Since I've got the .pdf versions of both books, pasting relevant information here should be pretty easy. The majority of the adventure takes place in the city of Malador.
History
Malador was not a port city during the reign of the Masters. In fact, the tiny settlement was not even located on the coast. Before the Masters’ destructive war, Malador lay 20 miles
inland and was a small farming community that provided foodstuffs to the great cities on the shoreline. Near the end of the war, a cataclysmic magical battle between four rival Masters led to devastating seismic activity: mile upon mile of land was first scoured into Ghostlands, and then cast down into the ocean. This unleashed a deluge of water that killed thousands of people in the cities and even swept away parts of Malador. After a few days, the waters receded slightly, but only far enough that the village now found itself perched on the coast.
The settlement did not change a great deal in the first two generations after the war ended. Some few of the farmers turned their hands to fishing, but otherwise the struggle to survive in the dangerous world brought about by the Masters’ fall kept most people from venturing far from their small community. Things began to change roughly 50 years ago as an influx of refugees forced an expansion of the settlement and a greater reliance on the ocean for food. (The refugees were fleeing a failed community that had been overrun by strange monsters emerging out of the Ghostlands to the north.)
As more fishing boats were built and launched, the fisherfolk were forced to spread out further in their search for a worthwhile catch. Within a few months, one of the boats ranged far enough from the shore that the men aboard it came in sight of what they at first took to be floating buildings of some kind. After finally working up the nerve to approach this “magical” phenomenon, they discovered that it was in fact the half-submerged remains of the Masters’ cities. Many of the buildings were in just a few dozen feet of water or less, and those with many stories or those on higher ground often jutted well above the water line.
Curiosity and greed soon overcame fear, and the crew ventured into the accessible levels of the buildings, swiftly returning with rich furs, gold cups and plates, and many other valuable treasures. They returned home without fish that day, but with their boat filled to the gunwale nonetheless.
Naturally, the discovery of such treasures could not be concealed. Within days, the entire fishing fleet was moored amongst the ruins, the crews searching for more of these once-lost treasures. Many returned laden with riches... but many did not return at all. The ruins were filled with dangers: some treasure hunters drowned when walls or floors gave way, flooding the rooms where they stood. Others fell to ancient traps, which had been left undisturbed until their intrusion. Most of all, they died at the hands of the many strange creatures that lurked in the half-submerged towers: stunted fish-men with yellow gills; eel-like snakes that swam in the warm waters; sodden and bloated corpses that came to life at the intruders’ approach. These were only some of the monsters that threatened those who entered the ruins; survivors brought back incoherent tales of beasts that were far more strange and terrible.
Such dangers were far beyond the capabilities of mere fisherfolk to handle, but the people of Malador knew that there were some who would be willing, and able, to venture into the ruins whatever the dangers. Painful as it was to think of sharing their wealth, they knew that they needed heroes, men and women as hard as the iron they wielded, to bring back the treasures in what they had already come to call the “drowning towers.”
The village council sent out the word: Any who were willing to enter the towers would be permitted to keep three-quarters of the treasure they recovered, with the remainder to be
taken as “taxes” by the city. The dangers of the wilderness meant that the word traveled slowly. Few were willing to risk leaving their home communities for any reason, let alone to pursue rumors of distant wealth, but gradually a few dreamers and adventurers made their way to the village. Many of these died in their expeditions to the towers, but some survived, returning with great riches. Many were naturally eager to return to the ruins. The leaders of Malador were happy to oblige them, provided they now paid the “full tax rate” of one-half of the treasure they recovered.
The Maladoran strategy had been carefully designed. Seeing the reward for their risk decreased, many of the adventurers chose to leave the city, spreading word of the drowning towers still further. More importantly, these men and women went forth laden with the wealth they had garnered, a fact that inevitably made more of their kind travel to the city,
despite the knowledge that the town’s leaders would take half of the proceeds for themselves.
