Maps, general knowledge, houses stuff, guilds, names, etc?
I already searched in:
Forgotten realms Campaign setting (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th)
Lords of darkness (3rd)
where can i find the most complete map?
and infos like the informations provided by a volo's guide to **** (landmarks, inns, etc...)
tnx in advance
And - I think - Pirates of the Fallen Stars (1992) had some good info as well.
Good luck!
But yeah, like the Eye of Gruumsh said, er I mean Jorunhast, Forgotten Realms Adventures! All kindsa of good stuff in that book, its chock full of city maps, and info on said cities, info on the gods, currency, firearms, magic, its just a great well rounded book, one of the best I think they ever done for the Realms, and definitely one of my favorites. Its second edition stuff so your mileage may vary as they say, but I find it most usefull and still pull it out on occasion for my 4e game.
But, just because im in a good mood, and I dont think WotC can sue me cause this book is long out of print, just for you im gonna post the info on Westgate from that book, keep in mind that its chock full of stuff like this, If you can find a copy, I highly recomend it!
Westgate
Independent City
Who Rules: A council of rich, noble merchant families, who elect a head, the Croamarkh, every four years. The current Croamarkh, serving his second term, is Luer Dhostar (LN hm F7), head of the Dhostar noble family.
Who Really Rules: Depending on who you talk to, either any one of a handful of warring merchant clans, or the Night Masks (see below).
Population: 96,000 (estimated, yearround), rising to about 114,000 in summer.
Major Products: Perfume, (excellent and highly-prized), wine (which varies wildly in quality, but is widely sold), and pottery (rather poor).
Armed Forces: The city watch (militia) polices the town, and consists of 2,200 leather-armored F2s to F4s, armed with clubs, short swords, daggers, and capture-nets (successful attack roll entangles target, equalling the effect of a slow spell and allowing automatic hits by opponents for the next two rounds). The watch is headed by Durgar the Just (LN hm P(of Tyr)14), who serves as the city's judge. Most serious crimes require a jury of merchant citizens for sentencing.
Westgate has no standing military, and does not patrol the roads outside the city walls. In times of need, mercenaries are hired for the city's defense; there are usually around 3,000 mercenaries for hire in the city at any given time. The larger mercenary forces operating out of Westgate accept a small retainer to make themselves available in times of need, to prevent them from hiring with those who seek to take over the city by force, and to prevent them from attacking the city or engaging in excessively bloody intercompany feuds.
Notable Mages:
- Chalaratha (CG hef W12), .the Dancing Maiden, a breathtakingly beautiful lady who owns and runs a scent-making company, and seldom goes adventuring.
- Gondeth (NG hm W15), a calm, diffident caster of spells for fees, and a seller of scrolls, who never goes adventuring.
- Mintassan (NG hm W(T)19), a whimsical, impulsive traveler of planes and delver into ruins, odd corners, and hidden places. He loves adventures and is rumored to have powerful magical items.
- Tersonm (LN hm W18), a coldly formal seller of potions and scrolls, who will tutor for fees. Everything in his abode seems to be magically trapped or guarded, and he is a dangerous foe.
Notable Churches:
- Painbliss Hall, temple to Loviatar; High Whipmistress Spyrytara Xalass (LE hf P16); 27 priestesses, 34 followers.
- The House of the Wheel, temple of Gond; High Artificer Ashuntira Elhorn (N hef P14); 11 priests, 26 followers.
- The House of Spires and Shadows (the Shadowspires.), temple of Mask; Shadowlord Demarch Hond Rhauballa (NE hm P13); 9 priests, 21 followers.
- The House of Ilmater, temple of Ilmater; High Priest Hunn Irblast (LG hm P13); 6 priests, 12 followers.
- The Hidden House, temple of Leira; High Mistmistress Halautha Immerstar (CN hf P14); 6 priests, 4 followers.
- (The Place of) Waiting Death, (secret) temple of Talona; Most Fatal Horror Ilua Yhestin (CE hf P13); 4 priests, 4 followers.
- The House of the Winds, temple of Talos; Stormlord Elort Rhomsivin (CE hm P12); 3 priests, 4 followers.
- Shrines to Beshaba, Lliira, Malar, and Shar.
