Travel over this treacherous mountain range is extremely dangerous. Its steep slopes and sudden drop-offs alone are enough to give any traveler pause. For this reason, very few people to its South realize that there is anything to its North at all!! The same could be said of those on the North as well. The Southern portion of this continent is a mystery to them. Some hardier souls and mercenaries have traveled these mountains, but they have said little about what they saw on the other side
DMs can people the surface of these mountains with any mountain dwelling creatures or people they wish. Travel over this mountain range should be made difficult, however. After all, it has separated this continent for centuries! The inside of the mountain, however, is home to very specific creatures.
Inside this mountain is where the Dwarves live.(see PC section for more info on Dwarves). Very few ever leave it. Centuries ago they were asked to protect Materna, a great golden dragon, and the eggs of the dragons by their god, Otho. They began digging tunnels. They have succeeded in making the inside of this mountain a maze of interconnecting tunnels. Some lead nowhere, some in circles. Those entering without a Dwarven guide are lost instantly. Someday "The One Who Can Awaken Her" will arrive and awaken Materna from her enchanted slumber (DMs prerogative as to who that is). Until then, she sleeps.
Inside this mountain, too, lives an Aboleth. This Aboleth enslaves other sentient creatures that cross its path. It is using its slaves to find Materna. It, too, is lost in the Dwarven maze. You see, its Dwarven captives have refused to talk. See the Monster Manual for more information on these deadly, intelligent creatures.
I will eventually have a map of the maze inside the mountain, but I don't know when it will be completed.
Tanenston is a town just south of the mountains. It is home to 2,000 people, not including the orcs and hobgoblins left by Loerth to guard the city.
THE INHABITANTS: The people of this town are primarily human. Like all other towns here, most of the mages guild consists of full blooded elves and the weaponsmith is a dwarf. The police force is waiting to attack from inside the guard when the time is right.
THE LAW: Upon entering this town, visitors are asked to surrender their weapons. If they refuse, their weapons are taken from them. Inside the town they'll see orcs and hobgoblins roaming the streets, armed. They enter and exit places of business unannounced. Aiding them are the town's police force. The Sheriff, Marino, sits in the jail most of the day, a figurehead who realizes he has no control over the town anymore. You see humans wearing stars and carrying swords patrolling as well. A hobgoblin or orc is never far behind, however, as Loerth doesn't quite trust local law enforcement to be totally loyal. Visitors who cause trouble, speak ill of Loerth, or offend an orc or hobgoblin in any way will find themselves quickly surrounded by 3D6 or more orcs, hobgoblins, and policeman (DMs can up the number for large or high level parties) Upon capture, they find themselves in jail overnight. Only those who speak against Loerth "disappear". They are generally executed as traitors. Those who escape must exit town quickly or be pursued mercilessly by the other guards.
THE NETWORK: Since Loerth has been ruling for four centuries, posing as his own successor each time, he has an intricate network of spies and snitches. Therefore, travelers will hear nothing uttered against Loerth anywhere. No one is ever REALLY sure who they are talking to. After seeing anyone who spoke against the king "disappear", people learned quickly to keep their own council.
This does not mean a resistance does not exist, however. There is an intricate "information gathering" network running throughout Southern Loerth. Each member knows the identity of exactly two people, their contact, and the one they are to contact. This protects identities. Most citizens belong to this group. This way, they can track Loerth's troop movement as well as what is happening in the rest of what they consider the world. The leader of this group is unknown to any of the members. Sir Wilhelm, General of the Locansville Knights began and leads this network. Even from his "retirement".
DEITIES: Recently, Loerth made a fatal error in this town. He decided it was time to convert the people from worshiping Leesha to Dari. The people resisted, so he ordered the temple raided and desecrated. His orcs and hobgoblins smashed every statue of Leesha, replacing them with statues of Dari. They covered her symbol with his, and smashed everything of value, murdering the elder and three other clerics. This infuriated the townspeople. Far from making them convert, it only strengthened their faith. They are in the process of replacing the statues and putting the temple to rights. The people are now listening intensely to the Network, waiting to hear of anyone moving against Loerth so they can join them.
