The Vaasan Gate

Counterpart to the Damaran Gate, the Vaasan Gate bars Bloodstone Pass from invasion from the north. It is a smaller structure, but no less sturdy. The wall of the Vaasan Gate is barely a half-mile long, but is fully forty feet high and thirty feet thick. The top of the wall, from mountain to mountain, is a jumble of heavy weaponry—mostly ballistae and catapults of various sizes. The central gates are thirty-feet-tall and almost 40-feet wide. Built by dwarves, it contains mechanisms that make it easy to open and close. Between the two portcullis, a veritable deathtrap awaits any army that seeks to force its way through the gate. Large side doors lead to the northern and southern tower. Like its southern counterpart, the Vaasan Gate is anchored on both ends by fortresses built into the sides of the mountains. The towers are each end of the wall are almost ninety-feet-high, topped with massive ballistae that may be able to take down dragons. Many interior chambers of the Vaasan Gate house traders, merchants, and craftsmen. The Gate itself has become an important marketplace. Miners and farmers from Vaasa can get fair market value for their goods, which frees up time for more production of those goods. The dwarves of Clan Hillsafar are being encouraged to trade through the Gate. Plans have been drawn for a tunnel fifteen miles long, which would connect the Vaasan Gate to the easternmost digs of Clan Hillsafar. The dwarves could then bring their minerals direct to market without risking surface transportation—a distinct benefit over crossing the wilds of Vaasa! The baron's generosity is founded in good politics. Gareth believes that through such tempting offerings, Damara can move closer to taming Vaasa. He is determined to win over the hearts of the people of the Sunderland. Finally, if Vaasa's meager farmland can be made more prosperous, Bloodstone will benefit. Although the Barony can support itself on the fish from Lake Midai if it must, a broader support system is desirable.

Government

Leadership

The Vaasan Gate is home to the military under the command of Commander Valgard Conlan.

Defences

The total Bloodstone militia stationed here numbers only 500, but they are superbly equipped and the fortress is equipped to house many times that number. Furthermore, they have few responsibilities but the Gate itself. Only a minimal amount of patrolling is done around the immediate area of the anchoring fortresses.

Industry & Trade

The Vaasan Gate's primary mission is to block invasions from the untamed kingdom to the north. Its role is more than that of defense, however. The Gate also provides a forum for trade and diplomacy, and serves as a home base to adventurers. The Vaasan Gate fulfills another purpose by providing a haven to the hardy people who brave the dangers of the northern kingdom. Food and supplies are stockpiled here, and temporary shelter is always available. All this is offered at no charge. Even weapons can be purchased at below-normal costs. The Vaasan Gate serves a related purpose, one that is, perhaps, the most important mission of all. While its counterpart, the Damaran Gate, is manned solely by Bloodstone soldiers, an open invitation has been extended to adventurers and mercenary companies to come to the Vaasan Gate. These folk may use the Gate as a home base for their expeditions into Vaasa. To further encourage these people, bounties have been placed on the ears of certain creatures, as follows:

Goblin (2 gp)

Orc (3 gp)

Gnoll (4 gp)

Hobgoblin (4 gp)

Bugbear (7 gp)

Ogre (10 gp)

Giant (50 - 100 gp (by type))

Rates for other monsters are negotiable, but usually quite generous. Officials will also pay well for valuable information, such as the whereabouts of a certain bandit army...

Guilds and Factions

Important People

Commander Valgard Conlan

Deputy Commander Belgrim Labbath

Deputy Commander Ser Gregan Nethlond

Telmuth Vidari

Falgar Ironhead

Orbash Wingham

Benezal, Alchemist

Adventuring Bands on "The Board"

Pitch Blade

Snow Leopards

The Fisthammers

The Unhumans

Final Phoenix

Teeth of Tempus

The Woodchuckers

Ostrav's Outcasts

The White Ravens

Kullen's Wardogs

Adventurer's For Hire

Hathor Ironstar

, Dwarven Cleric of Moradin

Kyrnn Sallasar

, Dragonborn warrior

Kimball the Black, human fighter, formerly of Auric's Warband

Geography

LOCATIONS

Political and Government

Southtower Fortress

Companion's Rest (Southtower)

Temples and Institutions

Southtower Chapel

Ironstar Chapel (Northtower 3rd floor)

Guilds and Industry

North Tower Market (revolving marketplace) (Northtower 1st floor)

Stable and Caravan Rest (Northtower 1st floor)

Inns, Taverns, and Entertainment

Muddy Boots and Bloody Blades (Northtower 1st floor)

Ironhead's Tavern (Northtower 8th floor)

Shops and Services

Taggin's General Outfitters (general store) (Northtower 1st floor)

Weird Wingham's Gate Market (weapons) (Northtower 1st floor)

Benezal's Alchemical Solutions (alchemist) (Northtower 3rd floor)

Filini's Rugs (rugs and woven goods) (Northtower 3rd floor)

Islan's Fine Goods (antiques and oddities) (Northtower 3rd floor)

Tilburt's (jeweler) (Northtower 3rd floor)

Venelle's (bowyer/fletcher) (Northtower 3rd floor)

Northern Vaasan Gate

The Northern Vaasan Gate is another story altogether. Designed as a marketplace, stopover, and adventurer's rest, the north gate bristles with opportunity and excitement. The Northern Tower is eight stories tall. While the army maintains sealed barracks on the second, fourth and sixth floor, the other floors are designed to house merchants and adventuring companies. The Vaasan Gate is a safe place for adventurer's looking to gain notoriety and undertake missions from the board in Muddy Boots and Bloody Blades. When the overabundance of troops begins to feel confining for adventuring companies, the town of Virdin is a little over ten miles away (4 hours at a normal pace) and offers more entertainment than a military outpost ever could (or would want to).

Ground Floor

The ground floor of the northern gate contains Muddy Boots and Bloody Blades (a large inn), Taggin's General Outfitters, Weird Wingham's Gate Market, The North Gate Market Hall (an area for traveling merchants to sell their wares) and a large area for merchants to house their caravans and wagons in relative safety. The army also has a guardroom-barracks chamber for keeping the peace.

Third Floor

The third floor contains private chambers along with merchant suites which have storefronts along the middle corridor connected to private chambers for the merchants.

Fifth Floor

The fifth floor is designed much like the third floor, and contains private chambers along with suites designed for eight to ten people. Each suite has bunks, tables and chairs and a large chest. In fact each room comes with its own chest, built into the structure by the dwarven designers. Merchant and adventuring companies can supply their own lock or request a lock from Defender's Rest when renting the room. Some adventuring companies will rent these suites for months at a time, knowing that their treasures are locked up tight, surrounded by the soldiers of the Duchy of Bloodstone.

Seventh Floor

The seventh floor is designed similarly to the third and fifth floor, but the rooms are more cramped, and there are fewer of them due to the narrowing of the tower. Rooms and suites are slightly cheaper here, and most merchants consider them less secure since the guards have fewer reasons to pass through this level.

Eighth Floor

The eighth floor consists of three large common chambers with bunks along with Ironhead's Tavern. There are no personal suites up here, but each bunk has an assigned footlocker if the occupant wants a place to store their belongings. The common room on the eighth floor is sometimes used by adventuring companies who wish to plan their next excursion with relative privacy. Roof guards traverse the eighth floor, and the poorest merchant caravans and adventuring companies can be found here, but this level feels empty most of the time as its larger than it needs to be for the relatively small numbers of people forced by circumstance to stay here.