Name: The Riverstone Vault

Building Type: Restaurant / Tavern

Building Description: Actually the ‘Vault’, it’s more common and oft referred to name on the streets, is not a physical building above ground like most of its neighbors. Purchased in auction from a defunct City Sewers and Waterworks program. The Vault was originally supposed to be a sturdy cistern house under the city’s busy streets but when the city abandoned the costly program an inspired businessman purchased the property, greased the right palms and one of the city’s more unusual and popular evening destinations was born.

Accessed via a covered archway off a busy corner in the Upper Ward, with a sign displaying the establishment’ name; a short spiral stair descends beneath the earth and opens to the three story underground complex. The main level (the largest) is a mix of sheltered booths, open tables, a long bar and a small stage for entertainment. A coatroom is near the entrance and the kitchens and storerooms are near the rear. A smaller secondary floor overlooks the common room and stage below and is usually booked solid with ‘reserved’ seating. A third level, what once served as the cistern’s control room, has been converted in to a small private suite and office of the owner. It can be accessed via a doorway off the spiral stair but a burly ‘doorman’ is posted there constantly.

Characters/Creatures: Amadas Luicree (Human, Aristocrat 3/Rogue 3 – Cleric 5) is the owner and brainchild of this establishment – and both dark and cold as a serpent in his dealings and tastes. Hlor, Jaruk, and Brax (Half-orc, Fighter 2) are the three toughs that rotate ‘doorman’ duty on the stairs. Bracca (Half-elf, Rogue 2/Expert 3/Sorcerer 2) is Amadas’s right hand man and works the Vault in a cool and professional manner. It’s pretty open knowledge if you wish to speak to Amadas you speak to Bracca first.

Adventure Hooks: #1 – Amadas puts on a good public face but its no secret the man is a bit ‘darker’ of humor and taste. Some of the garish art that decorates the Vault is but the faintest hint. Hired via a proxy by an unnamed noble, the party is asked to do some digging in to the Vault’s late evening/early morning comings and goings. Depending on how resourceful they are, the party finds out Amadas is the leader of a cult that professes faith in some wicked god of pain and torture.

#2 – Party could unwittingly be escorts/guards for a caravan bringing in one of Amadas’s secret shipments of illegal/black market goods and get stopped at the gates when they’re discovered. Would give them incentive for payback over the hardships and tarnish to their name.

#3 – Amidst all the other illegal activities Amadas is involved in, he also dabbles in slaves here and there. Specifically if he’s looking for sentient creatures for sacrifice on his dark god’s alter. The party could stumble on to any part of a slave trade that would lead them to Amadas.

#4 – If the party helps take down a part of Amadas’s network or messes with one of his shipments, they might find themselves ‘invited’ for a chat with Bracca and a handful of toughs to ‘arrange proper compensation’ for the party’s meddling.

Other Notes: Although Amadas is the mastermind behind the network, he makes liberal use of proxies and layers upon layers of cover so that nothing can be traced easily back to him. Bracca is a more hands on type but between his rogue skills and his innate sorcerer abilities he is versed in disguising himself well.

Name: Cricket Hill Estate

Building type: Mansion

Building Discription: Securely locked behind a high, spiked, wrought iron fence, Cricket Hill is the home of the eccentric (they are wierd, and rich, hence "eccentric") family Bathi. The Bathi are an old-money family who seem to have intrests in several of the smaller institutions around town, but otherwise no visible means of support. The mansion, which was surely glorious in another time and place, is now beginning to show signs of outward decay. The stones which make up the lower two floors are steadily being overgrown by a especially tenatious kind of ivy, which stretches it's long, creeping fingers ever higher with each passing year. The third floor is made of a heavy, even timber, which has kept well despite years of weathering. The front door is large enough for a laiden troll to walk through with no issue, but it hasn't been used in years.

Creatures: There are three living Bathi siblings, though they rarely show their faces in public, an ill-prepared thief may run across them (to the grave misfortune of the thief.) The three children exist at odds with each other, as well as with the outside world, which they fear. The last pure-blooded member of the Bathi line was an adventuring bard, who, apparently, traveled the world over and got into quite a bit of trouble. Fortunately, his sizeable wealth protected him from having to answer questions reguarding the three illegitimate children he was raising. When he passed on (some years ago) the children made their one, most noteable public appearance, before retreating back to the safety of their manor. The youngest is Aramek, a half-celestial who is obsessed with his tin soldiers. He commandeered the dining room table and has since transformed it into a perfect battlefield, where he re-plays ancient wars using a complex set of rules of his own design. Vivian, the middle child, is half-fiend. She is convinced that outside forces are conspiring to harm her, and as a result has booby-trapped a sizable portion of the estate. Her rampant paranoia puts her and Aramek at odds, and their frequent arguments over space in the mansion are often settled by the eldest sibling, Celia. Celia is half blue dragon. Despite her evil origin, she is possibly one of the most patiently and understanding people you will ever meet. Of course, her own insanity, while mild enough to keep her siblings in line, is severe enough to prevent her from mingling in society.

Adventure Hook: Four possible here:

Defeating Aramek at his own game: he's playing a minis war game with absurdly complex rules. If you can hold his intrest, or prove that he's not the all-encompasing tactical genius that he thinks he is (by defeating him at any scenario) you might be able to get him to leave his obsession behind (at least a small amount). He, of course, knows all the rules and sets up all the pieces before hand, so a sizeable collection of tokens might be necessary to properly play this one out. A prime battle to attempt to recreate might be something local and horiffic... like the battle of Treacle Mine Road (From the novel Night Watch by Terry Pratchett), where a citizen's revolt was met with full force from an armed calvary charge and siege engines (and how the massacre was subsequently undone in history by Vimes) or the war of the silver hoarde (from Terry Pratchett's Interesting Times, where eight septigenarians overthrew the Emperor's entire army (admittedly, it was because they were all so experienced they practically couldn't die), or any other war, real or fictional, represented in abstract mineature.

