sky realms of jorune companion jorune ardoth

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    COMPANIONJORUNE:

    ARDOTH

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    FOREWORD

    Companion Jorune: Ardoth is our in-depth introduction to Ardoth, capital city of Burdoth, premier

    city of Jorune. The walls of Ardoth have stood against the waves of Sychill Bay for more than three

    millennia. From its humble beginnings as a small harbor town, a safe haven from devastatingshanthic

    attacks in the decades after the destruction of the Earth colony, Ardoth has grown to be the center

    of human culture on a strange, non-human world. Ardoths walls now enclose more than three-

    hundred-thousandcitizens from many different intelligent races. t is a point o f interchange, he political

    center of a world with politics more bizarre than Earth could ever know. But it is Ardoths own unique

    culture, its time-tested institutions of drenn and the dharsage throne, its varied and colorful

    neighborhoodsand peop le that are the focus of this volume. We hope that Companion Jorune:Ardoth

    will convey not only factual information about Ardoth, but also an intuitive feel for what it is like to

    wander about and live in this thriving capital city. Ardoth can be your home away from home, a stxt-

    ing point for intriguing adventures throughout Journe.

    The creative staff of SkyRealms Publishing

    CREDITS

    Written By: Andrew Leker, Mark Wal lace, David Ackerman

    Contributing Authors:

    Amy Leket; Ken Felder, Andy Gore, El izabeth From

    Art Direction:

    Amy Leker

    Illustration and Cover Art:

    Miles Teves

    Maps and Graphics by:

    Elizabeth From, David Ackerman

    Editorial Staff: Andrew Leker, Am y Leker, Mark W al lace, Liz From, David Aclte~ma~~

    Special Thanks to: Michael Strathearn, Four Nolan,, Robert Cut-r ie, jay 81 Doug, David a I l. i l iia, Boh G Petel ,

    Tern- i Leker, David Kal i th, Ronald Stenzel , and The Mo nt&h.

    Contents based on SkyRe alms of Jorune

    ((-8 1986 SkyRea lms Publ ishing, Inc.

    Al l Rights Reserved

    SkyRe alms Publ ishing, Inc.

    P. 0. Box 5543

    Berkeley, CA 94705

    First Pr inting August 1987

    Printed by Mission Pr inters in the USA

    < Q 1 s j

    %& - -T~

    * - ._ --+- 5 Dedicated to Frank

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

    A Brief Synopsis of Jorune History (l), A Brief History of Ardoth (l), Present Day Ardoth (2), Neighbor-

    ing Cities (3), Institutions (3), What, Every Child Knows (4), Weather (4), The Land Upon Which the

    City was Bui lt (4), The Calendar Year (4), Architecture (5), Effects of a Longer Day on Jorune (5), Huedurt

    William s First Day in Ardoth (5).

    CHAPTER 2: THE CITY OF ARDOTH

    THE CRYSHELL CITADEL (6): G a eway (7), Neighborhood Map (S-9 ), Financial District (lo),

    Dharsage Palace Illustration (II), Council Grounds (12), The Ardothian Bazaar (13).

    OLD CITY (14): N

    emain (14), Sobrinth (14), Shen Illustration (15-16), Ald (18), Lelsh (18), Thanes

    (19), Northside (19), Ardoth City Map (20-21).

    SHANDANE

    (22): Westgate (22), Clav is (22), Arkin (22), EsWother (23), TLane (23).

    SIDERS (24):

    Portgate (24), Southport (24), Fishermans Quarters (25), The Klade Bay (26), Oiders

    (26), Dryce (27), Dich (27), Stocks (28).

    SOUTHSIDE (28): Vintch (28), Durris (29), Derrid (29).

    OUT OF ARDOTH (29).

    CHAPTER 3: INSTITUTIONS

    THE DHARSAGE (30):

    The Tauther/Drenn System (3l), Kerning Bays (31).

    THE CHELL (32):

    The Kims (32).

    THE ARDOTHIAN COUNCIL (34).

    THE ARMY IN ARDOTH (34).

    THE ARDOTH GUARD (34).

    MILITIA (35).

    CHAPTER 4: BACKGROUND ON ARDOTH

    THE DECADE (37):

    Thriddle Treachery During the War (37), Discovery of Shirm-eh Trading (37),

    The Ramian Invasion of 3472 (38), The Warp-F lash of 3475 (38), The Warp-Walker (39), After the

    Warp-Flash (39).

    BELIEFS IN ARDOTH/RELIGION (39).

    EARTH-TEC AND THE MILITARY (41).

    CHAPTER 5: ARDOTH RESOURCES (43).

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    Ardoth was wr i tten to take you away from the routine of out-

    door campaigns and lonesome wander ings throughout Burdoth

    and beyond. The book detai l the peoples, neighborhood,

    streets, structures, and history of Ardoth, Burdoths scat of

    power. Provided are dozens of Campaign Starters to run

    your players through.

    Though wr i tten with Jorunc gam ing in mind, Ardoth can serve

    you in a number of ways . The wr it ing may inspire works of

    your own, or you m ay just enjoy the reading. If you intend to use

    Ardoth in another wor ld, some background on Jorune ma y help

    place things in perspective. This brief synopsis wi l l be hclp-

    ful to people unfamil iar wi th Jorune, or those of you who just

    don t have your boxed set handy.

    A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF JORUNE HISTORY

    The Earth colony traveled more than one-hundred l ight years

    to Jorune in 2155 A.D. The present realm of Burdoth occupies

    what was one of the main colony areas at that t ime. When

    global war broke out on Earth, supply ships to Jorune were

    halted, leaving the colony in dire need of minerals and land.

    The carefully negotiated treaties with the planets native in-

    habi tants, the shanthas, were quickly broken. Colonists ovcr-

    stepped their author i ty and began expanding into rcstr ictcd

    areas. The devastating response of the shanthas resul ted in

    the near demise of both races - humans through shanthic

    warp-attack, and shanthas through the humans insidious

    Bio-Tee creations. Earth has not been heard from since.

    The t ime of the human/shanthic war is known as year 0 P.C.

    (zero, post colonization). Since that t ime, 3,486 years have

    passed. The present year on Jorune is 3487. Caches of Earth-

    Tee were discovcrcd about f i f ty years ago, dur ing the Energy

    hlcapons War. Burdoth is now one realm under one leader,

    Khodre Dhardrcnn, the dharsagc of Burdoth.

    Shanthas stil l exist, but arc rarely seen. Ardoth survived as a

    ci ty because of i ts warp- impervious nature; shanthas could not

    create warps into Ardoth to destroy the humans there. The

    shanthas of 3486 have a ccepted the past, as have hu mans of

    this day. The two races are no longer openly at odds with

    each other.

    A BRIEF HISTORY OF ARDOTH

    (o-300): Huma ns became wanderers after the human/shanthic

    war, constantly on the move . Those who remained in one place

    faced the opening of shanthic warps and the reign of destruc-

    t ion they wrought. Earth-Tee was abandoned as humans saw

    more and more of their blaster-toting friends kil led by orbs

    emerging from shanthic warps. Hum ans l ived like scavengers,

    traveling in bands from camp to camp unti l they discovered a

    place where nei ther warps nor shanthas were ever seen. This

    place became a bastion for human l i fe, a safe haven, or

    Ardoth, as it is called.

    (600): Life in Ardoth was unpredictable during its first mil-

    lennia as a ci ty. P eoples from the eastern coast of Burdoth,

    the Jar hars, raided the ci ty several t imes before a wal l was

    erected around the ci tys keep. But cvcn after the problem

    with the Jarhars, there were the unpredictable high tides,

    the strong winds that r ipped roofs off of home s, and the inter-

    mittent storms of l ight in the sky that caused discomfort, es-

    pecial ly for humans of smal ler stature. The t ides sent waves

    crashing into shore, sweep ing awa y buildings and their foun-

    dations. A sea wal l w as begun that would take many hun-

    dreds of years to com plctc, but would offer protection from the

    tides. Ardoths strong winds prompted new styles of bui ldings

    that stressed stone construction. The f iery skies were feared,

    but caused the ci ty no harm.

    It was in these ear ly years of Ardoth that terms l ike drenn

    and kcsht and dharsage came into use. Those who aided

    in the construction of the sea wal l or helped maintain the

    ci tys keep could be elevated to the status of drcnn by their

    peers. Kesht w as reserved for hcrocs and great civic leaders.

    This social insti tut ion led to the formal drcnn system used to-

    day and the formation of the dharsage throne. Drenn would

    be recognized as those whose services had benefi ted the ci ty,

    and the dharsage of Ardoth was the ci tys mi li tary leader.

    Only drcnn and kcsht could hold a claim to land or elect the

    ci tys leaders.

    (1100): After the initial years of struggle had passe d, Ardoth

    was on i ts way to developing a civi lization. Trade with ncar-

    by towns eventual ly reached the Gauss Val ley, where dur lig

    is cul t ivated. This odi ferous plant was at f i rst laughed at by

    the Ardothians, who would have nothing to do with the foul

    root. Dur l ig was eventual ly acccptcd as i ts benefi ts b ecame

    known. It was a large, hearty plant that could survive cold

    winters and provide more nour ishment than the seafood sta-

    ples of the Ardothians. It also cured num erous ai lments and

    the children who ate it thrived.

    (1200 to 1700) Years of famine and plague br ing the growth of

    human sett lements to a standsti l l . Records of much of this

    t ime do not exist, save to documen t the great plague that

    swept through al l the known occupied lands. For centur ies,

    Ardoth was more a camp of discasc than a safe haven from

    shanthas. Many left the ci ty as wanderers, taking to Glounda,

    the Doben-al , and even the East Tr innu Jungle Lands.

    (1740, 2934, 2988, 3006): Records of this period are vague.

    Though humans were recover ing from an era of plague, their

    populations were smal l , and there was l i t tle progress.