Loerth's castle originally belonged to the man he killed four centuries ago in a barfight. Over those centuries he has slowly transferred his hoard to a secret lair underneath the castle. He just recently completed the move.
The castle is protected by orcs, hobgoblins, and mercenaries. (DM prerogative as to how many.) Inside the walls of the castle is a temple to Dari. There is also a small mage's tower for his personal mage and any apprentices he or she may have. He also moved the weaponsmith (a dwarf who is REALLY not happy with his forced change of venue) and armorer ( a human worshiper of Dari who could care less) from Loerth, the Capital City, inside the castle walls. There are a few other outbuildings inside the castle walls. The DM is free to configure the inside of the castle anyway they wish. I will, however, eventually have a map of the inside of the castle to post for anyone interested. I don't know when this will be completed. There must, however, be a Great Throne Room inside with three thrones. A great red covered throne with two smaller thrones beside it. The center throne is, of course, King Loerth's. The one on the left belongs to the orc chief in charge of those in the palace. The one on the right belongs to his hobgoblin counterpart . Everything is covered in blood red. The wall hangings, curtains, upholstery, everything. It looks like the room is bleeding. The halls and Loerth's room are covered in the same color. There should, of course, be a dungeon filled with prisoners from the towns and army who have revealed themselves to be "traitors" in one way or another. There is no retiring from Loerth's army, you leave in a pine box, one way or the other. The entrance to the lair should be well hidden, of course, and well trapped.
This gated city is only a short path from the castle. It has 5,000 inhabitants and is the capital city.
THE INHABITANTS: Since Loerth still distrusts humans, and most humans do not want to live so close to the castle, this town is primarily made up of orcs and hobgoblins. A few mercenaries hang around in town waiting to be hired by Loerth, but they are loyal to Loerth's money, if not to Loerth. Unlike most towns, the mages guild is mostly humans b/c Loerth REALLY distrusts elves.
THE LAW: No one is asked for their weapons at the gate. Most of the inhabitants are armed anyway. (YOU try taking a weapon from a hobgoblin!)In this town, Loerth is pretty much the law. His soldiers are there patrolling and whoever was the law before him has long since been forgotten. This is one town totally loyal to Loerth. No resistance here.
THE NETWORK: Does not exist here in this town. No one has even tried. Too close to the castle and to many non-humans. The few humans are loyal to Loerth as well.
DEITIES: Dari is worshipped exclusively here.
This town is the last to fall. It has 1200 people, not including Loerth's men, of course.
INHABITANTS: This town is much like Tanenston, in that most of its residents are human. The weaponsmith is a dwarf. That doesn't matter much b/c he has been shut down along with the armorer. The mage's guild is mostly elves.
THE LAW: Upon entering this town, visitors must surrender their weapons. Upon entering they will notice massive patrols of orcs and hobgoblins, most traveling with Locansville Knights. (see the link below for more information on these humans), whose numbers were decimated by the last battle. Most of the ranking officers are very young because of this. Loerth is currently still in this town. He is making his presence and position as their new King known with the heavy patrolling. He is also squashing the resistance against him, gaining allies, and recruiting for his army. The knights have joined his army, or so he thinks. Sir Wilhelm made a big production of retiring in disgust. What no one knows is that they plan to infiltrate the army and take it down from inside and they still take orders from Wilhelm, who is taking the time to go hunting with his grandsons. They are patrolling with the orcs and hobgoblins to "learn". Loerth is really having the non-humans measure their loyalty. So far, they have found no fault in it. Loerth is remaining in town long enough to recruit for his army. Then he will march to the castle with them as a show of force and training for them. He will march before lunch and train after.