Calming down Vivian: by whatever means necessary, the players would have to probably disarm the myrid of traps that keep her seperated from the rest of the world, and subduing her in such a manner as to break the paranoia... failing that, she might just need a good smiting.

resolving Celia's

Do we have a name for this city?

I've got another spot for you but it won't be up till tomorrow, I've gotta go sling some drinks.

This was a great idea for a community post BTW.

NAME:Silverstone Hill

BUILDING TYPE:Buisness and Workshop of a "Glitter Merchant" with adjoining multi-family residence. JEWELERS AND GOLDSMITHY

BUILDING DESCRIPTION: A low rise rather ornate building of good stonework built on the slope of a small hill.
At the edge of the city, in a neighborhood of newer buildings a small hill rises in the shape of a kidney bean. In the inner curve of the hill sits a building of good bluestone granite blocks. The structure is noted for curving stonework that hugs the contours of the hill. Topped with a slate roof that has a dark greenish color, at a distance the building could be missed as a part of the landscape, save that over the years the city has grown to surround the hill and it's famous inhabitants.

CREATURES: Silverstone Hill is the abode of the famous artisan Harker Silverstone (gnome male, Ill.16/Rog.12) and his, rather, extended family. Harker is known widely as the single finest crafter of jewelry in this part of the world. Wealthy merchants and nobles come from as far as 500 leagues to, perhaps, commision a work from the famous artist. He seldom takes orders for specific work however, creating as his whimsy takes him.
Harker himself, is short, balding with long dangling silver mustaches. His face is the color of sand and creased with the lines of long years. Long years indeed, Harker is soon to celebrate his 600th year and is never seen outside of his family compound. He dresses as any common laborer would in sturdy breeches and a plain lite colored shirt but is well known for a startling array of garish footware. The fancy boots were a fashion trend he started centuries ago that has since fallen out favor, as women, at least wealthy women seldom wear boots theses days and men avoid anything with so high a heel or so delicate that they wouldn't be able to travel in them.
Harker sings to himself constantly and spends more time with the latest generation of his family than he does in his workshop. Now in his last years the only treasures he concerns himself with are the ones who run in the house and won't eat their peas.
It is widely thought that Harker has been using magic to augment his wares, despite the fact that no dweomers of any kind can be detected on his jewelry. Certainly it is remarkable that his greatest creations seem to sparkle in little to no light and sometimes his gems seem to have images captured in their facets. Many have whispered that a face can be seen dancing across the facets of his finest jewels, a face so beautiful that it stills the heart.

OTHER RESIDENTS OF NOTE:
Theadea Silverstar (gnome female,Exp.10)- Harkers wife. More than a century his junior a lovely gnomess who has eyes so blue as to be likened to "fresh winter pools". Theadea is also a hard eyed trader who commands long prices on the families works.

Bradeus Rocktapper (gnome male,Wiz. 17)- Theadea's brother. An Alchemist. As old as Harker but starting to get a little senile. Bradeus looks to have lived 1000+ years witha face so wrinkled he has been likened to a raisin. He is the least publically known member of the family, as he almost never leaves his lab. He really doesn't make substances for sale but produces products that aid in scoring metal and cleaning jewelry. He assisted Harker in the creation of the Twin Crowns of the Realm. If he is encountered, it is likely he will be bickering with his sister, who claims the fumes from his lab wilt the flowers in her garden.

Shaebriel Silverstone (gnome female, Ill.9)- Harker's eldest daughter. A quiet, serious woman who produces work that is nearly the equal of her fathers. Unlike her father Shaebriel does use magic to occasionally enhance her work. Her "Catchstones" are famous for capturing the likeness of a bieng and rendering it fully in the confines of large diamonds and saphires.She has never married and has no children.

Oljun (? male, Ftr. 8)- A family friend. Oljun came

Yo Hon,

Are you going to want more submissions after the contest closes?

Cheers [:)]

I know your contest is closed but you can borrow this one if you like:


Name: Le Grand Cochon

Building type: Butcher Shop

Building Discription: Le Grand Cochon is a fine, old shop located on a quiet street in an upscale district. It is clean and well-appointed and enjoys a reputation for selling the finest meat - particularly pork - to be had anywhere in the city. Everyone who is anyone buys from Le Grand Cochon and every upscale restaurant serves its produce.



Creatures: Msr. Bruno Chevillard is a fat, round-faced butcher with a huge, thick moustache and a ready smile. He fits to the letter the quaint cliché of rascally, cheeky butcher - a facáde he has worked many years to perfect. In truth he is a hard man with a mean-streak a fathom wide and no morals or ethics at all, and when pressed he swings his huge cleaver with deadly effect (treat as a handaxe in his hands, an improvised weapon when used by anyone else).

Adventure Hook: Msr. Chevillard spent many years as a bully-boy and thug for the local thieve's guild, and indeed anyone who offered up a few coins for wet and nasty work with no questions asked. On more than on occassion he found that disposing of the "client" was a far more difficult and risky task than completing the original job, and in a rare spark of ingenuity he cottoned on to a far easier and more lucrative profession: body disposal. Now he sells his services to anyone who finds themselves with a surplus of corpses on hand, happily vivisecting the bodies and selling the meat to his unsuspecting clientelle.

Other Notes: Le Grand Cochon is normally translated as "The Big Pig" - a name supported by the sign showing a huge, smiling pig hanging out front. Msr. Chevillard sadistically enjoys the irony that few patrons ever stop to consider; Le Grand Cochon also translates as "The Long Pig", a name by which cannibals refer to human flesh.