture to the surface is on nights when the moon is dark. Then they travel and meet with each other to haggle and deal before returning to their miserable homes.            Dwarves are excellent craftsmen and they are willing to work for humans, but their prices are exorbitant. They will drive a hard bargain, but once it is made the dwarf will follow the agreement to the letter.  It's very rare for a human to get the better of a dwarf.            Dwarves are not a martial threat to humans, but their presence is felt to be corrupting. The Church is aware that dwarves have souls and that they worship God even though they have no priests among them. Paying for a priest to pray for their dead is one of the few times a dwarf will reluctantly part with coin.             Dwarves loathe elves and will not ally with them. They do not trust giants and fear the undead as much as humans.            When creating a dwarf, GMs should remember that Atelan dwarves are Small. They have a walking speed of 25 ft. They should have a high DEX and WIS, but low STR and CHA. Atelan dwarves have Superior Darkvision identical to the drow in the 5e Player's Handbook.  They also suffer from Light Sensitivity, giving them disadvantage on attack rolls and visual perception checks when their subject is in any sort of bright light.  They also cannot be charmed or put to sleep with magic.  Dwarves speak Atelan and Dwarvish. Some might speak Giant and Elvish.
Elves             The elves are the ancient enemy of humanity. They are beautiful immortals who slink out of the Feywold on the nights of the full moon, to make mischief and murder.            Elves in Atela are immortal. They do not age once they reach adulthood. This is because they do not have souls.  All elves are related to one another, as their ruler, the Queen of Shadows, is also their mother.  The elves have no desire to reproduce, but are legendary for their lusts. Elven raiding parties have been known to ravish entire villages before putting their victims to the sword.            No one knows why elves hate humans so much. It is widely believed that the hatred is their legacy from the Queen of Shadows. What is known is that elves cannot be trusted. When a human spots an elf there is an overwhelming urge to fight or flee.              Thankfully, elves rarely remain in Atela. The impermanence of the mortal world disturbs them. Most slink back to the Feywold on the last night of the full moon to sharpen their blades and plot new atrocities for the next month.            Thankfully, elves have weaknesses that humans have learned to exploit. Elves cannot enter hallowed ground, such as churches and most graveyards, without harm.  The sound of bells is a strong deterant to elves, and ringing church bells are particularly effective in repelling them.  Weirdly, an elf's greatest weakness may be their inability to break their word. When an elf makes a promise he must keep it to the best of his ability until the conditions are met or the person who extracted the promise from him releases him from the obligation.            Elves are disgusted by dwarves and will not ally with them. Nor will they ally with giants, as giants consider elf-flesh a great delicacy.  Elves will work, reluctantly, with warlocks if their Queen commands it.            In game terms, Atelan elves are similar to their usual D&D counterpart. They should have high DEX and good CHA. They have darkvision and  fey ancestry as described in the 5e Player's Handbook. However, elves do not go into trance. They sleep like other creatures. Some Atelan elves are Sorcerers; they do not get any of the Sorcerer feats aside from Spellcasting. Atelan elves also have unique weaknesses. The ringing of bells is anethema to Atelan elves and they must succeed on a DC 15 WIS save or be forced to flee from the source as their next action. If the bells are church bells they must succeed on a DC 20 WIS save or be forced to flee. Also, elves cannot enter hallowed ground without taking damage. Each round they spend on hallowed ground costs them half their Hit Points.             Elves speak Elvish and Atelan. Some speak Dwarvish and Giant.
Giants             Giants are twelve-foot tall humanoids who descend from the Icewall Mountains, to raid human settelents in an attempt to assuage their terrible hunger.  The giants came into being when angels lay with human women. Initially, their angelic natures were strong and giants were a force for good in the world, but with each successive generation their angelic natures have faded. Modern giants are a shadow of their ancestor's greatness.  Driven by hunger, they venture into Atela, to be met by shield and spear and divine spells. Thankfully, giants work alone or with a trusted mate. They devour each other as readily as they do humans, making trust among them difficult.            Although giants have souls, the Church considers them a lost cause, beyond salvation. They are met with shield and spear and divine spells.  Sadly, only the strongest and canniest of fighters have a chance against a giant.            Giants have no living allies as their cannibalistic natures are very well known. They loathe the undead with a passion.            Atelan Giants are huge creatures with a walking speed of 40 feet. They should have, at a minimum,  STR 20 and CON 20. All other stats should be generated as normal. HP should be about 100.  Giants get to attack twice per round with a greatsword or a greatclub. Some might carry a shield, or wear armor, but most should be unarmored.  They have advantage on WIS (Perception) checks involving smell and can automatically differentiate between humans, elves and dwarves by scent alone. Also, Atelan giants can eat almost anything and survive. This manifests as a Resistance to Poison.              Atelan giants speak Giant. Some speak Atelan and Dwarvish.

The Hangman's Tree

There's a tree in the forest,with a rope on a limb,waitin' for you.Are you ready to swing?
There's a shadow by the tree,standin' big and tall,eyes like the devil.Are you ready to fall?
Don't say please 'n don't say no,put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,cause we got a date with the hangman at his tree.Better you than me.
There's a tree in the forest,where the hangman waits,ready to send you to your final fate.
There's no need to fuss, no need to fret.The hangman ain't never messed up yet.
Don't say please 'n don't say no,put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,cause we got a datewith the hangman at his tree.Better you than me.
There's a tree in the forest,where the hangman stands,hood on his head, blood on hands.
He's got burnin' red eyes,and a cold, dead grin.But don't you fret,he don't judge your sins.
Don't say please 'n don't say no,put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,cause we got a date with the hangman at his tree.Better you than me.There's a tree in the forest,where the damned are boundwith a hempen noose,then dropped to the ground.
The hangman waits 'n the hangman grins,waiting fer us to give in to our sins.When we do, he won't make a fuss,what's comin' to you, he'll give to us.
Don't say please 'n don't say no,put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,cause we got a datewith the hangman at his tree.Better you than me.

Atela: Player Characters & Classes

PLAYER CHARACTERS
All of the Player Characters(PCs) in Atela are human. Players roll 3d6s seven times and discard the lowest roll. They may assign the remaining numbers as they please to their attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
When creating their characters, players should choose their social class: peasant, clergy or noble.
Peasants are the largest social class in Atela. The majority of peasants are illiterate and will not venture far from their place of birth. Some peasants try to improve their lot in life by joining the Church or the Royal Army. Others turn to crime. Most toil in the fields or the forests or the mines.
Nobles are the smallest social class in Atela, but wield enormous power. Nobles are created by the Kingpriest (who can also strip them of their noble privileges), charged with overseeing vast tracts of land and governing the people who inhabit their domains. Noblemen act as secular judges in cases that don't directly involve them. Most nobles are literate, but few are truly educated. Eldest sons inherit everything from their father, while younger sons must scramble to find their place in the world, and most noble daughters can only hope for a good marriage.
The clergy consists of priests, monks, nuns, accolytes and anyone else who serves the Church and the Kingpriest. No one is born into the clergy; people chose to join. When they do they are no longer considered peasants or nobles. They occupy a unique social stratum, traveling between the others with great lattitude, restricted only by their duty to the Church. The majority of the clergy are literate and many are highly educated.
In social circumstances, peasants defer to clergy and nobles. Nobles will defer to clergy on matters of religious law. Clergy defer to the nobility on matters of secular law. Everyone defers to the Kingpriest or they could face hanging, burning or both.
All the PCs speak Atelan.  Scholars may know Old Atelan and some foreign tongues, but no one else will be able to speak them. Some folk might study Elvish or Dwarvish or Giant, but no one can claim to speak them or read them.

