INSIDE THE WALLS CYCLE
Having got out of the deep dungeon, returned from the dragon hunt, or completed an
important order of the king, the heroes need rest. Uncomfortable sleeping bag in a
hastily set up camp only adds bruises in the night; food taken for the journey loses its
taste on the third day, and you can’t feel your feet from the continuous walking. But it’s
not so in the city. A warm bed, tasty hot meals, and long days of spending gold in the
shops of local craftsmen. Though even here there are problems, of which the heroes
may become a part.
INTRIGUES OF BROADBRIDGE ADVENTURE
You never know where and when the adventure may begin. Sometimes it can happen where you least expect it – for example, in a quiet settlement near popular trade routes. A seemingly unremarkable town on the giant map of the world can be an intermediate point in the big adventure of heroes, or just a place where they can sell the loot from another ancient tomb. Gradually, rumors and new acquaintances help the heroes learn the web of fates of the locals. And standing up for one of the sides may bring them a good reward or an influential ally.
HEART OF TRADE
Broadbridge is a town located near the largest trade routes of the region. It attracts not
only residents of neighboring settlements, but also people from the farthest corners of
the country.
Trade. Settled down on crowded trade roads, the town welcomes new guests.
Especially those who have a couple of gold coins in their pockets. The local market
provides an opportunity to buy the necessary things for ordinary people, while the
craftsmen up the hill sell their skillfully crafted goods not only to rich patrons but also to
guests from distant areas. The local port only contributes to this.
Faith. As a sign of deep submission, the town has a temple in honor of the deity – the
patron of trade. Honoring him with a donation for the temple is a sign of the high culture and good manners of a traveler staying in the local area.
Safety. “Swordsmen of Holden”, brave local warriors, nestled in the old fortification
within the town boundaries. They not only ensure order in the “lower” districts of the
town but also keep it safe from external threats.
RELIABLE LEADERSHIP
Broadbridge is headed by Earl Oliex Callister. He and his family spend most of their
time in a castle, from where they manage the affairs of the region.
A strong leader. Cunning Oliex Callister is a worthy successor of his dynasty; at least
he used to be so. Rumors about his passion for the dark arts have reached many locals,
despite the fact that no one has seen witnesses to the ritual for a long time. And few
would dare to say a word to the Earl- after all it is he who owns Swordsmen of Holden,
known for its blind loyalty to the employer.
In reality, Callister is really fond of dark magic due to his advisor, the seer Noeh, who
foretold his power and greatness if he let the voice of young, evil gods into his mind.
Several farmers witnessed the bloody ritual of sacrifice and told the others about what
they saw. Callister found them and those who were particularly vivid in spreading this
information among others. He executed them himself, at Noeh’s order.
| OLIEX CALLISTER * Earl, mayor of Broadbridge * Master of deception and intrigue * [hidden] Wants to comprehend the forces of dark magic * [hidden] Blackmails his own wife |
| NOEH * The mysterious magician and seer * Ardent follower of the Evil Gods * [hidden] Wishes to gain true, behind-the-scenes power in the region * [hidden] Does not really have the ability to predict the future |
A worthy heir. The only heir to Oliex, a son named Nathar, is not a role model as he is
described by the crooked local bards. The cruelty-prone 16-year-old boy begins
adopting violent dark rites from his father. Ignoring his mother’s advices, Nathar feels
more and more power in his hands.
With each day, Nathar gets more attention from seer Noeh than his father. She saw a
much greater potential in him. His talents and abilities will make him a ruthless and
uncompromising ruler, a worthy heir to the dark arts. But his father is young enough,
and Nathar does not like to wait long, especially when it comes to more power and
control.
| NATHAR CALLISTER * Heir to the Callister dynasty * Ruthless, cruelty-prone * [hidden] Wishes more power * [hidden] Plans to kill his father |
Exemplary mother. Aurella, who became Oliex’s wife at an early age, is an exemplary
mother for many in the region. By organizing lavish feasts with prominent people, she
maintains her reputation as a great help for her Earl. Only Aurella’s close friends know
that things are not going well in her family. But there is nothing she can do about it –
marriage to the Callister dynasty for the military assistance is the only thing that saves
her own family from enemies.
Callister knows that Aurella betrayed him and found a lover – one of the eminent traders.
