Tent City District
This transient settlement began life as a semi-permanent encampment for travelers, barbarians, and nomads who live in the vicinity of the City. Outside of Westden proper, Tent City is rougher and more lawless, but is also a bustling trade center, where wandering merchants trade with tribes of nomadic horsemen, and contraband of all types changes hands away from the prying eyes of the city authorities.
Formerly located on the west side of the river, that location was abandoned and everything left behind burned to ash when the armies of the Huun came and invaded the city with their siege. Very few of its occupants fell during the invasion, because most simply packed up and left the area at the first sign of the approaching army. Now more due to whim than any specific design, the newest incarnation of Tent City has sprung up on the Great Amrin's eastern bank.
There are few permanent structures in Tent City, the most prominent being Fort Rendezvous, a provisoner’s longhouse and sometime-home of the Longhunter rangers. Tent City also includes a few rough stock pens, where herders and traveling drovers corral their more valuable livestock for an evening or two.
The tent settlement’s exact layout changes constantly, as new residents arrive and old ones leave. The Waymark cavalry sometimes patrols the area, but in general Tent City is beyond the reach of Westden’s law enforcement.
Infrastructure
Blackfinger’s Devils
This portion of the camp is far more regimented and organized-looking than the rest of the city. A banner bearing a green devil on a gold field flies above these evenly-spaced rows of military-style tents, while nearby well-trained and -equipped men march in formation and engage in close-order weapons drill. At night, the camp is nearly silent, as the soldiers sit near their tents, drinking moderately and talking quietly. It is hard to believe that this is the encampment of one of the most celebrated and deadly mercenary units in the world. Dennin Blackfinger (male half-elf) earned his name when a magical mishap stained his fingers black. Though he does not draw unnecessary attention to himself, he has earned a reputation as a skilled battlemage and wily commander. In battle, he is tricky and resourceful, often winning combats through maneuver alone with minimal risk to his men. He specializes in deceptive tactics and ambushes that dishearten the enemy and destroy their morale. Blackfinger is also cautious, and does not squander the lives of his men unnecessarily. This combination has proven successful, and he is as beloved by his men as he is famous for his tactics. Blackfinger is aided by his spymaster and chief scout Ash the Clever (male human), and executive officer Dante the Baleful (male human). Often these officers command contingents of Blackfingers sent into battle, but separate units of Blackfingers never take the field against one another. In such cases, both units stand down and refund their employers’ gold. Anyone is welcome to join Blackfinger’s mercenaries, as long as they are willing to work hard and follow orders. Those who aren’t cut out for combat are employed as support staff, while warriors and skilled war wizards rise through the ranks quickly if their skills merit it.Watenga
An important social center of Tent City is this semi-permanent enclosure, where immigrant Watenga serves spicy roasted chickens and various potables, including a tasty brown ale of his own creation. A priest of Moccavallo, Watenga mixes his business with his faith, often speaking to customers about the essentially chaotic state of the universe and the need to accept and embrace its ever-changing nature. Most of this goes over the heads of Watenga’s patrons, but they listen nonetheless, for his fare is quite good, especially in this neglected corner of Westden. Though good-natured, Watenga is also something of a trickster, and unknown to most, is also a prime source of blue lotus flower and other illicit substances. Watenga sees no harm in this, as to him it is merely a way of spreading the worship of Moccavallo. He is, however, concerned about the influence of the cults of Vardesain and Set, and has been known to provide information on cult activities to both the authorities and to adventurers whom he sees as likely allies. Watenga’s mundane wares include spicy roast chicken for 5sp and his trademark brown ale for 8cp per mug. Those who are interested in his more exotic items can purchase blue lotus for 35gp per dose or (when it’s available) the more potent red lotus for 50gp. (These prices are highly inflated, due to the difficulty of procuring these substances in Westden).The Cutting Block