PLAYER CLASSES Players may choose from one of the following Classes: Fighter, Paladin, Priest, Ranger, Rogue.
The FighterFighter is the most common class in Atela. They run the gamut from soldiers in the Royal Army to back alley thugs and highwaymen. Use the Fighter feats as laid out in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, unless noted elsewhere.
Fighters have 1d10 Hit Dice per level.
Their Hit Points at 1st level equal 10 + their CON modifier.  At higher levels, HP equals 6 + CON Modifier per fighter level.
Fighters are proficient with all weapons and armors. They have proficiency with STR and CON saving throws. At their creation they choose two Skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception and Survival.
At 1st level, Fighters gain a Fighting Style(FS): Archery, Defense, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection or Two-Weapon Fighting.
At 2nd level, they gain the Second Wind feature.
At 3rd level, fighters gain the Action Surge feature.
At 5th level, fighters gain the Extra Attack feature.
Fighters improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 each time they level up.
The PaladinPaladins are divinely-empowered warriors, chosen by God. Most paladins are associated with the Church, but not all. Use the Paladin feats as laid out in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.
Paladins have 1d10 Hit Dice per paladin level.
At 1st level, Paladins have HP equal to 10 + their CON Modifier. At higher levels, they gain HP equal to 6 + their CON modifier.
Paladins are proficient with all armor, shields and weapons.  They have proficiency on all WIS and CHA saving throws.  At their creation, Paladins choose two Skills from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion.
At 1st level, Paladins gain the Divine Sense feature.
At 2nd level, Paladins gain the Lay On Hands feature.
At 3rd level, Paladins gain the Divine Smite feature. Paladins deal 2d8 Radiant damage every time they succeed on a melee weapon attack.
At 5th level, Paladins gain the Divine Health feature.
Paladins can improve one Ability Score by 2 each time they level up, or two Ability Scores by 1 every time they level up.
The PriestIn Atela priests are the only sanctioned magic-users and the only magic-using class available as a PC. Use the Cleric feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.
Priests have 1d8 Hit Dice per level.
Their Hit Points(HP) at 1st Level equal 8 + CON modifier.  At higher levels their HP equals 5 + CON Modifier per level.
Priests are proficient with light armor, medium armor, shields and all simple weapons. They have proficiency with WIS and CHA saving throws.  At their creation they choose two Skills from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion.
At 1st level, Priests gain the Divine Spellcasting feature. Priests don't get a Divine Domain; they just choose spells from the Cleric spell list.
At 2nd level, Priests gain the ability to Turn Undead.
At 3rd level, Priests gain the ability to Destroy Undead.
At 5th level, Priests gain the Divine Intervention ability.
Priests are the only PCs capable of casting spells. They know a number of spells equal to their WIS modifier plus their priest level. 
Their Spell Save DC is equal to 8 + their proficiency bonus + their WIS modifier.
Their Spell Attack Modifier is equal to their proficiency bonus + their WIS modifier.
Priests improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 every time they level up.
The number of Priest spells that a Priest can cast per Priest level is displayed below:L1:       2 1st Level SpellsL2:       3 1st Level SpellsL3:       4 1st Level Spells, 2 2nd Level SpellsL4:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level SpellsL5:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level Spells, 2 3rd Level SpellsL6:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level Spells, 3 3rd Level Spells
The RangerRangers defend the borders of human settlements, serving as fighters and scouts. Use the Ranger feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.
Rangers have 1d10 Hit Dice per ranger level.
At 1st level, Rangers have HP equal to 10 + their CON modifier. At higher levels, they acquire HP equal to 6 + their CON level.
Rangers are proficient with light and medium armors, shields, simple and martial weapons. They have proficiency on STR and DEX saving throws. At their creation, they choose three Skills from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth and Survival.
At 1st level, Rangers get the Natural Explorer feature.
At 2nd level, Rangers get the Favored Enemy feature.
At 3rd level, Rangers get the Fighting Style feature.
At 5th level, Rangers get the Primeval Awareness feature. Rangers can use Primeval Awareness a number of times equal to 1 plus their Wisdom Modifier. Once they exhaust this number, they cannot use this feat again until they finish a short or long rest.
Rangers improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 each time they gain a level.
The RogueRogues don't play by the rules, they'd rather break them to make their way in the world. Some are straight-up criminals, while others are more subtle.  All rogues are dangerous. Use the Rogue feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.
Rogues have 1d8 Hit Dice per rogue level.
At 1st level, a Rogue's HP equals 8 plus their CON modifier. At subsequent levels, they gain HP equal to 5 plus their CON Modifier.
Rogues are proficient with light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers and shortswords. They are also proficient with thieves' tools. Rogue have proficiency with DEX and INT saving throws. When created, Rogues choose four Skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand and Stealth.
At 1st level, Rogues gain the Expertise feature.
At 2nd level, Rogues gain the Sneak Attack feature.
At 3rd level, Rogues gain the Cunning Action feature.
At 5th level, Rogues gain the Uncanny Dodge feature.
Rogues can improve one Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or two Ability Scores by 1 each time they level up.
PROFICIENCY LEVELAll PCs have a Proficiency equal to their Character Level. So a PC at level 3 will have a Proficiency of +3.
LEVEL ADVANCEMENTAll PCs begin as level 1 characters in this setting. When the PCs reach level 6 they are maxed out.
MULTICLASSINGPlayers have the option to choose a second Class when they reach Level 4. When they choose a second Class they acquire proficiency with one Tool and may select one Skill from the second Class's list. They also gain the second Class's feats. In the case of Fighting Styles, a PC cannot choose a Fighting Style that they already possess.
EQUIPMENTCharacters don't start with any equipment other than a dagger and a suit of clothes. They must buy their starting equipment with gold.Fighters, Paladins and Rangers start with 1d10 x 10 gold to purchase their equipment.Priests and Rogues start with 1d8 x 10 gold to purchase their equipment.Nobles get 1d10 gold coins. Clergy get 1d10 silver coins. Peasants get 1d10 copper coins.

