The Cask and Bottle (CB VI)
There aren´t many reasons for nobles to visit Dockside, but the Cask and
Bottle is one - the premiere wine merchant´s shop in Tonn, located beside
the wharfs specifically in order to sea-chill its vintages in a special cellar
built for that purpose. There are two other shops in the city run by the owner,
Tornar, but this is the largest and best, the shop for those to whom wine is an
art form. The selection is vast, the shop itself supplies many of the other wine
merchants, taverns and restaurants in the city, and the Cask and Bottle hosts
occasional private wine-tasting parties for special customers.
Crystal Ball of Uilleam
Kept in one of the inner rooms of the College Amagigo´s School of
Divination, the 12´ diameter Crystal Ball of Uilleam allows the Affiliates
to enforce its spellcasting and magic item registration fees. Details of exactly
how it functions are a closely guarded secret.
The College of Law
The College of Law was built over five hundred years ago under the combined
efforts of Ghant University and High Priest Ducally Wentworth (the high priest of
The Light of Truth). It boasts an impressive library, a court-room, and a staff
of highly credentialed professors, nearly a third of them priests and wizards. It
is currently the only such school in Hurva. In addition to the courtroom, which
occasionally hears civil suits, the college offers lectures and a few short-term
classes for non-students.
The Customs Offices (CB II)
This ornate red brick building has beautiful golden domed roofs and tall, narrow
spires. It contains all of the public offices not housed in the College of Law,
including the offices of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the payment office
of the Affiliates Amagigo.
Exeter´s Antiques Emporium (CB VI)
The Emporium is one of those odd shops where clientele with unusual tastes can
find what they seek; it buys and sells exotica, and is also the venue that
auctions off the estates and property of those who die without leaving a will or
whose heirs wish to sell their inheritances. Exeter charges a professional fee,
and the rest of the proceeds are split evenly between Tonn´s churches and
the Hurvan government. Goods that are not sold in the estate auction remain in
Exeter´s for sale. Estate auctions are held on the first day of every month.
The shop opens at dawn and closes at dusk, although Exeter may open his shop
earlier or later for private appointments and important deals.
Gateway (CB II)
Built into an archway in one of the still standing sections of the olde
city´s walls, Gateway will make copies of its official government maps,
navigation charts and treasure maps for a fee. Ular Scibesman also has a
collection of gazetteers and journals written by various adventurers. He also
sells quality parchment and inks.
Ghant University
Ghant consists of many large, gargoyle-covered red brick buildings with high
turrets and peaked roofs all with white columns and trim, many in walled
compounds. There are several university quads, located on various blocks. The
areas around the university cater mostly to students, faculty and staff. Colleges
include: Fine Arts, Law, Medicine, Engineering & Science, Humanities and Magic
(known, of course, as the College Amagigo) The College Amagigo consists of 10
large buildings alone.
The Gloriana Theater (CB VI)
The Gloriana Theater is one of the largest and wealthiest theaters in town. The
Gloriana is housed in a beautiful old building and features both classical plays
and new works written by aspiring young Ghant University playwrights. Many of its
shows are old favorites, shown regularly throughout the year. From 4-10 new shows
will also be featured over the year. Entrance fees are 2 gold for regular seating
and 4 platinum for a private box during standard shows, but drops to 14 silver
for regular seating when the classic shows come around (because many of the mid-
to lower-class families enjoy seeing their favorites every year).
The Great Mother´s Mission
This mission of Wajen is a small haven of morality in the midst of the teeming
vice of the dormitory quarter; a place for down-on-their-luck students to get a
free meal or three and a warm bed at night, that is, as long as they don´t
mind sitting through the good-natured lectures on morality, self-help and
brotherly love that accompany most of the meals.
Hides Alive (CB VI)
Hides Alive is a unique store, providing a variety of live animals both exotic
and mundane for its customers. It will not sell animals to be slaughtered; only
as "personal companions" for the customer or someone special whom the
customer has in mind. The owners will attempt to match their animals to the
customer´s personality and financial means, and will take orders for special
animals that are not currently in stock. Hides Alive will also train its animals.
The prices can be quite high, but the status of having "perhaps the most
expensive and difficult to obtain animal that Hides Alive has ever sold" has
set more than one social climber´s feet on the golden path. The compound is
only open two days a week from 10 am to dusk, and closed from Esterealan through
Wajenio.
