Location Descriptions – Chapter 1:
The Town of Karsthag
Karsthag:
It’s a quaint, lively town in the north-east of the Lantis Valley, and to the west of the Greenwood, a large forest of eastern Eriathra. Karsthag is a town of largely human population, however it has seen additions of gnomes, halflings, and the occasional dwarf as trade opened and a visit westward became more profitable as silver and gold mines began to open up close to the farming villages that once dotted the region. Now, the farming villages have been absorbed, and the farmers displaced further south to lands more fit for farming as mine opened up on lands previously farmed and overworked.
Outer town:
Many of the buildings here in the outer town are made of wood. On the eastern side, the buildings tend to be older, looking more worn, and as if they’ve seen repairs here and there. The buildings to the west are far newer, some far larger, as wealthy merchants have sought to expand the city. Old barns have been re-purposed as warehouses and factories, while the farmers have relocated to the south, where the lands are warmer and more fertile along the northern reaches of the Greenwood, the great forest that hides within it the tree-bound gnomish villages and halfling shires.
Marketplace:
The bustling market square is, in fact, not really a square. Four streets lead in and out of the marketplace, melding together to circle the central depression in the middle of the district. Shops and stalls line the streets, and ramps lead down to a second plaza, where traveling merchants have set up shop with their carts and stalls to advertise their wares.
Lord’s Keep:
A towering edifice of quarried stone on a hill to the north of the city, the castle’s large wooden gates stand open, revealing the spacious courtyard within, where a central fountain gurgles and bubbles, its central pedestal cradling a shimmering orb of blue crystal.
The orb of blue crystal is, in fact, magical, and holds the spell “Calm Emotions” within it. This is for the purpose of calming anyone summoned to the lord’s keep, or who comes with a petition, so that decisions can be made fairly and after calm debate. It bears a striking resemblance to the orb found in the ruins, and is in fact one that was found in the ruins of the courtyard. The orb was removed, but was quickly discovered to be cursed. Thus, Lord Vinnus Araton had his court mage summoned to banish the curse upon the object, thus preserving the relic and allowing it to be respelled.
Lantis Valley:
Lantis Valley Silver Mine:
Set into the side of the valley’s western hills, you see well-crafted wooden beams and stone pillars holding open what appear to be mining shafts delving deep into the hills. Sturdy wooden buildings stand clustered in a circle south of the mine entrances, where you can see the hustle and bustle of miners loading and unloading carts of tools and ore.
Ruins of Derevor:
As you journey further south-west into the valley, you begin to notice pieces of stonework mixed in with the roots of trees. The boulders here are not as round as you would expect, and some of them look, to a trained eye, like quarried stone (granite) worn down by time and the elements. For the DM: It is granite with a limestone-based concrete and bits of shattered marble attached. This was part of a mortared stone wall, faced with expensive marble panels.
Between the trees, you begin to spot stone walls, and larger patches of stonework, not yet reclaimed by nature. An ancient fountain stands in the middle of the stonework, now dry and cracked. It is clear that this place has not been inhabited in decades, possibly centuries…
Castle Derevor:
Grand Hall:
A great hall lays spread out before you, miraculously still largely intact. Parts of the roof are crumbling, and some of the stone flooring has cracked and been chipped away by stones fallen from the roof. Stained glass windows fifteen feet high line the walls, casting a veritable rainbow of colours across the floor.
Twelve pillars line the hall, spaced every ten feet, holding up the ceiling twenty-five feet above. Though this does not appear to be a throne room, it does appear to be a hall of import. For at the far end of the hall, upon a marble dais, sits a pedestal cradling a misty blue orb, shimmering with magic.
Within the room are three rotting corpses, scattered about. One of the shattered windows has dark streaks of blood running down its panes, as if one of the miners tried to climb out the window, only to fail and bleed out from ripping his arms open through repeated attempts at escape. Another corpse sits against the opposite wall, where blood stains the aged marble, as if the man had bashed his head against it and shattered his skull. A third corpse lays in the corner, his cause of death unknown.
In the center of the hall, in front of the dais, lay four ancient skeletons, one facing down the other three. An ancient winged staff lays within reach of the skeleton that stands alone. And scattered within the remains of the other three are swords, shields, and pieces of chain armour. All utterly unusable after centuries exposed to the elements.
As you approach the orb and attempt to move or destroy it, you begin to hear a shuffling and creaking that doesn’t sound quite natural…
Roll for initiative!
Study:
Before you stands what appears to be a grand study, still largely intact. Though little in the way of fabric has survived, the tapestries moth-eaten and some scraps of fabric appearing suspiciously singed, the elaborate stonework has survived, along with ancient and rusted metal braziers, now empty, and an old wooden desk fit for a king. Crafted of sturdy oak, stained and polished to a rich, deep chestnut, it still retains echoes of its former splendor.
The King’s Desk: The desk has two drawers, two cupboards, and a hidden compartment visible with an investigation check of 18 or higher. Though an investigation of 15 or higher will detect that something about the desk is…off.
If you investigate the desk successfully, you find that there is a hidden drawer within the desk, one with an antique locking mechanism built into the metal inlay of the desk. A roll of 18 or higher with thieving tools will unlock the drawer instantly, or you can spend ten minutes working at the lock to open it, failing that.
Wine Cellar:
Dust hangs in the air of a room largely undisturbed by time. Dark stains litter the floor, not quite like blood, but of an eerily similar colour. Many wooden racks stand bolted to the floor and ceiling, carrying a smattering of bottles, some empty, some full, and some shattered. Worn glass litters the floor, concentrated around the dark stains. This was, at one point, a wine cellar. Upon further investigation, you see that in the corner of the cellar, there are two people in ragged clothes, huddled together.
But you note as you close the distance that these people are, in fact, no longer alive, for two ancient skeletons sit with their arms around one another. The smaller skeleton sits with its head resting against the ribcage of the larger skeleton. If Dusk makes a medicine check at advantage, she can determine that the skeletons look more elven than human. On the floor beside the larger skeleton, you find an ancient, tarnished, winged crown with a diamond and two large rubies embedded in it.
Bedroom:
As the door swings open, it bumps against a crumbling pile of rubble, unable to open fully, but more than wide enough for someone to slip inside. The interior is well-lit by bands of sunlight streaming inside.
Against the far wall stands what appears to be a bed, almost entirely buried in rubble. To the left, a wardrobe and ornately carved dresser lay on their sides, the wood splintered and rotting. Shards of glass from a shattered mirror
Covered in dirt and dust, and half-buried under pieces of shattered stone, you note that you can see the corner of a piece of carved wood. (Once dusted off) You find that it is an antique jewelry box with elven runes carved into the top, inlaid with now very tarnished silver.
Beast Nest:
The door stands ajar, hanging half off its rusted hinges, and you hear the sounds of chittering from within. Peeking inside, you see that the room is a cluttered heap of rubble, rat droppings, and scraps of fabric stuffed together to make a nest. On the floor, you see the rotting and half-eaten remains of five relatively recent bodies in ragged and torn labourer’s clothing. And sitting there, looking fat and happy, if dirty and scruffy, are four…rodents…of unusual size…
Roll for initiative!