Roleplayer #23, May 1991
ORCTOWN
The Most Dangerous Place on Yrth
by Scott Paul Maykrantz
Orcs are destructive, nomadic, and (compared to other races) have no
skill at building things. As a result, they have trouble creating a permanent
village, let alone a town or castles. In addition, any settlement they come
across is leveled by Orc raids or (if the Orcs explore before raiding it)
casual fires set by Orcs who don't know any better.
But there is one exception: Orctown. Orctown is a village in the northern
reaches of Orcland, near Sahud. It is a town of danger, excitement, and
general chaos, like the Thieves' Quarter of many Yrth cities. A visitor
cannot avoid trouble here, and there is no point in trying. The only way
to handle yourself in Orctown is to be ready for the trouble when it happens,
and plan to make a few coins off it.
Location
Orctown is a small village on the south shore of Black lake. The Karthagg
River runs down out of the northern edge of the Bronze Mountains, into the
valley west of the Sahudese southern border. In this valley of steep hills
and delicate lakes, two rivers -- the Karthagg and the Black River -- meet
at Black lake. The Karthagg continues from here, into Sahud, past the capital
city of Kinkaku, and out to the sea.
A mile before the Karthagg meets Black lake, it runs into a large cluster
of rocks. These rocks break the river into several strong streams. Orctown
is located among these streams, in a swampy acre where the tributaries meet
the lake.
The Orctown Environs
The area around Orctown is full of hills, streams, small groves, wildlife,
and hunters. At least one Orc tribe (the Poisoned Talon) frequents the area.
Cottages and farms can be found everywhere; in the cottages live stout,
combat-trained humans who grow vegetables and raise livestock.
The hills are also the home of brigands who roam the area, looking for unsuspecting
travelers to rob. The brigands belong to the Orctown
brigand guilds (see p. 12).
Those who live in this wild land must be skilled with sword and shield to
survive -- the brigands, farmers, hunters, and Orc tribesmen prey upon each
other for food, shelter and valuables.
History
Orctown was settled over 70 years ago when an Orc tribe (the Poisoned Talon)
camped on the future site of Orctown. There they found a small group of
Dwarven outcasts. The Dwarves needed food and shelter; the Orcs needed new
weapons. In exchange for a small tent and meals -- and, of course, the privilege
of continued breathing -- the Dwarves crafted weapons and armor for the
Orcs over the course of several months.
The news spread and several tribes came to use the Dwarves' services. The
coast of Black lake became the hub of activity in the area between Orcland
and Sahud. A few stores were established, selling weapons, supplies and
food. Travelers stopped there to collect information, merchants arrived
to recruit Orc bodyguards, and Orc tribesmen showed up looking for a fight.
Outsiders, exiles, and other social refuse found a home in Orctown.
Over the decades, the Dwarves turned to stonework. The Orcs destroyed wood
buildings, so the Dwarves had to build stone structures that could not be
knocked down or burned. Over the years, the Dwarves created all of the buildings
and bridges now standing in Orctown. The Dwarves served as foremen and designers
of the buildings, allowing hired Orcs and humans to help with the manual
labor. They built each structure slowly, emphasizing quality over quantity,
and sold each finished building to the brigand guilds.
With this investment, the brigand guilds were able to take control of the
local economy. They collected rent, then used that money to attract merchants
in Megalos and Caithness to bring their goods to Orctown.
The town has survived because of a balance of power among its residents.
The town can't be destroyed by the Orcs that live there, business is lucrative
(which attracts new residents), and the brigand guilds are powerful enough
to destroy any Orc tribe that tries to pillage the town. The Dwarves and
humans who provide necessary skills are protected by the Orc leaders and
by their own hired guards.
Fires
Orctown is divided into eight sections by the streams at the end of the
Karthagg River. This, and the fact that all of Orctown's buildings and bridges
are made of stone, is all that prevents Orctown from being burned to the
ground several times a year.
There is at least one fire a week in Orctown. Most are extinguished (using
buckets of water from the streams) before they grow too large. Once every
two to three months, a fire rages out of control and burns several buildings.
Some fires can even burn an entire section of Orctown. Fires will plague
Orctown as long as Orcs live there. But arsonists of any race are
punished; a casual pyromaniac will be caught and convicted by street justice.
If a fire ranges out of control, it will burn the entire section of Orctown
between the streams. Mud and clay is packed on roofs to prevent the blaze
from "jumping" the stream (by scattering incendiary debris and
sparks in the wind). Occasionally a blaze is extinguished by a heavy downpour
of rain (often summoned by a mage).
When the fire has run its course, furniture, roofs, doors, shutters, and
any wooden extensions to the buildings must be replaced. The initial repair
of necessary structures (such as roofs) takes a week. Completely replacing
everything takes much longer.
The three brigand's guilds, Skully's
(an inn/tavern), the Black Axe (an inn), and
the Erbry (a tavern) have extensive fire extinguishing
systems. On the roof of each building are metal barrels, attached to the
frame of the roof by a heavy hinge. These barrels collect rain year-round
and are tipped on the hinge if the building (or a building nearby) catches
fire. In addition, these six establishments have loyal patrons who eagerly
help extinguish the fire (including mages with useful spells such as Rain
or Extinguish Fire).
The Orctown Economy
The three brigand dukes own Orctown -- they are the kingpins of commerce
and crime. Each brigand duke is the leader of a brigands' guild, each with
a guildhouse in Orctown. The dukes are Adolphe Valerian of Red
House, Boss Zirynth of Portan House, and
Grath Painmaker of Grath House. (The practice
of calling a guild a "House" was inspired by the noble houses
of Sahud.)
