Mor's End Craft & Trade Submissions

Mor's End
Craft & Trade Dossier

The city of Mor’s End has around 10,000 inhabitants. Like all medieval cities this size, it is a trade hub. However, Mor’s End is also renowned for several unusual natural resources, which have brought talented craftsmen into its walls from all over the known world. Chief among these resources are the clay beds along the river. These yield clay of a surpassing quality and unusual color. Mor’s End has many pottery works that turn out everything from standard plates and cups to incredibly expensive decorative pieces. Also found in the vicinity are sapphire deposits. Ranging in color from pink to green to deepest blue, and in size from pin head (common) to robin’s egg (quite rare) these sapphires are coveted for many uses, from the mundane to the magical. The lake from which the river flows is also home to the giant Silk Fish which excrete a substance known as watersilk.

Here are the businesses we will need for the city, and the number of each. If you want to create something not on this list, email Buttercup at: sprockiedog at yahoo dot com, and we can discuss it.

Apothecaries 4
Architect 1
Astrologers 2
Bakers 13
Barbers 29
Bathhouse 1
Blacksmiths 7
Bookbinders 3
Booksellers 2
Bowyers/Fletchers 5
Brewers 12
Brothels 3
Buckle Makers 7
Butchers 8
Carpenters 18
Chandlers (maker & seller of candles)14
Chicken Butchers 10
Coopers 14
Cutlers 4
Fish Mongers 10
Furriers 30
General provisioners (the other meaning of chandler) 10
Glovemakers 4
Harness Makers 4
Hatmakers 10
Illuminators 3
Inns 5
Jewelers (general) 20
Jewelers (specializing in sapphires) 10
Lawyers/Advocates 15
Leatherworkers (saddles, scabbards, etc) 15
Locksmiths (legal) 5
Masons 20
Mercers (silk weavers) 20
Metal Smiths (gold, silver, tin, etc) 10
Noble Households 50
Rag Pickers (sellers of old clothes) 25
Painters (not the artistic kind) 7
Pastrycooks 20
Plasterers 7
Potters 20
Pursemakers 9
Roofers 6
Ropemakers 5
Rugmakers (general) 3
Rugmakers (silk carpets) 3
Sages (mages/sorcerers or just general scholars) 10
Sculptors 3
Ship’s Chandlers (outfitters for ships) 2
Shoemakers 60
Spice Merchants 7
Tailors (general) 30
Tailors (specializing in silks) 10
Tanners 5
Taverns 25
Thatchers 6
Watersilk Harvesters 3
Weaponsmiths 2
Weavers (not silk) 17
Woodcarvers 4

The above list is a general idea of how many merchants and craft houses of each sort would be present in a medieval city of 10,000. No doubt we won’t stat out all the shoemakers or pastrycooks, for example. But we would like to have at least one of everything listed above, complete with plot hooks. Obviously we’re more concerned with those businesses that relate to this city’s specialties (pottery, gemstones, silk), and those which are staples in D&D, such as taverns, blacksmiths and sages. Note that all blacksmiths will be able to make weapons, but if you want a masterwork one, you would probably go to a weaponsmith or a bowyer. (for melee and ranged, accordingly)

There are also some number of door to door merchants and service providers, such as beer-sellers, fruit-sellers, wine-sellers, wood-sellers, watercarriers, washerwomen, and so forth. In an actual medieval city, there would, in fact, have been many of these. We will need at least a few with associated plot hooks.

Finally, consider the sages to be the ones who sell magic items, spell scrolls and spell components. Unless you have a concept for a completely non-magical sage. In which case email Buttercup at sprockiedog at yahoo dot com.

Template

All entries must contain the following:
· Type of business
· Name of business
· NPC owner of business with one paragraph describing the owner and his background, possibly including family, rivals, secrets, motivations and so forth.
· One plot hook involving said business
· Compact Stat block for NPC, using the format found at http://www.d20statblock.org/standard/d20standard.html

In addition, please include at least one of the following:
· Floor plan.
· Completely statted family member or employee with one plot hook.
· Expanded description of the owner, his family or the business.

Before you create your business, please read the general background information on Mor’s End. Please keep in mind our finished product, which will be a city that DMs can fit into most any campaign. Try to avoid references to specific gods, therefore. You could mention a generic “god of valor” or “goddess of the hearth” if you liked. Finally, there are no Drow in this city, so please don’t use them.

