99 rooms · levels 23–40
Seated on the crest of one of the tallest spires of the Dragonspere Mountains, a small log cabin rests nestled in the clearing of a small wood. Looking out from the front porch you can see the full trek of the sun from its rise in the east to its setting in the west. Hundreds to thousands of feet below, at the base of the mountains, forests and glens range. The scene from here could only be described as breathtaking. Several wooden rocking chairs and a few small tables have been placed on the porch. In the distance, the glistening Moonsea shines as the lights from the Moonsea cities reflect off its surface.
Though small, this room definitely has a warm feel. Overstuffed chairs and couches have been placed in strategic locations in this room, and a small dining table is located to one side. In the northwest corner of the room, a blazing fire provides heat to the house. The chairs and couches in the room seem to be arranged in a semi-circle around the fireplace. A small couch sits off to one side, providing for a private conversation next to a roaring fire if needed. On the table is a basket with all types of fruits, nuts, and herbs as well as a pitcher of a dark looking liquid, probably mead. Another pitcher of crystal clear water rests on the other end of the table.
This is obviously a private study and bedroom. A large bed dominates one corner of the room, a small fireplace is on one wall and a small desk, bookcase, and couch take up the rest of the room. As with the rest of the cabin, this room feels very warm and hospitable. A huge bearskin rug covers most of the floor of this room. An almost pure silver hawk sits perched on the ledge of a small window in the corner of the room. He eyes you with an intelligence you've never seen before, then turns back to looking out the window in search of prey.
The first word that comes to mind as you enter this room is chaos. Blueprints, maps, open books, notes, and miscellaneous scattered papers cover most of the flat surfaces (including the floor) of this room. Tomes of monster names and mock figurines of monsters lie scattered on a table in one corner of the room. In the center of the room, like in the War Room, is a large table with a miniature city on it. However this city looks nothing like what is currently in the realms. A large blueprint with the name "Phlan" is tacked to a holder above the table. You realize that "Phlan" is the name of this new town and that what you see on the table is what will appear in the realms after the new area is complete. This is truly a god's work area.
This room is crowded with tables and other flat surfaces. Huge cabinets with glass doors display rolled maps and books of information on the Realms. Most of the tables and walls are covered with maps, both topographical as well as directional, of just about every area of the Realms. In the center of the room is a table, which dominates fully half the area of the room. On this table is a very real looking miniature of the realms including small houses and even people and monsters. Actually, when you look at it, the small figures and objects on the miniature actually move. Only now do you realize that you are looking at a map of the realms as it exists at this second in time. You wonder what would happen if one of those figures were moved on the table.
These gates, named the Death Gates by the locals, are made entirely of a rare metal that has been charred completely black. As the rumor goes, even an army of Giants and Ogres that once attacked Phlan failed to break through the gates. They also seem to glow, denoting magical enchantments that doubtlessly enhance the strength of these gates even farther. You see a large sign written in official script posted to the wall next to the gates. The gates stand wide open now, allowing travelers in and out.
A long, thin corridor stretches west to a smaller set of gates, and east to the Death Gates. The corridor is thin enough to support only four good sized men to walk abreast. Spear holes line the walls to the north. Overhead, men walk the walls to the north and south. Cauldrons of oil are positioned at regular intervals along the tops of the walls as well. The ground and walls all have brown stains on them, dried blood from many, many deaths.
You are at a second set of gates, much smaller than their counterparts to the east, but made from the same materials. In case of war, when the Death Gates are breached or allowed to be breached, these gates are closed, trapping invaders in a narrow hallway between the inner and outer walls. This hallway becomes a virtual death trap for those trapped within. During peace time however, they stand open, admitting any and all into the city proper of Phlan.
You are on South Main Street, otherwise known as Cadorna Street, after the name of the current Mayor. The snippets of conversation you can overhear seem to speak of Phlan's recent news. Very little of import seems to be happening in this town for once. The uncivilized section of town is now, as it has been for years, quiet, though not yet populated. Shal's tower (once known as Denlor's Tower), is quiet as well, with mages of all types visiting to learn or be taught. Other, less important gossip is mumbled between passersby. Cadorna street continues to the north and south back to the gates. Modest dwellings line the small alleyways leading from this street.
This seems to be the intersection of the two most major streets in Phlan. The central city square is very large and seems to be constantly busy. There are women and men hustling by, standing and talking, or simply resting under a large tree that dominates the very center of the square. To the north is a very large mansion. To the east, the spires of a temple can be seen. To the west, another set of gates stand unguarded and open into what used to be called Uncivilized Phlan, but which now is simply an unused section of town. Also to the west is a tower which can barely be seen, but which you have heard named Shal's tower (previously Denlor's tower).