But no glory will save him from the Earl’s wrath – just one word and his head will lie at
Aurella’s door. He knows that her feelings for him are still strong, so he demands
unconditional obedience to his orders. She needs to maintain her reputation, establish
connections with the guests, and continue to play the role of an exemplary mother and
wife.
| AURELLA MOONBORN * Earl Callister’s faithful wife * Tactful and quiet * [hidden] Wants to save the life of her secret lover * [hidden] Hostage of her family |
OUTSIDE EVENTS
| d8 | description |
|---|---|
| 1 | A tribe of monsters that migrated to the nearby forest tortures the local farms. |
| 2 | A gang of raiders attacks the trade caravans following the tip-offs of their man in the town. |
| 3 | A group of mercenary assassins sets up a camp in the forest, planning to infiltrate the town at night to kill a well-known merchant. |
| 4 | The sellers of prohibited magic ingredients try to find a courier who will carry the goods into the town. |
| 5 | The beast in the forest kidnaps the peasant children. The peasants are ready to revolt if no one helps them. |
| 6 | A pack of wyverns from a coastal mountain nearby attacks the market squares, scaring away the local merchants and depriving the town of its income and prestige. |
| 7 | The pirates are looking for good warriors for them to release their captain from the prison. |
| 8 | A monster floats in the water near the town, scaring the children of the town’s noble people. |
TOWN DISTRICTS
Broadbridge is divided into several parts, each of which has its peculiarities.
DOCKS DISTRICT
Port. Here, the workers serve ships arriving and departing from the town. The work is
hard and demanding, but in case of arrival of a renowned guest it is very profitable.
That’s why for the service of such a “depthless pocket”, as the locals say, several labor
unions are fighting, two of which stand out especially:
- “Shigord’s people”, former sailors of the lost kingdom, are known for their adventures
in the whole world. - “Iron Hands,” local young workers who were recently involved in criminal activities.
Often there are bloody fights between them, but usually the guards do not react to it in any way. People in the castle believe that such competition only improves the quality of service in the town, leaving only the strongest.
DOCS EVENTS
| d4 | description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Iron Hands want to disrupt the unloading of one of the ships by Shigord’s people by poisoning the barrels with beer. |
| 2 | Port workers from Shigord’s people want to react to their rivals from the Iron Hands with a small sabotage – arson of their warehouse with equipment. |
| 3 | During the unloading process, the cargo fell on one of the workers, who needs help now. |
| 4 | The bandits are looking for volunteers to steal some of the goods from the port warehouse. |
Need some ship to sale? Check these!
LOWER LEVEL
Market squares. A wide stone road leads to one of the many passages inside the town.
The western entrance is intended for merchants and farmers of the low, local level.
A small fenced market is enough for them to satisfy their needs. For traders who have
better things to offer, there is a gate from the east. A large market for local animals,
ore, and small goods is waiting for them within the town.
The entrance to the town is carefully guarded. At all gates, there are watchmen, and the
gates are closed at night. Near the western gate, there is gallows with corpses of
murderers and thieves who were found guilty for their crimes.
Peasant villages. Peasant villages are located along both sides of the town. The soil
around the town is fertile and the forests are full of animals, so the locals tolerate a high
land tax. Among the common people, there is also tension for the most profitable lands
and places on the best stalls. But no success here is possible without admiration not
only to God but also to its spokesman- a priest of the temple called Harrot who often
acts as a judge in such disputes.
Shadow organizations. Between the cramped peasant huts, there are taverns, an
integral part of the life of local residents. There, in the far corners, the members of the
Silver Chain criminal gang discuss their plans. Finally, the wind of change has blown in
their direction – tension is growing between the town’s nobility, and a storm is about to
break out. And no one will look at the ordinary people who no longer want to stand
behind their masters. The presence of their members in the “Swordsmen of Holdem”
gives hope for support with weapons and supplies in case of seizure of the power in the
town.
Swordsmen of Holdem. Nestled in an old fortress, the walls of which have seen many
battles, several hundred brave warriors serve the entire town, and especially their
employer – Earl Callister. But even he cannot appreciate the strength and intelligence of
his mercenaries, who have long understood that the Callister dynasty is no longer
authoritative in the town. Having the power of weapons in his hands, the leader Holdem
is in two minds and doesn’t know what future allies to choose. On the one hand, there is
a priest of the temple Harrot – a man of God, and with his patronage, the leader can go
far and bring glory to his family. On the other hand, many of his advisers want to unite
with the Silver Chain – the web of their influence is extremely wide; life is not enough
to understand the depth of its possibilities.
| HOLDEM IRONBEAR * Head of Swordsmen of Holdem mercenaries * Experienced strategist * [hidden] Wants to gain power over Broadbridge by force * [hidden] Prepares a conspiracy against Earl Callister |
LOWER LEVEL EVENTS
| d4 | description |
|---|---|
| 1 | During the demonstrative execution, the executioners were attacked by the rebelled peasants who try to free the falsely accused worker. |
| 2 | A group of guards illegally collects “a tribute for the defense” from the peasants. Those who refuse to pay are brutally beaten. |
| 3 | The peasant women seek help from the travelers – their hunting husbands should have returned from the hunt a day ago, but are still absent. |
| 4 | Near a peasant’s tavern, a strong man offers to match strength with him |
MIDDLE LEVEL
Town square. The central place for wealthy locals and visitors. Here, one can
exchange goods, negotiate new deals and stay for a night or two in the famous guest
houses. And while the market squares down the hill are the place for everyday rumors,
on the town square, one can hear gossip from far corners of the region concerning
many influential people.
