| DALENPORT: PLACES OF INTEREST Argus' Mercantile Location: Residential/Buisness district. Low/Middle class neighborhood. Close to docks. Description: Two-story, narrow, somewhat dilipidated structure. First floor shop: left of entrance is a low counter which the shopkeeper uses as a desk and from behind which he conducts buisness. The shop is neat and ordered although a tad dusty. Second floor is the shopkeeper' s living quarters they are as orderly as the shop below although they seem sparse in comparison. The living quarters are furnished with a bed, nightstand, writing desk, and a locked cabinet. Wares & Services: The shop is a mercantile/pawn shop and therefor carries a large selection of wares. i.e.(candles,a few bolts of cloth,jewelry 'most of which is costume',utensils,lamp oil,some tools,rope,maybe a few weapons) A little bit of everything. Items tend to be of mediocre to poor quality. Once in a great while something of superior quality will turn up. What will draw characters however will be the shopkeepers hobby. He collects books, charts, and maps. Some of which he offers for sale in his shop. His most prized pieces (perhaps including a rare spellbook) he keeps in the locked cabinet in his living quarters. He also offers his services as a scribe/cartographer. His reading and writing skills are superb. However he is lacking in his skill as a cartographer. Other/Special: Argus is also employed as an accountant/fence by a local band of thieves. Stolen merchandise is kept in a cellar accessable by a trap door beneath a rug behind the counter on the first floor. The ILL-Omened Albatross Location: Buisness district. Very Close to docks. Description: Single-story, medium sized, run-down, shanty of a building. Sign over the door depicts a merchantman vessel sailing in rough stormy seas. If anyone looks closely the vessel bears the name Albatross. The "door" is a beaded entryway which is the only thing between the interior of the tavern and the elements. The tavern itself has a dirt floor the center of which is dominated by a large brick-lined, soot-blackened, firepit. Around the pit are a collection of mismatched tables and chairs of rather poor quality and condition. At the back of the common room of the tavern is a "bar". The "bar" is actually a large piece of unfinished lumber 18"*80"*2" placed on 2 stools about 48" high. The whole monstrosity has a large homespun tablecloth draped over it. Behind the bar are several shelves containing several mugs and tankards of various descriptions and materials. Underneath the bar set 3 or 4 tapped kegs resting on blocks of wood o keep them off the floor (health codes you know). Centered directly behind the bar is a short hallway (12')with 2 doors on either side of it at the end. The one on the right leads into a small storeroom where product is kept. The door on the left leads to a small office that can double as a small cozy meeting room. The office is furnished with a desk and 3 chairs. The desk has 4 drawers one of which has a false bottom that is only accessable by removing the entire drawer, flipping a latch on the back of the drawer and removing the small trayinside. This tray contains the life savings of the proprieter of the establishment. Wares&Services: This tavern caters to longshoreman and sailors as well as anyone else who might frequent the docks area. It serves a variety of local brews as well as grog. Food is generally not served here though sometimes on paticularly blustery or stormy nights may whip up a kettle of chowder. Notes: The Ill-Omened Albatross is owned by a woman (named?) whose husband was a pilot aboard the merchantman Albatross which was lost at sea some 9 winters ago. The clientale of the Albatross is generally neutral towards strangers. Fresh faces are always present and all races are generally accepted though rich or nobility would probably cause some commotion not that anyone of that status would visit such a dive. The Albatross would be a good place to gather news or rumors of foriegn lands due to the nature of its clientale. The Witch's Brew Location: Just outside the Central Market in the "old" part of the city. Proprietor: Derminaid Stuber Description of the Building: A single story building that is a little run down. The ground floor contains the shop, the roof top is used to grow plants and the cellar is a living quarters. Unknown to many, there is a secret passage that connects to some underground tunnels that Derminaid uses to gather mushrooms. Description of Services: This shop contains any home-made remedy you could think of. Walking into this shop would remind you of a typical witch's home. Everything from a bubbling caldron in the fireplace