The road ends at a set of pillars and a small wall. Though there are no gates blocking the way, there are small scrape marks along the path as well as holes for gate hinges. At the present though, no gates bar your way north to a city park of some type, and beyond that to the mansion that is housing the offices of Phlan's Council of Ten. To the east and west run a short wall, surrounding the park and mansion. To the south, a large tree looms in the central square. To the north, a fountain bubbles out a clear stream of water.
A small path leads up to a large fountain. An eight-headed stone hydra rests in the middle of the fountain, water spewing forth from its eight mouths in the eight cardinal directions. The fountain itself is made of pure alabaster marble, while the hydra statue is made of some type of granite, carved in VERY intricate detail. It is almost as if someone had turned a hydra's flesh to stone and transported it to this spot. Around the central fountain, are at least a dozen other smaller fountains, all fed through pipes and waterfalls from the main fountain. The water is crystal clear and looks very refreshing. There are a couple of gold coins out of reach in the fountain.
The floor in this luxurious room is made of pure marble, the walls of alabaster stone. There are many small statues and minor objects of art on small tables. Upon the stone walls are hung many pictures of the city, its past battles, and its many conquests. Uncomfortable, but expensive looking chairs and benches have been placed around the room for visitors or petitioners to rest upon while waiting for a councilman or servant to handle their problems.
The marble floors continue on to a set of double doors to the north, and down a connecting hallway to the east and west. The paintings and artwork continue to decorate the walls and tables of this hallway, though a bit more sparsely than in the Admittance Chamber. The scent of roses and other spices is strong here, emanating from a pot of potpourri and some scented candles about the room.
The double doors in front of you stand closed. They are very ornately carved and are inlaid with brass and gold. The door handles themselves seem to be made of mithril, carved into the shape of dragons. The noise coming from behind the door seems to indicate that the council is in session. Two very large men in the armor of the black watch are standing to either side of the council doors. A black metal plaque with silver engraving rests on the doors between the soldiers.
This room is huge. Benches and chairs line the middle aisle to the left and right of you. At the other side of the room is a long, u-shaped table built for ten. Only one man is sitting there now. In front of him, a small group of men and women are standing being given a task by the man in the middle of the table. With a bow, the group of adventurers turn and pass you, out the doors and down the hall out of sight. The man at the table starts preparing his notes for the next group of people that will come forward.
Only one man is at this table, though there are seats for ten. You feel the eyes of the commoners in the room on you as you stand before the first councilman himself. When the introductions are done, your attention is directed to a few small pieces of parchment on the table in front of you. The councilman directs you to please read pageone and continue till you have read about your task. As you finish, the councilman looks at you expectantly. He seems to be waiting for the party leader to say something.
For a treasure vault, this place is sure barren and empty. The sounds of your footsteps echo off the barren walls. There are a few coins scattered around the room loosely and a bag in the far corner, your indicated payment for services in saving the town. Something is just not right about this room and the lack of money in it. Your keen eye notices scratch marks on the floor near the east wall.
This small room is barren except for a small cabinet inset into the north wall. The cabinet door seems to be securely closed. A small keyhole is visible on the outside of the door. There is a reinforced door to the east that seems to lead into another vault of some kind.
This treasure vault has obviously been constructed within the last year or two. Huge piles of treasure, gems, and jewelry are grouped in bins, on tables, and in small cabinets around this room. The amount of treasure here is amazing. It seems that the Honorable councilman Cadorna has stashed his take of the Phlan Government's funds in a private vault. It is now fully clear just how corrupt Cadorna has been in running the city of Phlan. A bag marked Cadorna's Private Finances is lying in the corner.
This part of the vault serves as Cadorna's private armory, where all the weapons and armor collected by the black watch are stored for identification and magical detection. Most of the weapons and pieces of armor are heaped upon the ground and look pretty useless. However, an intricately carved chest on the wall to the north is standing open, inviting those in the vault to peruse its contents.
It is very dark in this part of the room. The air here is cold and stale and feels clammy. Flying slowly around this part of the room are a few rather large, harmless looking insects. In the far north corner of this vault is a table with surgical instruments strewn about it. There looks to be nothing else of value in the room.
This plush room is the epitome of style. Large overstuffed chairs and couches made of the finest, softest animal skins dot this room. Tables made of rare woods are strategically placed about this room with exotic foods laid upon them. In particular, you notice some of the finest wine in the realms dotting the wine racks on the back wall. The sheer amount of fine foods in this room would feed the poor of Phlan for days or could be sold to clothe all of them many times over.
Decorations continue throughout the hall. The paintings on the walls have changed from battles and pictures in the main hall to portraits of people. The descriptions on the small brass plaques underneath each picture note that these portraits are of the previous and current council members, with a note about the deeds of each. This long hall continues to the west toward the private offices of the council members and back east into the main hall.