The square itself and the entrance to it are carefully guarded. The ragamuffins and
idlers are immediately thrown away by the guards.
Artisans. The basis and pride of the Broadbridge trade are its artisans. Skillful treatment
of leather, ores, forging of weapons of any complexity, and many other things attract the
attention of even the most sophisticated guest. The mint with a gold coin with a portrait
of Earl Callister has been opened here recently.
Broadbridge encourages its craftsmen, so many artisans from all over the region are
fighting for the right to be in the Earl’s influence. Not all of them compete in a fair
manner, weaving plots against each other, and inventing shameful stories that are
widely discussed at local feasts.
Temple. The largest temple of the God of trade in the local culture attracts the views of
all travelers from afar. The one who donates a coin to it will find great luck. The priest of
the temple named Harrot is a widely known voice of God. Having devoted himself to
service from an early age, he gained doubtless authority in the town. Earl Callister does
not miss a single word in the priest’s speeches and listens to him with great attention
and even fear.
Near the temple, the trials are held, in which the priest often takes part. The god is very
close here; so many people would not ever lie in front of the almighty.
Harrot knows what is going on in the court of Callister. Looking at it with disapproval and
sympathy for Aurella, the earl’s wife, he does not hurry with actions and waits for the
right moment. Changes are about to break out in the confession, and the place of the
High Priest in the region is about to become vacant. The place will be taken by the one
who has many strong and influential friends. Harrot carefully observes the intrigues and
rumors to get a loyal ally just in time and support his endeavors.
| HARROT * The priest of the town of Broadbridge * Imperceptible observer * [hidden] Wants to find a strong and powerful ally * [hidden] Pinballs between honest service and building a career in the confession |
MIDDLE LEVEL EVENTS
| d4 | description |
|---|---|
| 1 | A robber was caught at the shop counter and now faces the death penalty. At the last moment, he gives the heroes a package with one of the stolen goods – an expensive herb, and whispers the address where his sick wife lives. She needs this herb to live. |
| 2 | A young baron who arrived to meet the Earl wishes to visit the local markets, but he needs protection of strong warriors. The local gang want to kidnap him during the walk |
| 3 | Harrot priest wants to get rid of the pagan cult in the town that is gaining the followers. |
| 4 | A merchant wants to disrupt the delivery of materials to the artisan, who insulted his family. |
UPPER LEVEL
Nobility. All the Earl’s confidents – his personal advisers and masters – live here.
Callister selects people who are exceptionally loyal but have their own opinions
concerning the questions he is interested in. Some of the confidents serve their count’s
dynasty for many generations, receiving numerous privileges for this. But if something
happens to such advisers (perhaps with someone’s help), they will be replaced by
people from another house.
Castle. A stone road runs from the fenced and well-guarded area to the castle, past
several watchtowers with particularly vigilant and skillful archers. The count’s family
lives inside the castle, with several houses for personal servants. Callister family is
guarded by warriors who were personally selected by the Earl’s military advisor and do
not leave the castle for a single moment, especially in the tough times for the town.
In the castle, Callister holds feasts for his companions and distinguished craftsmen and
merchants. Here, he also solves controversial issues that require his personal decision
and attention, passing his fair verdict. Priest Harrot also attends such proceedings to
add more weight to the Callister’s words.
UPPER LEVEL EVENTS
| d4 | description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Members of the Silver Chain are looking for the brave and smart ones to steal a valuable object from the royal architect’s house. |
| 2 | A renowned merchant wants to know what his rival is plotting against him. He is looking for spies so that they can learn the necessary information during a feast in his house. |
| 3 | The heroes notice one of the courtiers jumping off the balcony of a noble artisan’s lady in a hurry. Their love affair can be useful for the heroes. |
| 4 | A military advisor, through intermediaries, seeks those who can satisfy his wish. He wants death for his enemy, who is trying to take his place. |
We have a rich collection of maps that fits the Broadbridge. You can check the rest of the collection in URBAN/RURAL LIFE, BUILDINGS, WILDERNESS categories.
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