Each duke is cunning, egotistical and ruthless. They deal with two types
of businessmen: those who travel in caravans or ships to sell goods abroad
(whom the dukes call "merchants") and the local traders in Orctown
who sell goods and services to Orctowners (whom the dukes call "shopkeepers").
The dukes act as middlemen between these two groups.
The Merchants
The brigand dukes encourage merchants from Sahud, Megalos, Caithness and
the Nomad lands to bring goods to Orctown. Merchants come by caravan through
the Bronze Mountains or around the mountains by way of Orcland or Sahud.
Some merchants travel in small ships and river boats up the Karthagg River.
Orctowners depend on merchants for many essential products. The merchants
bring everything except pottery, fish, furs, lumber, livestock and hides
(which the Orctowners produce locally).
Traveling to Orctown is expensive. Merchants must invest in bodyguards,
reliable guides, survival supplies, etc. If they survive the journey, they
still face the hordes of brigands who lurk in the hills surrounding Orctown
and along the Karthagg. Ironically, the brigands are members of the Orctown
brigands' guilds, the same organization that buys the merchants' goods!
The merchants do come, however, because the brigand dukes pay well.
Any merchant will be paid at least 30% more than the basic value of the
goods. (The "basic value" is the price the goods would bring in
another town or city on the Ytarrian continent; the basic value of small
quantities of goods can be found on p. B212.) If more than one duke bids
for the merchandise, the percentage can rise even higher!
The dukes make a modest profit selling the goods to local shopkeepers for
40% more than the basic value. The shopkeepers make money by selling the
goods to Orctowners for 50% more than the basic value. This means that everything
is Orctown costs 50% more "normal" prices. A medium shield (basic
value $60) costs $90 in Orctown. Orctowners can afford these prices because
their own fees are inflated -- mercenaries charge 50% more than elsewhere
in Ytarria, mages charge 50% more for any spellcaster services, and criminals
make 50% more because there is more to steal!
The majority of the dukes' income comes from occasionally robbing merchants
en route to Orctown. By capturing goods from a caravan or ship, every coin
they make from the operation is profit. This high profit balances the low
profit they make from their purchases from merchants, keeping them in business.
But they are careful in their manipulation of the local economy. If they
capture too many caravans and ships, merchants will not risk coming to Orctown.
Any merchant who sells his goods directly to the shopkeepers will be killed.
On the other hand, merchants who reach a special "understanding"
with a duke will not be molested by that duke's forces -- or, usually, by
the others.
Although the brigand dukes could sell the goods directly to the
rest of Orctown (eliminating the shopkeepers for higher profits), the dukes
are just too busy. They have enough work attracting merchants and tending
to the brigands!
Favoring Fees
The dukes can decrease the amount of money they pay for shipped goods by
giving a merchant a "favoring fee." The standard favoring fee
is 10%. The favoring fee is subtracted from the percentage added to the
basic value. Thus, a merchant who agrees to a standard favoring fee will
sell his goods for 20% more than the basic value, instead of 30% more.
When a merchant agrees to a favoring fee for a duke, that duke sends his
troops to escort the traveling merchant into Orctown. These brigands will
protect the merchant from being attacked by the other brigands camped in
the hills outside the town. They escort the merchant as he approaches and
as he leaves. The agreement for a favoring fee will include the distance
between Orctown and the merchant at which the brigands will arrive (the
standard is 50 miles). The favoring fee rises proportionately with the distance.
Obviously, a merchant must sell his goods to the guild that is
favoring him. If the merchant is escorted by one guild and sells any of
his goods to another, the guild that escorted him will pillage the merchant
on his way Out of town. A merchant can, however, choose a different guild
to favor him on a later visit. This is one of the advantages of trading
without a favoring fee -- without one, the merchant can get the dukes to
bid for his goods . . . if he makes it into town!
The merchants who travel to Orctown on a regular basis are always favored
by one of the guilds. If the merchant is exceptionally reliable, the dukes
may bid lower fees to favor the merchant! A favoring fee can also be reduced
if a merchant provides a special service (delivering unusual goods, for
example), or by convincing other merchants to sell goods to Orctown.
A favoring fee can be increased (to 15% or even 20%) if the merchant wants
the guild to send an especially powerful force for protection, or wants
protection outside the usual 50-mile range.
Of course, dealing with the brigand dukes isn't a cut-and-dried process.
Wise merchants will bring their own mercenary guards and invest in local
freelance spies to protect themselves. The dukes will cheat newcomers when
they can, especially by changing the "fine print" of a spoken
agreement (see p.10). And when the dukes are quarreling (which is often),
they will send their troops to destroy or steal goods brought by the merchants
who sell to their rivals.
Shopkeepers
The shopkeepers buy all of their goods from the brigand dukes. A shopkeeper
caught buying directly from a merchant will be robbed clean by brigands
(repeat offenders are killed or run out of town). But Orctown shopkeepers
are tough -- they deal with the constant threat of fire, robbery, and assassination.
They only reason they stay is because the money is so good.
Each brigands' guild has a different relationship with each shopkeeper.
Reliable, respectful shopkeepers who get along with the dukes will stay
in business. These shopkeepers can even ask for assistance from a duke.
For example, a shopkeeper on good terms with Grath Painmaker could occasionally
return unsold goods to Grath House for credit. Some shopkeepers, however,
resent the dukes' control. Any resistance only make it worse for themselves,
though, so the smart shopkeeper toes the line.
Additional Influence and Income
Most outsiders do not realize that the dukes run the economy of Orctown
(or how they do it). The brigand dukes like it that way -- they
avoid publicity.
The brigand guilds collect rent every month from nearly every Orctowner
-- only the Dwarves live rent-free. On the day after the full moon, a group
of tax collectors makes the rounds. The cost is $10 per building; if the
building has two floors, the cost is $15. The inns (Skully's
and the Black Axe) are charged $35 per month.
