Status: Largely public. As long as the city is not destroyed or substantially altered, DMs should feel free to run adventures here.

Location: On the coast, just South of the Northern Mountains.

Government: Monarchy, currently ruled by Crassus Jara (Hum Ari2/Sor2). Town Council, representing merchants, Landowners, Artisans, wizard guild and representatives from the dwarves runs many of the day-to-day affairs. King has total veto power. Exercise of royal power has varied by king. Crassus has ruled very firmly, often vetoing the council’s decisions.

Description: Monemvassia city is built onto a gigantic boulder, thrust out into the sea, and connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land, about half a mile long. The sea side of the city has a good port. The castle rests atop the boulder. It is well built and nigh-impregnable. Farms, orchards and mines in the area fall under the city’s fief.

City landmarks:

Throne room:

The most awe-inspiring room in the castle, the throne room presents two large gold thrones underneath the stuffed head of an enormous black dragon. This is the mortal remains of Asphetoon, the ancient huge black dragon that ruled this peninsula for 500 years.

Tavern of the One-eyed Owl.

This seedy dive of a tavern in the docks area is a meeting place for many of the city’s criminal elements. A small rat-faced man named Drauer uses this sleazy tavern as a base. A small-time crook, Drauer was once hired by Jezibel and assisted in the capture and detention of Irene.

Funary Gates: Main city entrance. Guards led by huge half orc: Grindell. (Ftr3) Foul tempered and bribe taking.

The Monemvassia Thieves Guild: This organization is second in power and influence only to the Royal family and government. They are highly integrated into legitimate businesses. Their main priority is to make money, and depend on free trade. They undertake numerous illegal activities in order to evade taxes. They are very upset with the current government and are/were under attack by some unknown force via goblin raiders and a rogue named Jezibel.

NPCs

The royal family:

King Crassus: This King is about 50. He was sick as a child, is small and ugly. He is no warrior, but has had military training, as all the men in the Jara family do. He is also an accomplished sorcerer. (at least Aristocrat 2/Sor 4)

Duke Antoine Jara: In his late 40s, the Duke is considered by many to be the true King. People hope he will take over. He has been a Naval man all his life, and is still in charge of the royal navy. He spends most of his time away from the city, particularly after the death of his father. Presumed dead after an assassination attempt(Ari2/Ftr4)

Duchess Sofia Maria Jara: Antoine’s wife. A retiring, prim woman who avoids politics, but hosts an exceptional tea party.

Prince Julian Jara: Tall, strong, and very hansom, the young prince was the hope of the future. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Knowledge (Monemvassia) DC 10 OR Knowledge (nobility & royalty) DC12 or Bardic Knowledge DC 15


Lady Justine. Daughter of Antoine’s wife, the attractive, but shy royal still makes her home in Monemvassia. She rarely comes out in public.

Prince Medius: Tall, thin, handsome and proud, this future king is very active in the government. He has been appointed commander and chief of the armed forces. Shrewd, paranoid, and cruel, he has been in the forefront of replacing former commanders and administrators with loyal followers of his person. Wears mithril chainshirt. (Ari2/Ftr1/Sor 1, or higher)

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Other NPCs:
Kim Tensil: A prominant merchant, recently in trouble with the law. Someone paid Jezibel to plant stolen silver in his warehouse. Although an adventuring party was able to recover much of the silver and demonstrate that the goblins had taken it, they weren’t able to rule out Kim’s involvement. Kim is free on probation but in danger in an unjust justice system

Grod: Ogre bodyguard of Kim Tensil’s.

Flavius: Caravan guard who befriended the adventuring party in M1.

Antagra – court wizard. Human wizard (8?) About 60 years old. Academy graduate (Conjuration) blue trimmed cloak

Artemis Trent: Another merchant, who runs frequent caravans to Orussus.

Edgar Vossinvinger, major domo for Prince Medius (like a chief of staff)

Graybane: one eyed ranger. Head of militia. Has mighty Silver-enforced darkwood long composite bow and red-fletched arrows.

History: Monemvassia is a city on an immense boulder protruding from the coast. This small peninsula occupies a key strategic point along trading routes, and its natural defensibility makes it an important city.

