The Rock of Bral

The Rock of Bral is one of the asteroids making up the Tears of Selûne, which orbits the planet Toril behind its moon Selûne.

Government

The Prince of Bral rules over the asteroid, though he ostensibly shares or delegates power to Council of the City and the Council of Nobles. The Council of the City are 30 representatives from the various demographic groups on Bral and appointed by the Prince. The Noble Council is comprised of the chartered landowners of the city, those who have

Defences

The Rock is heavily fortified. It includes a system of nine ballista towers on the topside that protects the city. Each such stone tower is hexagonal and 25 feet tall. Atop the tower is a dwarven-built heavy ballista. Each ballista is set in a special mount that permitted it to be aimed any direction, including straight up from the gravity plane. A complicated counterweight mechanism within the tower aides the fifteen crewmembers in reloading it, such that it can fire once every ten seconds. A squad of crossbowmen and shieldbearers are tasked with protecting the ballista engineers, and each tower was stocked with 50 heavy crossbows and hundreds of crossbow bolts for this purpose. The crossbowmen fires in volleys of 25 bolts at once in regular spaced ranks. These smoothly drilled crews operate under the leadership of the noble houses of Bral.
On the bottom side of the Rock is the Citadel, a heavily armed fortress. Patrolling the Rock at all times are at least eight warships, but the full naval power of the Prince is unknown. Prince Andru also has a contract with a group of wizards known as The Fireball Alliance, who act as a magical defense force for the Rock.

Districts

The city is divided into the High City, Middle City, and Low City. Races freely mix in each part, though most of the low traders, embassies, and workmen exist in the Low City. The Elven quarter is in the middle city, being used to high society and upper class trades. The Dwarven quarter saddles the Middle and Low Cities with workmen in the Low City and fine crafters in the Middle City. The High City is invariably populated with the Prince's inner circle and other nobles.
The vital, beating heart of the Rock is in the warren of streets and crowded markets of the maze known as the Low City. Alive with activity at all hours, the Low City never sleeps. Entire communities breed and grow in the byzantine squares and alleyways, pressing against each other in an endless struggle for light and space. The streets are choked with shouting, pushing peddlers, beggars, and thieves. You can turn a corner and find yourself in the middle of someone's home, standing amid the huts and lean-tos of the wretched leaseless of Bral. Or you can stumble onto a battlefield of rival guilds or gangs, where dozens of rogues brawl for the rights to a few more alleys or tenements. The Low City may be dirtier and poorer than the rest of the Rock, but to most people it captures the rugged soul of the city. It is a crowded waterfront of Wildspace, a melting pot of incredible diversity. It may be one of the few places in any world where one's race or creed makes no difference at all.
There is room for everyone in the Low City. Lacking the powerful financial institutions and orderly shops and stores of the Middle City, the Low City makes up for its shortcomings with thousands of small merchants and peddlers. The treasures and goods of a hundred worlds trickle through the Lesser Market and the hands of the city's thieves. The well-ordered neighborhoods of the Middle City are replaced here by crowded barrios, neighborhoods of people with common origins or professions.
In the endless swirl of crowds and crime, the unwritten rules of the Rock are the only thing that lies between livable chaos and a squalid pit of eternal warfare and slavery. Don't ask questions. Don't go back on your word. Don't get involved. Never trust someone you don't know. They are hard rules, but if you stay within the guidelines, you will survive and possibly even flourish in the Low City.
The Low City is far more raw and violent than the Middle City. The Magistrate's Watch has no gentlemen or disciplined soldiers here, but brutal thugs, whose only concern is preventing a brawl from becoming a riot. Pickpockets and mountebanks might plague the Middle City, but in the alleys of the Low City lurk muggers, cutpurses, and murderers. Unless you wish to end in the Jettison, stay on the major streets and never go anywhere alone.

History

The Rock had changed hands many times in its history. Indeed, humans had only been living on the Rock since the 12th or 13th century DR. The original inhabitants were unknown, but cavern expeditions into the center of the asteroid revealed artifacts indicating that mind flayers lived in the Rock around the sixth century, and beholders more recently than that. Scholars believed that the beholders had exterminated the mind flayers and that the beholders had destroyed themselves in infighting. Neither the illithids or the beholders had any records of their past settlements on the Rock—unless they were simply hiding that knowledge for some reason.
After the illithids and beholders, a clan of about 200 dwarves seemed to have settled the Rock. Their ruins appeared to have been from the tenth century. They left no tombs or memorials and seemed to have vanished without a trace, with pots still in the fireplace and blades still on the anvil. After this, the Elven Imperial Fleet used the Rock as a recreation station, but they, too, eventually abandoned it.
Captain Bral, a space pirate, "discovered" the Rock of Bral near the start of the 13th century. He planted trees and crops and lived within the caves that later became the docking caverns. Bral assembled a group of pirates known as the Black Brotherhood, and over time, a small town developed on the surface of the asteroid. When Bral was finally killed by the elves, the pirates of the asteroid town named the settlement Bral in his honor and the asteroid the Rock of Bral.
Over time, the population of the Rock shifted, until by the end of the 13th century, there were more merchants and shopkeepers on Bral, selling goods and ale to the pirates, than pirates themselves. At this time, the pirate Captain Cozar literally purchased every piece of land on the whole asteroid from the merchants until, by the end of only several months, he owned the Rock of Bral. Next, he evicted any pirate who would not lease land from him or operate a legitimate business. In this way, Cozar became the first prince of Bral, and established the House of Cozar.

Points of interest

The High City

The Royal Enclosure

This is the highest point of Bral, a broad area protected by walls of white granite. The Royal Enclosure refers to the palace of the ruling prince and the Royal Barracks, and anything else that is on the high side of Lake Bral. Persons found wandering in the Royal Enclosure are taken into custody and accused of espionage, burglary, or worse. Should a ship approach this region of the city, the guards manning the towers will open fire without warning. A ship trying to land on the palace grounds from directly overhead is exposed to the concentrated fire of six of the modified heavy ballistae. A ship approaching from the gravity plane must pass within range of at least two bombard emplacements.

1. The Palace:

Andru's palace crowns the Rock like a white jewel. During Cozar's day, only one wing of the current structure stood. Frun expanded the palace tremendously, adding on the magnificent Grand Dome and the Leading Wing. Starhaven, as the palace is named, is the center of Bralian diplomacy and intrigue.
If someone has business at the palace, they are usually summoned by a courier who presents them with a small golden scepter. This scepter allows passage into the palace, but it must be surrendered at the gate. A few of the nobles and some powerful merchants possess silver scepters, allowing passage into the palace at any time. Silver scepters are not surrendered. Lastly, copper scepters are given to people who arrive at the palace gate with urgent business. Player characters being player characters, sooner or later they are going to want to storm up to the palace and see the prince. There are a few obstacles in their path, however. At the top of the Stonebridge, the adventurers will be halted at the Gatehouse. They will be questioned by the Captain of the Watch, an officer of the Royal Guard. He has a watch of 20 Guardsmen to ward the gate. If the PCs are especially convincing, the Captain of the Watch will send a messenger to the palace Majordomo, who will decide whether or not she wishes to see the visitors. If the Majordomo sends back word to admit the guests, the party will be escorted to the nearby Palace Gate. Eight more Royal Guards are posted there. Armed persons will be asked to surrender their weapons to the watch. They will then be escorted to the palace and met in the portico by the Majordomo, who will determine exactly who it is the party really needs to talk with. The palace has at least 40 crack guards on duty at all times, and troublemakers are summarily dealt with in a harsh manner.
The interior of the palace is a marvelous display of wealth and elegance. Antique furniture and rare and valuable works of art are tastefully arranged in every room. The floors are of gold-veined marble or polished teak. There are many windows, all made of glassteel. Footmen, in impeccable livery, attend all the nonservant chambers of the palace, resplendent in their white, gold-braided waistcoats. Guards in polished armor stand at parade rest, ever vigilant. All of the chambers of state and the common receiving rooms are on the first floor of the palace. The ceilings are generally 15 to 25' high. Some of the palace towers have more than one floor, but any space above the first floor is generally used for storage or additional servant housing.

2. The Royal Docks:

This landing area is reserved for the use of the prince's yacht, a Shrikeship called the Princess of Bral. The crew is a crack detachment of the Royal Bralian Navy, and the ship is fitted with all the creature comforts one could possibly imagine. Andru often entertains on board, and an escort of Navy warships stands by to ensure his safety. A small mosquitoship, the Sunfarer, is kept here as well and used as a launch for the prince. The Sunfarer often carries him to the Underside or to the Docking Edge, or to any of the large ships in orbit that he may need to visit.

4. The Royal Stables:

Horses are enormously expensive on the Rock, since they require large quantities of food and even larger quantities of space. Both commodities are very precious in an island city. Andru maintains a small stable of 12 horses of outstanding quality. He has two well-appointed carriages that are kept in immaculate condition. The prince often chooses to go by carriage when he enters the city.

5. The Royal Barracks:

Quartering all five companies of the Royal Guard, the barracks is a combination living area, drill field, and parade ground. At any time, one company is standing palace duty, two more are assigned garrison duty, and the remaining companies are off-duty. Many of the Guardsmen have families in the Lower City.

