Endrigia
A city of mysteries, secrets, and dark histories, Endrigia lies forever in the shadow of a towering stone spire reaching impossibly high into the sky, itself an enigma and a reminder of evil long past. In Endrigia, the supernatural is expected and treachery lies around every corner—or is it that the supernatural lies around every corner and treachery is expected? Either way, the city of Endrigia abounds with danger, magic, intrigue, and above all, adventure.
You are a native of a port city called Endrigia, or you have recently arrived there. Native or not, you know a few things about this city—it is not without a reputation, to say the least. To call Endrigia a dynamic place with a strange and varied identity is to understate the situation greatly. Only now are explorers truly discovering how ancient the city really is and unearthing details of its varied history. Endrigia is where that strange breed that calls itself “adventurers” congregates. It’s a place where people are as concerned with what lies below the ground as they are with what’s above. This is like no place else in the world.
Endrigia lies in the world of Eldarr within the bounds of a the Imperial Seat of Acheron unsure of whether or not it has toppled. Three different emperors claim the throne, and portions of the once-great realm cleave off like icy shards from a melting glacier. This decaying society looks upon previous centuries and sees grander, more civilized, and certainly better days. Progress seems on the decline—skills and lore that people possessed just a few hundred years ago are lost now.
But this is not a time to lose hope altogether. This civilization, older than our own real-world cultures, is more sophisticated than our own in some ways, but less so in others. A myriad of species and peoples have come and gone, creating an intricate (and sometimes confusing) amalgam. Good struggles against evil, and law against chaos. But the shadows only threaten the light—they do not yet consume it.
Not so long ago, the first people who would one day be called “delvers” returned from exploring the catacombs below the city of Endrigia laden with gold and magical treasures. Today, hundreds of new would-be delvers pour into the city each month, hoping to strike it rich like others before them. Most never crawl up from the realms below, but adventurers keep arriving with dreams of gold and fame. Those who do emerge back into the light bring with them tales of surprisingly vast reaches of natural caverns and ancient hewn passages, perhaps dating back to the dark days when this area lay in the thrall of the terrible Skull-King, Ghul, and the region was pocked with winding warrens and subterranean chambers created by his dark armies. They also tell of the horrors that dwell outside the life-giving reaches of the sun: unknown monsters and devious demon-minded things with a cunning not known to human-, elf-, or dwarfkind. In the city, entire industries have evolved quickly to service the needs of these adventurers. In the shadow of an unnaturally tall, ancient spire with a very dark past, a whole new form of economics, politics, and social structure struggles to be born.
Creatures and individuals (good, evil, and otherwise) that normally remain in the shadows are drawn to this large gathering of adventurers and magic. The needs of the delvers prompt renewed devotion to magic, science, and religion.
Omens and prophecies of children born with strange birthmarks surface in the city with increasing frequency. No one yet knows exactly what, but something is happening in Endrigia. Something new stirs in the city . . . and that something is very, very old.
Endrigia is a major city of about seventy-five thousand people. It is located in the Province of Baelin near Spire Bay on the west end of The Skyfall. The place was established to serve as the port for an important fortress built at the time of an earlier Empire’s foundation, a citadel called Dalenguard. More significantly, however, it lies in the shadow of an impossibly tall (almost 3,000 feet) and thin pinnacle of rock known simply as the Spire. The Spire and its surroundings seethe with mysterious legends and rumors. These tales tell of ancient battles waged and cities erected on the site, of demons and dark lords, of forgotten kings and mighty wizards. Many such stories might be at least somewhat true, for recent developments have revealed vast complexes beneath the city.
Of late, Endrigia has become a city of adventurers. Treasure-seekers flock there to explore and plunder the labyrinthine structures beneath the streets, which they call the “Dungeon.” If the stories are correct, these catacombs include:
- The sewers of the city
- Vast stretches of subterranean passages and chambers created by Ghul and his minions
- The remains of an even older city
- An abandoned underground dwarven settlement called Dwarvenhearth
- Levels that plunge incredibly deep below the present urban area
Demographics
Endrigia is primarily a trade city, serving not only as a major port but also as a link between the Imperial Seat of Acheron and the rest of the world. About two-thirds of the population is human, with the remaining third being (from most populous to least): Shahalesti elves, Stonelost clan dwarves, halflings, litorians, Grailwarden clan dwarves, gnomes, half-elves, centaurs (aram), orcs and half-orcs, and others—lizardfolk (assarai), ogres, and far stranger things.