Notable Rogues. and Thieves. Guilds: The Night Masks, a band of thieves, assassins, and enforcers who operate largely by night. They openly leave their domino-mask symbol or token at the scenes of crimes, or as warnings to those they would coerce into other courses of action, and try to run the city's affairs by threat and manipulation.
On many mornings, blood and bodies are found in the streets, or floating in the harbor, as the Night Masks clash with desperate merchants, armed travelers, or with the well-armed private bodyguards of the noble families. The Masks don't entirely rule the city, yet, but they're trying. The strength of the temples of Loviatar, Mask, and Talona reflects their numbers and influence; they are currently thought to be almost 2,000 strong, mostly T2s to T6s. The Masks command a collection of stolen magic, and use wands of hammerblows in their work (*FR4).
The leader of the Night Masks is known as "the Faceless" and is currently thought to be a doppleganger mage who can appear faceless, or perhaps a mind flayer. Whoever or whatever leads the Masks, it commands powerful magic and can leave a domino-mask brand burned into those earning the displeasure of the Faceless.
The Night Masks are willing to offer sanctuary to other thieves and thieving organizations in hiding or on the run.
Their one requirement is that the group offered sanctuary does not conflict with the aims of the Night Masks. Such groups as the Fire Knives of Cormyr have used Westgate in the past as a place to hide. The city remains a hotbed of individuals who prefer to carry out their business with a minimum of outside interference.
Equipment Shops: Full.
Adventurers' Quarters: Westgate has two sorts of inns; those outside the walls, for travelers willing to accept less protection against brigands in exchange for better protection against full-scale thievery, and those inside, where thieves abound.
- Of the first sort, the Leaning Man (fair/moderate) lies outside the West Gate,
- next to the Spitting Cockatrice (good/ expensive)
- and the Empty Fish tavern.
- Just south of these, outside Mulsantir's Gate, are the Westward Eye (good/ moderate)
- and the Gatereach (excellent/ expensive).
- All by itself, outside the city walls to the southeast, is the Rising Raven (good/ moderate).
- Inside the city, travelers can choose between the Jolly Warrior, just inside West Gate (excellent/expensive);
- the Gentle Moon (good/moderate);
- and The Black Boot, a nasty place of nightly murders and brawls, just by the River Bridge (poor/cheap).
Important Characters:
- Ainsbrith (CN hm F1, S: zoology); member of the Guild of Naturalists, expert on monster poisons.
- Bremaerel (LN hm F2, S: zoology); member of the Guild of Naturalists, expert on stirges.
- Farene (CN hf T9), a well-known merchant: "cosmetics, make-up, and disguises; scents most rare and fine, carefully selected for you by a lady of taste and distinction, Farene the Far-Traveled," read her handbills, and every word is true. She is also a flirt and a gambler, known to be armed with poisoned needle-blades concealed all over her daring clothing.
- Nathchim (CN hm F4), a veteran mercenary leader who has acquired both tactical battlefield wisdom seemingly second to none, and an impressive array of personal magical items to both defend himself and launch devastating attacks.
- The Men of the Basilisk are wealthy, powerful merchants and nobility who use murder, torture, bribery, and fear to further their own fortunes in the intrigues of Cormyr, Sembia, Westgate, and Iriaebor. Thought to be based in nearby Teziir, they operate very quietly in Westgate, to avoid angering and being brought into open conflict with the Night Masks. They do -with poisoned blades by night and temporary alliances between noble house bodyguards- thwart many Night Mask plans, but take care to leave no traces behind for the Masks to follow up.
Important Features in Town: A detailed map and description of city features can be found in *FR0. The city is dominated by the harbor, and by the warehouses and castles (armed citadels) of the noble merchant families: Athagdal, Dhostar, Guldar, Malavhan, Ssemm, Thalavar, Thorsar, Urdo, and Vhammos (see *FR0).
Local Lore: Westgate's name comes literally from its role as the Inner Sea's "Gateway to the West" the oldest, richest, and most corrupt port offering overland caravan facilities between the Sea of Fallen Stars and the Sword Coast and -by ship from thence- lands south of it, avoiding the mountains, plains, and deserts of Calimshan and the nomad lands.
