Locations

The Echo Woods

The terrain of the Echo Wood is rugged and broken. The gentle
Juliver Hills marching along the eastern edge of the West
Sellen’s valley grow steeper and less forgiving as one travels
north toward the higher steppes of Numeria. The Echo Wood,
one of the higher spots in the River Kingdoms, isn’t boggy like
the forests elsewhere in the meandering Sellen flatlands. Many
small streams trickle through deep, narrow ravines, winding
their way westward to the West Sellen or eastward to the
Dagger River. In fact, foresters familiar with the Echo Wood
know the surest way to get one’s bearings is to find a stream
and follow it.
The Echo Wood takes its name from the unusual clarity and
confusing behavior of sounds trapped beneath the heavy
canopy. Most locals suppose it has something to do with the
hilly terrain or the types of trees and ground cover that prevail
in the area, but there is a more fantastic explanation: Some
small residual magic remains from the ancient spells of
concealment and illusion created by the outlawed Azlanti who
hid themselves here. Things are just a little harder to find and
a little more confusing within the forest’s shadows than they
ought to be. Even the most wood-wise rangers sometimes find
that a path they were seeking isn’t where they thought it was
or mistake the direction and distance of a companion’s cry for
help.
ECHOES OF ENCHANTMENT
The ancient magic lingering in the Echo Wood disorients and
confuses creatures unused to the forest’s ways. Travelers and
inexperienced loggers often report hazy mirages, strange
thrumming noises, and winding paths that change from one
visit to the next. Those who learn the secrets of the Echo Wood
soon become used to the strange, warped arcana permeating
the region, however, and popular folklore tells that people who
spend too long in the forest might even become a part of the
haunted woods.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The Echo Wood is a temperate mixed forest. Most of its trees
are deciduous hardwoods of various types, including ash,
beech, black oak, cherry, holly, maple, poplar, red oak, and
yew. A number of conifers, such as firs, red pines, and white
pines, can be found there as well, especially on the northfacing
slopes and in the drier, higher ridges. Groves of mighty, silver-
barked paueliels can be found scattered throughout the
eastern reaches of the Echo Wood, which are generally wilder
and less traveled than the western arm of the forest.
The Wolfmane barbarians regard the paueliels as sacred trees
and attack anyone they catch in the act of cutting one down,
although they allow timber to be harvested from a naturally
fallen paueliel.
Because of the hilly landscape, the forest understory is quite
thick in places. Dense thickets of laurel, rhododendron, witch
hazel, and various briars and berries choke the steeper
hillsides and ravines. Patches of nettleweed are common, as
are thickets of goblinbramble, a nasty and tough briar that
grows only in the Echo Wood. The goblinbramble is another
manifestation of the ancient spells that once guarded the
forest, and sometimes seems actively malevolent, growing
swiftly and strangling larger trees. More dangerous plants such
as assassin vines and quickwoods can also be found, but are
thankfully rare.
The forest’s wildlife is quite diverse as well. Ordinary animals
such as deer, beavers, squirrels, hares, sables, otters, foxes,
gray wolves, and black bears are all common; boars, elk, and
panthers are somewhat rarer. Large birds such as owls, hawks,
ravens, and woodpeckers are also found throughout the forest,
but smaller songbirds seem to be scarce, lending an air of
eerie silence to the entire place, interrupted only by the
chittering of small critters or the sudden takeoff of a murder of
crows. The Echo Wood is notorious for its population of
spiders, ranging from miniscule bramble spiders (named for
their thorny carapaces) to massive moon spiders, which are
pallid, round-bellied horrors that can catch prey as big as elk—
and the occasional woodcutter—in their sticky ground webs.
The more monstrous denizens of the forest include dire boars,
dire wolves, ettercaps, owlbears, and, of course, the giant
spiders. Travelers sometimes encounter the occasional forest
drake or lamia in the darker recesses of the woodland, or even
the green dragon Thelsterex, but such formidable monsters are
thankfully rare. Nevertheless, the Echo Wood can be a very
dangerous place for the unprepared to visit.
INHABITANTS
In addition to potentially dangerous game, the Echo Wood is
home to numerous monsters, bandits, marauding barbarians,
and tribes of evil humanoids. Kellid tribesfolk from the steppes
of Numeria often pass through the Echo Wood on their way to
raid the settlements of the River Kingdoms. Kobolds, ogres,
and even a few trolls make their lairs in caves or ruins within
the forest, and several prominent goblin tribes have attempted
to restore their lost empire of Zog in the scattered temples and
dilapidated forts throughout the woods. These goblin tribes are
typically ruled by a powerful goblin cleric or warchief, but a
few have fallen under the command of bugbears or barghests.
The Wolfmane tribespeople take steps to protect their villages
and sacred grounds, driving off any dangerous monsters or
aggressive raiders who venture too close. Likewise, the
Hunters’ Guild and the baron of Thornkeep’s guards make an
effort to watch the forest within a mile or two of the town.
However, the great majority of the Echo Wood is not patrolled
or protected. Travelers and explorers heading into the depths
of the forest take their lives in their own hands.
SITES OF INTEREST
The Echo Wood is a large forest crisscrossed by human cart
tracks, game paths, and old goblin roads that date back to the
Kingdom of Zog. Scores of small caves, dismal thickets, eerie
groves, and overgrown ruins lie within an easy day’s march
from Thornkeep. A handful of these ruins or caves are quite
extensive, and harbor long-forgotten treasure hoards rich
enough to tempt any would-be adventurer. Of course, few
hoards indeed are completely unguarded; dangerous monsters
lurk in the most promising sites.
ALEJIA’S CROSSING
Not far from the intersection of the Mosswater Road and the
Valley Road stands a small inn and taproom known as Alejia’s
Crossing. Alejia (female human) is a retired adventurer and
former outlaw who settled on a longabandoned farm. She
expanded the old fieldstone farmhouse into a small and
somewhat run-down inn, and hired on a couple of her former
associates to help operate the place. Alejia and her cronies
pass the days reminiscing about old times and exaggerating
the stories of their exploits, while the poorly paid and much-
abused staff does its best to keep the place running.
CASTLE BASKRAAL
Five miles north of Thornkeep lie the remains of an old goblin
citadel, Castle Baskraal. Located in the middle of a deep,
shadowed forest vale, this was one of the strongholds of the
Kingdom of Zog. It was largely destroyed by Lady Tarwynna’s
army almost 500 years ago. No goblin has dared to set foot
here since, but other monsters frequently infest the place. The
remains of the walls and crumbling towers shelter several
dangerous predatory creatures, including a nest of wyverns.