6. The Gatehouse:

A strong and graceful structure of white granite, the Gatehouse controls access to the Royal Enclosure. The gates themselves are never shut, save during times of war. A watch of 20 Royal Guardsmen man the Gatehouse continuously. Every six hours the watch is changed in a ceremonial Changing of the Guard. Visitors are halted here and asked their business. The gates themselves are constructed of stout, iron-bound, oak.

7. The Stonebridge:

A slender arch of stone spanning Lake Bral, the Stonebridge is a natural formation whose upper surface was levelled and filled to support a roadway to the Royal Enclosure. From the road it is almost 250 feet to the surface of the lake, at this time. Lake Bral is due for refilling soon. When it is full, the drop is only about 150 feet. A small stone parapet lines the roadway.

10. The Man O' War:

One of the finest restaurants and inns of any sphere, the Man O' War affords a spectacular view over Lake Bral. The dining room enforces a strict dress code-arms and armor are definitely forbidden. A typical dinner could run as high as 8 to 12 gp per person. The service is excellent and the food is the finest on the Rock. The Man O' War also boasts 10 plush suites that cost anywhere from 10 to 30 gp a night. That price includes a bottle of fine wine and breakfast in the morning. An elite guard of highly paid mercenaries ensures the safety of the guests. In fact, the Man O' War is considered safe and elegant enough for the Crown to send visiting diplomats when the palace is full.

11. The Royal Theatrical Company:

This theater has been in continuous operation for over 60 years. Their lavish productions often feature magical illusions and pyrotechnical special effects. The Company usually runs two productions simultaneously, employing two separate casts. Each cast presents four to five plays during the course of the five month season. The offseason is spent in preparation for the difficult schedule of performances. The Company is run by a half-elven woman named Kiria Evensong; she acts occasionally, but spends most of her time directing and producing. Kiria is in fact the notorious Juggler, but no one knows this. Currently, the Royal Theatrical Company is presenting The Fallen, a tragedy about an elven bard who seduces a human princess; and Starward Sail, a musical farce about an inept pirate captain. Seats cost 1 gp each, but they are great shows and well worth the rate.

13. The Noble Council:

This majestic building is one of the principal landmarks of the city. Rising above an open floor that seats nearly 200 people, the great dome, with its pointed steeple, is one of the first things the spacefarer can pick out when approaching the Rock. Although the Noble Council has not met in three years, Prince Andru does address the citizens of the city from the podium, on those rare occasions when he speaks directly to the people. The chambers surrounding the council dome are used as the offices for the Bureau of Land Distribution and Management.

14. The High Magistrate:

Another impressive building, the High Magistrate's offices are little used. The High Magistrate is the aging Lord Michel Donobar, a dignified man whose mind is not what it once was. The High Magistrate holds the power of review over the actions of all other Magistrates, and he is also the appeal authority for the city. These days, Lord Michel is content to allow his small and capable staff to attend to all business. The High Magistrate's building also houses the Magistrate's Watch for the High City. About a dozen gentlemen swordsmen of levels F3 to F7 and four mages ranging from levels W4 to W8 are quartered in the building. It is now fashionable for young nobles to serve for a short time as part of this force.

15. House Kullek:

The largest and grandest of the noble estates, House Kullek rivals the palace of the prince in size and grandeur. Many feel that it is a sad thing that such a lovely home is wasted on a miserly old man like Morgan Kullek. Beautiful stone sculptures adorn the wide lawn, and carefully tended apple trees flank the house. Kullek rarely receives visitors in his home, preferring to conduct business in his sizable offices in the Middle City. The grounds of his house are patrolled by crack security troops with orders to kill any intruders.

16. The Library of the Spheres:

The headquarters of the Seekers, in this crystal sphere, as well as an impressive collection of books, tomes, scrolls, and manuscripts of all descriptions are in the Library of the Spheres. The city of Brat is too young to have accumulated a library of this size, but the Seekers were forced to move two of their smaller collections to Bral about 30 years ago. These two collections account for the majority of books to be found in the library.
The library is open to any patron and never closes. To become a patron of the library, one need only pay 1 gp per year. Limited check out privileges are granted to patrons, usually three books at a time for no longer than a month. Honored patrons donate 50 gp per year, but gain unlimited check out privileges as well as access to the Special Collection, a room of extremely rare and valuable books. The Seekers who staff this library are happy to conduct research for patrons. Consider any researcher to be a sage with a general knowledge of any topic, requiring 3d 10 days to find the answer to a general question. An additional 2d6 + 3 days are required to answer specific questions, and 2d6 above that for an exacting question. The standard research fee is 50 gp per day. Any researcher has a sage proficiency of 10 + 1 d8. Magical books and scrolls are unavailable at the Library of the Spheres.

17. The Trailing Jettison:

This area is located at the gravity plane and is reached through a series of tunnels or by a path down the cliffs from Park Street. Out of sight of the noble households above, the jettison is used to discard trash and garbage. The jettison is run by a neo-otyugh who leads a clan of a dozen or more otyughs. They quietly collect the wastes of the High City, sort through the rubbish, and discard the rest. The Jettison is an especially powerful device that easily flings up to 1,000 pounds of garbage 1,000 yards or more. The waste then drifts out along the gravity plane until it leaves the atmospheric envelope. A great number of scavvers constantly circle the drifting rubbish. The otyughs are known to turn a blind eyestalk or three to the occasional misuse of their jettison.

24. House Calar:

This comfortable villa occupies one of the finest pieces of land on Bral, commanding a marvelous view of the Trailing Edge. Princess Eliana Cozar, the widow of Prince Calar, lives here with her son, Prince Arie. They maintain a small, subdued household and receive few visitors. Princess Eliana is supported at the expense of the crown.

25. Hastain's Palace:

A magnificent, rambling villa, the palace of Hastain the reigar is a constant hive of activity. The grounds are haunted by the most outrageous entertainers and artists imaginable. Many poets and painters of dubious skill and shocking subject material, find a patron in Hastain. His wealth appears inexhaustible, despite the virtual horde of sycophants who cling to him. Hastain tolerates their antics with an amused smile, but rarely joins in. The latest fad consists of painting weird designs on one's body and leaping into Lake Bral with the greatest possible flair. Needless to say, some severe injuries have resulted from the practice of this new 'art form'.

The Middle City

31. Holstoi and Gavich, Barristers:

This is the oldest and most prestigious of Bral's companies of the bar. Holstoi and Gavich themselves passed away many years ago, but Maynard Holstoi still operates his father's firm. They do not represent criminals before the magistrates, but instead specialize in mercantile and admiralty law. Companies requiring binding contracts or advice on salvage rights often consult the firm, at the rate of 100 gp per hour. A geas spell is often used in conjunction with contracts of great importance. A contract written in this manner would cost 300 to 1800 gp, plus the cost for the spell. Note that people signing a party of adventurers on for some task (like recovering an item for Gaspar's Reclamations) might consider this step to be a wise precaution.

33. Aldaric Blackstaff:

Currently the Secretary to the Fireball Alliance, Aldaric lives in a comfortable brownstone townhouse on Park Street. His large and spacious home is provided gratis by the Crown in return for his service as a member of the Alliance. Aldaric's home is mentioned here because it is typical of the homes allowed powerful mages in return for joining the Alliance. Aldaric himself is a cheerful fellow who enjoys company.

34. The Arena of Frun:

An impressive stadium of the same white granite used in the palace, the Arena seats 500 people comfortably. The facility is rarely used, but once a year a set of races, jumping contests, and mock gladiatorial combats takes place and usually attracts some interest. Most of the more bloodthirsty citizens of the city prefer to patronize the illegal pit fights of the Low City. The Arena is occasionally used by duelists as a neutral ground for the resolution of differences.

36. The Raised Cup:

One of the many taverns and small inns of the Middle City, the Raised Cup is a battered old hole that belongs in the dirty surrounds of the Docking Edge. Although humble in appearance, the Raised Cup caters to a special group of patrons the Pragmatic Order of Thought. The Order has long used the Raised Cup as a secret safe house and as a meeting place. The Raised Cup offers excellent food and drink at good prices, belying its ramshackle exterior.

37. The Edge:

One of the largest and busiest taverns of Bra! Is the Edge, an establishment catering to starfarers. It is considered fashionable for the elite to gather here, as the Edge is known for its dangerous and colorful clientele. Some rogues, con men, and professional duelists earn their living from this wealthy crowd. The proprietor maintains a quiet force of six talented bouncers.

40. Elmandar's Starcharts:

The half-elven mage Elmandar is Bral's most famous astronomer. He retired from adventuring some years ago and took up surveying and charting as a career. The demand for accurate starcharts is great, and Elmandar employs a small staff of cartographers and navigators who regularly take passage on tradesmen to log changes to charts in service. Elmandar's charts sell for 300 to 800 gp each, but they are guaranteed to be as accurate as possible. In addition, the owner of an Elmandar chart can bring it back anytime for an update at no extra charge.

41. Valkan's Legion:

These buildings are the barracks, offices, stables, and armories of the mercenary company known as Valkan's Legion. Most of the legionnaires live elsewhere in the city when the company is between contracts. When the legion takes a job, they move into the barracks and begin rigorous recruiting and training programs. To hire the entire legion of five companies plus priestly and magical support would cost about 60,000 gp per month, plus transport and upkeep. High risk ventures can drastically increase the cost of employing them.

