Hold of Kul Moren

Hold of Kul Moren
Small City
Other Names: Clans of the Silverbeard
Political/Religious Affiliations: Church of Berronar (major); Church of Calphas (minor); Church of Clangeddin (major); Church of Cull (minor); Church of Dugmaren (minor); Church of Dumathoin (major); Kord (major); Church of Moradin (major); Church of Muamman (minor); Church of Ulaa (major); Cult of Erich; Cult of the Kul Kings; Cult of Mór Mac Iomhair.
Power Center: Nonstandard (clan elders).
Alignment: Lawful good
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Population: 6,000
Demographics: Mixed [84% dwarf (hill & high), 6% halfling (hairfoot), 5% human, 2% elf (urbanite & half-elf), 2% kobold, 1% other races]
City Type: Founded.
Fortified?: Yes; underground.
Epic?: No.
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GP Limit: 15,000 gp
Assets: 4,500,000 gp
Main Import: Livestock.
Main Export: Iron.
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Authority Figures: Kragg Arduun, Master Clanwarden of Kul Moren (male dwarf [high]); The Stoneheart Wizard, Master Arcanist of Kul Moren (male dwarf [hill]); Toryn Stonecutter, The Silverbeard, Clanwarden and Master Smith of Kul Moren and member of the Order of the Silver Hand (male dwarf [hill]).
Important Characters: Barendd “Colossus” Reusbloed, mute clanless dwarf warrior who has become a hero (male dwarf [high] [giant-blooded]); Brandon Raimer, local fighter and hero (male human); Jarwyn Eskan, weaponsmith (male dwarf [high]); Lidda Hilltopple, local rogue and hero (female halfling [hairfoot]), Neepnal, local druid and hero (male kobold); Tanhk, adventurer and a friend of the Stonecutter Clan [male dwarf [high]); Tebul and Ushbarte Jokulsson, employees of Stonecutter Works (male dwarves [high]); The Four Brothers, soldiers of Kul Moren (male dwarves [hill]) ~.
Organizations: The Chisel (guild), Glazers Guild (new, restricted), Glittering Brotherhood (restricted), Order of the Silver Hand, Stonecutter Works, and the Wardens of Kul Moren (the city's militia).
Dwaven Clans: Arduun, Coldrock, Culder, Eskan, Imar, Phal, Ruthar, Stonecutter, and Stone-Heart. (There are more but these are the major ones.)
Adventurers Welcome?: Yes.
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Notes: ~These were the four dwarves that the Order met on the road between Kul Moren and Mor's End, during the PCs journey that ended up in Pretensa.

Village of Redgorge

Redgorge
Village
Other Names: The Spellmason Hold.
Political/Religious Affiliations: Domain of Cauldron; Church of Bast (minor); Church of Brenna (minor); Church of Hades (major); Church of Jalivier (minor).
Power Center: Conventional (mayor).
Alignment: Chaotic Good.
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Population: 750
Demographics: Mixed [79% human, 9% dwarf (hill), 5% halfling (hairfoot), 3% elf (urbanite), 2% dwarf (high), 1% half-elf, 1% other races]
Fortified?: Yes; basalt stone (thick); these fortifications are as impressive as the walls surrounding Cauldron, towering over the village. The walls were built by Surabar Spellmason in a single week, with the use of powerful spells.
Epic?: No.
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GP Limit: 200 gp
Assets: 7,500 gp
Main Import: Foodstuffs.
Main Export: Iron ore.
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Authority Figures: Krank Qallar, local marshal, leader of the local militia, and member of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (male human); Sind Nebern, mayor of Redgorge (female human); Pragat Millak, bailiff (male human).
Important Characters: Alvyr Zanathor, head of the temple of Hades (male human); Ekaym Smallcask, well-known linguist (male human); Freadre ”Freddy” Winddusk, devotee of Jalivier (male half-elf); Gunnloda Smokepowder, local warmage and a member of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (female mul); Oliron Masht, village architect (male human); Rrhondaa, local druid and member of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (female kitt); Sirus Youngmay, avenger of Bast (male human).
Organizations: Disciples of the Bloodsun, Order of the Silver Hand, Strider of the Dawn, The Chisel (guild), and Warders of Law.
Noble Houses: Garthûn (dwarven), Masht, Nebern, Qallar, Smallcask, and Youngmay.
Adventurers Welcome?: Yes
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Notes: See page 58 of DUNGEON Magazine #104 for a map of the Village of Redgorge.