Religion
In Endrigia, there is one religion and there are many. While the Church of the AllFather remains the official religion of the Empire, tied closely to every aspect of Imperial government, many other far smaller and less popular religions exist as well. These faiths worship angels like Chazaqiel; Armaros, and the orderly Teun, Mother of All Machines, angel of technology.The Church of the AllFather
The Church of the AllFather is the most powerful religion in the Empire, and thus in Endrigia. So closely tied are the Empire and the Church of the AllFather that the head of the religion’s hierarchy is known as the Emperor of the Church. When it initially spread its influence across the growing Empire, the Church was far less tolerant of divergent beliefs and of arcane magic than it is today. The Church of the AllFather released the Edict of Deviltry centuries ago, proclaiming all arcane spellcasting to be an evil act. The more enlightened modern Church rescinded the Edict but it obviously inspired the creation of the Acheron Inquisitors. In Endrigia, many different chapels are devoted to The AllFather. The Church maintains its headquarters in St. Valien’s Cathedral in the Temple District. A knighthood called the Order of the Dawn serves the Church of the AllFather as elite defenders of the faith. While low-ranking members are warriors and fighters, the higher ranks include paladins and a few martial clerics. In general, the Church of the AllFather seeks to convert heathens and protect and nurture the faithful. Far more than typical organized religions, the Church remains involved in day-to-day government administration and the making (and sometimes enforcing) of laws. The AllFather’s priests serve as judges and officials in the government of the Empire. His clerics normally wear white and blue, although on high holy days they wear golden garments.Government
The city is ostensibly ruled by a council, at whose head is the Commissar, a representative of the Imperial Seat of Acheron. The other main council members are Kirian Ylestos, the Prince of the Church, and the Mother Superior of the Sisterhood of Silence. Other City Council members (with less influence) include guildmasters, the heads of the noble houses, and a few wealthy merchants. People of the town often refer to this body as the “Council of Coin,” because money is a powerful and influential force among its members. Guildmaster Delver Sorum Dandubal, also a council member, is quickly becoming another force to reckon with—almost a fourth main member—but the three forces controlling the council dislike and oppose him.
Truth be told, the real ruler of the city is the Commissar, Igor Urnst. The City Watch operates under his direct command from Dalenguard, a historic fortress that still stands in Oldtown. Urnst’s group of advisors in charge of the city’s defense and protection is called the Twelve Commanders. These include Lord Dorant Khatru of House Khatru, Aoska (a half-celestial), and other local luminaries.
Defences
To police the streets, the Commissar of the city commands a force of more than eight hundred troops and City Watch guards, including a few dozen elite individuals (captains, mages, clerics, and the like). While the constables in many of the Empire’s cities are considered glorified street-sweepers with little competence or desire to actually enforce the law, this is not true of the experienced and well-equipped guards of Endrigia, particularly those known as the Commissar’s Men. Nevertheless, this well-trained and well-paid force has its hands full maintaining order in the city.
Helping to enforce the law is a special order of monks called the Sisterhood of Silence. These nonspeaking female monks patrol the streets and apprehend criminals, even though they are not—strictly speaking—sanctioned to do so officially. A male eunuch always accompanies a small unit of the Sisters of Silence to speak on their behalf.
However, neither the city guard nor the Sisterhood of Silence is willing to go down into the Dungeon and fight monsters. Nor are they likely to help against well-known and influential noble families such as House Vladaam or House Sadar, or powerful groups like the Church of the AllFather or the Shuul. Of course, those groups would never break any laws, so there’s surely nothing to worry about. . . .
Aside from the law-enforcing authorities, both official and self-appointed, Endrigia benefits from the presence of various forces of munificence. Orders of knighthood like the Order of the Aquiline Cross, Keepers of the Veil, Order of the Dawn, and Knights of the Pale uphold such concepts as benevolence and nobility. There are even angelic beings in Endrigia—more than anyplace else in the world—from half-celestials to true angels. Many of these beings congregate in a place called the Pale Tower and call themselves the Malkuth. Paladins and clerics of The AllFather help Endrigia stand against the darkness as well. And in Endrigia, the dark is deep.
Like every city, Endrigia has a dark side. Here, criminal lords command veritable armies of rogues and assassins, and war among each other as well as against the law. These criminals deal in extortion, smuggling, gambling, usury, and prostitution. Chief among these criminals are Menon Balacazar, leader of the oldest criminal syndicate in the city, and the newcomer Kevris Killraven. They are bitter enemies. Depraved assassins called the Vai hunt victims for money and to fulfill their own bloodlust.
But worse things lurk in Endrigia than simply criminals. Dwelling among the crypts of the city’s graveyard are the death-loving Forsaken, so called because the rest of society finds them so abhorrent. Worse still, chaos cultists—in league with terrible inhuman things—plot the city’s downfall and, in fact, the annihilation of the entire world to sate their lust for destruction.
Last, and strangest of all, Endrigia is home to actual demons from the lower realms. Some are merely demon-blooded tieflings, but others are full-blooded fiends that call themselves the Fallen. These beings dwell alongside the Forsaken in a place called the Dark Reliquary.
Infrastructure
- Humans are by far the most common species in the city.
- The Endrigian climate is cool, with many overcast or rainy days.
- Commoner men typically wear white shirts and vests, sometimes with a wide-lapeled coat. Hats are frequently worn. They usually keep their hair short and their faces clean shaven. Commoner women wear dresses, often covered with an apron. They wear their hair long, sometimes styled up.
- The typical commoner earns 1 to 3 silver pieces per day. A silver piece is often called a “shield” or a “shiny.”