43. Dal's Locks and Keys:

The only lock and keysmith in Bral the gnome Dal (short for Daliddin Nimblefist) is an incredibly well-organized and foresighted businessman, for gnome. She sells three varieties of locks: the standard, actually crafted by her apprentices (good lock, DC10, 30 gp the superior, made by herself (excellent lock, DC15 to pick, 60 gp and the special, a large and diabolically complex lock (superior lock, DC18to pick, 240 gp). Dal also sells picks and many special thieving supplies such as pitons, spring daggers, and other nifty devices.
Dal keeps a unique lock in her store with a standing 20 gp reward to the thief who can pick it. The lock is a masterful piece with a DC25 to pick.

45. Gaspar's Reclamations:

A shop stocking magical items and other rare and unusual treasures, Gaspar's Reclamations occupies a fine position at the intersection of Grand Street and the Great Market. There is a 30% chance that any given magical item of Uncommon rarity is available for sale at twice its value. There is a 5% chance that a magical item of Rare rarity is present at three times its value. As a rule, five to twenty potions are available at any time, priced at twice their value. Anything else may or may not be in stock.

46. Frada's Provisioning:

Owned by the renowned dwarf Frada lronhead, this company specializes in the outfitting of ships with supplies of all descriptions. Frada's Provisioning also acts as a large neighborhood grocery as well. Prospective starfarers are well advised to stop here before sailing. The store carries nonperishables such as salted meats, dried fruit and grains, hard tack, flour, sugar, and spices as well as necessaries like barrels, sacks, trunks, some clothing, rope, nets, and tools.
A good rule of thumb when outfitting a ship for a long voyage is to allow 500 gp per 10 crewman for eight months. This may sound high, but it includes extra rope, sewing needles, hand tools, spare canvas and leather, and any of a number of other items that ships require in space. These stores would take about one ton per 10 crew members. Bare minimum stores can be purchased at half-price, but no extra materials or tools of any kind will be carried.

49. Morweg's Arms and Armor:

One of the finest weaponsmiths of the city, Morweg is a short but powerful man of about 60 years. He specializes as a gunsmith and offers a wide range of firearms. In addition, he employs several bladesmiths and armorers who turn out sabres, rapiers, daggers, main-gauches, broadswords, cutlasses, bucklers, and mail of outstanding quality. Morweg's prices are reasonable for Bral, which means that they are only 10-40% above the listed weapons prices in the Player's Handbook.

52. Balic's Blades:

Old Balic is one of the greatest artists to ever set foot on Bral. As a young and talented swordsmith, he left his world behind to take his trade into the stars. Settling in Bral, he set up shop and began turning out some of the finest swords the pirate haven had ever seen. Balic forges weapons of quality about once every two to three months, yielding a + 1 weapon. These blades are priced at 20 times normal value. Balic's sons and apprentices turn out a fine selection of standard weapons, priced at normal value + 10%. Balic has occasionally worked with odd materials such as crystal, silver, mithril, and adamantite. If provided with the materials, he will forge a weapon for 500 gp plus 30 gp per day of forging time.

54. The Great Market:

A chaotic area of small vendors, open air street performers, beggars, orators, merchants and buyers of all descriptions, the Great Market is perhaps the most vital and exciting place in the city of Bral. No other place carries the same broad shouldered love-of-life and gold nor conveys the Rock's mercantile spirit in quite the same way. The Great Market attracts the curious and the greedy of dozens of spheres and it is said that anything can be bought, or sold, in the Great Market of Bral. In the stalls and alleyways of the Great Market, you can find armorers, astrologers, bakers, barbers, barristers, beggars, blacksmiths, bookbinders, brewers, butchers, carpenters, carters, cartographers, chandlers, clerks, clockmakers, cobblers, cutlers, dyers, embroiderers, fullers, furriers, gilders, girdlers, glassblowers, glaziers, grocers, haberdashers, homers, hosiers, joiners, limners, mercers, painters, pipers, porters, scribes, tailors, tanners, tinkers, and weavers of every description. Several hundred people constantly throng the square during business hours. Pickpockets and beggars are a recognized hazard of the Great Market. In general, any item the players care to buy or sell can probably be moved somewhere in the Great Market. If the PCs are buying, they can find everyday items at 70-120% of listed cost (d6+6). Rare or unusual items or services can cost 100- 150% normal (d6 +9). If they are selling, there is a 75% chance that they will find a buyer willing to take their goods off their hands for 60-110% of its real value (d6 + 5). One of the unusual characters of the Great Market is Ren the Wretched, a hideous old beggar despised and reviled by all. If the players can tolerate his whining and wheedling, they will discover that Ren is an excellent guide to the market. He can direct the players to any particular merchant or service in half the time it would take otherwise.

55. House Moune:

A relatively average example of a Bralian merchant house, the Mounes are a wealthy and powerful company on the rise. Founded by the retired adventurer Tarilia Moune, the company appears stable and strong enough to survive for several generations. House Moune derives a large portion of its profits from the import of foodstuffs, operating two farming asteroids. The steady flow of capital, generated by this safe and lucrative trade, has allowed Tarilia to purchase a couple of fast packers for exotic trade.

56. Dredar's Mail and Arms:

Dredar is a human merchant who does not make his own weaponry, but instead purchases arms and transports them here for sale. Dredar exacts a tidy profit on this, so any item in his store costs 20% more than the listed cost in the Player's Handbook. However, his selection is unbeatable. He carries every standard weapon, as well as the occasional exotic item, such as a magical shield or a sword with a silver blade. A small staff of wellpaid armorers and leather workers are maintained on the premises for fitting and tailoring. Noble fighters may be disappointed to learn that the heaviest armor commonly available in Wildspace is plate mail. Full or field plate is quite rare.

57. The Royal Exchequer:

Rising above the intersection of Grand Street and Sailmaker Street, this impressive building dominates the street. The Royal Exchequer exists to regulate the currency used in Bral. Many coinages, and most paper currencies, are simply not honored by the merchants of Bral. Visitors holding any of these currencies are left with the option of bartering goods without money, or of exchanging their money for coinage more acceptable to the merchants of Bral. The Royal Exchequer was established to issue Braldurs, a paper currency that can be exchanged for any other currency. Since it is universally accepted on Bral, it is the de facto currency. The exchequer changes currency for a fee of 5% on the coinage exchanged.

58. The Middle Magistrate:

A small complex of connected buildings between Trader's Way and the Great Market, the offices of the Middle Magistrate are hardly as impressive as the High Magistrate's building. However, they are far more active. The Middle Magistrate's Watch patrols the streets sporadically, but they are frequently summoned to apprehend a criminal or intercede in a dispute.
The Magistrate's Watch in the Middle City consists of about 20 well-armed guardsmen, with chainmail, long swords, and light crossbows. Several mages are available to assist in the apprehension of dangerous criminals. The Middle Magistrate herself is Lady Terissa Ketal, a hard and bitter human of 50 with a reputation as a "jettisoning judge:· The buildings here include a courtroom, a watch barracks and office, and a small jail of six cells to hold dangerous criminals until they can be removed to a safer area.

59. Gamalon's Curios:

One of the most famous small merchants of Bral is the archmage Gamalon ldogyr, a famed traveller and scholar. He collects and sells unusual magical items, favoring any item that assists the space traveller or the spelljammer. His store is usually well stocked with such items as rings of warmth, free action, jumping, or feather fall; wands of flame extinguishing or illumination; necklaces of adaption; boots of levitation; decanters of endless water; Murlynd's spoons; and other mystic devices. There is a base 30% chance that any one of the above items is available, but exceptionally rare pieces may be reduced to 10%. The price is usually three to eight times the value listed in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Gamalon is unusual in that the Arcane often deal with him and have taught him some of their spelljamming dweamorcraft. There are several rare items which only Gamalon offers, such as sails of maneuverability, rings of enhancement, or boots of starstriding. The DM is encouraged to develop these items if he wishes, or to keep them out of the players' hands if he feels they are not strictly necessary.
Gamalon's home with its broad courtyard and several buildings, is behind his shop. He is a noble by virtue of land ownership, since he purchased the grounds of his home from the crown some years ago. Gamalon generally does not welcome visitors into his home, but he does enjoy a good story and the company of steady customers in his curio shop.

60. The Smith's Coster:

A dignified brownstone building bearing the sign of the wheel-lock and shield, these are the offices of the Smith's Coster. There are no retail facilities here per se; the company deals entirely in mass quantities and sells directly to distributors in their various markets. However, if the players ever need to equip an army rapidly, this is the place to go.
The interior of the building features several spacious conference areas suitable for discussing terms with buyers or sellers. No arms or armor are actually kept on the premises, since the company rents large warehouses on the Docking Edge for storage.

61. The Bralian Mercer:

The largest and finest of Bral's clothing stores, the Mercer buys and sells bolts of any kind of fabric as well as finished clothing. The variety of styles and tastes on the Rock is staggering; virtually any garment listed in the Player's Handbook is available here, with a mark up of 10-30%. Interestingly enough, most native Bralians prefer subdued, conservative, clothing to set them apart from the garish costumes of the sailors and mercenaries who throng their city. A well-dressed craftsman will usually be found with cotton breeches and a long sleeved tunic of cotton or wool that hangs to mid-thigh. Merchants and tradesmen often wear tabards over their tunics, emblazoned with the emblems of their company.

