Populated Hexes

Populated Hexes

Places

• I am from the north," she says, pursing her lips as she examines the map the adventurers possess. "Your map only shows the southern edge, but far to the north of here is a wide expanse of hill country. This here," her fingers follow the River Sarn north, towards the mining camps the adventurers had heard of, "is but the southern tip of what we call the amagquma, the . . ." she searches for the translation. "The barren hills, is probably the best translation. My tribe is -- was, I should say -- nomadic. We traveled east to west, following the moon. There are countless ruins there, amongst the mesas. The remains of a great city, Isendan, can be found near our migration route, and my peoples scavenged what they could from the wreckage. We do not like being indoors, so most of what we found was scattered about, in the open. On our trips to the east we would meet traders who would buy these antiques. For years this was the case, until one year a trader convinced my father, who led our herd, to bring her and her men along with us. These fools ventured into the deeps of Isendan, under the ground, into the tunnels and sewers and hidden places, far from the light of the sun and moon. They loosed something from within the bowels of the earth, something horrible. It is so horrible that I cannot place it in my mind, but it was ravenous, and consumed all of my peoples.
• "This is a deck of txartelak cards, from the kingdom of Slaphe, to the far west. The Men there are not like men here; they spend their days drugged, dreaming of decadence. But they see far in their stupors, and it is said that the folk of Slaphe have the third eye. Txartelak is their game of chance, and in their bordellos and bawdy houses they bet not with gold, or gems, or goods, but with happiness, with a memory, with their own names. We will not play a game, though. I will instead have you draw a card, and will tell you what it means."
• This style is favored by the ronin of the Sable Principality. This particular blade is of unknown provenance, but was likely forged two Cycles ago in the Sablelands.
• paladin Lyed Rismi, of the freehold Fortincan, north of here. Lyed was slain by the dragon Sthenncor, but before she fell managed to allow the escape of those within Reker Keep, before it, too, fell to Sthenncor's foul breath. It is said the dragon claimed the Keep as his own, and dwells there still, curled up in the battlements. This was not Lyed's primary blade, but had been given to her squire mere days before she died.

People

• The Rufous Baron, ruler of Junction
• The sage proves to be a small man, barely five feet tall, who dwells in one of the larger, more solid homes in Junction. The walls are stone, the roof timber shingled in slate. His house is cramped and filled with all manner of possessions. "I am Brassan Cen" he says, "of Weld, in the far east. I have moved to Junction recently as my studies focus on the Skeldrene Dynasty, which once ruled the lands west of here, roughly defined by the Basilisk Hills.
• The Baron maintains a large keep east of Junction, on the road to Rhea's Ford, but for most purposes the Seneschal conducts day to day business in Junction itself, in a long, low building with a stone foundation and clapboard siding above. It's big, it's well-made, and it serves multiple purposes: the City Watch operates from it, and they maintain a number of holding cells for short-term prisoners or those to be transferred to the dungeons of the keep; the Baron's tax collectors operate out of here, as does a customs office that oversees trade.

Seneschal Beorthmac is a large, florid man sporting wild chin whiskers and a habit of breathing through his mouth. He motions the adventurers to sit. "I understand you have questions for me!" he exclaims, after everyone has seated, "what can I do to help?"

• "I am called Micma Ume", the man says, "and am a purveyor of . . . interesting weapons, shall we say. (weapons dealer in Rheas Ford)

History

• several Cycles ago, as the Skeldrene were collapsing to the south, a number of clans of beast-men known as mochyn dominated this area of Absalom. Every so often a strong leader would emerge to unite the tribes, but such alliances rarely lasted more than a generation, if that. Called boar-folk by the historians, the mochyn withdrew to the north as the Variagated Princedoms pushed westward and they came into contact with men.

Organizations

• There are a number of mining camps spread throughout these hills, run by private mercantile concerns. The largest company, the Red Sky Mining Company, is offering a bounty on beastmen heads. Their main office is here, but they’ve established a semi-permanent camp here,” she indicates hex 72.43 (see northern map)
• The Red Sky Mining Company is the largest mining concern to the north. There are others -- the Crimson Mercantile Exchange has a foothold there as well -- but the Red Sky is the big one

Religious

• Before heading off to explore the next hex Telemachus visits the temple of Sarnis. It's just north of town, on the banks of the river. It's largely open to the air and elements, at least the parts that he can see. A large wooden structure -- all roof supported by thick wood posts, with no walls -- is build on the bank. A path of stones leads from there down into the water of the Sarn, worn smooth by water. A half dozen men and women in robes of blue are arranged along the bank, performing some sort of religious ceremony as the sun begins to peak over the eastern horizon
  • A tall, saturnine priest awaits him. "I am Muelrid, the right hand of Sarnis"
• Sabeth, the Dancer in the Woods (around Junction)

Misc

• A woman nearby points into the sky, filled with familiar constellations. "The Circlet," she says, pointing at a cluster of stars that bears a passing resemblance to a delicate crown. Feargus is somewhat familiar with the night sky, as are most Men, and he knows that the Circlet is crowned by a bright star, reddish in color, called Nerathil, the Lady's Ruby. This star, Feargus can plainly see, is no longer visible atop the Circlet.