City of Berlum

    Just posting some old junk of mine :)


City of Berlum
Independent City
Who Rules: Mayor Rylor Hartin (LG hm F3), an artistic sort who receives
bribes from all quarters.  His rule is quite ineffective, and only the will
of the Elven Fleet keeps him securely in power.
Who Really Rules: The Elven Fleet, who pull the strings of the members of
the mayor and most other officials.  Their representative is Besulam
Shadowstar (LG ef W9), who truly runs the city.  She uses bribes and
blackmail to keep the puppet government in line, and most importantly, out
of her way.
Population: 5,000 (current tax rolls); the real population is about 5,250
permanent residents and another 1,100 transients.  At least 1,200 are elves
or half elves are citizens.  Another 1,200 are mixed races, such as dwarves,
dracons, and the like.
Major Products: Gem-cutting, artwork, and scrolls are created in the city.
The city thrives on trade and sale of high-priced goods.
Armed Forces: The city has a standing watch of 250 armed men-at-arms (F2-4).
The guards keep the city peaceful.  They are nominally loyal to the mayor,
but take their marching orders from Besulam.  The guard is further bolstered
by a garrison of 200 elves (F2-5) stationed at Berlum.  The town also has a
navy of 10 ships with a total of 300 trained mariners.
Notable Mages:
. Casuath Nightsong (CG em W12) is a retired battlepoet from the Elven
Fleet.  Casuath has a distinct distaste for battle, as he has seen a good
deal of spilled blood in his day.  He is quite wealthy from his days in the
Elven Fleet and has little need for money.  He sometimes acts as a sage,
specializing in heraldry, local history (Elven Fleet), and spelljamming.
. Launt Harrowhill (N hm W16) is the most powerful resident mage in the
city.  He is a gruff, hard-looking man with a neatly trimmed beard and
otherwise looks the part of a powerful archmage.  Unfortunately for him, his
gruff cannot withstand the eyes of innocent children, to whom he gives
candies and other treats.  He takes pupils from time to time if he discovers
a child with a talent for magic.
. Tor Whitestar (CN hf W(I)13) is a 40-year old woman who appears no more
than 17 summers, thanks in part to several elixirs of youth.  She enjoys
playing the part of a helpless maiden in need of rescuing, playing on the
romantic ideals of young knights to get them to do her bidding.  Tor is
quite skilled at manipulating the emotions of hot-blooded young men.
Notable Churches:
. Shrine of Slumber, a temple dedicated to the sleeping maiden.  The clergy
are somehow able to gain spells up to 3rd level, and thus they believe the
slumbering maiden is a goddess.  Head cleric Tryndor Everwatch (LG hm P9);
12 priests, 100 followers.
. The Watchful Eye, temple to Heimdall; Syier Aegis (LG hm P11); 8 priests,
15 followers.  The church is popular with the populous.
Notable Rogues' and Thieves' Guilds: None are admitted to exist, but like
any major city, Berlum has its problems with thieves.  The city has at least
two guilds that are often at war over turf.
. The Endless Nightmare: A sinister organization specializing in slavery,
extortion, and drug trafficking.  It must be very careful with its
operations or risk being discovered and destroyed.  About 30 thieves and
thugs (T1 to T6) are members that work the docks area.  The leader of the
Endless Nightmare is unknown, but suspected of being some unhuman monsters
such as a beholder or mind flayer.
. The Black Glove is a guild of petty thieves, pick pockets, and muggers.
It counts about 50 members, mostly street thugs that ganged together for
mutual protection.  Leadership changes every few months as the old leader is
knocked off his perch by a younger and more ambitious gang member.
Currently, the leader is Jyce Slim (NE hem T6) a nasty individual with a
vicious scar across his face.  Jyce is fond of knife fights, and forces his
enemies to battle each other with knifes while strapped together.
Equipment Shops: Full.
Adventurers' Quarters: The taverns of Berlum are bright, cheerful places
where nobles enjoy their wenching and gossiping.  Adventurers are welcomed,
as most people in the city consider themselves as adventurers in one way or
another.
. The Dragon in the Stars, the largest and most famous tavern in the sphere.
It is the best place to meet people and engage in idle gossip.  A massive
set of dragon horns is hung above the mantle, a gift from a passing band of
adventurers (excellent/expensive).
. The Firegout, a seedy tavern with many private booths and strong spirits.
The tavern was made famous a decade ago when, during a drunken brawl, a
patron took a swig of a potion of fire breath, and as a result nearly burned
the tavern to the ground.  The tavern was rebuilt and renamed as a result
(fair/cheap).
. The Dancing Satyr, a rowdy place run by a retired adventurer name Rul.  A
fighter with a taste for brawling, he runs the Satyr as he runs his life,
with his fists.  The place actually has few brawls, as it is well known Rul
is as strong as an ogre and takes great delight in pummeling a foe into
unconsciousness (poor/cheap).
Important Characters:
. Hris Nightfell (LG hm F7) head of the Nightfell noble house.
. Bron Trohin (NG hem F6/W6), captain of the Reverie in the Night.
. Wylu Sung (N hf R8) a rare ranger from Shou Lung who settled on Berlum
after her tour of duty aboard a Shou dragonship came to an end.  She still
hires herself out for survey work for new planets or asteroids.
Important Features in Town: The city is divided between the Lower City and
the Upper City.  The Lower City is where the docks, the lower market, and
the slums are found.  In the Upper City one will find the homes and shops of
artisans, nobles, and other wealthy individuals.  The Elven Fleet has an
outpost in the Upper City, a walled compound with a central keep.  The elves
patrol the Upper City, making sure their presence is known.  Elven patrols
rarely venture into the Lower City, leaving the duty of keeping that
district in line with human and half-elven patrols.
 Under the feet of the residents is a labyrinth of catacombs, tombs, and
caves.  The passages twist and turn to such a degree that they seem almost
alive.  Many people have vanished in the catacombs, only to return years
later, changed somehow.  Few have memories of their experiences, but report
wild and varied stories.
Local Lore: The origins of the city are better explained in the Legend of
the Slumbering Maiden section.  In short, the discovery of a sleeping maiden
of great beauty spurred the founding of a town, and investments from the
Elven Fleet turned the town into a city.  That was about seven centuries
ago.
 As with any city, Berlum has its tales and legends.  Under the city is said
to be an older city, predating the current city by many, many centuries.  It
is quite dangerous, with galleries full of undead, golems, and alien
creatures.  Of course, many of these tales are exaggerations or fabrications
crafted by the Knights of the Eternal Dream to keep people out of the
tunnels.  Occasionally, the stores come to life when a creature crawls up
from the depths of the undercity to wreck havoc before being dispatched by
the watch.
 Recently, inquisitive youths have discovered a new set of catacombs guarded
by what appears to be stone golems.  The youths disappeared quickly
afterwards, leaving people to speculate which hole leads to the catacombs,
and the missing youths.

Adam