I'd like to start a thread where DMs can share details on any unique businesses, institutions, inns, taverns, shops, brothels, whatever they may have created for thier home campaigns.
I'll start with the Sure Foot Cart Company...
The Sure Foot Cart Company
Located a block from the waterfront, the stables and livestock pens of the Sure Foot Cart Company are compact and well-maintained. Owned and operated by the halfling Rolmo Surefoot and his eight sons, the company has been the only provider of public transportation since its founding 70 winters ago. Though Rolmos does sell and trade livestock (mostly goats, hardy ponies, and the occasional riding horse), the bulk of the company's profits come from their rickshaw service.
In his younger days, Rolmos was an adventurer. Though he doesn't speak of his adventuring days, it is rumored that he was once quite a successful rogue who worked the coastal cities of Calimshan. On one of his adventures he apparently discovered a malfunctioning magical urn. Instead of providing a meal of tasteless, yet nutritious gruel, as the urn was originally constructed to do, it created a living creature known to sages as a mold-man. Always having an eye for profit, Rolmos retired with his treasure to Cauldron.
Now the old halfling owns a cart company with rickshaws powered by his creations: mold-men. The mold-men are humanoid in shape, stand about five feet tall, and have only vague facial features. They range in color from light brown to a pale orange-yellow, and wear black cotton trousers and vests with matching stocking caps. They do not speak, but they apparently understand simple commands in the Common tongue, as well as Tashalan and Alzhedo. They are completely loyal to their creator, Rolmos.
The carts are made of wicker and polished teak wood, and can comfortably carry up to two human-sized passengers (weight limit is approximately 400 pounds). They feature padded seats and covered roofs to ward away the sun and rain. For a single silver coin, the cart will carry the occupants to any location within the walls of the city. The cart service is available from dawn until midnight, with each mold-man working the entire 18-hour shift without requiring a rest. During the Flood Festival, the cart service is available 24 hours a day.
Rolmos maintains a fleet of 25 rickshaws and an unknown number of mold-men. Rumor persists that the mold-men are kept in a series of low-ceilinged caverns under the stables, accessed by a secret trapdoor in the floor of one of the stalls. Some say the old halfling's wealth is also kept there, guarded by mold-men who are of above average intelligence, are armed, and have received martial training. Rolmos is silent on the matter and is overly protective of his business, so it's likely only his sons know for sure.
I like the idea of this "populating Cauldron" thread. English is not my first language, but I guess I'll give it a try:
"The Cocky Kitten"
This two story building rests atop the piers overlooking the lake at Cauldron's center. Built from black wood, the front wall is painted to illustrate a flock of white cats streaming out from the entrance door and running in all directions. The Kitten is a well known but poorly tended brothel, mainly attended by Cauldrons underclass. It's current owner is Obelya Trushk, a female half-orc and former ranger that was born in Sasserine. Obelya fled her home town to become a druid. Never gaining the ability to evoke magical powers within herself, she gave up and led a ranger's life for a while. Once she reached Cauldron, she fell in love with the city and started her own business twelve years ago.
The building consists of a main tavern room, a simple kitchen, and 12 smaller rooms in which the prostitutes offer their serivce. Obelya is always present in the tavern room, observing the guests and overlooking business. Her husband Gmorr serves as security, him being a wild barbarian type and quite famous for his loose tongue amongst Cauldron's underclass. Some say that Gmorr was raised in a tribe of feral jungle gnolls. In fact, he was brought up by a disciplined flint ranger that died shortly after Gmorr met Obelya. One of the most ostentatious features of the Kitten's tavern room is the stuffed head of a young triceratops that hangs on the wall above the counter. Obelya and Gmorr are very proud of it and are both happy to tell the story of how they scattered the dinosaur from it's herd and shot it dead.
The women that work at the Kitten are mostly humans between their early 20s and late 30s. The numbers of prostitutes range from as many as six to ten. During hours ot intense activity some of them can be seen dancing for the customers in the tavern room. Most of the women come from Cauldron or the surrounding villages. It's seldom that a prostitute works at the Kitten for longer than three years since the conditions of work are poor. Most leave before, often heading to Sasserine to carry on a different trade.