62. The White Galleon:

This quiet inn and tavern is located off the major streets, between Armada Street and Man O'War Street. The exterior is rather nondescript, but inside you will find a roomy, comfortable hostelry with fine service and good rates. the White Galleon is especially noteworthy because it is the home of Daargaz the Arcane. The Arcane has rented the top suite of rooms for six months now, and shows no sign of moving soon. Players actively looking for an Arcane in Bral will eventually end up at The White Galleon.
Daargaz has hired a small squad of very capable bodyguards, and several clerks and messengers. The entire upper floor of the White Galleon has been absorbed by his operation. The tavern owner, a halfling named Bardilac, is quite happy with the situation: Daargaz pays him a small consideration every week for the time and the trouble of hosting the Arcane, and the merchants and adventurers seeking Arcane aid usually buy a round or two in the tavern.

63. Town Apothecary:

A strange old store buried in the back alleys, the Town Apothecary appears at first glance to be abandoned. It is open for business at odd intervals and features a bizarre selection of spell components, musty old tomes, various roots and herbs, and potions and elixirs of all kinds. The proprietor is an aged woman known only as Mother Greda. Her eyesight is poor, but she possesses an uncanny sense of intuition and a flawless memory.
There is a 50% chance that she has any root, plant, or herb required for a spell or potion in stock. Other substances, such as mineral powders or rare animal parts, have only a 20% chance of availability. At any time, Mother Greda has 1-6 random potions for sale. Unfortunately, her potions work only 75% of the time.

65. The Donjon:

The strongest point Topside, the Donjon is a walled keep that dominates the Middle City. Surrounded by a 25-foot-high curtain wall and four 50-foot towers, the central keep is a powerful, yet graceful, building. The Donjon's central tower soars nearly 110 feet above the streets below.
A battalion of the Regular Army garrisons the Donjon, comprising five companies of 60 men each. Only two companies are here at any time, though. One of the companies is split into garrisons of the ballista towers and patrols of the city, while the other two companies are off duty. The Lord Donjon commands the garrison and is the second ranking officer in the Bralian armies.
The Donjon serves another purpose besides simple protection: it is also Bral's prison. Most people convicted on the Rock are sent Underside for hard labor in the slave-tended fields. Those who are too dangerous, or who personally run afoul of the Prince, end up here. The central keep sits above a complex underground prison four levels deep. Over 300 cells are available, although most are unoccupied. There are rumors of a magical tunnel leading to a cellar of Andru's palace from a secret room in the Donjon's prisons, and it is said that there are special prisoners here who are regularly visited by Andru. The wilder rumors claim that Prince Calar is not dead, but is instead being held in a special room in the Donjon. Mounted on each of the Donjon's four towers is one of the modified ballistae used in the ballista towers. In addition, six modified medium catapults are located in sheltered turrets around the walls of the central keep.

66. The Council of Captains:

Another of Frun's architectural achievements, the Council of Captains contains a large hexagonal council chamber and two grand wings. The wings contain the offices of the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Trade. The Council of Captains meets once a month, but most members prefer to send their votes by proxy. The offices of the Secretary to the Council of Captains are here as well. The Secretary herself, Bianca Micharle, is often found in her office. She is the head of both Bureaus, under the Council, and she has recently attracted a lot of attention by arming her customs agents and instituting a crackdown on smuggling.

68. The Planar Church of Olympus:

Dedicated to all powers inhabiting the plane of chaotic good, the Planar Church of Olympus is one of the most powerful and popular of the planar churches. The Church venerates almost all deities of the Greek pantheon, most elvish deities, and a few of the other Olympian powers. Because of this, priests of the Church are in contact with their deities in almost any crystal sphere. The Bralian sect is on the small side, since the city only recently turned away from rampant piracy and lawlessness. The Planar Church is gaining opularity rapidly; just about anyone can find something about Olympus worthy of worship. One of the few truly benevolent organizations of the city, the priests of Olympus spend a lot of time and energy tending to the poor and the common folk of Bral.
Any character with a patron deity inhabiting Olympus can expect to receive a reasonable amount of aid from the Planar Church. Note that, while planar priests have few problems with priests of individual powers, a priest who worships only one of the powers of Olympus would have a hard time accepting the worship of the entire plane and would not be inclined to turn to the Church for aid.

69. Planar Church of the Seven Heavens:

Venerating all deities who make their home on the plane of lawful good, the Church of the Seven Heavens is a newcomer to the city of Bral. It is similar to the Planar Church of Olympus in the scope of its powers and in the extent of its influence across the spheres. In general, the two organizations share a good natured rivalry and sometimes even cooperate against evil causes. The Bralian sect is growing slowly, as the Church appeals to the more wealthy and organized of the Rock's many citizens.
Any character with a patron deity inhabiting the plane of the Seven Heavens can expect support and aid from the Church, provided he supports the Church in turn. A priest of a specific deity will be put off by the generic nature of the Church's belief and will probably have to commune with his or her deity to find out if the Church is an acceptable form of worship to that specific deity.
The chief pantheons of the Seven Heavens include elements of the dwarven and halfling pantheons, as well as deities from the Indian and Chinese mythos. Many other pantheons place their supreme beings in the Seven Heavens.

70. Pantheistic College of Celestian:

One of the more popular deities among spacefarers is Celestian, the Star Wanderer. The worship of Celestian spread from Greyspace about 300 years ago and now spans a half dozen spheres. The priests of Celestian tout him as one of the chief patrons of spelljamming and enjoy a bitter rivalry with Ptah.
The college of Celestian worships the deity in any form he chooses to take in other spheres, usually a good deity with the stars as his area of concern. One of the oldest buildings on the Rock, the temple of Celestian was built in the city's piratical days. Even now, many captains stop here before setting sail, seeking his blessing.
Celestian appears in the GREYHAWK® campaign setting. He is a wandering deity who was drawn to the stars and the astral plane, roaming the wondrous depths of space. The Star Wanderer is revered by astronomers, astrologers, philosophers, navigators, and dreamers and poets. His symbol is a circle of seven stars.

71. Barduk's Smithy:

A rambling, open craftsman's shop and forge, Barduk's Smithy features a goldsmith, a silversmith, a pewtersmith, several blacksmiths, and one or two bladesmiths and armorers. Barduk herself is a stout dwarven matriarch with arms like tree trunks. She and her four sons do most of the smithing, having taken on several journeymen and apprentices for light work. Barduk's husband fell in battle almost 45 years ago; since then, she has built her small home forge into a powerful Business. Almost any metal goods can be had at Barduk's for a fine price-usually 10-20 % less than normal. Weapons, however, require a great deal more work and are at the usual price. Barduk is a sensible businesswoman, but she cannot tolerate the sight of elves-her husband was a pirate whose ship was destroyed by a Man O' War of the Imperial Navy.

72. Yarnak's Dwarven Arms:

Without question, Yarnak is the finest weaponsmith and armorer in the city of Bral. His work is exceptional, and he rigidly enforces the highest standards of quality in his shop. Yarnak himself usually works on special orders, creating weapons of quality suitable for enchantment. At any given time, there is a 30% chance that a desired +1 weapon is available as a weapon of quality. If a weapon is not available, Yarnak will be happy to make it for you. Dwarven smiths work half again as fast as human ones. Armor made by Yarnak himself is +1 armor and 20% lighter than normal, but costs three times as much. He carefully measures the wearer and his armor is famous for its comfort and flexibility.

73. Fine Armors of Bral:

Operated by a dwarven rogue named Cudrekken Goldfoot, Fine Armors of Bral is a small shop in the Dwarven District. Cudrekken is not a famous smith like Yarnak, but instead specializes in the recovery and repair of powerful weapons and damaged armor scavenged from battlefields or floating wrecks. Most of the dwarven community find Cudrekken's lack of craftsmanship and his exploitation of honored dead to be ethically intolerable, and Cudrekken is ostracized by his own race. Fine Armors of Bral has about a half dozen suits of armor of various descriptions on hand at all times, with a 30% chance of a magical set being present. In addition, they have anywhere from 20 to 30 swords, axes, and other instruments of destruction, with a 50% chance for one to three magical items. Cudrekken is not careful with what he recovers and he has been known to sell cursed or defective items "by mistake." Let the buyer beware

75. Pantheist Temple of Tyr:

Venerating the god of justice from Toril, the Temple of Tyr spread to Bral from Torillian settlers. Ostensibly, the clergy and ceremonies seem to conform to the standards of the Torilian faith. Pantheistic priests of Tyr recognize any lawful good deity of justice or war as an avatar of their deity and often gain access to spells in many spheres that do not know Tyr by that name. As a deity of justice, Tyr is not very popular in Bral, although he is gaining in power. The priests of the temple feel obligated to take on crime and injustice wherever they find it, and this has led to several small, crusading, wars with underbarons or thieves' guilds. On the bright side, the priests of Tyr have learned much after a couple of bloody reversals and now overcome their evil foes as often as not. 