Westgate today is a vitally important, wealthy city of intrigues, high fashion, and striving ambition. A hundred or more years ago, when it was a tiny kingdom, it was also wealthy and marked by intrigues, high fashion, and driving ambition. Folk around the western Inner Sea view it rightly as a cesspool of decadent evil, eager to make financial deals with pirates to leave its ships alone and attack those of other ports, or to arrange shortages and wars to drive prices up.
The last king of Westgate was the hated tyrant Verovan, who perished on the rocks of the Inner Sea during a ship race, the treachery of the Red Wizards of Thay.
Verovan's regalia and court coffers were plundered within three days of his death, but the vast personal treasury he commanded has never been found. Local legend has it that the royal coffers were guarded by fearsome monsters, and reached only through magical portals hidden somewhere in the royal palace (now Castle Vhammos). One tale says that one of these doors hangs in midair, at the end of a magical bridge reaching out from a high battlement of the northernmost tower of the palace. The truth of this tale is unknown; several sprawled bodies have been found at the foot of the tower over the years, but their falls may have had nothing to do with the tale, and more to do with current politics and business dealings.
Westgate's dripping, largely-flooded sewers are said to be the lair of several horrible water monsters, including a huge, great quezlarn (*FRE2) that has been known to snatch sailors off the decks of ships moored in the harbor.
The intrigues, murders, and supposedly hidden treasures of this city are endless. The recent crash of a huge red dragon in the northern portion of the city has been cleaned up and rebuilt, though rumors abound that the creature which slew the dragon is still at large. Other mouths whisper about liches and vampires; Westgate houses an entire crypt of liches, somewhere under one of the nobles' castles, with vampire guards!
Theres a new power group in town, The Nine Golden Swords, its a Shou organization, basically thugs who rob,raid, and sell "protection" to businesses, like the mob, they may be affiliated with the Yakuza. They operate out of Westgate, and our active through out the Sea of Fallen Stars. Im guessing the Night Masks have been greatly reduced in power, and probably absorbed by the Black Network.
Westgate is now Split up into the Old Town and Tidetown. The Sea of Fallen Stars has shifted and as a result Westgate has lost its natural harbor. The old docks were expanded to reach the sea, businesses such as taverns, inns, and warehouses lay along the abbreviated shore, part along a network of wooden walkways, and part inside caves, and some built onto cliffs.
Cheers
Didn't Westgate also feature a secret or not so secret underground arena run by the church of Garagos?
I dont recall there being a temple to the Reaver in Westgate, but after checkin out Cloak & Dagger as suggested by Delta, there is indeed a section entirely on Westgate in the back of the book, and yes there is a hidden Temple to Garagos hidden beneath the city. Doesnt say anything about an arena, but that would make perfect sense!
"The House of Steel (#90), hidden temple to Garagos. Favored High Reaver Chaless the Cruel (CE female human P15 of Garagos); 6 priests. The sewers and underground passages of Westgate are rife with old altars and symbols of the Reaver, but the cult of Garagos has declined precipitously in size since its heyday under the reign Gostaraj the Reaver King (900 DR-927 DR)
The last bastion of the Reaver's faith in Westgate is the House of Steel, although the high priestess harbors ambitions of a citywide renaissance of the faith. Constructed in Westgate's catacombs during the era of the Templeban Edict, this underground house of worship is defended against nonbelievers by a host of animated swords."
-pg 158
I think I like the map from Cloak and Dagger better, it actually shows road names, and lists more locales.
Check this article by this one really tall guy: Eye of Justice, Dungeon 171
Cheers
Thats right, I almost forgot about those guys, almost!
So what does the Eye think of the 9 Golden Swords? do they have an arrangement worked out? Or does the Eye pretty much stick to the Old City, leaving Tidetown to the Swords?
Here's a website that might help you out some. Most of it is homebrew stuff, but might still prove useful. www.raflar.com/fantasyrpg/westgate-backg...
Check this article by this one really tall guy: Eye of Justice, Dungeon 171
Cheers
Thats right, I almost forgot about those guys, almost!
So what does the Eye think of the 9 Golden Swords? do they have an arrangement worked out? Or does the Eye pretty much stick to the Old City, leaving Tidetown to the Swords?
I purposefully left it unexplained, as their politics shift from time to time (so your DM should do whatever), but basically the Eye of Justice sees the other gangs/organizations in the city as potential allies and rivals; sometimes they work with them, sometimes against them (particularly if they openly flout the law). Arrangements get made and broken periodically. I believe their base is in Old City, so they're most often operating there.