The Cocky Kitten is regarded as neutral ground for members of the Last Laugh and the Alleybashers. Small meetings have been held here, but as yet all of them ended in conflict. Brawls are quite common on the piers in front of the house but Obelya and her husband won't allow them inside. The brothel is generally ignored by the city watch, which is why it is also a common place for drug dealers and other criminals to pursue their foul businesses.
|
"The Green Eel"
The Green Eel is a tavern owned by Fallo Grymkin (N human Exp1/Rog1, Wis 6, Cha 16), a gregarious and weak willed fellow who is always looking to make friends, and then suffers loans that are never repaid, freeloading customers with unpaid tabs, women of questionable values he has bought countless presents for, and the like.
Fallo's wife, Etha, no longer lives with Fallo, but is attempting to convince the Lord Mayor's office that she should be granted official and equal ownership in addition to her estranged husband, so it can be turned into a "respectable" establishment (and provide for her comfort and well-being). To make matters worse, Etha has "found religion", and is a studying acolyte of the Church of St. Cuthbert, and seems all-too interested in "vengeance" and "retribution"
The Green Eel is comfortable, but shabby. Service is poor (Fallo can't seem to hire good help), and the atmosphere is colorful. The fare is mostly fish dishes, but his selection of drinks and alcohol is wide, varied, and potent. There is a loft that often one itinerant guest is using for free.
(RULES: Because of the colorful patrons, any Gather Information checks made at the Green Eel gain a +2 circumstance bonus. Fallo himself has a very poor Gather Information and Sense Motive skill, but he is outgoing. If PCs can convince him to intervene on their behalf, he has a Knowledge (local) skill of +14, and Diplomacy skill of +12. He also can be counted on to occassionally freely give PCs a place to sleep, a potion of cure light wounds he was saving for a rainy day, a scrap of free information, etc.)
CAULDRON ALIVE!
Located on Obsidian Avenue, halfway between the North and East Gates, this theater employs several dozen part time actors, musicians and a couple of elderly gnome illusionists, who enhance plays and tours by casting appropriate images and ghost sound spells to enhance the experience.
As well as having a play or musical on most every night, Cauldron Alive's owner, Erikus Schmurtzigwindel (human 58 year old male rogue 5/bard 4, CG) puts on "tours" of Cauldron for visiting nobles and wealthy merchants. His "tours" have also become popular with the locals, as Erikus discusses much local gossip and the more "scandalous" locations in town. One of the gnome illusionists accompanies the tours to cast minor illusion spells to bring dramatic flair to the tour.
Plays (1-2 hours): 3 sp/ person (theater holds 140)
Musicals (1-2 hours): 4 sp/person
City Tours, daytime (3 hours): 5sp
City Tours, nighttime (2 hours): 1gp
Erikus and his family live on the top floor of the playhouse. Many of the actors and bards are penniless drunks, who still take some pride in their performances, but spend the day sleeping on the stage and on the lower floor of the playhouse. They rouse around early afternoon, taking in breakfast and then spending about an hour cleaning up the place for the next performance. The theater is always immaculate right before a performance. Erikus allows local street vendors to sell sweetmeats and other treats during performances without forcing them to pay him a cut, which makes him popular among some of Cauldron's poorest.
Tips are very welcome, as Erikus pays his actors and players with food, lodging (they can crash where they can find a spot) and a small keg of ale or a couple of gallons of wine per week.
Most remain fiercely loyal to Erikus, as he protects them from the Last Laugh and other thugs, and does pretty much anything he can to help them out.
Every night, after performances are over, Erikus and his family serve bread, soup and thin vegetable broth to some of Cauldron's poorest street people behind his theater.
Erikus' treatment of the local poor and his incredible knowledge of Cauldron's scandals and locals could make him a great information resource. He is very reluctant to share sensitive or dangerous information, however. In certain critical situations that threaten the City or the poor, he might be persuaded to help out.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Great stuff so far guys! Let's keep this thread rolling...
