Palischuk

“We have all shed the blood of orcs. We all carry the hopeknives, ready to take our own lives rather than be captured. We work the land our ancestors fought to keep, and we draw strength from their sacrifice. Our people have stared into the eyes of the hordes. We have married, borne children, and lived more fiercely and freely than those of softer nations can ever imagine.
“Will we be here next year? Only the gods know. All I know is that this is our home. If the orcs plan on taking it from us, then every one of us will drag ten of them screaming down to Hell with us. And we’ll be laughing the whole way down.” —Patrol Leader Jagrin Grath

One of only a few settlements in Vaasa, Palischuk is a predominantly Rageborn (half-orc) community of sturdy farmers and resolute warriors adrift in a sea of humanoids and giants who would as soon kill them as trade with them. Its people survive through the grace of the gods, the remarkable tenacity and ingenuity of their leaders, and a simple, soul-deep refusal to be driven from the land of their ancestors.
  Palischukans know sacrifice in all its forms. Though their lives are far from easy, this band of idealists, scoundrels, and outcasts takes great pride in the independence that comes from being all on their own in hostile territory. For them, every day of the town’s continued existence is an enduring example of civilization’s unconquerable spirit and the prodigious strength of hope.

This town to the east of Castle Perilous is a larger but less grand fortress, a ruined city rebuilt by the Rageborn. They worked hard to befriend nearby settlements—and succeeded. They trade peacefully and honorably with Bloodstone Gate, Darmshall, and neighboring dwarves, though humans continue to regard Palischuk warily.

The Rageborn took Palischuk towards the end of the War of the Witch-King. After defeating wave after wave of Zhengyi's forces, the surviving residents made a pact, known today as the Standing Vow (or simply “the Vow”): to hold their land against all comers, paying tribute neither to raiding orcs nor to the armies of neighboring nations. They would stand their ground and live free, no matter the cost. For the last couple centuries, the people of Palischuk have held to this oath, and it’s a matter of great pride that despite catastrophic raids and the rigors required by life in hostile territory, the town has never fallen.
  While many have come to Palischuk over the years looking to escape shadowy pasts, Palischuk accepts no dead weight; only those who are willing to work and contribute to the community can share the safety of the town walls. When the orcs come, every man and woman, regardless of race, wealth, or profession, is expected to aid in the defense. Those who acquit themselves well and conduct themselves with honor find that Palischuk’s residents care little about who newcomers may have been in their lives before—only who they seek to be now.

One of the most unusual settlements in all the Realms, Palishchuk is inhabited by half-orcs, who have begin calling themselves the Rageborn. After the fall of the Witch-King, the half-orcs of the region claimed the ruined city of Palishchuk and rebuilt.  
What makes this settlement doubly unusual is the Rageborn's determination to integrate themselves with the goodly societies of the land. The rulers of Palishchuk have made peaceful overtures to all their neighbors. They have extended their hands to their Vaasan kin in Darmshall, to the rising powers in Bloodstone, and even to the dwarves across the Galenas in Ironspur. Remarkably, the people of Darmshall and Bloodstone fully accept Palishchuk as a neighbor and ally.  
Even most of the Ironspur dwarves have learned to place a little trust in the Rageborn community. Only Clan Hillsafar refuses to put aside the long-standing antipathy between dwarves and half-orcs, but even that may be changing. Surly Grumble, head of the Hillsafar dwarves, seems to be mellowing in his attitude, and his fellows are likely to follow his lead.  
With everything initially against it, Palishchuk may yet become one of the region's greatest successes.

Life In Palischuk

Living under constant threat, the people of Palischuk have come to embrace death as simply another part of life. This doesn’t mean that all of the inhabitants are totally at peace with their own mortality, but simply that they recognize theirs is a dangerous existence, and thus strive to live their lives to the fullest without worrying unduly about which raid or unfortunate accident may finally claim them.