It was once occupied by the dwarves of the Northern Mountains who mined its precious minerals and used its vast underground caves for storage and audience chambers. Their productive world was shattered by the sudden arrival of Asphetoon, a huge black dragon who shattered their defenses and slaughtered all who got in his way. The dwarves retreated and bided their time, never forgetting their humiliation at the claws of that dragon. They forged mighty weapons and planned their revenge. Their opportunity seemed to come at the hands of a mighty eldritch knight. The human Nolan Jara appeared and offered his services. In return he and his descendents would be granted eternal control of the Monemvassian peninsula. The dwarves, intrigued, agreed, and offered him their most powerful creation. The Sword of Truth. Forged to help a leader build and control an army, as well as slay a dragon, this sword was a great gift. With it, Jara killed Ashpetoon, claimed a lion’s share of his vast hoard for his treasury, and built a beautiful city. He established peaceful and productive trade agreements with the dwarves, gifted them all the treasure taken by the dragon, and signed treaties of mutual defense. His descendents rule to this day.

Five years ago, Nolan’s great great great grandson, Dorian Jara, died, and left the throne to his eldest son Crassus. Although Crassus was oldest, most people thought Jara would skip over him & pass the throne to his second son, Antoine. Antoine was the father of Esmerelda & her two brothers, Julian and Ajax. Crassus was violent and cruel, making himself very unpopular. More damning was that he no longer used the ancestral weapon, The Sword of Truth, in public. This sword, among other things, would glow yellow when a lie was told in its presence. This made it very useful for adjudicating disputes. Julian was convinced it wouldn’t work for Crassus due to his evil nature. Julian was always hot-tempered. He was the eldest, and a talented warrior. Ajax had been sick as a child, and was not suited for war. He worked as an accountant in the King’s treasury.

Recently Crassus’ son Medius was accused of raping another noble, the lady Justine. Crassus finally used the sword in a public hearing to investigate the matter. To the shock of most present, the sword glowed yellow during Justine’s testimony. Medius was declared innocent. Yet most present remembered the yellow glow to be different, more subtle & suffused in the days of Jara. Julian was convinced Antagra, Crassus’ court wizard had cast some sort of a light spell to get that effect.

Crassus also arranged for his niece, the beautiful Esmerelda, to be married to the wizard Philip, who rules a small province South of Monemvassia. This town, Three Rings, is said to be the home of the infamous Black Hand assassin guild. Philip is an old man, who dabbles in strange breeding programs, creating hideous monsters.

At this, both Prince Julian and Princess Esmerelda fled Monemvassia. Rumor has it that Julian took with him the Sword of Truth. Esmerelda has disappeared.

The city is in an economic decline. King Crassus has gotten rid of many of the competent administrators that ran the city in Dorian’s day, in favor of his sycophantic cronies. Bribes are common. Merchants have started to avoid the city’s corruption and increasing taxes. Residents fear the now-arbitrary justice. Discontent is rising, though it has no legal outlet.

Bandit attacks, evidently organized by some intelligent force, temporarily stifled land trade, until they were wiped out by a brave adventuring group.

Geography: North along the coast are a range of mountains, home of the dwarves, and their goblin enemies. South along the coast is the small town of Three Rings. Beyond that jungles.

Monemvassia has never been threatened by land, but pirates and sahaugins make the sea a dangerous place. Many small volcanic islands dot the area around Monemvassia. Some of these serve as pirate bases, and worse! Traditionally, Monemvassia’s strong navy keep these threats at bay, but the deterioration of the armed services through corruption and nepotism has contributed to increased pirate activity in the area. Some say other factors influence this, and that the pirates are becoming increasingly organized and united.

Rumored to house the area’s most feared assassin’s guild, the Black Hand.

Three Rings is named after the three magic rings taken from the dragon hoard, and gifted to its ruler by Nolan Jara, in return for his assistance in the battle.

Prince Philip – Wizard King of Three Rings. (Wiz 8/Exp 4)
- served by Croft the animal keeper
- Lara his maid
- Various guards
- Lothar, the groundsman
Arness: Mayor – appointed by Philip and reporting to him. (W6)