Brollian's Sweet Meats
For the past 25 years, from noon until sundown each day, the folk of Cauldron witness a common sight: Brollian and his cart of sweet meats. Brollian (N male human Ex5) is a balding, incredibly obese man of average height and pudgy features. He usually wears clothing stained from his morning cooking labors, along with his trademark bright yellow apron. Nearing 50, Brollian has lost little of his youthful physique (Str 15, Con 13), and keeps in shape by pushing his cart all over town, every day.
Brollian sells sweet meats: large, fist-sized meat pastries, filled with exotic fruits and glazed with honey. The pastries are served on a simple wooden stick, and fetch a price of one silver coin each. A single sweet meat is easily enough to fill a grown man's belly.
Brollian's cart is a large 4-wheeled contraption he had custom-built by the famous gnome artisan, the late Gelliorus Stimwhistle - a cleric of Gond and inventor who retired to Cauldron to live out his twilight years. The cart is painted bright yellow (to match Brollian's garish apron) and has Brollian's name stenciled on its sides in large red letters. Reached by a simple, pivoting hatch, the inside of the cart contains a large compartment holding the sweet meats, and a smaller water-tight compartment that Brollian keeps filled with steaming water. The water is kept magically heated by a permanent prestidigitation spell (a gift from Embril Aloustanai, one of his regular customers). The cart is made of duskwood, imported from the Dalelands, and is light (it weighs 125 pounds when full) and naturally resistant to heat and burning.
In addition to providing Cauldronites with delicious sweet meats, Brollian is a bit of a rumor monger (Knowledge: Local +16). He is gregarious and friendly, and is especially fond of chatting up strangers and foreigners (he speaks at least six languages). He also has an eye for the ladies, and in the presence of the fairer sex he is always a perfect gentleman.
Unknown to most folk, Brollian is actually a mime in the Last Laugh organization. Though he is untrained in the thieving arts, he has proved to be a valuable resource for the guild over the years. He receives a modest salary from the guild for providing information to them, and for sometimes providing disinformation to the guild's enemies. Though Brollian is a talented liar and negotiator (Cha 13, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +6, Sense Motive +6), he is not a fool. If threatened, he will flee the scene immediately and call for the nearest town guard.
((This is an extremely useful thread - any creations posted here are likely to find their way to my campaign's website - with my sincere appreciation))
Here is a tavern staff and menu, which can be dropped into any inn or pub to flesh it out.
Menu -
Drinks
Arbucker's Best (dwarven brew) - 4 cp
House Ale - 3 cp
Marley's Mead - 4 cp
Grog - 5 cp
Warm Honey Mead - 4 cp
Black Tea - 2 cp (free refills)
Herbal Infusion - 8 cp (good against sickness!)
Fresh Squeezed Juice - 1 sp (seasonal)
Wine List
Elven White - 13 gp (bottle)
Southern Red - 6 gp (bottle)
Dark (local) - 3 gp (bottle)
Assassin Berry - 24 gp (bottle)
Snacks
Bread - 1 cp (loaf)
Cheese - 1 sp (wheel)
Devils Bait - 1 sp (pickled and spiced cheese)
Pickled Egg - 1 sp
Drownee - 1 sp/per (pickled mini meat)
Meals
Spicy Potatoes - 2 sp (free refills)
Soup - 1 sp
Meat Plate - 3 sp
Turkey Leg - 3 sp
The Executioner's Cut - 6 sp (eat the whole thing, and its free)
Staff -
Plabius Burnbums (halfling proprietor) - He's short, he's grey-haired, he's always grinning, and never without a story to tell.
Mon Cul (bouncer) - A massive stoop shouldered man of sorts. Many joke that there must be a bit of ogre blood in those veins, but when they do joke, they make sure he's not in listening range.
Jartha (cook) - A big half-orc gal, who's so green, its assumed the half part is goblin or some other orc cousin. She's even tempered, and never messes up an order. It doesn't matter what you order in fact, because everything comes up greasy.
Gabriella Matala (serving girl) - A slim figured and shy girl who can balance ten mugs of ale (one on top of the other) and bring them from the bar, upstairs, and back down, spilling hardly a drop. (She's done it before, honest!)
Jabirah (serving girl) - A heavy set but 'still got her sex appeal' woman who doesn't take any crap from the customers.
