Town of Chasm

The descriptions below are keyed to the related numbers on the map above.

1) CHASM WAR MEMORIAL

– Description: A large but delicate stone archway spanning the (40′ width/25′ height) roadway emulates the Chasm bridge. There are no carvings or ornamentation on the arch/bridge: the verticals appear to be stylized cliff faces. Immediately beyond the arch the roadway splits around a large needle-like pillar. The pillar is seventy feet tall and twenty feet wide at the base, and is engraved with the names (10,000+) of Ramshorn soldiers who died during the battle of Chasm. Carved in the base of the pillar on all four sides are the words: “This site commemorates the loss of thousands of valiant soldiers of the Ramshorn Army and its allies during the Battle of Chasm. The battle was enjoined forty miles north of this site at the narrowest point of the Chasm pass during the final months of 551 A.K. The men and women of the allied Ramshorn forces died for our freedom: their courage is our beacon.” Construction on this large monument began in spring of 555, and completed in the spring of the following year.

– Proprietor/Staff: N/A

– Notes: It is rumoured that the Merchant’s council was pressured by Commander Merit to fund completion of this monument

2) IRON POST INN

– Description: A large (approx 200′ x 40′), sturdy, and new building, The Ironpost Inn is Chasm’s first and only official “inn”. Physically, the building appears as a large central two-story hall (60×40) with two “wings” (70×40 each) of rooms. Embedded in the center of the main entrance room is a metal post, protruding perhaps two feet from the ground and seeming fixed in the native stone of the floor. This is the “iron post” of the name: the post itself predates the battle of Chasm, shows no signs of aging or corrosion, and is believed to be of Dwarven origin. The lower floor of the building is constructed of mortared stone; the upper floor is wooden. The roof is slate. There are a total of nine washrooms with “running hot and cold water” plus a large communal bath in the buildings. This includes three suites with private baths, four shared guest bathrooms, and two “commons” washrooms on the main floor.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owners: Family of Bardingson

– Father/Husband: Olaf; 46 yrs old; 5’9″ tall; 165 lbs; Short black hair w/grey temples; short moustache; brown eyes

– Wife/Mother: Marta; 29 yrs old; 5’5″ tall; 115 lbs; long blonde hair tied in a bun; blue eyes;

– Son: Gent; 12 yrs old; 5’4″ tall; 135 lbs; long blond hair tied back; blue eyes;

Kitchen staff:

– Chef/Cook: Olga Murganstaldt; 62 yrs old; 5’6″ tall; 219 lbs; short grey hair; green eyes;

– Assistant: Diana Longshadow; 19 yrs old; 5’9″ tall; 120 lbs; short black hair worn “pageboy” style; brown eyes;

Housekeeping/Serving staff:

– Senior maid/serving girl: Celena Vestander; 39 yrs old; 5’2″ tall; 140 lbs; long blond hair tied in a bun; green eyes;

– Maid/Serving girl: Laura Stormbow: 21 yrs old; 5’10” tall; 130 lbs; long red hair worn loose; blue eyes;

– Maid/Serving girl: Glynna Shryksson: 20 yrs old; 5’8″ tall; 115 lbs; long black hair worn tied back; green eyes;

Other: Family of Fargesson

– Stablekeeper/Mother: Margaret “Peggy”: 52 yrs old; 5’2″ tall; 175 lbs; short, curly blond hair; blue-grey eyes;

– Bouncer/General Hand: Vane: 27 yrs old; 6’7″ tall; 350 lbs; short (brushcut) blond hair; blue eyes;

– Notes:

– Rates:

– Rooms: Common: 15 cp/night; Private room (room for 1-2): 1 ep 5 sp/night; Suite (room for four-six): 1 gp 1ep/night; Suite with private bath: 2 gp/night

– Stable: Stall and feed (normal horse): 5 cp; War/draft horse: 10 cp;

– Dining: basic meal: 5 cp; deluxe meal: 3 sp; extra-deluxe meal (I.E.: ocean fish, out of season vegetables/fruit): 5-10 sp; wine: 5 cp-15 cp (depending on quality); ale: 3 cp; whisky: 8 cp-12 cp

3) ARKLESON’S SHOP OF MAGICAL THINGS

– Description: This (approx 120×20) shop is actually a subletted space in a large (120×200), two story wooden warehouse. There are no ground-floor windows. A sign, perhaps two feet on a side, marked with the shop’s name in glowing red letters and depicting a wand touching a block of partially transformed lead (lead into gold) hangs over the door and into the street. A massive, brass bound, and heavily rune-inscribed wooden door with no obvious door handle bars the entrance. An ornately wrought brass doorknocker in the form of a demon’s face with a large nose ring seems to beg to be knocked. A small sign is sometimes placed in a holder above the knocker, indicating hours of business (“Closed until Tuesday: please try again later…”). The door and knocker show as magical to any detection spell cast.

