Fallcrest

Fallcrest stands amid the Moon Hills at the falls of the Nentir River. Here travelers and traders using the old King's road that runs north and south, the dwarven trade road from the east, and the river all meet. The surrounding ridges shelver several small valleys where farmers and woodsfolk live; few are more than six or seven miles from the town. In general the people outside Fallcrest's walls earn their living by farming or keeping livestock, and the people inside the walls are artisans, laborers or merchants. People with no other prospects can make a hard living as porters, carrying cargo from the Lower Quays to the Upper Quays (or vice versca).

Fallcest imports finishes goods from the larger cities downriver and exports timber, leather, fruit and grain. It also trades with the nearby town of Winterhaven. The surrounding hills hold several marble quarries that once produced a good deal of stone, but the area has little demand for ornamental stone these days, and only a few stonecutters still practice their trade.

Fallcrest's Story


Key Locations
Fallcrest is divided into two distrcits by a steep bluff that cuts across the town. The area north of the bluff is known locally as Hightown. This district survived the city's fall in relatively good shape, and it was the first area resettled, to the south of the bluff lies Lowtown, which tends to be newer and poorer. In the event of a series threat, people retreat up to Hightown- the bluff and the town walls completely ring this part of Fallcrest, making it highly defensible.




 * 1) Tower of Waiting
 * 2) *This old fortification was built on a small island in the Nentir to guard the city from any waterborne attack from the north. It fell into ruin even before the sack of the old city, and now is little more than an empty shell over run by mice and birds. Dergan the derelict rambles about it faintly glowing at night, but nobody cares what he has to say, shut the fuck up Dergan.
 * 3) Upper Quays
 * 4) *Boats proceeding down the Nentir must stop here and offload their cargo, which is then portaged through the town to the Lower Quays and loaded onto boats below the falls. Likewise, cargo heading in the other direction is carried up to these quays and loaded aboard boats bound upstream.
 * 5) *A surly dwarf pugilist named Barstomun Strong-beards runs the porters' guild, and he takes a cut of any wages paid to laborers carrying cargo up or down the falls. Barstomun and his thugs are trying to extend their reach by intimidating merchants who send their goods overland and forcing them to hire guild porters for any cargo handling in town.
 * 6) Five-arch Bridge
 * 7) *Dwarf artisans from the citadel of Hammerfast built a fine stone bridge over the Nentir two hundred years ago. Although the bridge was destroyed when Fallcrest fell, the great stone piers supporting it remained intact, so a few years back the people of the town laid a new timber trestle over the old stone footings.
 * 8) *A small toll house guards the western side of the bridge. Five Fallcrest guards under the command of Sergeant thurmina watch this post. they collect a toll of 1cp per head (and 1 sp per mount) making use of the brdige in either direction. Thurmina is a gruff woman who has been known to turn a blind eye to odd cargo moving over the bridge when paid to do so. (I'm looking at you, Traevus )
 * 9) *The river current begins to pick up on the south side of the bridge. Boats (or swimmers) venturing far from the bands are in danger of being carried over the falls.
 * 10) Nentirinn.jpgr Inn
 * 11) *A fine new building constructed of fieldstone and strong timber, the Nentir Inn stands on the west band of the river. Merchants from Winterhaven or Hammerfast make the clientele, along with travelers who happen to be passing through. A good room with two single beds goes for 5 sp per night. The Nentir Inn also boasts a lively taproom, which is popular with the folk who live in the vales on the west bank of the river.
 * 12) *The proprietor is a charming half-elf named Erandil Zemoar who showed up in Fallcrest one day about two years ago, bought land, and build an inn. The tale of how he came upon such a fortutious situation is common tap-room banter; The money that Erandil ued to set up the Nentir Inn isn't his; he charmed an aging noblewoman in the far south out of her fortune, and fled one step ahead of the authorities
 * 13) *In your time spent drinking at The Nentir who met became aqauinted with one of the Nentir Inn's current guests, an expatriate noble from the south named Serim Selduzar. He speaks ill of the Markelhays and seems to be trying to convince you of their apparnt ill-deeds.