Gundha Draid (bar tender) - A big greasy guy, with a belly that keeps him from leaning over the counter. He's a willing listener, and an able advisor to all those who come to drown their sorrows.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16
|
This is still a useful thread and while reviewing my maps and city notes to prepare for my upcoming campaign I discovered a few named locales that lack descriptions.
For example:
Meat on a Stick
Just north of Magma Avenue is a well-weathered red-brown tent adorned with a tattered banner featuring a simple red sausage. The tempting scent of spices and roasting meat drift out of the open flap. Inside a jovial gnomish merchant serves stuffed sausages on a stick to a surprising number of patrons.
Meat on a Stick has been a fixture in Cauldron for more than twenty years but the smiling proprietor is new, the gruff and fatherly Deamer Ardol retired less than a year ago and sold his business to Hobart Lund.
Hobart grew up in poverty at the Lantern Street Orphanage and swore he’d never live like that again, so he is always in pursuit of the next big score. Right now the score is meat on a stick, a year ago, before he bought the stand from its aging owner, Hobart was selling treasure maps of questionable quality. Hobart still supplements his income with grease stained leftovers from his map stock -—No Guarantees, but since he purchased many of the maps from adventures some of them might actually be worth something.
Hobart is a genuinely charming person and this keeps him from becoming a joke around town despite the fact that he changes occupations so frequently. Since he’s always on the lookout for a quick money scheme and is well liked by many townsfolk, Hobart tends to have a fairly good ear for what’s going on in Cauldron.
I'd like to start a thread where DMs can share details on any unique businesses, institutions, inns, taverns, shops, brothels, whatever they may have created for their home campaigns.
The Pathwardens
Basically these are mercenaries of a lawful bent, who hire themselves out from the various gates to take one-way or two-way trips to the nearby cities and villages. You can hire archers, or more melee-skilled combattants, but their skills are all about ensuring that their clients arrive alive at their destination, with all of their goods. As such, they use horses (rare animals in Cauldron, really) and distribute weight accordingly. They've got a bit of a romanticized reputation among the common citizenry, and can come in useful for those travelling to Redgorge, Kingfisher Hollow, or even just as far as the Lucky Monkey.|
|
In the "Hulk Smash" map, there's a round building labeled:
The Puppet Tent (I think that's the name)
When "things" happened across the street, the players mistakenly got the idea that this place was important, and so I decided to run with it. I made up the following:
The Puppet Tent is a doll shop that caters mostly to the needs of the nobility, selling expensive dolls made of quality materials.
The proprietor is one Arbin Samelin, a half-orc who can pass as a tall, slightly ugly human. Arbin has made excellent money selling the product of his wife's hobby (and now his, to some extent, as he has found that he has a way with eyes and dress-making). Below the shop, beneath a trap door, is a small room in which he keeps his stock, cash and some raw materials in a bag of holding.
Items for sale:
Noble dolls - A popular line of generic nobility, not modeled on anyone in particular. These dolls run between 50 and 300gp.
Rag dolls - Only one or two of these are out at a time, as they are not intended to be the focus of the business. 1-5sp.
Lady Thifirane Rhiavadi - This doll is made in the likeness of one of the wealthiest members of the Cauldron elite (at least one of the most overtly wealthy). It is not known if the Lady approved of the doll, but she seems not to have complained yet. The dress is a masterwork of gold and silver thread in linen. 500gp.
Generic play dolls - There are a number of dolls that are not quite as well made, and represent people of no particular station (though they are dressed in fine clothes). These dolls are typically the ones that are placed in spots where younger visitors might be able to reach, in order to limit damages caused. 5-10gp.
The following is a detailed description of a herbalists kiosk in Cauldron that I have posted in another thread here when Caulron was a new idea. I would be thrilled if any of you use it in your adventure path campaign. I would love to hear any thoughts, corrections, clarifications, additions, etc... that you have concerning the description. I would also encourage any other DM’s on the message board to share any other commoners that populate “their” Cauldron.