THE CRUSADER ROAD
Those zealous pilgrims who hope to aid Mendev’s crusade
against the monsters of the Worldwound typically travel north
via one of two routes—the River Road, which follows the
Sellen’s centermost tributary, and the Crusader Road, which
runs along the West Sellen. This latter road is the favored
target of the highway bandits, con artists, phony toll keepers,
and other underhanded thieves who populate Thornkeep,
which is but a stone’s throw away from the heavily traveled
path. After passing through the roguish town of Thornkeep,
virtuous crusaders making their way toward the demon-
infested lands of the north tend to feel further assured of their
righteous cause, while greedy mercenaries hoping to score
some coin in Mendev sometimes linger near the bandit
fortress, finding all the glory they ever desired among the
ranks of the Three Daggers or another of the town’s nefarious
gangs.
DISMAL CAVERNS
Easily one of the most extensive cavern systems in the Echo
Wood is the Dismal Caverns, located beneath a wooded ridge a
day’s march from Thornkeep. Though the whole system
stretches for many hundreds of yards, there are few grand
chambers, and the delicate features that beautify other cave
systems are noticeably lacking. Many of the tunnels and
chambers are wet and muddy, with low ceilings and floors
choked with forest debris and animal bones washed into the
cavern system during each year’s spring flooding. Most
explorers who have visited the Dismal Caverns return to the
surface world cold, tired, muddy, and generally dispirited.
ECHO CLEFT
About a mile upstream (northeast) of Thornkeep, Echo Stream
passes through a small gorge or draw known locally as Echo
Cleft. The stream flows noisily through a steep-sided rock
chute about 15 or 20 feet tall and only 10 to 15 feet wide.
Boulders and old snags create a series of pools and tiny falls
over a distance of a hundred yards or so. Most Thornkeep
residents think of Echo Cleft as a picturesque little spot, and
it’s popular with the town’s children in the summertime; they
tell stories that a clumsy outlaw spilled a whole bag of gold
coins in the stream here.
FORT RIVERWATCH
Ten miles northwest of Thornkeep, on the banks of the West
Sellen, stands the town of Riverwatch. Considered the last
settlement of the River Kingdoms before one crosses into
Numeria or Ustalav, Riverwatch is a bustling port for barge
traffic along the West Sellen. Mosswater’s destruction 50 years
ago left Riverwatch as the only port along the river between
Lockridge, more than 100 miles to the south, and the squalid
village of Dravod Knock 250 miles farther north. As such, it’s
the last outpost of civilization along the West Sellen River for a
long way.
Ninety years ago, the Knights of Iomedae established a chain
of small keeps along the wild stretch of the West Sellen to
protect pilgrims and crusaders bound for distant Mendev along
the western route. The knights established a garrison at
Riverwatch, and assumed responsibility for maintaining law
and order in the area. To this day, the knights are still the
effective authorities in the town, governing the settlement and
doing their best to keep the river and roads safe for travel.
The knights at Fort Riverwatch have no use at all for the
bandits and outlaws sheltered at Thornkeep, but the
Iomedaean garrison is small and overmatched—the best of the
knights are away in the north, manning the defenses of
Mendev. As a consequence, they have never had the strength
to clean out Thornkeep and put an end to its lawless ways, and
seem unlikely to muster the necessary troops anytime soon.
THE MISTED VAULT
An ancient ruin dating back to the days of the Azlanti exiles,
the Misted Vault is a series of subterranean chambers with an
entrance hidden in a hillside amid a jumble of boulders. A set
of weathered stone steps descends steeply into a deep cleft
between the rocks, and an ancient doorway surrounded by
faded runes lies at the bottom. For some unknown reason, a
cold, clinging white mist fills the cleft and the chambers
hidden in the hill.
MOSSWATER
The largest and most well known of the ruined towns in the
western River Kingdoms, Mosswater was abandoned 50 years
ago when a series of terrifying merrow attacks killed hundreds
and sent the survivors fleeing for their lives. Empty
warehouses and ivy-covered manors stand silently along weed-
infested streets beside Glow Water Lake. Wherever one
wanders in the ruins, the weathered bones of those who did
not escape the town’s doom crunch underfoot—a grim warning
to anyone who dares tread the haunted avenues and alleys.
Most travelers forgo the now-overgrown stretch of the
Crusader Road near Mosswater in favor of the safer Valley
Road to the east of Glow Water Lake.
The people of Mosswater fled or died in great haste and
confusion. They left behind warehouses and homes full of
valuable goods and the trappings of wealth. Some of those
killed before they could make their escapes also left hidden
caches of gold coins, gemstones, or magical treasures. Many
of these abandoned (or forgotten) treasures still remain in the
ruins of the town. Unfortunately, the ogres that laid waste to
Mosswater still lurk in the depths of Glow Water Lake, and
other dangerous monsters now live in the ruins. Worse yet, the
restless spirits of Mosswater’s slaughtered townsfolk
sometimes roam the streets after the sun goes down.
MURDOON HOMESTEAD
The Murdoons are a stubborn, pugnacious clan of freeholders
who live in a fortlike palisade several miles north of
Thornkeep. They get by with trapping, hunting, gathering nuts
and mushrooms, raising pigs, and tending a small garden plot
within their crude fortifications. The leader of the clan is Tunk
Murdoon (male human), a thick-waisted, broad-shouldered
bulldog of a man who spits in the eye on anyone who tries to
tell him what to do or how to live. Four of Tunk’s grown children
and their families live here, along with a couple of stray
cousins and in-laws who all share the Murdoon determination
to make a go of it with no help from anyone else.
OREENA’S COTTAGE Oreena Hollysong, the Druid
This is the home of Oreena the druid, a short, stooped,
whitehaired woman who has spent the better part of 60 years
wandering the paths of the Echo Wood and watching over the
forest. In her younger days, she battled endlessly against the
work of the most greedy woodcutters and trappers, recklessly
and self-righteously inflicting destruction upon entire logging
camps, mining operations, and hunting parties. Eventually she
forged alliances with the wise women of the Wolfmane tribe,
forgoing her ways of vengeance and instead cultivating the
barbarians’ custom of respect for the forest spirits.
Now she is working to instill a similar tradition among the
common folk of Thornkeep by quietly spreading the Green Faith
among the village’s farmers and foresters. Few suspect that
the grandmotherly Oreena is the same “Warden of the Wood”
who punished loggers and hunters with such ferocity a
generation ago.