Each guild owns different buildings (Portan House
owns the most; Grath House owns the least).
Failure to pay results in immediate eviction.
The dukes have suppressed other guilds for years. They do not want organized
resistance to their power, so they act when Orctowner professionals begin
to gather. The current rumor of an impending Mages' Guild may be hard to
prevent, however -- the dukes will start a major feud (and lose valuable
allies) if they deal too strongly with the local mages.
A Deal with Red House: Orctown Economics
Jordan Simon, a notable merchant from Caithness, leaves for Orctown in a
caravan loaded with Caithness goods worth $110,000. The caravan travels
through the Bronze Mountains to the edge of Sahud, where Simon buys silk
and spices. Some of the Caithness goods are traded (at a slight loss to
Simon). The caravan now carries $95,000 In Caithness goods and $13,000 in
spices and silk. The journey continues westward along the southern bank
of the Karthagg River.
Through advance messengers, Simon has set up a "favoring fee"
with Red House. Adolphe Valerian asked Simon to buy spices and silk on the
way to Orctown -- Valerian has agreed to reduce the normal 10% favoring
fee to only 5% if Simon would oblige. Simon has done so; now Simon's group
will be escorted into Orctown by Red House brigands and he will
be paid 25% more for his goods than their basic value.
If Simon didn't accept the favoring fee, he would be free to trade the goods
to the highest-bidding brigand guild In Orctown, he would be paid 30% more
than the basic value of the goods (or more if a guild bids higher), and
he would risk being sacked by brigands on his way into town.
As the caravan nears Orctown, brigands from Portan
House are seen. Simon's bodyguards prepare for battle, but before a
major attack occurs, the caravan gets within 50 miles of Orctown and a company
of Red House "troops" arrive. Now the Portan House force keeps
to the hills.
Simon's caravan arrives safely to meet Adolphe Valerian. Valerian invites
Simon's group to join him to celebrate the sale with a small party in his
chambers. Then Valerian takes out his coin coffers to pay Simon.
For $108,000 in goods, Red House would normally pay 30% more (for a total
payment of $140,400). With a favoring fee, Valerian will pay only 20% more
($129,600). However, because Simon brought the spices and silk Valerian
requested, Valerian has reduced the favoring fee to 5%. Red House should
pay 25% more than the basic value ($135,000).
But Valerian claims that he agreed to reduce the favoring fee for just the
spices and silk, not the Caithness goods! He'll pay $114,000 for the Caithness
goods ($95,000 + 20%) and $16,250 for the spices and silk ($13,000 + 25%).
Simon balks at these figures and demands the money to which he is entitled.
The two shout it out but, as Valerian loses his patience, Simon gives in.
After all, Simon is making a good profit, and he doesn't want to risk his
life on a few thousand coins. The Red House brigands escort Simon's group
out of Orctown the next day.
The Brigand Guilds
Each guild has 330 to 400 members. With active recruitment and a high fatality
rate, each guild will gain or lose about 20 members per month. New members
are recruited from the steady stream of immigrants -- those who are tough
enough to survive a week or two in Orctown make good brigands.
Trademarks
Red House brigands wear strips of red cloth
across the forehead or on an arm. Portan House
brigands carry two swords at all times, even if they favor other weapons
-- sometimes the two scabbards at the belt will contain wooden weapons or
even broken hilts, but no Portan brigand goes without the two scabbards.
Grath House brigands have no special trademark,
though the town joke is that they are identified by their filth -- they
never bathe or clean their clothes. Grath House brigands can be visually
identified by process of elimination: any brigand who does not wear a red
cloth or two swords is a Grath House member.
Pretending to be a member of a rival guild is extremely dangerous. Members
of your own guild will call you a traitor; members of the mimicked guild
will hunt and kill you.
The Brigand Profession
The "job" of Orctown brigands involves roaming the local countryside
and stealing from wayfarers or Orc tribesmen, protecting favored merchants,
stealing from merchants that their guild is not favoring, battling rival
brigands, protecting the shopkeepers who faithfully serve their duke, collecting
streetwise information and spying, running errands (including delivering
messages as far
away as Megalos), unpacking and packing goods purchased by their duke, and
taking care of their guildhouse and property.
After dues are taken out, each brigand makes $400 per month. His clothing,
armor, weapons, food and housing are provided by the guild. Wounded or ill
brigands are attended to by physicians hired by the guild; this does not
cost the brigand unless he abuses the service. Although everything in Orctown
is over-priced, brigands live in relative luxury.
After-Hours Activities
The dukes tolerate a certain amount of rebellion. Many brigands find ways
to supplement their income. Some moonlight (literally!) as burglars. But
the dukes are much more strict about stealing from favored merchants. If
a brigand is caught stealing from a favored merchant, the thief will be
imprisoned in the guild dungeon for a few weeks. (The dukes use the Detect
Lies skill and, if possible, magic to detect guilt.) The penalty for a second
offense is death.
Corruption and double-dealing among the brigands are common. They are dishonest
murderers by trade, so a few bribes and extortion are to be expected. A
favorite method of earning some extra income is to collect "protection"
money from shopkeepers (usually $15 a month). However, the protection is
legitimate -- the brigands will keep an eye on the establishment and fight
off harassing brigands from rival guilds.
Becoming a Brigand Duke
The only way to usurp the position of duke is to gain notoriety as a brigand
(to build a base of authority and respect), then kill one of the dukes.
This has been tried on numerous occasions in the history of Orctown. It
has succeeded only once in the last five years, when Adolphe Valerian poisoned
his former boss (and founding duke of Red House) Brutos the Red.