This small tent is a patchwork of fur, cloth, and leather, and is home of Kal Kammon (male human), a former mercenary from a caliphate in the Scorched Lands (he won’t be more specific), now Tent City’s local butcher. Kal can render any animal brought to him in short order, with a clear efficiency that is slightly frightening to behold. While never outright mean or cruel to anyone in the tent-village, no one fully trusts the foreigner either. It is whispered to turn your back on Kal Kammon is to invite disaster.The Ground Bean
Okil (male dwarf) sells a rich dark brew made from an exotic bean called cabb’e. His source for the beans is not known, but the brew has proved popular and is famous for its odd and pleasant aroma. He serves cabb’e cold for 4 cp per mug. A cup of cabb’e cures the effects of a single level of exhaustion, but the drinker must sleep an additional 1d4 hours the following night or awaken with an exhaustion level. Okil is thin for a dwarf, and his braided red hair is graying, adorned with silver and platinum rings. After years of drinking his own product, Okil’s teeth are stained light brown; in addition, he dresses in shades of brown. A rival of the Green Leaf, Okil is said to have hired ruffians to close that business down, but have so far met with little success.Green Leaf
Okil’s primary rival in the selling of non-alcoholic stimulants, Sayid (male human) sells a wide variety of teas, many of which are his own concoctions — infusions of several different leaves that provide a number of special benefits. He sells his teas out of a rough hide wigwam, which emits clouds of aromatic steam at all hours of the day and night. Sayid is a rugged individual, dressed in a mottled-green cloak, with his silver sickle always at his side. He has handsome, chiseled features, and always wears his long blonde hair in two braids. He carries numerous pouches, each stuffed with different herbs and tea leaves. Sayid also sells dried bricks of his more mundane teas. Each brick weighs about a pound and makes 100 cups of tea. His more unusual teas are sold by the cup only, and their formulae remain Sayid’s closely guarded secret. Teas served here include green tea (2cp cup, 5sp brick), jasmine tea (4cp cup, 8sp brick), black tea (3cp cup, 6sp brick), berry infused tea (3cp cup, 7sp brick), and yerba mate (4cp cup, 8sp brick).Spiced Seed
Jotolf (male half-orc) is an old half-orc who took over his former master’s business after strangling the cruel bastard with his own whip. He appears more human than half-orc, though his jaw is heavy and his teeth oversized and vicious-looking (he rarely smiles). He usually hides his features under a thick cloak and hood. Born into slavery, Jotolf worked for countless merchants as guard and porter, and acquired a detailed knowledge of business practices, as well as a number of languages. Now, disguised as his old master, Jotolf travels from place to place, buying and selling spices, and salting away his profits in the hope of one day becoming a wealthy merchant. He is fearful of being caught, though as time goes by fewer and fewer people remember his old master. His “shop” is nothing more than a large covered wagon, its interior redolent of many different spices. Despite the danger, Jotolf also runs a side-business dealing in poisons and other illicit items, though potential buyers have to earn the half-orc’s trust before he sells such things to them. Spices for sale include black pepper (1gp/oz.), bay leaves (1cp/oz.), chives (1cp/oz.), cinnamon (1gp/oz.), cloves (1gp/oz.), garlic (1cp/oz.), oregano (1cp/oz.), paprika (1gp/oz.), saffron (6gp /oz.), salt (1sp/oz.), sesame seed (8sp/oz.), thyme (1sp/oz.), and sage (2cp/oz.).Dolls and Dice
Always fascinated with the way things work, Lindalin (female human) eventually abandoned her arcane studies to become a full-time toymaker, selling dolls, toy soldiers, puzzles, and other curiosities to nobles and wealthy merchants. Lindalin casts various illusions on her tent, making it look like almost any small structure. The tent often sparkles with lights and brightly-colored images. She herself can change appearance almost instantly, appearing as a warrior one moment, a beautiful dancer, then as a scholarly old man or woman. In reality, she is somewhat plain and average in appearance, with a large nose and dull brown eyes, but few have seen her this way. Lindalin crafts many different toys, trinkets, puzzles and even dice, many of which appear to move on their own. These toys range in price from 100–400gp. She is not above crafting the occasional set of loaded dice, which cost 300gp. Several of her games have made it onto the shelves of Benjie Falen’s shop which causes her no end of delight. She will occasionally disguise herself and go play a few rounds of games at Oak Leaves on some nights.Casteran’s Cakes