Adventurers were not the only people drawn to Malador by confirmation of the wealth in the drowning towers. The promise of great riches brought people of all walks of life, searching for work and profit. The settlement grew into a town, then a city. Districts began to form as the rich separated themselves from the poor and the poor from the destitute. Authorized construction could not keep up with the population growth and illegal shanty-towns sprang up, with homes made of driftwood and whatever other detritus could be found. To this day, these “temporary” slums spread out to the south of the city.
The area around Malador has been known as the New Coast ever since the day the Masters’ battle swamped the land and severely altered the shoreline. Although this happened more than a hundred years ago, no-one has seen any need to change the name.
The Gray Steppe
North of the city, the ground rises into scrub-covered steppe. The earth here is gray and powdery, giving the area its name. It was over this region that the refugees fled to Malador 50 years ago. Before the Masters’war, these lands were lush and fertile farms. The magical energies unleashed in the great conflicts scoured this territory, burning much of the once-rich earth into arid dust.[sblock=Knowledge (History) DC 12]Before the Masters’ war, these lands were lush and fertile farms. The magical energies unleashed in the great conflicts scoured this territory, burning much of the once-rich earth into arid dust.[/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (Geography) DC 15]Pockets of fertile land still
exist, forming a series of oases that make it possible to cross the region, but there are few who do so. The terrain gets steadily more and more desolate and dangerous the further
one travels northward, until it becomes true Ghostland some 120 miles from the city. Harsh winds often blow from this direction, whipping up blinding, choking clouds of gray dust. A human can suffocate in such storms, even assuming the wind brings with it nothing more dangerous than its own scouring blasts out of the Ghostlands.[sblock=DC 18] Other than the arid terrain and choking dust storms, the most common danger of the Gray Steppe are roving bands of bestial humanoids. While only misfortune might cause a traveler to encounter these creatures in the arid stretches of the steppe, they are often found at the oases. A band, usually forty or fifty strong, remains in a fertile area until its waste has fouled the water to the point where it is no longer safe to drink, then moves to a new location. By the time it returns, the effects of the last visit have abated, allowing the humanoids to repeat the cycle.[/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (Arcana) DC 15]Strange monsters, spawned in the Masters’ war, also prowl the Gray Steppe. They emerge from time to time from the Ghostlands, and may be of almost any size, shape, or nature. Such beasts occasionally travel far enough south to threaten Malador itself.[/sblock]
Bleakwater
To the south, the land barely rises above sea level. Many streams and watercourses, most of them brackish or outright saltwater, cross the area in intricate and complex patterns. The water’s salinity has leached into the land: Anyone digging here finds salt crystals in the earth, and the bushes and trees grow stunted from the lack of good water.[sblock=Knowledge (Geography) DC 13]More so even than in the Gray Steppe, the lack of potable water here is a major impediment to travel across this region. Fortunately, the Bleakwater is much smaller in size—a mere 50 miles or so from end to end, it can be crossed in six days by those who have the determination to force their way across the water-logged and muddy terrain.[sblock=DC 15] Despite the lack of fresh water, few people live long enough to die of thirst in their attempt to cross Bleakwater. There are numerous dangers that can quickly overcome anyone, let alone those weakened by the effects of dehydration: The area is infested with reptilian beasts of all sizes, from foot-long lizards to snakes as long as a man, to 10-foot long or larger caiman (crocodilian beasts that prefer low-lying wetlands and have no aversion to salt water) that can weigh hundreds of pounds. The area is also home to flesh-eating birds that have little compunction about picking over the still-living body of a traveler who has become too weak to fight back.[/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Gather Information DC 14]There are many rumors of tribes of intelligent creatures (human or otherwise) living in the Bleakwater region.[/sblock]
Borat
To the west of Malador lies the kingdom of Borat. The capital and largest city of this state, also named Borat, is less than half the size of Malador. However, in total, the kingdom has a population more than five times that of Malador. Unlike Malador, which is ruled by a council of humans, Borat is under the control of one of the First, who styles himself “King” Darragan.