- There are no banks, as such, but you can rent out a small personal vault to store your valuables at places such as Hammersong Vaults in Oldtown.
- Buildings have glass windows that hinge open.
- Most buildings, but not all of them, have indoor plumbing, including privies that pump water in via hand pumps and drain it away into the city sewers.
- You can hire a messenger to carry notes and packages anywhere in the city. This typically costs 1 silver piece per delivery. There is also a magical messenger service.
- Carriages are widely available for hire to take you wherever you want to go. This service costs about 1 silver piece per trip.
- While no stranger to magic or monsters, the typical Endrigian fears the undead rumored to stir in the Necropolis. Even more real, however, are fears of thieves, fire, and plague.
- The Endrigian City Watch is extremely competent. Despite this fact, the city has a terrible crime problem.
- Ratmen live in the sewers.
- Rumors speak of chaos cults finding new members about the city these days.
- Imperial law requires that everyone carries identification papers. Written law favors citizens over noncitizens, but practical law favors the upper classes over the lower.
- Spells that make people do things they normally wouldn’t, like mind-control magic, are illegal in Endrigia. So are spells that create undead or spread plague.
- Most shops and places of business stay open as long as the sun is up, which means that business hours are longer in the summer than in the winter. Many are open seven days a week.
- Characters can buy and sell equipment costing up to 100,000 gold pieces in the large city that is Endrigia. Standard gear is available throughout the city, although Ebbert’s Outfitters in Delver’s Square is a popular spot for adventurers. One can buy and sell magical gear in Midtown at Myraeth’s Oddities, a shop run by an elf wizard named Myraeth and guarded by powerful wards and an ogre fighter. Myraeth also buys other valuables (gems, jewelry, artwork, and so on) for a fair price and offers spell components and similar wares as well as resale magic items. For 100 gold pieces per item, he also can identify items brought to him, with a twenty-four-hour turnaround.
- For custom-made permanent magic items, people sometimes speak of the Dreaming Apothecary, but most do not know how to contact this group.
- A place called Potions and Elixirs, also in Midtown, has a large stock of potions for sale.
- A number of arcanists offer scrolls for sale all over town. A few other places sell potions as well, and most temples sell divine scrolls and potions to help fund their religion.
- Non-natives of Endrigia arrive at the city through one of the main gates or by ship at the Docks. At the main gates, the City Watch will ask to see papers and demand an entrance toll of 2 copper pennies. At the Docks, visitors will also be greeted by the Watch, as well as by a low-ranking Imperial official who usually spends a little time looking over belongings. Again, visitors will be asked to pay a toll of 2 copper pennies, and they also might face other taxes or tariffs, depending on what they have with you.
- Once in the city, visitors find the streets bustling with a staggering array of individuals going about their business. Those that are hungry or thirsty will find numerous vendors and establishments clustered close to the entrances to the city that will be more than happy to take coin.
- Obvious adventurers are directed to Delver’s Square, which lies near the heart of the city. There they’ll find places to stay, gear to purchase, an entrance to the Undercity, and lots of other adventurers who can help them get started in your new delving career.
- Folks new to Endrigia usually look upward to the very top of that 3,000-foot Spire rising above the city. It is an awe-inspiring sight
Districts
Endrigia lies between the Spire and the sea. The highest portion of the city, the Nobles’ Quarter, is built on the base of the Spire. From there, the level of the city drops down a sharp cliff to Oldtown, and then down again into Midtown. The final cliffs at the edge of Endrigia drop into the bay, with the only area of dry land at the bottom of those cliffs occupied by the city’s docks. Well-worn paths connect the various elevations and help make Endrigia very defensible (although the city has never been attacked).
The King’s River flows through the city, spilling into an eroded chasm in the northwest corner and flowing down to the Spire Bay near the docks. The bottom of the chasm, called the King’s River Gorge, is 80 feet below the level of the ground on the north side, but more than 200 feet below on the south side. The south side still holds the old city walls and fortifications. A bridge built atop two massive pillars, themselves erected atop natural rock columns, stretches across the King’s River Gorge at a steep angle, leading into the area of the city known as Oldtown. Another bridge stretches across the chasm to join Oldtown with the Rivergate District. Although Oldtown is higher, the difference in elevation between these two districts is not steep, so the slope of this bridge seems far less noticeable than that of the other.
