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D&D: Setting Info
I know this has been long in coming, but I've been putting it off...well, honestly, I've been putting off a lot of things for reasons I won't get into here, with pretty much nothing to do with game. I want to fix this, still, if people still want to play (And I think, at least as of last post on the subject, people still did, even if we were a bit all over the board). So here's me, making a concrete stab in this direction. Next weekend, rain or shine, hell or high water? First session.
First: logistical notes. I'm using my own setting, and not using any of the pre-generated settings, because I just haven't had time to read them with enough depth to feel like I could pull them off. However, Doc? I think we can work with the psionic stuff if you really want it, and you give me a little patience while we deal with it. If there's something specific from some supplement book that you're just dying to use? Come talk to me this weekend, and I'll see if I can work that in in specific without throwing things off. Since it's not going to be a hugely long campaign, simply given logistics, I think we can probably find some middle ground here so we're all happy.
Now, onto setting...
Sontor's Ford
Sontor's Ford is a large town in northern Alendia, found at the crossing of the Great North Highway and the River Barash. Because of its location at the intersection of two major trade routes, the town is of significant commerical significance to the kingdom of Alendia. It is, however, remote enough that it has little value as a military target, so it has remained a relatively peaceful place since its founding some three hundred years ago.
History
As the name suggests, Sontor's Ford was originally settled at a natural ford of the River Barash, in the foothills of the Cragspine Mountains. The ground is especially fertile here thanks to the volcanic activity that originally created the Cragspines, though it's been millenia since there was any significant geothermic activity in the region. Nestled in the river valley, the area was ideal for growing crops, and building materials were close at hand thanks to the mountains and the Westren Forest that grows in the shadow of the Cragspines.
Sontor was the owner of the first, and largest farm in the valley. He'd been a solitary farmer at first, but his nose for business quickly let him expand to a full farmstead, housing up to two dozen farmhands and their families at its height. With the Westren Forest nearby, it was little surprise when two brothers set up lumber operations within a day's journey of the ford. When iron deposits were found some two hundred and fifty years ago, the establishment of a town here at the ford was simply a matter of time.
Eventually, when trade relations were established with the Empire of Ikan, merchants looked for the best route to reach the fabled sands of the Empire. This led to the discovery of Sontor Pass, named for the town. while treacherous and often closed to snow in the winters, the pass over the Cragspine still remains the safest and fastest route to reach Ikan from Alendia, bypassing the need to sail around the Dragon's Teeth -- treacherous shoals where the Cragspine run down into the Azure Ocean. Eventually, the road over the pass was paved, trade hostels were established at regular intervals, and the ford that originally gave the town its name was dredged out and replaced with a wide drawbridge. This both allowed caravans to pass easily through the town, and for ships to pass further up along the River Baresh without the need to haul them overland to get around the ford. It was only a matter of time until the village grew into a town. Only the relative remoteness of Sontor's Ford has kept it from becoming one of the premiere cities in the kingdom.
Trade
As should be obvious, trade plays an important part in life in Sontor's Ford. Rare wood from the Westren Forest, iron from the Magrad Mines, even vegetables from the nearby farms are all shipped out. Merchants carrying items north to Ikan inevitably travel through Sontor's Ford, and often contract with ships to quicken their return journeys.
As a result, Sontor's Ford sees more rare and usual items for sale than most other towns its size. It also sees more than its usual share of visitors from far and wide. This exposure makes the natives of the Ford much more cosmopolitan, and generally more accepting of the strange and unusual. After all, at one time or another, every race imaginable has visited Sontor's Ford. There's very much a sense of "we've seen it all" from the Town Elders.
Local Landmarks
* Tower of Azora: One hundred and fifty years ago, the sorceress Azora arrived in Sontor's Ford and offered her services to the town council. Magic is still magic, so they were wary about it at first, but eventually accepted and let her settle. Six months later, when an accident threatened to consume the warehouses along the River Baresh entirely, Azora summoned elementals of water to help contain the fire. After tht point, no one grumbled about the wizard who settled outside of town. Within a year, she'd constructed her tower with the aid of more summoned elementals. Since that time, there has always been a town wizard to look out for Sontor's Ford, who has claimed the tower as their own. This tradition began with Azora's third apprentice, and continues to this day. The town wizard will typically take one apprentice at a time, who may or may not decide to stay in town. Those who leave occasionally return as well to take up the mantle of Wizard of Azora's Tower when their mentors pass on. So far, while most wizards taught in Sontor's Ford have sought their fortunes elsewhere, this chain of master to apprentice remains unbroken.
* Westren Forest: Nestled against the Cragspine Mountains is the Westren Forest. The wood is full of old growth, carefully harvested under the supervision of elves to make sure that the health of the forest and the long-term viability of operations are both preserved. Rare trees in the heart of the forest are the primary interest of these harvests, rather than simple building material. These woods are used by both artisans and wizards, and command a high price. The woods themselves are relatively safe for those who have even basic training in surviving in the outdoors; it's been fifty years since there was even a significant bandit problem in the woods along the Great North Highway.