Inside, a 40’ long section of the building accounts for the “shop” (the rest of the main floor is storage and living quarters, the upstairs is a magical lab). A counter, crossing the room from one side to the other, is directly opposite the door at the back of the shop area. Behind the counter is a wall with a doorway to the back part of the building.

All three available walls of the shop area are covered with “box” shelving, forming hundreds of cubby holes ranging in size from big enough to sleep a halfling comfortably to small enough for a box of matches. A ladder on wheels allows access to the higher cubbyholes. Some of the holes have doors, but the majority are open. Only about 10% of the holes have contents, but even so this accounts for over a hundred items for sale.

Arkleson’s shop sells, well, magical things. Aaryk has started his inventory with goods that he collected in his adventuring days prior to joining the military. A few magic weapons (a sword or two, some arrows, a bow, etc.), some strange amulets and rings, and some odd trinkets that no one can describe except Aaryk himself. In addition, he maintains an excellent stock of very competitively priced magic supplies (material components).

Quite often, another of Aaryk’s magical “finds” can be found behind the counter. . A magical servant of a most sophisticated sort, the tripod (see below) can understand requests, find and retrieve appropriate items, and make change. It can even bargain, using a chalk and slate kept behind the counter for this purpose. Apparently, Aaryk sets asking and selling values for all his goods, and the tripod has recorded all of these as part of its instructions.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owner: Aaryk Arkleson

– Aaryk Arkleson, Warrior Third Mark (ret.; decorated [Sword of Kolath] for bravery and success against a superior force); 54 yrs old (born April, 502 AK); 5’9″ tall; 170 lbs; Reddish-blonde hair w/thin scraggly beard; blue eyes; missing right arm, crippled right leg;

– Assistant/”Automaton”: ??

– Notes:

4) IRONVEIN’S SMITHY

– Description: A wooden assembly shop, approximately 60′ square, extends off a 60×20 solid stone smithy. The smithy itself is of perfectly fitted stone blocks, each approximately 2′ long, 1′ deep and 1′ tall. Three large furnaces, four anvils (including a Dwarven anvil), half a dozen “special project” weapons or armour and dozens of smaller repair or assembly jobs, along with all manners of specialized equipment, speak of a master craftsman and a team of skilled apprentices. This is not the place to come to have your horse re-shod.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owner: Gareth Ironvein

– Gareth Ironvein; Dwarven journeyman smith (a master by any human standards); 197 yrs old; 225 lbs; 4’2″ tall; Red hair and heavy beard (braided); blue eyes;

Apprentices

– Senior apprentice: Marbuk Orcrendson; Dwarven Novice smithy (a journeyman by human standards); 184 yrs old; 200 lbs; 3’11” tall; grey hair and heavy beard (kept short); Blue eyes

– Junior apprentices (human): Guntrum Firstfire(M; 27; 5’4″ 195 lbs; red hair and goatee); Tairn Ovardson(M; 31; 5’8″ 205 lbs; brown hair cut short); Inga Ovardson(F; 29; Tairn’s wife; 5’10” 185 lbs; long brown hair worn tightly bunned); Rothar Levarson (M; 32; 6’1″ 165 lbs; nearly bald, remaining hair is white)

– Novices: Harold (M; 19; 5’11” 205 lbs; long brown hair and scraggy beard), Othar (M; 17; 6’1″ 195 lbs; sandy blonde with wispy moustache), Iris (F; 20; 5’10” 195 lbs; short curly blond hair); Damon (M; 22; 5’5″ 175 lbs; black hair and short trimmed beard); Greld (M; 17; 5’10” 170 lbs; blond hair)

– Notes:

5) EVARD’S WAGONS, COOPERING, AND
FARRIERY

– Description: This large (250×80; 30 foot high) wooden-construction shop with pulleys and ratchet lifts is always busy with the repair of half a dozen or more wagons. Strange bands and cables that appear to be constantly in motion can be seen routed across the ceiling of the shop. These cables appear to power some of the equipment, particularly in the woodshop area. The main doors (20′ wide each [40′ opening], 20′ high) main doors at either end of the shop are usually open even in fairly cold weather. Two large stone forges, one each at either end of the main shop, are kept constantly heated. Evard’s can work on any carriage, cart, or wagon from the size of a pony cart up to a 10 ton, 12 hitch land barge. A large part of the shop is dedicated to barrel and shipping crate construction and repairs. Attached to the shop are two smaller buildings: one that acts as the office, a second for some other purpose that is not immediately obvious. In addition to the shop proper, which sits on 8 acres of land, are a small dirt paddock, a long stabling building, and an open 60×20 farriery shop. A small house can also been seen on the property.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owners: Family of Kaversson

