Ardarr-Norr
At a Glance
This city resembles the northern log settlements of the Fhokki more than it does the bright brick towns and cities of the Reanaarians. A long wooden wall surrounds the city ar a great distance, apparently ro allow for extensive growth. Inside it is a tighter, sturdy stone wall.
Temples
Nearly all faiths have a temple or shrine in Ardarr-Norr. The Way of the Berserk is most popular with the soldiers and nobility. The Halls of the Valiant, the Temple of Armed Conflict, and the Temple of the Stars are lesser favorites. The Assembly of the Four Corners, the Church of Life's Fire, and the Inevitable Order of Time are smaller but growing faiths. The House of Knives is the largest evil faith in the city.
The Temple of the Stars worships under the watchful eyes of High Worlder Jorgen, who only recently received his present title after walking back from Zoa. Jorgen prefers to minister to non-merchants because they travel for joy and not because they must.
Mages & Sages
Hreslin, a gnome who favors earth spells, makes potions and scrolls for sale. He charges 25% below list price for natives and 125% of list price for foreigners. He knows a fair bit about magical weapons and actually has a 10% chance to be able to procure a magical weapon. Hreslin only finds magical items for Halflings or Gnomes, and his search takes 2d6 weeks of game time.
Having been to the astral plane once, Nabaddan is eager to return there. A close call with a hunting party of githyanki left him flush with excitement. Nabaddan does not sell items or services, but he will purchase magical items that allow extraplanar communication or travel.
Underworld
This rustic overgrown village is a hotbed of intrigue. The Sentinels of the True Way were active in this area until Y.N.D. 743 (562 1.R.) when, in a great coup, they located and destroyed a great cache of magical items in the city. When Hurrkal, the Wizard who owned them, returned from the Ethereal Plane, he went berserk and burned an entire block of the city. He still hunts the remaining vandals, although he no longer lives in the city and works through spies.
A band of pirates called Halvena's Scythe uses the city as a regular base of operations and a place to fence goods. A pirate can split a cargo among two dozen clans, making it impossible to trace. The band follows Halvena, a roguish half-elf with a reputation for fighting the toughest of her enemies herself. She can swim like a fish, too, and occasionally offers a brave captive his freedom and his weight in silver if he can beat her in a race.
The House of Knives operates the thieves' guild and its high priest is traditionally the Guildmaster. The current high Cleric and guildmaster is Reidgard, who exposes those pirates who refuse to offer him their goods at whatever price he demands. Reidgard has done an exceptional job at remaining hidden while making sure the actions of his rivals are well known and hated. Although the government does everything it can to stop him, Reidgard takes contracts from time to time and always delivers.
Government
Skryvalkker Thelka has ruled the city since her husband’s death in Y.N.D. 730 (549 I.R.). The city is considered the choice land of Skarrna and a few Skryvalkkers, sensing an opportunity to take it by force, attempted to invade it when Thelka’s husband Norath died. Thelka called on the army to mobilize, only to discover that the leaders refused to follow a woman into battle.
She went alone.
Ashamed and angry with her for shaming them, the lords followed, catching up with her just as she charged a company of 250 men. The Ardarrs defeated the first Skryvalkker enemy. The other enemies must have received the news quickly because they and their armies never arrived.
Thelka chose her chief advisors in that battle, where she saw their courage and loyalty firsthand. Her rule is very secure, and the young warriors now do not hesitate at all to follow her lead on the battlefield. Her young son Thurvan is very proud of her and looks forward to the day when he can accompany her into a battle or the clandestine meetings with other heads of state.
Defences
Only one tenth of Skarrna’s heavy cavalry (chainmail, shield, and battleaxe) stay in Ardarr-Norr. Their commander is Viljar, an ardent follower of the Way of the Berserk and secret Sentinels of the True Way. Viljar never stops looking over his shoulder for minions of the Wizard Hurrkal and trusts no one. His blonde hair and beard are quickly turning gray from the constant worry.
Industry & Trade
Points of interest
The city has a flat area on the north end the locals call "the ground that does not grow." This black spot is evidence of Hurrkal's rage and shows no sign of recovery. Nobody wishes to build a home there, even if it means living in a more crowded location in another part of the city.
The city houses the ancient Sword of the RagingWyrrn, an ancient artifact that belonged to Skryvalkker Hostud 1, the city's founder. The sword stands in a glass case in the Halls of the Valiant, guarded at all times by a Cleric and four seasoned fighters. If a thief were to defeat, deceive or bypass the guards, he would still have to reckon with all the traps and magical wards a 14th-level cleric could devise or purchase.