Town of Duvik's Pass

Duvik's Pass
Small Town
Other Names: Plague Town (nickname)
Political/Religious Affiliations: Dominion of Cauldron; church of Bast (major)
Power Center: Nonstandard (guild), Conventional (watch captain)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
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Population: 2,000
Demographics: Mixed (80% human, 6% dwarf (hill), 5% halfling (hairfoot), 2% elf (urbanite), 2% kobold, 2% half-orcs, 2% elf (forest), 1% other races.
Fortified?: No
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GP Limit: 800 gp
Assets: 80,000 gp
Main Import: Foodstuffs.
Main Export: Silver.
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Authority Figure(s): Fenton Telmendon, Captain of the Watch (male human).
Important Characters: Azryn Kraghammer, ex-slave soldier (male dwarf [hill]); Devilo Winterwolf, a cartographer and an innkeeper, runs The Walking Stick (male elf); Dina Pepperwood, local wizard and adventurer (female human); Fulgar Anderwall, local fighter and adventurer (male dwarf [hill]); Lily Samual, Mistress of Bast and local healer (female human); Malina, local rogue (female half-elf); Miles, local warrior for hire (male human); Nellia, local sorceress (female tiefling); Willard Angolsire, member of the watch (male human).
Organizations: Mining Council, Town Watch, and Warders of Law.
Adventurers Welcome?: Yes, but watched carefully.
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Notes: Duvik's Pass is a town described in the free online adventure, The Burning Plague, which can be found on Wizards of the Coasts website. This version of Duvik's Pass is set after that adventure. The plague was stopped, but not before a large number of the town's populace has either died or left for more hospitable lands.

Since the invasion by the armies of Flamerule the town's population has increased once again, and many of its former residents returned to fight the invaders. With the help of the Order of the Silver Hand the armies of Flamerule were ousted and the town freed.

Cauldron on Kulan

Cauldron City
Small City
Other Names: City of the Silver Hand
Political/Religious Affiliations: The Dominion of Cauldron (capitial city); Church of Jalivier (patron deity); Church of Baervan (minor); Church of Bast (major); Church of Boccob (major); Church of Brenna (minor); Church of Calphas (minor); Church of Clangeddin (major); Church of Hades (major); Church of Hansa (cult); Church of Kord (major); Church of Mussin (cult, in hiding); Church of Sanh (minor); Church of Yondalla (major); Cult of Bharrai; Cult of Kharash; Cult of Sealtiel.
Power Center: Conventional (lord mayor).
Alignment: Lawful Good
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Population: 7,500
Demographics: Mixed (80% human, 8% halfling (hairfoot), 7% dwarf (hill), 3% elf (urbanite), 2% other races).
City Type: Founded.
Fortified?: Yes; the city is built inside the inner bowl of an unnamed, dormant volcano. The city is surrounded by wall of black malachite. This wall has been damaged, and isn't as strong as it use to be.
Epic?: No.
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GP Limit: 15,000 gp
Assets: 5,625,000 gp
Main Import: Armor and barding.
Main Export: Textiles.
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Authority Figures: Argo Flameheart, The Trúa, The Bloodsun, High Lightservant of the Church of Jalivier in Cauldron and leader of the Order of the Silver Hand (male human [axiomatic]); Hezekiah Grofus, The Archmagus, Lord Mayor of Cauldron and member of the Order of the Silver Hand (male human); Shötte, Captain of the Guard and member of the Order of the Silver Hand (male frost giant).
Important Characters: Amaryllis Greenbottle, member of the Order of the Silver Hand and leader of the Halfling Syndicate in Cauldron (female halfling [lightfoot]); Deven Myrzal, city guardsman (male human); Fulgar Crystalmantle, city bailiff and merchant noble (male dwarf [high]); Jacob Taskerhill, city magistrate, merchant noble, and Jester of the open faction of the Last Laugh in Cauldron (male human); Jasper Drundlesput, leader of the gnomish enclave of Jzadirune (male gnome [rockwood]); Jefferie “Redshirt” Knobel, minister of the Sun Sanctuary and member of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (male aasimar); "Lady Death," Jester of the hidden faction of the Last Laugh in Cauldron (female human); "Seggr" Karr'Toomba, warden of Cauldron and member of the Order of the Silver Hand (male human); Zachary Aslaxin II, high priest of of the Temple of Lordly Might (male human).
Other Characters: Abernath Vaine, rogue & wizard and member of the Order of the Silver Hand (male human); Beren and Seren, personal guards of Argo Flameheart and members of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (male and female humans); Jendy Aslaxin, Mistress of the Temple of the Cat (female human); Jeneer Everdawn, local gemcutter (male halfling [hairfoot]); Keygan Ghelve, owner of Ghelve's Locks (male kitt); Ophellha Knowlern, merchant noble (female elf); Sinclair, member of the Disciples of the Bloodsun (male half-elf).
Organizations: Disciples of the Bloodsun, Halfling Syndicate, Last Laugh Thieves' Guild (two factions, restricted), Order of the Silver Hand, Striders of the Dawn, The Chisel (guild), The Heartless (in hiding), and Warders of Law.
Merchant / Noble Houses: Aslaxin, Crystalmantle (dwarven), Drekan (elven), Garthûn (dwarven), Greenbottle (halfling), Grofus, Haljan, House of the Trúa, Knowlern (elven), Lathenmire, Linbak (halfling), Nebern (restricted), Silar (halfling), and Taskerhill.
Adventurers Welcome?: Yes, as long as their good-aligned
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Notes: This is the city of the Shackled City Adventure Path from the pages of DUNGEON Magazine (modified for my Lands of Harqual campaign, of course).

