Illmarsh
"We are suspicious that there are those in Illmarsh who are using the weakening of the veil similar to the Keepers of the Oldest. The ley lines are thickly entangled in that place."Illmarsh is a town in the southern Ustalavan province of Versex.
Appearance
Illmarsh is primarily composed of antiquated, chinked, split-log buildings, though a few of the more modern half-timbered structures may be found, especially around the town square. The town is dominated by its wharves, from which the fishing trawlers head out every morning and to which they return in the evenings with the day’s catch, immediately followed by the fish market held near the town’s wharves. The fishing has been lethargic lately, as trawlers come back less than half full, if not altogether empty, and the tough times are starting to hit home with the townsfolk.Geography
The town is surrounded on three sides by the swampy Soddentimbers, the marshy western reaches of the Forest of Veils, and a dank mildewy odor perpetually hangs over it, invading the homes and even the clothing of its residents. The odor becomes less noticeable over the course of a day, but Thrushmoor folk always know when an Illmarsher is visiting because of the smell on them. They call them “musties” as a result. The smell usually recedes within a week after leaving the town or after a good washing of all clothing and equipment. On several occasions over the past couple centuries, sickness and plague have sprung from the unwholesome pools and thickets of the Soddentimbers, giving the young settlement once known as Baytown its ultimate moniker – Illmarsh.Traditions
Festival of Lanterngeist
The Festival of Lanterngeist is a local holiday held annually by the folk of Illmarsh. Ostensibly its purpose is to ward off the spirits of ancient evils that are thought to brood over the coast and surrounding swamplands as a holdover from the days when Kellids held sway over these lands. The festival is characterized by lighting lanterns all around town, but especially in the town square around a huge bonfire, that are thought to hold back the evil spirits. Festive activities including dances, games, vendors’ candies and drink, and various competitions held in the light of the lanterns to drive the spirits away for another year with their merriment. Despite its ominous origins, few among even the superstitious Illmarshers take the festival seriously and see it as little more than an opportunity for an all-night party filled with drinking and fun. Many couples adjourn to the nearby woodlands for private trysts, trusting in the alleged properties of the lanterns they carry to ward off any danger from evil spirits. The date of the Festival of Lanterngeist is determined annually by the town priests through the conjunctions and positions of various celestial bodies, so that its exact date moves from year to year.
Additional Information
Ley Lines
Illmarsh is thought to be a major ley line nexus and is considered to be one of the points of the "Whispering Triangle".Old Cults
Baytown is rumored that a significant fraction of the population is a member of the Old Cults.The Watcher in the Bay
The Watcher in the Bay is a sea monster with great many tentacles that is believed to reside in Avalon Bay in Lake Encarthan.Locations
Government/Law
Town Hall
The town hall is located in the town's square and is also the home of the mayor, Mayor Early Gredal. Gredal is a scrawny man with oily hair and red splotched cheeks and typically wears a coat and top hat. He breathes with a gurgling, watery breath, most likely due to skum-taint.Accommodation/Food
The Bountiful Catch
The only inn is town is run by Rube Dreeley, a particularly dour fellow. The inn is more known for its fish stew than its hospitality. The stables are tended to by Lucas Mackey.The Wall-Eyed Kraken
The local tavern owned by Laura Sills.Shops
General Store
The general store is run by Tam Breckage and his wife. The shopkeepers themselves quite obviously have the "Musties" smell and appear to be skum-tainted. The couple had a son also named Tam who was recently murdered in the Soddentimbers, reportedly by the ghost of Old Crandle Dreely.Gifts of the Swamp
Located in the southern tip of Illmarsh, this apothecary store is run by its owner, Jaleen Halrush. The shop appears to have been converted over from a small house and is covered by vines and hanging moss with the swamp practically at its back door. Jaleen is a middle-aged elven woman that tends to wear many pocketed dress with her hair tied up simply. She has lived in town only for the last 15 years and doesn't lend much to the "Neighbors Down Bay" or the Watcher in the Bay.Points of Interest
Church of Gozreh
Home to the Recondite Order of the Indomitable Sea and its Vizierian vicars, overseen by Father Voltiaro. It was later discovered that the Order was actually a Cult of Dagon.Horace Croon's Workshop
The inventor's workshop is located on the west side of town where he can usually be found working on the Isinglass, his "subaqueous exploration and water research vessel". He was a friend to Professor Lorrimor and is known for his typically wild appearance and his conspiracy theories. His health is in rapid decline as he appears to be suffering from dementia and some sort of wasting disease like cancer.Town Square
The town square is the focal point of Illmarsh and is home to a statue of Cassius Undiomede, the first lord of Baytown. The most popularized shops and buildings are found on its borders and it tends to be the focus of any festivals or celebrations.Turn Rocks
A collection of rock crags emerging out of the water just off the shore of town. It is here were those sentenced are to death are chained and left alone to be claimed either by the sea... or something in it.Undiomede Manor
The once impressive, but now abandoned, home of Cassius Undiomede. The manor itself was built around a series of standing stones, most likely into tap into the power of the local ley lines. It has been long rumored that a series of smuggler's tunnels exists beneath the manor.Other Residents of Note
Old Crandle Dreely
Dreely was a lumberjack who went insane and butchered his wife with an axe, after which he supposedly fed her corpse to a mermaid. Then he terrorized the town by entering in the houses that had unlocked doors and murdered all that resided within. Dreely was caught and sentenced to be chained to the Turn Rocks. He claimed it was the town that caused him to go mad and he proclaimed a death curse, saying Illmarsh would get its due because of it. All that was left of him the next day was blood on the rocks.Sheriff Anders and Undersheriff Byron Grumph
Lawmen of the town. The sheriff appeared tough and in his sixties, while the undersheriff is in his forties. Anders was reportedly murdered by the ghost of Old Crandle Dreely. Grumph was most likely infected by a tainted offspring of Shub-Niggurath and destroyed by the Fellowship.
Type
Town
Population
556
Inhabitant Demonym
Illmarshers
Location under
Related Reports (Primary)
- Session 162 - "Red Skies at Night"
- Session 163 - "Intermingling"
- Session 164 - "Bloodfest"
- Session 165 - "New Blood"
- Session 166 - "Feast of Blood"
- Session 167 - "False Idols"
- Session 168 - "Fostering Fear"
- Session 169 - "Manor of Horror"
- Session 170 - "Regroup and Retrace"
- Session 171 - "Turning the Tide"
- Session 172 - "A Neighborly Welcome"
- Session 173 - "Passenger"
- Session 174 - "Shock & Awe"
- Session 175 - "It Comes"
- Session 176 - "Rising"
Related Plots