Ironshield Financial Services (CB VI)
Ironshield Financial Services (IFS) is the Hurva´s most renowned banking and
finances establishment, known to be impenetrable and possessing an excellent
reputation for security and discretion. The phrase "keeping it with Iron"
is a direct reference to IFS, referring to anything kept exceptionally secure.
IFS caters to both the wealthy and to common merchants and craftsmen. It is open
from 9 am-12 noon 5 days a week. IFS has branches in every major Hurvan city,
except Istur.
Jasmine´s Fine Jewelry (CB VI)
This odd little brass-covered, trapezoidal shop is run by the Haratese jeweler
Jasmine, who buys gems and jewels from anyone interested in selling, and turns
them into exquisite jewelry wrought in both traditional Harati designs and
fanciful creations of her own. She caters to the well-off, but her stock is quite
large and some pieces are within reach of the middle-class, while others are
restricted to the very wealthy.
Korbo´s Transport (CB I)
Korbo´s Transport provides flat-bed wagons that make circuits of the city
throughout the day on regular routes; anyone who wishes may hop aboard for two
coppers and hop off again at the desired location. Korbo also provides hansom
service, a variety of small one-horse carriages that hold four to six people and
may be booked to one destination or for one hour for two gold per person. Drivers
will pick up passengers as long as seats are available, although if a fare wants
to pay for the extra seats, the hansom may be taken privately. Finally,
Korbo´s provides on-call service, through which a patron may arrange to be
picked up at a certain place and time by a small carriage or special coach. The
carriages are the standard hansom cabs; the coaches are lavish two-horse vehicles
that hold two to three passengers and are driven by a coachman in splendid
livery. An on-all carriage may be reserved for one silver, and an on-call coach
for 1 platinum. Coaches and carriages will not leave the city limits. All
arrangements may be made in person or via messenger.
Light of Truth
The temple of Estereal, High Priest, Owen Wayfinder. An impressive red brick
structure with wooden, white columns and accents, the temple of Estereal is in
the old part of the university. Its most notable feature is an enormous,
magically operated bell tower than can be seen through-out much of the city. This
ancient, 150´ tall, weather-worn brick tower houses an enormous brass bell
and a 40´ flagpole. A stone gargoyle crouches on each of its four top
corners, grimly surveying the city below. The bell is sounded each hour to mark
the time, and also sounds alarms, and the closing of the city´s river gates
at nightfall. The flagpole is used to show exactly what hour of the day or night
it is; large colored flags with various symbols on them are raised each hour when
the bell is sounded. In addition, some special flags denote important events. At
night a magical light is shed over the flagpole, illuminating the flags.
Visitors are welcome, and the sanctuary is large, comfortable, smells sweetly of
incense and is elegantly decorated. Portraits of all the Saints of the Pantheon
are hung in the narthex -- all are donations from well known artists.
The Grand Ball Room is actually a separate building, similar in structure to the
temple, and boasting gorgeous yellow marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and
three story stained glass windows. The center of the building is a Grand Ball
Room. Radiating out from it are the entrance way, three smaller rooms suitable
for entertaining, and two chapels ideal for weddings and other ceremonies. The
hallways connecting these rooms contain coat check rooms,
facilities, baths, etc. The Grand Ball Room is used every year for the Masque
Ball during the Festival of Estereal.
The Longtooth Lounge (Excellent/Expensive) (CB II)
Madame Kel Nokie runs this upscale restauant which provides exotic fruit-based
liquid refreshment and fine food as well as female companionship for its
gentleman clients. Its open from midafternoon til 3 or 4 am. A three-story tower
on corner is renatable for private events. The main restaurant has glass walls
and a sloped glass ceiling with a fenced in garden with outdoor seating in the
summer. Since this is a class establishment, the doorman requires a reference
before granting entry.
Macauley´s Gambling House (CB II)
This small gambling house is a popular place, open 24 hours a day and offering
dice, cards, "machine" games, and the exotic entertainment of Octoshan,
an Affiliates-approved form of Duel Arcane & Mundane run by the Magus Norgus
Kybo, a colorful and melodramatic mage who thoroughly enjoys pitting willing
fighters and mages against illusory creatures of comedy and nightmare.