    The crugar threat from the far west caught up with A rdoth

    from time to t ime. Assau lts came from Temauntro every few

    generations, sparked on by a new, char ismatic leader. The

    crugar rcpeatcd ly tried to drive the Ardothians from their

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    hom es, partially out of religious fervor laid down by their an-

    cestors ages ago. The ci ty over looking the far sea shal l be

    yours. These words of Chalma Crawm , the crugar sa yer,

    have evcr lockcd the crugar s path with Ardoth. Even after

    the bui lding of the ci ty Chain Imagr i on Tcmau ntros west

    coast in 3200, the crugar made another attemp t to take Ar-

    doth, this t ime in 3437.

    Sti l l of signi f icance to the Ardothians was the invasion of

    3007. The ci ty was under siege, cut off from help and at i ts

    knees. The arr ival of a Hcr idothian legion under the leadcr-

    ship of Lcarr ic Shandanc drove away the crugar and made

    way for reconstruction (Day Shandane is the cclcbration of

    Ardoths rescue). Though loyal to the people o f Shol is, Shan-

    dane wanted i ts present ruler deposed . He raised Ardoths

    army to greatness and led them into batt le against the Hcr i-

    dothians on the Hit Plains. Though the war ncvcr saw rcsolu-

    t ion, i t was the beginning of Hcr idoths downfal l .

    (3113): The Ramian Invasion of 3113, set for th from Vol igirc,

    launched the enti re realm of Burdoth into war. Al though the

    ramian directed their effo rts primarily at Burdoth s northern

    coast, Burdothian ships in Ardoth Bay fel l under a ttack, as

    eventual ly did the ci ty. Ardoth struck back with astonishing

    rcsi l icncc and eventual ly overcame the invading f leet, but ra-

    mian landing part ies had already begun their conquest of the

    realms inter ior . Ardoth eventual ly drove the ramian from

    the Sychi l l p rovince, after decades of war, leaving dharsagc

    forces in control . The same wa s true of the Lusai l region unti l

    its native population overthre w Ardoths overbearing mili-

    tary prcscncc.

    (3437): Eventual ly, the crugar rcturncd en ma sse, f i rst dcstroy-

    ing ci t ies in the Gauss Val ley, and then ventur ing fur ther cast

    to Ardoth. Again the ci ty was under siege, and again on i ts

    knees. This t ime though, i t was the discovery of Earth-Tee

    weapons, found in an underground cache, that made possible

    the defeat of the crugar. Energy weapon wielding Khodre Al-

    lonkarb ( the dharsagc ruler of Burdoth at the t ime) drove the

    crugar across the Doben-al , back to Tcma untro. Upon return to

    Ardoth, Pr ince Khodrc stepped up his involvement in a war in

    Hcr idoth, spurred on by his Hcr idothian cousin, Yan Gizcr

    Tarsory. This attemp t at power brought Burdoth into what IS

    now rcfcrrcd to as the Energy Weapon s War, which ovcntual-

    ly stalemated in the val leys of Hcr idoth. By the war s end,

    Ardoths powers and sphcrc of inf luence had grown substan-

    t ial ly. With i ts energy weapon arsenal, Ardoth became Jo-

    runes mos t powerful ci ty. (See Energy Weapon s War in

    Companion Jorunc: Burdoth, pages 44-49).

    (3445): The Energy Weapon s War cvcntual ly ended in a stalc-

    mate . Term s of mutual cease of hosti l i ties were negotiated bc-

    twccn Khodre Al lonkarb, Harboh, the bronth general , and

    the thriddlc Klein Ko-Trid on the island of Curil i. Unde r the

    provisions of the Klein-Khodre Accord, the dharsagc was

    required to give up claim to Hcr idoth, the Dobcn-al , and mos t

    of what w as then claimed as Burdoth. The accord required

    l i t tle sacr i f ice to Khodrc, as the ravaged lands of Hcr idoth

    offered no reward. The Dobcn-al was mainly barren, and the

    other Burdothian provinces made clear their desire to uni fy

    voluntar ily under Ardoth and i ts arsenal of energy we apons.

    (3475): For the f i rst t ime in Ardoths history under human oc-

    cupation, the creation of warps bccam c possible for a short

    per iod of t ime. The ci ty wa s then vulncrablc to the same at-

    tacks via warp that destroyed the or iginal colonies. The dis-

    turbance lasted only a few weeks but prompted investigation

    for years. The Warp-Flash of 3475 took place short ly ah

    the disappcarancc and assume d destruction of 400 men in

    Clounda Forest outside the ci ty. (The Warp-Flash is dc-

    scribed later in detail).

    PRESENT DAY ARDOTH

    The year 3487 has been especial ly r ich with discovery. The

    thr iddlc have discovered underground ruins in a slum-l ike

    part of Ardoth known as Mah Ashalta-Ca. I assagcw ays

    lead to vast underground crystal constructions that some theor-

    ize keep Ardoth warp-free. This secret is t ightly controlled

    and known to few. These, and other important current events

    arc descr ibed below.

    Lamorri Ruins

    The remains of a large underground complex have been discoI,-

    cred in Lower Mansc r in Ardoth, a place the shnnthas cal l

    Mah Ashalta-Ca, which translates, Heart of the Darkness.

    The ground here has been sinking for ccntur ics, but i t has been

    only in the last dccadc that cntranccs to the underground com-

    plex have been discovered, and it is only now tha t thcsc ruins

    have been identified as labors of the lamorri - great forebears

    to the ramian. Though the region is near ly inaccessible, mem -

    bcrs of the Ardoth Cuard arc occasional escorts to thr iddlc

    who take mcas uremcn ts and study the arca underground and

    its undcrwatcr passag eways. Few paid attention to this arca

    before the Warp-Flash of 3475, when, for a short t ime , Ar-

    doth became susceptible to warps.

    Glounda Road

    Ardoth has long dcsircd a road into the Clounda Forest dircct-

    ly north of the ci ty, one that would bypass the detour through

    Al l idoth. I t would make for more direct transi t to the ci ty of

    Clounda and increase the mobi l i ty and f lexibil i ty of the rcgi-

    mcn t stationed thcrc. W ork was slated to begin in 3473, but

    was hal ted abruptly just before the Warp Flash of 3475 when

    an enti re cohort (400 men) disappcarcd in Clounda lwving

    barely a trace. That mi l i tary force had been sent as an cxpcdi-

    t ion to search for best road pathw ays. Work again rcsumcd in

    3486 and is currently progressing. Upon anticipat& completion

    in 3496, the roadway wi l l stretch 180 ki lomctcrs (110 mi lcsi

    and offer rest stops for mi l i tary transports

    Earth-Tee in the socie ty

    The year 3482 saw the discovery of two n ew Earth-Tee caches;

    one was located in Tcma untro, the other s actual location ii

    unknown, but is deep underground and prcsumc d to bc some-

    where in Lundcrc ( this second f ind can be acccss cd only by

    warp). Port ions of this f ind have only rcccn tly begun to reach

    Ardoth after being cxamincd on the Shcndarr i SkyR calm for

    three to four years. This new abundancu of energy weapons has

    made i t gradual ly easier for the dharsagc to l icense out their

    USC to Drcnn. The late 80s arc beginning to see the cmcrg cncc

    o f

    a

    new type of drcnn: the blaster sl inging, social ly una\vare

    Ardothinn travclcr who facts great rcscntm cnt abroad. The

    dharsagc is taking new steps to cnsurc that those carrying the

    weapons arc responsible and capable of adcquatcly rcprcscnt-

    ing the dharsagc. Firearm proficiency tests, foreign e tiquette

    exam s for those intending travel , and intensive questioning ac-

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    crugar have their safety, and the occasional scarmis

    chwi-kic h (high root-bushes to scrape against). Another

    section was built to house the huge influx of thriddle

    about the Warp Flash of 3475.

    WHAT EVERY CHILD KNOWS

    children on Jorune do not have the benefit of Sky-

    s Publications (save perhaps the Tauthc r Guide), virtu-

    kid is going to know the lore of Iscin , Bomove ris, Paul

    his son Khaun, Mayatr ish, Caj i Ccnds , Sho-Copra Tra,

    Khodrc Allonkarb, Ycs mirc Tarsory, and his son,

    Amanclc Tarsory, and scores of others. Al l chi ldren know

    to count - with the same Arabic numbers that their forc-

    Most kids know something about a few of the re-

    particularly the Isho and Moon Re ligions, the Earth

    Iscin/H uma n religions and the Iscin/Anim al rc-

    the upper-class neighborhoods all children go to

    learn to read and write. Children learn about the

    the council, the chell and the yords. They learn

    history , not including details of the human /

    war. Children learn at an early age the secret of dur-

    taste . The Warp Flash of 3475 and the reports of

    Eelshon She-evid arc taught only at progressive schoo ls.

    know that thivin gamble, wof fcn drink in their shente rs,

    that thriddle arc good teach ers.

    WEATHER

    weather in Ardoth varies from the warm summe r months

    Mullin, to the frigid winters of Crith. Rather than extrem es

    tempera ture, Ardoth is known for its strong win ds, and

    and i ts occasional Isho storms. Al l have wreaked tcrr i-

    destruction upon the city .

    The Winds and Waves

    four seaso ns, Eris (Spring), Mullin (Summ er), Auss (Fall),

    Crith (Winter) are more m ild than the seaso ns on Earth

    to Joruncs small 16 degree axial tilt. The winds usually

    in late Mullin (Summ er) and build to their pe ak in Auss

    . M ost years are calm and the ci ty sustains no damage.

    som e of the years marred by disaster, buildings have

    their roofs or been blown over, ships hav e capsized and

    , people have been blown over Ardoths sea wall into the

    loose sectio ns of wall have cracked and fallen - some -

    s onto buildings or homes - and the bay has spouted vio-

    tides. The worst years have been those when moon al ign-

    directly coincided with wind activi ty. Huge waves

    onto the sea wall. In the years before the walls

    sections of the ci ty were washed away to sea.

    now, th e major alignments every 465 years are feared.