PIT OF CHAINS
A steep-sided sinkhole surrounded by snarled thickets of
goblinbramble and dead trees, the Pit of Chains is the entrance
to a large set of subterranean caverns. A narrow flight of worn
stone steps descends around the side of the pit; rusting old
chains with hundreds of wicked hooks attached are anchored
in the pit walls, and sag across the open space. Old, rotting
corpses of goblins, humans, and folk of a handful of other
races hang from the chains or lie where they’ve fallen on the
pit floor. The smell of the place is ghastly.
SILVERSHADE LAKE
Deep in the heart of the forest lies a beautiful, hidden lake
surrounded by a magnificent grove of birches. This is
Silvershade Lake, one of the few truly fey places within the
Echo Wood.
SKULL-BASHERS’ DEN
The Skull-Bashers—a vicious band of ogres—plague the
outlying farms and homesteads of Thornkeep. Like most ogres,
they are lazy, sullen, violent brutes. The Skull-Bashers are
notorious for their habit of taking captives back to their cave,
bashing their heads in, and boiling the still-twitching bodies in
a huge iron kettle. The ogres are so fond of their “bone boils”
that they go to great lengths to avoid killing potential meals at
the sites of their raids, using nets, bolas, and simple flails
made of heavy rope to catch and subdue the hapless victims
for later stewing.
THELSTEREX’S CAVE Thelsterex the Dragon
The most dangerous dragon residing in the western Echo Wood
is Thelsterex, an adult green dragon. The fell energies that
permeate the Echo Wood have seeped into and tainted
Thelsterex, granting him a particularly nasty visage and
causing hard, spiky growths to sprout from his scales. Because
of his fearsome and unnatural appearance, the Wolfmanes of
the forest have taken to calling Thelsterex by another name:
Eruktul-Nabuk, or “Jaderazor.” His lair is a large cave at the
end of a ravine choked with briars and boulders. Any creature
lacking a dragon’s thick scales (or perhaps a suit of plate
armor) who pushes through the thorns is painfully scratched
again and again. Because of the terrain and the thick brush,
the dragon’s lair is very well hidden.
Thelsterex is an arrogant and jealous dragon who spends much
of his time searching for potential rivals and driving them out
of “his” forest. A few smaller and weaker green dragons skulk
about the Echo Wood (mostly Thelsterex’s younger siblings,
their progenitors having left the forest years ago), and
Thelsterex wants to make sure they don’t get the idea to try
establishing themselves here.
TOAD HOLLOW
One of the few truly swampy areas within the Echo Wood, Toad
Hollow is a poorly drained dell surrounded by low,
bramblecovered ridges. Cypresses festooned with hanging
moss stand in the stagnant, knee-deep waters of Toad Lake.
Toad Hollow is home to a reclusive tribe of boggards, who
make their homes in crude huts built on platforms around the
wading cypresses. The boggards are growing in number and
aggressiveness, and bands of boggard marauders and
scavengers are now a routine sight in the nearby woods.
While they rarely attack humans unless they outnumber their
quarry by a large margin, the Toad Hollow hunting parties are
now numerous enough to overwhelm a company of
woodcutters or a wellguarded caravan, and the boggard
priestkings are looking for opportunities to do exactly that.
WOODBRISTLE HOMESTEAD A Halfling and his war-dog
One mile outside of Thornkeep along the Daggermark Road lies
the large, fortified homestead of Divram Woodbristle (male
halfling) and his extended family. The Woodbristles are a
resourceful, tenacious clan of halflings known for their
abundant fungus gardens and superior mushrooms—which
possess an exquisite taste as well as unique restorative
properties. To protect their home from the robbers who roam
the area, Divram and his siblings excavated an extensive
system of burrows beneath a hillside, and carefully cultivated
the forest’s goblinbramble to protect their homestead with a
thorny palisade. To this formidable defense the Woodbristles
added a kennel full of the largest, meanest war dogs they
could find. More than one gang of bandits has tried to plunder
the half ling homestead, only to be driven away in abject
defeat.

********************** FORT INEVITABLE

**********************
Fort Inevitable stands on the rolling plains near the West
Sellen River, close to the forest. This is a rich and gentle land;
the town is surrounded by green pastures and wide, golden
fields of grain. A strong stone wall with battlements and
gatehouses protects Fort Inevitable, and within this formidable
defense, the town is an orderly collection of two- and three-
story stone houses and workshops with roofs of red tile or blue
slate. If the streets seem a little cheerless and drab, at least
they’re paved with good cobblestones and cleared regularly.
Nothing epitomizes the essential nature of Fort Inevitable as
aptly as the stone citadel of the Hellknights, which looms over
the town. There is no difference between martial law and civil
authority in Fort Inevitable. The senior officer of the garrison
rules as the lord or lady commander, directly overseeing civic
administration as well as exercising military command. The
current commander is a stern, middle-aged Chelish woman
named Paralictor Audara Drovust. She is the commanding
officer of the Order of the Pike’s chapter in the Crusader Road
region, ruler of the Citadel, high magistrate, tax assessor,
director of public works, keeper of the treasury, and chief
regulator of business and commerce. No important aspect of
the town’s life and activity is left outside the lady
commander’s authority.
Fort Inevitable was a good-sized village with extensive trade
and commerce before the Hellknights chose it as their base on
the Crusader Road, and its people still work as farmers,
herders, artisans, and merchants. Law-abiding citizens find the
lady commander’s rule to be firm but manageable. Those who
don’t find a respectable profession or who fall into debt see a
different side of Fort Inevitable, as both slavery and indentured
servitude are legal here.
While the lady commander seems to wield complete authority,
appearances can be deceiving. Two other Hellknight orders—
the Order of the Nail and the Order of the Gate—maintain
presences on the Crusader Road, and while they defer to
Drovust, each maintains its own chain of command and works
toward its own purposes. Much of the town’s wealth is
concentrated in the hands of the Council of Prosperity, a group
of wealthy merchants and industry owners that exerts a good
deal of influence over the Hellknights’ decisions. Finally, the
lady commander is bound by her order’s vows and regulations;
the Hellknights don’t break their own laws.
Fort Inevitable may be an oppressive place to live, but the
Hellknights are not mindlessly brutal or vindictive. They crack
down viciously on public disorder, enforce curfews, and tightly
regulate commerce and transactions, but they don’t harass
honest travelers. But it’s a good idea to guard your tongue and
watch your step while inside its hard stone walls.

****** GENERAL INFORMATION ******

Law and Order
The Hellknights forcefully patrol Fort Inevitable and the
surrounding lands, enforcing Drovust’s strict laws. At any given
time, two to four squads of Hellknight soldiers patrol the town
on foot, while the gates are constantly manned by larger
contingents. They swiftly intervene to break up brawls and
prevent crimes. If they fail to catch a perpetrator on the scene,
the Hellknights thoroughly investigate the situation.