Yohan’s Herbs and Tobacco
Yohan Mur deserted the Chalmon Militia (change name to fit campaign) at the age of 13 after he was drafted as a “bandage runner” (youth medic) where he learned healing skills. He fled to the forests west of Cauldron and took up with a small community of elves, half-elves and humans who philosophically rejected the greater social structures of the Kingdom. Here he studied the special medicinal and spiritual properties of the flora of the forrest. Now on his own, he supplements his “living off the land” life style in Cauldron’s Tradesmen’s Market. His secondary motivation for spending time in town is to educate the inhabitants of Cauldron on the importance of maintaining the richness of the forrest and to monitor activities that might affect the forrest.
Yohan arrives each morning in Cauldron a few minutes after sunrise. He passes through the West-gate walking along side of his mule “Laurel” Mule (1): hp 19; Monster Manual 276. Laurel pulls a medium sized cart the 4 miles from their forrest home. The cart is packed with all of Yohan’s sale goods. Yohan and Laurel follow Cauldron’s streets to the Tradesman’s Market on the extreme Western side of Lava Avenue, between Lava Avenue and Tradesman’s Alley. (seen on the Cauldron Map as six white roofed canvas kiosks with Lava ave to the west and Tradesman’s Alley to it’s east). Yohan’s Kiosk is the one one the extreme south west corner. He immediately begins to brew his morning teas (see Goods List) in small kettles over a modest fire. He then begins to arrange his herbs and tobaccos for sale on the cart that has turned into a stall.
(Read Aloud Text)
As you approach the kiosk a tall thin man in his late twenties with a long straggly beard in well worn clothes greets you with a warm smile that begins and ends in his bright gray/blue eyes. He has a impressively wide array of different herbs and tobaccos for such a small cart. He feeds a mule behind him with one hand as he asks you, “Hello friend, are you interested in any fortifying herbs or tasty tobaccos?”
(End Read Aloud Text)
Yohan Mur, Male Human Exp3: CR 2; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+4; hp 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 [[+1 Dex]]; Atk +2 melee (1d6, quarterstaff) or +2 melee (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 14. Height 6 ft. 2 in. Weight 180 lb.
Skills: Handle Animal +6, Heal +8(+2 Self-Sufficient Feat), Knowledge: (Nature) +6, Profession: (Brewer) +4, (Farmer) +4, (Herbalist) +6(+9 Skill Focus), Ride +2, Search +6, Survival +8(+2 Self-Sufficient Feat), Swim +6. Feats: Skill Focus (Herbalist), Self-Sufficient, Run.
Possessions: Quarterstaff, Explorer’s Outfit, Mule, Cart, Healer’s Kit, 10 gp, 30 sp, 17 cp, 2 potions of Cure Light Wounds, Goods (see list).
Yohan’s cart is extremely popular in the morning for his Coulosis Tea that all hard working Cauldronites swear by. Yohan is a square dealer and will never overcharge a customer but he will also never under sell himself. His prices are already discounted and barely give him a profit. Instead of giving an extreme discount he will rather give the needed product away based on his perception dire need combined with extreme poverty. He will only do this with healing herbs never tobacco or teas. Yohan will continue to talk to characters as long as he thinks he is not boring them. He loves to talk about the bounty of the forrest and stories of his mule. Yohan is inquisitive and loves to learn about new people so he will ask questions until he feels he is being rude, which he never is, and will always apologize for asking too many questions. Any Good character with the Knowledge (local: Cauldron) will be an acquaintance of Yohan if not a good friend. He is always a good source of obvious information, current events and polite gossip. Yohan used to sell a mildly hallucinogenic tobacco chew called Abelb. This was put to a stop since Jenya Urikas of the Church of St. Cuthbert complained to the Lord Mayor (who was known to enjoy in partaking in the plant) who asked Captain Skellerang to talk to Yohan about becoming a bit more discreet in the activity.