Atela: The Setting

Atela is a fantasy medieval setting. The country is large with the majority of the population residing in the west, on the Plains of Aeda. The only city in the country is the capital, Alda. The remainder of the country consists of small towns, villages and hamlets. The further east one travels, the smaller and more fortified the communities become.  Humans live on the fringes of the woods surrounding the Dark Wood, but avoid entering those woods after dark. The western settlements are heavily fortified to defend against giant attacks.
Atela is ruled by the Kingpriest. The Kingpriest is the hereditary monarch of Atela and the head of the Church. As such, secular and religious law are closely intertwined.
Beneath the Kingpriest are the Nobles and the Clergy.
Nobles oversee large estates. They provide resources and men to the Kingpriest and well as acting as judges in secular matters.  Nobles are referred to generically as 'Lord So-and-So.'  Their wives are referred to as 'Lady So-and-So.' Noble children have no formal title. Noble titles are always passed to the eldest son. Women cannot inherit a noble title; their title is dependent upon marriage. Nobles tend to marry among themselves and weddings are usually carefully arranged to benefit both families. Noble marriages must be approved by the Crown. Nobles who break their oaths to the Crown can face serious repurcushions up to and including death.
In addition to landed nobles, Atela also has knights. Knights are usually common soldiers, or the later-born sons of nobles, who have served the Crown and been granted noble status for their actions. Knights swear lifelong fealty to the Kingpriest and act to enforce the Crown's edicts and directives. They also defend the people from various threats and are usually assigned to oversee military garrisons. The son of a knight does not inherit his father's title, but most marry into noble families. Very rarely a knight is raised to the status of a noble, at which point his eldest born son can inherit the title of  'lord.'
As noted earlier, the daughters of noble have no inherant title they can claim. Instead, to become a 'lady' or 'dame' they must marry either a noble or a knight. Noblewomen are trained in the social graces, as well as the practical matters of administering a household and/or estate.  Many noblewomen exert tremendous influence behind the scenes.
The clergy in Atela serve the Church.  They include bishops, priests, monks and nuns. The clergy are responsible for the moral and spiritual welfare of the people.  Aside from monks and nuns, clergy in Atela are not expected to be celibate. It is common for a priest to have a wife and children. However, unlike nobles, the children of clergymen cannot inherit their father's title or authority.  They are considered peasants, unless they formally join the Church. 
Bishop is the highest title that a clergyman can attain. Bishops report to the Kingpriest and oversee the priests, monks and nuns in a specific region. Bishops are appointed exclusively by the Kingpriest.
Priests are commonly encountered in Atela and every village will have at least one, possibly more, to serve the needs of the community. Priests use divine magic to ease and protect the lives and souls of their charges. The Church considers priests their first line of defense against the Devil and his minions. In effect, priests often act as the eyes and ears of the Church, reporting suspicious activities to their superiors.  More than one warlock or heretic has been ferreted out and executed because of priestly astuteness.
Monks live apart from the people, dedicating themselves to God through worship and service. They take oaths of celibacy and often carry out administrative tasks for the Church. In addition, some monasteries and nunneries oversee vast estates that contribute to the physical wealth of the Church. Monks of a more militant bent often develop martial skills that are useful in the defense of the Church and its followers.
Like monks, nuns also live apart from the people, dedicating themselves to God through worship and service. Like monks, nuns also take lifelong oaths of celibacy. Nuns tend to function as teachers and healers to the people, but many are also learned religious scholars.  Many intellectual women find that joining a convent gives them an acceptable outlet for their intellect. Nuns are also afforded greater physical freedom than most other women in Atela, as serving God's interests can require them to operate outside normal social restraints.
Beneath the nobility and the clergy are the peasants. The majority of Atela's population falls into this social stratem.  The majority of peasants live in villages and hamlets, overseen by a local lord or a knight.  More rarely a peasant might be overseen by an abbot, abbess or a bishop. Every peasant swears fealty to the Kingpriest on their fifteenth birthday.
Most peasants work the land and are uneducated and illiterate. Some are talented craftsmen, such as blacksmiths or potters. Those of an adventurous bent join the army and become soldiers. Truly ambitious peasants may manage to start a business, such as a shop or a tavern. The most ambitious make their way to Alda, hoping to make their fortune serving the needs and desires of the nobility and the clergy.
A WARNINGAtela is not a politically correct setting. It is a conservative patriarchal society led by a theocratic authoritarian ruler on a world succumbing to an ice age.  Anything that threatens the status quo, either religious or secular, will be viewed as a threat, at best, or evil, at worst.
Most women are treated like second-class citizens. They're expected to obey their husbands and produce children.
Any kind of sexual deviance from the norm is not tolerated.
Anyone who professes or advocates a different view of religious scripture would be branded a heretic and most likely burned alive.
Anyone who questions the Kingpriest's rule would be branded a traitor and most probably executed.
This should be explained to your players before you begin a campaign in this setting.  Some players may not be comfortable with the setting. Some DMs may not want to run this setting. However, the whole point of Atela is to get away from the sort of generic high-fantasy sacharine settings that have become prominant throughout roleplaying.
That said, an interesting twist for this setting might be for your players to play the 'villains.' Perhaps their characters want to overthrow the Kingpriest? Help the giants? Ally with the elves? Perhaps they are heretics? Or warlocks?
Or, if you want, they can be the first foreign visitors to Atela in over a decade, with strange customs and outlooks that send rumbles through the entire society? They might find allies among the dispossessed, hungry for knowledge of the world beyond the Last Kingdom? They'll definitely find enemies, among the nobility and the clergy.
Or perhaps they are loyal citizens of the Last Kingdom, going forth to battle the enemies of humanity. They battle giants in the west and venture into the Dark Wood, seeking to rescue children from the clutches of a warlock coven? Perhaps they're persuing a heretic spreading dangerous ideas through peasant villages that make the entire kingdom vulnerable?
The choice is yours.
The Last Kingdom awaits.

Atela, The Last Kingdom

Atela is a grim land. Bound by mountains and oceans, the kingdom is besieged by dark forces. Starving giants lumber out of the Icewall Mountains in the west.  During the nights of the full moon, the elves emerge from their world to make mischief and murder.  On dark nights, sinister dwarves crawl out of the ground and go about their own business. Witches and warlocks  make pacts with the Devil for power, terrible beasts prowl the Dark Wood, while angry ghosts rise from unhallowed graves to wage war against the living.

But Atela's people are not defenseless. The Church and Crown defend the people with strength of arms and divine magics.  They hunt giants and beasts and elves, battle warlocks and heretics and exorcise demons and devils.
But there is little the Church or Crown can do against the endless cold that lays siege to the entire world. Winters in Atela are long, while summers are short.  The lands to the north and east, beyond the Icewall Mountains, have fallen to cold and snow. It has been more than ten years since a foreign ship arrived on Atela's shores.  Many people believe that Atela is the last bastion of humanity, on a world growing colder and darker with each passing year.

Lux Tenebris: What next?

Hello, gentle readers!
It's a chilly Wednesday afternoon as I sit here writing these words. A polar vortex has dropped temperatures across most of the US and even though we're not as badly affected as some other parts of the country, we are definitely feeling its effects.
But I'm not here to talk about the weather. I'm here to talk about Lux Tenebris.
Those of you who have been following this blog for a while probably realize that I've been writing about this fantasy setting for a while. This February, it will be two years. Lux Tenebris started off as a one-off, a riff on Critical Role and the Dungeons & Dragons setting. But it has grown into something much bigger.
I started off with the disparate characters who comprise the adventuring party, Lux Tenebris, then expanded into other areas. A brief history of Darkwater, the largest and most influential city in the northwest of the continent of Nur. Then it was off to Mountgate and Swordhold and Fallen Baramir, with side excursions to Dryspire and Shrike and the Palatine Peninsula. We went west of the Tallsheild Mountains, into the Braerosen Wastes, and spent a little time in Ordotown. We went east, into the Gulf of Promises, and the island of Avoree.
For the last nine months(!!!) we've followed the Iron Rose west from Fallen Baramir to the city of Moontree. Along the way, we've stopped off in Ilok's Junction, Grimmgate, Treeport and Widowmaker Bay.  We've met a goblin wizard and thief-monks, quicksilver gnomes and folk from as far north as the Scrimshore Coast.
The Iron Rose arrived in Moontree and fulfilled her duty. She passed on the message to Isteban Mirelle and that's where we left things.
But there's so much left to tell! Places only mentioned in passing, like the elvish cities of Goldsun and Moonhome. Then there's the Draconic Empire itself on the eastern coast of Nur, and the entire continent of V'resh.  The Scrimshore Coast. The desolate city of Zolzerr in the Far North. The aasimar city of Pax.
There's history to cover as well. What was the Dissolution of Vorfel? Why did some humans flee V'resh and found the city of Moontree?  What have the Ilthids been planning, down in the Underdark? Are they even still there?
I love Lux Tenebris. I do. I will return there.
But, I also feel like I need to take a break from it. There's a couple of other settings I've been toying with that I'd like to offer up to you all.  Palate cleansers, if you will. One setting is very dark while the other is more whimsical.
So, we'll be taking a little break from Lux Tenebris. (Even as I type this, as I commit to other things, I have this overwhelming urge to start writing up notes on Goldsun. Ha!) But we will return to it.  It's too big for me to just walk away from now.
But now I have to sit down and ask myself a question: what next?