Creating a new House would be harder. The existing dukes would destroy any
such attempt from within Orctown. An outsider who arrived with his own strong
power base, and good diplomatic skills, might have a chance.
Freelancers
Some Orctown thieves are not guild members. These "freelancers"
make money attacking merchants en route to Orctown or burglarizing shopkeepers.
But if a freelancer bothers the wrong person, the guild brethren will kill
him or run him out of town. Of course, if the freelancer is tough, he may
be "invited" to join a guild!
Guild Rivalry
The three brigand guilds are extremely competitive, and the competition
sometimes turns into outright battle. Most of the time, two of the guilds
are in a state of uneasy alliance with a third -- until one of the allies
betrays the other. Sometimes it's every guild for itself.
The competition extends to the streets of Orctown. Rival brigands avoid
each other -- any conversation they might have becomes an argument, then
a fight. Brawls are common, and there are lethal duels or simple murders
every night.
Red House
Red House brigands have the reputation of being smart and skillful. Each
is an expert in a particular field (level 16 or higher), usually a Combat/Weapon
skill or Thief/Spy skill. Adolphe and his lieutenants can also make good
use of any brigand with a non-combat, non-thief area of expertise -- for
example, they will keep a brigand with Accounting in the guildhouse as a
bodyguard-accountant. A brigand with Area Knowledge (Orclands) and leadership
would be used to set up ambushes on merchant caravans.
The Red House guildhouse is a two-story building located far from the coast
(10 on the map). The main building has rooms for the brigands, an armory,
duke Adolphe Valerian's personal chambers, a kitchen, and a common room.
Other rooms are found in the building next to the guildhouse.
The Red House brigands are not as well-treated as their rivals, because
Adolphe is so miserly. The Red House kitchen is understocked, the brigands
are paid only 80% of the salary of their rivals, many of the brigands have
second jobs (in their areas of expertise), and more Red House brigands can
found at the Erbry each evening than in the guildhouse.
To keep his men loyal, Adolphe offers a reward to those who have served
him longest -- a loyal brigand eventually becomes one of his twelve lieutenants.
The lieutenants order the others around but rarely have to do any strenuous
work themselves (including combat). They are paid more than twice the salary
of the others! The regular brigands tolerate their mistreatment, comforted
by the hope of "retiring" to this level of luxury.
Adolphe and his lieutenants select new recruits carefully. Adolphe wants
smart, talented people who are willing to be oppressed in exchange for the
chance to oppress others later! For this reason, Red House includes several
Sahudese martial artists in the membership -- the Sahudese are loyal and
deadly. One of the Sahudese is a lieutenant.
Grath House
Grath Painmaker runs a chaotic, vicious guild. His brigands are encouraged
to be as savage, wild, and notorious as possible. And they are -- Grath
brigands are very intimidating, with animalistic habits and a potent odor.
The Grath guildhouse (9 on the map) is a single-story building. It was specially-built
with a huge basement. This gives the brigands a guildhouse that is nearly
impossible to destroy, yet still has space for the entire membership. Not
that they stick around for long -- every night, at least a third of the
guild membership can be found at Skully's.
The guildhouse is dirty and dark, like a cave. But the brigands don't mind
sleeping on a dirt floor, among filth and rats, or being forced to carry
all of their belongings to prevent them from being stolen. Most of them
are barbarians, mountain men, and Orcs, so they actually like the accommodations!
Grath House is poorly managed. Guild leaders are those brigands who survived
last night's brawls and battles. Typically, ten of the toughest brigands
will hold a position of leadership for a month before one is displaced by
another, tougher brigand. Grath Painmaker is the toughest warrior in the
guild, but he is also smart enough to surround himself with loyal bodyguards.
Grath employs a few non-brigand professionals to take care of those tasks
his brigands cannot handle: business records and calculations (accountants)
and weapon and armor upkeep (Dwarves and smiths). He keeps his accountants
well-paid (and sufficiently intimidated) to insure their loyalty.
Grath House has a high fatality rate. Grath Painmaker keeps his guild full
by recruiting from Orc tribes -- he always has a brigand or two riding through
Orcland, spreading tales of a guild in Orctown that (in the words of Grath
brigands) "pays you to kill and steal." This attracts plenty of
new recruits.
Portan House
Portan House (14 on the map) is a coordinated, disciplined guild. The brigands
spend a lot of time in the guildhouse training and socializing. The guild-house
common room (on the lower of two floors) serves as their exclusive tavern,
with a barkeep and well-stocked kitchen. The upper floor is the barracks
-- large rooms full of beds. The place looks like a military academy.
Zirynth promotes camaraderie and personal excellence, but loyalty and discipline
are more important than pure skill. As a result, all Portan House brigands
are (compared to the rival guilds) loyal and professional. Portan House
also has the oldest (and most experienced) membership -- the two-sword brothers
watch out for each other. This makes Portan House's membership about 10%
higher than the other two (up to 460 members).
The leadership of Portan House is based on traditional military ranks. Common
brigands are cadets, Rank 0.10% of the total membership are non-cadet leaders
-- these are: sergeants, Rank 1 (7% of total membership); company commanders,
Rank 2 (3%); and guild commander, Rank 3 (Boss Zirynth). Each company commander
is in charge of two sergeants. Each sergeant is in charge of approximately
12 cadets. In Portan House, a "platoon" is a group of 12 cadets
and sergeant; a "company" is a group of 24 cadets and their two
sergeants.
Boss Zirynth requires his cadets to learn certain skills before they can
become sergeants; they must know Swimming, Leadership, Tactics, First Aid
and they must be Literate. The Orc brigands in Portan House never rise above
cadet level -- their destructive and rebellious nature prevents them from
learning the necessary discipline and skills.