    Isho Storms

    storm s arc not infrequent in and around Ardoth. Usua lly

    ng in the Glounda Fores t, they illuminate the sk y

    firedancc, brighter and more colorful than the Aurora

    of Earth - but destru ctive. The stronges t surges in the

    usually occur during the colder mont hs of Crith but there

    never a time when Ardoth is completely safe from such ac-

    sensitive creatures experience a surge in Isho during these

    ms , raising them to double or triple their natural absorp-

    can result in discom fort or pain for muadra and caji,

    though humans with higher Isho ratings may be affected as

    well. An y creature normally with 15 or more Isho Points will

    be afflicted to som e degree. Thriddlc especially, suffer during

    these times. Kerning is the best mean s of relieving the pain,

    but unfortunately, mo st humans are unfamiliar with the pro-

    cess and become grouchy and irr itable as the storms rage on.

    The streets clear about the time that the first deafening

    crackles come from the sky - only muadra and caj i wi l l be seen

    on the street s during a storm , walking to or from a kerning bay.

    There arc stories of homes catching fire from uncon trollable

    muadra discharges.

    THE LAND UPON WHICH

    THE CITY WAS BUILT

    The city of Ardoth is located upon high ground overlooking

    Ardoth Bay. Most of the soi l that the ci ty is bui lt upon is

    stable, save that of Lower Manscr, which continues to sink fur-

    ther with each passing year. Once a suburb of the citadel, this

    section of the ci ty is now a bog, complete with stagnant ponds

    and fog.

    The citys sea wall separates Ardoth from the sharp edge of

    the ocean. C liffs are very steep in areas, leading to drops of

    nearly one-hundred feet. The highest points in the city arc

    the Dharsage Palace, the Financial Dist rict, and the Ellelsh

    and Dancs Neighborhoods. The embankment that the ci ty is

    built upon is stc cpc st to the north and falls off gradually to

    the south . Ardoths South Side is at sea-level.

    The ci tys water supply comes from both the Cryshcl l River

    and from wells that tap into the underground water table.

    River w ater taste s good, as does mountain water, whi le Ar-

    dothian well water is laden w ith a poor tasting combination

    of salts and minerals. The source of warmth that heats the

    pools of Lower Manscr (or Mah Ashalta-Ca) remains a mys-

    tery.

    THE CALENDAR YEAR

    The year is broken down into four sea sons, brought about by Jo

    runes axial tilt of 16 degrees. The seaso ns are Eris, Mullin,

    Aus s, and Crith (Spring, Summ er, Fall and Winter). The

    years division into lunar m onths mimics that of the shanthic

    calendar.

    The term s day and hours arc still used. Days are approxi-

    mat cly 27 Earth hours long, but on Jorune, the hour rcpre-

    sents about 72 minutes of t ime, making the 24 Jorunc hours

    12% longer than Earths. There are still the sam e number of

    hours in a day (24), but each hour is compo sed of 72 minute s.

    OrbItal

    Moon: Revolution Used for

    Ecccn trici ty Inclination

    Shal: 40.5 days months

    slight 3

    Ebba:

    4 days

    hours slight 15O

    Du: 81 days seasons great 4

    Gobcy: 17 days alignments medium 1

    Desti : 55 days al ignments great 12

    Launtra: 7 days week day sl ight 0

    Tra: 2 days hours slight 5

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    One Jorunc year is 324 days long and is broken down into four

    seasons, 81 days each. This per iod coincides with the per iod

    of the moon Du and is the basis of the basic calendar. Each

    season, Er is, Mul l in, Auss, and Cr i th arc broken down into two

    Shal per iods of 40.5 days each. Off ic ial documents speci fy

    Season name, days into season, but Season name, Shal pcr i -

    od, days in Shal, year is more comm on. Here are examples of

    both:

    Official: Eris 50, 3484. This represents the 50th day in Er is of

    the year 3484.

    Informal:

    2nd Er is 10, 3484. This represents the same day as

    above ; it is the 10th day in Shals 2nd c ycle of Eris in the year

    3484. The extra day in the two month season is added at the

    end of the season as a day of festival .

    Placing stress at the end of the season name and adding an a

    sound notes i t as the second month of that season. Used only in

    speech, the months bccom c: Er is, Er issa, Mul l in, Mul l ina,

    Auss, Aussa, Cr i th, and Cr i tha. So, a spoken equivalent of 2nd

    Eris lo,3484 would be Erissa 10,3484.

    ARCHITECTURE

    The archi tects of Ardoth have been chal lenged to design

    bui ldings that are functional , beauti ful, and accommod ating to

    a var iety of creatures. Styles vary throughout the ci ty, but

    several moti fs frequently re-occur. The f i rst is the Dharsagc

    Style. This was the style of construction in which the Dhar-

    sage Palace was built. Man y of Ardoths older and larger

    buildings arc cons tructed in this fashion . S tone quarried from

    Monercy, Hoit, and Al l idoth are used extensively. Charactcr-

    ist ic of the Dharsagc Style are large, rounded edges, domed

    roofs, tal l archways, and outcroppings.

    Another interesting style is Caullic, name d after the archi-

    tect Herald0 Caul l of Ardoths 27th century. Mos t of the

    surviving homes of this t ime have been recently renovated af-

    ter decades or centur ies of neglect. They now attract r ich drcnn

    and Kcsht to Sobr inth, where many of these homes were con-

    structed unti l the end of the 31st century.

    The last few centuries have se en great transitions in building

    styles. The heights of creatures

    such

    as the bronth and coras-

    tin are taken into greater consideration , as are the trid-nodes

    of thriddlc. Mo st buildings are stil l created to human stan-

    dards. The bronth have long comm ented that eating a meal in

    Ardoth is a lesson in hum ility. Tiny chairs can give out af-

    ter a few minutes, leaving Dobrcns to f inish their m eals on the

    floor.

    EFFECTS OF A LONGER DAY ON JORUNE

    The l imited attention span of humans has caused problems on

    Jorune, with its 27 hour long day (in Earth ho urs). Ardothian

    schools solve this problem by reserving a nap t ime between

    noon and tw o or noon and three in the afternoon . This is a part

    of mos t Ardothian l ives.

    0 0 0

    HUEDURT WILLIAMS

    FIRST DAY IN ARDOTH

    Huedurt Wil liams was new to Ardoth, but he though

    he knew enough about it to avoid looking like a tourist

    The first question he asked a yord immediately gav

    away his naivete,

    Say, where can 1 get an energy

    weapon? The yord stared s ilent ly at him until he r

    alized from Huedurts garb that hc was a farm boy from

    the city of Gauss.

    Youre not from around here, ar

    you? the yord asked him. Happy to respond to such a

    easy question, Hucdurt answered, No yord, Im not. I

    from Liggnic, up north of Gauss in the valley . h l

    names Huedurt, Huedurt Will iams , and Im human

    (Huedurt felt that his last comment was necessary giv

    en the number of non-humans he had seen).

    The yord contemplated this tall, gawky fellow with

    blond, spaghetti hair standing before him. This gu

    was really from the sticks. A town so insignificant tha

    most people from its neighboring citie s dont even know

    its name. What you in town for, Liggnian?

    I came to Ardoth to get an energy weapon to ki ll

    Dhar Corondon thats been seen around Liggnie. W

    thought we shouldnt take any chances so the chell se

    me here to get a blaster. Do you know where Id go f

    that?

    Well, the yord began,

    its not quite

    like that, Hued

    urt. To be able to have or hold an energy weapon, yo

    first have to be drcnn; and to be drenn, you have to b

    tauther first, do you understand?

    Does this mean I have to work on the sea-wall before

    get an energy weapon?

    You might have to. It all depends on who picks you

    cha llisk . This could take some time, probably a fe

    years.

    Thats okay, thatol Corondon isnt going anywhere,

    how do 1 start? (Huedurt didnt really believe

    would take a few years; the yord probably didnt un

    derstand the simplici ty of his request)

    With that, the yord escorted Huedurt Wil liams to t

    citadel, helped him purchase a copy of the Tauthe

    Guide, and sent him on to the Hall of Drenn. Tell them

    you want to become a drenn, they ll know what to d

    with you.

    Okay, Ill look for you again after Ive got my challis

    and a job, Huedurt told the yord as they parted ways

    Right, Il l see you around. With that the yord de

    parted, walking back to Oidcrs, where he patrolled.

    He imagined Huedurt had a few surprises in store.

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    CHAPTER2

    B--V

    THE CITY OF ARD~H

    explanation of Ardoths walls is neces sary to understand

    citys present layout. Sections on the map are referred to

    the Citadel, Old City, Shandane, Oiders, and South Side.

    the city grew, the exterior walls were torn down and re-

    a greater area. All sum med , thousands of life-

    s have gone into the construc tion of these walls. Ardothi-

    are possessed by wal l constructions. Ardoths ci ty wal ls

    one of the Seven Wonders of Jorune.

    has grown to become Jorunes largest ci ty, both in i ts

    and in its walled area. At first, it was only the

    keep that offered protection against raiders. The Dhar-

    Palace lies on the ground of that original keep. La te in

    18th century , after several centuries of plague, Ardoth

    rapidly, prompting the construction of a massive wal l

    the new constru ction. That walled area is the Cry-

    Citadel, the nucleus of present Ardoth. As citadel land

    e less and less available for building, construc tion out-

    the citadel walls began. This area is now called Old

    , and includes North Side, THayn ian, Lelsh, Ald,

    Sobrinth, and Nemain.

    27th century saw new grow th and a great surge in popula-

    was time for an expansion of Ardoths wal ls. With la-

    readily available through the tauther sys tem , a mas sive

    fortification was built around Old City , greatly expand-

    the citys defensible perimeter. This wall provided som e

    of defense against crugar invasions that Ardoth endured

    next several centuries. Walls were repeatedly

    and were patched differently at the end of each

    the Crugar Invasion of 3006, both the citys exterior

    the citadel walls we re breached and whole section s

    Rescue c ame in 3007 at the hands of Shan-

    dane (a Heridothian General) who drove the crugar out of the

    city and began reconstruction efforts. The ci tys wal ls were cx-

    panded to include the neighborhoods of We st Gate, Clav is,

    Arkin, EsWother, and the Isho Free Area. This new area was

    called Shandane.

    Almos t two centuries later, Ardoth extended her walls once

    again, this time during peace. The wall around the Shandane

    neighborhoods was torn down and the stone was used to enclose

    an even larger area, now including a larger We st Gate neigh-

    borhood, Dry ce, Oiders, the Klade Bay, and Port Gate. This

    part of the city is called Siders.