Distilled Prose: Postcard Narrative Assignment

Okay, here's another assigment that I did for my Distilled Prose class. It has three parts to it: 1) a 500 word narrative, 2) a 250 word revision, and 3) a 250 word rationale. I received a mark of 90% on this assignment. (Woo hoo!)

Dungeons and Dragons fans might recognize the name of the priest. Ruphus Laro is a background character from the Shackled City Adventure Path that was published in a series of DRAGON Magazines for 3rd Edition. The character's personality and flaws didn't fit my world so I changed them to suit the game, which, of course, is normal a part of gaming.

I guess you could call this "fan fiction," but gamers prefer to refer to such writings as "story hours." A story hour is fictional writing based on actual game play. However, this scene wasn't played out. It's fiction based on what happened in the game. Ruphus went on a journey "in-game" but it was never detailed. I knew what happened but I hadn't written it down in stone before now.

Still, it's more like fan fiction since I did not create this character. (Not that Ruphus is a primary D&D character beyond the pages of DUNGEON Magazine but it's still important to say.) Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. . .

A Priest Contemplates His Journey
500 Word Version
The doors opened and a young soldier entered the room from the vestibule.

“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”

The young priest of the Protector did not move a muscle as he knelt before the statue of his goddess.

“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied.

The young soldier left the priest to finish his prayers closing the door quietly behind him.

Ruphus of Cauldron went over the events of the past few months in his mind. The journey from his homeland had been arduous and long. He had been relieved to see the looming gates of the city of Tallawan appear over the horizon. The relief soon turned into sorrow as he passed through the gates of the city and saw the conditions in the city.

The citizens of the city were a beaten down people living in abject fear of a race of creatures that were more like beasts then men. The people shirked from the streets as he and his escorts walked through the city towards the temple dedicated to the Protector. The city was on the verge of collapse. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins from a dozen assaults by the beast men.

It had taken Ruphus over three weeks to gain any sort of trust from the city's populace. Hours of ministering to the sick and wounded had helped but his skirmish with the beast men outside the city had been the real turning point. He had been asked to help treat an outbreak in one of the nearby villages.

The beast men had come out of nowhere.

The battle had been quick and brutal. The beasts wore savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons with jagged edges. They showed no mercy attacking both soldiers and villagers alike. Ruphus had balked when he first saw their true forms. The beasts were catlike creatures with long, sharp claws and teeth.

Ruphus had looked into their faces and couldn't help but see the face of the Protector but twisted into a horrid form. One of the beasts had jumped him and only the instinct to protect his life had saved him. He had skewed the beast with his sword but not before it had clawed away half his face including his left eye.

Ruphus let out a breath of sorrow as he opened his good eye and looked up into the catlike visage of Bast the Protector. The attack on the village had occurred over two weeks ago. He still wore the scars of the cat-man's claws across his face. He had underestimated the creature's ferocity. It was a mistake he would not make again.

“Now I understand why you chose me to make this journey, goddess. I have always doubted my own ferocity. I have always felt out of place at home. Here, I have found my purpose. I'm Ruphus Laro, battle priest of Bast.”

Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to join the soldiers going to war.

250 Word Version
“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”

“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied kneeling before the statue of the Protector.

The soldier left him to finish his prayers.

Ruphus mentally went over the events of the past few months. The journey from his homeland had been arduous. He'd been relieved to see the gates of Tallawan. His relief had turned to sorrow as he'd passed through the city's gates.