The Docks
Far below the level of the city’s streets, the Docks rest at the bottom of the city’s eastern cliffs on a narrow strip of land. The wooden buildings here sit slightly askew from one another, because the entire small district is built upon slowly sinking sand. Even the streets are sand. A dozen or more ships moor in the deep waters here at any given time. This is a particularly rough area of the city, thanks to the influx of sailors and its isolation from the other districts. A single winding road provides access up a steep incline to the city proper. The Docks area is full of warehouses, shipyards, hostels, and taverns, all catering to sailors and merchants. Isolated from the rest of the city by the cliffs, sometimes it seems as though the Docks area has had to become its own little community. Many Endrigian residents live their whole lives without going there—but, of course, they probably haven’t been to the Nobles’ Quarter, either.Guildsman District
Endrigia teems with guilds. Every type of artisan, smith, or other professional belongs to a guild of similarly trained and employed individuals. These guilds enjoy a strong voice in the City Council. This district in the south end of the city holds many tanneries, smithies, foundries, textile houses, grain mills, paper mills, brickmakers, bookmakers, woodworkers, and other production facilities, as well as warehouses, granaries, coalhouses, stockyards, and similar storage sites. Not surprisingly, this district has a distinct odor. Unless one works here, a local rarely finds a reason to visit, although this district sports a few taverns and other businesses catering to the working class. The Guildsman District’s rough reputation prevents most people from frequenting the area at night. Those who live there often join a guild for protection. Just a few of the guilds in this district include the Drapers’ Guild, Goldsmiths’ Guild, Herbalists’ Guild, Ironworkers’ Guild, Masons’ Guild, Silversmiths’ Guild, Tanners’ Guild, Weaponsmiths’ Guild, and Woodworkers’ Guild. The Sages’ Guild, the Shipwrights’ Guild, a warriors’ guild (called the Order of Iron Might), and a few others are headquartered elsewhere in the city.Midtown
As the central area of the city, Midtown is both a commercial and a residential hub. It is also where one finds many local entertainment offerings, in the form of pubs and taverns as well as theaters, dance halls, gambling dens, and more. Visitors looking for a place to stay usually find themselves directed here, as most of the temporary lodgings in the city are found in Midtown. Midtown is home to both Tavern Row and Delver’s Square, where many employers seeking to hire adventuring parties can post their announcements. It also has a few shops and plenty of residential areas, such as Emerald Hill, where most elves choose to live, and Narred, a centaur neighborhood. Besides the Delver’s Square shops that adventurers frequent (Rastor’s Weapons, the Bull and Bear Armory, Ebbert’s Outfitters, and Myraeth’s Oddities), those in the know also appreciate Saches clothiers on Yeoman Street and, of course, the Row Bathhouse. Potions and Elixirs offers a large stock of potions for sale. The most popular adventurer hangout is the Ghostly Minstrel tavern and inn in Delver’s Square. Many folks seem leery of both the Onyx Spider (on Tavern Row) and the Black Swan (which is mainly for dwarves). Danbury’s, also in Delver’s Square, caters to spellcasters.The Necropolis
A city several centuries old tends to have a large graveyard, and Endrigia is no exception. The vast Necropolis in the city’s northeastern corner sits on a few rolling hills, now completely covered with mausoleums, crypts, and graves. The entire Necropolis is surrounded by a wall, with guards posted at each of its four gates. Their primary duty is to warn people not to stay in the Necropolis after nightfall and to watch for grave robbers. Most people know that undead roam the Necropolis, but various churches and holy orders, such as the Keepers of the Veil, do their best to contain the menace.Nobles' Quarter
Endrigia has no shortage of wealth or wealthy people. Technically outside the city’s walls, the Nobles’ Quarter, with its row upon row of manors and estates, climbs the city’s western cliffs abutting the Spire itself. Travelers can enter the area only via a single avenue up from Oldtown that runs through the fortress of Dalenguard before reaching the Nobles’ Quarter. The heights where this district now sits were easily defensible in the city’s younger days; originally, all Ptolus residents could gather here in times of emergency, secure behind Dalenguard’s stout gates. However, as time passed and the city grew, members of the elite class claimed these enviable heights for their residences, leaving the less wealthy to expand into the lower quarters. The largest estates in this section of town belong to the ten noble families that have held power in the area—to one degree or another—for centuries. In addition to the homes of the wealthy and the services that cater to them, this district houses the Holy Palace, where the Prince of the Church lives; lately he is joined by his father, the Emperor of the Church Prem Phadatare, visiting from his eastern seat in Bishop's Seat. The Nobles’ Quarter holds the Crown Theater opera house, the Imperial Academy of Music, fabulous eating establishments, a floating apartment building, and other luxuries and sites of interest.North Market
When one enters the city from the north, one is greeted with the sights and smells of a busy marketplace. Well-worn cobblestone streets are packed with vendors occupying wooden booths, pushing carts, or simply hawking wares they tote in massive baskets on their backs. Fresh foods of all kinds—fish and shellfish from the sea, fruit from the orchards to the north, and breads and pastries from the city being favorites—are available in any quantity. Other goods are for sale in small shops and tents, or from the backs of wagons. The City Watch patrols this busy area to keep thieves and pickpockets from running rampant. Rumor has it that the guards employ sorcerers to patrol the area invisibly, using spells to keep an eye out not only for traditional thieves, but for magically aided ones as well. They watch for invisible robbers, overt use of charm or compulsion magic, and similar tricks. If you’re looking for tasty baked goods, try Tavoh’s Bakery; for a good clothier, try Endle’s Finery; for a fair weapon shop, go to Mitoren’s Blades, although Rastor’s Weapons in Delver’s Square (in Midtown) is probably better for traditional arms. A small firearms emporium called the Smoke Shop opened recently as well.Oldtown