– Father/Husband: Evard; 38 yrs old; 6’2″ tall; 295 lbs; long brown hair worn tied back, long moustache; green eyes

– Mother/Wife: Ardonna; 32 yrs old; 5’8″ tall, 130 lbs; long red hair worn in a single braid; blue eyes

– Son: Eli; 17 yrs old; 6’3″ tall; 190 lbs; long blond hair worn loose, blue eyes

– Daughter: Sybil; 14 yrs old; 5’10” tall; 165 lbs; short brown hair worn with bang over left eye; green eyes

– Daughter: Cleo; 10 yrs old; 5’2″ tall; 95 lbs; long red hair worn in a single braid; blue eyes

– Daughter: Iris; 8 yrs old; 4’6″ tall; 90 lbs; short blond hair; blue eyes

– Daughter: Violet; 8 yrs old; 4’6″ tall; 90 lbs; long blond hair, blue eyes (Iris’ twin)

– Son: Wolfgang; 1 yr old; brown hair, green eyes

Other: Svenga Brothers

– Wagon/cooper shop master: Rothar; 37 yrs old; 6’4″; 325 lbs; short brown hair and long moustache; brown eyes

– Farriery/Blacksmithy master: Othar; 42 yrs old; 6’6″; 410 lbs; long salt-and-pepper black hair; green eyes

Apprentices

– Apprentice Cooper: Tarak Rainrunner; M; 21 yrs old; 5’7″ tall, 245 lbs; long red hair and fine beard; blue eyes

– Apprentice Cooper: Celeste Diamondspar; F; 23 yrs old; 5’9″ tall, 190 lbs; short (brushcut) blond hair; green eyes

– Apprentice Farrier/Blacksmith: Vallan Candleson; M; 24 yrs old; 6’1″ , 210 lbs; short black hair and fine beard; brown eyes

– Apprentice Farrier/Blacksmith: Thor Paladinson; M; 21 yrs old; 5’8″, 180 lbs; long blond hair and braided beard; green eyes; tattoo on shoulder of rearing stallion

Miscellaneous Workers

– There are typically a half dozen transient or low-pay workers acting as grunt labour at the shop

– Notes:

6) DOMINA’S HOUSE OF JOY

– Description: a solid looking, well crafted, large wooden three-story home rests at the end of a quiet path through beautifully tended grounds. A modest wooden sign at the entrance gate proclaims “Domina’s House of Joy. Female companionship for Lonely Gentlemen.” If the weather is fine, two or three quietly conversing couples may occupy the flower-bedecked veranda. A large, liveried, unhappy looking bald man wearing a real-looking sword also usually sits on the veranda. He looks very attentive. Beyond the front entrance, a very elegant foyer opens on a main hall containing a sweeping set of stairs. An elegantly furnished sitting room to one side with an unobtrusive musician and available (but not inexpensive) drinks permits guests the opportunity to meet the available women and to share a drink or two before deciding on their preference. Rooms for more private pursuits are on the second and third floors.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owner: Taleya Domina

– Taleya Domina; 29 years old (or so she says: more likely in her late thirties); 5’11” tall, 145 lbs; long blond hair done up in complicated curls; blue eyes;
extremely attractive despite being surrounded by younger beautiful women. Taleya will only very rarely agree to service a client.

Bouncers:

– Talwin Zendersonson: 34 yrs old; 6’7″ tall, 375 lbs; bald; brown eyes; hugelymuscled, he appears to have no neck; usually dressed in house livery (Royal blue with silver trim); no apparent armour; a heavy “riot stick” and a wicked looking bastard sword; usually works at entrance or immediately outside

– Celeste Freechild: 29 yrs old; 5’4″ tall; 119 lbs; short-cropped blond hair, blue eyes; wears tight black leathers neck to toes overlayed with finely crafted black chain shirt and short “pants”; long Royal blue and silver tabard; carrys a heavy riot stick and two hand crossbows; usually works indoors amongst the clientele

Talent

– At any given time, there are between ten and fifteen young women of various descriptions at work in the house. All of the girls are healthy, with special precautions taken against disease and pregnancy.