    After the Energy Weapo ns War, muadra who had been ex-

    pelled from Ardoth were permitted their return under the

    Klein-Khodre Accord . The southern face of the wall was ex-

    tended beyond i ts post war perimeter to make room for muadra

    housing. This area is called South Side, and includes the

    Vintch and Durris neighborhoods. The majority of Ardoths

    muadra population live in South Side.

    Ardoths ci ty wal ls are twenty yards across and support an

    eight yard walkw ay about their top. Energy weapon laden

    yords patrol along the walls each hour to chec k for unauthor-

    ized entrance and serve as lookouts.

    The entrances to the ci ty at North Side,, Wes t Gate, and South

    Side have charged tolls at different time s in Ardoths past .

    At the present time there are no fees. Those entering the city-

    are still questioned, and their goods inspected . Tax es on im-

    ports are levied as they enter Ardoth. Established importers

    are allowed credit, and may sell their goods first, and pa>

    taxes later. Tauther are sometimes used to help col lect these

    revenues. There are waits of an hour or more at the gates of

    Ardoth on busy days.

    o THE CRYSHELL CITADEL o

    Gateway, Klasprin, North Cryshell, The Financial District, Council Grounds, The Bazaar

    I

    Cryshe ll Citadel is the heart o f the the original city of

    Located directly on the coast, i t is protected by a

    sea wall on its ocean face and an equally formida-

    wall on all other perim eters. These walls w ere erected in

    13th century P.C. Up to that t ime, the ci tys only protect-

    area was a keep later built up to be the Dharsage Palace.

    original Citadel walls have been all but demolished sev-

    times by invading armies . The remaining section s have

    patched and re-patched together throughout Ardoths

    The present walls only allude to the Citadels origi-

    (defensible) perimeter.

    distr icts of the Cryshel l Citadel are Gateway, North

    ell, the Financial Dist rict, and the Council Grounds -

    Ardothian Bazaar is an extension of the Citadel and

    maintains i ts own wal ls. Gateway is the main entrance to the

    citadel. North Cryshe ll includes the Dharsage Palace and its

    accom panying cluster of administration buildings, the Chells

    office s, Halls of the Dharsag e, housing for kesh t and privi-

    leged drenn, and com mon grounds. The Financial Distr ict is the

    center of all important com mod ity trading, legal servic es,

    banking, and insurance. The Council Grounds support a multi-

    tude of office ch ambe rs, including those for the Ardothian

    Counc il, and housing for council sta ff. The Council Grounds

    have existed only since the Klein-Khodre Accord at the end of

    the Energy Weapons War. Before the Accord, that area ~vas

    referred to as Old Doc k. The Bazaar falls outside the cita-

    del proper and has only been walled since 2600 P.C . The south-

    ern end of the Council Grounds ends the Citadels original

    wall.

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    GATEWAY

    This main entrance to the ci tadel is located where Cryshel l

    Street hi ts the Citadel wal ls. Stationed at the outer archway

    are citadel se curity yords . They are friendly to familiar fac-

    es, but will allow only drenn and ke sht to enter the citadel

    armed. Everyone else must ch eck their weapons at the gate.

    Rarely are caj i wi th the equivalent of more than 10 Isho

    points permitted entrance - they are directed to the kerning

    bays just north of Gateway.

    The sinking ground about Gateway prompted the construction

    of a br idge between the end of Cryshel l Street and Gateway in

    2212 P.C . Prior to this, Cryshe ll detoured south around the re-

    cess. Landfi ll has kept the region from sett l ing deeper, but

    new construction is prohibi ted on this unstable soi l .

    Gateway traff ic mo ves through a long passageway to the in-

    side of the ci tadel and continues a few hundred yards before

    splitting north into Caladia and south into Shray Mayder. In-

    side the citadel along Cryshe ll Street are information booths

    for those unfamiliar with the citadels layout, and horse

    drawn carriages providing transportation for Ardoths rich

    drenn, kesht and keshtia. Surpr isingly, the Dharsage al lows

    the presence of up to a dozen querr ids at the si te of the arch-

    way s opening into the citadel. Although they are helpful at

    t imes, their main interest is in information gather ing from

    passersby - querr ids do not accept t ips.

    Klasprin

    Located in the Gateway area between Caladia and Shray

    Mayder is Klaspr in, the pr inciple awss of Ardoth. This is the

    town square and meeting center for the ci tadel . I ts expansive,

    circular courtyard is surrounded by mee ting halls and colorful

    shrubbe ry. Klasprin host s the daily Chells Address and

    the weekly Dharsage and Counci l Statemen ts, the monthly

    Ardoth Guard Parade, the bi-annual Drenn Cerem onies, and

    the annual Kesht and Keshtia Pronouncements Picnics and

    part ies cover the lawns when not otherwise in use. Yord d uty

    in Klasprin is a great ho nor - Ardoths finest serve here.

    NORTH CRYSHELL

    North Cryshell is a few minutes from G ateway, walking

    north along Caladia. Encompassed are the North Quarters -

    home to Ardoths mos t famous drenn and kesht, the Dharsage

    Palace, the Chel l s Off ices, and the Nal ls of Splendor. North

    Cryshel l br ings in heavy foot traff ic. B ut passage through the

    low picket fence is regulated; only residents, guests, and re-

    spectable looking visi tors are al lowed. The yords of this area

    discourage loi ter ing, escort ing out those they deem without a

    suff ic iently important purpose.

    North Quarters

    A large expanse of the land in North Cryshe ll are the finest

    neighborhoods and homes in Ardoth. These North Quarters

    split into Lorri, the favored northern section , and Setta, the

    larger tract that borders Caladia Street before it beco mes Sen-

    try Way . Many of the older homes in both areas date back

    hundreds of years ; a few of the oldest brick buildings in Lorri

    have been standing for mi l lennia. r ibber are comm on in Setta;

    they are the choicest of pets for those wealthy enough to care

    for them. A disturbing trend among Ardoths r ich has brought

    tarro into the formal ly peaceful North Quarter homes .

    Though muz zled for the better part of their early develop-

    ment,

    a tarro will occasion ally m-endea r itself to its mas ter

    and neighbors with a charac teristically piercing screec h - not

    to worry, they rarely bi te.

    Sampa McWholl:

    Exemplary Tauther to Drenn

    Sampa McWh ol l is a Drenn, the son of a kesht and

    keshtia. Their fami ly home in Setta has been

    handed down for three centur ies. A few months be-

    fore Sampa earned his drennship, his parents

    moved to a new home in Lorr i. This was Trella and

    Mirden McWh ol l s means of pushing their son to

    complete his tothis ear ly, for Sampa wo uld be

    able to keep the house in Setta only i f he complet-

    ed his drennship by the next graduating period -

    no drennship, no home in North Quarters. Sampas

    three older brothers had no interest in early

    drennship, and his two younger sisters too young to

    even declare tothis. At 23 years of age, i t was a

    big push - his last chal lisk mark came a week be-

    fore graduation, leaving only a few days to take

    the drenn test. He learned of his passing resul ts on

    the morning of the ceremony.

    Drenn Sampa McW hol l now l ives with his three

    older brothers and two younger sisters in that

    mansion on Tooly Avenue in the Setta distr ict of

    the North Quarters. He works hard at the Iscin

    Services Clep deeded to him by his parents.

    Though not an iscin hims elf, he is trained infor-

    mal ly in many of the areas of iscin pursui t. Rapid

    drennship was bestowed upon him for his coura-

    geous expedit ions into the East Tr innu Jungle Lands

    at the request of the dharsage. The nature of these

    tr ips st i l l remain secret, even to his closest fr iends

    (He remains under str ict orders by the dharsage to

    say nothing of his effor ts to return an ancient star-

    craft to 1,perational status). Al though his job was

    mainly one of managem ent, he was internal ly

    credi ted with the ul t imate succes s of the project

    upon i ts completion and received a highly coveted

    drenn wal l c i tat ion by Chion Who& Goventry,

    Ardoths General of Earth-Tee Defense. Sampa re-

    ceived his drennship short ly a fterwards.

    The Halls of Splendor

    On the Grounds of the Main Hal ls are Ardoths f inest parks,

    muse ums, and the Hal ls of Drennship. I t is here that the peo-

    ples of other realms come to see Ardoths exemplary ar t col-

    lections, hear the dharsage bands perform, strol l through the

    botanical gardens, and stand in awe at the Hal l o f Drenn.

    Mos t Ardothians make l i tt le use of these faci l it ies - the stuf-

    fy atmosphere appeals more to tour ists than natives. Even the

    chell has long since retired from qu arters in the Main Halls.

    Rhan Trohan (Ardoths present chell) and his past four pre-

    decessors have al l maintained homes the Lorri neighborhood.

    Treegs Museum

    The Trecgs Museum is a col lection of Burdoths greatest ar t

    treasures. The drawings and many paintings of S lan, the Sy-

    dran art ist, drape the gal lery wal ls wi th scenes depict ing the

    arrival of ramian gire in 3113. Ancient Lelligirian pottery and

    Baysis wood carvings are displayed prominently in the south

    wing of the building. Burdoths rare and covete d collection of

    jewels from Jasp are proudly exhibi ted in the Treegs m ain

    showcase . Once a week, the Dharsage Str ings play their

    melodic whos ins for the public in the large, outdoor auditori-

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    E

    N s

    W

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    NEIGHBORHOODS

    Scale:

    3

    equal5 one mk

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    urn to the rear of the Treegs.

    Museum of the Past

    Recently opened is the Museum of the Past, which offers

    Ardothians their f i rst close look at some of the bigger pieces

    of Earth-Tee uncovered. Energy weapons are but a single ele-

    ment of the display. A single day each month is Hands-On

    day, when ordinary Ardothians get a chance to feel real

    Earth-Tee. The dharsage al lows this pr ivi lege in the hopes

    of luring o nlookers into the military, and m aking drennship

    look more attractive. Copies of the Tauther Guide are avai la-

    ble at the Museu m Store. Several rumors have crept up over

    the four month per iod since the museu ms opening. The mos t

    comm on one is that a dysfunctional starcraft is being readied

    for display. Another rumor, less comm on, is that an assortment

    of new Bio-Tee was stolen just pr ior to being placed out on dis-

    play. The dharsage refuses to confi rm such reports.

