Torch
From A Players Primer to the Outlands (2e)
THE TOWN: Torch is built on the slopes of a set of volcanic spires formed from hardened molten rock. Around the spires is a blood-red marsh, which often floods into the lower parts of town, bringing pestilence, death, plague, boils, and killer frogs. As a result, the high-up cutters in Torch are just that — the ones who live the farthest up the slopes, away from the marsh.
But, as the locals say, "Trouble below, trouble above." Some of the spires are still active, and they continually spit out lava and gases that ignite upon exposure to the air. The light from these constant flames gives the town its name and keeps it bright day and night. Fact is, Torch never truly sleeps, but instead is busy around the clock. (Besides, a body'd have a hard time dozing comfortably with fire over his head and frogs at his feet.)
THE GATE: Torch offers travellers the Gate to Gehenna, but it sure don't make it easy for 'em. The gate looks like a blood-red eye or carnelian gemstone hovering in mid air, a hundred or so feet off the ground. Flight, of course, is the best way to reach it, but cutters feeling lucky can try to drop into it from an overhanging spire above. Those who've gone through say that the return gate is on more stable ground, but a few berks supposedly giggled when they said it.
The local chant talks of a second gate somewhere in the blood marsh that surrounds the town. However, some folks think that's just a peel put out by the Lords of Baator to lure eager bashers to a drowning doom.
LOCAL SITES: The best "neutral" site for meetings of the guilds is the resplendent Festhall of the Falling Coins, operated by a wheezing, stoop-shouldered drow named Badurth. It's said that Badurth knows everyone and everything in town.
CURRENT CHANT: A few folks whisper that Bantrice has never set foot in Sigil in his life. They agree that he moved to Torch for his health, all right, but say that he's really a foul creature from Baator in hiding from his masters. A berk who swore he had proof of this was recently found lying in the blood marsh. His intestines and brain, though, were not.
Demographics
THE POPULACE: The people of Torch are greedy, vicious, and extremely dangerous. They believe that everything in the Outlands (and why stop there?) should by rights be theirs, and they'll use any means, legal or otherwise, to get it. 'Course, since they all think the same way, they spend most of their time pillaging each other, much to the relief of neighboring towns.
The natives of Torch include humans, tieflings, evil humanoids, githzerai, thieves of every class, and a number of creatures from the Lower Planes (some of whom have even reached positions of power).
Government
THE HOI POLLOI: Torch is supposedly run by the Council of All, a general gathering of the people in the small, ruptured arena next to the spires. However, locals tend to call it the "Council of Brawl," since most of the decisions result in mob violence. The Council's often used as a tool by the wealthier citizens, who decide if the group is to be called at all.
The blood with the most jink is Bantrice the Potter, a native of Sigil who emigrated to Torch for health reasons. A measure of his success is that he's never had to address, or even attend, the Council of All — his minions and flunkies take care of things behind the scenes. There ain't much in Torch that can't be solved by threats, money, violence, or more threats.
Guilds and Factions
Torch has no less than six major thieves' guilds: the Grey Orb, the Kindred of Yoj, the Severed Hand, Brotherhood Janko, Tiamat's Chosen, and the Fire Lords. Each group wants to corner the cross-trading market, and their fights often spill out onto the streets. Fact is, any berk with three friends (or, more often, lackeys) ends up forming his own guild, gang, or power centre.
Type
Town
Population
17,000
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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