– Notes:

7) TOAD’S HOLE

– Description: Toad’s Hole is large, disreputable looking wooden structure about one mile north of the inner town gates (further north than indicated on the downtown map). A large sign in front of the building depicts a huge toad with a ridiculous grin, wallowing in mud on top of an equally muddy and naked human female. It is in the heart of “shanty town”, where migrants, the poor or handicapped, former soldiers down on their luck, conmen, thieves, murderers, and miscellaneous criminals and the detritus of society of all stripes make their home. As such, the town laws or decrees do not appear to bind it: the Town Guards never seem to pay a call, at least. The building itself is in the shape of an octagon perhaps one hundred feet in diameter. It has a “main street” entrance on the Chasm Road, and an enclosed (12′ walls) and partially roofed back “courtyard”. Loud, often unpleasant music accompanied by the occasional sound of splintering wood or shattering glass can be heard from within. There are usually one or two former patrons lying on the ground outside the front door: sometimes they are quite literally “former”. Within, the place is rank in many senses of the word. Apparently ancient sawdust and rushes within which numerous surprises await coats the floor of the main room. Entered as soon as you walk through front doors, this “commons area” consumes perhaps the better half of the total floor space (100′ across, 60′ deep). Daylight seems a distant memory, as flickering torches, smoke, and oppressive heat from poorly ventilated fireplaces make the atmosphere thick. The stench goes without comment, although efforts are made to mask it with strange musky or perfumey incense. The center and side stages, which you must sit close to in order to see clearly, are as often as not home to live acts of the strangest sorts of physical and sexual perversion. Loud music is sometimes played by not merely one band, but as many as three. Beer and alcohol are cheap, almost free: quality is dismally poor, but all of the drinks are very strong. More robust drink, smoke, or injection can also be had, typically involving illegal or dangerous substances, and at much higher cost. Private booths, available for a small fee, are a necessity for any sort of intelligible conversation. Private rooms are also available, both for conversation and for other activities.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Owner: Tomar Blodstahl

– Tomar Blodstahl; merchant (member of the Merchant’s council). 55 yrs old; 6’3″ tall, 525 lbs; neatly trimmed black hair and goatee; brown eyes; dresses all in black; grossly overweight, usually carried around in a sedan chair by servants but seems to be able to walk with reasonable speed when the need arises.

Body guards (6 in total; all dressed in simple black armour with “Toad’s Hole” logo emblazoned on their backs. All are heavily armed. When escorting Tomar inside the town proper, they wear black tabards that cover the logo)

– Uthor Pandemon: 35 yrs old; 5’10”, 195 lbs; bald, heavily tattooed face and head; yellow eyes; sharpened teeth.

– Robert: 27 yrs old; 6’4″, 265 lbs, long blackhair, brown eyes

– Rollo: 24 yrs old; 6’2″, 245 lbs, short blond hair, blue eyes

– Othar: 21 yrs old; 5’8″, 200 lbs, short red hair, blue eyes

– Talwin: 22 yrs old; 6’1″, 235 lbs, short brown hair, brown eyes

– Hagar: 19 yrs old; 5’11”, 275 lbs, short blond hair, green eyes

Barkeep/Serving staff

– Bodnar: 64 yrs old, 4’11” tall (very stooped; spinal deformity); 175 lbs; sparse hair; crooked nose, very ugly

– Notes:

– Prices (legitimate goods): wine 1 cp; beer 1 cp; whisky 3 cp; meat kebab: 2 cp; stew: 2 cp; fried skins (?): 2 cp; pipeweed (mild narcotic ala marijuana ): 1 sp for a good hour long high

– Prices (questionable goods): lap dance 1 sp; resting head in lap, actively: 2 sp; quickie: 4 sp; room with a woman: 1 ep plus 1 sp for an hour; snort (strong, mildly addictive narcotic ala cocaine): 1 ep for 4 doses (about two hour long high)

– Prices (“illegal” goods): Available upon request

8) WINORA SKYMARKED’S MANSE

– Description: Situated along the King’s Parkway, an area that is becoming the residential district of choice for those with some coin to their name, is the home of Winora Skymarked, Wizard to the Town Garrison. A large, elegant tower perhaps 90 feet high and surrounded by 25′ walls, this building has a seamless, organic appearance and is made of some sort of translucent white stone. The main gates, each 15′ wide and 15′ high, are gilded, with a large “WS” worked into the center of each gate. A massive partially gilded white stone gargoyle sits atop each gatepost, appearing as a Wyvern or similar dragon-like creature. The tails of the carved beasts are crafted to appear to wrap around the gateposts. Between four and six large and very vicious – looking white mastiffs wander the grounds between the walls and the base of the tower. The courtyard has a lawn of strange but oddly greyish-green grass, unbroken by any trees or plants of any other
kind.