The coordination of Portan House makes them dangerous opponents. Anyone
who thinks their low-key, professional nature is a sign of weakness is in
for a surprise! An assault on a merchant's caravan or an attack on rival
brigands are strategically planned, countering the expertise and ruthlessness
of Red House and the unpredictable savagery of Grath House.
Orctown Locations
There are over two hundred buildings in Orctown. Some 150 of the buildings
are businesses. Orctown does not have any parks, paved or cobbled roads,
warehouses, a bazaar, or a "town square."
Orctown is also one of the only Yrth towns or cities without a single church
or temple; this is because many Orctowners adhere to religions that need
no designated place of worship. Pagans worship in the open fields and hills
outside of town. Dwarves do not need a temple to feel the Eternal. Sahudese
worship everything around them. And Orcs don't worship anything!
Places in Orctown
Local shops in Orctown include: smithy, leatherworker, clothier, potter,
wainwright, cooper, scribe, embalmer, stone mason, and carpenter/woodworker.
Each smith has a specialty (silver, sword-making, etc.); half of the smiths
are Dwarves. Leatherworkers buy their hides from the hunters and trappers
in the Orctown environs. Clothiers (most are Sahudese) launder clothes for
a cost of half the value of the garment; alterations and mending cost 25%
to 100% of the value. Wainwrights double as salesmen of saddles and horse
harness. Embalmers (whose apprentices dig graves in the large graveyard
outside of town) have a thriving business. Scribes double as mapmakers.
Most masons are Dwarves.
There are also a few general stores which stock a plethora of useful goods.
In addition to the common establishments, Orctown has some unique places.
These are described below and in the last sidebar. see the map for locations.
Skully's
Skully's (2 on the map) is a tavern and inn, one of the most exciting places
in Orctown. Skully, the owner and manager, is a portly Orc. He claims he
killed a giant, an act that gave him his name and the skull that hangs above
the tavern door. He runs a lose, wild establishment. However, although he
is an Orc, he does not allow brawls or duels inside the building (he can't
afford it).
The inn is a two-story building, with thick stone columns inside to add
support to the upper floor and roof. Skully's has two fireplaces and a large
common room on the ground floor, filled with long wooden tables and benches.
The kitchen is located just off of the common room. There is also a large
cellar.
The customers of Skully's include most of the non-brigand Orctowners, all
Grath House brigands, and most Orctown visitors. Red House brigands and
Portan House brigands are not allowed inside Skully's. The large number
of customers makes Skully's the central source of street gossip.
A simple meal is $3; a hearty meal is $5. A tankard of ale costs $2. Skully
has ten rooms, each with a bed and a lantern. The cost is $7 a night.
The Black Axe
The Black Axe (15 on the map) is Orctown's other inn, though it does not
double as a tavern like Skully's. The building is like Skully's, except
it has only one fireplace. A large, black double-bladed axe hangs above
the door. The Black Axe charges $6 a night. The small stable next door costs
$3 per night per horse.
The owners of The Black Axe are a trio of Sahudese gentlemen. They are extremely
courteous, but they are also thieves. An adventurer fresh from a profitable
venture or a visiting merchant will be relieved of his riches in the night.
Guests who do not flaunt excessive riches are left alone.
Customers fluent in Sahudese will have their bill reduced by 20% or more.
The innkeepers speak Anglish poorly. They love to converse with non-Sahudese
who speak their native tongue as well as them. They will keep such a customer
up all night talking about world events and political philosophy!
The Erbry
The Erbry (18 on the map) is a unique tavern. There is no sign in front,
but the door is painted red. It the "official" tavern of Red House;
members of Portan House and Grath House are not allowed inside. It got its
name 15 years ago when a physician lived and worked there; it was "the
herbary." The name is still used, though few Orctowners even know what
it means.
The common room of the Erbry is located 20 feet below the front door. Inside
the door is a 3-yard by 3-yard stone platform. Extending down from the platform
is a steep stone staircase that ends at the common room floor.
The Erbry also has special tables located at the same level as the front
door, accessible by a narrow ledge. To the right and left of the front door,
the platform continues around the inside of the building. Metal railings
have been installed along the stone ledges to prevent patrons from falling.
Wood planks have been fitted diagonally over the ledge in each corner, creating
four sizable dining areas (up to eight people in each). From the ceiling
hang four pulleys, one near each dining area; food is placed in baskets
hanging from the pulleys, allowing the patrons to be served from the common
room floor!
The common room's earthen walls are angled, sloping outward to meet the
stone floor. This makes the floor of the common room larger than the dimensions
of the building's walls surrounding the dining areas above. The common room
has ten wood tables with matching chairs or benches. The furniture is decorative
(with engraved designs in the wood) and the chairs and benches have cloth
cushions. The common room is lit by a very plain-looking (but large) metal
chandelier. Its 16 oil lamps on it are lit and refilled using long metal
poles. The kitchen is in an underground chamber off of the common room.
The Erbry is managed by Adolphe Valerian's cousin, Giles Highwalker. The
building's unique layout has caused Giles his fair share of problems. Heavy
rain has caused the common room to flood on several occasions. Refurnishing
after three fires in the past five years has left Giles deeply in debt to
his brother. The Erbry can be rough, too, setting Giles back even more --
cushions, chairs, pulleys, lanterns, and wood planks have to be repaired
and replaced after the occasional uncontainable brawl.
As a result, the Erbry is very expensive. A meal costs $6, $8 with good
wine. Red House brigands pay half price. The high prices keep out the more
destructive Orctowners. The really rowdy types don't waste their money on
here -- they would rather go to Skully's, where they can carouse freely.
Other Locations
- 1. Necromancer: Moal Kingshadow (male Orc, Magery 3, 320 levels
in Necromancy and prerequisite colleges). Fortunately, Moal tends to keep
to himself.
