Town of Meros

Overview

Meros is a moderate sized town surrounded by a serviceable wooden wall and several adequate watch towers. It is bounded on the north, west, and south by a thick swath of villages and hamlets, which are themselves bounded by an ancient forest of mighty oaks. To the east lays the Sea of Sarkos. Meros boasts a dock and several strong piers, as well as a sturdy lighthouse (which is just south of the town). Before the wars Meros hosted a good amount of trade via the sea, though now it serves mostly as a source of food (fishing, crabbing).

The town is led by Meros Dragonbane, though his hands off approach usually means there really is no actual leadership save for the town council. Once an adventurer, Meros beat back the mighty dragon, Death-Who-Rules-The-Skies when the dragon was attacking the town. Since the town's rulership had just been devoured by the dragon, the town council elevated Meros to the leadership position and renamed the town. Forty years later Meros still sits as the town's leader and protector, though it is obvious to all that age will soon claim the once mighty man.

Meros is mostly self-sufficient. Trade in these dark times is mostly limited to a few brave peddlers, caravans, or sailing vessels (a real rarity). Every 45 days a dwarven caravan arrives in town with a variety of raw ingredients (metal, stone, finished goods, goat meat) in exchange for fresh foods, salt, fish, etc. Both Meros and the dwarves make a variety of hearty brews which are also traded with one another.

At one time there was a thieves' guild hall, but it has lain defunct for the past 20 years. People have been known to hear things inside the old building, however, and it is unknown how extensive the tunnels beneath the hall are.

Npcs

Shayla Stormborn

Shayla leads the town militia and the permanent guard. As the only living child of her parents, Shayla inherited her family's money when they died, then promptly trained as a warrior. She is well known for the discipline she holds as well as the discipline she demands of those under her command. It is not uncommon to see her, armored and armed, standing at the maingate or watching out of the town's towers for trouble.

Melish

The Old, the Mad, the Wretched. Melish speaks hardly at all and when he does he frightens the children. Melish knows things he should not and seems to possess things he should not have.

Thelk Ironhelm

Thelk Ironhand (a dwarf) is the caravan master for the dwarven caravans.

Places of Note

The Sullen Crab

The Crab, as it is locally known, was once a thriving inn which catered to sailors, adventurers, and travelers. Over time and with the lack of travelers, the Crab is now more of a meeting place for townspeople. It is a place for shared stories and decent food as well as the occasional bard and ballad. Old timers gather here and speak of times gone past while they nurse a strong drink and a longing for the sea. There are rooms for rent, though nowadays most are used for storage and will require time to clean before being habitable. The Crab sits near the piers and the smell of the sea and lapping of the waters is strong here.

Aloric's Anvil

Aloric is not the only smith in town, nor is he the best, but he is definitely the ugliest. What he lacks in appearance the half-orc makes up for in brawn and intelligence. Rarely is he called upon to craft them these days, but Aloric is the town's gunsmith, and each of his weapons bears his symbol as proof of excellence. The town respects Aloric for his smithing as well as a keen sense of character and propriety. Of course the fact that he is an able shot with his creations probably doesn't hurt.

Temple of Abadar

The burned out shell of a forgotten god's temple. Even in these days, however, the land is inviolate.

The Lighthouse

The lighthouse was once the most important piece of the town. When trade dried up the importance of the lighthouse dimmed, though the light never diminished. The lighthouse sits a mile south of town atop a rocky crag. The fire is watched by Florin One-Eye, his wife, and three children.

House of the Armored Embrace

The House of the Armored Embrace is a small stone fortress built along the rocky crags North of the town. Built atop the ruins of a fallen castle, the fortress overlooks the town, the sea, and the farmsteads of Meros. A well maintained road leads from the fortress to town. The inhabitants of the fortress are a mixture of clerics and monks (non-class types) led by a militant order of knights (the Armored Embrace). The order is secretive, but they have never shown any ill intentions towards the town or it's folk.

Thieves' Guildhall

Defunct. A two story building of good size, the lower floor of stone, the upper floor of wood, the old hall stands undisturbed because the people in town have learned not to mess with the sheer amount of traps believed to be inside. Of not lately are the noises coming from inside as well as an increased amount of larger than normal centipedes in the immediate area. While the centipedes do provide a food source for various birds in the area, a number of townspeople have been stung by the vermin.