76. Polyglot Shrines:

Here gods of all kinds are honored in thousands of smaller shrines and chapels. 

77. House of the Path and the Way:

A small, humble shrine, the House is not so much a place of organized worship as a place of contemplation and enlightenment. The priests of the Path and the Way worship all deities everywhere, claiming that each and every one has his or her own place in the great Celestial Bureaucracy. Unfortunately, the priests often disagree about just what that place is.
True followers of the Path and the Way gain spells as normal clerics do, but never specialize in the worship of one deity or another. They are never cut off from their patron powers, unless they enter a sphere entirely without gods. Any priest of any deity is welcome here, but they will find that the priests of the Path and the Way will try to correct their erroneous view of the multiverse by explaining where their deity fits in the Celestial Bureaucracy.
The House of the Path and the Way is attended by less than a half dozen priests and priestesses, who spend most of their time in meditation or study. They do not seek new converts, confident that even the most fanatic devotee of one specific power is, in fact, correct in that worship, even if a little ignorant of the higher issues.

78. The Honored Mages' Guild of Bral:

Taking the form of a slender tower of dark stone, this mystic place seems to be set apart from the city around it. The lower floor contains a reception area and a few meeting rooms; the upper floors house libraries, laboratories, and small private chambers which members may rent when conducting research on the premises. Non-mages are halted at the door by a furnace golem of some intelligence, who does not allow visitors inside without the prior permission of the mage they came to meet. Mages who are not members are permitted into the guild tower to join, if they wish. The golem is polite, but insistent, in the performance of its duties.

79. Temple of Ptah:

This powerful temple is without question the most influential and the wealthiest on the Rock. The worship of Ptah has been around as long as humans have been spelljamming, and has been present in Brat since its first days as a pirate haven. Travellers and spacefarers of all descriptions are welcome here, and will receive comfort and aid in return for small donations.
The temple itself is a grand old building with a distinctly ancient cast to it. When it was built, the stones were aged to simulate weathering and the interior was filled with archeological treasures and relics. While the groundling worship of Ptah is usually found in Egyptian-like societies, the demands of the spelljamming cultures eventually won out, and Ptah's priests began to use conventional vestments and ceremonies. A groundling priest of Ptah would find these rites to be rather shocking.
The temple features a large hostelry for travellers, as well as a shrine that holds regular observances and services. A small force of warriors-templar guard the grounds. The worship of Ptah is especially popular with Seekers, and many of them belong to this congregation.

81. The Golden Helm:

A typical tavern of the Middle City, the Golden Helm is described, in detail, as a sample tavern setting. Feel free to use the floor plan and the description for any particular inn and ale house the player characters may wander into. The Golden Helm is located in the back alley of the block between Tower Street and Mizzenmast Street, a relatively middle-class area of the city.

Places of Interest in the Low City

The Low City has an uncounted number of taverns, inns, ale houses, and unique stores and craftsmen. Many of these even change from day to day as entrepreneurs shift their operations from one place to another, to avoid official attention. Only a few of the areas that would appeal to adventurers are described here. Feel free to import almost any personality or place you wish; there's plenty of room, and you would be hard pressed to find something that wouldn't fit in the Low City of Bral.

88. The Dwarven District:

One of the city's largest and most well-defined barrios, the Dwarven District is actually one of the more prosperous areas in the Low City. The dwarves are, on the whole, a skilled and hardworking race, and their presence on the Rock dates back to the first pirate havens. While dwarves are by nature a taciturn and clannish folk, living in such close proximity to other races has made the Bralian natives far more tolerant of outsiders than their groundling kinsmen. It is not uncommon for the alleys and streets to be crowded with non-dwarves seeking goods of matchless dwarven quality and craftsmanship.
The dwarves generally police themselves, and the Magistrate's Watch is rarely called into the District. Troublemakers are set upon by large numbers of dwarven veterans and rarely heard from again.

89. The Dwarven Boarding Company:

These are the offices and barracks of the mercenary company known as the Dwarven Boarding Company. They are specialists in ship-to-ship combat and are often sought after as marines, by both merchants and privateers. The leader of the company is a grim old veteran by the name of Threndur lcehewer. His mercenaries have several large forges and armories in the immediate vicinity and maintain their own armor.

90. The Burrows:

A small and quiet neighborhood that climbs down the slope of the Rock, the Burrows are the barrio of the halflings. Visitors of other races are relatively scarce, but do occasionally patronize the fine restaurants and taverns of the Burrows.
The broad hillside here is perfect for halfling dwellings, and almost every home is a comfortable burrow with several windows looking out over the Edge. Most halflings, thieves included, prefer to keep their business out of their homes and own or rent buildings in the Low and Middle Cities. With few shops or merchants in the Burrows to attract visitors, the halflings do not see the kinds of crowds that are common in the Dwarven District and are likely to react poorly to armed people wandering around without looking like they're going anywhere.
All the halflings on the Rock are under the protection of the Underbaron Meredin Sandyfoot, and acts of intimidation or violence against the small folk will not go unpunished.

91. lllithid Embassy:

Actually comprising a complex of several buildings with covered walkways and boarded windows, the illithid embassy is a quiet, brooding building which radiates menace. Very few Bralians ever find a reason to set foot in here, and are quite happy to keep it that way. Several dozen mind flayers live in the Low City, and their relationship with the official embassy is unclear-they seem to be living independently of their native lands, but the ambassador lshathrandra appears to command their respect and obedience. In any event, very few beings, of any race, cross the illithids and live to tell the tale.
Rumors persist of a large cavern or underground facility beneath the mind flayer compound, where human slaves are kept as cattle for the mind flayers' unspeakable appetites.

93. Agamour's Platoon:

More properly known as the Eighteenth Detached, Light Dismounted Horse, Reinforced, of (Brevet) Major Tomogan Shaul Agamour, this is a platoon of giff mercenaries which makes its home on Bral. A force of nearly 70 professional soldiers, Agamour's platoon has served with distinction for many years. The giff are expensive to hire, but usually worth the price. Once on the payroll, they embrace almost any cause with dedication and pride. Major Agamour is an aging giff who hides a keen mind (for a giff) behind stuffy formality and overbearing pompousness.

94. Gifftown:

The giff do not come close to filling this block of the Low City, but they are easily the dominant race of this neighborhood, and certainly its most remarkable feature. The giff have but one occupation-soldiering. Every household features a sign proclaiming the availability of its occupants for military duty, and few giff remain between jobs for very long. The rest of the houses and stores in this barrio belong to the armorers, smiths, and weaponeers who make a living keeping the giff in business.
The head of the giff community is the short tempered General Saerlg Tomojak, and it is widely supposed that he could mobilize all 300 giff of Bral into a single army, if he so wished. Gifftown is rather a dangerous place, as the giff are constantly drilling and setting off charges of smoke powder.

95. Krunz Kanonwerks:

Owned and operated by the legendary gunsmith Adelphus Krunz, the Kanonwerks is one of the few plants which make bombards. Each cannon is lovingly crafted with skill and expertise, decorated with beautiful scrollwork and detailed with silver or gold etching, and then taken to the Edge and fired dozens of times. The giff love this, and all work stops for days whenever Adelphus is testing a new design or trying new ammunition types.
Adelphus is pioneering new casting techniques, trying to develop a simple process for mass producing cheap, but safe, cannon. So far he has been unsuccessful, since the only manufacturing technique that can produce a barrel of the required strength involves numerous heating and cooling cycles, as steel reinforcing bands are shrunk on to the cast iron barrel. Fortunately, the casting technology he needs is still decades away.
Adelphus works only on order and requires two to four months to make a bombard. He never has extra pieces laying around which can be sold off the shelf.

96. The Rockrat:

Perhaps one of the four or five dirtiest and most dangerous taverns in Brat, the Rockrat is a ramshackle old building decorated with battered old nautical gear. Catering to the cheapest sailors and tradesmen calling at Brat, the Rockrat also enjoys a fair amount of local flavor-it is a favorite among the giff, for example.
The Rockrat' s bouncer is a famous ogre named Grinder, who is actually a rather decent fellow (for an ogre). No one is allowed in with weapons, but the bare knuckled brawls that occur from time to time are sufficiently dangerous even without arms. The tavern's bad reputation and questionable clientele has led to its general boycott by decent and honest folk-which makes it a fine place for meeting rogues and thieves.
A draft of ale at the Rockrat costs 5 cp, and a meal of disappointing quality runs about 2 sp.

98. Zada's Mounts and Harness:

Occupying a small group of buildings and a tiny patch of open ground by the Edge, Zada's Mounts is operated by the famous Zada Doshioskov. Zada is a small human of middle years dressed in preposterous finery. His business is the trade of mounts of any descriptions. He is the only horse trader on the Rock, and his prices reflect this monopoly. Zada's animals are, without exception, poorly bred sickly nags, with broken spirits and vicious natures. It is frankly amazing that he manages to find, in any single beast, so many damning faults. At any given time he has 1d10 horses, 1 d6 dogs, 1 d4-1 camels, 2d6 mules or asses, and 1 d3-1 yaks. As a general rule, the prices for any animal are three times higher than those listed in the Player's Handbook, and the animals are of poor quality.
On the bright side, Zada cannot tell a prized charger from a dying nag, and on occasion a fine animal comes into his possession. He will part with one of these excellent mounts for the same price. Also, Zada occasionally acquires a bizarre animal, such as a lion, a dinosaur, a pegasus, or griffon. Zada sells harness and tack at the listed prices.