They maintain a long “wanted” list of known or suspected
criminals, and regularly circulate sketches or descriptions of
suspects. Bandits and other criminals from nearby towns have
a saying: “The Hellknights never forget.”
For town defense, the lady commander oversees a force of 60
Hellknight riders—well-equipped, fanatically loyal, and easily
some of the best to be found on the Crusader Road. In a
desperate situation, the Hellknights can call up a well-trained
militia of 130 pikemen from the Fort’s common citizens.
Slavery
The Hellknights believe that freedom is a privilege, not a right.
Those who fail to contribute to the community’s prosperity can
and should be put to work by their betters. Debtors, criminals,
and vagrants are all subject to enslavement under Hellknight
law. Debtors normally become indentured to the holders of
their debt after a hearing in the Citadel. Monthly auctions
allow the purchase of criminals and vagrants sentenced to
slavery.
Many people, especially the poor, wind up as the property of
rich merchants and landowners. Attempts to escape or resist
one’s lawful master are considered serious crimes, and often
extend the term of servitude.
The Hellknights are as rigorous about the legalities of slavery
as they are everything else. It’s unlawful to abduct a stranger
and drag him back in chains. Slaveowners who come by their
property illegally are in danger of being charged themselves.
The Hellknights also forbid slaveholders from engaging in
wanton acts of cruelty or mistreatment—a slaveholder who
allows one of his slaves to starve or who beats a slave to
death is subject to arrest and trial.
Adventurers and the Law
While obvious monsters are fair game to all, the Hellknights do
not recognize the right of any self-declared adventurer to kill
“villains” and seize their belongings. That’s common banditry,
and those who ride back to Fort Inevitable after committing
such vigilantism can expect to be arrested— unless they’ve
first secured a letter of warrant.
A letter of warrant is a license from the lord commander
authorizing the bearer and her company to “act in the interest
of good order and keep the lady commander’s laws.” That is
generally construed as doing most of the things adventuring
parties typically do—attacking outlaws, hunting monsters,
surveying dangerous ruins, and investigating mysteries.
Adventurers operating from Fort Inevitable purchase a letter of
warrant for 50 gp per year. The lady commander’s agents also
require reports of just what actions were taken with a letter of
warrant.
Powers and Personalities
Most visitors assume that there is only one power group in Fort
Inevitable—the Hellknights. However, some citizens of the town
still hold influence, and even the Hellknights have personal
rivalries and power struggles.
The Emerald Spire Today
The Spire endures to this day, protected by the vast magical
prowess of its original builders. Its levels are occupied by
several different factions and races; some fight for territory,
some seek to harness the great artifact’s powers, and others
simply wish to be left alone. On other levels, the secrets of the
Azlanti or even the ancient Vault Builders lie undisturbed,
awaiting explorers intrepid enough to reach them. However,
there have been reports of people who just went to look at it
from afar, and while just standing in the glen around it, they
suddenly disappeared without a trace.
****** PERSONALITIES & ORGANIZATIONS ******
Lady Commander Audara Drovust Lady Commander Drovust
A tall, athletic woman of 45 years, Audara Drovust spent close
to 30 years as an armiger, Hellknight, and field officer before
ascending to command of the fort. She holds the rank of
paralictor in the Order of the Pike, a Hellknight order dedicated
to defeating monsters threatening human lands. The Order of
the Pike makes up the majority of Fort Inevitable’s garrison,
and its members patrol the western reaches of the Echo Wood
and the outskirts of the ruins of Mosswater while sponsoring
expeditions to join the Mendevian Crusade.
Lady Drovust rarely draws a sword herself these days, but is an
experienced general with a gift for engineering and logistics.
She personally designed the town’s defenses and oversaw
their construction for her predecessor, Lord Commander
Varden. Lady Drovust also heads up the bureaucracy of the
Citadel. Tax assessments, public works, justice, licenses—
everything eventually crosses her desk and receives her
personal attention.
Lady Drovust doesn’t indulge in malice for its own sake, but
she firmly believes it is the right and duty of the strong to
govern the weak and order their lives efficiently. Having finally
succeeded in getting Fort Inevitable running more or less as
she thinks it should, she is actively planning her next move to
bring more of the Crusader Road under her efficient
administration, all in the interest of supporting the crusade in
Mendev.
The Order of the Nail Symbol and a Hellknight from the Order
of the Nail.
The second most numerous group of Hellknights residing in
Fort Inevitable is the Order of the Nail, under the command of
Maralictor Dandru Wolfhelm. While the Order of the Pike is
mostly concerned with maintaining Fort Inevitable as a base
for supporting the crusade in Mendev, the Order of the Nail is
sworn to bring law to lawless areas—and this corner of the
River Kingdoms is overrun with pirates, bandits, and outlaws.
Maralictor Wolfhelm chafes under the lady commander’s tight
leash, and constantly argues for turning Fort Inevitable’s full
strength against Thornkeep and the other bandit nests in the
area.
Wolfhelm grudgingly accepts the lady commander’s orders, but
he and his fellow Nails frequently test the limits of their
mandate. The maralictor provokes retaliation from Thornkeep
or other bandit dens, in the hope that the lady commander will
be forced to recognize the threat. Lady Drovust is waiting for
the maralictor to step far enough over the line that she can
remove him from his command and reassert her control.
Signifer Oritian Hast
A high-ranking member of the Order of the Gate, Signifer
Oritian Hast presents himself as a loyal cleric of
Mephistopheles as well as a scholar of arcane lore. He is
intensely interested in the Emerald Spire, recognizing the
artifact as a potential source of unimaginable power in the
proper hands (his own, of course). While the lady commander
leans toward making the site off-limits, Signifer Hast argues for
a thorough investigation.
As the ranking officer of the Order of the Gate, Signifer Hast
commands their small chapter here: three lesser signifers and
two Hellknights of the order. They work side by side with the
Order of the Pike. Signifer Hast publicly supports the lady
commander.
Council of Prosperity
The Hellknights abolished the city government when they took
over 30 years ago, assuming civil authority as well as military
command. The nearest equivalent that still exists is the
Council of Prosperity. The council has no statutory authority,
and simply serves as an advisory board for the lady
commander. Staffed by the wealthiest merchants and business
owners of Fort Inevitable, the Council of Prosperity seeks to
persuade the lady commander to moderate onerous taxes and
rulings while ensuring that the Hellknights’ laws protect
wealth and property.