Lux Tenebris: Moontree - Part Four

The city had been through a terrible conflict. Everywhere Malora turned, she saw the same scenes she'd seen in cities across the world during her mercenary days. Destruction. Desolation. Hopelessness. Moontree had been burned but the city was working hard to restore itself. Already, the defensive walls had been rebuilt.  Malora had seen teams of dwarf-led combat engineers assessing the work. From the scowls on the dwarves' faces, she assumed the humans' work did not meet their standards. Of course, she thought, any work that wasn't dwarf-rought would never meet a dwarf's standards. Malora had found an inn in the rebuilt section of the Celnimeir District. It was occupied mostly by traders, but she'd spotted quite a few mercenary officers breaking their fast in the common room each daybreak.  Their uniforms bore the sigil of a familiar company, the Ironhawks, from V'resh. They were a long way from home.Most of the mercenaries didn't even give her a second glance, when she made her way through the district. The locals did look, but as long as no one had scales, they didn't seem to care overmuch that she was drow.  Master Dusk had been right about the city's openmindedness, compared to their neighbors.Malora wondered, though, in the aftermath of the Draconic attack how that egalitarian spirit would fare?Her comrades were not due to arrive for another week, so Malora busied herself  tracking down Isteban Mirelle. It was easier than she had anticipated. The address on the letter was in the Silver Hill District. The most honorous part of the experience was getting by the watchmen at the district's new-built gates. She got the distinct impression from others that no one was pleased with Silver Hill's new security. Even the watchmen working the gates seemed unhappy.One of them gave her directions to Mirelle's home. If he recognized the man's name, he gave no indication. Mentally, Malora shrugged, and continued on her way.Silver Hill was an elegant district. Cobblestone streets wound their way around the gently sloping hill that gave the neighborhood its name. The houses near the new-built wall and gates were small, but comfortably appointed near shops and entertainments. The higher up the hill one went, the larger and more lavish the homes became, as well as more secure. Modest lawns and front gardens soon vanished behind high stone walls. At iron pedestrian gates, sharp-eyed guards watched Malora amble past, but did not accost her.On the northeast side of the hill, Malora found her destination. Isteban Mirelle's house was set back from the street, sequestered behind an iron fence and a lavish front garden. It was a bulky, solid-looking affair, reminding Malora more of a fortress than a wealthy man's home. Given what she knew of Mirelle's history she was not entirely surprised by this.There was a pedestrian gate that was unguarded and, when she tentatively pushed against it, unlocked. It swung open on well-oiled hinges. A concrete path led from the street to the front of the house, weaving through aromatic flowerbeds. She stepped onto the path and approached the house. Behind her, the gate closed with barely a sound.In fact, as she approached the front doors, Malora realized she could no longer hear the hum of the city. She frowned, but continued to the front of the house.The door was tall and narrow, wide enough for a single person to enter at a time. There was a bell chord handing outside. Malora tugged on it, once.A moment later, the door opened. Standing in the doorway was a small human woman. She had short, jet-black hair but, despite the flawlessness of her honey-colored skin, seemed quite old. Her eyes were cool gray, giving nothing away. She wore a long dark gray tunic over a darker gray skirt that fell to her ankles.  Her hands were folded in front of her. Malora almost didn't notice the faded ink on the old woman's nuckles."Can I help you?"She spoke Common with a peculiar accent."Well met, ma'am," said Malora, inclining her head. "Can you tell me if this is the home of Master Isteban Mirelle?""It is," said the old woman. "Why do you ask?""I bear a message for Master Mirelle, from the Chief Archivist of the Adamantine Archive."The old woman stepped aside, gestured Malora forward. "Please, come inside. I will let Master Mirelle know you are here. Miss?""Malora.""Miss Malora." The old woman nodded. "Please, follow me."The old woman led Malora through a marble tiled foyer with cream-white walls, through a set of double doors, into a cozy parlor. Tapestries of Elvish design and make hung on the walls, depicting pastoral scenes. A small marble fireplace occupied one wall. Its mantle was adorned with seashells and geodes. The furniture, when Malora sat, was firm but comfortable.The old woman excused herself, leaving Malora alone in the room. Her first impulse was to rise and check the double doors. They opened at her touch and she felt a flush of self-recrimination. She turned back to the fireplace and was examining the shells when she heard the doors open again. Malora turned. The old woman was there, standing behind a tall, muscular man in a dark blue tunic and trousers."Master Mirelle, may I present Mistress Malora of Fallen Baramir," said the old woman."Thank you, Esther," said Mirelle. He stepped into the room and Malora fought the urge to step back. Isteban Mirelle had a charismatic aura about him that was almost like a physical presence.  His hair was reddish gold and his eyes were pale green, flecked with gold and brown. His skin was rosy, his features handsome and Malora was certain that Isteban Mirelle was not human."May I offer you a drink, mistress?" asked Mirelle. "Tea, perhaps? Or wine?""Tea would be appreciated," said Malora.Mirelle glanced at Esther who vanished from the room. The man gestured at the couch and they sat. Malora handed him the leather tube containing the scroll."The seal has been broken," noted Mirelle, examining the scroll."I was robbed by bandits on the road," explained Malora.Mirelle's red-gold brows shot up. "And you retrieved the message?""Yes, among other things," said Malora."Interesting."The man unfurled the scroll and began to read. Esther returned with a tray containing tall crystal glasses of iced tea, a pot of honey and a small bowl of sugar. Malora accepted a glass and sipped the cold tea while Mirelle read the scroll. Esther retreated to a corner of the room, near the doors, hands clasped before her, head inclined as if the floor was a subject of intense interest."Tell me, Mistress Malora, do you know what this message says?" asked Mirelle.She didn't even consider lying to him."Yes, sir. The Regent wants you to come home.""Fallen Baramir hasn't been my home in almost five hundred years," said Mirelle.Malora regared him for a moment before asking, "Forgive me, sir, but what exactly are you?"Mirelle hesitated. "That's . . . complicated."In her corner, Esther snorted."Why do you think Swann wants me to return?""Because of the war," said Malora. "The Draconic armies are fortifying their positions in the east, and the nation-states of the west are preparing to move against them.""And the Regent wants me to marshall the defenders of Fallen Baramir.""I suppose."Mirelle shook his head. "What would you do, mistress?""Me?""You're an adventurer. A mercenary. A woman of the world. I can tell. What would you do in this situation?"
"I suppose it would depend on how much I cared about the war and the city. Do you care what happens to Fallen Baramir? To the west?""In the abstract," said Mirelle.Again, Esther snorted. This time, Mirelle shot her a hard glance."Thank you for delivering the message." Mirelle stood and offered her his hand. She took it, somewhat reluctantly, and stood. "I hope it wasn't too great an inconvenience.""Not at all," said Malora. "I was on my way to Moontree anyway.""Oh? You have business in the city?""I'm meeting friends," she said."I hope you have a pleasant reunion," said Mirelle. "Esther will show you out."She nodded and turned away, followed Esther back across the marbled floor to the front door. The old woman opened them and smiled at Malora."Fair travels, mistress.""Thank you," said Malora. She hesitated on the threshold, glanced behind her at the parlor doors. "What is he, miss?"The old woman lay a hand against the small of Malora's back and gently pushed her over the threshold. She smiled at the drow."He is the Son of War."Then she shut the doors, leaving Malora feeling perplexed and confused in the afternoon sunlight.

