Terrin Keld
Ruled by a lord claiming to be hereditary nobility, Terrin Keld is a trade town that serves the overland route from Southvale to points north and west. Grown much since the fall of Burgundia, it took in many refugees and is now walled with an earthen embankment and a wooden palisade. Four gates, each flanked by two wooden towers and topped by a fighting platform, open in its four walls, and torches are kept lit atop these throughout the night to provide light for the crossbowmen who constantly man them. The Wildlands are extremely dangerous at night, and Terrin Keld is one of the few spots of civilization in the area. Lord Caraway rules from nearby Dunish Keep and tasks his men-at-arms with patrolling the surrounding roads for both creatures from the wilds and armed parties coming from Lowport. He fears an attack someday from Baljulias the Great, the tyrant of Lowport, and has several paid informants in that town to alert him of any news.
Settlement
Terrin Keld, Town of
Type
Town
Owning Organization
Dear Sasha, For the amount of ruined items and locations that were found within the countryside on our way, the band we were a part of made great coin venturing here with a convoy. The merchants were willing to pay handsomely for basic provisions, and the tavern owners were happy with the various oats we had with us. The community is truly an oasis in the middle of a salted plain. The Oceander Invasion so many years ago caused great swaths of destruction. Many of the lush fields and verdant areas are now salted. Between them, the giants to the south in the mountains, the warlord in the city of Lowport, many people live here with anxiety. The community does have a dedicated group of individuals which are experienced, and they know that their children are the only thing that will guarantee the future of the community. The people of this large town look at the merchants coming into town with a wary eye. The merchant guilds do their best to keep the same teams on this route; so there are no problems with guards, and the process of gaining those precious transactions they need to keep their affiliates within the margins of profit. When we arrived in the town, we were treated with indifference. The merchants we protected did everything according to guild protocol. We would have left the next day with new manifests and cargo, but a rainstorm washed some of the route west. Staying an extra couple of days, and allowing the prairie grass to soak up the mess helped us acclimate to many of the townsfolk. By the third day, we were appreciated by the town for the continued use of services. The sweet rolls can be passed up in the Guildsman District, walking through the poorer section of town is rewarded with better food. Those restaurants in the Silver District are to be passed up, they will give an outright tax to the men and women of the road. We didn't even try to eat in the North Market, the nobles there must have beef lined with gold. The town is as well-priced as could be expected. Those that come in fresh from the road should toss extra wheels (silver) at the first few shopkeepers and beggars. I found out that there is a little community of information brokers and thieves this way. The coin can be made up taking trade goods out of town to Lowport, but the amount of coin to be made is equal to the amount of force that should be accompanied. A few union caravans have made a career out of moving between the two communities, but it is rare for someone to stay on that assignment for more than a couple of years. Adventurers do have reasons to venture here, Sasha, and I know that if I stay within the Ruined Lands, it might result in you in eventually meeting me down here. The cults to the evil ones and demon lords are numerous. A caravan driver told me of how this area is where the evil is spread out unevenly. Monoliths to their horrible gods stand against the civilized order, which largely have been massacred and pillaged, hidden sometimes in plain sight. Sister, we were attacked by strange beasts west of town, two days before we arrived. We were able to drive them off, but we lost a wagon, and four of our guards. I didn't know them very well, but the sounds the carnivorous beastmen made as they gorged on the flesh of our companions spurred our horses into a frenzy. If you see Councilman Gareth, tell him I said 'thank you,' and that his trick with the guano works amazingly. Your Brother, Solus Stradius