The leaders on the Council include foundry owner Durston
Goldbeard (N male dwarf expert 5), landowner Nimad
Teravon (LE male old human commoner 4), and merchant Estha
Walthomar (NG female middle-aged human expert 6). Durston
is a more or less honest businessman; Nimad is a heartless old
miser who ruins people unfortunate enough to be stuck renting
from him; and Estha is a generous woman who does what she
can to help out the less fortunate.
High Mother Sarise Dremagne
A matronly woman of 60 years, High Mother Sarise Dremagne
is a cleric of Abadar who leads Fort Inevitable’s largest
congregation, the Temple of the Golden Key. Stern and proper,
High Mother Sarise dislikes the Hellknights’ support for slavery
and their veneration of Asmodeus, but generally approves of
their vigorous enforcement of the law. In her eyes, as long as
one isn’t a lawbreaker, then it isn’t a problem that the laws of
the town are sternly enforced.
The High Mother is the most influential non-Hellknight in the
town, and the Temple’s ecclesiastical calendar is the
framework around which most of the townsfolk arrange their
lives. While High Mother Sarise does not challenge the lady
commander’s rule, she serves as an important voice against
excessive brutality and persecution.

****** FORT INEVITABLE MAP LOCATIONS ******

The town of Fort Inevitable stands on a low, rounded hill amid
the rolling landscape along the West Sellen. A strong, well-
maintained city wall encloses the town’s orderly streets,
dominated by the Commander’s Citadel—which most natives
shorten to “the Citadel.” The town’s impressive fortifications
are everywhere one looks, as are patrols of Hellknight foot
soldiers. The main gates are closed at sunset each night, and a
strictly enforced curfew goes into effect 2 hours after sunset.
The Hellknights have little patience for scofflaws, and are
quick to arrest and imprison anyone defying their rules.
1. Caerlin’s Vineyard
Few people with elven blood wind up spending much time in
Fort Inevitable, but the old vintner Caerlin (LG male old half-elf
expert 5) is an exception. Now over a century old, he wears his
years well, as most half-elves do. A former resident of
Mosswater, he escaped from the town’s monstrous destruction
more than 50 years ago and reestablished himself in
Southwood—the best grapegrowing country he could find
nearby.
Caerlin strongly dislikes the Hellknights and refuses to use
slaves. He does make use of indentured servants but treats
them fairly and pays them well when they complete their
terms. His daughter Taeserle (NG female half-elf rogue 4)
currently manages most of the winery’s production.
2. The Stonde Homestead
Giles Stonde was swept up in Lady Commander Drovust’s
investigation of Lord Varden’s assassination and hanged by the
Hellknights, leaving his wife Ilyana Stonde(N female human
commoner 1) and their young children without a means of
support. Ilyana and her children are scraping by, earning a
little money by gathering mushrooms and herbs in the nearby
woods, tending a vegetable garden, and keeping a number of
chickens and goats.
3. Drurn’s Tannery
The burly half-orc Drurn (NE male half-orc fighter 2/expert 2), a
retired sellsword, owns this tannery and the adjoining pasture
lands. His work is not especially good, but it’s cheap and
convenient for the crafters and tailors in Fort Inevitable. Drurn
keeps a dozen slaves in dismal conditions and is routinely in
trouble with the Hellknights for his excessively brutal
treatment of them.
4. Naldred’s Farm
Expansive fields of golden wheat surround the fine stone
farmhouse of Naldred Tillman (LE male human commoner 4).
Naldred is the largest private slave owner in the Hellknights’
domain, with a half-dozen hired overseers keeping watch over
almost 30 field slaves, who are housed in a secure barracks
building across the lane from Naldred’s home. Naldred’s fields
stretch for almost a mile south and east of Fort Inevitable, and
this huge farm produces a vast quantity of grain in most years.
Blunt and opinionated, Naldred is a staunch supporter of the
Hellknights’ rule; in fact, two of his sons are currently training
as armigers. He is a hard taskmaster, working his slaves to
exhaustion, but he is rarely capricious or cruel for the sake of
cruelty. However, over the last few weeks, several of his slaves
have suddenly died of exhaustion.
5. Holworth Dairy
The green hillside overlooking Misty Lake is home to the
Holworths, a large and rambunctious clan of native
Southwooders who have lived in this spot for the better part of
2 centuries. The current matriarch of the clan is Nilsa, usually
referred to simply as Mother Holworth (N female venerable
human commoner 2). She is a stern, sharp-tongued woman
halfway through her seventh decade who has outlived two
husbands and now has a house full of children, grandchildren,
and even a couple of very young great-grandchildren. The
Holworths are noted for producing a variety of excellent
cheeses, although they’ve had an increasingly hard time paying
the Hellknight taxes over the last couple of years.
6. Serragon Ironworks Daldar Serragon
Just downhill (and downwind) from the Holworths’ dairy farm is
the largest foundry in Fort Inevitable, the Serragon Ironworks.
The ironworks’ proprietor is Daldar Serragon (LE male human
aristocrat 4), a former nobleman of Galt who fled to the River
Kingdoms 20 years ago to escape the gallows. He bought out a
local smelter from its previous owner and expanded the
workshop over the years. Daldar is not much of an artisan, but
he has the loyalty of an excellent ironmaster, the dwarven
smith Hurmarsk Firehammer (LN male dwarf expert 5). Most of
the Ironworks’ stokers and cinder haulers are slaves, while the
actual metalworkers are employees.
7. Misty Lake
The original settlement of Southwood was established here
because the site combined good farmland with easy access to
water. Misty Lake is fed by both a small, unnamed stream that
flows out of the southern Echo Wood and springs under the low
hill on which Fort Inevitable stands. The lake is deep, reaching
50 feet in its middle. There are rumors that an old lord of
Southwood concealed a treasure chest in the lake more than
100 years ago. People have tried various schemes for
searching the lake bottom, but no one has found any treasure
yet.
8. Kettlefoot Mill
The well-established halfling miller Anden Kettlefoot (LG male
halfling expert 3) is the owner of this large and prosperous
mill. Anden is a man of 40, and lives in the attached house with
his wife Seela and several small children. More than once he
has stepped in to save an unfortunate citizen from going into
debt and losing everything to the lady commander’s court—a
dangerous habit that hasn’t won him many friends among the
Hellknights.
9. Mosswater Gate Typical Day at Mosswater Gate.
Fort Inevitable’s impressive defenses begin with two main
gatehouses; the western gatehouse is known as
the Mosswater Gate. This gate consists of a large timber door
sheathed in iron plate, plus a portcullis on the inner side.