The west/east hall continues on. More offices are to the west and the main hall is back east. The office doors to the north and south are made of thick oak wood, both have a brass plaque on them denoting whose office it is. Under each door handle is a keyhole. There is noise coming from under the door to the north, while the room behind the door to the south seems quiet.
The eighth councilman's office, while small, feels very comfortable. Bookshelves upon bookshelves line the walls of this office. Books on many different topics line these shelves, as well as the small desk in the room. On a smaller table marked For The Public a few books are stacked. The only interesting title on the table is Phlanian-History. A small window in the north wall looks out over the public park and the north wall of Phlan.
This large room is strewn with tables, chairs, maps, and layouts of Phlan. A largeish table in the center of the room has what looks like a three-dimensional mockup of the city of Phlan and its outlying areas. Small figures of military groups are scattered around the table. The only other furniture of note in the room is a small desk in one corner of the room. On it, various papers and reports are laid in haphazard order. A short list of people in the city jail is lying on top of a report listing the names and ranks of the current city watch/army commanders. A large picture window, that doesn't show up from the outside, is on the south wall, giving a beautiful view of the main fountain outside the mansion.
The west/east hall nears an end. The end of the offices are to the west of here. Back east is the main hall. The office doors to the north and south are made of thick oak wood, both have a brass plaque on them denoting whose office it is. Under each door handle is a keyhole. The doors to the north and the south are both closed and locked. There is a rather loud conversation coming from the door to the north.
The office of the minister of trade looks like a tornado swept through it. Piles of papers listing the current trade contacts of the city, books listing approximate values of art and gems, and ledgers of trade transactions between the government of Phlan and the surrounding areas are strung in haphazard abandon from one corner of the room to another. Every flat surface, including the floor of the office, has been practically covered with paper of any conceivable type. It seems amazing that anything could be found in this room.
The hallway ends here. The west wall is covered by a large picture window overlooking the gardens surrounding the council building. There is a door like all others in this hall to the north and a smaller door in the south wall.
The minister of taxes office is very meticulous and clean. Well ordered piles of papers are stacked in specific places around the office. A glance at one of the piles shows nothing but column upon column of numbers and symbolic notations. Assumably, the numbers represent the inflows and outflows of money in Phlan. A glance at a report marked Current Status of Money in Phlan shows that, while not rich, the city of Phlan seems to have a stable cash flow. As normal, a window in the south wall shows the fountain gardens around the front of the council building.
The tenth councilman's office is dominated by a drawing table and hanging lantern. Old, crumbling maps of the city sewer system are carefully laid out on the drawing table, and a just started map is lying next to them. You notice many differences between the old and new map, as well as notations of a red circle with a slash through it at the ends of most of the tunnels. A note is lying next to the unfinished map from the tenth to the first councilman. A reply is hastily scribbled on the bottom of the note.
This small closet room seems mostly unused. Dust covers the floor and makes the atmosphere in this room thick and hard to breathe.
You are standing in the eastern portion of this east/west hall. Decorations continue throughout the hall. The paintings on the walls have changed from battles and pictures in the main hall to portraits of people. The descriptions on the small brass plaques under each picture note that these portraits are of the previous and current council members, with a note about the deeds of each. This long hall continues to the east toward the private offices of the council members and back west into the main hall.
The east/west hall continues on. More offices are to the east and the main hall is back west. The office doors to the north and south are made of thick oak wood, both have a brass plaque on them denoting whose office it is. Under each door handle is a keyhole.
The east/west hall nears an end. The end of the offices are to the east of here. Back west is the main hall. The office doors to the north and south are made of thick oak wood, both have a brass plaque on them denoting whose office it is. Under each door handle is a keyhole. The doors to the north and the south are both closed and locked.
The hallway ends here. The east wall is covered by a large picture window overlooking the gardens surrounding the council building. There is a door like all others in this hall to the south and a larger door in the north wall. The sounds of a large group of people are coming from behind the north door.
What you see in the first councilman's chambers is not at all what you would have expected to see. Where all the other councilmen had a room suited to their station in Phlan, it seems that the current First Councilman likes to keep a low profile. The room is fairly small, there is no wonderful view to speak of out the smallish single window in the north wall. The furniture in the room is older and looks very inexpensive. The room doesn't look like it's had much use...actually, it looks like it's NEVER had use....