 * 14) Knight's Gate
 * 15) *Fallcrest's northern city gate is known as Knight's Gate, because the Lord Warden's riders normally come and go from the city by this road. The gate consists of strong outer doors of iron-reinforced timber and an inner portcullis between a pair of small stone towers. The portcullis is normally lowered at sunset, and the gates close only in times of danger.
 * 16) *The gatehouse barracks accomodates five Fallcrest guards plus Sergeant Nereth, who commands this gate. He is a stiff-necked fussbudget who rigorously enforces all rules; the guards stationed here are not too fold of ol' Nereth.
 * 17) Silver Unicorn Inn
 * 18) *For many years, the Silver Unicorn has billed itself as "the Pride of Fallcrest", charging high rates for its attentive service and well-appointed rooms. The recent opening of the Nentir Inn put a big dent in the Silver Unicorn's buisness, and the owner, a stern halfing matriach named Wisara Osterman, strongly disapproves. Shes certain theirs something shifty about Erandil Zemoar, but can't put her finger on it.
 * 19) Halfmoon Trading House
 * 20) *The Halfmoon Trading House is a large, far-flund clan of halflings who keep small trading posts in several settlements throughout the nentir Vale. This is the largest nd most important of those establishments. It's under the care of Selarund Halfmoon, a friendly halfling who dispenses a never-ending stream of advice to his customers, such as, "It never rains but as someone gets wet!" or "A nail aint afraid of a hammer with no handle!" No one knows what he's talking about most of the time, but Selarund is more sly than he lets on and keeps a close eye on events all around the town.
 * 21) Moonstone Keep
 * 22) *The seat of Lord Warden Faren Markelhay, Moonstone Keep is an old castle that sits atop a steep-sided hill overlooking the town. The outer bailey includes barracks housing up to sixty Fallcrest guards. At any given time about twenty or so are off-duty. Other buildings in the countyard include a stable, an armory, a chapel, a smithy, and several storehouses. the keep is the large D-shaped building at the north end of the castle.
 * 23) The Tombwood
 * 24) *Along the southern slopes of Moonstone Hill grows a large thicket that has never been entirely cleared. Within its tangled paths lies the old castle cemetery (now heavily overgrown), as well as a battle-mound dating back centuries.
 * 25) House of the Sun
 * 26) *When Fallrest a larger city, it supported several good-sized temples located in the Hightown districts. With the town's depopulation, several of these were abandoned, including the House of the Sun, a temple dedicated to Pelor. The place also includes shrines to Kord and Bahamut. Recently a zealous dwarf priest of Pelor named Grundelmar came to Fallcrest from Hammerfast and reestablished this old temple. Grundelmar is loud and opinionated, a real fire-breather who goes on and on about smiting evil wherever it may lurk.
 * 27) House Azaer
 * 28) *A small, well-off trading company, House Azaer is owned by the tieflings of the Azaer family. They import goods (including arms and armor) from Hammerfast, Harkenwold , and the lands to the south and organize caravans up to Winterhaven several times a year.
 * 29) *Amara Azaer is in charge of the house buisness in Fallcrest, and spends her time on the premises. Though young, the tiefling is quite sharp and doesnt miss an opportunity for profit in running the Azaer buisness.
 * 30) The Nentir Falls
 * 31) Here the Nentir River descends nearly 200 feet in three striking shelflike drops. On the small island in the middle of the falls stands the statue of an ancient human hero named Vendar, holding up his hand as if to challenge enemies approaching from downriver. Local legend tells that Vendar slew a dragon whos lair was hidden in caverns beneath the falls.
 * 32) The Temple of Erathis
 * 33) *This large, impressive stone temple is finished with Fallcrest's native marble. Its chapel is a large rotunda with a 30ft tall dome. The temple of Erathis is the largest and most influential temple in town. The place also includes shrines to Ioun and Moradin.
 * 34) *High Priest Dirina Mornbrow oversees two lesser priests and several acolytes-townsfolk who spend part of their day tending to the temple. Dirina is a woman of about sixty who is convinced of the superiority of Erathis's dogma, and disappointed that more people in fallcrest dont pay proper reverence to "our city's patron god." She is familiar with several diviniation and restoration rituals and can aid adventurers with rutal magic at need- for an appropriate gift to Erathis, ofcourse.