Inside this large tent is a stone pit filled with coals, where Bjorn Casteran (male human) cooks his famous skillet cakes. Thin, crispy and sweet, the cakes are cooked in hot grease and slathered in sugar or honey. Small tables and stools are scattered about the tent’s interior. Bjorn is a thin and gangly middle-aged man, dressed in a thick leather apron splotched with batter, flour and grease. His sun blonde hair is cut short, and he keeps his thin moustache oiled and pointed. His arms bear various scars and burns — through some claim that these were from his old, secret life as a wandering bandit and mercenary, they are in reality the results of mishaps with hot skillets or grease. His skillet cakes are known throughout the city and sell for a mere 2cp each. Many have tried to copy his recipe, but none have yet succeeded.Honey Pot
Rachid (male half-elf) has spent his entire life keeping bees, having been taught by his mother, a druidess and beekeeper in her own right. For most of his life Rachid kept bees, selling the honey to maintain a minimal livelihood. Then one day, Rachid met a dwarven brewer who informed him that honey can be fermented. Curious, Rachid brewed his first batch of mead, which was to be both his blessing and his curse. Soon, Rachid was selling his mead for a tidy profit, but he also discovered a fondness for his own wares and within a few years was reduced to an overweight, toothless alcoholic. Though tending his bees (he has numerous hives located throughout the region) remains his chief joy, Rachid’s physical condition makes it increasingly difficult to go about his rounds, and today he spends more and more time here, brewing mead and drinking a good portion of it himself. He has taken to hiring others to tend more remote hives for him, several of whom have begun to steal honey and sell it themselves. Rachid is only a shadow of his former self — a large, overweight shadow, but a shadow nonetheless. Where once a powerful, red-haired druid strode the land and tended to its insects, today Rachid dresses in tattered hide armor to protect himself from bee stings, and his full head of hair has been reduced to a few pitiful wisps. He wears a gold ring (worth 100gp) engraved with images of bees. He hopes one day to earn enough to buy his own tavern, where he can drink to his heart’s content, but his tendency to consume his own mead makes this an unlikely outcome. Rachid’s honey costs 1gp per jar. Honeycomb is 8sp per ounce, and Honey Pot Mead (by far his most popular product) goes for 2sp per cup and 5gp per gallon.Curdled Brew
A small herd of a dozen or so goats grazes in a crudely-fenced area near the south wall. Beside the corral is a medium tent, where Jillian (female halfling) sells goats’ milk, cheese, and butter. Jillian is a dedicated herdswoman, and has taken on some of the characteristics of her flock. Her hair is blonde and shaggy, her face tanned, her eyes dark and watchful. She is also somewhat stubborn and contrary, though in general she deals politely with customers. Her goats have sometimes caused problems in the tent city, breaking free from their rough corral and running wild, forcing the dog soldiers to recapture and return them. Jillian sells milk (1cp per gallon), cheese and butter (2cp per pound).The Cleansed Spirit
This large tent, perpetually wreathed in clouds of white smoke and steam, is the home to members of a monkish order known as the Weth. An ascetic order devoted to the purification of mind and body, the Weth are also said to use the smoke and steam to communicate with ancestors and spirits. The monks offer what they call spiritual cleansing at this tent as well. Senior monk Haiweth (male human) meets with clients and escorts them into the tent’s interior, where he and the eight other monks (male humans) chant, calling forth the spirits as they ladle water onto the hot rocks in the center of the tent. As the client relaxes, Haiweth and the other monks use their speak with dead abilities to commune with the spirits and pass messages on to the client. The monks ask for a small donation in exchange for their services, but turn no one away. No one is sure where the order came from or if there are any other Weth elsewhere in the world, and the Weth themselves are unwilling to discuss it.The Torn Page