Endrigia was founded in 692 as a small community surrounding a fortress called Dalenguard. The fortress’s original purpose was to keep the area clear of evil creatures drawn by the power of Jabel Shammar, the citadel at the top of the Spire. It also sought to watch over Goth Gulgamel, the fortress halfway up the Spire built by Ghul, the Half God. Dalenguard was constructed in 239, just after the defeat of Ghul, to serve as a symbol of the union of elves, dwarves, and humans in that war. Over time, the community grew into an important port, and the need for Dalenguard as a wilderness bastion waned. Today the old fortress is still used by the Imperial-appointed ruler of the city, the Commissar, and the area surrounding it on the city’s near west side is known as Oldtown. It sits atop a ridge higher than most of the rest of Endrigia, but still lower than the Nobles’ Quarter. The stone and marble buildings of Oldtown reflect a grander, earlier age. Graceful columns, majestic entrances, tall stone towers, and buildings of three or four stories are common sights here. Yet all bear the signs of age and wear. Today many of these buildings house the bureaucracy the Empire forces upon the city. Still others are museums or homes for the wealthy (those not quite wealthy enough to live in the Nobles’ Quarter). There are wonderful theaters, auditoriums, and even a grand Arena in this large district. The Arena provides a spot for tournaments, fairs, and sporting games of all sorts. Nearby, the Inverted Pyramid mages’ guild sponsors a magical ball sport simply called “the Mage Game,” held in an indoor coliseum in Oldtown. This is where citizens go to get licenses, like those needed to carry a firearm. The City Courts are located here, as are the City Council’s meeting chambers. Both the Delver’s Guild Library and Maproom (but not the guild’s main office) and the City Library are here. Oldtown has a fair number of parks, monuments, and other touches of class and beauty.Rivergate District
Strictly a residential area, the Rivergate District is as close to a middle-class neighborhood as Endrigia gets. It is located on a rise of land, surrounded by cliffs on all sides except the northeast, where a steep slope mostly free of buildings and covered in trees rolls down to the North Market and the main North Gate. Each of its residential cul-de-sacs—called “burrows” by those who live here—boasts its own unique architectural identity.South Market
To locals, the North Market is simply “the Market,” while this area is “the South Market.” Unlike its counterpart, the South Market is not an open-air marketplace. It has fewer vendors dealing out of carts and more established shops and places of business. Goods usually cost more in the South Market, but a buyer is far more likely to find trustworthy and reliable salespeople here. This is also where one finds the city’s commodities markets and the headquarters of large merchant organizations, such as the Rogue Moon Trading Company and the Zarnish Trade Federation. As in the North Market, many of those who work here also live here; the district has substantial residential sections. The South Market is newer than the North Market and has more artisans and industry than its counterpart. You’re more likely to get something made to order in the South Market, as the store selling leather goods, for example, is probably also a leatherworker’s shop (such as Donnel’s, a friendly dealer in leather goods). Nonstandard species or those with special physical needs when it comes to clothing should check out Maran’s Odd Sizes. Navaen’s Bowcraft is a fine place to buy bows or arrows, and those looking for a real treat should stop by Ramoro’s Bakery.Temple District
Although the worship of The AllFather, the official Imperial deity, is the dominant religion of the city, Endrigia’s cosmopolitan residents revere hundreds of other gods as well. Temples, churches, shrines, and small monasteries fill this district in the north central part of town, with the Street of a Million Gods (a bit of an exaggeration) running through it all. Even the Blessed Bridge across the King’s River here has small shrines built upon and into it. The district stretches east and west from the Street of a Million Gods. Notable sights include St. Valien’s Cathedral for worshippers of The AllFather and the Priory of Introspection, where the Sisterhood of Silence is based. Although clerics are the most common representatives of the many gods, a number of temples support monks and paladins as well. The Temple District has a single bar, Taggert’s, which is also a temple to Cherub.The Warrens
The Warrens in the eastern part of town is a terrible slum sick with poverty and crime. Rumors say that the City Watch won’t go down into the Warrens. The streets here have no names, and most of the buildings aren’t marked—the place is not friendly to outsiders. Some visitors to Endrigia may experience a little theft or crime in the city, but it’s nothing compared to what goes on in this district. Some people place the headquarters of the Vai within the Warrens. Others whisper that a crime lord named Jirraith and his gang of young thieves called the Pale Dogs really run the place.The Undercity Market