* Magrad Mines: Named for Magrad Coalbeard, a dwarf from the far east, these mines are still one of the greatest repositories of iron in the Alendia. As such, the kingdom pays a high price to make sure they remain protected, as do the mining concerns who run the mines. At this point, centuries of mining have left the hills under the Cragspine littered with abandoned tunnels. There are two primary shafts being mined today, one of which occasionally turns up small gems and offshoot veins of much rarer metals, though not in any quantity like the primary iron vein that the mine makes its living from.
* Caer Pallis: Established originally as a fort to protect the mines and the trade routes passing through Sontor's Ford, Caer Pallis has since grown into a full-blown stone keep. Currently held by Baron Alexas Rivendare, the Caer is responsible for protecting the Great North Highway and the area around the Ford from threats both to trade and to the kingdom itself. Alexas is a grave man, a widower who lost his wife at a young age. Having never remarried, and with no sons, he treats the soldiers and knights under his banner as if they were family. Slow to smile but quick to affection, he hopes one day to find someone worthy enough to adopt as his heir, though he never speaks of such.
* The Temple at Dun Rozen: Originally the site of a small shrine to Ceartas, the hilltop has grown along with Sontor's Ford into one of the largest temples of the god of justice and love. It's said that ages ago, Ceartas smote the hilltop with his hammer, causing roses to grow up from the cracks left in the earth. These roses, however, were like none seen anywhere else in the world. Though many have tried to transplant cuttings elsewhere, Dun Rozen remains the only place in the world where the Blue Roses of Ceartas will grow. The temple is also the center of the church's knightly training outside the Grand Cathedral. Thankfully, the paladins of Dun Rozen get along fairly well with the knights at Caer Pallis; in fact, every summer, they hold tournament competitions as part of the yearly fair in Sontor's Ford, often drawing in hundreds of visitors just for the jousting and other martial competitions.
* Ironhilt Inn: The largest rest stop for travelers in Sontor's Ford, the Ironhilt Inn is busy all year round. Opened a century ago and rebuilt on the same spot twice when damaged by fire and flood, the inn plays host to merchants, mercenaries, and travelers from around the world. The dining room has also seen some of the finest musicians in the world play in the evenings as they passed through the Ford on their way to other locales. It's never a dull night in the taproom at the Ironhilt.
---
And that's where we're starting. If people have questions, comments, or concerns, please hit me up now. If you want to help flesh out where your character fits in all this? Also let me know.
First: logistical notes. I'm using my own setting, and not using any of the pre-generated settings, because I just haven't had time to read them with enough depth to feel like I could pull them off. However, Doc? I think we can work with the psionic stuff if you really want it, and you give me a little patience while we deal with it. If there's something specific from some supplement book that you're just dying to use? Come talk to me this weekend, and I'll see if I can work that in in specific without throwing things off. Since it's not going to be a hugely long campaign, simply given logistics, I think we can probably find some middle ground here so we're all happy.
Now, onto setting...
Sontor's Ford
Sontor's Ford is a large town in northern Alendia, found at the crossing of the Great North Highway and the River Barash. Because of its location at the intersection of two major trade routes, the town is of significant commerical significance to the kingdom of Alendia. It is, however, remote enough that it has little value as a military target, so it has remained a relatively peaceful place since its founding some three hundred years ago.
History
As the name suggests, Sontor's Ford was originally settled at a natural ford of the River Barash, in the foothills of the Cragspine Mountains. The ground is especially fertile here thanks to the volcanic activity that originally created the Cragspines, though it's been millenia since there was any significant geothermic activity in the region. Nestled in the river valley, the area was ideal for growing crops, and building materials were close at hand thanks to the mountains and the Westren Forest that grows in the shadow of the Cragspines.
Sontor was the owner of the first, and largest farm in the valley. He'd been a solitary farmer at first, but his nose for business quickly let him expand to a full farmstead, housing up to two dozen farmhands and their families at its height. With the Westren Forest nearby, it was little surprise when two brothers set up lumber operations within a day's journey of the ford. When iron deposits were found some two hundred and fifty years ago, the establishment of a town here at the ford was simply a matter of time.
Eventually, when trade relations were established with the Empire of Ikan, merchants looked for the best route to reach the fabled sands of the Empire. This led to the discovery of Sontor Pass, named for the town. while treacherous and often closed to snow in the winters, the pass over the Cragspine still remains the safest and fastest route to reach Ikan from Alendia, bypassing the need to sail around the Dragon's Teeth -- treacherous shoals where the Cragspine run down into the Azure Ocean. Eventually, the road over the pass was paved, trade hostels were established at regular intervals, and the ford that originally gave the town its name was dredged out and replaced with a wide drawbridge. This both allowed caravans to pass easily through the town, and for ships to pass further up along the River Baresh without the need to haul them overland to get around the ford. It was only a matter of time until the village grew into a town. Only the relative remoteness of Sontor's Ford has kept it from becoming one of the premiere cities in the kingdom.