Its citizens were living in fear of nearby beast-men. They'd shirked from Ruphus as he'd walked through the city. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins. While hours of attending to the downtrodden had eventually helped Ruphus gain their trust, it was his skirmish against the beast-men that had mattered most to them.

He'd been asked to help treat a sickness in a nearby village. The beast-men had appeared out of nowhere. They'd worn savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons. They'd shown no mercy.

He'd balked when he'd seen their catlike forms. He'd seen the Protector in their forms. Then a beast-man had jumped Ruphus. Only his instincts had saved him. He'd killed it but not before it clawed his face.

Ruphus opened his good eye and looked at the catlike visage of the Protector. The attack had occurred several weeks ago. His face still wore the scars. He'd underestimated it. He would not make that mistake again.

Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to go to war.

Rationale
For this assignment, I decided to write something fictional based on a fantasy world that I designed for the Dungeons and Dragons game. Ruphus is a background character from a series of adventures that I ran. Therefore, I felt comfortable using him as the basis for a short narrative.

I began by visualizing how he would view the city of Tallawan as he first came upon it. I knew I wanted the city to be beleaguered, so it was easy for me to understand how the character would react. The encounter he had with the cat-men greatly changed him.

Ruphus' goddess is the Egyptian deity known as Bast. This mythic figure is usually depicted in the form a cat-headed woman. Therefore, it was important to connect the savage imagery of the cat-men to the priest's divine patron. This savagery is also reflected in Ruphus' physical and emotional scars.

While the initial writing was easy for me, it was a lot harder to cut the narrative down to 250 words. Compressing down narrative writing irks me as it always feels like I'm cutting away part of a character's personality. Removing his dialogue at the end of the narrative was very difficult for me.

The character's point of view is the key component of how I wrote this narrative. He is looking back on his journey remembering the important details. It is important to note that this journey is a much spiritual as it is physical.

Distilled Prose: Dialogue Exercise

I got another assignment back tonight. I received a mark of 85% on this one as well. Anyone who has read my World of Kulan Story Hour will recognize these characters. It was easy to take characters that I already knew and use them as the basis for this assignment.


The Trouble With Dragons
“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk said shaking his head.

“It might help you deal with what happened.” Bactra replied. “It's not every day someone gets swallowed alive and lives to tell about it.”

“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk repeated emphatically.

“Just be glad we were able to cut you free after we killed the beast,” Dvalin said. “A dragon's stomach would be a terrible place to spend your last moments of life.”

“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk pleaded.

“Yeah, I think you mentioned that already,” Mesik added with a grin. “It's too bad the dragon didn't swallow your pride too.”

“That's the trouble with dragons,” Bactra said with a laugh. “They aren't chew-sy about their food.”

“Oh Gods,” Dabuk groaned. “Save me from my friends.”

Character BiosBactra RedwindBactra is an elf from the forested city of Woodknot. He is a wizard and the son of a tailor. He has traveled the world extensively. He seeks hidden arcane secrets in the lairs of beasts and lost ruins. He is mirthful and fun-loving.

Dabuk Tigerstorm
Dabuk is a half-elf who was born in the wilderness. He is Bactra's cousin and the son of a famous hero. His mother was killed by an ogre. He seeks revenge against all ogres for her death. He is moody and jaded.

Dvalin Thunderstone
Dvalin is a dwarf from the mountain city of Milo. He is a stout warrior and the son of a soldier. He has lived as a trader and as an adventurer for a long time. Therefore, he is often the voice of reason amongst his friends.

Mesik Tindertwig
Mesik is a halfling whose background is mysterious. He is a skilled thief and mapmaker. He seeks the comfort of friendship to block out the mistakes of his past. He is often jovial one minute and forlorn the next. He is Dabuk's mentor.

Something From Class

Here is something that I wrote during Distilled Prose class. It was a simple exercise in Description.

Kellin's Hands
Kellin scraped the rot from his enlarged fingers. He worried over the warts and blemishes across the backs and washed the taint of years of blood and gore from his palms. The left thumb blistered from sword strain; the right pinky twisted from an ancient break. He washed them twice more hoping to reveal their true form. They remained cursed ogre hands as they always did. He sighed in resignation as he gloved them in the black leather of the manticore he slew over a dozen years ago. He could almost see their lost human form through the haze of broken memory. He buckled the last strap, pulling it tightly. He should have washed them again as he noticed that lingering itch on his left index.