This sounds
super awesome and I'd love to contribute and/or play in this if it picks up traction!
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Name: Niflant Castle (Niph-ull-lant)
Population Size: 200 (500 dead...ish) along with a various amount of travelers.
Settlement Type: Castle
General Visual Description: As far north as Eramar reaches, the castle of Niflant rests on the small island of Yendril (Yin-drill) and is surrounded by a massive lake known as Himthusar (Him-thoo-czar). During most of the year, when the weather blisters bare skin from cold, the lake is frozen so thick that large caravans cross safely over without worry. However, during the middle of Summer the lake begins to melt. This change in weather creates small glaciers within the lake, along with small "ice isles" that all float around Niflant. This period lasts for a full month so those inside the inhabitants of Niflant stockpile resources to survive without much trade for a month or so. Though it not deemed wise, those daring enough can navigate Himthusar during this melting period...if they can avoid the frozen creatures that lie below the surface.
The castle itself is not wide but tall as it towers over the frozen forests that surround it and even meets the lone ice mountain nearby, Aegair (Eye-gar) Peak, in height. With bright red tower caps, red and gold banners waving in the bitter wind, and white as snow brick supporting the castle, the inhabitants of Niflant bundle up in layers of clothing to protect from the weather. Though they are protected by the lake, Niflant has a thick ice covered wall with many inner gates surrounding it for protection. The wall itself is split into three sections on the inside, The Outer, The Belly (where the guards on duty and ruffians stay), and The Fire (where superiors on the wall stay on duty as well as travelers/adventurers). The Outer is simply the outer part of the wall, caked in ice each year and curved at the top to discourage climbing over, there also lies small hidden holes within so those in the wall may attack those who wish to climb on the outer.
The Belly is cramped, damp, and bustling. There is only an inn (with a pub) and a few military barracks in this section. The Black Iris, the pub, is home to those of unruly personality (rogues, thieves, mercenaries, etc.) The Black Iris is extremely dangerous, most try to avoid it if they are staying in Niflant but some like the thrill. The barracks are vertical to fit with the height of the wall, people either climb a ladder, stairs or take a small pulley elevator to get to their "room" which houses two bunk beds. The Fire is cramped but not as damp. There are only suites and an inn in this section as the officers on duty stay in the suites and adventurers stay in The Freezing Banshee. All rooms in the Banshee and for the officers have balconies that look inwards towards Niflant.
Inside the walls is where the regular residents of Niflant stay. All roads inside lead to The Tower, where the Lord Commander of Niflant stays and rules over the castle and surrounding wilderness. Ice fishing, wood chopping, and hunting are main survival professions in Niflant. The residential district (closer to the wall) is full of white bricked buildings with different color roofs, if one so chooses they can easily navigate the roof tops on foot, with small alleys between some of them. The commercial district is comprised of small stalls for traveling merchants but the main attraction is Chester's Trio Trireme. Chester's is a mostly destroyed trireme split up into three sections, a catwalk connecting each section for easy access between them. The first section is for general goods and "services", the second is for jewerly, fancy clothes, luxaries, etc and the last section is for weapons and armor. The last section is home to Rex's Smith, a great female blacksmith who supplies most everyone with weapons and armor that isn't in the military.
There is of course a military district where all forces stay and train. The buildings here are lower than the others around it, aside from the Captain's building which is two stories high (first floor being for meetings and the second being where the Captain stays). The men, and women, in the force are hardened like ice but have a good reputation with civilians inside the walls. They also have their own military blacksmith along with various other craftsmen.
The Tower stands...well tall. The inside is comprised of a war room, living quarters for special guests, living quarters for The Council, living quarters for the Lord Commander, a magus corridor, and a dining hall. The war room is most frequented as that is where most meetings are held and the dining hall is rather small with large windows and well lit with lanterns made of black iron. Rooms are bare basics, like most residents of Niflant. The Magus Corridor is more of a small hallway with housing and a library for those studying magic, only two magic casters currently live here though.
During the rule of the last Lord Commander, fanatics of Trolen and Jarif moved into the neighboring village of Brightbrook looking to give a gift to the gods. They massacred all within Brightbrook and set their eyes upon Niflant. Sneaking through the Wall's defenses with the help of some dangerous magic, the began to slaughter all within. After most were dead, the fanatics began to bring the dead back to life in hopes of showing their love to the two gods. However, be it by godly intervention or not, when the inhabitants of Niflant and Brightbrook awoke they were dead but retained sentience. The cold no longer bothered them, wounds healed very slowly but did not hurt, and most of all...they could get revenge. Frightened by their death magic not working, the fanatics ran far away and cast wards on the walls of Niflant so that no undead could pass. Only a handful of those during that attack were not killed, it was decided that those able to would stand guard on the wall to protect those inside from outsiders who wouldn't understand their plight. The undead that wished it could get the Auramancer to make them appear more alive, or at least pass for it, but those guarding the wall
must have themselves disguised. For no one should know what truly goes on within the walls of Niflant. The Lord Commander before Lilian was not killed during the attack but fled during it for fear of his life, leaving the castle he ruled over to fend for itself.