This room is very large and looks quite comfortable. There is a picture window in the south wall looking out over the gardens and the fountain area just in front of the Council Building, and from there out over the city of Phlan. Very good quality furniture is neatly lined along the east and west walls and a large desk stands almost in the center of the room. The room has a clean, but lived in look to it. The furniture in the room seems well used, and there are stacks of papers, quills, and ink on most flat surfaces of the room. A set of decorative scales with a hand and an eye carved into its surface is really the only adornment on the desk. Books of laws line the bookshelves and a set of judges' robes with the symbol of a Priest of Tyr embroidered into them hang in a corner.
This small room is moderately decorated. There are a couple of skin rugs on the floor, a small table and a chair or two. There is a small window in the north eastern corner of the room giving a view of a few trees and some flowers in the garden. On the desk, two rather large piles of paper seem to be in the process of being sorted into smaller piles. A well organized stack of notes has been left on one corner of the desk. The notes seem to talk about the guilds around the town. Some are marked through with red, others are highlighted with stars or other markings. Another sheet states the monetary intake of the guilds. By the look of it, all of the guilds seem to be prosperous.
This medium sized office is lined with books on agriculture, moon phases, astrological books, and just about anything dealing with agriculture. On the desk are many time tables and monthly schedules with dates of plantings and crop removals. There are also reports of trade and what is needed by the town. The desk and chair in the room are placed right in front of a large picture window looking out over the fountains in front of the council building.
This huge room is obviously used for meetings between councilmen. A large table with ten chairs staggered around it is arranged in the center of this room with other smaller tables and bookshelves taking up the majority of the wall space. There seems to be a meeting currently in progress between a few of the councilmen. Aids and servants bustle about the room, taking care of retrieving documents, refiling ink wells, and other menial tasks. Everyone looks up as you enter the room...you are not sure you should have barged in to a place you weren't wanted...
There couldn't be a more typical office. The room is of average size, and the furniture in it is very average as well. There is a mid-sized desk in one corner of the room with a chair for the councilman to sit in when working on the mounds of paperwork that all must do. There is also a small table and a few other chairs for meetings with a small group of people. This room has the look of efficiency and productiveness. Architectural designs and building plans are strung haphazardly all over this room. Almost every surface, vertical or horizontal, is covered with some type of sketch or architectural design. Notes on streets and buildings under repair are tacked and attached to drawings all over the room.
The small path which winds this way from the east branches north here. The Fountain Gardens end here at the west corner of the Council Building. The grass to either side of the path is lush and green, even in the winter, and looks very well tended. There are a few benches just off the path with a beautiful view of the fountains.
The path leads to this spot from the end of the fountain gardens to the south and leads north into the public park of Phlan from here. Children and their parents can be observed, even from this distance, playing and having a good time along the north and west walls of Phlan. Parents stand talking or gossiping with each other while their children play games of magic or slap sticks together, pretending to be great warriors.
This open area is the public park of Phlan. Benches and play areas are strewn about this clearing. Wildflowers and grasses dominate this area, with some planters of more tame flowers strategically placed around the area. Large and very old trees seem to be resting in places around the park, providing shade or cover depending on the weather. The trees also provide a comfortable resting place and a secluded area for thinking or wasting away the day.
The small brick path leads out of the park to the west and winds its wayalong a small path behind the main council building. The noises of childrenplaying can be heard coming from the park to the west, carried on the wind.The well cut grass along the side of this path has been meticulously caredfor. Even the walls of the council building seem to be perpetually clean andwell cared for. Farther along, the northern wall of Phlan looms thirty feet overhead, and militia lookouts in green and brown walk their posts on top of it. The path continues east to the garden.
The path through the garden narrows here as it leaves the garden area and continues to the west behind the council building. The gardens to the south explode in color while the path continues on to the west between the northern wall of Phlan and the walls of the council building.
A small stone path wanders lazily through this rather large flower garden. The color in the place is absolutely amazing. Yellows, greens, reds, blues, and violets are mixed everywhere one can see. Smaller brick paths lead off to other parts of the garden and to benches for lovers or dreamers to sit upon while gazing about at the scenery. The sounds of the trickling water of the fountain garden can just barely be heard coming from the south, putting the final touches on the ambiance of the setting.
The fountain gardens end here, just east of the council building. Thepath continues north into a rather large flower garden and to the west to theentrance to the main fountain gardens. The trees and bushes off to the rightof the path lead back to the city wall. There is nothing else of apparent interest in this area.
The road to this part of town is well worn. This seems to be the main living section of Phlan. Back to the west is the common square of town. To the east signs line the streets denoting things like inns, banks, and shops. This must be what the locals have referred to as the adventurers quarters. To the north of you, the houses of the locals spread out. Small streets wind their way through the houses to nothing important and finally end at the wall around either the council hall, or around the city, depending upon the direction you look.
