Rand's Travelogue
More Lake of Steam and Dragon Coast!
By Rand Sharpsword
Rand Sharpsword, collector of bits of travel and geographical information, brings you further details about the Lake of Steam and Dragon Coast. Rand provides these to supplement the information found in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.
Dragon Coast Locations
Priapurl (Small Town, 2,000): Priapurl is a sleepy town along the Trader's Road. It is notable for three things: its tavernkeeper, its absentee ruler, and its local mercenary company. The barkeep is a former priest of Bane known as Zo who runs a tavern named Lord Cyric's Bane. He always claimed to have tired of Zhent politics, felt the call to change his ways, and reformed into an honest citizen. Now that Bane has returned and Zo still runs his bar, most folks in Priapurl fully believe in Zo's reformation, though none are eager to cross him or try stealing from his establishment.
The absentee ruler, Tar Hurara (LN female human Ftr1/Nbl4), is descended from bandits but aspires to true nobility. She spends all her time at the court of Cormyr.
The Mindgulph Mercenary Company commanded by Lady Gayrlana Bloodsword (LN female human Ftr13/Rog1) occupies a large keep to the south of the town. The Mindgulphs are a unique company of monstrous humanoids, aberrations, and magical beasts including wemics, centaurs, dragonkin, treants and even a beholder.
Lake of Steam Locations
Ankhwood: Once part of the Winterwood, this forest suffers from a strange magical effect. For many years a wild magic zone and a dead magic zone orbited each other within the wood, but this effect has faded. Unfortunately, this only increased the other odd effect of the area that mutates animals, insects, and plants. The resident elves are trying to discover the cause. Outsiders speculate about a failed mythal.
The Neth Stand: People from nearby towns dislike this light forest both for the sulphurous mists that arise from underground volcanic vents and for the dangerous creatures, primarily a tribe of semiaquatic trolls and a rival group of canny and aggressive weresharks. Its high-quality wood (valuable even though it requires treatment to get rid of the smell) draws local loggers who arm themselves or hire guards to ward off monster attacks.
Yeshpek (Large City, 23,000): This fortified city exports chains of various sizes and strength. Many people from here become mercenaries, although they have a reputation for recklessness and defying authority. The locals consider flamboyant spending and ostentatious display of wealth to be wasteful. The people are critical of others but proud of their crafted goods.
Tulmon (Metropolis, 25,000): This city is built almost entirely out of stone and has little to fear from fire. Its leader is Arkanuirr Tchallem (LN male human Sor11) who has used magic to prolong his life to over 300 years. The nearby Crypt City, part of the older original Tulmon, is haunted by undead and used as a neutral ground for criminals and the black market. The city is intolerant of visiting wizards and sorcerers, especially reckless ones.
Plots and Rumors
Sorcerers Beware: Sorcerers are especially scarce around Tulmon recently. Rumors have it that someone in the town is trying an experiment of sorts that involves the blood of a sorcerer. There is even a bounty for every vial of sorcerer blood, regardless of race, that a person brings to a couple of storekeepers in Tulmon.
Oaken Trials: The one, young stand of oaks in the Neth Stand has acquired a dryad, but she ails from the mists that have inundated the wood. Loggers fear to bring down her trees for she is very protective of them, but she seems to be suffering. No druids know of the situation as of yet, and the loggers don't particularly want to deal with the druids anyway.