Trade
As should be obvious, trade plays an important part in life in Sontor's Ford. Rare wood from the Westren Forest, iron from the Magrad Mines, even vegetables from the nearby farms are all shipped out. Merchants carrying items north to Ikan inevitably travel through Sontor's Ford, and often contract with ships to quicken their return journeys.
As a result, Sontor's Ford sees more rare and usual items for sale than most other towns its size. It also sees more than its usual share of visitors from far and wide. This exposure makes the natives of the Ford much more cosmopolitan, and generally more accepting of the strange and unusual. After all, at one time or another, every race imaginable has visited Sontor's Ford. There's very much a sense of "we've seen it all" from the Town Elders.
Local Landmarks
* Tower of Azora: One hundred and fifty years ago, the sorceress Azora arrived in Sontor's Ford and offered her services to the town council. Magic is still magic, so they were wary about it at first, but eventually accepted and let her settle. Six months later, when an accident threatened to consume the warehouses along the River Baresh entirely, Azora summoned elementals of water to help contain the fire. After tht point, no one grumbled about the wizard who settled outside of town. Within a year, she'd constructed her tower with the aid of more summoned elementals. Since that time, there has always been a town wizard to look out for Sontor's Ford, who has claimed the tower as their own. This tradition began with Azora's third apprentice, and continues to this day. The town wizard will typically take one apprentice at a time, who may or may not decide to stay in town. Those who leave occasionally return as well to take up the mantle of Wizard of Azora's Tower when their mentors pass on. So far, while most wizards taught in Sontor's Ford have sought their fortunes elsewhere, this chain of master to apprentice remains unbroken.
* Westren Forest: Nestled against the Cragspine Mountains is the Westren Forest. The wood is full of old growth, carefully harvested under the supervision of elves to make sure that the health of the forest and the long-term viability of operations are both preserved. Rare trees in the heart of the forest are the primary interest of these harvests, rather than simple building material. These woods are used by both artisans and wizards, and command a high price. The woods themselves are relatively safe for those who have even basic training in surviving in the outdoors; it's been fifty years since there was even a significant bandit problem in the woods along the Great North Highway.
* Magrad Mines: Named for Magrad Coalbeard, a dwarf from the far east, these mines are still one of the greatest repositories of iron in the Alendia. As such, the kingdom pays a high price to make sure they remain protected, as do the mining concerns who run the mines. At this point, centuries of mining have left the hills under the Cragspine littered with abandoned tunnels. There are two primary shafts being mined today, one of which occasionally turns up small gems and offshoot veins of much rarer metals, though not in any quantity like the primary iron vein that the mine makes its living from.
* Caer Pallis: Established originally as a fort to protect the mines and the trade routes passing through Sontor's Ford, Caer Pallis has since grown into a full-blown stone keep. Currently held by Baron Alexas Rivendare, the Caer is responsible for protecting the Great North Highway and the area around the Ford from threats both to trade and to the kingdom itself. Alexas is a grave man, a widower who lost his wife at a young age. Having never remarried, and with no sons, he treats the soldiers and knights under his banner as if they were family. Slow to smile but quick to affection, he hopes one day to find someone worthy enough to adopt as his heir, though he never speaks of such.
* The Temple at Dun Rozen: Originally the site of a small shrine to Ceartas, the hilltop has grown along with Sontor's Ford into one of the largest temples of the god of justice and love. It's said that ages ago, Ceartas smote the hilltop with his hammer, causing roses to grow up from the cracks left in the earth. These roses, however, were like none seen anywhere else in the world. Though many have tried to transplant cuttings elsewhere, Dun Rozen remains the only place in the world where the Blue Roses of Ceartas will grow. The temple is also the center of the church's knightly training outside the Grand Cathedral. Thankfully, the paladins of Dun Rozen get along fairly well with the knights at Caer Pallis; in fact, every summer, they hold tournament competitions as part of the yearly fair in Sontor's Ford, often drawing in hundreds of visitors just for the jousting and other martial competitions.
* Ironhilt Inn: The largest rest stop for travelers in Sontor's Ford, the Ironhilt Inn is busy all year round. Opened a century ago and rebuilt on the same spot twice when damaged by fire and flood, the inn plays host to merchants, mercenaries, and travelers from around the world. The dining room has also seen some of the finest musicians in the world play in the evenings as they passed through the Ford on their way to other locales. It's never a dull night in the taproom at the Ironhilt.
---
And that's where we're starting. If people have questions, comments, or concerns, please hit me up now. If you want to help flesh out where your character fits in all this? Also let me know.
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