Although not a district of Endrigia, the Undercity Market, accessed by a wide staircase in the middle of Delver’s Square, is the place to go for most adventuring gear (although Ebbert’s Outfitters in Delver’s Square is a handy one-stop shop with good prices). Looking for potions? Try Urnst, Alchemist. For scrolls, try the gnome wizard Neridoc Bittersong, who runs a booth in the market under the sign “Arcane Scribe.” Also located here is the Delver’s Guild, an association that provides assistance in the form of maps, reference material, and equipment to explorers of the ancient dwarven city, Dwarvenhearth, and other areas below the streets of Endrigia. Nearby are entrances into the sewers as well as tunnels leading into the Dungeon, as adventurers call it. The Chamber of Longing is a nearby landmark that features a strange statue of a huge hand and serves as an occasional meeting place for adventurers, because everyone knows where it is. One can access the profoundly mysterious and magical Mirror Maze from the market as well. The presence of the Delver’s Guild makes the Undercity Market a center of employment relating to Dungeon exploration. Those looking to hire adventurers frequently post bills in the guild’s meeting hall (much like the post in Delver’s Square). A number of market establishments hire out scouts, guides, porters, and guards, as well as skilled labor to pick locks, cast spells, and perform other necessary services. As the city grows, more people have begun to live in and around the Undercity Market and throughout the underground levels. This is particularly true of species not always welcome elsewhere—minotaurs, lizardfolk, orcs, and so on.Guilds and Factions
Endrigia has ten noble families, all of whom enjoy special status by ancestral right. Although the Empire does not officially recognize their titles, Endrigia is far enough removed from Ironhold that local traditions and beliefs still grant the noble houses hereditary seats on the city’s ruling council. Plus, most of them are quite wealthy, and with affluence comes influence. The noble houses were once the seats of real power in the area, serving a dynasty of kings that ruled Baelin before the Empire took over. (That’s where the King’s River gains its name.) The noble houses are as follows:
House of Abanar
A mercantile house, Abanar is very wealthy but not well regarded. Dered Abanar is the very old head of the house. There is much controversy now among his many children as to who will take control when the elder Abanar is gone.House of Dallimothan
Often called “House Dragon,” the members of this house dress in dragonscale armor, use dragon regalia, and are even said to truck with dragonkind. House Dallimothan, led by Kirstol Dallimothan, remains a powerful and wealthy force in the city.House of Erthuo
Scholars and gentlefolk, House Erthuo normally avoids confrontation and rarely gets involved in squabbles between other houses. A family of elves and half-elves belongs to this house, headed by Peliope Erthuo, a half-elf.House of Kath
A wealthy house, Kath is known for its talented, glamorous, and attractive family. Devina Kath is the head of the house, which patronizes the arts.House of Khatru
Famous for its military leadership and martial prowess, House Khatru is made up of arrogant boors and self-righteous warriors. Dorant Khatru is the current master of the house.House of Nagel
This old, charitable, and altruistic house has recently fallen on hard times. Fransin Nagel is mistress of this rather minor house. She and her family are the enemies of House Sadar.House of Rau
Foes of House Khatru, the Rau have a reputation as rogues, pirates, and scalawags. The house has a fair number of spellcasters as well. The head of the house is Verrana Rau.House of Sadar
Known for its long line of mages, this house—which some call the House of Shadows—is quite powerful. Its leader, Lord Renn Sadar, has a strong association with the Inverted Pyramid arcanists’ guild and shadow magic. They are enemies of House Nagel.House of Shever
Known for its skill with machines, House Shever made a great deal of gold long ago, but until recently was fading in influence. Now with strong ties to the Shuul organization of technophiles, the house is on the rise again. Thollos Shever is the head of the house.House of Vladaam
An evil house, and very ancient, House Vladaam seems to have lost much of its power and influence in recent times. Iristul Vladaam is the current master of the house, although he has not been seen in the city for years. Most people whisper that demonic blood runs through the family’s veins.Balacazar Crime Family
Probably the most powerful crime family in the city, the Balacazars are certainly the oldest. Menon Balacazar is the aging head of the organization, with his son, Malkeen, serving as his second-in-command. Other siblings include at least two daughters. Arkhall Vaugn, an infamous wizard, works with the family. The family funds a number of criminal endeavors, gaining profit from theft, extortion, smuggling, illegal gambling, assassination, and trade in slaves, drugs, and evil magic items.Brotherhood Of Redemption
An order of monks who believe that no evil is irredeemable, the Brotherhood of Redemption seeks to give any evil creature a chance to repent. Its members do not believe in inherent evil. Specializing in rehabilitation, they operate in the Dungeon out of the Fortress of the Redeemed but maintain a surface headquarters in the Guildsman District. They make it known that they willingly accept any prisoners who are not of the major species—in fact, they’ll pay a small bounty for evil creatures with a modicum of intelligence.The Concilitators
The Church of the AllFather runs an organization called the Conciliators, which consists of inquisitors dedicated to converting infidels, destroying a power called chaositech (which resembles both magic and technology), and stamping out evil. The group is headquartered in the Temple District.Delver's Guild
