Princes of the Apocalypse - 01-13-16

Post date: Jan 14, 2017 8:11:24 PM

Locations

Dessarin Valley

This area is a lightly settled region of caravan towns, isolated homesteads, and uninhabited wilderness just a week’s journey from Waterdeep. Nothing of note to the wider world has happened here for hundreds of years.The frontier long ago receded farther northward, leaving behind a quiet backwater littered with ruins. These days, the Dessarin Valley has little in common with the popular conception of the Savage Frontier. Through these lands pass hundreds of caravans and keelboats each year, linking the great ports of Waterdeep and Neverwinter with places such as Everlund, Mirabar, or Silverymoon. The steady caravan traffic breathes life into the towns of this area, supporting businesses in the setting tlements along the Long Road. Inns cater to travelers anxious to sleep safely within sturdy walls and enjoy good food by a warm fire instead of camping by the side of the road. In addition to catering to caravans and travelers heading to or from the far North, the Dessarin Valley is a breadbasket for the hungry populations of Waterdeep and Neverwinter. The farms and pastures of the area produce grain, livestock, poultry, apples, and hops, then ship them downriver (or drive them down the Long Road) to the coast. Few people become rich from farming, but farmers in the region do well for themselves provided the weather cooperates.

Current Events

Minor issues are nothing unusual in the Dessarin Valley. Bands of savage humanoids from the Sword Mountains or the Evermoors occasionally raid here. Human barbarians known as the Uthgardt roam these lands, and the more aggressive tribes can be very dangerous. Bandits sometimes gather in the lonelier parts of the vale to waylay caravans traveling the Long Road or the Kheldell Path. Every now and then reckless or unlucky adventurers manage to stir up some ancient curse in the ruins scattered around the area. In the last few months a surge of malefactors has caused a spate of banditry, kidnappings, murders, and raids.

Settlements

Triboar

The town of Triboar stands where the Long Road meets the Evermoor Way, a well-used caravan road that runs east to the city of Yartar. Triboar is the chief rival to Yartar, and the two communities compete for the trade of the Dessarin Valley.The current lord protector is a good-natured ex-adventurer named Darathra Shendrel (female Tethyrian human knight), known for the excellent wine she makes. Darathra enacts and modifies local laws (known as “The Lord’s Decree”), which are then enforced by “The Twelve,” a dozen mounted veterans drawn from the militia to serve in a tenday cycle.Triboar is a horse-market for a dozen nearby ranches that turn out trained draft horses, riding mounts and ponies, and pack mules. Blacksmiths, harnessmakers, and wagonworks flourish in town. In addition, a number of guides operate from Triboar. They take merchants and other travelers all over the Sword Coast North. Many of these guides are retired adventurers who know the North well.A half-elf adventurer named Gervor and his companions went missing recently. The adventurers were staying in town, and locals expected them to return tendays ago. In addition, two important merchants from Waterdeep, Kharloss and Jarlee, are overdue.

Yartar

This fortified city commands the most northerly wagon bridge over the Dessarin River. A walled citadel on thewest bank of the river connects to a bridge wide enough to accommodate two wagons with room to spare, connecting the Evermoor Way into and through Yartar. The road leads east to Everlund and Silverymoon, and west to Triboar and eventually Waterdeep via the Long Road.

Dark Dealings in Yartar

The city of Yartar is renowned as a place to make deals. Merchants, smugglers, mercenaries, and spies from all over the North meet in Yartar’s taverns and alleyways to do business. Trade is the lifeblood of the city, and wherever trade flourishes, thieves are never far behind. The guild known as the Hand of Yartar is the largest and most fractious collection of scoundrels between Waterdeep and Luskan. The famous chronicler Volo once said that everyone in Yartar is after money or power—preferably both—in as short a time as possible. When the Hand finds itself in possession of a devastation orb, the guild does what any self-respecting thieves’ guild might do: They auction it off to the highest bidder.

Red Larch Surroundings

Hills partitioned into fields and pastures by fieldstone fences or hedges surround Red Larch. A mile or so outside the town, cultivated areas give way to unspoiled wilderness. Miles of hills, woods, and grassland stretch on as far as the eye can see, filled with plentiful wildlife.

Exploring the Valley

The player characters know they are up against a mysterious threat. Something isn’t right in the Dessarin Valley. Traveling the long road, they experienced first hand banditry, kidnappings, and raids.

The Delegation

The group traveled the long road for a short time with an important delegation from the city of Mirabar. After parting ways, the delegation had travel plans to trek overland from Westbridge to Beliard, crossing the Stone Bridge. From Beliard they would head south into the Sumber Hills, bound for Summit Hall then the Golden Fields before reaching their destination at Waterdeep. Key members of the delegation include:

• Bruldenthar : A  shield dwarf  historian and wizard is transporting  his collection of manuscripts to Waterdeep. Five of his books are about Delzoun.

• Teresiel: A  moon elf druid from Silverymoon has a coded Lords'  Alliance document. She also has magical seeds that the Emerald Enclave  wants to bring to Goldenfields.

• Rhundorth: A  shield dwarf cleric from  Mirabar is a master weapon craftsman and member of the Order of the Guantlet. He is transporting the Body of a Knight. This corpse is of a Knight of Samular killed by orcs at the Spine  of the World. The corpse is to be interred with honor at Summit Hall.

• Deseyna Norvael: A  noble and sorcerer from Waterdeep with a duplicate copy of a coded Lords' Alliance document.