Lux Tenebris: Moontree - Part Three

PERSONS OF INTEREST

AGNIRA ERINLAE, L8 Human Female
STR 10(+0)     DEX 13(+1)    CON 11(+0)    INT 10(+0)      WIS 10(+0)     CHA 12(+1)HP: 36AC: 11 (Unarmored)Traits: AlertLanguages: Common, GnomishDefense: NoneOffense: Dagger; +4 to hit; deals 1d4 +1 piercing; Finesse, Light, Thrown (20/60 ft).Tools: NoneSkills: Investigation +3, Perception +3Background: Agnira Erinlae worked in one of Merrol's factories until the Draconic attack. With most of Merrol reduced to rubble, these days Agnira survives as a scavenger. She spends her days with a group of others, picking through the rubble, looking for useful items that they might resell for a meagre profit. It's hard, dirty work but Agnira is very good at finding valuable scrap.Secret Info: On one of her recent scavenging hunts, Agnira discovered a crystalline skull. The skull contains the spirit of an ancient sorcerer-priest. It whispers advice to Agnira, in exchange for fresh blood. Its arcane power is slowly increasing as Agnira feeds it, and it is exerting more overt control over the young woman's mind, making her trust and obey it. Agnira is aware that the skull is using her, but she doesn't care as long as it keeps its promises to make her wealthy and powerful. How far she'll go to appease the skull's bloodlust, however, remains to be seen.
ALDAT MORTOTH, L13 Human MaleSTR 16(+3)     DEX 16(+3)    CON 09(-1)     INT 08(-1)       WIS 10(+0)     CHA 14(+2)HP: 56AC: 13 (Unarmored); 14 (Leather Armor)Traits: Tavern BrawlerLanguages: Common, Gnomish, ElvishDefense: Leather armor; AC 11 + DexOffense: NoneTools: NoneSkills: Athletics +7, Intimidation +6Background: Aldat Mortoth grew up in a crowded tenement in the Old City. Life was hard for the Mortoths and when Aldat was twelve he was cast out into the street to make his own way in the world. Big, even as a child, Aldat found work in the Seagate warehouses for a while before gravitating toward Moontree's underworld. He's bounced from gang to gang ever since, even served a term in Banestone.  At present, Aldat has been recruited as a legbreaker for the Black Glove, which has now established themselves in Moontree. He lives in the Old City, in a nice apartment a few blocks from his old neighborhood. Every day he passes his father, begging on the street, and spits in his eye. Life, as far as Aldat Mortoth is concerned, is good.Secret Info: Mortoth doesn't talk about his time in Banestone, but he is determined that he will never go back to the prison. He would rather hang. Despite this, he actually keeps in touch with some 'pals' from the prison via messenger, and is probably more aware of what's going on inside Banestone's prison community than almost anyone else in the city. This information could be useful to some persons.
ALINIA VALEROSE, L6 Halfling Female +3STR 11(+0)     DEX 17(+3)    CON 14(+2)    INT 13(+1)      WIS 12(+1)     CHA 10(+0)HP: 45AC: 14 (Leather Armor)Traits: Lucky, Brave, Halfling Nimbleness, Stout Resilience, Watcher's EyeLanguages: Common, HalflingDefense: Leather Armor; AC 11 + DEXOffense: Shortsword, +7 to hit; deals 1d6 +4 piercing; Finesse, LightTools: NoneSkills: Athletics +4, Insight +5Background: Alinia Valerose is a member of the City Watch. A halfling from Lederra's Rest, Alinia saw combat during the Draconic attack. She saw friends and comrades fall to the dragonborn invaders, and has developed a deep hatred for the dragonborn race. Currently assigned to the Watch House in Lederra's Rest, Alinia has been considering entering the City Militia where she feels she could do more good.Secret Info: Alinia Valerose is a very, very angry woman. She is a powderkeg waiting to explode, she would just need the right kind of provocation. If she encounters dragonborn, or lizardmen, the chances of her giving in to her violent impulses are markedly increased. And although her fellow watchmen are aware of her feelings, they would support their comrade if violence erupted which could make life very difficult for her 'attackers.'
BARA THE BREAKER, L8 Human FemaleSTR 19(+4)     DEX 11(+0)    CON 10(+0)    INT 13(+1)      WIS 11(+0)     CHA 14(+2)HP: 59AC: 10 (Unarmored)Traits: ToughLanguages: Common, Gnomish, Thieve's CantDefense: NoneOffense: Unarmed Strike; +7 to hit; deals 1d4 +4 bludgeoningTools: NoneSkills: Deception +5, Intimidation +5Background: Bara the Breaker is one of a handful of female prisoners locked away in Banestone. Thirteen years ago she was sentenced to 30 years for beating a lord's son to a bloody pulp in a Renero gambling den. Since then, she's become one of the most feared and respected inmates within the prison. The guards and other prisoners learned quickly, and painfully, not to try anything with Bara. These days, she seldom has to break anyone's hands thanks to her reputation. Bara has seventeen more years before she can leave Banestone. As far as the staff and other prisoners are concerned, those years can't pass quickly enough.Secret Info: Bara has a list of names in her head of the people she wants revenge upon. She's already punished some of those people. She has friends and allies outside the prison, willing to get their hands dirty for her. And Bara's revenges are never as dull as mere 'murder.' No, she's more thoughtful than that. It's possible that newcomers to town might draw her attention and become embroiled in her revenge schemes. Or, unwittingly, be hired to protect her target, which would make them Bara's enemies. And Bara never forgets or forgives her enemies.
DERROL BRAEDER, L12 Human MaleSTR 09 (-1)     DEX 09 (-1)    CON 08 (-1)    INT 10 (-0)      WIS 09 (-1)     CHA 06 (-2)HP: 51AC: 09 (Unarmored)Traits: LuckyLanguages: Common, HalflingDefense: NoneOffense: NoneTools: Cards +4Skills: Arcana +4, Insight +3Background: Derrol Braeder is a wealthy old human man who resides in a modest Silver Hill residence. In his youth, Braeder worked for a number of adventuring parties as a servant. Adventurers seldom prepare for their deaths and when his employers died, Braeder helped himself to their belongings and loot. Over time, he acquired quite the pile of riches. Enough to afford a comfortable lifestyle in his golden years.Secret Info: Derrol Braeder possesses a cache of magic items, mostly enchanted weapons and magic rings. But he also has, locked away in a magical safe, a Deck of Many Things. This is the only Deck in the world.
EZENN QUIRNT, L12 Male Half-ElfSTR 10(+0)     DEX 14(+2)    CON 14(+2)    INT 16(+3)      WIS 10(+0)     CHA 13(+1)HP: 76AC: 13(Ring of Protection)Traits: Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, Skill VersatilityLanguages: Common, Elvish, GnomishDefense: Ring of Protection, Rare Magic Item, +1 bonus to AC and saves.Offense: Rapier, +6 to hit; deals 1d8 +2 piercing; FinesseTools: NoneSkills: Acrobatics +6, Investigation +7, Insight +4, Performance +5, Persuasion +5Background: Ezenn Quirnt is the owner and manager of The Ticklish Pickle, a brothel on the edge of Renero and Silver Hill that caters to very specialized tastes. Although a genial host, Ezenn is utterly ruthless when it comes to protecting his business and his employees. More than one troublemaker has learned that the rapier Ezenn wears at his hip isn't merely for show.Secret Info: It's not widely known but there are secret tunnels beneath the Ticklish Pickle, connecting the brothel to Moontree's sewers. The tunnels are used by smugglers and black marketeers. Ezenn allows the smugglers to store some of their goods in the basement of the Pickle, for a modest fee and first access to any unusual items that come into the city. If his link to the black market was exposed, Ezenn would face some very bad consequences.
GELTIR OMTEG, L9 Forrest Gnome MaleSTR 12(+1)     DEX 19(+4)    CON 13(+1)    INT 15(+2)      WIS 08(-1)      CHA 14(+2)HP: 49AC: 14 (Unarmored)Traits: Darkvision, Gnome Cunning, Natural Illusionist, Speak with Small BeastsLanguages: Common, GnomishDefense: NoneOffense: Poisoned Darts; +8 to hit; deals 1d4+4 piercing and 1d8 poison dmg; Finesse, Thrown (20/60 ft).Tools: Poisoner's Kit +4; Thieves' Tools +4Skills: Acrobatics +8, Stealth +8Background: Geltir Omteg is a recent arrival in Moontree. A forest gnome from western Nur, he has come to Moontree to determine the fate of distant relations. During the day, he has been making the rounds of various temples and hospices, asking after his family. At night, he retires to a smallfolk inn located in Medorrna.Secret Info: Geltir Omteg is looking for the Hakko family, but not because they are related to him. He is an assassin, an exile from the Everwood, contracted to kill the Hakko family by their professional rivals. Omteg is very good at what he does and his reputation has preceeded him to Moontree. The Black Glove has made overtures to him to remain in the city, but Omteg has not responded to their offer.