100. Master of the Docks:

This large building houses the Harbormasters, the Longshoremens' Guild, and the Royal Customs Officers. The Harbormasters are agents of the Master of the Docks. The Customs Officers, who are under Bianca Micharle's Board of Customs, are also under his direct supervision. In turn, the Master of the Docks is one of the chief bureaucrats in the service of the Council of Captains.
It is his job to schedule space in the landing caverns or along the docks, to supervise the customs inspections of cargoes being brought into the city, and, generally, to carry out the orders of the Council of Captains.
Players wishing to dock in Bral will eventually have to speak to one of the Harbormasters and arrange to rent landing space-usually assessed at 1 sp per ton, per day. It may be expensive, but then again, space is at a premium on the Rock. Anytime the players pull into Bra!, they will also have to undergo a customs inspection and fill out a lengthy declaration of cargo. It would be wise for players with ships to ensure that accurate manifests are kept.
As an aside, the Customs Officers and Harbormasters are notoriously corrupt and often collect "expedition taxes" to quickly finish their inspections and dock the ships.
Once the ship is tied up, or cradled, the longshoremen come on board. Generally, two longshoremen per five tons of ship, will suffice to unload the vessel's cargo in short order (about half a day). Longshoremen are paid 6 sp per day, with an additional 2 sp surcharge per worker, which goes into the guild's coffers. Captains refusing to pay their longshoremen will find that crucial parts of their cargoes mysteriously disappeared during unloading and they will also find that they will never be able to hire on help from the guild again.

101. The Lesser Market:

While it pales in comparison to the Great Market of the Middle City, the Lesser Market is still quite a fascinating place. There are far fewer craftsmen and artisans here, and most of the stalls are run by peddlers and small merchants. Quite a few fast talkers make this their home as well, and many of the booths are simple shell games or ring-around-the-bottle scams designed to separate the spacefarer from his hard earned gold. Because of this, the Lesser Market tends to have a more festive and less mercantile atmosphere.
Most common trades and services are represented here, including astrologers, beggars, carters, cobblers, cutlers, dyers, glaziers, grocers, hosiers, joiners, limners, mercers, tinkers, weavers, and thieves of all kinds. With a little patience and some bargaining, the careful shopper will find almost any goods or services at (d6 + 5) of their normal value. It is quite possible to find a fine wheel-lock pistol for 400 gp, or a diamond brooch worth 300 gp for half price. Of course, bargains like these are obviously fenced goods, and the shopper who takes advantage of these deals had better be prepared for any eventuality. Then again, in Bral possession is the entirety of the law.
The Lesser Market is plagued by skillful pickpockets and cutpurses. Every person who walks into the Lesser Market has a 1 in 4 chance of being the target of a pickpocket attempt, or 1 in 8 if they are taking obvious and sensible precautions. Players hoping to sell their unusual belongings here will find that most people assume they are fencing stolen goods and only offer (d6 + 2) of the item's retail value.

102. The Red House:

A fairly typical boarding house of the Low City, the Red House is owned and operated by a stout, gnomish matron, by the name of Gertreid. Her husband, Stingo, is a retired pirate who still tinkers with variations on the heavy crossbow. The Red House is a large, decrepit building that is surprisingly comfortable and well-kept on the inside. Gertreid cooks three meals a day, and charges her tenants at the end of the month based on the number of meals they sat down to eat-figured at 2 sp per three meals. Rooms let for 5 gp per month.
The Red House has a total of 12 rooms, three of which are doubles and occupied by families. The rooms are comfortable and clean, and adventurers passing through Bral could do far worse than to end up at Gertreid's Red House.

104. Marshall's Smithy:

A small but prosperous blacksmith, Marshall is a tall, gaunt young man. He specializes in metal fittings for ships, including bolts, nails, iron plates and joining pieces. He also forges hammerheads, axeheads, and adze for outfitting vessels and for sale to the shipwrights of the city. Marshall occasionally forges weapons such as arrowheads or war axes, but he derives his principal income from tools and nails.

105. Strombardi's Carvings:

A strong old man, Giovanni Strombardi is an artistic carver of wood. He has carved and painted dozens of fine figureheads in his time, and also prepares decorative work for use in new buildings; staircases, newels, and eaves in particular. Strombardi has a couple of talented young apprentices to whom he is teaching his art, and it seems likely that they will continue on in his footsteps, in time.

107. The Sign of the Black Bull:

Well-known as the favored tavern of mercenaries and assassins, this is actually a quiet ale house of quality. A distinctly martial decor includes proud heraldic arms on the walls and banners hung from the ceiling. The Black Bull attracts many professional soldiers and retired veterans who like to come here and reminisce of past battles.
Despite the militant character of the clientele, the Black Bull is a very subdued establishment. People who pick fights in here are killed, not just bludgeoned or bruised.

108. Cap'n Gyudd's Nautical Goods:

This fine business in Bral reconditions and sells nautical antiques. One of the largest such enterprises, it is run by the redoubtable dwarven veteran, Cap'n Gyudd. He carries some authentic nautical supplies, such as tools, rope, sail mending kits and such, but mostly caters to the lubbers who always fancied themselves starfarers, but never left port. Polished harpoons, lamps made from belaying pins, and figureheads salvaged from wrecks are the nautical goods that make money for the Cap'n.
Gyudd has a great store of tall tales and naval lore. He loves to sit down with a real sailor (not one of the polished fops who buy his belaying pins) and trade a story or two. Gyudd captained a pirate ship a few decades ago and can be a valuable source of information, if the players don't mind the occasional long winded sea story.

109. The Holy Keep of Bane:

The Rock is not without its fair share of cults and hidden temples, and the Holy Keep of Bane is one of these lesser shrines. Founded about eight years ago by Halwarin, a Zhentarim adventuring priest, the Holy Keep of Bane is housed in a run down and decrepit building, with a following of only a few dozen evil mages and warriors.
Halwarin is determined to bring the worship of Bane to Wildspace and has been contacted by the Tenth Pit, who view the worship of the dead god as an excellent way in which to gain secular power. Of course, Halwarin refuses to subjugate the cause of Bane to the purposes of the Tenth Pit. Most Bralians view the Holy Keep as just another collection of crazed cultists and ignore them.

112. Council of the City:

Housed in an old, but dignified building, the Council of the City is a relatively meaningless body that tends to rubber stamp the prince's edicts with little debate. Each major guild or race is represented, as well as territorial areas of the city. There are dwarven, elven, and giff delegates as well as shipwright, merchant, and noble representatives.
Although the Council has the power to overturn the prince's laws, the current member· ship has been appointed, in its entirety, by Prince Andru or by Prince Frun, and the appointment is for life.
The Council is often called upon to resolve disputes between communities or organizations. For example, if the halflings complain that the giff have been blowing things up again, the council would resolve the matter with a debate and an injunction to the giff not to blow things up. Of course, the giff disregard the council's will, since there is no means by which the council can enforce its resolutions, and promptly begin to blow things up again. Many citizens feel a day at the Council of the City beats a day at the theatre for entertainment value.

113. The War-Drakes:

The War-Drakes are privateers and one of the most successful fleets-for-hire in all the Known Spheres. This elegant brownstone building is their headquarters and main office. The War-Drakes consist of four ships: a hammership, two squidships, and a shrikeship. Unlike most privateers, they do not just settle for a letter of marque, but demand mercenary salaries as well. The WarDrakes are led by the rogue elven captain Celestia Silverfist. She is known to have served for many years with the elven armada, but now commands this small flotilla of freebooters.
The War-Drakes seek out wars between starfaring powers and offer to join a side-for a price a letter of marque and a sum of gold. The four ships then function as a pirate flotilla, cooperating in coordinated attacks of towns and convoys. When they are between jobs, they practice relentlessly, perfecting their cooperative tactics. They have destroyed more than one squadron sent to halt their maraudings.
Hiring the War-Drakes is very expensive, but many governments consider contracting privateers to be cheaper than buying and maintaining a fleet. The War-Drakes are always looking for good fighters and skilled mages and priests.

114. The Rampant Lion:

The Rampant Lion is one of the better taverns and inns of Low City. It is hidden in one of the alleyways surrounding the Lesser Market, and caters to the itinerant spacefarer, specializing in taking rooms in advance; that way, a celebrating sailor is guaranteed to have a place to go when he spends what gold he has left.
Although the Rampant Lion is clean and cheap, it is avoided by native Bralians. Guests at the inn have an unnerving tendency to disappear, never to be seen again. The owner, a portly human hostler named Warris, claims that the vanished guests have merely shipped out again in the early hours. Some people claim that the site of the Rampant Lion is above a secret slave pit where drunken sailors are sold to the mind flayers as cattle. Of course, these wild rumors are unsubstantiated.