Here's a sample shop to get you all started, and give you an idea of the format. You can feel free to post your shop here, just like this, but be prepared to send in a .doc or .rtf file also.

Glove Maker
Plim’s Handy Gloves
Milbrook Plim, Master Glover has been in business for himself for 12 years. He married the daughter of the glover under whom he served as a journeyman. Once a lighthearted soul, who used to play the mandolin beautifully, Milbrook became morose after his wife Violet died, leaving him nothing but his work to care about. Milbrook has two apprentices and one journeyman, and earns a comfortable income providing flexible protective gloves to the silk jelly harvesters. He also makes gloves for other purposes, though rarely anything ornamental. In the last month, Milbrook has become even more taciturn than usual, ever since the carved sapphire charm that used to hang on a small chain attached to his belt went missing. The charm was a violet that his wife used to wear around her neck. Milbrook can’t figure out where it could have gotten to, since it was always attached to his belt, with the end in his pocket with his keys. He half suspects one of his apprentices, but can’t imagine how they could have had the opportunity to take it.

Milbrook Plim, Master Glover, Male Human Expert 2: HD 2d6; hp 9; Init +2; Speed 20ft; AC 12 (+2 DEX); Melee Dagger +1 (1d4/ crit 19-20); AL LN; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +3; STR 10, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA 8.
Skills & Feats: Concentration +5, Craft (Glovemaking) +8, Diplomacy +4, Hide +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Perform (Mandolin) +4, Spot +7; Alertness, Skill Focus (Craft-Glovemaking)

It might be a good idea to post a notice in the General Forum to let messageboard regulars know this thread and the others are here.

Some might not have noticed them

Later,

Rob

Those are in my list too:
- Architect
- Astrologer
- Bank
- Brewer
- Gardener
- Lumberjack
- Surveyor
- Theater / Opera

If you don't mind, I'll copy your list to use IMC.

Perhaps make the map optional, or we'll get our Minister of Geography to come up with a standard shop map.

Anyway will contribute in a bit! Thanks Buttercup!

Krug said:

Perhaps make the map optional

Click to expand...

It already is. There are required elements, and a "pick one of the following three" element. One of those is a map, the other two aren't.

Silk Fish Harvester
The Palmora Fish Ponds
Anton Palmora is the current patriarch of the Palmora clan who have raised and harvested Silk Fish since before the founding of the city. As the scion of an old family Anton is a strict and proud traditionalist, who does not approve of change and is often considered stubborn and pigheaded for his unwillingness to consider new ideas and innovations.
Anton is married to Layla Palmora (a daughter of the Adovan clan) and has five sons and three daughters. His eldest son (Tomas) runs the marketing side of the business, whilst his second and fourth sons are in the military. His Third son Jano managers the families fish ponds (essentially large fish traps were Silk Fish are herded in order to harvest easily).
Two of Antons daughters are married and still live in the area and the youngest two children (twins) are at home.

Plot hook:
1. Recently the Silk Fish numbers have been in decline and this is a major threat not only to the Palmora Clan but to the economy of the whole city. What is the cause of this decline?

2. Recently a 'newcomer' (one Barnam Kruek) purchased land along the lake edge and has built a new fishpond. This has the Old families in an uproar and chief amongst them is Anton Palmora who has already lead a delegation to Mor Ends ruling council. The Kruek Fishponds have been vandalised three times prompting Barman to seek legal protection - the city is caught in the middle

3. Each year the Old 'Silk Fish' Families get together for the 'Convocation'. Ceremonial Flat boats are decorated and a convocation held out upon the lake in which agreements and deals are made setting 'law' for the upcoming year. The Harvest Master is also appointed at this time and then the boats return to the shore and a festival is held for the next three days. This year a newcomer has arrived at the Convocations and Anton is not pleased

Stat block: Anton Palmora, male half-elf Ari2/Drd1: CR 2; ECL 3; Medium-size Humanoid (elf); HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Melee trident +3 (1d8+3); Ranged trident +3 (1d8); SA spells; SQ animal companion, half-elven traits, nature sense; AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 17.

Skills and Feats: Diplomacy 11, Gather Information 7, Knowledge (politics) 8, Sense Motive 7, Intimidate 8, Spot 8, Animal Empathy 9, Profession (silk Fish Harvester) 9, Intuit Direction 8, Swim 6, Wilderness Lore 8; Alertness, Skill Focus (Diplomacy).