For the last five years, the Delver’s Guild has grown in influence, becoming both popular to join and wealthy. The guild offers its members information about job opportunities and events pertaining to the exploration of regions below Endrigia. It also maintains the city’s most extensive collection of maps of the underground realm and an impressive library for research. Members receive passwords that allow them to access secret chambers within the underground regions. These chambers, called waystations, are stocked with food and simple supplies. High-ranking members have retrieval insurance, which guarantees that, if they die while exploring, guild members will retrieve their bodies and have them raised if possible (retrieval and raising paid for out of a special guild account funded by the insured). The guild’s membership hovers around eight hundred. In addition, there are said to exist at least four hundred delvers not affiliated with the guild. At any given time, about one-fifth of this total (about two hundred fifty people) is exploring the Dungeon. It is estimated that for every ten delvers who go down each week, one does not come back. About one hundred new adventurers come to Endrigia and some twenty-five are raised from the dead every week. Since the Delver’s Guild began keeping records three years ago, approximately eight thousand adventurers have died permanently while exploring the Dungeon. Another two hundred thirty have permanently retired, either in the city or elsewhere.The Dreambringers
For many people life is a difficult thing, filled with suffering and loss. Many cannot help but feel the pain of every waking moment, as the world crushes their desires to dust. Such people crave an escape from the suffering...and The Dreambringers provide. They are a group of skilled alchemists who have created several powerful drugs. Their greatest achievement is called “the Dream”, a narcotic so powerful that it draws people into their own world, gifting them with the illusion of nearly divine power. The Dream makes people lose their grip on reality and many can no longer distinguish between being inside and outside of the drug haze. The Dreambringers are earning a lot of money...but they have also learned to manipulate the addicts, using them for many different purposes.Dreaming Apothecary
The Dreaming Apothecary may be more legend than fact. Those in the know claim that a secretive group of spellcasters crafts magic items for people, making transactions with them magically in their dreams. Darker rumors accuse these powerful mages of keeping others in the city from making magic items for profit by coercion, backed up by their formidable magical might. Potential customers can reach the group at Danbury’s in Delver’s Square.The Fallen
The Fallen are fiends also known as the “young demons,” though few people care to dwell long on the question of who the “old” demons might be. The Fallen live in the Dark Reliquary of the Necropolis with their allies, the Forsaken, and follow the leadership of two demons whose names are only whispered: Raguel and Lilith. Most people wish the Fallen were not in Endrigia but, for demons who dwell within the city’s walls, they cause surprisingly little trouble. Few speak of them, but when they do, they often claim these demons are waiting for something or quietly looking for something.Fate Weavers
The Fate Weavers are a small group of prophets and seers who claim the ability to tell people’s fortunes. Locals consider the group a front for prostitution.The Forsaken
Those who value death and undeath more than life are called the Forsaken. Necrophiles, necrophages, and necrophiliacs, these disgusting people worship Orcus and Gamigin, and consort openly with undead and the Fallen. They base their activities in the Necropolis. The Forsaken are the sworn foes of the valiant Keepers of the Veil. A smaller subgroup within their ranks called the Licheloved carry out the will of dark death demons in ways that—it’s said—even the other Forsaken find difficult to stomach. Another subgroup, the Torrens, are specifically anti-AllFather. Some of the Forsaken are living people who consort with the undead, while others are undead themselves. They particularly revere ancient undead called the Wintersouled, who reportedly built the Dark Reliquary. If any of the Wintersouled still exist, no one in the city knows about it.Healers of the Sacred Heat
Healers, physickers, and surgeons who use a magical process involving heat to heal wounds, the Healers of the Sacred Heat base themselves in the Temple District and offer inexpensive healing. It’s said to be painful, however. Theirs is not a place known to appeal to adventurers (who look for instantaneous and painless healing and have the gold to pay for it), but rather to locals for treating various chronic ailments.Inverted Pyramid
The Inverted Pyramid is a mysterious and ancient guild of arcanists. Their membership roll remains shrouded in mystery, but it most likely includes the most powerful mages in Endrigia—and possibly the world. For years they have wielded considerable influence in the city. Their headquarters is said to lie somewhere hidden from normal sight by powerful spells. In days past, the Inverted Pyramid was a great foe of the Church of the AllFather. When the Edict of Deviltry was issued centuries ago proclaiming all arcane spellcasting to be an evil act, a number of mages gathered to form a secret society dedicated to preserving themselves and their lore. Within the Inverted Pyramid, the members of this guild meet, store their valuable books and supplies, and craft magic items and other creations. The Inverted Pyramid concerns itself with preserving magical lore and all things arcane from those it believes would eradicate such knowledge (most notably the Acheron Inquisitors). The Inverted Pyramid has recently gone completely underground following Supreme Inquisitor Leska's declaration of The Scourge following Emperor Drakus Coaltongue's assassination.Keepers of the Veil
The Keepers of the Veil is an order of holy knights dedicated to the destruction of undead, specifically free-willed spirits that should have remained on their own side of the great veil of death. Occasionally they ally with a smaller group called the Knights of the Pale. The Keepers of the Veil has a fortress, the Siege Tower, on the edge of the Necropolis. They strive to eradicate the curse of the undead from the world forever. Their co-leaders are Sir Beck Von Tibbitz and a priestess of The AllFather named Phadian Gess.Killraven Crime League