Perhaps the best symbol of this—and certainly the one that most captures the imagination or outsiders—is the tradition of the hopeknife. Carried by every resident of Palischuk, a hopeknife is a small sheathed dagger, usually worn on a chain underneath one’s clothes, though young adults recently come of age often display theirs ostentatiously. The tradition of the hopeknife comes out of Palischuk’s understanding that capture by orcs is often far worse than a quick death, and thus all residents need to be prepared to take their own lives or offer mercy to the wounded in the event of capture. Ironically, what was originally a grim necessity has become a symbol of adulthood and independence, and many children wait impatiently for their twelfth birthdays, on which they’re presented with their own hopeknives and shown which arteries to cut should they or their loved ones fall into enemy hands. Hopeknives are always kept well sharpened, and never used for anything but their intended purpose, though spouses often trade knives as part of a marriage ceremony.  
After defense, and with water already handled by the Hopespring, food is the biggest issue in Palischuk. The town maintains many fields, with border patrols and guards posted in temporary watchtowers at their edges, and focuses on crops that can be stored for long periods, allowing them to maintain extensive stores so as to be ready in case of a siege. Since fields are easily burned, however, the town also relies heavily on its hunters and trappers—during periods of more active conflict with the orcs, these often join with more traditional fighters to counter-raid and steal food and livestock from the orcs themselves.  
Perhaps most important to the town’s survival is the siegestone. Early on after Palischuk’s decision to stand and fight, the town leaders recognized their vulnerability to starvation and made a decision to pool resources in order to find a magical solution. A trading group was sent east to Damara with most of the town’s easily carried valuables, and they returned with the siegestone, a huge cauldronlike altar that in times of trouble can produce gallon upon gallon of tasteless porridge, keeping the residents from starving completely. The stone resides in the Longhouse and is never used except in direst need— both out of fear of exhausting its magic, and because no one in town is eager to taste the flavor of desperation during peacetime.  
Folk in Palischuk are independent by nature, yet all bow to the wisdom of the Council of Defenders. Chosen from the people’s own ranks every 2 years, these six individuals devote themselves to managing the town’s logistics and defense, making sure that laws are obeyed and no one endangers the community. One of the six councilors holds the title of Chief Defender, who has the final say in all matters relating to the town’s safety and is commander of the people in times of crisis. Outside of that, the six councilors are theoretically of equal power in matters of the town’s prosperity, laws, arbitration, and so on.

Demographics

Demographics: 83% Mostly Rageborn (half-orcs), 8% human, 5% dwarf, 3% hin (halfling), 1% other

Government

Halgra of the Blackened Blade leads a council of five who make all of the decisions affecting the town as a whole. Council meetings are held in the Ivory House on the upper tier. If an iussue is considered important enough, Halgra will call a meeting in the Commons (an open-air amphitheater), and allow all residents to hear and participate in the debate.

Defences

Palischuk has a militia numbering over a hundred. Commander Jargin Garth and his sons lead the patrols. The militai is based in the Palischuk Longhouse on the upper tier.
Every citizen of Palischuk is ready to defend the settlement from the frequent humanoid raids, and every citizen in Palischuk has a Hopeknife. Better to be dead than taken by the orcs.

Industry & Trade

Palischuk has always been self-sufficient by necessity. Now as it seeks to trade with nearby settlements, its residents are experimenting with a number of industries. The fact that it trades peacefully with humanoid tribes (at least sometimes) allows it to trade in exotic goods only available from those tribes willing to trade.
Trade is a crucial part of life in Palischuk. Though far from most established trade routes, Palischuk still receives the occasional merchant from Darmshall, Ironspur or Damara eager for the valuable salvage the townsfolk still pull from abandoned settlements (as well as the inflated prices the merchants know they can demand from such an isolated community).
Palischuk also sends its own caravans to Darmshall, trading valuable information on orc movements in exchange for supplies. The town even maintains ties with a select few orc traders, some of the less belligerent tribes come to Barterstones outside the walls to trade and exchange information. The Rageborn of Palischuk are willing to trade, but not to open their gates to their half-brethren.
Palischuk is a hardworking community, but also one that understands the value of celebration and taking comfort wherever it can be found. Families are tightly knit, with most families at least mildly related by marriage at some point over the generations. Residents are encouraged to find love wherever they can, and there are few social or sexual taboos as long as residents respect the freedoms of others. Perhaps the best example of Palischuk’s philosophy is the holiday of Holdfast, commemorating the town’s first victory over the orcs, which begins with a solemn recitation of remembrance and the burning of a wicker sword, followed by games, dancing, ale, and more than a few romantic liaisons.

Guilds and Factions

Notable People in Palischuk

The following are some of the more well-known citizens of Palischuk.