As you might expect, the smell in this area is horrid. At the back end of this walled-in area, a huge mound of trash, refuse, and simply junk of all kinds is stacked. There are signs of people having picked through the pile of junk for items that might have been useful at one point in time. You wonder exactly why this dump hasn't overfilled yet since a town of this size would generate enough trash to fill this up almost daily. Your question is answered however as, with a puff of acrid smoke, a part of the junk simply disappears. There is a sewer grate in the middle of this small area.
As you enter this small room in the sewers you notice that the rank smell from above is muted. Actually, you notice that the normal smell associated with a sewer is muted here, almost non-existent. It doesn't take long to figure out why. Attached to a set of gears and pulleys is a large funnel and tube. In times of rain, the funnel is used to catch water falling through the grate and funnel it to the sewer ditch at the far end of the room. The ditch itself is completely covered over with a glowing magical dome from its entry in the east wall, to its exit from the room in the west wall. This dome it seems is blocking the smell of the sewer and the funnel and tube combo is keeping the room dry.
The Adventurer's Way continues to the east toward an inn, or back west toward the common area. The noise and smells coming from this part of town denote a very hearty and rugged people living in Phlan. While not filled with the fancy services and amenities that are available in the larger adventurer's towns, there is a very homey feeling about this town that is missing from most of the other large and highly populated places that cater to adventurers. This is definitely a place you feel you could call home. There seems to be very little racial prejudice in this town, probably accounting for the number of half-races that seem to live here, Half-Elves especially. Dwarves, Elves, and as always, Humans make up the rest of the large population.
The Adventurer's Way continues on to the east toward a small bank and back to the west toward the common area. On the south side of the street is a rather well kept building with a sign reading The Swill and Scarf. A picture of a stupid looking stocky dwarf with a VERY bulbous nose and two buck teeth has been painted above the words on the sign. The pictured dwarf has a beer mug in one hand and a roasted leg of some large animal in the other. As you listen, a chorus of laughter and some good natured cursing filters through the closed door of the tavern to the south.
This is the common room of the main tavern in Phlan. You see a scatteringof people, mostly Half-Elven and Human, look up and smile as you enter the room, then go immediately back to their food and drink, their conversations,or both. The feel of the room is quite unlike most taverns you've been to.Where most are aloof at best, or down right hostile at worst, this tavern has a very friendly feeling to it. To the west of you, the bartender motions you over for a drink or food. To the south, you can see a registration desk, and to the south west a gathering of people are all standing around three people throwing daggers at a target.
Close to the back wall of the tavern/inn is a small desk. On the desk is a sign in sheet for people to rent rooms in the inn. Behind the desk are stairs up to the rooms for rent. To the north, tables and chairs are arranged around a large common area, while to the west is a target and the end of the throwing range. There is a sign on the desk with the title Renting a Room. The innkeeper behind the desk smiles and points to the sign, reminding you that there are still rooms for rent. He asks that you please read the sign if you have questions.
As always, the bar is the busiest place in the tavern. The bartender looks up from taking orders of food and drinks and indicates you may take a turn at the throwing range if you'd like to hone your throwing skills. The bartender then points to a small sign on his desk and states that all the information you need is right there and to let him know if you want food or drink.
This is the far end of the throwing range. A small round target rests on a stand here. Painted on the target are five concentric colored rings. Black on the outside, then white, blue, red, and finally gold in the very middle. By the look of the target, it's been used frequently by the patrons of this inn. There is very little else of note here, except for scratch and gouge marks on the surrounding walls where patrons have missed completely and instead stuck their axes or daggers into the walls behind the target. You get the feeling you probably shouldn't be standing in front of a target on a throwing range. You hear one patron jeer at you to either move or hold the target.
This small hallway leads to the bedrooms for rent in the inn. To the east and west are closed doors leading to the permanently occupied bedrooms. The rest of the for rent rooms are strung out along this hall. Flashes of magical light can be seen coming from under the doorway to the east, while chanting and humming can be heard through the door to the west.
This room is mostly barren. There is a small table and a few chairs moved to one side of the room, and a small bed in a corner with a nightstand near it. Other than that, there is no other furniture in the room. A large meditation mat is arranged in the center of the floor, around which scented candles are lit and have been arranged to provide a focus for meditation. The silence in the room is practically deafening. No noise from outside the room can be heard, including noise from the common room downstairs, or from the busy street outside the inn. This is the perfect place to relax and focus on opening your mind to new experiences.
As you walk through the door into this room, you feel pulled in every direction at once, as if all the atoms in your body are trying to split off and travel in different directions. Then your vision clears and you are standing in a room, at least you feel like it's a room. The floor stretches off as far as you can see in all directions. There are two people discussing magic in loud voices. As you walk up to them, one of them smiles to you and welcomes you to their little dimensional hole in space where they test and develop magic. As you turn around, you notice a doorway standing in the middle of the floor, a portal back to where you came from...you hope.