THE TOWN: In this town there is a strict class barrier. Knights are the upper class, merchants are the middle class, and all others are the lower class. Other than the tavern, inn, and weaponsmith, there are three of everything. One for the knights and their families, one for the merchants and theirs, and one for the lower class. For example, there is a tailor that sells fine clothing, but you must be a knight or related to one to buy anything, and there is another tailor for the middle class and one for the lower class.
THE NETWORK: Is alive and well here. As a matter of fact, it was started here by Sir Wilhelm himself.
DEITIES: Other than the elves and dwarves, the people here worship Leesha exclusively. She is believed to have actually appeared to one of her few non-human followers here in the first battle with Loerth. She is said to have blessed the Elven mage Joran after the battle.
This town fell a month before Locansville. PCs do not know that it is very close to the elves, but can infer this from the extra elves in the town.
INHABITANTS: There are 1500 people in Kingsville, mostly, humans, with the obvious exception of the elves in the mage's guild and the Dwarven weaponsmith and armorer, both shut down, of course. There are, however, many more elves and half-elves in this town than in the others.
THE LAW: This, too, is a "Free City", meaning that all weapons must be left with the guards. In this town a version of the Locansville knights (follow link below for more information on these human fighters) were the law before Loerth took over. They wear silver colored armor, but other than that they copied everything exactly. The knights in both towns also aid each other when necessary. The General is Sir Joseph and they are also involved in the plan. They have infiltrated as well, though they are already at the castle, not in the army preparing to march out of Locansville. Loerth has left a great number of his soldiers, orcs and hobgoblins, to watch those in this newest town. He is making his presence known and each knight patrol is either accompanied or trailed by an orc or hobgoblin.
THE TOWN: In this town there is a strict class barrier. Knights are the upper class, merchants are the middle class, and all others are the lower class. Other than the tavern, inn, and weaponsmith, there are three of everything. One for the knights and their families, one for the merchants and theirs, and one for the lower class. For example, there is a tailor that sells fine clothing, but you must be a knight or related to one to buy anything, and there is another tailor for the middle class and one for the lower class.
THE NETWORK: This organization is alive and well here. As a matter of fact, Sir Joseph is Sir Wilhelm's brother.
DEITIES: There are two temples in this town. One to Leesha for the humans in the town. This is the largest and most visited because there are more humans than any other race here.
There is also a temple to Eliansa for the many elves in town.
Loerth is biding his time before attempting to convert these people to Dari. Once the uprising in Tanenston is squashed, his plan is to convert Kingsville next.
This lake marks the end of Flowing River. As the name implies, it is so clear and smooth that it acts as a perfect mirror. Some say it is filled with the magic of a scrying mirror and those blessed by Eliansa can use it as such. Whether this is true or a rumor is up to the DM.
Here lies the hidden Loerth Elves. Four Centuries ago these long-lived creatures decided against getting involved in the "human skirmish" going on around them. Humans were, after all, forever fighting and warring. At first, they simply chose not to get involved. Their brothers and sisters in town may choose to fight for their homes, but those still in the village were not getting involved. Then, Loerth began killing the dragons. This war was dangerous, causing forest fires and freezing things for miles. Not to mention the poisonous gas clouds and such. The elves began to fear for their continued existence. Of course, no one but a few of the elders knew who the rogue red dragon truly was. They just knew a red was systematically destroying its own kind.
They began tunneling under their beloved town. This was, of course, very upsetting to them. They did not want to live underground. They came up with a plan. During the day they lived in the trees above their tunnels. This put them closer to their beloved forest. At night, they slept in the claustrophobic tunnels. This may not have been ideal, but not one elf was killed by humans OR dragons. They hid in the tunnels when the fighting got too close.
This worked for four centuries. They have no idea what is happening on the rest of the continent, for those who chose to leave rarely return. Even the ones who leave under less than ideal circumstances do not wish to give away their families' location.
In game terms, unless the elves choose to make themselves known to the PCs, they can be standing in the middle of the town and not know it. The keenness of Elven senses guarantees that they will have gone to ground before the party arrives.