- 2. Skully's
- 3. Raxa's Stables: Raxa (a female half-Orc) takes care of travelers'
horses in her fenced yard. $4 per horse per day, $7 with grooming.
- 4. The House of Counsel: The home of two eccentric sages. For
a fee, they will impart their knowledge ($2 to $500+, depending on the question
and the answer), sell books ($50 +), or sell alchemical elixirs (see p.
B152). Both are very intelligent (IQ 16 and 17), and incredibly knowledgeable
(History-17, Occultism-16, Alchemy-16 each). They are also testy, Absent-Minded,
and rude.
- 5. The Theatre: Run by a troupe of Halflings and humans, the
theatre features nightly shows -- comedy, drama, music, singing and dancing.
$5 a seat.
- 6. The Black Building: This is a gambling pit, run by Yig'oor,
a goblin. In the center of the building's single room is a large pit. Betters
crowd around the pit watching fights, from chickens to armed orcs. Yig'oor
runs simple dice scams next to the pit during the day. Adolphe Valerian
is a regular here.
- 7. Horace Stonefoot's: Horace is a dwarf skilled in locksmithing
and similar delicate mechanic-work. $10 to $500 per job, depending on complexity.
He will not divulge who his customers are or what he did for them.
- 8. Sign of the Silk: This is a brothel. It is only open at
night.
- 9. Grath House
- 10. Red House
- 11. Physicians' Home:
Three physicians (and their three apprentices)
live and work here. Their primary customers are brigands. One of the physicians
is a miraculous surgeon (Surgery-19); another has several high-level Healing
spells.
- 12. Shipmaster: The shipmaster sells sails, nets and ropes.
For a price he will also organize the cleaning of a hull, and impart his
sailor's expertise.
- 13. Messenger Service: This is the home of three human brothers,
each an expert horseman. The eldest has collected rare and detailed maps
of all surrounding nations and the Bronze Mountains; he charts the courses
and deals with customers. The other two deliver the messages. $50 + $1 for
every 5 miles.
- 14. Portan House
- 15. The Black Axe
- 16. Home of Bard Smithsson: Bard is a wonderful singer (Singing-16,
Voice) and storyteller (Bard-16). In addition, he is a practiced fletcher
(Armoury [Bows and Arrows]-14). $15 a night to entertain, $20 for a dozen
arrows, $300 for a "fine quality" longbow, $50 to $100 to repair
a bow (takes 1d days, most of which is just time for glue and bindings to
dry).
- 17. Freelance Trackers: Five trackers for-hire/bounty hunters.
$40 per day per tracker, with a $600 bonus if they return with live quarry.
If the customer requests live quarry, he must pay $600 up front. The customer
does not have to pay more than half the fee if the trackers fail.
18. The Erbry

A Stroll Through Orctown
Orctown is confusing but colorful. There are no true streets -- the buildings
are scattered haphazardly, creating narrow avenues, sudden courtyards, and
wide roads that unfold before you as you walk. The ground is hard, cold
dirt (with a thin layer of mud if it has just rained). Grass can be found
along the edges of buildings and in areas behind buildings off the main
thoroughfares.
Steel posts are placed next to nearly every shopkeeper's door; from each
post hangs a lantern. The lanterns burn throughout the night, causing the
sky above Orctown to glow when viewed from the surrounding hills. Chimneys
exhale thick plumes of smoke year-round.
Colored signs of wood and cloth hang above shopkeeper's doors. To attract
business, the doors are left open, filling the streets with the sounds of
haggling and work. Goods are always being transferred through the town from
merchants to guildhouses to shopkeepers to customers -- carts and horses
pass by, laden with rolls of cloth, chests and barrels. Orctowners pass,
carrying goods and scrutinizing strangers.
Clothing in Orctown is predominately leather armor with flashy vests, hats,
and gloves. Because Orctown has no arms or armor limits and street fights
are common, everyone wears the best protection and weapons they can afford
-- armor is usually leather because anything else is just too heavy and
hot.
Because Orctown is a melting pot of some of the crudest cultures in Yrth
(barbarians, outlaws, orcs and dwarves), local clothing varies widely. As
you walk along, an Orc passes, wearing a delicate Sauhudese silk robe over
bloody leather armor, carrying a rusty barbarian shield, and topping it
all off with a plumed turban! Others, particularly shopkeepers and the commoners,
wear more subdued clothing -- leather vests, cloth pants, and leather boots
Locations
- 1. Necromancer: Moal Kingshadow (male Orc, Magery 3, 320 levels
in Necromancy and prerequisite colleges). Fortunately, Moal tends to keep
to himself.
- 2. Skully's. [In maintext]
- 3. Raxa's Stables: Raxa (a female half-Orc) takes care of travelers'
horses in her fenced yard. $4 per horse per day, $7 with grooming.
- 4. The House of Counsel: The home of two eccentric sages. For
a fee, they will impart their knowledge ($2 to $500+, depending on the question
and the answer), sell books ($50 +), or sell alchemical elixirs (see p.
B152). Both are very intelligent (IQ 16 and 17), and incredibly knowledgeable
(History-17, Occultism-16, Alchemy-16 each). They are also testy, Absent-Minded,
and rude.
- 5. The Theatre: Run by a troupe of Halflings and humans, the
theatre features nightly shows -- comedy, drama, music, singing and dancing.
$5 a seat.
- 6. The Black Building: This is a gambling pit, run by Yig'oor,
a goblin. In the center of the building's single room is a large pit. Betters
crowd around the pit watching fights, from chickens to armed orcs. Yig'oor
runs simple dice scams next to the pit during the day. Adolphe Valerian
is a regular here.