The adventurer's road continues on east from the Inn, toward a bank and a shop. The road is definitely well traveled here and the people on it seem to have a very specific destination in mind. The attitude of the people you have seen is friendly but purposeful. Of course, with the number of battles these people have fought in their time, it's not hard to imagine why everyone seems to be very task oriented. A small path winds south toward the stables maintained by the inn.
The horse corral lies just south of you and the Adventurer's Way lies back to the north. The hard dirt ground around you has many different hoof tracks along it. Troughs and barrels of water are along the walls and fences of this area so that thirsty horses may drink while waiting to be taken in to the stables. There is also a rubdown area where a young man is currently rubbing down a horse left in his care, the tack and bridle resting on a low fence near the horse. The young man looks up and smiles then returns back to his work.
These are the stables where the horses of the inn's customers are kept. There is a center row leading south, with horse stalls to the west and east off of the center row. Most of the stalls are occupied, including a few stalls at the back where horses found wandering the plains and forests around Phlan are brought to be broken and trained for sale on the market. A few of them look ready for selling already. A rather large man with a leathery look about him looks up from his work distributing hay to the horses to nod at you, and then returns to his work.
The entryway to the First Bank of Phlan is to the north. The street here is very crowded with peasants, merchants and adventurers alike. The mass of people here are moving to and from the inn, bank and shop to the east, and the permanent residential areas more to the west and north. This area is acting very much like a marketplace. Small carts and peddlers line the area peddling their items to passersby, or simply displaying their goods for any interested party.
This building is small, but extravagant. Marble floors and heavy stone tables make up the main room. Moneychangers sit behind the tables helping people make deposits and withdrawals. As you watch, a man carrying a VERY large bag of coins comes out of the vault in the back and hands them to a very burly man with a large sword strapped to his back. The burly man bows and leaves the building with his money. A moneychanger motions you to read the sign on the desk, explaining the procedures for depositing, withdrawing, or obtaining a balance.
A small building to your north contains a local miscellaneous items shop. Many people are bringing items of all make and manufacture into and out of this shop. It seems that the owner happens to be the local tinker of the town as well as the shop owner. The sign on the door has a picture of a hammer being placed into a backpack. The shopkeeper motions you inside, hoping to sell you something.
This small room has a counter at the far end of the room. Behind it a smallish man sits with a small lens over a pair of glasses. He seems to be working on some small item the likes of which you can't tell that you've seen before. As you enter the shop he looks up, smiles and says that the shop is open and to feel free to browse. With that he goes back to tinkering with his object. He points out a sign on the desk, indicating you should read it, and tells you that the answers to your questions are probably there.
The path branches to the east and continues south from here. To the east, the path continues to the outskirts of town and to the city wall. In the distance, the spires and the dome of a rather large temple can be seen towering over the city's wall. Farther to the south, an open area and some small buildings can be seen. Shouts and the clash of wooden weapons can be heard from that direction as well.
A large paved walkway branches off of the Adventurers Road here. There seems to be an aura of peace and serenity along this road. The farther away from the Adventurer's Road you get, the more peaceful the feeling along the road gets. The road continues to the east toward the outer wall and back to the west to the Adventurer's Road and the general hustle and bustle of the city.
The road continues from the west to the east here. A bit farther down the path, the road stops at a very large, thick wall. Another road runs north and south, parallel to the wall around the city. The dome and spires of a temple are prominent to the north, and a small forest is barely visible to the south. The area around this path is very quiet and comfortable.
The huge spires of a very large temple are now in clear view to the north and a small hardwood forest is to the south. Priests, dressed in robes and battle armor meander around the road here or head north toward the temple. The golden scales and eye symbol of Tyr, god of Justice is prevalent on the armor, weapons, and robes of the acolytes and priests alike that pass you. Each seems to have a smile on his or her face, and all nod their heads or stop to greet you as they pass on their separate ways. A large set of gates to the north mark the entryway to the temple courtyard. Two priests in ceremonial armor and swept back cloaks put their hands on their large war maces and hammers at their belts and nod their heads at you as you pass, smiling in welcome and invitation. The gates stand wide open to visitors.
Standing before you could be the largest temple you have ever seen. Across the courtyard, HUGE golden double doors mark the entryway to the temple. On the doors, in gold, outlined in silver, An engraved eye looks out from the door in endless watch, however the eye has no pupil, denoting that it is blind. Above the eye, a set of scales stand balanced held up by a hand. The courtyard itself is large and open. Benches and small tables stand to one side of the compound's walls, where young clerics are going about their studies or talking among each other. A small training yard has been set up at the other end of the walls, where two men, one older, one younger are sparring with each other. In the middle of the courtyard, a large circle has been staked out.
