Outside the city of Kowal, there is a settlement of elflings. The elflings have built their buildings among the tall trees here in a mish mosh of styles and sizes. The one unifying thing is every building is decorated with plants and flowers. This creates an enchanting effect as the whole settlement changes with the seasons. In fact its name came from how elflings often referred to it. When asked where they lived, they said “Over there, in the tall garden.”
In the center of town is a project that has been evolving, or “living” as the elflings refer to it for as long as the settlement has existed. It is part community garden, part sculpture. It climbs and meanders up into the sky, almost as tall as the trees that surround it.
Tallgarden’s main export is honey, and people come for miles around to get it. The elflings take all manner of trade and payment for their honey, from gold coin to exotic flower seeds!
Tallgarden is located less than half a days march from Kowal, to the West.
This musty shop is situated within an old worship hall dedicated to Mooruuk, the god of death. The purchase price was cheap, as many superstitious wouldn’t want to live inside such a morbid place. Simon saw an opportunity, and he has owned the building for almost a decade. Some locals refer to it as the “Death Shop,” which may be why his business has never taken off. It is a stone building with leaded windows and a ring of three gargoyles peering out from the broken tile roof.
The Den is the nickname for the Wanderers Hall in Kowal. The guildmaster in Kowal is Martyn Czemiel, a charismatic, if flamboyant man. His lieutenant is Garric Loshuul a quiet but friendly man. Both have retired from “the road” and happily help others find their calling in the wilds.
The Den is a welcoming place, everything inside made of old polished wood, and the fire is always burning. If you have a Wanderers Coin, then you are always welcome, and there is plenty of space in the common room or the upstairs to pass the cold Kowal nights.
Some say that there are a couple of secret passages in the den that lead not just into the sewers of Kowal, but deeper, into the darker underpass of Atheles. Of course, Martyn and Garric just laugh when anyone asks about them.
The meeting hall for the Wanderers, lovingly called the Hovel, is nothing short of a pieced together fortress in its own right. Originally the Wanderers used a small one story building as its headquarters, but over the years, they have purchased the surrounding properties, building and renovating until it has become a massive complex of varying levels, alleys, and courtyards. If you are a Wanderer, there is always a place to stay in the myriad of rooms in the Hovel.
Atheles is a large world, filled with diverse people, plants, and animals. It is commonly divided into the four lands, but many kingdoms, empires and wilderness stretch over these common boundaries.
The continent most explored is Atheles. It is divided into the Northlands, Eastlands, Southlands, and Westlands.
Though there are markets and shops throughout the Ferryport district, the large Market Square dominates the center. It is open day and night, with one merchant replacing another as they take shifts selling their wares.
Led by Betrice Almorrow, the Muddy Bank Ship Company has flourished under her. It had always been one of the smallest merchant companies in the city, but Betrice has aggressively pursued all paths to bigger profits. She has formed many connections in Jaeldor and hopes to open a sister office in the large city.
On Novro 21st, 5704 the Red Guard locked the city of Kowal under martial law.
Due to overt activity of heretics and magic users, the Red Guard declared control over the city. A citywide curfew was instilled, as well as some house to house searches.
The Red guard led massive raids on multiple safehouses of “witches”.
Aftermath:
A mass exodus of the city as fear of being declared a heretic spreads though the citizens. The Red Guard struggle with the turmoil in the city as a group, nicknamed the Heroes of Dwarftown, disrupted a ceremony of burning some heretics at the Grey Court. Parts of the city were set on fire, the Baron publicly denouncing the Red Guard, and the apparent death of the Archbishop Gunderlan.
Looking for a safe haven, many flee to Elmhearth, as news of a refugee camp and sanctuary spread.
Small square buildings on the Kowal’s edge were once the grand idea of the city to house newcomers as they settled in the city for jobs. Once they had earned some cash, these newcomers would move to another ward. As the city declined, this section of town became neglected and forgotten. The Duke in the Walled Tower never taxed these dwellings, so they grew and became a ward in their own right. Now people live here to avoid the taxes and oversight of the other wards.
Places of Interest
Alley Cat
Squat Lock
Filch’s Emporium
Slop Shoppe
Dragonbreath Smithy
Vork’s Trinkets
Church of Lunare
Tannery Row
Fish Smokeries
Charcoal Factory
The Anvil
The Ward House
Wat’s House
Nella’s Foodmart
Rindle’s House
The Blocks
Green Park
Rustgate
Talbert’s Cloudy Flask
Vindus’ Attic
Squat Lock
This shop specializes in locks and Storage, catering to those living in the Squats
Occupying one of the bigger buildings in the Squats, Squat lock is a warehouse full of rentable locked chests to store anything that won’t fit in a Squatter’s house. Additionally, Squat lock sells locks for those that do have items they want kept secure. Squat Lock has a do not ask policy, however they are not liable for any damages to your objects. Any damage caused by your objects will be billed to you.
Location: The Squats
NPCs:
Pigeon
Talbert’s Cloudy Flask
Talbert sells alchemical goods for a reasonable price.
A small building is squashed between two hulking group residences. The wood the building is made from is falling to dust as you watch, but the many balconies and walkways from the neighboring building make you think the sun or rain may never even touch this small shack. A solid door is in the center of the shop, flanked by two cloudy windows. There is no sign other than a large flask hanging from a gnarled rafter above the door.
Location:
The Squats – Kowal
NPCs: Talbert
Buy/Sell Percentage: Buy Standard 50%, Sell Standard 100%
Vindus’ Loft
The home of Vindus, a low level factor in the Squats.
A small alcove three stories above the streets is the home, office, and lounge for Vindus, a dworven fixer. It is cozy if a little damp. The only access to it is to follow a set of rickity outdoor stairs that leads to a ramshackle wooden bridge across half street.
Location:
The Squats – Kowal; Half Street
NPCs: Vindus
Buy/Sell Percentage: Buy Standard 50%, Sell Standard 100%
Orum’s Shrine
The Shrine of Orum rests in a narrow recess along Thorn Alley, where the Squats sag into old foundations forgotten by the rest of Kowal. A worn spiral of river stones marks the threshold, each placed by generations of hands, a quiet testament to moments the poor refuse to lose. Melted candles, bits of broken tools, and children’s pebbles clutter the base of the alcove, small offerings to the god who watches the turning of ages. The hourglass sigil above the shrine creaks softly whenever the wind shifts, even on windless days, and locals claim it is Orum’s breath passing through the city, reminding them that every beginning is only part of a larger cycle.
Tallgarden