IKORI, L14 Female Hill DwarfSTR 14 (+2)    DEX 12 (+1)   CON 10 (+0)   INT 08 (-1)      WIS 08 (-1)     CHA 14 (+2)HP: 87AC: 12 (Leather Armor)Traits: Darkvision, Dwarven Resillience, Dwarven Combat Training, Tool Proficiency, Stonecunning, Dwarven Toughness.Languages: Common, Dwarven, OrcDefense: Leather Armor; AC 11 + DEXOffense: Warhammer; +7 to hit; 1d8 +2 bludgeoning; Versatile (1d10)Tools: Mason's tools, Vehicles - LandSkills: Athletics +7, Intimidation +7Background: Ikori is a professional bodyguard. She's plied her trade from V'resh to the Draconic Empire and beyond. She may not be the brightest person in the room, but how smart do you have to be to weild a warhammer? More importantly, to her clients, she's loyal and keeps her mouth shut. She's been in high demand since the Draconic attacks and has tucked away quite a bit of money. At the moment, she's bodyguarding a merchant from Graelforge, but once the contract is up, she's thinking she might buy a little dairy farm in Lederra's Rest and hang up her hammer.Secret Info: Ikori has a diary. In that diary, she records everything that happens to her and her clients. Some people might be very interested in her diary, either acquiring it or destroying it. If its contents were ever made public, quite a few merchants might find themselves bound for Banestone.
MARKO IRONLACE, L3 Human MaleSTR 08(-1)      DEX 07(-2)     CON 10(+0)    INT 12(+1)      WIS 11(+0)     CHA 14(+2)HP: 16AC: 08 (Unarmored)Trait: City SecretsLanguages: Common, GnomishDefense: NoneOffense: NoneTools: NoneSkills: Performance +4, Persuasion +4Background: Marko Ironlace was the son of craftsmen parents killed during the Draconic attack on Moontree. Marko survived but was left a crippled orphan, forced to live on the streets of Redsnake.  A bright youth of 13, Marko survives by telling stories. During the day, he can be found in Carnet Square, sitting near the fountain, watching the world go by. At night, he finds refuge in Dezba's, a local inn, where he entertains and distracts the guests with stories from Moontree's past.Secret Info: Marko sees and hears a lot from his vantage point in Carnet Square. He could be a good source of information about the community, and about the guests at Dezba's.  He's also something of a local mascot, and anyone trying to intimidate or rough up the crippled boy could find themselves facing a lot of angry locals.
MAZUREE ORELLO, L9 Female HumanSTR 14 (+2)    DEX 11(+0)    CON 11(+0)    INT 12(+1)      WIS 11(+0)     CHA 10(+0)HP: 48AC: 10 (Unarmored)Languages: Common, GnomishDefense: NoneOffense: Dagger; +4 to hit; deals 1d4 piercing; Finesse, Light, Thrown, Range 20/60.Tools: Disguise kit +4Skills: Stealth +4, History +5Background: Mazuree Orello is one of the most skilled morticians in all of Erishur. Her ability to make a ravaged body suitable for public display verges on the uncanny. Some say she is blessed by Rovelek, but Mazuree dismisses this. She is simply patient, precise and creative.Secret Info: Mazuree Orello is a member of a secret group called the Theatre of the Dead. They meet in the graveyard and allow restless spirits to possess them and reenact some pivotal scene from their life as a kind of benign exorcism. The spirits of Erishur are very protective of the Theatre, particularly Mazuree who is a natural medium. If she were ever threatened or harmed, they would act to defend or avenge her.
OSRIM SH'VAN, L14 Half-Orc MaleSTR 16(+3)     DEX 08(-1)     CON 17(+3)    INT 16(+3)      WIS 13(+1)     CHA 12(+1)HP: 115AC: Traits: Darkvision, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks Languages: Common, OrcDefense: Chain Mail; AC 16, Min STR 13, Disadvantage on StealthOffense: Warhammer; +8 to hit; deals 1d8 +3 bludgeoning; Versatile (1d10)Tools: Dice +5, Vehicles - Land +5Skills: Athletics +8, Persuasion +6Background: Osrim Sh'Van is a half-orc mercenary from V'resh. The company he belongs to was hired by Moontree to bolster the city's defenses until they could be repaired. Osrim spends most of his time in the Celnimeir District, with his fellow mercenaries. Occasionally, he'll venture into Renero or the Old City, but the locals aren't very welcoming of half-orcs. The company's contract with Moontree is about to expire and, if offered a renewel, the company would vote on whether or not to accept it.  Osrim would probably vote against it, as he would prefer to return to V'resh.Secret Info: Osrim Sh'Van is the illegitimate son of a V'Reshi Orc noble. This isn't common knowledge as Osrim would prefer to shield his father from the scandal of having a halfbreed son. If some unscrupulous person were to become aware of this fact and try to extort money from Osrim, or hold him for ransom, they would find themselves in dire straights. Not only would his mercenary company come to his aid, if his father or his father's allies learned of this they would dispatch military forces to Moontree to retrieve Osrim, regardless of the cost to the locals.
REPARA TYE, L7 Female Quicksilver GnomeSTR 10 (+0)    DEX 11 (+0)   CON 13 (+1)   INT 10 (+0) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 15 (+2)HP: 45AC: 10 (Unarmored)Traits: Darkvision, Gnome Cunning, Improved Memory, Scholarship (History)Languages: Common, GnomishDefense: NoneOffense: NoneTools: Navigator's tools, Vehicles - WaterSkills: Athletics +3, History +3, Perception +4Background: Repara Tye is the youngest daughter of the Tye family. The Tye family are the lighthouse keepers in Northlight. Repara was at sea when the Draconic Legions attacked Moontree. When she returned, she joined the family in tending the light. A pretty, blonde gnome woman with silver eyes, Repara is well-known and liked in Northlight. Secret Info: The Tyes have a family secret that Repara has only recently become aware of; the women in her family are all priestesses of Rasha, Goddess of Light.  Over the centuries they have secretly inscribed magical runes all over the lighthouse's exterior. These runes act as powerful wards, protecting Northlight and the lighthouse from threats.
RORIE SESTIRI, L10 Human MaleSTR 16(+3)     DEX 17(+3)    CON 12(+1)    INT 12(+1)      WIS 10(+0)     CHA 16(+3)HP: 54AC: 13 (Unarmored)Traits: Ship's PassageLanguages: Aquan, Celestial, Common, ElvishDefense: NoneOffense: Club; +7 to hit; deals 1d4 +3 bludgeoning.Tools: Navigator's tools +4, Vehicles-Water +4Skills: Athletics +7, Perception +4, Religion +5Background: Rorie Sestiri went off to sea as a young man and sailed all across Lore. He saw sights that few others have ever seen, met individuals both wondrous and terrifying. Eventually, though, travel wore on him and the sailor returned home to Moontree. He spent part of his savings to buy a share in a waterside tavern and squirreled away the rest. During the Draconic Invasion, he manned a boat that ferried people to safety aboard ships in the bay. The things Rorie saw during the invasion had a profound impact on him. Always somewhat philosophical, he developed an interest in religion. He began to read about the gods and took it upon himself to care for the multitude of shrines that dot Harborgate. Rorie can often be spotted in the early morning fog, standing on the docks near his tavern, murmuring quite prayers.Secret Info: Although he is not a proper priest, Rorie Sestiri's devotion has not gone unnoticed by the gods.  Although not a cleric his prayers seem to have more weight than most peoples and word has gotten around that if the old sailor prays for someone they're more likely to get an answer. It might not be an answer you like, but you'll get an answer.
YERA ARELLAC, L10 Female HumanSTR 10(+0)     DEX 11(+0)    CON 10(+0)    INT 13(+1)      WIS 15(+2)     CHA 10(+0)HP: 53AC: 10(Unarmored)Traits: ObservantLanguages: Common, HalflingDefense: NoneOffense: Dagger; +4 to hit; deals 1d4 piercing; Finesse, Light, Thrown, Range 20/60Tools: NoneSkills: Insight +6, Perception +6Background: Yera Arellac is the housekeeper of the Moontree Estate in Highgate. She is the most senior member of the remaining staff and, as such, takes her responsibilities to house and family quite seriously. Trespassers and uninvited guests are not welcome and Yera makes sure they get the message. She is aware that Lavic Moontree is still alive, and has sent letters to him informing him of events in the city, but has heard nothing back from him. Until then, she will defend the Moontree home and name to the best of her ability.Secret Info: In her youth, Yera lived on the streets of Renero and, for a brief time, associated with various adventurers. Most have died, but some have gone on to great things. She's kept in touch with many of her old friends, and, if pushed, she could reach out to some very dangerous people for help.

