The Severed Bastion
The Severed Bastion is an isolated free-city in The Plateau, though city is a rather generous word. The original people and purpose of this pre-calamity fortress have been forgotten long ago, and it fell to ruin over the many years it was abandoned. Eventually, though in near complete disrepair, it was reclaimed by those with nowhere else to go - founded by Kohdama the Blind Seer. A tavern was eventually constructed in the most stable area of the ruins, and where there is ale there shall be people. It quickly became a sanctuary for outcasts, refugees, and travelers alike, with tent communities coming and going often. As the Bastion grown, more outcasts searching for a better future joined Kohdama, such as Beraht Dromana, the Old World Inn Tavern Keep and Militia Captain Brummelda, proving to become vital coutnerparts. Over time it has developed further and now boasts a resident smith, oracle seer, alchemist, scholar, architect, a local militia, and a burgeoning criminal underbelly. The Severed Bastion is not the grandest of settlements, and it's true that few want to stay in this place, but all are welcome - something that can scarce be said for the rest of Astara.
The rest of the inhabited area of The Severed Bastion is sprawled haphazardly around the ruins. Over the years much of the original fortress collapsed into a great flooded pool that now dominates the center of the caverns, with only sparse installments of standing stonework remaining. The Caverns extend between the gates of The Bastion at the surface and the rotting palisade below, which forms the border between the inhabited caverns and the Unknown. Nestled haphazardly into the rubble or claiming the few remaining solid structures are the permanent residents of The Bastion, making do with what remains. These NPCs often have services or goods to offer, and you can find them in the bazaar area. Some below notable locations within the Bastion interior:
Map Room: The Mapping and Meeting Room; used for charting the world you've discovered so far and discussing where to go next. The high-rise peak inside the caverns that is jointly used for the mapping table and holding meetings. It has a grand overview of the entirety of the caverns and is used often for planning. In the past the M&M room has been used by explorers plotting their next expedition, and in this generation it hosts adventurers doing the same. Here you can discuss in character where you might like to go next, how to defeat the pesky monster that is defending the treasure you want, or what everything you've discovered so far means.
Darkpool: The huge central pit in the Caverns that has filled with dark water and become a popular, if spooky, swimming spot. The giant central pool that formed during the long and crawling collapse of The Bastion. It has filled with dark water and become a popular, if spooky, swimming spot - Though those who have seen the fish they pull from those depths often think twice. It is quite wide indeed and seemingly without a finite depth, flanked by large cliffs on half of it's sides and shallow shores on the other. This place is perfect for relieving stress with a nice relaxing swim or death defying 80 foot dive from the cliffs above.
Tent Town: The loose conglomerate of tent groupings that comprise the majority of housing here in The Bastion. The tent groups that comprise the majority of housing here in The Bastion are sprawled haphazardly around the ruins wherever they can fit. Each little cell usually has it's own fire and few tents between them, with the less fortunate only having bedrolls. These lodgings are far from the lap of luxury but it's much better than the cold drip of cavewater on your head while you sleep. Most everyone who lives in The Bastion lives in Tent Town, likely including most of the player characters. These are somewhat isolated pockets of home for those who reside in them, and are a comfy enough place to chill out with your friends.
The Ruins: These destitute regions of The Bastion are a nest for criminals, but the rocky ruins themselves are just waiting to be made into something greater. The destitute regions of The Bastion, destroyed by time and neglect alike. Once stalwart structures reduced to little more than broken stone heaped in a pile, these spots attract little in the way of good attention. The ruins are hotspots for shady deals, muggings, and murders - as well as the favoured hangouts for those who engage in such things. There are things to discover here yet, but mostly these are dead spots waiting to be developed by someone with a sense of purpose and the coin to back it up.
The Shroom Rooms: The only productive farms in The Bastion, these areas are used to cultivate mushrooms and raise the creatures that feed on them. The only legitimately productive farms on The Plateau, The Shroom Rooms is a collection of dark, dank chambers where a grand variety of mushrooms are cultivated. The animals that feed on mushrooms are farmed for here, as well. These musky places are the lifeblood of The Bastion and it would surely not survive without them. They are not particularly nice places as they are made ideal for mushrooms and not people, but they attract visitors all the same. Greenthumbs are difficult to keep from the muck, after all.
The Bazaar: Shrouded within the gloom of the caverns is a ramshackle bazaar. Tent-side stalls and stone-strewn markets pop up and down constantly as wandering merchants come and go, with only a few permanent residents plying their wares here. At any point a fair selection of goods could be found for sale in this place (You may purchase any common mundane item for it's price on D&D beyond or through the general store, or speak with some merchants to try for finer wares. Some individuals will also pay well for certain things, so keep an eye out.). (See top right of page for shop links).
Delmirev's Dive: Delmirev's Dive is a difficult place to find, mostly because it doesn't properly exist. It refers to whatever ruin he is haunting at the time, and that changes often. To find him you've got to stray into the ruins, and hope he wants to talk. He's a tough person to pin down if he doesn't want you to, but if you are coming to him with business, then he may be interested. He will pay you for whatever stolen goods you can bring him, and he pays for information too. If you've got a good lead on an opportunity for criminal enterprise, Baxos Delmirev (see npcs ) will always be willing to listen. Additionally, he can give you leads on where to find certain forbidden items... for a hefty price.
Defences
A volunteer force militia, and stone walls with parapets
Founders
Type
Outpost / Base
Population
~700
Inhabitant Demonym
Bastionites
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Characters in Location
- Alabar Teagen, General Merchant
- Baxos Delmirev the Fence
- Beltran Lyresong
- Beraht Dromana, the Old World Inn Tavern Keep
- Fossil
- Ivangelo
- Kendrick Kamaria
- Kohdama the Blind Seer
- Leif Fernbottom
- Lou Garow
- Militia Captain Brummelda
- Reginald the Blacksmith
- Thetiren
- Tike Myson
- Tork
- Uump the Alchemist
- Valakhad
- Varis Sylvaranth
- Yellow Al
Related Reports (Primary)
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