After passing through the large golden double doors of the temple, the entryway spreads out before you. The eye and scales symbol of Tyr is everywhere around you. The room opens up to the west, where a gathering area for the priests and worshipers are. Even here, you can hear the fervent prayers of Tyr's faithful coming from the church area farther in the temple.
This section of the temple leads to all other areas. Stairs leading up to the battlements of the temple are in a corner of this room, and a large table dominates the center of this room. Looking to the north, you can see the main worshiping area of the temple, and the altar. To the east, a curtain closes off a small chapel where private prayers and worship are given up to Tyr. On the table in the center of the room is a large book and a large bound tome. The book is entitled The History of Phlan and the tome is entitled The History of Our Order in Phlan. Both lie open on the table so that visitors may peruse their contents.
There is very little light in this smallish chapel. What little light there is, comes from a few candles around the room. This is a place of peace and meditation. Where the faithful of Tyr come to pray their own prayers silently, and in private. This room is also where aspiring young paladins of Tyr come to commune with their God, in hopes of receiving a quest that will allow them to gain their paladinhood. An old paladin rests in a chair in the corner, waiting to help those younger of blood learn about the life of a paladin.
As you enter this room, a sense of awe and of your own mortality strikes you. Priests of all ages are here singing praises or reciting prayers to Tyr. These prayers only barely register upon your ears, however, as your eyes are drawn to the ornately carved altar in the far middle of the room. The altar itself is a huge table made of some hardwood. Thousands of small glowing runes are inscribed into its surface. The ever prevalent eye scales, and hand mark is carved into the front of the altar and glows a brilliant blue with power. Resting on the altar is a set of golden scales, said to have been formed and blessed by the God Tyr, and above the altar, resting on a peg high up on the wall is the legendary Hammer of Tyr itself.
This small room is sparsely decorated and sparsely furnished. A small bed, desk, and chair are situated in the room and provide about the only furnishings this room has. There is a fireplace in the east wall, keeping the room warm during the winter. An older man kneels on a rug in the middle of the floor, praying to his God. As you enter the room, he stands up and smiles at you.
This large room makes up most of the north western section of the Temple. Here all the temple acolytes and priests have small rooms or beds, depending on their status in the temple. Small personal effects are scattered around the areas or rooms of the owners. This place is very clean for the number of people living in the temple. There are very few people here now, as most are out working in the city, around the temple, or in prayer at this hour.
The road here turns south, toward a small forest enclosed within Phlan's south eastern wall. The forest is peaceful and quiet. Within, you can hear the chittering of a pair of chipmunks, and the trilling of many songbirds. A light wind rustles the leaves and branches in the tops of the trees. There seems to be very little traffic on this road.
You have entered a small, lush forest. As you watch, squirrels and raccoons run around chasing each other, while birds wheel in the air, frolicking among themselves as only birds could do. Deeper in the forest, you can see a small cabin, standing alone. The underbrush is well tended throughout the entirety of the forest, and a main path through here has been kept free of debris. The path branches to the east here, or continues to the south, toward the southern wall of Phlan.
Amazingly enough, this small path ends at a guardtower on the southern wall. Hidden by the surrounding trees, this tower extends twenty feet above the thirty foot wall. On the very top of the tower, ballista and catapults rest, waiting to fire out upon an advancing army. Soldiers wearing the green and brown of the Phlanian militia walk the walls here. One of the militia men smiles down at you and waves in greeting from the battlements of the wall. A small animal trail continues away from the path to the east toward a little cabin.
The small forest ends here at the eastern outer wall of Phlan. Outside the wall the forest ends, having been cleared to maintain visibility around the town. Inside the walls, though, the forest maintains its quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Someone has obviously taken care of this small piece of nature since, even though it is obvious you aren't the first person to travel this path, it is still well kept and is not trampled to mud. The path continues to the south from here, toward a small cabin nestled up against the hard stone walls of Phlan.
Nestled in the corner of the Phlan city wall, a small log cabin rests contentedly. The door to the cabin stands open and a light from a fire bleeds out the door and through the small window. Standing in the small yard, periodically splitting firewood and talking to a raccoon, a very young woman relaxes in the shade of a rather large redwood tree. She looks up and grins as the raccoon hops up on her shoulder to chitter in her ear. The woman smiles at the raccoon and looks at you.
The noise from the open grounds to the south is amazing. This is obviously where the militia men and women of Phlan come to train with weapons or work on their battle skills. Men and women of all sizes in many different modes of dress work with each other or separately in the grounds to the south. North of you leads back to the main road through town and back to the storefronts and populated sections of Phlan.