• Chief Defender Halgra of the Blackened Blades (female half-orc)

• Councilor and Banker Lessie Crumkin (female human cleric of Waukeen)

• Councilor Agrit Staginsdar (female Rageborn wizard and alchemist)

• Councilor Sara Morninghawk (female half-orc blacksmith)

• Councilor and Master of Stores Kessen Plumb (male human)

• High Priest Tygart Varvatos (male rageborn cleric of Tempus)

• Justinian of Cromm's Holdfast (cleric of Tempus)

• Hopespring Warden Silvermane (male elven druid)

• Patrol Leader Jagrin Grath (male rageborn veteran)

• Patrol Captain Kurst Grath (male rageborn elite guard)

• Patrol Captain Rodrik Grath (male rageborn guard)

• Katrezra (male rageborn prophet of Tempus)

History

Since the Great Glacier receded over 300 years ago, orcs have claimed Bloodmarch Hill. Eventually the hill was claimed by the Broken Spine tribe. From this defensible position, the Broken Spines became one of the strongest and largest tribes of Northern Vaasa.

Eventually the Broken Spines became complacent, firm in the knowledge of their own superiority. Their shamans claimed to have found traces of orcish and giantish inhabitants of Bloodmarch Hill from even before the Great Glacier, and claimed that the Broken Spine were now the inheritors of an ancient kingdom.

In the Year of the Lost Helm (DR 1329), a combined force of tribes, led by the Urzun tribe, attacked Bloodmarch Hill. The attackers used fire to burn out the structures and defenses on the lower hill (what is now the lower quarter) and used the smoke as a screen to attack the upper sections. Thousands of orcs died in the protracted battle, and it was said that both Gruumsh and Tempus watched the conflict from above.

The Urzuns were cannier than their allies however, and had hidden a large portion of their troops. Near the end of the battle, these fresh Urzun warriors joined the field, driving away the other tribes. The Urzun then claimed Bloodmarch Hill.

The Urzun were noted for their reverence of Luthic, the Cave Mother, and celebrated her ways by taking and breeding with human captives. The tribe had a large number of half-orcs as a result, even before taking Bloodmarch Hill.

Under the direction of their shamans, the Urzun started construction of a palisade of sharpened spikes all around the hill. They coated the palisade in mixtures created by the shamans to protect the wood from fire. They renamed their hold Palischuk.

Palischuk grew for years, the higher concentration of half-orcs in the population resulted in an increased number of shaman and witch-doctors, so the tribe grew magically as well as militarily.

In the Year of the Bright Blade (DR 1347), a new threat emerged. Zhengyi the Witch-King erected Castle Perilous only miles west of Palischuk. The Urzun chiefs at the time trusted the shamans and witch-doctors to protect the tribe from Zhengyi's magic.

But Zhengyi was not willing to share power in Vaasa. He targeted the shaman and the witch doctors of Palischuk, along with the wiser chiefs and sub-chiefs. In the Year of the Bridle (DR 1349), Zhengyi firmly established his control of Palischuk by wiping out the line of chiefs, leaving Colgran Spleenfist, an orc fighter-cleric of Bahgtru as warlord of Palischuk.

Colgran's reign was brutal. He had three "pet" trolls tamed with fire and smacks of his hammer on their heads. The trolls were incredibly stupid (even for trolls) and almost animalistic. They would attack anyone Colgran pointed to with a particular hand signal or anyone who attacked their master. Colgran himself was 6' 8", which deterred many from picking arguments with the imposing warrior.

In the Year of the Serpent (DR 1359), Zhengyi's bandit army was defeated in the Battle of Bloodstone Pass, including many of Colgran's forces of Palischuk. In the ensuing chaos, the half-orcs of Palischuk rose up and overthrew Colgran, his remaining armies and his troll pets. They dug in and waited for the reprisal.

After defeating wave after wave of Zhengyi's forces, the surviving residents made a pact, known today as the Standing Vow (or simply “the Vow”): to hold their land against all comers, paying tribute neither to raiding orcs nor to the armies of neighboring nations. They would stand their ground and live free, no matter the cost. For the last couple years, the people of Palischuk have held to this oath, and it’s a matter of great pride that despite catastrophic raids and the rigors required by life in hostile territory, the town has never fallen.