Our Lady of Mercy
The Temple of Soltana, High Priestess, Gabriela McTavish (Wife of Brendan
McTavish from the temple of Estereal.) The temple is a beautiful, sprawling
building, again of red brick with white columns and accents. It boasts numerous
stained glass windows, an inner courtyard, and an enormous garden full of plants
and flowers, a hedge maze, and even a patch of vegetables. (The High Priestess
herself works in the garden when time permits). Unlike many temples to Soltana,
the infirmary here is small: a walkway connects it to the adjacent building, The
Saint Olivia College of Medicine, where excellent care is available.
The Pantheon Home for Children
Established in HY 1078 by High Priestess Gabriela McTavish, supported and run
jointly by the major temples of Tonn. The home cares for foundlings, orphaned and
abandoned children. They are cared for, educated, loved and protected and, when
the time comes for them to leave, are helped to find their way in the world. A
favorite charity in Tonn, with regular benefit galas.
Rumpchunk´s Butchery (CB I)
Rumpchunk´s prices are moderately high, but his meat is always excellent; he
specializes in fresh chicken and duck, but also carries beef, pork, lamb, veal,
and various game meats such as venison, boar, moose, bear, mountain sheep,
rabbits, squirrels, wild geese, and so forth. He also sells a highly seasoned
sausage for 2 silvers a 5" link, and a delicious marinade for meat that costs
1 gold - its recipe is a closely guarded secret of the family.
The Shrine of Oghma
High Priest Wicahpi Wakan, an energetic, helpful and intelligent gnome. This
temple houses an enormous library largely dedicated to obscure and ancient texts.
Visitors are required to pay a silver piece to enter. Visitors may not roam the
stacks, but request information on a desired subject from the helpful assistants.
The use of older and rare tomes requires an hourly donation of 2 gp, as an
assistance is required to read the valuable texts to the researcher. Scribes may
also be hired here for a reasonable fee. For a very large fee, visitors may find
a research assistant willing to search for information for them, but these
illustrious personages are few, expensive and in high demand. The temple often
buys new volumes for its collection. (Donations are welcome).
Sign of the Sign (Fair/Moderate)
The shingle out front of this college bar has a recursive painting of a sign on a
sign on a sign which has obviously been enhanced by magical means.
The Singing Frog Sanctuary (Fair/Moderate) (CB III)
The Singing Frog Sanctuary is a neighborly tavern noted for the good behavior of
its patrons and its special activities geared towards serious students and
faculty, scheduled regularly throughout the week - like debate night, or
drinksing night; froghairs night, or the fish fly night. The tavern is protected
by the minstrel´s pet basilisk, "Scufflehiss," which may explain why
it has never had a problem with troublemakers - the stone rat on the bar deters
most from testing Scufflehiss´ watchful eyes.
Skywhite´s House of Lavation (CB I)
Skywhite´s offers public and private baths from early morning to about 10
pm. For 2 gold a customer receives the use of a small cubicle to store their
belongings, tea, and complete access to the public bathing area. A massage costs
an extra 5 gold, and use of a private bath costs an extra 2 gold. The owners
believe that at least one cup of tea is necessary to insure the proper state of
relaxation for a quality soak, and those who refuse to take the tea have their
fees politely refunded and are shown out with an admonition to return when in a
better mood for "a proper bathing experience." The establishment reserves
the right to refuse service to anyone.
Spend the Knight Inn (Good/Moderate)
This simple establishment is run by a pair of former warriors, and doesn´t
put up with any weird magic-slinging types.
Stumpy Bob´s House of Beer (Good/Expensive)
Years ago there was an adventurer who had nothing but bad luck. He was killed by
goblins and a priest of Wajen cast a reincarnation spell on him. Well, he came
back as an treant. Not too much later, he was petrified by a gorgon. After being
reincarnated, he had written a will which requested, "just to be planted near
a bar", if anything happened to him. His companions, trying to fulfill his
last request, dragged his petrified trunk to a barge headed up the Sunbolode
River to Tonn. In transit, most of his branches cracked off. After several rounds
of drinks, it was decided to bring him inside the bar. Well, he didn´t fit
through the door so they chiseled some off the top. To this day, what´s left
of ´Bob´ (his real name is lost to the ages) sits in this tavern and is
rubbed by folk (esp. by adventurers) to rub off their bad luck on Bob, the
bad-luck magnet.
The Tavern of Ever-Full Jugs (Fair/Expensive)
This bawdy tavern features magical mugs and steins, which fill themselves
automatically after each draught. Coincidentally, all of serving wenches are very
well endowed.