- 7. Horace Stonefoot's: Horace is a dwarf skilled in locksmithing
and similar delicate mechanic-work. $10 to $500 per job, depending on complexity.
He will not divulge who his customers are or what he did for them.
- 8. Sign of the Silk: This is a brothel. It is only open at
night.
- 9. Grath House. [In maintext]
- 10. Red House.
[In maintext]
- 11. Physicians' Home:
Three physicians (and their three apprentices)
live and work here. Their primary customers are brigands. One of the physicians
is a miraculous surgeon (Surgery-19); another has several high-level Healing
spells.
- 12. Shipmaster: The shipmaster sells sails, nets and ropes.
For a price he will also organize the cleaning of a hull, and impart his
sailor's expertise.
- 13. Messenger Service: This is the home of three human brothers,
each an expert horseman. The eldest has collected rare and detailed maps
of all surrounding nations and the Bronze Mountains; he charts the courses
and deals with customers. The other two deliver the messages. $50 + $1 for
every 5 miles.
- 14. Portan House. [In maintext]
- 15. The Black Axe [In maintext]
- 16. Home of Bard Smithsson: Bard is a wonderful singer (Singing-16,
Voice) and storyteller (Bard-16). In addition, he is a practiced fletcher
(Armoury [Bows and Arrows]-14). $15 a night to entertain, $20 for a dozen
arrows, $300 for a "fine quality" longbow, $50 to $100 to repair
a bow (takes 1d days, most of which is just time for glue and bindings to
dry).
- 17. Freelance Trackers: Five trackers for-hire/bounty hunters.
$40 per day per tracker, with a $600 bonus if they return with live quarry.
If the customer requests live quarry, he must pay $600 up front. The customer
does not have to pay more than half the fee if the trackers fail.
Food and Water
Water is available from the streams running through the town. Water obtained
from the upstream side of town is fairly fresh; since the river is used
as the town sewer, downstream water is foul.
Meat and other staple foods are readily available. The streams are full
of fish, allowing a skilled Orctowner fisherman to catch his dinner in his
own backyard. The fish come from Black Lake and several small lakes up river.
Beef, poultry, and vegetables come in from the local farms and from merchants.
Advantages of the "Outlaw" Village
Orctown has no taxes. In addition, Orctown has no city guard, no walls to
keep people in or out, no limits to the number or size of horses or carts
allowed on the streets, no limits on the wearing of weap-ons and armor in
public, no government charter, no temples or churches, and no embassies.
There are no courts, either -- disputes are settled by the sword, by the
arbitration of a duke, or by "street justice."
Orctown is considered an "outlaw village" to all Caithnesser and
Megalan nobles -- they do not recognize Orctown as a political entity nor
do they promote trade with the brigand dukes (they don't discourage trade,
however). But the Sahudese recognize Orctown; the Heavenking and his court
are fascinated by the intensity and unique population of this "outlaw
village" next door.
Making Port in Orctown
Orctown's port is really just a rough coastline. Fortunately, the coast
of Black Lake where Orctown sits has a steep drop-off -- river ships can
moor just outside of town and unload their goods and crew by rowing dinghies
ashore. Waterborne merchants appreciate the lack of docking fees and import
taxes.
The Karthagg River between the sea and Black Lake is deep enough for any
common river ship. Barges (pulled by oxen and horses along the banks) and
flat riverboats are also common.
Demographics
Orctown has a population of 5,500 (give or take 500). 60% are male. 20%
of the current population are brigands.
40% of the population is human, 40% are orcs, and the remaining 20% are
other races such as dwarves, Halflings, goblins, kobolds and reptile men.
There are no elves. If additional races are common in the campaign, any
tough non-sylvan ones can be found In Orctown; they will be In the remaining
20%.
35% of the humans were originally Caithnessers, 25% are from Megalos or
Cardiel, 20% are from the Nomad Lands, 10% are from Sahud, 5% are from other
countries, and 5% were originally wanderers and journeymen with no nationality.
Nearly everyone In Orctown speaks Anglish at IQ level or higher. Other languages
spoken in town Include Sahudese, Northlander, Halfling, Dwarven and Orcish.
In terms of character point value, 55% of the population is worth 50 points
or less, 25% are worth 75 points, 15% are worth 100 points, and the remaining
5% are worth over 100 points.
The racial demographics of the brigand guilds are the same as the rest of
Orctown -- except that Grath House is 55% Orc, 30% human, and 15% from other
races. Only 25% of the brigands are female. 85% of all brigands are 75-point
characters; the rest are either worth 100 points (10%) or 50 points (5%).
The population (and number of buildings) is growing steadily. The dwarves
oversee the construction of at least four new buildings a year. The population
grows by about 100 residents annually. The latest immigrants are mostly
orcs and humans (most of the humans are coining from the Nomad Lands and
Caithness).
The predominant religion in Orctown is paganism. Nearly all other faiths
are represented, however, including a few Sahudese Buddhists (a rare find
even In Sahud)! The local Christians (all of whom live outside of town on
farms) are the most Intolerant of Orctowners -- they regard the whole town
as a "pagan slice of hell" and pray for the wrath of God to cleanse
the land. Pagans are numerous because many Orctowners have been "converted"
by the Nomad Land barbarians. The local orcs are anti-religious -- they
prefer to save their passion for combat and destruction.
Magic in Orctown
Almost 4% of the population are spellcasters. Of this group (about 200 Orctowners),
35% have Magery 1, 20% have Magery 2, and 5% have Magery 3. The rest know
a few spells, but do not have the Magery Advantage.
Some of these spellcasters are there because they want to be. Many are there
because they've been run out of more civilized lands.
