Fantasy Location: The Bolt Hole

Fantasy Location: The Bolt Hole

It’ll take a rogue to or elf character to notice a hidden door in a back alley down near the docks.

Opening it reveals a lasciviously appointed ante-chamber. Directly across from the entrance is another door – heavily barred and spell warded. Next to it is posted a tattered piece of parchment that says “Cant get in Cant get out Enter to Come Go to Leave” After the secret word is said in Thieves Cant, the door opens.

Inside is a butler who says “Very Good, Sir. Welcome to The Bolt-Hole. May I show you to a table, or would you prefer to sit at the bar?”

The bar serves only the finest wine and food. The clients here are well off, and it’s obvious that a lot of covert and underground business gets done here. The room is well appointed, and several mean looking, but well mannered guards keep the riff-raff out. They are usually able to talk most situations down before having to resort to violence. A small stage at the end hosts dancers, bards and other entertainment at night, but is empty during the day.

Plot Hook:
On stage is a very gorgeous half-elven dancer. She notices the PC, and smiles and winks at him. After wards she comes up and says “Buy a lady a drink?” Her name is Kim Starlight and she asks what he’s doing in town. Eventually she’ll get around and say “Last time Captain Borloff was around he gave me a map to hold onto until he came back with gold. But since he’s in jail, and unlikely to be getting my gold anytime soon.. I’m willing to sell it for what he owes me. 250 gold pieces.” The Map shows a way through the rocks, and rough seas to the South East . The End Point is literally a big X. She knows nothing else about the map nor what it’s supposed to show.

A good location could be the Hidden Island.

Location: Village of Edward’s Fields

Location: Village of Edward’s Fields

The Village of Edward’s Fields sits at a T-Intersection between two roads that are both trade routes. The main road goes East to West, and the other road travels South.

The village consists of two Inns, one right at the Intersection called Ebony Hearth, the other on the “edge” of the village on the Southern Road is named simply “South Inn.” South Inn is the bigger and better of the two, while the Ebony Hearth serves low quality food and is quite drafty.

There is also a Stable that buys and sells horses, manufacturers and sells tack, and repairs wagons. The stable has room for up to fourteen animals. Two of  the stalls are frequently occupied by animals from a local farmer that are for sale.

Next to the stable is a small blacksmith shop. The blacksmith, Olward Spothearted is young and has mediocre skills. He reluctantly took over the shop from his father who died in an accident before passing on many skills.

North of town is a large graveyard. Most of the gravestones are worn and unreadable. There are roughly ten thousand gravestones still present, but there is evidence that many more are missing. Local rumors say that it’s the final resting place of a defeated great army.The same rumors also state that the graveyard is home to witches, goblins, vampires, ghouls and all sorts of other beasts. Yet there has not been an actual sighting of any such things in known history.

Next to the graveyard entrance is a small church. It has room for about twenty worshippers. Near the entrance is a small room for a priest. One wall has a built in bookshelf and another has a small fireplace setup for cooking and heating. The church is kept clean, but is not dedicated to any one god.

North of the Graveyard lives Nelshell the Witch. She is little more then a hedge wizard who knows some herbs and healing. She lives very simply, her hut is dug into the side of a hill. The front walls are old sticks and branches laid next to each other. The door a simple piece of scrap canvas to keep out the weather.

On the Southern side of town, past the South Inn are two tobacco farms. The smaller one on the west side is about two acres in size. At each corner of the field is a small, ancient, statue of a man with a long mustache in prayer. The statues face inwards. A small farm house is next to the field, but as far away from the road as possible.

Across the South Road is a larger farm of ten acres. No farm house or statues are in evidence, and the overall field feels shabbier then the one across the road. There are evident gopher and squirrel holes, along with many weeds.

Adventure Seeds:

  • The Southern Road suffered a washout some time ago and has stopped being used as a trade route. This leaves the Southern Inn with little to no business. Rumors say that the washout was not a total accident though.
  • Acting on Rumors of Evil in the Graveyard, an Militant Order of Paladins takes over the small church. The Villagers are not too happy about it, and are not believed when they tell the Paladins there is no evil there. The Paladins begin to suspect that the Villagers are in on the Evil.
  • The smaller tabacco farm grows much better quality products then the larger one directly across the road. The owner of the larger field decides that the small statues bless the smaller field and thus plans to steal them.
  • Nelshell the Witch is more then she seems. She is actually a powerful Wizard who has been hiding out for many years. Upon rumors that her former rivals are coming through Edward’s Fields, she plans to take over the body of a young girl living nearby with one of her remaining magical artifacts to change her identity and continue hiding.
  • Evil is present in the Graveyard. Each night the two opposing sides battle each other in ghostly form. The former losers can only be satisfied by having their bodies properly buried. Unfortunately they were buried in a mass grave.
  • Olward Spothearted never wanted his father’s Blacksmith shop. He wanted to be an adventurer, or at least a soldier. One night as he’s cleaning the shop, he finds a hidden compartment. Inside is a glowing longsword, and there just happens to be a merchant in town who is short of Guards.
  • Locations: Garnoc’s Gloves