    Botanical Gardens

    Within Ardoths botanical gardens thr ive samp les of f lora

    from as far away as Vol igire and as beauti ful as the cryal lice

    flowers of Jasp. Botanical expedit ions funded by the Chel l

    travel wor ld-wide to gather new specimen s. The Atterol Iscin

    Klade is always represented in these ventures.

    Ardoths Zoo

    Bordering the botanical gardens is the Ardoth zoo, where

    creatures from al l over Jorune are housed. A smal l corondon

    was captured a few years ago, but i t survived only a few

    mon ths. The faci l i ty is run by iscin, who hope to capture sev-

    eral more corondon in an upcoming hunt. The interview process

    for beasters has begun and the zoo staff is seeing an over-

    whelm ing turnout - there have even been several thriddle ap-

    pl icants.

    The Chells Home

    The chells prese nt hom e is in the neighborhood of Lorri, but

    was or iginal ly nestled between the var ious Hal ls of Splendor.

    It was decided late last century that the Chel l s Mansion

    was better suited for foreign dignitaries than to the chell

    himself. The replacement home is more than adequate, and

    permits the Chel l to lead a l i fe somew hat separated from the

    pomp and ceremony of the Hal ls of Splendor. The Off ices of

    the Chel l are located near the enztrance to the dharsage pal-

    ace; indeed, several chel l off ices share space in dharsage

    buildings and vice versa .

    The Dharsage Palace

    The Dharsag e Palace and grounds are located in the northern

    quarters of the ci tadel . Surrounded by thir ty foot high wal ls

    on al l s ides, the structure has kept Ardoths populace safe

    dur ing countless sieges. Twice the wal ls were razed, and three

    times they were breached, but each t ime Ardoth was able to

    overcome her aggressor.

    Within these wal ls l ie the Palace Grounds - lush, grassy are-

    as shaded by tal l , outstretched trees and marbled by smal l

    brooks. This area is opened for drenn-fami ly picnics once a

    week ( It does not appear to scale on the maps of Ardoth in

    this book).

    Surrounded by these grounds lies the Palace itself. Supporting

    many tal l towers, i t is the last retreat dur ing siege. The keep

    at its center is large enough to suppo rt several hundred people

    - something which i t has had to do several t imes in the past.

    Within the Palace are the dharsage chambers where Khodre

    Dhardrenn, his wi fe Rolesia M incarra, and his three sons,

    Dharmar, Rhalter , and Jerdan l ive. The Dharsage Palace

    guards are al l armed with energy weapons and the palace

    towers are mounted with energy weapon turrets. Entrance to

    the Palace Grounds is through a large gate located on Carth-

    age Street. Only gu ests of the dharsage, employees, and those

    with appointments are permitted - the castle is not for tour-

    ists.

    Several bochigon are kept stabled around the far back side of

    the castle . Khodre Dhardrenn is an excellent bochigon rider, a

    skill taught him by his father, the late Khodre Allonkarb.

    He is also said to be one of the centurys f inest minds, tutored

    by the great Kirra Ho-Trid hims elf. The dharsage library is

    one of the best in Burdoth, which make s i t one of the best on

    Jorune. A col lection of Earth-Tee mem ory playback uni ts gives

    Khodre near ly a s much knowledge at his disposal as the

    Mountain Crown of Tan-Ir ic id.

    Several of the important dharsage off ices are located just

    within the Palace Grounds, including the Earth-Tee Requisi-

    t ion office, where people come to request i tems of Earth-Tee

    and the Dharsage Calendar off ice, where arrangements are

    made to meet with Khodre Dhardrenn himself (For more de-

    tai l see Dharsage Insti tut ions in this book.)

    THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT

    Dharsis

    The Financial Distr ict of the Citadel consum es much of the

    land south of North Cryshel l and North of the Counci I

    Grounds. Its name has changed several t imes over the years.

    Unti l about 40 years ago i t was called Yordis, meaning

    Legal and Financial, but after the Energv Weapons War cl

    new name fel l into comm on usage, Dharsis, making reference

    to the Dharmaras, the Dhar ler ins, DharKars, and the Dhar-

    Samm is- r ich and powerful Ardothian fami l ies.

    Dhars is is very old. It is built upon high ground with one of

    Ardoths best views of Cryshel l Bay. Unfortunately, strong

    winds sometim es force the closing of business dur ing the late

    afternoons. Al though al l of Ardoth suffers from strong winds,

    nowhere is i t fel t as strongly as in the Financial Distr ict. The

    Dharsage Palace wal ls funnel the strong sea breeze due south.

    Those who insist on continuing outdoor work dur ing these epi-

    sodes wear windbreakers. A phrase comm on to regulars in

    Dharsis is Vacation on a high Desti , because the mos t via-

    lent episodes occur when the moon Desti is high in the sky - Cl

    good t ime to leave the ci ty.

    Within the Financial Distric t are all varieties of ser\,ice s

    and stores. Several Dharsage off ices are located here. Since

    the late sixties (346 0s) Khodre Dhardrenn has perm itted

    klades to operate within the ci tadel . There are now several

    Yordeh Klades charging for training and legal assist ance .

    Yordeh Services

    Of note are the Tr i thica Yordig, the Shen Services, Bank11

    and Yee, the Manser Trade, Ter l ibbobs Yordehs, and the As-

    mir Yordeh Klade.

    Trithica Yordig

    The Tr i thica Yordig offers legal assistance to those who feel

    that they were treated unfair ly by their kims. Tod Tri thica

    runs this smal l off ice on Klenta St., located on the eastern t ip

    of the distr ict. He has two partners, both muadra women who,

    l ike himself, were harassed by their kims. Tods cr ime was

    running a too-profitable a supply clep at the expens e of his

    competi t ion, and both Marni and Lel l itra were harassed for

    practicing dyshas at their local kerning bay instead of just

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    kerning. All three now reside in flats in the Hailer neighbor-

    hcod of Sobr inth.

    Shen Services

    The main Shen is located just outside the Citadel . I t was bui lt

    to house the incredible influx of thriddle after the Warp

    Flash of 3475. Shen S ervices is an office of the Shen located on

    Breh St. adjacent to the impressive Ardoth Klade Bank

    building. This office is run by thriddle, woffe n, and bronth

    (and a few corastin, employed for muscle) . This organization

    of mult i -l inguals offer assistance to al l Shen memb ers and

    newcom ers to Ardoth. Fees are extraordinar ily low; cl ients

    are charged a meager 10 gemules per day or are taken on a con-

    t ingency basis. For cases that are taken on contingency, a win-

    ning verdict wi l l mean money for the Shen bui lding fund. Even

    plea-bargaining is handled in term s of building fund

    money.

    Resident Shen mem bers carry their Shen card wherever they

    go, enti t ling them to free legal counci l , and the protection of

    Shen corastin. There are several dozen Shen Denizens that

    patrol the ci ty, offer ing aid to those who f ind themselves in

    dire straits . Their serv ices are considered an intrusion by

    neighborhood kims, but are permitted.

    Bankly and Yee

    Bankly and Yee consists of a human couple practicing cr iminal

    law in Yordis. Their off ices are located on Laythe Street, just

    behind the Shen Services. Though workers of the two off ices

    see much of each other, Bankly and Yee employees are not on

    fr iendly terms with those from the Shen Services. The em-

    ployees are wel l aware of the gross inequit ies that exist be-

    tween the services they can offer and the str ings that the

    Shen Services can pull . The own ers are cal led bigots by many

    Shen Mem bers, substantiat ing their accusations with the fact

    that Bankly and Yee employ no humans.

    The Dharsage

    Palac

    The Manser Trade

    The Manser Trade is an insti tut ion created for the training o

    yordeh. Instruction begins in the Shal seaon of each year and

    is l imited to for ty- f ive students. Cost per quarter is 8 gemlinks

    and the complete school ing takes three years. Appl icants ar

    questioned and tested before being accepted - pr ior school ing

    through the drenn level is required (the drenn level is th

    level of education that every tauther is expected to attain be

    fore reaching drennship. Any applicant will autom atically

    fail the drenn test if he or she is unable to perform basic

    arithm etic, unable to read and write at an adult lev el, or fail

    to know the basic history of the realm. Knowledge of recen

    pol i tical activ i ty is also expected, but is less important) . Th

    three instructo rs are each excellent in their

    own

    specialized

    areas of law. Dhar Manser s special ty is civi l tor t law, Er l

    Laguard special izes in cr iminal law, and Jethro Tarsory

    (distant relative of the noble Tarsory fami ly of Her idoth)

    takes civi l cases. Jethro is known for his theatr ical perfor-

    mance s before kims; his acting has saved many cl ients.

    Manser Trade diplomas are highly regarded, and comm and

    high beginning wages for graduates.

    Terlibobbs Yordehs

    Terlibobbs Yordehs is a tightly run yordeh office in Yordis.

    The owner, Ter l ibobb Kothney, promises low rates, which h

    del ivers along with exemplary service. Ter l ibobbs Yordehs

    are hard w orkers who earn a fair salary working for their cl

    ents. And Ter l ibobbs has taken cas es that other yordeh would

    avoid: suing the ci ty for damages in a case of a beagre gone

    wi ld, yord cruel ty, and kim part ial i ty. His yordeh are often

    will ing to negotiate outside the jurisdiction of a kim-co urt in

    exchange for a fair , speedy sett lement.

    Ter libobb himself has been practicing for over thir ty years

    He is a plum p, grayhaired huma n fil led w ith spit-and-fire

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    when angered by injustice. Although he attained his drenn

    status long ago, he rejects the idea of kesht status altogether,

    If I have t o be drenn to practice the yordigs (laws), Il l do

    that. But i f becoming kesht means l icking the armpits of eve-

    ry dharsage tarro that com es my way, I ll pass. I dont need a

    halo to work the yordigs.