– Owner/Staff:

Owner: Winora Skymarked

– Winora Skymarked: 25 yrs old; 5’6″ tall, 115 lbs; long black hair; green eyes; very beautiful in all physical respects (lithe; could pass for an elf) except for strange facial tattoo over upper right side of face. The pattern is weblike and somewhat hypnotic: the effect is intriguing rather than off-putting. Winora tends to dress in revealing, clingy, and daring clothes and pulls it off due to her excellent physique. These clothes show the hallmarks of haute couture, or are at least good knockoffs.

– Notes:

9) GARRISON, LAW COURTS, AND
COUNCIL HALL

– Description: These buildings are still under construction (work started 14 months ago), but some occupancy is already taking place. All of the construction is in stone and is engineered and managed by a Dwarven crew hired from Kamun Dum, with most labour provided by criminals serving out their sentences. Several hundred persons are working on the project currently (Oct/Nov 556). Over a mile of 25′ stone walls replacing the original earthwork and palisade construction surrounding the complex are about 30% complete. The four story, 400×300 Great Hall (actually a small castle, which includes the Garrison quarters, Commander Merit’s quarters, the Law courts, and Council Hall) is about 60% complete. The foundations for the main 80′ towers and several outbuildings have just been laid. Within the last few weeks, sufficient work has been completed for Commander Merit to move himself and several of his officers to the main building.

– Proprietor/Staff:

Garrison Commander: Sigaurd Merit

– Sigaurd Merit: 38 yrs old (born in 518 AK); 6’5″ tall, 215 lbs; Raven black hair worn short, slight greying at the temples; brown hair; brown eyes; square jaw, clean shaven, ruggedly handsome; very charismatic, adored (nearly worshipped) by his men

Merit’s Men/Chasm Police Captains

– The Chasm Police are difficult to distinguish from one another due to their relatively consistent size, standard uniforms, and mandatory visored helmets. The police are never observed to remove their helmets, and all are disciplined as well as skilled warriors. All of the police wear glossy black plate mail armour with maroon trim. Their helmets completely cover the face from the nose up. The visor is solid, black, and is reputedly magical. However, their more ornate helmets (the visors are distinguished by a stylized eagle beak motif) and the four strips on their shoulders can identify the unit captains. There are rumoured to be between five and twelve such captains on the force. Usually one accompanies each group of three to five Police officers. The Captains carry
most of the special magical gear that is used in the investigation of crime and apprehension/trial of criminals.

Other staff

– Between fifteen and twenty five other non-construction people work at the garrison. Kitchen staff, cleaning staff, scribes, file clerks, armourers, and even a gardener work on the grounds.

– Notes:

10) TEMPLE OF OSFRIGGA

– Description: This simple one story (20′ tall) building, obviously originally intended as a warehouse or large shop, is marked by a sign depicting a bough of pine with three cones. This identifies the building as a Temple of Osfrigga. The building is well maintained and very clean, but not imposing or impressive at all. Some effort has been expended to make the grounds around the building more attractive with the planting of a goodly number of pine and spruce, as well as perennial flowers.

– Proprietor/Staff:

High Priest: Ceril Fletcher

– Ceril Fletcher: 38 yrs old; 6’1″ tall, 200 lbs; short black hair greying at temples; brown eyes. Pleasant, somewhat worn looking face (I.E.: a young Doctor McCoy). Occasionally brusque manner.

Other ordained staff

– Henga Svari; 27 yrs old; 5’9″ tall, 135 lbs; long brown hair worn braided; brown eyes. Plain looking but with an almost palpable empathy. Dresses and acts in a very austere, serious manner. Very efficient and calm under many unusual circumstances: exudes calm.

– Tarissa Wanderingtree; 1/2 elven; 53 yrs old; 5’4″ tall, 105 lbs; short red hair, green eyes. Tarissa possesses typical elven beauty, but also compassion that some of those with Elven blood lack. Generally wears light, flowing robes. Can often be found away from the temple helping people in the shanty town.

Lay staff/volunteers

– Yorge Orgreson: 56 yrs old; 6’2″ tall, 220 lbs; short cropped grey hair, blue eyes; facial scar partially closes left eye, noticeable limp. Yorge has the bearing and strength of a former warrior, but seems most content when doing simple manual labour around the Temple. Yorge does most of the yardwork, something that he particularly enjoys.

– Marta Bardingson (see Iron Post Inn)

– Notes:

11) ADELLE VERGRESON’S
ROOMING HOUSE