Lux Tenebris: Moontree - Part Two

Moontree covers about 45 square miles and has a population of approximately 20,460 permanent residents.  The population breaks down as follows: Humans 64% (13,094); Gnomes 11% (2,251); Elves 10% (2,046); Halflings 07% (1,432). The remaining population (1,637) consists of members of other races.
The city of Moontree was governed by the noble family of the same name for centuries. They were assisted by the Lord's Council, a group of individuals hand-picked by the Lord himself, as personal advisors, and the Chosen Council, which was comprised of individuals elected from the land-owning citizenry of the city.
After the death of the last Lord Moontree, the city was left without a formal ruler. The citizenry chose the paladin, Raul Sybrow, to rule them and his nomination was hastily approved by the surviving members of the Lord's Council and the Chosen Council.  Rumors persist of a surviving Moontree heir in Darkwater, a fact that various political factions have used to their advantage, to prevent Sybrow from being appointed the new Lord of Moontree.  Instead, at the suggestion of his wife, Lilah, Raul Sybrow has chosen to refer to himself as Steward of Moontree.  This has allowed him to get about the work of rebuilding and securing the city, while allowing the politicians to play their power-games behind the scenes.
The city of Moontree consists of fourteen distinct districts, as laid out on the map below.



A) Northlight.The northernmost of the city's districts it saw little damage from the Draconic attack.  Its residents consider themselves blessed. Their detractors sneer and remark that there is little in Northlight that would attract anyone. The district is named after the centuries-old light house that stands on the cliffs overlooking Silver Moon Bay, warning ships of treacherous reefs and rocks.
B) Graelforge.Originally called Grael's Forge, after a dwarf blacksmith that made the region his home, the area was once a center of industry and commerce. As time passed, though, the city's industries relocated and the neighborhood became largely residential, with little local industry or commerce of any importance. Grael's Forge has long since vanished, lost in a fire centuries ago, but dwarves visiting Moontree still journey to the site to offer small tributes to one of the finest blacksmiths the dwarven people ever produced.
C) Erishur.Originally known as Ehrith Eshur, which loosely translates to 'Pale Houses', Erishur is the site of the Temple of Rovelek and Moontree's oldest and largest graveyard. The neighborhood is largely residential, and the few businesses that remain in the area are connected to either the funeral industry or the Temple of Rovelek. Unlike other cities, undead have never been a problem in Erishur's graveyards, thanks to the care and dillegence of the local populace.
D) Silver Hill.A residential district that sprawls between Erishur and Renero, Silver Hill is the home to most of Moontree's wealthy merchants and traders. In addition to walled and guarded homes, Silver Hill is also the site of more upscale and discreet pleasure houses, taverns and gambling halls. During the Draconic Invasion, several homes in the region were burned, their owners slaughtered like sheep. As a result, the district has hired engineers to construct a protective wall around the neighborhood and hired additional watchmen to control access.  This has started to cause some friction with neighboring districts, as it has forced people to take longer routes to get to Erishur, Graelforge and Northlight.
E) Highgate.Occupying the highest hills in the area, Highgate is the home to Moontree's surviving nobility. The area was the target of draconic raids during the Invasion, and many of Moontree's noble families were wiped out by the invaders.  The surviving nobles have banded together, adopting a near-siege mentality, rebuilding and reenforcing the walls and wards that surround the district. Although grateful for the Sybrows during the Invasion, many of the noble families are now wary of them. Many consider their legacies threatened by the loss of the Moontree family and have banded together to hire adventurers to travel to distant Darkwater and bring young Lavic Moontree home to assume his hereditary responsibilities. Or, possibly, formally pass on the title of Lord of Moontree to a worthy successor.The Moontree estate is located in Highgate. It has been abandoned by all but a handful of faithful retainers, who steadfastly await word from the young lord. Gawkers are not welcome and trespassers can expect to receive a sound thrashing if caught.
F) Renero.The district's name translates as "New Town" and it was the site of the first expansion of the Old City, centuries ago. As such, Renero has a rather bloody history, considering the annexation of the land led to the Gnomeblood Wars and the Devastation of Redethal.In recent times, Renero was the site of Moontree's Artists Quarter, but today it is best known for its pleasure houses, taverns, inns, gambling halls and theaters. At the heart of the district, tucked away in a quiet, shady courtyard, is a monument to the original gnome tribes that called Renero home. Locals leave small gifts at the monument, hoping to appease any restless spirits that still linger in the area.
G) The Old City.The Old City was the site of the original colony, established by human refugees fleeing V'resh centuries ago. There's nothing left of the original city now. It was completely destroyed by the Devastation of Redethal. When the city began to rebuild, entirely new streets were laid out and the residents made a conscious effort to purge the Old City from their memories.Today, the Old City is one of the most densely populated regions of Moontree. It is the site of the city's government. The Chosen Council meets in the Great Hall of the Lord's Palace, which, despite the name, is not a residence but the home of the city's beaurocracy. The surviving members of the old Lord's Council meet in a private home near Harrier's Square, the largest public square in the city. The Old City is also the site of many temples, most prominantly the Temple of Abasha.
H) Harborgate.For a long time, Harborgate was a part of the Old City. However, about two hundred years ago, the areas residents petitioned for recognition as a seperate district and their request was granted. Harborgate is the site of Moontree's docks, harborworks and related industries. It is also a residential neighborhood, home to families of dockworkers, fishermen, sailors, etc. Although the area is considered a 'working man's neighborhood' it also has a strong spiritual side. Shrines to Arymat, Halab and Solat can be found all along the docks and it is the only district in the city to formally support a hospital and hospice run by the clergy of Anola and Halab.
I) Redsnake.This twisting serpentine district was known for its blood-red walls that acted as a defense for the Old City during the Gnomeblood Wars. After the wars, the area become known predominantly as a haven for criminals and underworld commerce.  The fortress known as the Arsenal was abandoned by the city and left to rot, becoming an eyesore and a source of deep disdain among Redsnake's residents. In recent centuries, Redsnake's reputation had improved. The effects of gentrification had transformed broad swathes of the district, but it was still considered a social hurdle in Moontree if one lived in Redsnake.When the Draconic Legions stormed the city, Redsnake saw the bloodiest of the fighting. It was in this district that Lord Moontree led the city's defenders to fight a holding action against the dragonborn. The legions gave no mercy, but neither did the folk of the city and the streets and gutters of Redsnake ran crimson with gore and blood. Most of the city's militia fell at Redsnake and the district was put to the torch.Today, Redsnake has bounced back from its burning. The sounds of new construction echo through the streets at all hours of the day, and many displaced persons have found new homes in the shadow of the Arsenal. The old fortress itself is seeing new life, as it is being torn down and rebuilt, to become another part of Moontree's more layered, comprehensive defenses.However, not everything is well in Redsnake. Undead have started to become a problem in the district and there is a strict sundown to sunrise curfew in effect.  Restless spirits prowl the dark streets and, more often than not, people who wander outside are not seen alive again. The city is working with various temples to address the situation, but clerical resources are stretched thin at the moment, leaving the folk of Redsnake to cower indoors and fear the night.
J) Merrol.This sprawling district was the industrial heart of Moontree. It not only housed the majority of the city's industrial facilities, but it was the site of the major guildhalls as well as a prominant Temple of Neka. The Draconic Legions consigned most of the district to fire, although they were careful not to threaten the Temple of Neka. The city made the restoration of Merrol a priority and a great deal of money and resources were invested to restore the city's industries. This allowed Moontree to begin processing raw materials that sped the repair of most of the other districts.However, even though Merrol is thriving, large parts of the district remain charred ashes. Scavengers poke through the rubble looking for anything of value and many individuals who lost their livelihoods now survive by digging through Merrol's rubble and selling what they find in the markets.
K) Medorrna.Medorrna was a largely residential district, where many of Merrol's laborers and craftsmen called home. The district was populated predominantly by gnomes, who fled south to Krake when the city's walls were breached. When the residents of Medorrna returned, they found their homes reduced to ash and rubble. Some left, but many remained and began the lengthy process of rebuilding.Medorrna has a bit of a repuation among certain circles within the city. Rumors persist of secret tunnels built beneath the neighborhood that lead to hidden caches of treasure.  Most folk dismiss these stories as whimsical fantasies, but quite a few people have descended upon Medornna hunting for its fabled treasures.
L) Lederra's Rest.Lederra's Rest was the newest district added to the city before the Draconic Invasion. Originally a farming community, Lederra's Rest was absorbed into Moontree at the request of its residents. Thinly populated by local standards, Lederra's Rest is known for its farms and dairies.  The area is also known for its graveyard, now the second-biggest in Moontree.  In fact, the original farming community was named after the first person to be interred in the local graveyard, a young gnome woman named Lederra.Many of the local farms were raided by the Draconic Legions, but there was remarkably little loss of life among the locals. Most took shelter in the forests, south of the city, or fled to Krake. They returned to find most of their livestock dead or stolen, but their homes mostly intact.
M) Banestone.This district is named after the prison standing at its heart. Banestone was designed by dwarven engineers. They claimed that the site of the prison was cursed and ill-fated, referring to it as Errenor in their native tongue, and refusing to physically build the prison. They even returned half their commission to the city, just to illustrate how strongly they felt about the matter.Whether Banestone is cursed or not, it certainly has a reputation. The suicide rate among prisoners and wardens is unusually high. The land surrounding the prison is used as a burial ground, and unmarked stone obelisks denote the presence of each prisoner's grave. At night, locals whisper that the tethered spirits of dead prisoners can be seen, writhing above their gravestones.Besides the prison, Banestone is largely residential with a smattering of local commercial businesses. Most households in the district have at least one person working at the prison, or connected to it in some way.When the Draconic Legions invaded Moontree, they seemed to avoid Banestone. Perhaps it was dumb luck or perhaps the place's reputation preceeded it. In either event, even though they did not attempt to take the prison, the district was badly damaged when the Legions set fire to the city. Banestone itself, however, was unaffected.
N) Celnimeir.Moontree's easternmost district, it's name meant 'Welcoming' and it was the first sight that land-bound travelers got of the city proper. As such, Moontree made an effort to put its best foot forward. The district was largely commercial, offering services and goods that would be of interest to weary travelers. Some of the finest guesthouses, inns and taverns were found in Celnimier and the city watch kept a strong presence in its streets.Celnimeir received the brunt of the first attack from the Draconic Legions. They easily overcame the district's antiquated defenses and used it as a springboard to attack other parts of the city. Most of Celnimeir's population was killed. Some were initially spared, used as slave-labor by the invaders, only to be executed later.  Only a handful managed to escape, and most of the district's survivors lost at least one person to the invaders.Today, most of Celnimeir remains a burnt wasteland. The protective wall has been rebuilt, mostly with materials salvaged from the district itself, as a stopgap until more secure defenses can be constructed. Most of the mercenary companies that Moontree has hired make their headquarters and barracks in Celnimeir and there is a strong city militia present as well. As a result, the tone of the neighborhood has changed quite a bit.There has been some reconstruction of businesses and homes within the district, but not to the extent that other sections of Moontree have seen. Also, a thriving black market has sprung up in Celnimeir providing illicit drugs and services, mostly to the mercenaries.  The city watch and militia are aware of this and are keeping a close eye upon the situation. Rumors persist that the Black Glove, a notorious criminal organization, has established itself in the district.