Kevris Killraven arrived in the city only recently, but in that short time this mysterious woman has created the second most powerful criminal organization in Endrigia. The league deals in extortion, prostitution, and illegal drugs. A number of nonhumans work for Killraven—troglodytes, ogres, and many other creatures. Although early on Killraven was rumored to have ties with the Shuul technophiles and the Sorn mages, most people now dismiss such tales as nonsense.Knights of the Golden Cross
An ancient order, the Knights of the Golden Cross has remained alive through the extreme devotion of its members and their descendants. They oppose evil in all its forms, although they have a particular hatred for the wicked House Vladaam. They also revere the mysterious The Great Old Ones and serve as a focal point for the pantheon’s reintroduction into society. The knights have a citadel in Oldtown. Their leader is an elf named Kaira Swanwing.Knights of the Pale
The Knights of the Pale are a small order dedicated to combating supernatural threats, particularly demons and spellcasters. Although not an official organization of the Church of the AllFather, they focus on the veneration of angels of The AllFather. Their leader, Dierna Hillerchaun, bases the order out of her home, a manor in Oldtown called the Bladechapel. The knights work with the Keepers of the Veil and the angelic Malkuth.Longfingers Guild
This thieves’ guild has enjoyed a long tradition in Endrigia, but many say its day has passed in light of the growing power of other, broader criminal organizations. Its headquarters is said to lie deep below the city.The Malkuth
The Malkuth are a mysterious group of celestials and half-celestials who live in the Pale Tower in Oldtown. Little about them is known, as they keep to themselves and rarely come out of their impressive abode.Order of the FIst
Calling themselves the Order of the Fist, a small band of monks and warriors believes in action: setting a goal and doing whatever it takes to achieve it. Although members may differ in their particular goals—even in their outlooks on the world—they all agree on the importance of going for what you want in life. Their leader is Wynn Rabinall, a human man.Pale Dogs
A gang of young thieves based in the Warrens, the Pale Dogs paint their fingernails black and often wear double rings. They follow a mysterious figure named Jirraith and may have connections to the Balacazars or the Vai.The Shuul
Once a simple organization created to uphold the concept of order, the Shuul has grown over the years into a powerful force that attempts to restore the prominence of technological devices such as firearms, clockwork devices, and experiments in steam technology in the city. Despite a predilection for machines, the Shuul do not reject magic, as one might expect. Instead they embrace it and see the union of magic and machine as the ultimate accomplishment. Most members of the organization are humans and dwarves, particularly Grailwarden Clan dwarves. The Shuul maintain close ties with the Temple of Teun, the Mother of All Machines, as well as with House Shever.Sisterhood of Silence
Founded in Endrigia more than two hundred years ago, an all-female order calling itself the Sisterhood of Silence established itself as a major force for law and defense. While the order has since spread to other cities, the Priory of Introspection in Endrigia remains the central headquarters of the Sisterhood. As their name suggests, the Sisters of Silence do not speak. Instead, they employ a cadre of devout eunuchs to speak for them. Among themselves, they use a complex set of signs, postures, and expressions to convey vast amounts of information quickly.The Sorn
Rumors say this quasi-legal spellcaster organization maintains a close association with the Shuul. Others say its real backing comes from Kevris Killraven. Its members favor the use of technology and mechanical devices to supplement their magic.The Vai
The Vai is a wicked assassins’ guild in Endrigia. Each member takes an oath to kill an intelligent creature every day. They are tied to almost every evil organization in the city in some way.Viridian Lords
The men and women calling themselves Viridian Lords are powerful, twisted rangers who haunt the wilderness of the Province of Baelin. They have learned a way to fuse with plants to grant themselves greater power and a stronger affinity for nature and the land.Architecture
Endrigia looks a little like a Germanic city from the late medieval period. The buildings usually have stone first stories with wooden upper stories. The main exception is Oldtown, where many buildings are more classical in design, with impressive, Roman-style facades and marble columns.
It rains more often than not in Endrigia—at least, that’s the way it seems. Winters are cold, grey, and wet, but summers are dry and mild. Occasionally, a cold, razorlike wind comes off the Spire Bay, but usually it’s quite calm. The smell of sea salt fills the air, when it’s not overpowered by the stronger odors of such places as the leatherworking shops, slaughterhouses, and breweries of the Guildsman District.
One always feels the presence of magic in Endrigia. A spellcaster flies over the city, a minor demon scurries down an alleyway bearing a message, or an adventurer walks down the street followed by their manticore companion. The touch of the technology that built the Imperial Seat of Acheron is found here as well, although its influence wanes with each year as fewer people rely on its comforts or remember its secrets. Still, wyvern riders fly overhead from time to time. The City Watch employs firearms, and local defenses include a handful of cannons watching over the harbor and within Dalenguard. Leaflets printed on presses with movable type distribute news and information. In a few places, magical pumps help clean out the sewers, while in others clockwork machines power heavy doors that protect wealthy estates.
Maps
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Endrigia City Map
Type
Capital
Population
75,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Endrigians
Owning Organization
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