 * 35) The Bluffs
 * 36) *Fallcrest is divided in half by a great cliff snaking northwest to southeast across the town. The bluffs average 150 to 250 feet in height. They are not strictly vertical, but are too tall and steep to be easily climbed.
 * 37) The Catacombs
 * 1) *The limestone bluffs between Hightown and Lowtown hold a number of caves, which the folk of Fallcrest have used as burial crypts for centuries. As caves fill up, they are walled off and forgotten about.Naturally stories abound in town about treasure hoards hidden away in the crypts, and the rested undead that guard them.
 * 2) Moonsong Temple
 * 3) *The third of Fallcrests temples is devoted to Sehanine. It also includes shrines to Corellon, Melora and Avandra. The Markelhays regard Sehanine as their special patron, and over the years they have given generously to the temple. The temple occupies a commanding position atop the bluffs, and its white minarets can be seen from any corner of Lowtown.
 * 4) *The leader of the temple is High Priest Ressilmae Starlight, a wise and compassionate elf who finished adventuring decades ago and retired to a contemplative life. He is a musician of great skill who happily tutors the local children, even those who are poor and cant afford to pay for their lessons.
 * 5) Fallcrest Stables
 * 6) *Lannar Thistleton owns this buisness, providing travelers with tack, harness, stabling, shoeing, wagons and just about anything dealing with horses, mules or ponies. He keeps a larger corral about a mile outside of town, and at any given time Lannar has several riding horses, draft horses or mules in his paddock near Wizards Gate. The Halfling is an excellent source of rumors, he is friendly fellow of about forty, with a large brood of children at his home out in the countryside.
 * 7) Wizard's Gate
 * 8) *Fallcrests eastern city gate is known as Wizard's Gate, because its the gate most convenient to the Septarch's Tower. The road to the east travels a few miles into the surrounding hills, linking a number of outlying farms and homesteads with the town.
 * 9) *The gate resemembles Knight's Gate in construction, and is similarly watched by a detachment of five guard and sergeant, The leader of this detachment is a Sergeant Murgeddin, a dwarf veteran who fought in the Bloodspear War and was present at the Batlle of Gardbury, where Fallcrest's army was defeated. A friendly drink goes a long way toward loosening Murgeddin's tongue about the long ago war.
 * 10) Naerumar's Imports
 * 11) *Considered the finest of Fallcrest's retail establishments, Naerumar's Import's deals in gemstones, jewelery, art and magic trinkeys. The owner is Orest Naerumar, a tiefling who displays impeccable manners and discretion. Orest corresponds with relatives and colleagues in several towns and cities outside the Nentir Vale; given a few weeks, he can order in low-level magic items or other items of unusual value. Similarly, Orest purchases interesting items such as these, since other dealers in distant towns or citties might be looking for them.
 * 12) *Orest doesnt ask questions about where characters in his store found the goods they're willing to sell to him, but he is not a fence- if he knows that something was obtained illegally he declines to purchase it.
 * 13) Kamroth Estate
 * 14) *This is the home of the self-styled "Lord" Armos Kamroth, a wealthy landowner who collects rents from scores of farmers and herders living in the countryside nearby. Armos is a brusque, balding man of about fifty who makes a show of loaning money in good faith and exacting only what the law allows- but somehow he has quietly bought up dozens of free farms over the years and turned their owners into tenants.
 * 15) Moonwash Falls
 * 16) *A small, swift stream known as Moonwash flows through Fallcrest to meet the Nentir River. The stream is rarely more than 20 feet wide of 5 feet deep. The town's children love to play in the pool at the base of the falls at Summertime. (.. Gynix )
 * 17) Septarch's Tower
 * 18) *This lonely structure is a tall, seven sided spire of pale green stone that doesn't match anything else in the town. In the days before the Bloodspear War, this was the seat of Fallcrest's mages guild- an order of a dozen or so wizards and arcane scholars. Defensive enchantments prevented the orcs from sacking the tower, but the guild's members died fighting for the city or fled to safer lands.
 * 19) *The tower is now the property of Nimozaran the Green, an elderly wizard who was once apprenticed to the last of the old guild mages. Nimozaran considers himself the "High Septarch of Fallcrest" and master of the guild, whos membership now includes only himself and a rather unpromising male halfling apprentice named Tobolar Quickfoot. Nimozaran epects any potential new guild members to pay a hefty initiation fee, and so far none of the few other aracanists living in or passing through Fallcrest have seen reason to join.