Lux Tenebris: Moontree - Part One

           Seal of Moontree  Moontree is one of the oldest cities in Nur and it is the oldest city on the continent's west coast. It was established over twelve centuries ago by human refugees from the continent of V'resh.  When the humans arrived, they met the gnome clans who had lived in the region for millennia. It is highly doubtful the first settlement would have survived without the assistance of the gnomes.  However, relations between the two races would sour as the humans began to expand their colony into gnomish territories. Eventually, the gnomes would declare war on the humans and thus would begin a protracted conflict that became known as the Gnomeblood Wars.
            The Gnomeblood Wars lasted for almost forty years. Although the gnomes had superior numbers on land, and laid siege to Moontree for years, they had no naval power at all. The humans survived off of trade with V'resh and the Phoenix Kingdom and what they could harvest from the sea. Eventually, the war ground to an end. The humans, led by a battlemage named H'rin Sevov, allied with a dragon called Whitescale, to overpower the gnomes. In the end, only a single gnome tribe survived. Knowing they had lost the war, the gnomes invoked Redethal, the God of Destruction.
            Redethal answered their petition, laying waste to the entire region, killing everyone present. When travelers and traders returned to the area, they discovered the blasted ruins of the city and a countryside haunted by the tormented ghosts of those who had been killed by the God of Destruction. 
            Remarkably, a minor son of the Moontree family survived and pledged to rebuild the city.  Lanor Moontree and his heirs dedicated themselves to the task, which involved placating the restless dead as well as convincing folk to settle in the god-blasted region. It took centuries but Moontree was eventually restored to its former prominence and stature.
            However, as Moontree's material wealth and influence increased, there were concerns that the city's history would repeat itself. Lord Sarrel Moontree was aware of these concerns and whispers and worked to counter them, turning his attention away from the economic growth of the city, and toward more civic and diplomatic matters.  Lord Sarrel instituted sweeping legal reforms, guaranteeing the same rights and responsibilities to all citizens of Moontree, regardless of race or gender.  He invited paladins of Abasha, Goddess of Justice, to oversee the courts and empowered them to ensure that justice and fairness were observed at all levels of the legal system.
            It is Lord Sarrel who is widely credited with ensuring that Moontree did not remain as insular and closeminded as most of its neighboring communities. Indeed, Moontree became a haven for individuals who did not fit in with their families, clans and communities. The city established a reputation for tolerance and inclusion that no other city along the Gulf of Promises could match, and it became a haven for artists, poets and writers, as well as philosophers, radicals, heretics and revolutionaries.  And although Moontree never developed a significant college or university, its Artists Quarter became famous, and infamous, across Nur and V'resh.
            Moontree enjoyed a long history of prosperity and peace. And although the city maintained a strong navy, to defend against pirates and other nautical threats, its land-based defenses were not maintained as stringently.  As such, when the Draconic Invasion began, Moontree was caught by surprise as much as all the other cities in western Nur. They assumed that if the Draconic Empire was going to attack the city, it would be by water and so fortified their defenses facing Silver Moon Bay.  Their neglect of their terrestrial fortifications would have deadly consequences when the Empire attacked, not by sea, but by land.
            Led by General Akor Korkiri, the Draconic Legions marched across Nur and laid siege to Moontree with spell and sword.  The city's neglected fortifications were overwhelmed. The western fortifications fell and the dragonborn soldiers swarmed into the city. Lord Baris Moontree led the city's militia in a defensive battle, to give his subjects a chance to flee. His nobility cost him his life, but hundreds of Moontree's citizens escaped with their lives. Many fled by boat into the bay, while others ran south, seeking refuge in Krake.  General Korkiri set Moontree alight, then gathered his soldiers and their spoils and led them back east.
            It is widely speculated that General Korkiri's actions were not part of the Empire's formal battle plans, that his forces were dispatched with general instructions to harry local communities, to disrupt the morale of local populations.  The Draconic Empire never intended to hold Moontree, but attacked it as part of a larger strategy to destabilize the region.  If so, their efforts may have backfired.
            Moontree's survivors returned and began the process of rebuilding. Assistance and resources were provided from the neighboring communities of Krake and Astordo. With the death of Lord Baris, the only surviving son of the Moontree family is the youngest, Lavic Moontree, who currently resides in Darkwater and has no strong desire to return to the city. Needing leadership, the citizenry turned to Raul Sybrow, a paladin of Rasha, to govern them. He is aided by his wife, Lilah.
            Under the Sybrows leadership, Moontree has recovered far more quickly than anyone expected.  Also, unexpectedly, the city has adopted a war-footing, reaching out to its allies and trade-partners across the Gulf of Promises, hiring mercenary companies from V'resh to reinforce the city militia and contracting with dwarven engineers to repair and upgrade the city's defenses. The attack on Moontree has also had unexpected diplomatic and economic repercussions for the Draconic Empire.  Moontree's allies have invoked trade sanctions against the Draconic Empire and some, observing the Empire's actions in Western Nur, have expelled Imperial embassies from their own territories.