115. Temple of Odin:

One of the oldest and most respectable of the small shrines of Bral, the Temple of Odin was founded more than 50 years ago. A group of viking spacefarers and their spelljamming priest were swept to the Rock by an odd space storm, and they were unable to find their way home. The warriors eventually took wives and started families, forming a small nordic community that was eventually reabsorbed by cosmopolitan Bral. In the meantime, the temple actually began to attract a few scattered worshippers besides the vikings and their families. The current priest may or may not be in contact with Odin, depending on where the DM wishes to place Bral. Even if the All-father is not known in Bral's sphere, he will be soon, if the congregation grows much larger. Its numbers are now about 100.

117. The Arcane Warehouse:

Perhaps the single most mysterious structure on Bral, this was an abandoned warehouse until 11 years ago, when the Arcane decided to establish a permanent presence in Bra!. Working through middlemen and agents, the Arcane purchased the building from the Crown for an exorbitant sum and proceeded to completely remodel it. An elite force of skilled and loyal mercenaries guard the building, posting sentries on each wall and on the roof, but even they have never been inside. Somehow, the Arcane make major helms, or receive them from smuggled cargo, because this is where purchasers are taken when the new helm is carried out. There is some speculation that a gate or an extradimensional doorway is hidden inside the warehouse, and that the Arcane homelands lie beyond-no one knows for sure.

120. Eirenfezt Warehouse:

This isolated warehouse is full of silk, cotton, and spices.

123. The Shou Embassy:

A stately building in the Shou style, the Embassy seems almost jarringly out-of-place on Bral's docking edge. Golden dragons crouch at the cornices and snarling bronze foo beasts guard the doors. Inside, the embassy is composed of many small but elegant chambers, where the ambassador receives his visitors. Dashi Wei Huan is the current emissary of Shou to the Rock, and is one of the most important Shou in Wildspace. He is in direct contact with the Emperor's court through the aid of a wu jen assistant.
Wei Huan does not seem to care about matters so base as yakuza or strong-arming the Shou community of Bral; he is far too busy representing his government in space. His restraint and quiet manner conceal the vast scope of powers of policy and diplomacy with which he is invested. If Wei Huan had good cause, he could hurl the Shou spacefaring navy into a war and expect the court to back him up. He also holds the power of high justice, in the Emperor's name, and at a word, could have Ozamata Murawa taken into the street and decapitated. He simply thinks that these things are undignified and prefers not to exert his power.

124. Shou-Town:

A closely knit community that seems to spread a little farther every day, Shou-Town is composed of several hundred Shou who have emigrated to Wildspace. Most were fleeing strife at home, signing on with the occasional spelljammer calling in Shou Lung, and working for passage for themselves and their families. It did not take long for the cultural patterns of Shou to reestablish themselves, and in no time at all the yakuza were again running things.
Unlike the realm of Shou Lung they left, there is no nobility or class of warriors in the Shou-Town of Bral. Almost without exception, the Shou are craftsmen and artisans, pursuing their trades. A walk through Shou-Town is a relatively noisy affair, with industry and activity on all sides. In the shadows, the tattooed yakuza eye visitors warily, watching over their selected territories.

125. Yakuza House:

Small and nondescript, this ramshackle old building seems to leer and lean drunkenly with age. One of the first warehouses of the city, it was converted into a boarding house in later years. When that was abandoned, the yakuza moved in and renovated the structure for their own purposes. At first glance it appears to have become a warehouse again, but inside there are locked doors and watchful guards. The yakuza are growing stronger every day, as Shou-Town continues to grow, and have already fought bitter wars to extend their territory. Already the greater part of the Low City is under their sway, and even now they plan to drive the halflings out of business.
Most people would walk right past this building without suspecting that it concealed the house of the yakuza. Should someone be so rash as to attempt to enter by force or stealth, they will be dealing with several dozen of the most dangerous rogues of Bral.

126. Nautical Charts of Bral:

A large and prosperous business, Nautical Charts of Bral offers a wide range of starcharts and navigation essentials such as instruments and tables of precession. To outfit a ship with a basic selection of charts for nearby spheres and the bare bones of navigational gear costs about 4000 to 7000 gp. This would include from 10 to 15 charts, a set of books containing the tables of precession, an astrolabe (a mechanical device that can be adjusted to mimic a crystal sphere), sextants, dividers, parallel rulers, and similar paraphernalia. Nautical Charts of Bral is run by a young, grey elf who was once a pupil of Elmandar's. Teledir Sunstrider is a radical innovator in the field of navigation and has already introduced several new techniques.

127. The Crooked Square:

The favored ale house of Bral's large and powerful Shipwrights' Guild, this tavern is a rowdy place with frequent good natured brawls and service until the break of day. Its emblem is a carpenter's square with the tee set askew. Most of the shipwrights are normal human artisans, but there are a few unusual types among them, including a couple of giants and several thieves and guild thugs. Those not shipwrights, drinking in here, have an excellent chance of being drawn into a fight, but for the most part, the brawlers remain unarmed.

128. Xenotermination, Limited:

A very unusual firm with a small, ill kept office, Xenotermination consists of about a dozen proven veterans and battle-mages. The leader of the company, Uriksedda, will occasionally take on extra hands for a big assignment, but she views anyone beyond her own picked crew as expendable and is actually rather surprised when a temporary survives an assignment. Xenotermination pays very well, but its employ is perhaps the most dangerous occupation in all Wildspace. Uriksedda and her men hunt down and remove dangerous Wildspace creatures, endangering the profit margins of large trading companies, such as a witchlight marauder preying on an asteroid base or a radiant dragon threatening a space lane. At first glance, they don't look like much, simply a bunch of scarred old veterans with attitudes, lounging around the run down office. But when Xenotermination goes into action, they work together with a speed and precision that is Legendary. Uriksedda generally charges 100 gp per man, per day, plus a bounty on the creatures to be hunted and guaranteed reimbursement for healing or burial expenses.

130. The Low Magistrate:

Easily the busiest of the three magistrates, the Low Magistrate has a small staff of watch commanders who act as sub-magistrates and refer only the truly heinous felonies to the Magistrate himself. The building is rather old and run down, with overcrowded cells and a dingy barracks for the Magistrate's Watch. The place is a pandemonium of shouting, arguing creatures of a dozen races and grim guardsmen trying to sort out who stabbed whom, and when.
The Low Magistrate's Watch is a heavily armed force of around 50 tough fighters, armored in half-plate with halberds, short swords, targes, and light crossbows. In addition, half a dozen mages are available to aid in the apprehension of dangerous criminals. The Low Magistrate's Watch patrols the streets at random intervals, but it is more likely that they will stumble across a felon in the act while on their way to apprehend someone else.

132. House of Tempus:

Another of the small sects struggling to flourish in Bral, the House of Tempus is dedicated to the lord of battle and glorious war. The worship of Tempus is very new on Bral, dating back only 11 years. The current commanding priest, Taval Hammerfist, brought the worship of Tempus to Bral from the Forgotten Realms. The House of Tempus is growing in popularity, as more and more mercenaries and fighting men and women are drawn into the congregation. It is possible that the worship of Tempus in many spheres could begin from here. As an interesting aside, Taval Hammerfist is forming a templar military brotherhood known as the Guards of Tempus.

133. Saakharr's Exotic Mails:

Owned by the famous lizard man warrior Saakharr, this armory caters to a nonhuman clientele seeking good armor. Fine arms and mail tailored to lizardmen, ogres, giff, dracons, grommans, hadozee, and other nonhuman races may be found here. In general, armor made to fit one of these races is two to five times more expensive than similar armor made for a human and weighs 50-100% more than the human equivalent. Lizardmen need extra protection for their tails and they are fond of strapping a couple of nasty spikes to the tip. Ogres need oddly cut, oversize pieces. Dracons require a combination of barding and regular armor.
There is a base 50% chance that a suit of chainmail or banded mail is on hand that can be fitted to the nonhuman purchaser. If it is not available, measurements will be taken and a new set made for the purchaser. This will take four to eight weeks, but the service does not increase the price.

134. Dracon-Town:

The smallest and newest of the barrios, DraconTown consists of only 20 or so extended families in the area immediately surrounding the Dracon enclave. Dracons do not live anywhere else in the city since their affinity for their own kind will not allow them to live anywhere but in the company of their own race.
Dracons are relatively quiet and maintain a fair amount of calm in their immediate vicinity. Few people come here looking for trouble. All of the dracons consider themselves to be members of the same extended herd, led by the powerful kaba called Stakahlla. He considers it imperative to keep the dracons at a dignified distance from the disorderly chaos of the Rock, and guards his herd with wisdom and compassion.

135. The Dracon Enclave:

A new building of distinct draconian architecture, the Enclave was raised as a kind of community center and embassy. It acts as a consulate, offering shelter and aid to any dracon passing through Bral, as well as a diplomatic mission. The old kaba, Stakahlla, is the senior dracon representative on the Rock, and is empowered to speak on behalf of all draconkind. Realistically, he would not presume to do so unless the matter was both grave and urgently required dracon action. Messages would then be sent to the largest dracon worlds advising the leaders of what had been done.