The mages in Orctown are tough -80% have Combat/Weapon skills, significant
Advantages, and are equally-skilled in other trades. They come from all
over northern Ytarria (use the percentages in Demographics, p. 8). There
are druids from the Nomad Lands, Orc warlocks, Megalan enchanters and necromancers,
hedge-wizards from Caithness, and even one or two mages from Sahud.
Half of the total mage population are spellcasting brigands. The other half
are either employed by a brigand guild (salary: about $1 x total spell skill
levels, monthly) or support themselves. A few of the independent mages have
been meeting recently, possibly to form a Mages' Guild.
The use of magic in Orctown is unrestricted. The only limits on spell casting
are the inherent repercussions of disturbing (or hurting) other Orctowners.
A mage can cast fireballs in his own house all day, but if he sets a neighboring
Orc's house on fire, he's in trouble!
Orctown is an area of normal mana. There are rumors of small areas of high
and low mana in the surrounding environs, possibly caused by the Banestorm.
Character Templates
These templates are designed for quick random generation of Orctowners.
High die-rolls are best. To create a character whose abilities are above
the average for his type, roll one die before any template roll. If the
result is a 1 or 2, add the 1 or 2 to the template roll. To create a below-av-erage
character, subtract the 1 or 2.
As a character is designed, set a basic character point limit of 50, 75,
100, or 100 + (use Demographics percentages as a guide). To stay
within the point limit, roll again when necessary or make adjustments after
creation.
Note that some rolls determine skill level, while other rolls determine
the number of character points that can be spent on a group of
skills or spells.
All Orctowners have Area Knowledge (Orctown)-1d+9 and Anglish (or other
native tongue)-1d+7.
Racial modifiers to Attributes, etc. are applied after using a
template.
Shopkeepers and Commoner Template
Pick a race, gender and point value (use Demographics as a guide).
Commoners are shop employees, local professionals and nearby farmers.
Attributes: ST 1d+7, DX 1d+7, IQ 1d+6, HT 1d+8
Advantages: Roll 1d:
- 1) none
- 2) Language Talent (2 levels)
- 3) Common Sense
- 4) Literacy
- 5) Patron (one of the brigand guilds)
- 6) Roll again. On a 6, the character is a mage. Roll 1d: (1-4) Magery
1, (56) Magery 2. He has 9d points in spells. More powerful mages should
be created without a template.
Disadvantages: Roll 1d:
- 1) any 5-point disadvantage; roll again, ignoring this result
- 2) one Physical Disadvantage worth -10 or -15
- 3) Truthfulness
- 4) Bad Temper
- 5) Stubbornness
- 6) none
Quirks: Possible Quirks include -- hates Orctown but won't leave,
loves to carouse, dislikes: (any religion or race), spendthrift, polite,
reckless.
Skills: Up to 8 points In one or two skills appropriate to profession.
Roll 1d twice for additional skills (duplicate results are forfeited):
- 1) none
- 2) Area Knowledge (Orclands)-1d+7
- 3) Streetwise-1d+8
- 4) Fast-Talk-1d+7
- 5) Carousing-1d+6
- 6) one additional Language-1d+7
Brigand Template
Pick a race, gender and point value; pick a guild. Some categories have
special results determined by the brigand's guild: (R) = Red, (P) = Portan,
(G) = Grath. If no guild is named, the result applies to all three guilds.
If one guild is named, the other result applies to the other two guilds.
Attributes: ST 1d+8 (G: 1d+9), DX 1d+8 (P: 1d+9), IQ 1d+7 (R: 1d+9),
HT 1d+9.
Advantages: All have a Patron (their brigand guild). Portan House
brigands have Military Rank. In addition, roll 1d:
- 1) none
- 2) Combat Reflexes; (R): Night Vision
- 3) Alertness +2; (P): Literacy
- 4) Common Sense; (G): Danger Sense
- 5) High Pain Threshold
- 6) Roll again. On a 6, the brigand is a mage. Roll 1d: (1-3) Magery
1, (4-6) Magery 2. Has 8d points in spells (R: 10d). Magery level and the
number of points In spells is low because a powerful mage would never waste
his life as a brigand.
Disadvantages: All have Duty (to their guild) and Enemy (rival
guilds). Roll 1d:
- 1) Reputation; roll again, ignoring this result
- 2) Addiction; (R): one Physical Disadvantage worth -10
- 3) Intolerance; (P): Overconfidence
- 4) Kleptomania; (G): one Physical Disadvantage worth -10 points
- 5) Bully
- 6) Brigand's Code of Honor (p. B31)
Quirks: possible Quirks include -- trusts no one, promotes the
growth of Orctown, introverted, extroverted, spend-thrift, arrogant, laconic,
too serious.
Skills: Each has Streetwise-1d+9, 1d+14 points in three to six
Combat/Weapon skills, and 1d+6 points in two to four Thief/Spy skills (not
including Streetwise). Roll 2d three times for additional skills (four times
for P), all at level 1d+8. If a roll is duplicated, roll again.
- 2) (R) Acrobatics; (P) 2d6 points In non-Magery spells; (G) First Aid
- 3) (R) Diagnosis; (P) Swimming; (G) Gambling
- 4) (R) Administration; (P) Leadership; (G) Tracking
- 5) (R) Naturalist; (P) Tactics; (G) Survival (Plains)
- 6) Area Knowledge (Orclands) and Riding
- 7) (R) one Craft skill; (P) First Aid; (G) Area Knowledge (Orclands)
- 8) Merchant; Merchant; (G) Tactics
- 9) Carousing and Fast-Talk
- 10) (R) Alchemy; (P) Running; (G) Running
- 11) (R) Weather Sense; (P) Boating; (G) Naturalist
- 12) (R) 3d6 points in non-Magery spells; (P) Area Knowledge (Yrth);
(G) Climbing
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