The Eye is sort of a borderless organization, and its operatives go and do whatever they feel like wherever they can, which churns up bad blood with the more territorial gangs in Westgate. Fortunately, Eye of Justice agents tend to focus on stealth as much as intimidating force, so skulking around behind enemy lines isn't unusual for them.
To date, the Eye has only been involved in open warfare on a couple of notable occasions, particularly at their conception when they helped drive the vampires out of Westgate in 1485. Allegedly, Gedrin Shadowbane (the founder) met Orbakh himself, blade to spell, though that might be just a story. Gedrin was a powerful paladin when he passed away, but that would have been near the beginning of his career.
Cheers
But as I wrote a few of them and was an administrator of the region I am somewhat biased.
Specifically, check out:
Light and Dark Trilogy
DRAG1-1 Many Hands Make Light Work
DRAG1-2 The Thin Gray Line
DRAG1-3 A Stab in the Dark
Trecherous Waters Trilogy
DRAG2-2 This Gathering Storm
DRAG2-3 Of Wild and Darkened Waters
DRAG2-4 Into the Maelstrom (not yet released)
DRAG1-7 Crafts
CORE1-11 Drawing a Blank
CORE2-2 Rising of the Dark starts out in Westgate, and provides some info on one of the merchant families (the Chiang clan).
Thanks for this, im using this family as a power player in my campaign.
Is CORE2-2 the most updated and complete info on the Chiang Clan?
Im asking because of their associations to the Night Masks, through Dahlia Vhammos and Fraegan Guldar.
Also, where can i find specific information on:
- the fall of the Night Masks?
- the death of Dahlia Vhammos in particular; have plans for her for my campaign, but would like to get a continuity reason for her still being around. An idea im kicking in my head is making her get a new identity and fled to Elkazar, where she appears as Saestra Karanok (from FRCG pg126), while still maintaining contack with Orbakh.
Also, where can i find specific information on:
- the fall of the Night Masks?
This, I believe, is at this point deliberately vague, though I hope to answer it a little in a forthcoming novel.
I will say that the Eye of Justice (from my article) was involved in the downfall of the Masks in Westgate. Its founder--Gedrin--was a former Night Masks member who was called into service to the dead god Helm, becoming a paladin. He and those his natural charisma gathered from within the organization banded together to destroy the organization from within (though of course they needed outside help as well). It is unknown how many of the Night Court were destroyed (probably at least one or two) and how many escaped, other than Orbakh/Manshoon himself.
One might speculate that, based on how difficult it would be for mere mortals to take down the vampires, mayhap one of the Night Court turned on the Night Masks and allied with Gedrin. Perhaps he (or she) is still there in Westgate, influencing events from the shadows. This synergizes well with the suspected vampire influence on the council of the Eye of Justice.
Wish I could say more, but any additional info skirts close to what is bound and gagged in the basement of the house at the corner of N St and D Avenue, if you catch my drift.
Feel free, of course, to change any of this and fill in the gaping holes that it leaves. If I were running your campaign, I would do exactly what you've suggested for Dahlia.
Cheers
This, I believe, is at this point deliberately vague, though I hope to answer it a little in a forthcoming novel.
Perhaps the one you hinted to possibly come out in a year and a half? ;)
Looking forward to both, anyway.
Wish I could say more, but any additional info skirts close to what is bound and gagged in the basement of the house at the corner of N St and D Avenue, if you catch my drift.
Say no more , you gave me plenty to work with as it is.
Feel free, of course, to change any of this and fill in the gaping holes that it leaves. If I were running your campaign, I would do exactly what you've suggested for Dahlia. Cheers
Cool, thnks.
Is CORE2-2 the most updated and complete info on the Chiang Clan?
There is a minor reference in MINI2-1 (you have to search to find it), and CORE2-11 The Sign oF Four (out this month if all goes well) will have a pretty big impact on the clan.
Gomez
Is CORE2-2 the most updated and complete info on the Chiang Clan?
There is a minor reference in MINI2-1 (you have to search to find it), and CORE2-11 The Sign oF Four (out this month if all goes well) will have a pretty big impact on the clan. Gomez
Thks, will look for it.