    Locations: Garnoc’s Gloves

    Garnoc is one of Trizol’s premier gloves makers. His shop is located in the city of Newhaven Crossing. His clientele are mostly nobles and rich military officers. He has experience in making a wide variety of leathers into functional and good looking gloves.

    Garnoc himself is getting on in age and currently has two apprentices working for him, twin brothers named Markoos and Harkoos. These apprentices stand to jointly inherit the shop when he dies. Although both are very skilled and handle the bulk of the orders coming through the shop, Garnoc has not yet sponsored them to the Guild.

    The shop is on the corner of Dragon’s Rest and an unnamed alleyway. It’s a small two story affair that is well kept up. In the back it shares a common area with several other shops and houses. It also shares a dirty stable with the inn next door, although Garnoc does not have any animals at this time.

    When entering from the front door, gloves are neatly arranged on shelves. They are sorted by material, size and color. Each pair is left unfinished so that they can be custom fitted to the customer. A glass case against one the interior wall also serves as a sales counter. Displayed inside are some of the more exotic materials, including a set made from black dragon leather. All gloves are masterwork in quality but confer no other game stats unless created to do so by another NPC or PC at DM’s discretion. Prices range from 7gp for basic leather riding gloves to 600gp for the black dragon ones.

    A door way covered with a simple curtain separates the front from the workshop in back. It is about twice the size of the front showroom, about fifteen by thirty feet. Bolts of leathers of all types are neatly shelved (about 6000gp worth) along one long wall. A work bench lines the other side. All tools are in their place and the only scraps are from projects currently in progress. At the far end is a small stove for heat. Closest to the door is a comfortable chair for clients to sit in while their hands are measured for custom orders.

    Small stairs near the stove lead to the upstairs. It has been divided into four rooms. The twins share one, Garnoc has another and the other two are full of miscellaneous household supplies and broken tools from the shop below.  Garnoc has about three hundred gold hidden in his room (search 15) in various sized coins. It is protected by a magic trap (disable device 25) that freezes (DC:30 save) any would-by thieves.

    Garnoc is about 65 years old. He has a full head of greying hair but walks with a slight stoop. He is always immaculately dressed in one of six nice suits that he owns. All are several generations out of style. Over this he wears a leather apron when working in the shop.

    Stats: male human commoner; CR 3; HD 3d4+3; hp 11; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 BAB +1;  (1d10+3/x3); AL LG; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 8(-1), Dex 10(+0), Con 12(+1), Int 11(+0), Wis 9(-1), Cha 14(+2).

    Skills and Feats: HIDE+0, SPOT+2(3), LISTEN-1, MOVE SILENTLY+0, climb+6(4), craft(leatherworking)+6(6), appraise+4(2), use rope+3(3).

    Markoos and Harkoos are identical twins. Both are dark haired, about five and a half feet tall. Their age is somewhere between fourteen and seventeen, but they’re not sure. Their parents were killed by bandits and the twins found themselves in a strange city with no support. Even Garnoc is not sure why he took them in, but they have proven to be well worth his trouble. He looks upon them as the sons he never had and is extremely proud of them, although does not show it, merely commenting upon their skills and efficiency.

    Twins stats: Human Male, Com1; CR 1; HD 1d4+1; hp 5; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 BAB +0; Melee club +3 (1d6+2); AL LG; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will -2; Str 14(+2), Dex 10(+0), Con 13(+1), Int 12(+1), Wis 7(-2), Cha 16(+3).
    Skills and Feats: HIDE+0, SPOT-2, LISTEN-2, MOVE SILENTLY+0, craft(Leatherworking)+6(4), escape artist+2(2), heal+1(4),  swim+4(2); simple weapon proficiency(club), track.