to a caged raven near the shop's window. All along the walls are shelves containing potions that are not marked and do not seem to have any organization. The effects vary from potion to potion (all of which are non-magical). The more uncommon the ingredients, the more costly they are. For very special customers (and ones that keep their mouth shut), she has more potent potions in the back (magical). Other: Origionally, this shop was called the Mystical Merrigold but as Derminaid got older and the children got meaner, the place became known as the Witch's Brew (the children painted over the old sign). Though Derminaid fixed the sign many times, she eventually resigned to the new name. She replaced the bright, cheerful interior with something a little more witch-like. Derminaid Stuber: Derminaid is an older, unremarkable woman that lives by herself. No friends call on her and the children are afraid of her. If asked about her to the other town folk, they would scratch their heads and wonder why they don't seem to remember where she came from or would just walk off and mutter something like "fool woman". Though she is never hostile, she is never friendly. Unknown to everyone, she is actually a praticing witch (in the hidden tunnels). The Temple of the High Mystery Location: The temple is located underground in a series of natural caverns located near the docks (the lower ones are filled with water). Every tunnel that leads directly to the temple (there are three) is magically hidden and powerfully warded. Anyone who breaks through the wards sets off an alarm that the temple’s inhabitants immediately detect and inacts a cloaking spell which makes the temple and everything within it invisible. Description of building: the entrance is a large stone portal (4 yds high) in a large cave beneath the city of Dalenport. After the entrance there is big hall with various statues and murals of Wendarvor and the main heroes of the faith. The appearance of this part of the Temple and the rest of it is VERY, very gothic (Something in the style of Luna's Cathedral, for those who have played Mutant Chronicles, or like Notre Dame's cathedral in Paris, but minature in comparison). After this hall there are a set of double doors that lead to the Main Temple, a big room with more statues and murals, some seats for the older mages, a circle for the cerimonies, and a circular altar in the centre of this circle with an ilusionary version of Wenvardor in his traditional dark purple robes. From this room there are doors that lead to the private rooms, where all the mages that contribute with the Temple live and make their experiments in their personal laboratories, to the Library of the Low an High Knowledge, full of mundane and magic knowledge, to the kitchen and the dinner room, and to the High Lorekeeper room. The High Lorekeeper room has also a secret passage to the Vault of Artifacts, place where the mages store some important magical itens. All the Temple's windows emit colored light magically, since it is underground. Description of Services: the Temple offers a bed and food to every wizard (even to a few non-wizards) who wants it and who will help the Temple. The Temple also serves as a place of testing of new magicks (in the Circle) and creation of new magic itens. But the most important feature is the Library. Wizards who contribute to the Temple can use this fantastic source of knowledge as they please, althoght it takes several days to find very specific knowledge. Other: the actual dirctor of the Temple (called the High Lorekeeper) is named Altorian Mengenal, and, althought Wenvardor has no priests, serves in all respects as Wenvardor’s religius leader in Dalekeeva. Altorian is a great wizard, and he specializes his powers in adivinatory magic. He always carries his magical staff Starbringer, that can bring miniature-sized stars to protect him and attack his enemies, and that supposedly posses a small part of Wenvardor's mind inside it. Other important characters include Patrus Gortmund, an old Battle Wizard who now works as the Guard of Knowledge. He's a bit old now, and sometimes he even forgets his own name, but he's the only person in the world that can find ANY book in the library. He's also said to have killed a Daemon Prince alone and without magical itens, only with his magic. Ghyuoid's Armory Location: Central Market, almost bordering the government property. Description of Building: A fairly well-kept building,
with a steel floor (Ghyuoid smoothed down all the
spills). The place is a virtual furnace, because when he
ain't selling things, Ghyuoid's restocking. A large, 5000
pound furnace in the center, about 10 feet in diameter.