 * 20) Blue Moon Alehouse
 * 21) *This brewhouse on the banks of the Moonwash is the best tavern in Fallcrest. The owner is a nervous, easily flustered fellow of fifty or so named Par Winnomer. The true genius behind the Blue Moon is the halfling brewmaster Kemara Brownbottle. She is happy to let Par fret about running the taphouse, while she spends her time perfecting her selection of ales and beers.
 * 22) *The Blue Moon is popular with halfling traders whos boats tie up along the Lower Quay, well off town merchants, and the farmers who live in the countryside south of Fallcrest. The old dwarves Teldorthan and Sergeant Murgeddin hoist a tankard or thirty here on frequent occasion.
 * 23) Teldorthan's Arms
 * 24) *The dwarf Teldorthan Ironhews is the town's weaponsmith and armorer. He is a garrulous old fellow who spends his time trading stories with his customers with a pipe clenched in his teeth, while his apprentices (two of whom are his sons) do the work. Make no mistake- Teldorthan is a master armorer and under his supervison his apprentices turn out work of exceptional quality.
 * 25) King's Gate
 * 26) *Fallcrest's southern gate was destroyed in the attack that devastated the city long ago, and it still has not entirely rebuilt. One of the two paired towers is nothing but rubble, and several large gaps remain in the town walls south of the bluffs through which anyone could enter the city.
 * 27) *Despite its lack of functionality the Kings Gate is still used as a guardspost by Fallcrests guards. Sergeant Gerdrand is in charge here; he is tall, lanky man who doesnt say much, answering questions with a grunt or shake of his head.
 * 28) Fallcrestmarket.jpg Market Green
 * 29) *The majority of Fallcrest's folk live above the bluffs in Hightown and walk down to do buisness on the streets of Lowtown, which bustle with commerce. This wide square is an open, grassy meadow where Fallcrest's merchants and visiting traders do buisness in good weather. The town's children gather here for games of tag or kick-stones.
 * 30) Sandercot Provisioners
 * 31) *The largest general store in Fallcrest, Sandercot's deals in just about anything- food, clothing, stores, rope, tools, gear, leather goods, and more. Compared to the Halfmoon Trading House, Sandercot's has slightly cheaper prices but goods of somewhat lower quality.
 * 32) *The owner is Nimena Sandercot, the widow of the late and unlamented Marken Sandercot. Marken associated with brigants and ne'er-do-wells, making a tidy sum by buying up goods stolen from his neighbours. His widow has continued the practice. Nimena puts on an air of rustic charm, but when its time to talk "back room buisness" she is ruthless, grasping and greedy. She has three young sons, all of whom are quickly learning the family buisness. William Castille was able to ascertain very early on in your time in Fallcrest that she is a more-than-willing fence, but not for a copper more than she has to.
 * 33) The Trollhead Tavern
 * 34) The Trollhead is widely regarded as the cheapest and shittest of Fallcrest's drinking establishments. It caters to the porters and laborers who work the nearby docks, and fistfights are a nightly occurence. The owner of the Trollhead is a character named Kelson. Kelson runs the River Rats, a small street gang that plagues Lowtown, from the back room of his tavern.
 * 35) Lower Quays
 * 36) *Keelboats and similar craft put in here to unload their cargo and portage it up to the other boats above the falls. As described above for the Upper Quays, the porters guild jealously defends its monopoly on moving cargo around the falls, and it frequently attempts to intimidate local merchants into paying for portage services0 whether needed or not. In addition to the porters guild, another gang of troublemakers lurks around the Lower Quays: the River Rats. these street thugs and thieves look out for the chance to pilfer from the warehouses or roll a drunk in a dark alleyway.
 * 37) *Boats belonging to a number of different travelers tie up here, the most common of which are the keel-boats of the halfling Swiftwater Clan. The Swiftwaters carry cargo all the way down to the Nentir's mouth, hundreds of miles downriver. They're more than willing to take passengers for a small fee. Irena Swiftwater is the matriarch of the clan. She is a sharp merchant who passes herself as an absent-minded reader of fortunes and maker of minor charms.