    Adventure seeds:

    • Garnoc had a falling out with the guild sometime ago. Due to his skills and Noble patronage it has not affected his business much, but with his increasing age and closing retirement the Guild is looking to change that.
    • The twins recognizes one of the bandits who killed their parents in a nearby tavern. The man has recently moved into the city, reformed his ways and taken up an honest trade. But the twins want revenge for what he did.
    • A single glove was found at the scene of a horrific crime. It is clearly one of Garnoc’s creations. The problem is he never sold that pair. Or perhaps he simply does not remember who he sold them too.
    • The night before Garnoc is set to sponsor the twins to the Guild, he dies. Some of the more jealous Guild members see this as an opportunity to take over the profitable and reputable shop. Markoos and Harkoos are distraught over this news and vow to fight however they can, but being merely apprentices, they have no standing in the Guild.
    • A mysterious woman brings in an a piece of extremely rare leather and asks for a pair of gloves. She does not give a name, but leaves an address in the Mage’s district to deliver them too. That night the shop is broken into and only that piece of leather is stolen. The Constable reports that magic, rather then thief skills were used.

    Random Fantasy Names

    Random Fantasy Names

    Originally posted from Fidonet. Just a random list of names that I’ve kept around for creating fantasy characters.  So Brian Kettering – who ever you are, thanks!

    From   : Brian Kettering  (POST 05-May-1993 19:12)
    Subject: Names of the Month
    Since people liked my post of many fantasy names, I have decided to post a
    few more each month for everyone to use and enjoy.  If one or three catch
    your eye, write me back and tell me why (oooooh, a rhyme!).
    Achiena    Ejaena     Kamithar   Rechinar   Valethar  Cagoril   Goruta
    Adhereal   Ethurael   Kavaena    Retaena    Viorzha   Chasetyr  Halura
    Akimar     Farenal    Kazil      Rocamara   Vuzarael  Chidildra Henashal
    Basemar    Felethar   Korithar   Ruthamaal  Worustan  Cimiryl   Ibohama
    Cabistone  Fuliurael  Larostan   Samithar   Xaimar    Daeros    Icanal
    Caera      Gaudrael   Lovumar    Savaston   Xalathar  Darital   Idenshield
    Camara     Hazuther   Marael     Sezerael   Xemara    Dawndale  Ikajira
    Chalutyr   Ichama     Nazarael   Shamara    Zirael    Denecar   Jaaor
    Cuathar    Isomar     Oakethar   Shirael    Zothimar  Elizaret  Jacipur
    Dachamar   Izether    Panduther  Tarael     Aeothor   Elinilera Jenin
    Darael     Jacuraal   Parither   Thalastan  Alalira   Evidar    Jimuril
    Dejemal    Jamara     Pedimar    Tharel     Anaer     Ezhuer    Kaera
    Dezim      Jizarael   Perom      Theston    Aviux     Fezire    Kajena
    Dezir      Joxiral    Piur       Tinuviel   Balisaer  Fosmar    Karashal
    Duthurael  Jutham     Ra’kirael  Ulorael    Barthon   Gelesia   Kavin

    Web Comics to read

    Web Comics to read

    Here is a list of my favorite Web Comics to read. Split into those “with an RSS feed” and those “without an RSS feed (that I can find)”

    With RSS Feed:
    Air Force Blues
    Astray3
    Boxcar Astronaut
    Dilbert
    Evil Inc.
    The Rainbow Orchid
    Gene’s Journal
    Erf World
    Order of the Stick
    Gill
    Girl Genius
    Schoolhouse Daze
    Imagine This
    Imy
    Lackadaisy Cats
    Least I Could Do (Not safe for work!)
    Legend of Bill
    Lovecraft is Missing
    Penny Arcade
    Pinkerton
    PvPonline
    The System
    Schlock Mercenary
    Sheldon
    Shi Long Pang
    Something Positive (Not safe for work!)
    Starslip
    The Super Fogeys
    VG Cats(Not safe for work!) (Sometimes)
    Weregeek
    xkcd

    Without an RSS Feed (that I can find):
    Real Life
    Tales from the White Pony
    Dungeons and Denizens
    Chicken Wings
    CTRL+ALT+DEL
    Sorcery 101
    8 Bit Theater
    Goblins
    Giselle
    Realm of Atland
    Strip Tease
    Girls with Slingshots
    Multiplex
    Good Ship Chronicles
    Jump Leads
    Menage a 3 (Not work safe!!!!)
    The Zombie Hunters
    Dork Tower
    Wayfarer’s Moon
    Galaxion
    Looking For Group
    Nodwick
    Full Frontal Nerdity
    Ps238