The whole room is about 30 feet across, by 40 feet wide,
with an entrance to the north, and a backdoor to the
south. Next to the furnace is a water trough with a
network of steel pipes which capture the steam and put it
into a tank which in turn freezes the steam into water
and sends it back to the trough (his own invention). He
has racks lining the walls and the floors, which are
almost completely filled with a myriad of weapons. Description of Services: Ghyuoid sells the finest in steel and iron weapons, and can make special orders in virtually every kind of metal. Due to the fine quality of his works, they are proven to be tougher in battle, but 2 or 3 times the price of ordinary weapons and armor. Ghyuoid (no last name available): Ghyuoid is a tall, burly, man in his early fiftees who has muscles of steel and a sharp mind. Nobody has of yet successfully cheated him in anything, but his rugged looks make him look like easy prey. He is slow to anger, but, once angered, BEWARE. He once punched someone so hard they flew 15 feet and through a brick wall. Although that was nearly twenty years ago, have no doubt that he could do it again, if you can irritate him enough. The Place of Kliafani Location: in the residential-business area, near the richer parts. Description of Building: the Place has a small front door with a small inscription saying "THE PLACE OF KLIAFANI: GEMS, JEWERLY AND EXOTIC ARTICLES" (the fact that there's not an image to describe the Place's functions denotes the high status of his clients, considerring that most of the inhabitants of Dalenport are iliterate). After entering the shop, the visitor is in a small room filled with beautiful workings of gold, silver and precious stones side by side with strange (but expensive) articles like dragonscale armor, basilisk's eyes, plats and perfumes from faraway lands etc. The ilumination is blue during the day because the windows glass are from that color, and by the night the shop is iluminated by various lamps of colored glass. There's a small door leading to a small workroom were Kliafani does his jewerly and cuts his gems. In this room there's a stair that leads to a second floor that only has a big room that serves as ining room and sleeping room (Kliafani doesn't need a kithchen, since she likes to eat raw meat, not a strange habit in a Mysteene). Also, in her working room there's also a secret trapdoor that leads to a big room with a big table with many maps of Dalenport and the mansions of nobles and rich merchants. There are many closets full of thieving material in this room. Services: Kliafani is one of the best jewelers of Dalenport, and her works and exotic articles are a sign of status between the nobles and rich merchants. What these clients do not know is that The Place serves as a small thieve's guild. Kliafani uses her contacts with the nobility and her ocasional trips to noble's houses when they invite her to a party to analyze their weakness and make her work easier. Also, the rich people would never suspect about her or think that there's a thieve's guild under their noses. Also, Kliafani has many important friends and she knows that the city watch will never inpect her shop. Other: Kliafani is small, even for a Mysteene, but she has a unresistible look, and even non-Mysteene are charmed by her completly black fur and her deep green eyes. She's the leader of the guild, who's composed by her and other seven thieves, beeing Fleuard Fireseeker, a human of unknown origin, Kliafani's trusted man (he's also her lover). Althought the guild is small and concentrates in a single activity (mansion robbing), the money they get by stealing these mansions is so much and the money the thieves contiribute to it (all of then work only with rich articles, and all have secondary jobs that give then a fair amount of money. For example, Fleuard is one of the finest winemakers and brewers of Dalenport, and his works are greatly appreciated by the higher classes) make the guild a rich one. Note: These "noble" thieves only steal from the rich, and sometimes they even give some money to the poorer. Most of then doo it because they like to do it or because they think that the rich have too much money. They'll never do dirty works like assassinations or extorsions. Xavier’s Connection Location: Near the center of the eastern residential area, away from the docks, in moderate living conditions. Description of the Building: This house looks just like every other house inside and out. It even has a plaque hanging on the front door engraved with the name Xavier. However, in a small closet there is a hidden lever (just move aside a section of the wall). If you pull the lever, the closet floor will open like a box lid to reveal some rough looking stairs which lead down into an unlighted tunnel. Following it, you will find that there is a maze of closed-off caverns down there, filled with all manner of thieves, cutthroats, and any manner of person who hides from the world above. Owner of House: The makeshift owner of the house is a lean but well-fed man who goes by the name of Xavier Stunn. He has an average job, and generally blends in with the crowd, so much so that nobody would suspect him of housing the criminal underworld. Connection: A "connection" is an entrance (usually within a building) to the city’s natural caverns (located near the docks). The city’s law enforcement has been looking for the connections for years, but have found none of the connections or caverns currently in use (the caverns below the city were sealed off when the city was founded). At least a dozen buildings, including businesses, are connections. Temple of Synad Location: In a poor, run down section of the town near the docks, so it can service as many people people who are sick as possible. Description of the Building: This temple stands out from the other buildings in the area because it is a full two-stories higher than the rest (it's three stories) and it is made a white-washed stone. Two white pillars mark the entrance, and upon entering, there is a large chamber with two staircases leading to a balcony, one on each side, twisting towards the center wall. Under that, there is a small corrider leading to the temple's treasury. On the balcony, there are eight doors, used as rooms for priests, and another staircase which leads to another sixteen rooms. The large room is a sort of congretory room, which the priests perform blessings and such. Description of Services: The Temple of Synad offers free healings, blessings, and cures for ailments. For a small tithe, they can also give out herbal packages (for self-healing), bandages, and speed up the mending process for scars and broken bones. For a substantially larger tithe, they can scribe scrolls, remove curses, remove scars and disfigurements, and also join limbs back together. For people who have been attending the congregations at least once a week for a whole year and give a gigantic tithe they can even perform resurrections for people who have died of all but old age. The Golden Shield Location: Near the center of the central market. Description of Building: The building has three
stories above ground and one below, is composed of large
granite blocks with rough, volcanic-like faces, and its
shape is purely square/rectangular and functional, but of
the highest quality. No windows are apparent on the
outside because the enterior is lit entirely by large
bright lamps which are kept burning constantly and vented
through the roof. The building is surrounded by a stout
iron fence which is spear tipped and contains only one
gate. Six attack dogs keep watch over the grounds between
the fence and building itself, ready on command to do
some serious damage. It gives one the impression of a
virtual fortress thinly veiled behind rich finery. The
walls, ceilings, and floors of the enterior are or
polished marble-like stone, sometimes partially covered
with large tapestries and plush, arranged carpets. The
first two floors are completely open except for counters
which surr und the central floor area. There is plenty of
room behind these counters for clerks to move and oversee
the purchasing of materials. Waist high doors allow the
clerks immediate access to the central floor area.
Special Merchandice is usually hung on the walls behind
the counter, but all else is arrayed on racks or shelves
in the central floor area. At the center of the floors
rests a large spiral staircase which offers access to all
floors but the basement and top floor and is wide enough
for three to walk comfortably abreast. The basement is
used for the storage of more perishable goods like
rations, for it keeps them cooler than the higher floors,
and things for the clerks or owners use. The top floor
contains a sort of museum of things not for sell and a
large open area services as a training area, where
classes are offered for weapon instruction. Description of Services: Anything a traveler needs is sold in this immense fortress of a building; leather goods, rations, weapons of all types, armor, tools, and other camp materials. The prices are high, but fair. Everything is of the highest quality, and many special goods are offered, some only to special clients. Requests can be made for goods not offered, and many smithies work for The Golden Shield to create even some stranger requests. Specialist are always on hand and clerks are highly trained and knowledgeable. Weapon classes are offered, but not cheaply owing to the skill of the instructors. A leather crafting workroom is stationed at the back of the first floor which customers can appraoch and resquest merchandice from, often even merchandice not offered if requested. Repairs are no problem. Repair services are also offered for weapons by request. Owner: Grent Baltrow, master smith, and middle aged dwarf with no family ties. A stern but agreeable proprietor with a full brown-black beard, brown eyes, powerful build, and yet farely large of girth, which only seems to add to the power of his presence. Other: The Golden Shield hires ships to transport goods from the dwarven lands of Chi' lore, which accounts for much of the quality. Dice & Daggers Location: In the Res.-Bus. district, in a more wealthy part of the town Description of the Building/s: The Dice & Daggers
is a large building with a black marble facade. When you
enter through the huge double doors, one decorated with a
picture of a pair of dice, the other with a pair of
daggers, you come into a room where you have to leave
your weapons. You'd better be well dressed, otherwise you
won't be allowed to proceed further. Next you enter a
corridor that runs in a square through the whole house.
