The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

northwest, a built-up hill in a bend in the river that
was the original settlement. This has its own name:
Crom Crythni. It is restricted to the nobility and the
generals, who rarely descend to the lower city. The
architecture here is far more pleasing to the eye; many
of the buildings are antique structures dating from the
days of elven colonisation, preserved behind high walls
for centuries.
At the northern end of Crom Crythni, keeping the whole
region in its shadow, stands Burgenstoch Castle, a
grotesque fortress of iron-barbed towers and thick layers
of metal plating over ancient stonework. A flight of
steps called the Shadrill Stair, flanked by watchtowers,
connects the upper and lower cities.
Non-Player Character Group: The
Citizens
Crom Calamar, and indeed the entire country of
Jehannum, operates a martial code of enfranchisement.
If one is registered as a warrior, then one is entitled to
vote on any issue that the Iron Dukes present to the
people for resolution, including on the question of who
should succeed any duke who resigns or dies. The
rationale is that only those who fight in their country’s
defence deserve to have a say in how that country is
governed.
In order to be registered, one must either be enrolled
(or have served time) in the army of Jehannum or be
a member of a volunteer militia for one’s town or city.
In cities, the militia are organised by district. All one
has to do to join one is demonstrate competence with a
weapon and sign up, pledging to take part in the defence
of one’s community should it be threatened.
The residents of Crom Calamar have a knee-jerk
contempt for anyone who does not seem like a warrior
or fighter. Clerics are all right if they do their part in
the fighting. Wizards and sorcerers are an unfortunate
necessity, useful for making the best armour and weapons
but not the kind of people one would socialise with out
of choice. The populace views them as aberrations. As
they are dependent upon their magic to compensate for
their physical weakness, they never have a chance to
toughen themselves up.
Barbarians are good drinking companions, rangers
tend to be scruffy but are tolerable and monks are
admirable combatants but a little too caught up in
all of that mystical stuff. Rogues are rarely worth
associating with, paladins are excellent fellows (they
set such good examples) and druids – well, the druids
are just incomprehensible. Wooden armour? What is
wrong with a good solid piece of shaped metal on one’s
body?
Almost all of Crom Calamar’s citizens are armed all the
time, even if it is only with a dagger or hand-axe. Their
weapons are the signs of their citizenship. Being seen
in public without a weapon is like being seen naked: it
draws stares and whispered comments or even insults.
The following modifiers apply in Crom Calamar:
• Any Player who is obviously a wizard, sorcerer
or druid suffers a –2 circumstance penalty to
checks made to influence others’ opinions, such as
Diplomacy checks. He will also have to pay 150%
of the listed price for any item.
• Any Player who does not carry an openly displayed
weapon suffers an additional –2 penalty to the above
checks.
• Failing to accept a challenge is considered cowardly.
Any Player who refuses an invitation to a fight will
have a default reaction of Hostile from that point
onwards until he regains his honour by fighting an
opponent.
Typical Crom Calamar Citizen (Militia Member),
Human War2: CR 1; Medium humanoid; HD 2d8+5;
hp 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed
13; Base Atk +2; Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1/19–20,
short sword); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+1/19–20, short
sword); AL CN; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will -1; Str 13,
Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Skills & Feats: Intimidate +3, Profession (any) +1, Ride
+4; Power Attack, Toughness.
Equipment & Treasure: Short sword, studded leather
armour.
Information: Rumours in Crom Calamar
Player Characters can glean basic information about the
city without needing to make a check, as it is common
knowledge.
Basic Information: Crom Calamar is the capital of
Jehannum. Every citizen goes armed, because only
people who can fight are counted as citizens. The Iron
Dukes are in charge. These are nine of the city’s finest,
elected by the citizens, who meet up at Burgenstoch to
decide policy. By long-established tradition, every Iron
Duke wears an iron mask when appearing in public or
before strangers, to protect his identity and to emphasise
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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