There´s No Place Like Gnome´s (Excellent/Expensive)
Run by the Sneverbrenterio family, this inn is always found by visitors to be
clean and comfortable. Belari and his wife, Heberitia, along with their children,
bend over backwards to see to their guests comforts and special needs. Its one
shortcoming is the lack of a kitchen.
Tonn Field
Ghant´s athletic field, it also serves as a place for magical duels and is
sometimes used as a fairgrounds. Three sides are surrounded by bleachers, the
fourth, by a red brick building (owned by the Affiliates) which features private
taverns and luxurious accomidations.
Tower of the Affiliates
An 110´ black granite structure nestled in the oldest part of Ghant, the
tower has no doors or windows. Access to the tower (and the fabled Library of the
Affiliates) is limited to the inner circle of the Affiliates Amagigo.
The Tower of Mysteries
This temple to Torodin (said to be much larger inside than out), houses the most
famous Oracle in Hurva. Mages sect High Priestess Cassandra X´ian.
Thieve´s sect High Priest Asher Darkmoor. From the outside, a twisting tower
of glistening black marble, its windows appear to move about periodically, as
does the front door. The entrance-way where visitors don their masks and robes is
roomy, with small benches carved in the likeness of numerous magical creatures. A
famous painting of Remiére rescuing Torodin hangs here. Besides the entrance
way, visitors are allowed only in the Sanctuary (a dark place, like all temples
to Torodin, but the walls are adorned with softly lit paintings, all depicting
various images and stories
of the Shadowlord), the infirmary (small, not capable of treating more than minor
wounds & diseases), and the Oracle.
The Oracle is a statue of Torodin, carved by the famous artist Narn sometime
between HY 150 and 175 from a meteorite that hit Tolon many years ago. The shiny,
black stone is always warm to the touch, and no sage or wizard has ever been able
to identify its composition. The statue is of Torodin in his Seer manifestation,
with the god´s eyes rolled back and gazing into the distance. Scholars
differ in their opinion as to whether the statue was enchanted by the famous
wizard, Boldiszar and the High Priest Stefan Blackthorne, or whether the
meteorite was already magical when it arrived. If the priests of Torodin know,
they aren´t telling. A donation of 100 gold pieces is required to seek the
Oracle´s counsel, and visitors are warned that the Oracle will not speak to
an individual truly more than once a year. Visitors pay their fee to the priest
tending the Oracle for the day. The priest who takes the donation will instruct
the visitor on how to consult the oracle.
The Tower Tavern (Excellent/Expensive)
Catering to rich wizards, this five-story, five-star tavern has no visible
entrance or windows.
The Trough (Poor/Cheap)
The drink is cheap and plentiful at the trough. Besides salted nuts, which are
free, the only items on the menu are cheap wine (4 cp) and ale (2 cp), both
served in the same plain two-quart steins. There are no tables, just a long,
skinny horseshoe shaped bar. This place is always packed up through close.
The Two Halfling´s (Good/Moderate)
Affectionately known as, "The Whole Thing", this tavern and grill
specializes in meals to be shared - by two or by a group, rather than individual
portions.
Walking Statue of Tonn
The Walking Statue of Tonn is a 9´ tall gray granite humanoid statue that is
worn almost smooth from countless years of weathering. Legend has it that it was
a true likeness of Tonn himself, though the Statue has proven to be impervious to
divination of any sorts. The Walking Statue has been known to move from one area
of the city to another, apparently without reason.
Widow Rohls´ Bakeshop (CB I)
This small shop specializes in fresh bread and crescent rolls made of white,
wheat and rye flour. Fresh batches come out of the shop´s two ovens at
sunrise, midday and dusk. Most breads cost from 1 copper to 3 silver, and for an
extra 2 silver, a customer can have butter, clover honey, or jam to go with the
bread or roll. The bakeshop also offers a limited selection of pies, fruit tarts,
cookies and cakes; it will take orders for elaborately iced and decorated cakes
for birthdays, weddings, dinner parties and other special occasions. The shop is
owned by the Widow Rohls, who is aided by her three daughters and Old Sam.
The Wild Chessman (Good/Expensive)
Coriand, a flamboyant wizard and retired adventure is the proprietor of this inn
which can be shocking to the eyes. Every surface is covered by checks (not always
at right angles) in a great many two-colored combinations. Even the outside is
done in red and yellow brick check. In the tavern and grill on the first floor,
each table has shallow drawers which contain chess pieces in a wide variety of
styles. These chess sets can also be found in each room of the inn.