The training grounds open up here. To the east and west, a small set of buildings and shops open up, mostly dedicated to the sales and repair of armor and weapons. A training ring of sorts has been setup to the south with training dummies scattered about the ring. To the east of you, some benches and chairs rest near a few buckets of water. Far to the south, across the training area, armor and weapons are stacked on racks, free for the taking.
Several chairs and benches are scattered about this small area, for those fighters who have had a bit too much of the sun, or are tired from the long hours of training. Buckets of fresh water are here, as well as a few loaves of bread to refresh a tired trainer or trainee. A few men and women stretch out on the ground or on a bench, refreshing themselves before training again.
Training dummies are set up in this area, each is holding a staff in the guard position. An instructor is teaching fighters how to disarm the dummies with their various weapons. As the instructor finishes, the students go to work, attempting to disarm their opponents before the magically animated dummies are able to hit them. The instructor nods toward the extra staves on the ground, then toward the free dummy.
More animated training dummies are here, using their staves to strike at the candidates. An instructor is standing to the side shouting tips on how to properly parry a blow from the training dummies. As you watch, one of the students parries the blow from the dummy, and on the rebound strikes the dummy squarely in the chest. The teacher cheers and claps for the student pointing out that that was a very good example for the rest of the group. A few staves lie on the ground here, and an open training dummy stands rooted to the spot, awaiting a student.
More animated dummies line up here, awaiting sparring partners. An instructor dressed in the green and brown of the militia is standing here, waiting for a few students to finish their spar with their respective dummy. He walks around, examining the blows as they fall, and giving quick pointers and tips to those failing in the battle. As you watch, a man with many bruises on his body stumbles backwards to disengage from the battle. The instructor moves over to help the man to his feet and to give more advice. Open animated dummies await for someone to spar with them.
A small group of dummies move forward, backward, and side to side while trainees standing around attempt to kick them. The instructor shouts instructions on how to effectively find an opponent's weak spot, and how to exploit that weakness with a well placed kick. Many times, you see a trainee catch an animated dummy right in the center of its mass or on its face with a kick, momentarily knocking the dummy back. An open dummy waits for someone to engage it in a moving target contest.
To your north, a door stands open. A sign over the door shows an elven dagger imbedded in a black piece of chainmail. Words below the door name the place as Braska's Weapons and Armor Shop. To the south, a man dressed in a black robe gives personal instruction to a group of students wearing no armor and holding no weapons.
This room is lined with good quality armor and weapons. Well made swords and daggers fill one wall, halberds rest in a corner, and other more obscure objects lie on tabletops and in counters. On the opposite wall, leather and chain mail armor lie out on racks, metal armors are hung on the wall, and along one wall, a full suit of plate armor stands upright. A huge man stands behind the counter, wiping it down and shining a gauntlet. He looks up and smiles, indicating for you to have a look around. He then points to a sign on the desk and goes back to his work.
A man dressed in a black robe stands here training a few students privately in the art of hand to hand combat. The master shows a student how to disarm, double punch, and flip an opponent to the ground in one smooth motion so that the opponent has no way to retrieve his weapon efficiently. His motions are so fast, it is impossible to tell where one move ends and the next begins. The monk and his students bow to you as you enter the area and the monk offers to teach you what he knows. A sign propped up for students to refer to displays the three benefits of hand to hand combat.
A large sign over the door here shows a picture of a hammer over red, steaming armor. The name has been marked out many times and now just reads The Blacksmith's Shop. Streams of people file in and out of the double doors of this shop. The heat radiating from the inside is amazing. To the south, a burly man with a sword and a shield is privately teaching fledgling men and women how to use their weapons, and their bodies, to effectively kill or disable their opponents.
The heat in this small shop is the first thing you feel. It radiates into this room from the back in waves. A sooty man, steps up to the counter smiling holding a pair of large metal clamps in one hand. He stacks a huge broadsword that he carried out of the back against one wall and tags it for pickup later. He finally walks over to the desk and asks you to give him the piece of armor or weapon that you need fixed and to wait a second while he makes some alterations. When he returns with your armor, it looks almost like new.
A very large man dressed in chain armor, leather leggings, and carrying one of the largest swords and shields you have ever seen is privately teaching a few of the younger students how to use their larger bodies to bowl over opponents. Done right, he explains, it will cause your opponent to be virtually helpless. He smiles as you enter the area and motions you over to the group for training.
Wooden weapons and armor racks are strung around this open area against the south wall of the city. People weave in and out of the racks, picking up this and that for use in training. Usually, the donated armor and weapons of the populace or of the smiths in town are put on display for the taking in this area. Some of the equipment is brand new, just made or newly bought while other stuff is beaten and weather worn, obviously donated by adventurers who have been out in the world and have replaced the equipment they once had by better.