    Asmir Yordeh Klade

    The Asmir Yordeh Klade is an impressive example of commu-

    nity spirit in a citadel enterprise. Founded in the year 3386,

    this klade of lawyers recently celebrated its 100th birthday.

    The klade administrator and head of the vigorous teaching

    program is Barose D arson. Now in his late sixties, he was

    honored by the original Ardothian Council for his part in

    blocking dharsage attempts to prosecute muadra resistance

    fighters after the war. Although this stance lost him favor

    with prince Khodre Allonkarb, Khodre Dhardrenn recently

    decorated him for providing the com mun ity with graduates of

    the highest caliber. Working under Barose are Larry Gill-

    grass, Pasely Shandane, Malta McHenry, Lerr ic Buhanks, and

    Phillip DharSerris. Once a week th ey stay late after work

    for an evening of Shambo Din-Play, a variant on Shambo

    played for small stak es.

    Banks

    Most banks are found in Ardoths Financial Distr ict. The

    names of a few are: The Huston Union, Stansa, Nickerman, Le-

    Hoy, Drenn Keep, Kesht Keep, Dharsage Bin. The Huston Un-

    ion is described below:

    Huston Union

    The Hust on Union is a well known Ardothian bank run by the

    infamous, boccord H uston family. The Huston family arr ived

    in Ardoth eighteen years ago, immigra nts from Ros Crendor

    who brought with them copies of the TranHaddan, the

    Books of the Ancient Teachings. Unti l this t ime, complete

    copies of these books had never reached Ardoth. There are 12

    colossal volum es in all. The Hust on family made their initial

    fortune selling printed copies of the TranHaddan to other Ros

    Crendorian boccord . Though primitive, Ardoths printing

    presse s offer inexpensive and rapid reproductive capability.

    The mone y generated by their book business funded the open-

    ing of the Husto n Union, a Cryshe ll Citadel bank created to

    give boccord farmers good term s on loans for their durlig culti-

    vation and harves t.

    Clubs Rr Organizations

    Num erous clubs and organizations open their mem bership to

    the drenn and kesh t of Ardoth. They include: Boothers,

    where daring stun ts by the Boother Brothers are nightly en-

    tertainme nt; the Sanjer Socie ty, in which rich singles ta ke

    trips to Gauss V alley, sail ships, etc. ; the new Kolovisondra

    Society - each year mem bers set sail in search of Kolovison-

    dra (founder is Shelker fro m The SkyR ealm Kolovisondra

    campaign).

    Fine Clothing

    Many stores service those who can afford the best in cushdin

    silks . Nothing of a coditch husk variety is even available in

    Ardoths Financial Dist rict. Ghirlans Service s, Pabian &

    Lutch, Yerdins Drenn Ware, lllaymia for Keshtia, and Trea-

    gants (a smaller, more exclus ive store) line the street s in this

    part of the citadel.

    Expensive food

    Ardothians are alway s in search of a better m eal. Available

    to them in the Financial Distr ict are: Demphis Wide Bodv

    (food for boccord lunching in the citadel), Krim A nsels

    (service by the finest thriddle chefs and waiters), and the

    Cryshel l Diner ( i ts windows open onto a magnificent view of

    Ardoth Bay).

    Specialty Shops

    Pauntas Gifts : the place to find high quality, expensive

    equipment for tauther. N EW : Querrid Kwe ye, a querrid office

    in the financial district that distributes up-to-the-minute in-

    formation on marke ting, pricing, buyer response, etc.

    PALZER

    East of the Financial Dist rict is a small residential neighbor-

    hood set aside for families of those serving in the Ardoth

    Guard, and for military officers . Som etimes referred to as

    Palzer, this area is popular with tourists searching for a

    good view of Ardoth Bay. Neighborhood streets are clean and

    the people generally friendly. Foreigners are often welcom ed

    into the homes of locals. Palzers two outdoor cafes offer scenic

    surroundings. The Sharzer is run by humans from Essajee (a

    city on Burdoths east coas t) and the Wik-W ik by a friend-

    ly pair - a bronth and a woffe n, both dharsage ex-military.

    They heartily welcom e other iscin races to their cafe, crugar

    excluded.

    COUNCIL GROUNDS

    The Council Grounds encom pass the long Arbis lath~\~ay,

    which leads to the main council cham bers. Living quarters

    and work spac e are segregated into national distric ts, some -

    what l ike consulates. The six foot fence that surrounds the

    Counci l Grounds opens at spots to al low for commercial traff ic.

    The port fa cilities at the waters edge are som e of Ardoths

    best, and are used extensively by ci tadel businesses.

    The thr iddle l ive closest to the Counci l Hal ls. N ext are tracts

    for the Dobrens and Lunderians, both on the north side of the

    stree t. Acros s the way are the South Khodren and I-Ieridothi-

    an consu lates. Further down the pathwa y are the main gar-

    dens. Near the end of the Council Grounds are the consulate s

    for Sobay, G uass Valley, and Lusail. The last consulate s are

    those of Ardis (the dharsage) and Tema untro. The occasional

    ramian (chiven rachu-eh, of course) is housed in the Dharsage

    Quarters, under intense protection and supervision by the Ar-

    doth Guard.

    Here are descriptions of each consulate :

    ARD IS: Minimal facilities. Khodres representati\,e is Sn-

    nater DharM arzluft. He is a kesht yordeh, born ,~nd r,l isc,d 1:1

    Ardoth.

    TAN -IRICID : Very wel l organized under Demm il I- lo-Trin

    who is tight lipped and tightly connected with T~ln-lricid.

    lHe replaced Malrough Hom o in 3479. Dem mil is very old for a

    thriddle (198 years), but continues his work with vigor.

    DOB RE: Howell Darboh. He is an historical orator from Tloll.

    A noble bronth.

    LUND ERE: Thew Krethahuh l ikes to gamble and drink, , lnd

    is rumored to be in cahoots with woffen gangs in Mall Ashal-

    ta-Ca.

    S. KHOD RE: Delayn DharMara. Close personal fr iend of

    Saress Khodre. She endured extens ive yordeh training ill

    South Khodre schoo ls just prior to her appointm ent. She locks

    horns frequently with Howell Darboh (see Dobre) over inter-

    pretation of the Klein-Khodre accord.

    LUSA IL: She Obbita was selected for well representing the

    unforgiving mem ories of her people. She has served sinc e the

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    i l lness of Marr Esdranny. She Obbita is known for her icy

    stares and savage temper.

    GAUSS VALLEY: Cowel l Wi l l iams. He left farming in the

    Gauss Val ley to meet this appointment. He often strol ls

    through parks dur ing his leisure hours, and likes to spend

    time in the cleps on Tumbernaw in the Clavis neighborhoods.

    SOBAY: Tintle Barbayn. A hard-nosed mi l i tary type. He suc-

    ceeded Laimber layn Soti f f , who was forced out after not sid-

    ing with the dharsage in a key counci l vote in 3474.

    TEMA UNTRO: Chaun Escrowm. He t r ies to keep h is race f rom

    being associated with the more radical crugar of Temau ntros

    eastern r idges at the border of the Dowtrough Mountains. He

    occasional ly attemp ts to ini t iate contact wi th Thew Kretha-

    huh, the woffen from Lundere, who publ icly refuses, but is ru-

    mored to secretly mee t wi th him. Chaun Escrowm is a pleas-

    ant Chaln Imagr i crugar who has made a good name for him-

    sel f in Ardoth. He is responsible for the Far East trade be-

    tween Ardoth, Temau ntro, and Delsha. The existence of Del-

    sha has been kept a closely guarded secret, but some Ardothi-

    ans have heard of i t .

    NER IDOT H: Yan Gizer Tarsory II . Son of Yan Gizer Tarsory,

    who was cousin of Khodre Al lonkarb. San Aman cle, his

    grandfather, was the matchma ker who introduced Khodre

    Vionia to KeyGion Tarsory - they were wed soon after .

    THE ARDOTHIAN BAZAAR

    The Bazaar has existed since the ear l iest days of Ardoth, but

    i t has only had wal ls for the past 400 years. I ts stands dis-

    play goods from all over Jorune. Though closely watched by

    yords for contraband, i t is seething with black-market activ i -

    ty maske d by the constant comm otion of legal trade. Goods

    stolen from the Bazaar are often fenced in Mah A shalta-Ca.

    Jewelry, Tools, and Toys

    Jewelry from Anasan, DonDobre, Chaln Imagr i , Jasp, Ros

    Crendor, even Vol igire is sold in the Bazaar, as are clothes

    from Lel l igi re, Lundere, North and South Khodre, and Simbi.

    Fine tools from Jasp are also avai lable. The best toys are from

    Tan- lr ic id: tutt le-spins, nankers, bibibi ts, kom o drags, di ffee

    quews , Gomo fami ly snap-togethers, and miniature statues

    of the Mountain Crown are guaranteed to please any chi ld.

    The del ightful thivin f lue pipes make a twinkl ing sound

    when played. Spr i te bars glow when throw n.

    Musical Instruments

    Woffen whosins, imported tenter shines from Glounda and

    Jasp, clett ips from Anasan (smal l plucked-str ing instrument,

    also called clets), Dobren hons (very primitive bag-pipe

    that emits a few low ton es), j ikks from Thantier ( l ike f lutes),

    towm as from Temauntro (soft horn - sounds l ike a crugar sing-

    ing), and thivin crystal-music-rods are among the musical in-

    strumen ts sold in the Bazaar.

    BOOkS

    Books on rare topics are shipped to Ardoths Bazaar from for-

    eign lands. Most are in languages other than Entren. From Tan-

    Ir ic id are books on history, anthropology, census information,

    science and technology, math ema tics, l i terature, and more.

    Dobren books are often histor ical. Much f ict ion come s from

    Burdoths East Coas t, including the ci t ies of Mar, Al l idoth,

    and Monerey. Great l i terature has come out of Sydra, and Jasp

    has publ ished the wel l received Survival wi th Crugar.