There are several rooms, all well decorated and all
equipped to make the guests relax. There are bars, rooms
where you can get some lunch (prepared by some of the
best cooks of the town) and lots of gambling rooms where
different games are played. Description of Services: Different games of skill and luck, e.g. toad dice, a game where a toad sits in the middle of the desk and eats the dice of the players sometimes, because they are coated with fly scent. Excellent food & beverage (their wine cellar is said to be one of the best equippen in town). If you ask the right guys you can get many other services and noone will hear it. You can rent some room in the cellars and let it be equipped any way you like, they will find a way to get it. Other: Shara or the Black Widow is a former assassin
who was asked for a special service from Eilorria that
ended in a year long travel through the whole world. She
finally was able to fulfil the task and ended with some
hoards of treasures. So she decided to settle in
Dalenport and use her money to make others feel well (and
make more money) Gorgum's Location: On the Res.-Bus. very close to the southeastern city walls. Description: The front door is always new, making it a strange thing in the middle of a wall always covered by ash and half-burned. After entering, the main shoproom is full of things, some of then useful, some of then completly unuseful. ALL kinds of things can be found here, IF you're willing the dig for then. And all by half it's price! There's also a small backroom with some alchemical material inside. The second floor is where the owner lives. Services: as already said, almost anything can be found here, althought it is almost impossible to find it. Even a magical item or two can be bought occasionaly. The owner also interchanges itens with his customers if they have things that really interst him (considering that he is a dwarven alchemist, these can be pretty silly things). But the real special thing about the shop is that Gurgum makes experimental fireweapons (that's why the door has changed so many times), which he sells to an occasional adventurer (charging the full price). His weapons are always unique, and some don't even use gunpowder, but a strange powder he calls "Gorgum's Magnificent and Flashy Mixture", or GMFM. He charges very little for both powders, since he knows that his weapons, thought very damaging, can explode one time or two (he repairs exploded weapons without charge, althought the repaired one can be even more strange than the original). Note: The owner is called Gorgum (no one knows his surname), and he is a dwarven alchemist. He is STRANGE, and he changes his dressing style each week. He LOVES guns, not for they damaging effects, but for the KABOOMs and the KAPOWs! He's one of the most intelligent creatures in the world (althought no one, not even he, knows that), beeing blessed by Wenvardor (who makes shure that no one looks inside the alchemical laboratory. Gorgum leaves its door open every time he leaves it, but a strange wind always closes it). Gorgum never does magic in public, of course, and he only talks about his work with people that he trusts. The Salty Throat Location: Just before the eastern entrance to the central market. Description of the Building: The Salty Throat is a bar and an apartment of a more civilized, but non-exclusive sort. It rests inside a squat two-story building built of wood. Its length and width is large for its height, making for a great amount of enterior space. Half of the bottom level is a bar/restuarant area composed of two rooms. Upon entering, to the right rests the seating area, and to the left runs the long counter of the bar, and a wall behind it marks the beginning of the kitchen. Straight forward rests a row of rooms with a staircase to the far right leading to the upper rooms (30 in total). Each room contains two beds, a table, one window, and two chairs, with just enough room to walk around each. The only restrooms are outside of the building itself, two for each sex. Nothing is of rich quality, but the place is warm and cozy to the middle class. A small basement is excessible through the kitchen, which is where food and drink is stored. There are stables as well. Description of Services: The places supplies food, drink, and temporary housing. The prices are fair and most can afford at least a one night’s stay. Other: The owner is the bartender, a gray haired human man, with good looks and quiet demeanor, but stern enough when called for. Younger woman work the tables and an old large cooking lady runs the kitchen with a bad attitude. Rewis Taramar’s Location: in the southern hedge of the Central Market. Description: Nothing can be seen from the outside, because the glasses from the windows are old and scratched. There is a picture of a writing feather and a scroll in the door. The mood inside is very calm and contemplative. The place is organized, with heraldic badges and symbols decorating the walls. There are some shelfes with books, most of then dictionaries and heraldry books. There's a table in the corner with a lot of papers on it. There's a small storage room filled with papers, inks and feathers. Services: here's the perfect place to go if you want to traduce a foreign text, or to identify an unknown badge. But most people come here to write letters, since the owner writes letters and scripts to people who can't do it by thenselves, asking for a symbolic price of 1 copper piece {that's why it's near the Market, since poorer merchants tend to be illiterate). The owner's also a book dealer and a sage. Notes: the owner, Rewis, is an old and kind scribe. He likes books and he's willing to trade the ones he has (no spellbooks, since, althoght he doesn't dislike mages, it is too dangerous to own one, beeing magic outlawed) for money or other books, since he copies any book he gets so he can trade it later. Also, he is a sage specialized in heraldry and badges, modern and ancient, and ancient runes and symbols, beeing capable of identyfiing almost every one he can examine. The Wendarvites from Dalemport are considering the possibility of inviting him to become a wizard, althought this unlikely since he's very old. |