Numerous arrow slits overlook both the approach to the gates
and the interior passage, which is also covered by murder
holes set in its ceiling. The upper floor of the gatehouse serves
as extra barracks space and storage for the Hellknight
garrison.
The Mosswater gate is under the command of Maralictor Kiera
Wirt (LN female human fighter 5). She leads a detail of five
Hellknighs who question everyone entering or leaving town.
Maralictor Wirt is a decent person for a Hellknight and applies
a good deal of common sense and compassion as she executes
her duties.
10. City Wall The Wall of the City
A strong city wall protects Fort Inevitable. The walls average
30 feet in height and are a little more than 10 feet thick at the
base. A battlement at the top faces outward, with an 8-foot-
wide walk running the length of the wall. Towers every 100 to
200 feet provide good arcs of fire against approaching
attackers and serve as extra storage for food and arms. The
towers also provide extra barracks space when the lady
commander needs to house more Hellknights than can easily
fit in her own keep, the gatehouses, and the Mardyl Barracks.
Hellknight sentries regularly patrol the wall tops and the
towers. This is normally quiet duty, but from time to time a
frightening apparition—some sort of ghost or spectre — roams
the northern section of the wall and the towers there.
11. Gate Market
Fort Inevitable’s market square, which lies just inside the
Mosswater Gate, is quiet, orderly, and very tightly regulated.
Local farmers and livestock-keepers apply to the Citadel for
licenses to bring their produce, dairy goods, and meat to
market on a regular rotation. The townsfolk often meet and
gossip in the market square while stocking up on household
provisions; “I heard it by the gate” is a local expression for the
rumor mill.
Rumors: Current rumors claim that adventurers are in demand
by the Goldenfire Order of Thornkeep (taking up residence at
area 13, the Juliver Arms), strange attacks by new types of
undead monsters have High Mother Sarise Dremagne (from
area 33) concerned, and Abernard Royst (who lives in area 41)
keeps trying to find out more about the Spire—and even claims
there’s dangerous chambers beneath it.
12. Zoldor’s Masonry
This large work yard on the south side of the Gate Market is
the establishment of the stonemason and builder Zoldor
Maril (LE male old human expert 3). A bitter, miserly man of 60
years, Zoldor owns eight slaves, who handle much of the
drudgework of moving and shaping heavy stones. He sorely
resents the Hellknights’ heavy taxes and their insistence on
fair dealing, but his work is safe and solid, and many of the
buildings in and around town were built under his supervision.
13. The Juliver Arms
Large and comfortable by anyone’s standards, the Juliver Arms
is the best inn to be found in Fort Inevitable. It’s under the
management of a bustling clan of halflings named
the Reedbanks, who pride themselves on setting a lavish table.
The accommodations are not cheap: the Reedbanks cater to
wealthy merchants and adventurers with loose pockets.
The clan patriarch is Doliver Reedbank (LG male middle-aged
halfling commoner 2). Doliver doesn’t like the Hellknights at
all, but he’s no revolutionary.
Iliara Starcloak, leader of the Goldenfire Order of Thornkeep, is
currently here searching for missing wizards from her order.
She needs to depart Fort Inevitable soon and wants to hire
adventurers to take over the search and extend it to the Spire.
The missing spellcasters had come to study portals, so the
Goldenfire Order is still interested in detailed research about
any extraplanar portals to be found.
14. The Red Shield Tavern
Named for the striking coat of arms hanging in the common
room, the Red Shield is a busy taphouse that is especially
popular with the Hellknights. On any given evening, a dozen or
more of the town’s off-duty garrison guards can be found here,
enjoying drafts of bitter or stout. The proprietor is Embra
Morsk (N female middle-aged wizard 2/expert 2), a retired
adventurer. She is a no-nonsense businesswoman, and fearless
when it comes to defending her property. The old shield with
its red device once belonged to a noted local hero
named Dinwood, who made a name for himself as a monster
hunter.
15. Poldmar Stables
This large livery store, carriage shop, and stable is under the
management of Kallon Poldmar, a respected member of the
Council of Prosperity. His stable boards visitors’ mounts, buys
and sells horses and mules, and carries leather goods such as
saddles, saddlebags, and reins. He and his wife, Pola, reside in
one of the townhouses just a few doors over.
16. Gertrand Yeldun
A comfortable townhome on Juliver Way, this house belongs to
the human moneychanger Gertrand Yeldun. Gertrand sits on
the Council of Prosperity.
17. Mirelinda the Clothier
The flamboyant Varisian Mirelinda Doumaz (NE female human
expert 3) owns a workshop that produces all sorts of cotton,
linen, wool, and felt cloth. She is a weaver, not a seamstress,
and sells cloth by the bolt to merchants throughout the region.
She drives more profits by buying the contracts of indentured
servants and setting them to work at her looms. She doesn’t
hesitate to punish workers who aren’t keeping up with
demand.
To her customers and neighbors, Mirelinda presents a very
different face. She hosts lavish entertainments at her home,
and often scandalizes the town with her affairs. There are
many dark rumors about where she found the coin, she needed
to establish herself in Fort Inevitable.
18. North Gate Cemetery
The grounds of the Temple of Silence are home to the largest
cemetery in town. It is well tended, and there have been no
problems with undead in living memory.
19. Temple of Silence
The Temple of Silence has stood here for almost 200 years,
founded after a priestess of Pharasma passing through was
struck by a powerful vision on this spot. Her fellow Pharasmins
raised a small shrine, and by the time the Hellknights seized
control of the town, the Temple of Silence was well established
as the second most popular church in town. The presiding
priest of the Temple of Silence is an Ustalav named Dimeru
Faldindor (N male human cleric 4).
20. The North Gate
Smaller and less busy than the gates on Juliver Way, the North
Gate is intended for foot traffic only. The guard detail here is
smaller than at the other gates, consisting of three Hellknights
plus a gate-sergeant.
21. Garrison Stable
The Hellknights maintain a good-sized stable close by the
town’s north gate. It can mount and equip 30 riders at one
time. Most of the mounts are trained warhorses.
The Hellknight in charge of the stable is Hielon Keenlance (LE
male old human fighter 4). A battered and scarred old veteran,
Hielon rarely leads patrols in person these days, instead
training (and frequently beating or haranguing) younger troops.