136. The Golden Brotherhood:

Some Bralians view this club as an anachronism, a relic of days-gone-by. The Golden Brotherhood is a loose organization of privateers and mercenaries, open to any who fight for gold and glory. This building contains a fine tavern, a roomy inn, a small hall, and a set of offices. The Golden Brotherhood is the direct descendant of the Black Brotherhood, a piratical organization founded by old Captain Bral himself. Many people do not bother to distinguish between the two groups and consider a member of the Golden Brotherhood the next best thing to a declared pirate.
Members usually receive a tattoo of a serpent·twined dagger on the left forearm. Within the organization any man can challenge another for rank or belongings. The weapons are usually knives, with the off-hands of the combatants tethered by a foot long length of cord. These duels can occur even between defeated prisoners and members of a victorious boarding party; more than one captain won his command after losing his ship and then challenging the fellow who had just beaten him.
On Bral, about half the sailors or marines on any given privateer belong to the Golden Brotherhood. A pirate vessel, encountered in the area, will include Golden Brothers, and a Bralian merchantman or naval vessel. The Golden Brotherhood has no agenda and no organization, beyond providing a common ground for buccaneers and brigands of all kinds.

138. Keep of Gond:

A small and out of the way shrine, this building is dedicated to the worship of Gond, a deity of the Forgotten Realms. Three gnomish priests of the Wonderbringer brought Gond's worship to Wildspace, and the deity is a favorite with the local gnomish community. Gnomes bring their own special perspective to Gond's temple, and the building is filled with strange and irritating inventions of all kinds.
A small number of human worshippers of Gond attend ceremonies here as well, but Gond is not yet well-known in Wildspace, and with any luck the gnomes will not be able to change that for a while.
A member of Gond's clergy from Toril would find this temple alarming and heretical, as the gnomish priests have chosen to depict Gond as an exceptionally short and gnarled old gnome. Worse yet, the image is articulated and can get up to collect its own offerings.

139. Royal Sailmakers of Bral:

One of the many fine canvasworkers of Bral, the company known as the Royal Sailmakers purchased a Royal Endorsement some years ago in order to gain their trademark. They are the largest sailmakers in Bra! and the chief outfitters for new vessels built by the Shipwright's Guild. Rigging costs 100 gp per ton of ship when the vessel is first built, but this is generally figured into the contract and is not directly paid by the purchaser.
Replacement sails, lines, and tackle cost half as much if a ship is to be refitted. Most ships carry at least one spare of every sail they have, and often two or three spares of sails that are subject to frequent damage. Single sails vary widely in price, depending on whether or not it is a standard cut or size, what special attachment points it may have, and decorations or embroidery. A safe average might be 100 to 1000 gp to replace a sail lost in battle or storm.

140. The Shipyards:

Also referred to as the Drydock, or simply the yards, this area is occupied by construction and repair facilities for ships of almost any size. The Shipyards do not belong to any particular merchant or noble house, but are instead owned by the Crown, which grants the Shipwrights' Guild a license to carry out their business here. The real effect of this is a monopoly, since the only organization
that builds or repairs ships is the Guild. The shipyards include the Guild Hall, several large cradles for supporting vessels not designed for dry landings, a large ironworks, and a couple of vast repair caverns where ships can be worked beneath the cover of the Rock.
The yards are the exclusive domain of lrdana Shipwright, an ingenious designer and builder who leads the Guild. She seems to oversee half a dozen projects at once and still finds the time to help a young child repair his toy boat. From a business perspective, ship construction or repair costs are held at 10% above normal value, but the workmanship is excellent. With an additional 10 % surcharge, the shipwrights can rush a repair or construction job, cutting one-third off the normal time required for the job.
Treating the shipwrights rudely or pushing them around is a very poor idea. They will simply refuse to work on the offender's vessels ever again. Presently, there are two battle dolphins under construction, a hammership in for repairs, and two tradesmen in for maintenance and repainting.

141. The Ironworks:

One of the largest casting and cold forge facilities known in any sphere, the Ironworks of Bral are operated by the Forgemen. The Forgemen are an ironworkers guild, a sister organization to the Shipwrights'. They produce iron plate and castings for use in hull construction and repair.
The Ironworks does no smelting, but instead, buys refined ore. Their forges are powered by magical fires which are periodically renewed by members of the Mages' Guild. Prices for ship repair and construction include the cost of iron plate and fittings.

142. The Shipwright's Guildhall:

The Guildhall is nearly 100 feet tall and was constructed from a grounded cuttle command ship. Most of the tentacles have been removed and replaced with permanent structural supports, and the ship has served well for 160 years or more. The towering, curved shell is one of the unique features of Bral's Low City. Inside the Guildhall are meeting halls, taverns, spare rooms, and the business offices of the guild.
Captains wishing to build and commission a new vessel will meet with guild representatives here to agree on price, method of payment, delivery times, and, most importantly, what is to be included with the ship. Captains having ships repaired will also meet extensively with naval architects and shipwrights to discuss progress and any problems that may arise.
Most customers with a basis for comparison, consider the shipyards of the Rock to be among the best in the Known Spheres. The shipwrights are fiercely proud of their work and reputation. They would never allow a shoddy piece of workmanship to leave their yards.

143. Houwe's Ballistae and Catapults:

An armorer who specializes in making heavy weapons, Shiran Houwe is human, a tall and gaunt woman of about 35; a very serious person who rarely smiles. Her great-grandmother founded the store and she carried on the business after her mother left it to her. She is very demanding of the half dozen journeymen and apprentices she employs, and her excellent work reflects this. Houwe's rents a couple of buildings in the vicinity and in them she occasionally has on hand a couple of ballistae or light catapults which can be sold off the shelf.
Otherwise, most of her work is already committed by order. Ilian Houwe obtained an exclusive contract recently to provide armaments to ships constructed in the yards.
Given a month or two for completion, Ilian's great skill and careful craftsmanship can result in a + 1 weapon. These weapons are finely balanced and made from more expensive materials than normal, and are two times as expensive as the cost found in the DMG.

144. The Laughing Beholder:

A small but prosperous tavern, the Laughing Beholder is owned by none other than Large Luigi, the famous beholder and tavern keeper.
Luigi is an extremely wise and knowledgeable beholder who is one of the very few members of his race to understand the beholder destiny-to learn and to teach. Luigi is a civic minded and well-liked citizen of Bral, and spends most of his time listening to the rumors of far spheres and great adventures.
Very few people realize that Luigi's knowledge is godlike in its scope-that he is a vision of the potential of the beholder race. He has, at one time, known everything there is to know about anything in the entire multiverse.
Luigi is more than happy to share information with anyone who cares to seek the answers from him, but he has an infuriating tendency to withhold vital knowledge. He cannot reveal knowledge that would upset the balance of the cosmos and on many occasions that could depend on something as simple as an adventurer knowing where to find a fabled ruin or a reclusive hermit. All he asks in return is a story or song for his many patrons.
The Laughing Beholder is rarely troubled by bullies or hoodlums. Large Luigi's powerful magical abilities quickly put an end to trouble virtually before it starts.

149. The Leading Jettison:

Similar in design and function to the Trailing Jettison, this device serves the Low City and parts of the Middle City. It is operated by a small band of otyughs who scour the city for rubbish to bring to the jettison and root through. Occasionally their street sweeping removes a few drunkards and beggars as well, but nobody complains. A clever, sarcastic neo-otyugh leads the band and directs their actions.
Ships approaching the docks are sometimes targeted and fired on with loads of stinking ordure, and many of Bral's rogues love to place bets on whether or not the vessel can avoid the fetid missiles.

150. The Docking Caverns:

A series of natural caverns, widened and smooth floored for use as cargo handling areas, the docking caverns can only accommodate the smallest of vessels-a wingspan of 50' or less is required to actually pass within. The caverns are far more important as an area in which to unload ships and store cargo while lift service is arranged.
The caverns feature a set of cargo lifts that pass through shafts in the Rock to the Topside. The lifts are simply wooden platforms that ride on vertical tracks, lifted by stout cables. Each lift emerges in one of the warehouses along the Docking Edge. Some of these shafts may be rented from the owner of the warehouse for private use, but most merchants who do not own one find it cheaper to hire porters to carry goods topside.
The caverns also have a small business district where cargoes are traded right on the docks and vendors sell ale and food to the many sailors and longshoremen there.

Tourism

A beholder known as Large Luigi, who might have had more collected knowledge than any other entity in the many crystal spheres, lived on the Rock, working as a bartender at the Laughing Beholder.
Despite the Rock being a haven for pirates, it was also home to the only temple to Tyr, god of justice, in Realmspace that did not lie on the planet of Toril. The Pantheist Temple of Tyr was home to priests who held a number of non-standard religious views, but nevertheless they felt compelled to fight crime and injustice wherever they found it. Thus, they waged a number of crusades and wars on crime on the Rock of Bral. Needless to say, the Tyrrans and their god were not popular on Bral.

Maps

• 

  Rock of Bral

Founding Date

13th Century DR

Founders

• Captain Bral

Type

Metropolis

Population

20,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Bralians

Location under

Tears of Selune

Owner/Ruler

Prince Andru Cozar

Characters in Location

• Andaclesia
• Ishathrandra
• Prince Andru Cozar

Related Reports (Primary)

• Session XV: Kicking About on Bral Report
• Session XVI: Silas Dergal and Rhodian Windbreath Report
• Session XVII: Showdown at Silas's Trading House Report

Related Plots

• Inside Silas's House
• The Rock of Bral: Crown Jewel of the Tears
• The Town of Shou on Bral