While many have come to Palischuk over the years looking to escape shadowy pasts, Palischuk accepts no dead weight; only those who are willing to work and contribute to the community can share the safety of the town walls. When the orcs come, every man and woman, regardless of race, wealth, or profession, is expected to aid in the defense. Those who acquit themselves well and conduct themselves with honor find that Palischuk’s residents care little about who newcomers may have been in their lives before—only who they seek to be now.​

Geography

Palischuk at a Glance The most immediately visible feature of the town of Palischuk is its palisade. Originally, the palisade was a hastily constructed fence of sharpened branches, but over decades of strife, the Rageborns have built it into something considerably more lasting and deadly. Ten-foot-high tree trunks, their tops sharpened into wicked points, surround the lower portion of the village, fitted so tightly that not even light passes between them. Their bases are driven another 5 feet into the earth, and the bottom half of the wall is encased in a rough but sturdy stone foundation.   Trenches filled with smaller spikes create a deadly briar patch guarding the wall from assault. Also incorporated into the palisade are several rock outcroppings that rise even higher, forming the bases for several wooden watchtowers, including those on both sides of the gate.
Past the gate is the Lower Quarter, the town then rises up a steep switchback (the Inner Quarter) in the cliff face to an exposed stone plateau 40 feet above the rest of the hill (the Upper Quarter). These cliffs are the town’s true defense, as even a handful of defenders can easily pick off any invaders attempting to scale the sheer cliffs, allowing the townsfolk to concentrate the bulk of their defense on the lower palisades.   Stone watchtowers stand in the town’s higher levels as well, with fortified structures crowding between normal houses and shops. While the barns and other working structures are kept outside the walls, and many of the residents spend their days and even nights in those buildings, all residents must either maintain personal quarters in the town or pay a “siege fee” to rent a room or a patch of floor in someone’s house inside the walls, to be used only during orc attacks. The siege fee is a set rate established by the Council of Defenders in order to discourage profiteering.

LOCATIONS

Political and Government

• 1. Palischuk Main Gate (Lower Quarter)

• 8. Palischuk Inner Gate (Inner Quarter)

• 10. Palischuk High Gate (Inner Quarter)

• Palischuk Inner Quarter (Inner Quarter)

• Palischuk South Tower (Inner Quarter)

• 19. Ivory Hall (main hall, councilor's chambers) (Upper Quarter)

• 21. Palischuk Longhouse (barracks and siege hold) (Upper Quarter)

Temples and Institutions

• 7. Cromm's Holdfast (Temple of Tempus) (Lower Quarter)

• 11. Palischuk Countinghouse (temple to Waukeen) (Upper Quarter)

• 22. Plague House (ruined temple of the Triad) (Outer Perimeter)

Guilds and Industry

• 17. Amberfire Brewery (Upper Quarter)

Inns, Taverns, and Entertainment

• 5. Ramblehouse (hin-run inn and boardinghouse) (Lower Quarter)

• 9. The Killin’ Ground (Tavern) (Inner Quarter)

• 16. Brinya Kelver’s Boardinghouse (boardinghouse) (Upper Quarter)

Shops and Services

• 2. Barterstones (Trading Area) (Outer Perimeter)

• 4. That 'n' Such (pawnshop and general outfitters) (Lower Quarter)

• 6. Clamor (blacksmith) (Lower Quarter)

• House of Wonders (magic shop and school) (Lower Quarter)

• 14. Weird Wingham's Wacky Weapons Store (exotic - and normal weapon shop) (Upper Quarter)

Culture and Sites

• 3. Hopespring (Lower Quarter)

• 18. Palischuk Commons (amphitheater, community center) (Upper Quarter)

• 20. Flame of the Fallen (burial pyre) (Upper Quarter)

Important Residences

• 12. Harrowtract Hall (dwarf clanhold) (Upper Quarter)

• 13. Stonebearer Hall (dwarf clanhold) (Upper Quarter)

• 15. Wingham Manor (Upper Quarter)

Alternative Name(s)

Bloodmarch Hill

Type

Town

Population

1,500

Location under

Vaasa

Included Locations

• Clamor
• Cromm's Holdfast
• Ramblehouse
• That 'n' Such

Owner/Ruler

Halgra of the Blackened Blades

Characters in Location

• Agrit Staginsdar
• Justinian of Cromm's Holdfast
• Sara Morninghawk
• Tygart Varvatos