22. Nolm Bindery
Trading in papermaking, bookbinding, inks, and books of all
kinds, Falandra’s Bindery is a cluttered and friendly place that
is part workshop and part used bookstore. The owner
is Falandra Nolm (LG female human expert 1/wizard 3), a
woman still in her twenties. She inherited the store from her
father, Presdar Nolm, who was one of the accused conspirators
arrested and executed after Lord Varden’s death. Falandra has
no love for the Hellknights or the lady commander, but she has
several younger siblings to support, so she keeps a
respectable appearance.
23. The Stalwart Priory
A small number of monks from the Taldan Order of the
Stalwart Fist answered the call of the Mendevian Crusade.
Three years ago, a master of the order named Sister
Khedra (LN female dwarf monk 6) established a small priory in
the Crusader Road region to aid and support pilgrims and
Stalwart Fist members on their way to Mendev.
The Stalwart Priory includes a small shrine dedicated to Irori,
living quarters for up to a dozen monks and students, and a
large dojo. Sister Khedra maintains a firm policy of non-
involvement with politics and civic affairs.
24. Sefurd’s Potions and Reagents
Located between North Way and the Fountain Square, this is
the shop of the apothecary Londor Sefurd (NE male human
alchemist 4). Sefurd is an unpleasant character with an oily,
wheedling manner and an unhealthy interest in exotic toxins.
He deals in potions, spell components, alchemical mixtures,
and, a variety of 'other' things.
Master Sefurd is disliked by most who know him, and his trade
is regarded as suspicious by the Hellknights. Many people
wonder why the lady commander hasn’t shut down his
business and run him out of town. The answer is simple, but
not known by the public!
25. Rillin’s Armory
Master armorer Rillin Nadinghad (LN female old human expert
6) is widely acknowledged as the best crafter of plate armor
for a hundred miles around Fort Inevitable. Her workshop and
store have stood in Fountain Square for decades. She and her
team of armorers—mostly her own grown children, aided by a
handful of indentured servants who work the bellows and
stoke the furnaces—create and sell most forms of armor with
significant metalwork.
26. Braddon’s General Store
Owned and operated by the affable merchant Thom Braddon (N
male human rogue 5), this shop sells provisions, tools,
cookware, tack and harness, and a hundred other useful
things. Braddon set up shop shortly after Lady Commander
Drovust’s witch hunts following Lord Varden’s death. The
store’s previous owner was one of the people executed, and
Braddon bought the place in a public auction. Some of Fort
Inevitable’s populace still harbor resentment toward him for
the manner in which he came to own his business.
27. Victory Fountain
This fountain consists of a stone plinth within a pool, crowned
by a statue of the half-elf heroine Tarwynna, leader of the army
that crushed the goblin kingdom of Zog. The fountain and its
statue date back to before the Mendevian Crusades brought a
plague of bandits down on Southwood. The Fountain Square is
a common meeting place in town, and notices are tacked up on
a message board nearby.
28. Hall of Rectitude
Cases of criminal and civil justice in Fort Inevitable are heard
in this imposing courthouse. The Hall of Rectitude is home to a
pair of spacious courtrooms, the offices of the town’s
magistrates, and an extensive jail that’s usually quite full of
prisoners, most serving short sentences for minor offenses.
The officer in charge is Maralictor Tisserle Ilomna (LN female
human fighter 5/HellknightISWG 2), the town’s chief magistrate
and overseer of the police functions of the garrison. Lady
Commander Drovust retains the power to review Maralictor
Ilomna’s rulings and commute or increase sentences as she
deems necessary, but for the most part Maralictor Ilomna’s
judgments stand—she is a stickler for applying the letter of the
law.
Maralictor Ilomna’s ambitious subordinate, Gregan
Hadurnosk (LE male human fighter 2/cleric 2), is convinced she
is too soft on wrongdoers. The young Hellknight is scheming to
bring down the chief magistrate and replace her.
29. Mardyl Barracks
The original stronghold of Southwood, this old stone building
served as Lord Commander Varden’s headquarters until the
new Commander’s Citadel was completed. It is now used as an
auxiliary barracks by the Hellknights. Lady Drovust assigned
the Mardyl Barracks to the Order of the Nail and allows them
to use it as their local headquarters.
About 20 of Fort Inevitable’s Hellknights count themselves as
members of the Order of the Nail and are under the command
of Maralictor Dandru Wolfhelm. The Nail knights muster with
the larger Pike contingent when the lady commander calls out
the whole garrison, but they do not otherwise share in guard
duties. Instead, they vigorously patrol the roads and byways of
the area surrounding Fort Inevitable, following their order’s
mandate to suppress banditry. Maralictor Wolfhelm often hires
adventurers with letters of warrant to supplement his order’s
patrols.
30. The Bailey
Strictly speaking, a bailey is a courtyard enclosed between
walls. However, this open ground in front of the Commander’s
Citadel acquired the name years ago when the Hellknights
were considering the construction of a much larger keep on
this spot, and the name stuck. The wide, green field serves as
the Hellknights’ primary practice ground inside Fort Inevitable,
and from sunup to sundown one can find garrison soldiers
sparring, shooting, or exercising in this area.
31. Chancery Signifier Hast
This building includes a chapel dedicated to gods of law, a
good-sized library, arcane workrooms, and the Fort Inevitable
offices of the Order of the Gate. This is the domain of Signifer
Oritian Hast, a brilliant and articulate man who makes a great
show of providing wise counsel to the lady commander on all
magical matters. However, he is secretly suborning key
Hellknights with an eye toward replacing her.
As the most extensive library in Fort Inevitable and a center of
magical knowledge, the Chancery serves as something of a
Hellknight-sponsored wizards’ guild. The licensing and charter
processes are expensive and time-consuming, but a mage with
the coin and the patience can become a patron of the
Chancery, with special privileges for library access and
workroom usage—the Order of the Gate is always on the
lookout for potential recruits, after all.
32. Commander’s Citadel The Citadel - Home of the Lady
Commander.
The single strongest fortification in the Crusader Road region,
the Commander’s Citadel is a roomy, octagonal tower more
than 90 feet tall. Round turrets at the corners of the main
structure provide excellent fields of fire both inside and
outside the city wall. The main door opens on the bailey inside
the walls, but there is also a small postern (usually locked)
that leads outside the city wall to the shore of Misty Lake.
The Citadel is home to Lady Commander Audara Drovust, as
well as 40 Hellknights of the Order of the Pike and several
servants. In addition to living quarters, it houses kitchens, a
banquet hall, offices for town officials, a small chapel,
extensive cellars for food storage, a well, and dungeons for
holding prisoners of special interest to the lady commander.