    Travel Services

    Trave l a gents sit in their booths and arrange itineraries f

    those planing busine ss or pleasure travel. Traveler Specials

    are comm only avai lable for tr ips to Dows en, comm uter tr ips

    Koistra and Shol is, Gauss Val ley rapid excursions, Coasta

    Rapid Travel (CRT), Sychi ll Travel Service, and Lel l igi res

    own Samthis Express (connecting Ardoth and Lel l igi re). Tr ip

    to Tan-Ir icid are arranged at the Ho-Tr id Conversational

    Quarters.

    Housing Services

    Some agencies charge a fee for f inding housing (both tempo

    rary and permanent) for newcom ers to Ardoth. There are doz

    ens of apartment services in Ardoth, and many are located

    the Bazaar. Sa mme ls Flats, Car las Finders, New Home s

    and Incleps Unl imited are a notable few.

    Carpet Vendors

    Thivin have dominated the carpet and rug trade since the

    exodus to Ardoth in the ear ly pa rt of the 32nd century. The

    gauthi rugs are in high demand, now that a mean s of pupa

    dating make s them a relatively safe purchase (a temporary

    ban was put into effe ct in 3460 when a gauthi rug hatched an

    destroyed parts of a home, eating furni ture and pets) . Othe

    part icular ly valuable carpets include those woven in Jasp, T

    mauntro, and Ros Crendor.

    Animals

    Thom bos, bochigon, and even talmaron can be purchased in t

    Bazaar, but only on rare occasion does one see talmaron

    bochigon on display - the Stocks are a more appropr iate loc

    tion for the massive beasts. Stables are the only place f

    viewing the extraordinar i ly expensive horses that are occa

    sional ly avai lable. Pets are also sold at the bazaar. Pibber

    tarro, tam e beagre, c ats, dogs, snakes, de-clawed dharmee,

    sankinslan ( f lat, leathery Jorune repti les from Dobre) a

    popular in Ardothian home s.

    Entertainment

    Pass-the-hat juggl ing, mus ic, stand-up co medy , heckl ing,

    dancing, story tel l ing, animal tr icksters, and stage perfor-

    man ces add to the atmosphere of the Bazaar.

    The Dons

    A wel l know n group that patrols the Bazaar a t the request

    the Chel l is The Don s. They are a group of highly trained

    mod estly uni formed retired yords residing in Ardoth wh

    help patrol the Bazaar, making the work of the yords m or

    manageable. The Dons do not enforce the yordigs ( laws); the

    help prevent them from being broken, and often di ffuse si tua

    tions be fore they can get out of hand. T hey are fr iendly an

    try to rely upon wit instead of threats, al though they wi

    fol low up on a promise to cal l the yords i f necessa ry. They o

    ten help lost chi ldren, the elder ly, tour ists, i rate clep-owners,

    or others needing general assistance.

    Foal

    Every type of food in Ardoth can be found in some form at t

    Bazaar. An advantage the Bazaar h as is i ts proximity to t

    harbors - seafood come s fresh from the trawlers.

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    SOBRINTH

    Sobrinth is a part of the ci ty that few Ardothians have seen

    in ful l . I t hides some of the best kesht housing, the main Shen

    buildings, and Coprell Sh in Fadri, Ardoths Ancien t Schoo l of

    Learning. This district is broken into three distric ts: Sobrin, a

    neighborhood with fair to good housing, Hailer, a neighbor-

    hood of expensive home s, and Danes, a neighborhood of r ich

    drenn and kesht.

    Foot traff ic does not penetrate far into the inter ior of the So-

    brinth district even though it borders the heavily traveled

    streets of Cryshel l and Sage. The Yord Patrol of Danes care-

    ful ly monitor al l who pass through the Hai ler and Danes

    neighborhood , and will turn back loiterers and the curious .

    These yords dress in black and red, and travel in groups of six.

    Travelers who walk with s teps of determination or wear

    clothing that bespeaks drennship wi l l pass through without

    event. The surrounding neighborhood of Sobr in receives yord

    services from across the way in Manser and is not under the ju-

    r isdict ion of the Yord Patrol of Danes.

    Sobr in is mainly comprised of residential housing and f lats

    but is known for i ts col lection of large and expensive cleps lo-

    cated on Cryshel l , bordering Manser. The Sobr in and Manser

    Str ip is Ardoths largest col lection of cleps and so offers m any

    goods not avai lable elsewhere in the ci ty. The Str ip, as i t is

    cal led, is always overf lowing with foot traff ic of the Citadel

    work force. To accomm odate Muadra enter ing the Citadel ,

    there are convenient kerning bays near the str ips north and

    south ends.

    Mos t of Sobr ins residents work on the Str ip or in the Citadel ,

    both within easy walking distance. The roads are dotted

    with children playing gam es of tag and reener (run with the

    bal l ) . They are respectful of the yords, w ho some times join

    them in their fun. Though not a klade sett ing, youngsters are

    often found in smal l groups, fol lowing an adult for the day.

    Among fami l ies w ith two working parents, turns are taken

    car ing for chi ldren. Two smal l parks provide gentle sorevines

    (female lothern) for the chi ldren to play on. The dusk t ime

    bel low-whine of the creatures signal dinner, and an end to

    play. The parks are cal led Mayuse and Cabral , after charac-

    ters in the book, The Traveler of Gauss.

    Muadra are noticeably absent from Sobr in; boccord fam i l ies

    are more comm on. Woffen are embraced by this neighborhood;

    their pups play at the parks with the other chi ldren. In-

    spired by old man Stelmer Hankins, the human and woffen

    youngsters swap stor ies about a shantha said to l ive some-

    where in Danes or Hai ler . Chi ldren gazing out windows at

    night are trying to catch a gl impse of the elusive Shauthra

    Ca-Tra.

    Since the Restabi l ization Effor t in 3481 and the beginning of

    expansion money from the Dharsage, business here has grown

    rapidly. The land owne rs o f Sobrinth are again attending to

    their propert ies after decades of neglect. The wood of many

    older hom es is stained with the dark brown moitre tar used in

    the restoration process.

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    neighborhood of Danes is quiet, peac eful, well patrolled

    well maintained. Though more of a residential area for

    than ke sht, it offers a nice view of the surrounding city

    elevated vantage point. Below Danes is the Hailer

    hood, home of kesht and the very r ich. The path-

    Hai ler are paved with cobblestone. Thombo travel is

    permitted here excep t by special, daily perm its. Though

    s are close together, the area is landscaped with ibich

    and colorful simra-v intch.

    the bottom of the hill in Danes lies a cloistral cove wh ich

    home to Coprell Shin Fadri, Ardoths Ancient School of

    and the grounds to The Institu te. Coprell Shin Fa-

    (CSF ) has been part of Ardoth for nearly three-hundred

    was overrun in 3007, as was much of Ardoth, and had

    be rebuilt. A subsidiary of the Chells office review s candi-

    dents pay no tui t ion, but a two year term of service

    the chells office is required upon graduation. Muc h of the

    were taken over the by the new Shen divi-

    built after the Warp-Flash of 3475 to house the return of

    of thriddle. The residents of Danes strongly fought

    stence of the Insti tute is not widely known to Ardothi-

    and those attending are unlikely to discus s their experi-

    . It is a dharsage-run installation of unknown purpose.

    a steady influx of people coming and going to the In-

    , all dressed in military garb. The Institut e is a training

    caji and iscin dedicated to maintaining Ardoths

    nature and defending the city against any Isho re-

    located at the back of Danes is an eyesore.

    chell promised back in 3475 that construc tion would be

    l, and later torn down. Rhan Trohan has lived to re-

    The Shen is here to stay , and is inhabited by

    of thriddle, and a few hundred woffen and bronth.

    Sobrinth worry what effect the thriddle querrids

    askers ) will have on their children. Every p arent

    that their child might join ranks w ith the thriddle

    as a querrid.

    MANSER

    Manser Distr ict occupies some of Ardoths r ichest and

    Along Cryshe ll Street, between the citadel en-

    the Manse r Strip, a rich merchant district.

    the strip and down a steep incline lies Lower Mans er,

    abysm al gorge in which is nestled another Ardoth, one

    not been settled by drenn for centuries. The shanthas

    this place Mah Ashalta-Ca, which translates The

    of the Darkness. It is a place where shanthas are sup-

    unable to see.

    The Manser Str ip

    clep on the Manser Strip is a dream shared by many Ar-

    an merchants. Clepfront displays on Manser are

    highly

    Merchants pay high rent each month to the

    office, but the intense foot traffic from the citadel en-

    do a lot of the selling on the Mans er Strip. It has been

    that their soft voices and unassuming stance help draw

    customers. They are now com mon in the various cleps along

    Manse r Strip as well as in the food war-zone of Cryshe ll

    Walking down the Manse r Strip, one leaves the relative

    peace of the Citadel to face a barrage of clepfronts , swarm ing

    shoppers , patrolling yords,

    an occasional beagre (being

    chased ), lit stone warm ers (on colder days), carters dashing

    frantically to and from the citadel, and gardeners gathering

    litter and maintaining the landscaping. The center of Cry-

    shel l Street is a raised platform, the Manser Walkway,

    and is reserved for foot traffic into and out of the citadel. The

    Manser Walkway r ises fi fteen feet over the str ip, With an a-

    cellent view of trade and easy acc ess into and o ut of the cita-

    del (the Manser Strip is so busy on big shopping days that it

    can take thir ty minutes to walk from Ald to the Citadel).

    Maverahs Cormin Grove

    Imm ediately following the Mans er/Crysh ell Kerning Bay

    (called Bay Cryshell) is Mavera hs Cormin Grove, lushly

    l ined with plants, f lowers, spices, and exotic vegetation.

    Since Ardothians like giving plants the aisles are crowde d,

    especially during the holiday buying season . The clep is

    named for its selection of corm ins, a red, tri-stalked flower,

    favored by mo st Ardothians. Cormin is inedible for terran

    based creatures, inducing nausea and cram ps. Thriddle happi-

    ly chew the cormin leaves or emmersol petals when out of

    doors for any length of t ime; they say that the cormin gives

    them stamina whi le the thick, leafy emmersol petals quench

    their thirst . Be a thoughtful guest and bring c ormin, or bring

    a thriddie friend a treat, is Mavera hs mo tto.