A traveling bookbinder and scribe, Asleif (female human) travels the world in search of old scrolls, books and tomes, which she then copies and sells. A former rogue, Asleif almost perished in a robbery gone wrong, and began a new life as a scribe, learning as she worked. She married her husband Quynell and together they had three children. When her husband was killed by a magically-trapped tome, Asleif swore to find and destroy such dangerous books, and began to study wizardry to aid in her quest. Her quest expanded to include dangerous and evil books such as the prayer books of the Dark Pantheon, evil wizards' spell-tomes, and the like. Today, she continues her endeavors, selling her copied books and even working as a magical scribe creating arcane scrolls to earn a living. Her two daughters, Asral and Delean (female humans) and son Quynell (male human) assist her in her business. Asleif and her children sell books, scrolls, parchment, quills, inks and other writing implements and she copies any book at a normal rate of 1sp per page. She also scribes magical scrolls for wizards and sorcerers, but refuses to deal with those of evil alignment. Anyone who purchases scrolls or magical tomes from her must first swear that they are not used for evil purposes. Currently, Asleif has heard a rumor that an especially evil tome can currently be found in Westden, and is working hard to locate it.The Wanderer’s Encampment
Amid the tangled maze of tents, ropes and guywires lies this circle of brightly-painted house wagons, guarded by three snarling mastiffs. On one of the wagons is a sign reading "Mama Bobo’s Palmistry and Divination." The encampment’s inhabitants are swarthy individuals clad in vests and trousers. They wear many different holy symbols about their necks, and some appear to have some orcish blood. The Wanderers are a band of half-orcs and various other individuals of mixed ancestry, who have sought shelter and companionship with each other after being driven from their respective homelands. Today, they travel as wagon-driving nomads, making a living doing odd jobs, entertaining, performing divinations. They are not above the occasional confidence game or act of thievery, either, but the Wanderers limit their larcenous activities to those who can afford the loss — they remember their own precarious state and the ravages of poverty all too well. There are perhaps two dozen individuals of various ages in the camp. Prominent Wanderers include Belonda (female half-orc), a tough female half-orc who serves as the group’s guard and muscle; Tarrio (male human), a charming and skilled rogue who specializes in games of skill and pickpocketing; and Lolly (female human) a charming young woman whose charisma and pleasant looks can easily prevent a mark from keeping too close watch on his coin-purse. Mama Bobo (female half-orc) is the Wanderers’ matriarch. A strange and twisted half-orc shaman, she is also a skilled diviner. Her wagon’s interior is cramped, with room for only three people to sit around her tiny table. The walls are hung with colorful tapestries and silks. Here, she tells fortunes and — for a somewhat higher fee — casts divination magic for those seeking guidance. Mama Bobo boasts that she can find lost treasures, see the future and reveal anyone’s fate, as long as the price is right. More often than not, her divinations simply involve fortune telling with cards or casting a few minor spells, convincing her client that she has seen genuine visions of the future. If a patron demands more, Mama Bobo grows more serious and professional. She uses scrying spells and divination magic to gather information, and make accurate predictions about the client and his future. She charges proportionately more for such services, but like her companions she uses a sliding scale, charging what the market will bear, based upon the client’s relative apparent wealth. If her spells don’t get the required information, Mama Bobo may use her deck of prophecy, a very powerful magic item that Bobo inherited from her mother, a powerful wizard. Should Mama or the camp ever come under attack, any assailants feel the full wrath of her magical abilities, as well as the fighting skills of the other Wanderers. Assailants are rarely killed, but are instead beaten senseless, their possessions taken, then handed over to the dog soldiers for justice. Mama normally charges two gold pieces for a simple reading, spell cost for casting for other divination spells, and 500gp if she uses her deck of prophecy.Fort Rendezvous
This longhouse is built of rough timbers cinched with clay. The odor of smoke and roasting meat usually wafts from its entrance. Fort Rendezvous is one of the few permanent structures in the tent city, and has become the settlement’s favorite meeting place, a combination of inn and trading post. This is a popular spot for the Longhunters and other ranger-types, although the Farseekers seem to avoid the place (and are not welcomed warmly, though they are not turned away). The structure is over 60ft long and 20ft wide, the roof peaks to a height of 15ft with a narrow smoke slit in the center, immediately above a large firepit, where a log fire burns constantly. Nearby, a long table is laden with food and liquor of various sorts, with a pair of kegs at one end. Colonel Portland (male human), a jolly, red-faced giant