The Citadel’s routine business is in the hands of the castellan,
a Hellknight named Karn Kerromick (LE male half-orc fighter
4/expert 3), while the lady commander’s personal schedule and
appointments are managed by the chamberlain, Erron
Nythist (LN male human aristocrat 2). Those who wish to
speak to Lady Drovust finds that they’ll need to explain their
business to the castellan or the
chamberlain first.
33. Temple of the Golden Key
One of the largest and most ornate buildings in town, the
Temple of the Golden Key is dedicated to the worship
of Abadar, god of law and commerce. Hellknights under arms
do not set foot in the temple without asking permission from
the ranking priest present, and the lady commander does not
involve herself in ecclesiastical matters.
The current leader of the temple is High Mother Sarise
Dremagne, who oversees a small staff of three junior acolytes,
a handful of servants, and a number of laypeople who serve as
deacons and attendants. The temple is routinely packed on
days of worship, and a fair number of Hellknights (mostly from
the Order of the Nail) are usually in attendance.
34. Goldfoot’s Mercantile
At the east end of North Way stand two large warehouses, just
across the street from a bustling counting-house and
workshop. These buildings are the headquarters of the
prosperous trading house Goldfoot’s Mercantile, under the
proprietorship of Mormuk Goldfoot (LG male dwarf expert 3).
The business deals in commodities, buying up large quantities
of refined materials such as cured leather, bolts of cloth, metal
ingots, furs, spices, and wines, and shipping them to where
they’ll command the highest prices. Goldfoot’s employs a
dozen clerks and laborers, none of them slaves.
Mormuk is a fat, good-natured dwarf, and takes pride in being
good company. He dislikes the Hellknights’ regime but believes
that prosperity is the best response to oppression.
35. Juliver Leather Goods
This store sells armor, clothing, saddles, tack and harness, and
other goods made from leather. The proprietor is a competent
leatherworker named Salle Ulmander(N female human expert
2). The rear of the building is the workshop, while the front is
the store. Salle supervises two younger brothers and a cousin,
teaching them leatherworking as she manages the business
and the household. The Ulmanders are newcomers, having
emigrated from Tymon in search of a new place to set up their
family trade.
36. The Salamander Company
The Salamander Company is the largest and most successful
mercenary band in the area. The Salamanders march under a
black banner featuring the emblem of a scarlet salamander;
they number almost 200, scattered all over the River Kingdoms
in small bands on different contracts. Currently, around 30
mercenaries are available for hire in Fort Inevitable.
The leader of the Salamanders is a battle-tested wizard
named Red Shireena (N female human fighter 2/wizard 7). She
is fairly selective about recruits, and usually requires
prospective Salamanders to prove their worth by sparring on
the training grounds. Salamander Company mercenaries are
generally paid 1 to 10 gp per day based on experience and
talents, plus whatever they can pick up on the side during their
assignments.
37. Tsador’s Arms
The best weapon shop in Fort Inevitable is Tsador’s Arms,
owned and operated by the half-orc weaponsmith Tsador
Ironmaker (LE male half-orc fighter 3/expert 4). Tsador is a
surly, sour-tempered fellow with a greedy streak a mile wide;
he runs his forges with slaves toiling at the bellows and poorly
paid apprentice smiths hammering at the hot iron, and barely
remembers to feed and clothe the lot of them.
Tsador sells a good deal of cheaply made work, but he is
actually a talented weaponsmith when motivated by the
promise of a big payday. For custom orders (such as
masterwork blades), he typically charges 20 to 50 percent
more than the listed price, but the work is quite good.
38. The Helmed Lady
The second taphouse in Fort Inevitable is the Helmed Lady,
located between Fountain Square and the North Way. The
tavern takes its name from the statue of Tarwynna in the
nearby fountain. The proprietor is an aged dwarf named Kagnin
Alemaster (LN female dwarf commoner 2). Kagnin’s sons are
adventurers of note, and she proudly displays mementos of
their journeys around the taproom. They are rarely at home, so
she employs a sizable staff of serving maids and brewer’s
assistants to create her excellent beer. The Helmed Lady is
popular with the average citizens, but Hellknights do most of
their drinking at the Red Shield.
39. Lord Commander’s Granary
These four large silos hold a huge reserve of grain. The
Hellknights buy up the first quarter of each local farmer’s
harvest and set it aside. Unfortunately, the lady commander
sets the rates at which the town buys its reserve from the
farmers, so the grain-growers don’t make much money on what
they sell to the granary. However, in times of plenty they come
out ahead, since even if the granary hasn’t been drawn down in
a given season, a certain amount of stored grain must be
replaced each year.
40. Dilapidated House
This house has stood vacant for several years. No one seems
to remember what happened to the owners. Rumor says the
Hellknights are about to take possession and put it up for
auction.
41. Abernard Royst’s House Abernard Royst
A white-haired sage of 55 years, Abernard Royst (LG male old
human transmuter 8) is one of the most notable adventurers
permanently residing in Fort Inevitable. Abernard is a
cantankerous fellow who spends most of his time engaged in
research and experimentation. He rarely risks life and limb in
dungeons anymore, but always has a long list of unusual
materials or difficult tasks he’s willing to hire adventuring
parties to acquire or perform for him. He often takes in
apprentices, and proves to be a much more considerate master
than his gruff personality would suggest. Abernard is careful to
observe the laws of Fort Inevitable.
Abernard owns a precious keepsake that made its way from
the dungeon decades ago. It’s a sliver of what he claims is the
skymetal noqual, a substance with inherent resistance to
magic. The piece he possesses is no bigger than a finger joint,
and looks like a chip from a sculpted item with a serrated
edge. If anyone can find the rest of the work it came from,
Abernard promises a 1,500 gp reward (or more!) — but he
expects it won’t be easy to locate.
42. Juliver Gate
Identical in construction to the Mosswater Gate (area 9),
the Juliver Gate is home to another dozen Hellknight guards,
led by an officer named Bolgur (LE male half-orc fighter 4). The
Juliver Road continues southeast for about 70 miles until it
reaches the town of Sezgin in the realm of Lambreth.
43. Town Sewers
Fort Inevitable’s streets are drained by a well-built sewer
system that empties into a small creek on the north side of the
city wall. The discharge is covered by a locked grate, but
anyone with a little determination can enter the city’s sewers
here. The sewer network has several other access points in
town, including locked staircases near the Mosswater Gate
and the Mardyl Barracks, plus a handful of secret entrances in
the cellars of various homes and businesses. In the sewers,
vermin such as rats, centipedes, and cockroaches sometimes
gather in dangerous numbers. Worse yet, bands of gremlins
haunt the disused tunnels, though the lady commander
attributes their mischief to “criminals and malcontents.”