SQ–Half-Elven Traits (Ex): Sleep immunity, +2 save vs. Enchantment, low-light vision, elven blood.

Druid Spells Prepared (3/2):

Equipment: Trident of Fish Command (symbol of the Harvest Master).

**************************************
Barnam Kruek, male halfling Ari1/Rog3: CR 3; ECL 4; Medium-size Humanoid (halfling); HD 3d6+1d8; hp 15; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Melee unarmed strike -1 (1d3-1); SA sneak attack; SQ evasion, halfling traits, uncanny dodge; AL CN; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +7; Str 9, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 14.

SA–Sneak Attack (Ex): Barnam Kruek deals +2d6 damage against an opponent with a discernable anatomy who is denied a Dex bonus or is flanked.

SQ–Halfling Traits (Ex): +2 save vs. fear, +1 attack with thrown weapons.

SQ–Uncanny Dodge: Dex bonus to AC.

* No Skills or Feats chosen and No Equipment either but I think we should buy him a boat...

Silk fish? Crap, I was about to suggest a spider ranch.

Ok, here goes! My first real contribution to the Mor's End project:

Jophat Gadling & Son, Gemcutters

This venerable old man learned his craft from his father, who learned it from his father, who learned it from his father... To cut a long story short, the Gadlings have a long tradition of gemcutting! Jophat moved to Mor's End 3 years ago, after he was run out of his former hometown by some very unfriendly competitors.

He's been a widower for almost nine years now. He has two daughters, Nina and Jasmeth, both married and living in Jophat's former hometown, and an unmarried son called Hubert,.who share the small appartment above the shop with his old father. True to Gadling tradition, Hubert has been Jophats apprentice. Though he's long since mastered the craft, he doesn't have the money to start his own business, so he still works with his father.

Though he's reached the great age of 82, is thin, pale and bald, and needs both his walking stick and spectacles to get around, Jophat's mind is as sharp as ever and his hands are still steady enough to work the trade. His reputation as a master craftsman is rivaled only by his reputation as a master haggler and negotiater.

Jophat Gadling, Gemcutter, venerable human male expert 3: HD 3D6-9; hp 3; Init -1; Speed 10; AC 9 (-1 DEX): MELEE walking stick -2 (1d4-3, 20/x2) AL LN; Saves Fort -2, Ref +0, Will +6; STR 4, DEX 8 , CON 4, INT 15, WIS 14, CHA 13; Skills & Feats (*): Appraise +14 (+16 when concerning gems), Bluff +7, Concentration: +3, Craft (Gemcutting) +12, Diplomacy +9, Gather Information +9, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Knowledge (History) +5, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Sense Motive +8, Skill Focus (Appraise), Skill Focus (Gemcutting),
Toughness.

(*): Synergy bonuses and bonuses from equipment such as scales, magnifying glass and masterwork tools are figured into these numbers.

Plothooks:

1. Jophat would LOVE to see something bad happen to the people who ruined his last business and drove him out of town! The local authorities have not been able to help him. Are they corrupt, or have the bad guys just covered their tracks too well? Or just maybe the old man isn't all that clear in the head after all, and there really was no crime..?
2. Jophat has come across a gem with strange, unidentifiable magical properties...
3. Jophat is worried that one of his son-in-laws is not treating his daughter right. Offers the PCs the gem (from plothook 2) to go give the lout a good talking-to. The son-in-law proves to be both more powerful and cruel than Jophat could ever have suspected, however...
4. Hubert is getting sick of waiting for his father to die, so he can take over the shop. He tries to hire the PCs to kill the old man, offering them the gem (from plothook 2) as payment. Will they accept the offer or try to convince Jophat of his son's ill intensions? He'll have a hard time believing them, so they might have to guard him against his will...

Tongues and Jolly, these are great! If everyone turns in submissions like these, we'll have an amazing city!

Re the silk fish: We've decided that silk fish are sort of like jellyfish. The silk is actually their tentacles. Silk fishers remove no more than half of the tentacles at a time, then throw the silk fish back into the lake where they can regrow. If more than half the tentacles are removed, the fish cannot swim or feed, and will die.

The tentacles, which after processing can be spun into silk, exude an irritant when they are harvested. This is why the harvesters must wear sturdy gloves. Nonetheless, most silk harvesters have scars on hands and arms, and some have a bit of numbness from the inevitable slip-ups that happen over the years.

I don't know what the processing entails yet. I'll think about it. But if someone has a good idea, feel free to post it.