    Maverah Dandrey imports his herbal stock from greenhouses

    and fields in Ardoth and beyond. As a native born Ardothian,

    he knows the ci ty and i ts people wel l , cal ling many of his cus-

    tomers by name. As a consequence of his intrepid explorations

    as a young man he made drenn early and now sits on the Mans-

    er kim.

    Maverah travels to Dosoi and the islands of Ardoth Bay once

    a year to hand pick some of the more exotic plants displayed

    in his Cormin Grove. His speckled complexion and scars are

    the result o f a tragic shipwre ck experience on the hostile is-

    land of Sood. His rescue was effected by Ros Crendorian regu-

    lars stationed on the island. Maverah now pays special atten-

    tion to bronth customers, often offer ing them discounts. He al-

    ways has time to chat with Dobrens.

    The Uden Den

    In the Uden Den, card gam es and mayoo conceal a thriving il-

    licit trade of Earth-Tee. It is a popular daytime hangout for

    human s and thivin players alike, and has given rise to the

    expression He Udened his pay away. Enclosed playing pits

    are built into the floor, allowing Shilsy Barso, the clep own-

    er, to watc h quietly over the proceedings from his sheltered

    platform in the buildings loft. His real business doesnt start

    until dark.

    Mo st of the dens regulars have never heard nor seen Shilsy.

    His special cu stom ers call him Dhar Barso and arrive w ear-

    ing cormin flowers pinned to their lapels. Late at night, wh en

    all the mayo o players have gone home, Dhar B arso opens the

    Uden D en for higher stak es. The rear liquor cabinet swing s

    away from the wall, betraying a passage to a lower level of

    the Uden Den. A series of cloth topped chests and trunks greet

    those who fol low the lantern l i t darkness of the stairway

    down . Cus tome rs sit in the tall-legged ill idge chairs arranged

    in a semi-circle while Shilsy brings out his wares . IH e take s

    pride in his alleged Sillipus connec tion, but otherwise wont

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    discuss pr ior ownership of Earth-Tee. Word of Dhar Barsos

    establ ishment pretentious and his creams mediocre. Mo st Ardothi-

    secret trade has never found i ts way to the yords or talk of the

    ans prefer his decor and can t tel l the di fference between the

    street. His deal ings are very discreet.

    c reams anyway.

    Shi lsy Barso has a regular staff of anywhere between twenty

    and thir ty hum ans and boccord employed for the Uden Den

    gambl ing operations. Also employed by Dhar Barso are four

    humans cal led the kint. T hey make contac t wi th potential

    buyers in the bazaar, Lower Manser, and other black market

    contact points including South Port. Their names are Lan

    Dlour, Heldrom Knoy, Pret Kr i lagis, and Sten McTra i f. Al l

    are Drenn. Al l earned their drennship outside Ardoth. These

    four br ing important cl ients to meet with Barso after hours,

    tel ling them ho w to dress and what to say. Only h umans are

    invi ted.

    Treagants

    Overwater Meyones

    Treagant Dhar lerman maintains a force of more than 40 thivin to

    sell clothe s, cutle ry, fu rniture, interior and exterior l igh ts, jewelry

    and fabr ic. Managem ent of Treagants includes four woffen and two

    human s; secur i ty is assured by the presence of eight corastin

    dressed in dark green plaid at the front door. O ff ices are located in

    the back of this huge indoor gal ler ia. Treagants is located on

    steady land three quarters of the way down Cryshel l before Sage.

    Behind the bui lding are a ser ies of smal l yordeh klade o ff ices and

    accounting f i rms. Dharsage investigations and audits place al l of

    these enterprises right in the hub of an il legal Miedrinth limilate

    smuggl ing operation. Treagant him self is highly suspected in

    these sordid transactions.

    Overwater Meyone s is a comfort clep perched about seventy

    feet over the heart of Lower Manser. Retel ia Meyon e spends

    each night in her clep sleeping with a red crysta l in her palm .

    Fortunately, her wares (oi ls, perfumes, candles and f ine lace

    clothing) rarely attract thieves from Lower Manser.

    Lower Manser

    Shettros

    The bui lding which houses Shettros Clep was once used for

    housing the mem bers of the Shatwire Klade before their relo-

    cation into the Klade Bay in 3366 - at that t ime the Manser

    Str ip was a more residential neighborhood. This enormous

    three story building has undergone considerable interior reno-

    vation, though i ts exter ior remains vir tually untouched. In-

    side is a new interior - a maze of hal ls, stairways, comm ons

    rooms and closed room s for trading. The Shettro fami ly pur-

    chased the structure from the Shatwire Klade when they re-

    located. This wel l known Ardothian fami ly of humans has

    maintained the premises ever since. Generous quarters for

    three fami l ies, from great grandparents to the youngest gener-

    ation, are located in the back of the bui lding.

    The frantic pace of business along The Str ip shrouds the newcom er

    in a vei l of confusion blocking many out of Manser s interior secrets.

    The alleys between bui ldings travel back only a few blocks before

    reaching the r idge that separates the Str ip from Lower Manse r.

    From this vantage, one is treated to a spectacle of what seem s an-

    other ci ty...

    Shettros sel ls mos t of the comm on goods that travelers seek.

    Supplies of all varieties are available, from rope to rations,

    cleash capsules, a rmor, weapo ns, and l imi lates. Pr ices of

    goods vary with their avai labi li ty. Shettros is usual ly able

    to maintain inventory even dur ing per iods of scarci ty. Pr ices

    average about twenty f ive percent above normal market val-

    ue. With these high pr ices does com e the advantage of indi-

    vidual attention. Each room has a memb er of the Shettro fam-

    ily, happy to discu ss each objec t, its price, origin, reliability,

    any special property i t posses ses. This is the place for service,

    from the help of twelve year old Kyle to that of his great

    grandfather, the decorated mi l i tary hero Dhar Natr in. They

    are al l sharp, each one of them attained their drennship by

    age thir ty. There are three Kesht among them; Cle-Aster

    Shettro was a fourth, but she died in late 3481 under circum-

    stances never satisfactor i ly explained to the fami ly.

    In the moist darkness of Lower Manser are the remains of some ten-

    ant housing projects. These decaying bui ldings r ise many stor ies.

    The back al leyways and dead-end streets provide habi tats for

    many subcul tures and transients. The woffen Awehf are feared

    for their ferocious assaults on human s. The Bryne klades operate

    here, sel ling keosko, l inryte and rusper dr inks. In these parts o

    Lower Manser beagre are eaten and their skins used for clothing.

    Packs of the creatures roam free, chasing anything that move s

    with fear less disregard. The guttural beagre cauuuul growls and

    their frui t less wing-f lappings betray their approach. Useless for

    f ly ing, their winglets give beagre just enough l i f t to hop from level

    to level , making upper stor ies no safer than the gutters.

    The people of the inner reaches of Lower Manser are the Bryne

    Streeters. They are accorded no worth and are considered a

    threat to those living in nearby Ald and Sobrinth. Kinster is pro-

    tected by the Manser Wal l , which extends from the Citadel wai ls

    to the meeting of the Ald distr ict wi th Sage St. Dai j ic do not pa-

    trol here, but they don t need to. Caj i do not l ive within Lolver

    Manser s blanket of gloom for they soon weaken and are forced to

    leave. This phenomenon was documented ear l ier , but has only re-

    ceived off ic ial attention since the return of Isho- intensive muadra

    back to Ardoth after the Energy Weapons War.

    .

    Of concern to the Shettros is the stabi l i ty of the ground upon

    which their home and business is located. Perched on the edge

    cf Lower Manse r, erosion has been eating away at the bui ld-

    ings foundation for gene rations, and is now threatening to pull

    the whole structure down the emban kment. Effor ts to save the

    structure are just beginning; any suggestion or assistance is gra-

    ciously accepted by any member of the fami ly.

    A few hot-spr ings f low from the heart of Lower Manser, forming

    ponds r ich in algae. The water is said to cut ones insides when

    consum ed, and is therefore considered unsafe for human consump-

    tion. Other races can dr ink i t easi ly. The source of this water ap-

    pears to be other than that of Ardoths water table, as cool water

    wel ls nearby are known to be safe.

    On especial ly cold mornings the mists of Lower Manser occlude the

    view of outsiders, wrapping in a vaporous vei l the base elements

    that are the kernels of existence here. Ci ty dwel lers gain a

    gl impse of the areas true character only after the suns ascent has

    cleared the greenish mists.

    Bep Clep

    Nolan Ettermans Bep Clep serves bebbermise creams pre-

    pared by the Oriem Klade in the Klade Bay. The dozen com-

    peting creameries l ining Cryshel l street consider Ettermans

    Of those taking up residence here, humans outnumber al l others

    (unless beagre are counted); in smal ler numbers are boccord, woffen,

    thivin, a few blount, and a handful of corastin. A few scarmis are

    speculated to reside here. Thr iddle do not enter Lower Manser ex-

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    under heavy guard.

    occasional patrols that enter Lower Manse r are here on

    - they leave promptly when their assignment

    done. More often than not, they come here looking to ques-

    someo ne, usually in connection with unlawful activities .

    recent l imilate smuggl ing, the stolen crystals from Tey-

    Drenn Traveler Clep, and rumors of Earth-Tee trading

    brought yords down each week or so.

    ALD

    of the Manser Strip. This is a district of fine in-

    restaurants, banking services, and querr id booths. Most

    hants prefer to live in the surrounding districts of Kinster,

    and Arkin, away from the heavy noise and foot

    through Ald.

    The Financial Center of Al& Ambiss

    iss is a large circular courtyard surrounded by banks and

    es. The streets to Ambiss are decoratively paved;

    os are prohibited from trampling these beautifully de-

    walkway s. People come in droves early each morning

    the opening of

    the

    commodities market and the resumption

    banking services.

    at the entrance of each office and extend toward

    fountain gushing in the center of the courtyard. Mus icians

    paid to keep the area fe stive, as the lines often take m any

    Fortunate ly, Ardothian business ethics require that

    made available to those who wait. Regu