Goods List
Hot Teas
Coulosis Tea 3 cp +1 on all Concentration checks for 1d4 hours
Mara Tea 2 cp relieves stress, +1 on Will saves for 1d4 hours
Herbs
Cardamom 1 sp +1 to Fort saves for 1d4 hours
Enramom 2 sp cures 2 hp, only one dose a day is effective
Agrenom 5 sp +2 to poison related heal checks for 1d4 hours
Nogarad 5 sp +2 to disease related heal checks for 1d4 hours
Tobacco
Mint Chew 1 cp
Earthy Red 2 cp
Suchacha 1 cp
Black 3 cp
Contraband
Abelb 2 gp -1 to all attack, skill, save checks for 1d4 hours. Except for Perform (music) checks which are +1
and any divination checks which are +3
Plot Ideas
Yohan learns of a Chaotic Evil Gnome Nec3/Rog2 who has moved into an apartment on Ash Avenue who has been selling a highly addictive narcotic made from liquid human remains. He knows that some one or two of the town guard is involved so he tried to speak to Jenya Urikas about it because she has the Mayor’s ear but she ignores and dismisses him due to their history. Yohan implores the player characters to discreetly inform the authorities without alerting the town guard or to take out the gnome directly and find where he is getting his bodies.
The Cauldronite family Veskar
Business in Cauldron means mostly family business, and that is especially true – in every aspect – for the Veskars, one of the oldest families of the city, who singlehanded control most of the slaughterhouses, skinning businesses, tanneries and soap kitchens.
Although not a noble family by birthright, the veskars are very proud of theit lineage, their emphasis on family-values, and the fact, that every “real” Veskar is pure blooded human, without a trace of elven, or, the gods may beware, orcish blood in their veins.
Keeping the blood “strong and pure” has led to some rather dubtful marriages between distant – and more than often, not too distant – relatives, causing a great deal of gossip about the Veskars, and their reputation as a sometimes too close knit clan of unsavy individuals, who show a love for their chosen profession (always involving blood or/and shiny sharp tools od the trade), which is disturbing at best.
The typical Veskar male familymember tends to be not overly handsome, but powerful, burly built, sometimes a little hunched over, the spot droopy mustaches and often wild, unruly hair. Their wives and daughters are usually of quite lithe, sinewy but graceful built, and generally have dour, humorless expressions on their faces – some say, that´s because they marry early, to help bringing more and more Veskars into this world …
The Veskars are many, and mostly keep to themselves, they aren´t a talkative lot, eighter, what seems to lead to more rumors about the family, and are strong supporters of the church of Korrd in Cauldron.
A Sasserinite branch of the Veskars also exists, the two branches share the same business interests, but the Sasserinite branch is usually more outgoing than their Cauldronite counterpart.
The Veskars value the family and its interests above everything else, and those, who suceed in pleasing their elders, are as greatly rewarded, as those, who fail, are punished. Those familymembers with a rebellious streak, who are stubborn, or foolhardy, enough to argue, or declare their doubts about the way of the family, can expect to be kicked out of the city – literally – and face a life in exile …
Persistent rumors hint that the Veskars are capable of disposing dead bodies witout attracting any unwelcome attention, and some of the family butchers may (or may not – the DMs decision) do a bit of legbreaking (up to full fledged assasination) on the side.
Important familymembers include the patriarch Sandor, almost 80 by now, and still a harsh and unvorgiving ruler; his wife, and mother of ten children, Elisabeth; their eldest son Devon, who does most of the administrative work; cousin Orgo of the Sasserinite branch, the most skilled perfumer in Cauldron, owner of a flourishing soap kitchen, and the most stylish (he dresses like a true fop) of the Veskars, and Ricaldo, one of Sandors grandchildren, who was amongst the recent kidnapping victims, a fact, which rather upset the family – rumor says, they are out for blood – literally …
The Vescar family has its fair share of shackleborn within their ranks, the youngest amongst them Ricaldo, who wasn´t captured by Kazmojens skulks, but taken away by the Cagewrights themselves, and if someone paid attention to the Veskars genealogical tree, she would stumble over the fact, that Terrem Kharatys belongs to the Veskars by blood – although not pure – read more about it in the upcoming thread: who is Terrem?
Always at your service - yours truly, Claremont the elder, Lord Buckley
This is a really neat idea, and glad to see other's adding to it as well. I will get some of my things typed up and added here as well. Though it might be neat, to do a website, with an Expanded Cauldron.