of a man clad in a red plaid kilt, tends bar and oversees the locked cash box. Portland is as gregarious as they come, but has a cold eye and plenty of disdain for half-breeds. Several tables are scattered throughout the interior. Locals, commoners, woodsmen, druids, and rangers dine and drink here, sometimes entertained by Colonel “Many Ropes” York (male human), a gray-bearded man who sips from a silver flask and puffs at a long-stemmed pipe as he tells tall stories of his adventures. Portland and York run this establishment with an easy hand, often regaling customers with tales of their journeys to the nearby mountains, where they found a beautiful vale untouched by time and the outside world. There, streams were full of fish and the woods alive with game. The two used the wealth that they gained in the vale to build Fort Rendezvous. They often hint that a dangerous foe lurked in the vale, but they continue to refuse to reveal the vale’s location. The establishment sells food and drink at standard rates, as well as adventuring equipment such as rations, blankets, tents, lanterns, picks, rope, and some weapons.Scents of Passion
A brightly-colored tent covered with elaborate patterns stands here. Inside Rini Rohavi (female human), an exotically beautiful woman of unknown age, sits on a richly-woven carpet, offering for sale bottles and pots of oils and perfumes. Nearby stands her guard, Wassan (male human), who wears a black mask and turban, and carries a thick-bladed tulwar. He normally stands silent and entirely motionless as Rini bargains with customers. His silence is easily explained, as he has no tongue, and his loyalty is unquestioned, for he was once a bodyguard to Rini’s father, a sultan from a distant realm. Should Rini ever be in danger, Wassan defends her to the death. Rini’s perfumes and potions are of the highest quality, and sometimes are even infused with a bit of magical essence, enhancing the user’s charisma and attractiveness to the opposite sex.Filini the Rug Merchant
This tent contains piles of rugs of every description, from simple mats to elaborate carpets. Filini (male human) is a strange-looking individual whose silk rugs are becoming famous throughout Westden. He is talkative and friendly, often asking extremely detailed and often bizarre questions of his customers. His prices range from 5cp for a simple woven mat to 1000gp for his largest and most elaborate carpet.Big Horn’s Camp
Big Horn (male Plainsman human) is the current Booshway of the dog soldiers in Tent City. He is a strong man of medium height with stone gray hair and raw sun-browned skin. Big Horn has a wiry build of pure hard muscle built from a life in the wilderness, and dresses in brain-tanned buckskins from head to toe. Big Horn was originally born into the Quick Knife clan. As current elected Booshway, Big Horn is in charge of recruitment of dog soldiers to act as guards. Like every Booshway before him, he is careful to select from a wide selection of foreigners, tribesmen, travelers, and the like making sure to keep the group diverse so as to keep a basic order. It is quite possible that the PCs may be asked to participate in the defense of the Tent City, either by wielding arms against bandits and raiders, or to serve in mediating disputes as dog soldiers. In this event they must meet Big Horn’s minimum requirement for dog soldier service:- Spellcasters: A spellcaster must demonstrate the ability to stop a fight, or immobilize a combatant in order to diffuse a fight. This ability covers all spellcasters including clerics, druids, wizards, bards, and the like.
- Warrior: The ability to strike a blow against Big Horn in a bout of nonlethal combat (within 2 rounds). This ability includes any monks, fighters, barbarians, paladins, rangers, and likely rogues.
Bonrenner Mcleoud’s Camp
This camp is run by an Emonvale merchant named Bonrenner Mcleoud (male human). Bonrenner hires Grass Sailor braves as porters and guards.Quick Knife Camp
The Quick Knife clan is a Plainsmen tribe that has come to the area to trade furs, horses, and curiosities for trade goods, and weapons. The Quick Knives are a proud tribe and are rivals of the Grass Sailors. Lately the local Booshway, Big Horn, has spent far more of his time than he would like keeping tensions defused between Grass Sailors and Quick Knives. Dog soldiers give constant reminders to both groups that the Tent City has a permanent banner of truce hanging over it, and breaking that truce results in banishment from the camp. The Quick Knife band in tent city is led by Greymane (male Plainsman human). Greymane is a tall Plainsman who dresses in beaded buckskin, and carries a pair of maple-handled handaxes and a long bladed knife with a horn handle.
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