That's about it for the description of Niflant.
Settlement Garrison and Defences: The Wall (mentioned above) is manned by 50 watchers at all times. Should the need arise, all non-soldiers can retreat to The Tower for shelter in case of an attack. The little cubby holes in the walls are usually used for firing arrows, attacking people that climb the wall with spears, or dropping anything on those below. If the Wall is infiltrated, each section can be closed off by the one before it, protecting those inside. Niflant has enough supplies to withstand a siege for a full month and a half before growing hungry or thirsty.
Structures of Interest:
The Tower - Home to Lord Commander, her Council, and special guests
The Black Iris - A dangerous Inn/Pub in The Belly, it's very cheap
The Freezing Banshee - A nice inn/pub where most adventurers/travelers stay for a high price.
Chester's Trio Trireme - A odd building that is sort of like a mall with different shops inside.
Rexx's Smith - A well known and friendly female blacksmith operates here inside Chester's Trio Trireme
Frozen Fountain - A fountain forever frozen in the center of Niflant, no one quite remembers how it became forever frozen...
The Wall - The Belly and Fire sections mostly.
Himthusar Lake - The thick frozen lake surrounding Niflant.
Aegair Peak - The lone mountain resting north of Niflant.
People of Interest:
Lord Commander Lilian Klevoon - A halfing female who is in control of Niflant. ALIVE
The Council - Three individuals from each district within Niflant, chosen by the people to advise Lilian. TWO UNDEAD. ONE ALIVE.
Rexx MacKenzie - A friendly female blacksmith with a hidden talent. UNDEAD
Captain Quentin Truftan - Captain of the military; gruff, old, and hardened. ALIVE
Chester Bolish - Owns and operates the building with his name, extremely greedy but has a good heart. UNDEAD
Vincent Vex - A rogue within The Belly looking for a way to pay off a debt by any means. ALIVE
Zayden Tristan - Looking for a lost friend.
Grintolen The Blue - Cryo/Hydromancer of Niflant, resides in the Magus Corridor. Very jolly and always excited.
Shadow - A masked, silent Auramancer that helps make the undead appear more alive, if they want. He/she has never spoken and only Grintolen, their best friend, has seen their face.
Lord Commander Weylond Fritz - Abandoned Niflant in time of need, missing in action. ALIVE/DEAD?
Settlement's Leader: Lord Commander Lilian Klevoon. She is a halfling female chosen by the council to rule over Niflant. She is originally from a small village south but has shown wisdom in Niflant, courage in battle, and kindness when meeting people. Her support is more or less one-hundred percent, very few don't like her and those who do dare not voice their opinions aloud.
Location: As far northeast.
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Name: The Village of Brightbrook
Inhabitants: Fanatics of Trolen and Jarif
Lair Type: Small village
Alignment: Neutral-Hostile for the most part. Though travelers who enter will get a "culty" feel for the village, the inhabitants will not outright attack at first. If they deem them worthy of sacrifice, are wronged in any way by visitors, or deem them dangerous to their cause they will full out attack and try to kill people.
General Visual Description: Only a few houses, a small frozen dock on Lake Himthusar, an inn/pub with no name, and a small church closed off to visitors.
Population: 25
Places of Interest:
Boarded up church - boarded up and chained on the outside, this is where the fanatics worship and sacrifice to the gods.
The Catacombs - Where the bodies of those sacrificed are buried by the fanatics
Frozen dock - one lone canoe is there
The Great Tree - In the middle of town it rests with an odd symbol scratched into it.
Inn - Most fanatics live there but there is room for travelers. The basement is connected to the Catacombs.
People of Interest:
Lord Commander Weylond Fritz's Ghost - He wanders the Catacombs looking for a host to go back to Niflant.
Urianger - Leader of the fanatics, he's very intelligent and cunning with a knack for magic.
Gretchen Messlir - Right hand to Urianger, great archer and fighter, friends-with-benefits with most male captives.
Yuri Opolany - Wise left hand of Urianger, has doubts for their cause but is a master of necromancy. Created ward on Niflant.
Rinsoni Clinton - A captive to be sacrificed at dusk, her father is in The Belly.
Leon Evans - Captured friend of Zayden, to be sacrificed with Rinsoni.
Lair's Master: Urianger, intelligent and cunning leader of the fanatics. Long black hair and a goatee, half his face has burn marks from his first failed spell. He is a master at necromancy and fairly gifted at pyromancy (his flames are black).
Location: A little southwest of Niflant on Lake Himthusar.
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