The terrain of Borat consists mainly of low, rolling hills. The most fertile land is in the valleys between the hills, which are well-watered by rivers and streams. The vast majority of Borat’s settlements are located in these valleys. Most such communities consist of only a few hundred people, with much of the land given over to farming.[sblock=Knowledge (Geography) DC 15]The terrain of Borat consists mainly of low, rolling hills. The most fertile land is in the valleys between the hills, which are well-watered by rivers and streams. The vast majority of
Borat’s settlements are located in these valleys. Most such communities consist of only a few hundred people, with much of the land given over to farming.[sblock=DC 20] The upper slopes of the region’s hills are heavily forested. They are a primary source of timber for building, but also a primary source of danger for travelers. Wild beasts, many of
them magically tainted, make their lairs in the woods and often come down to the roads in search of food. The Borati military conducts patrols on the major routes, but most of
the beasts instinctively avoid large groups of armed men. They focus their attacks on those traveling alone or in small groups. The patrols have put an end to the banditry once
endemic to the area, however.[/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (History) DC 14] Although it wasunaffected by the deluge that swamped the lands to the east, the Borat region suffered considerable damage from other battles of the Masters’ War. The land retains much of its fertility, but many of the settlements were burned to the ground, and the rebuilding process has been long and difficult.[/sblock]
The Drowning Towers
Twenty miles across the waters are the Drowning Towers, the flooded ruins of the Masters’ ancient cities. The towers thrust upward to heights between 10 and 60 feet above the water. The Towers represent the lifeblood of Malador. Without them, the city would be just another isolated town.[sblock=Knowledge (Geography) or (Local) DC 10]Created by the devastating collapse of the shoreline during one of the Masters’ titanic battles, the ocean between Malador and the Drowning Towers rarely attains a depth of more than 50 feet, and there are many patches where a human could comfortably wade. Only small, shallow-draft
boats can safely navigate this area, often sailing over the remains of sunken villages. Once the home of human families, the ruined cottages of these flooded settlements are now
the home of hundreds of fish. [sblock=DC 15]The towers thrust upward to heights between 10 and 60 feet above the water and, depending on the depth of the seabed, descend
30 to 50 feet below the surface. Constructed of black stone that seems unaffected by its long immersion in sea water, the towers show no sign of significant structural decay from the
outside. The interior of the towers is another story, however: Many of the inner walls and floors were constructed of lesser stone or even wood, and have deteriorated to a dangerous
degree.
The Towers represent the lifeblood of Malador. Without
them, the city would be just another isolated town. [sblock=DC 18]To protect this vital source of wealth, Malador’s council has authorized the construction of six great rafts, each large enough to hold 20 archers and a pair of small catapults. Moored in a circle around the towers, at least two of the rafts can target any approaching vessel, regardless of the route it takes. The commanders of these floating fortresses have explicit orders to sink any ship that draws near without permission.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
THE CITY OF MALADOR
Malador gets a large portion of its wealth and food from the sea. As a consequence, the weather is of considerable importance to its prosperity. The city and its surrounding lands are in a cool temperate zone. Thanks to warm offshore sea currents, the extremity of both winter and summer temperatures is reduced; this makes the weather in the area comparatively mild, at the expense of an increased likelihood of rain throughout the year.
With a population of approximately 11,000 people —the exact number is unknown, being in a constant state of flux— Malador is by far the largest city known to its inhabitants, or to almost any of the travelers who come there. Certainly, there is no comparable settlement within a hundred miles, which is further than most people will travel in their lives.
Before the Masters’ War, Malador was a village of a few hundred souls, living in cottages scattered over the crest and upper slopes of a large hill. When the deluge came, the eastern
side of the hill collapsed, destroying the cottages and barns that were built there. Dozens of people were crushed in the rapid subsidence, but few drowned; the collapse was only partial, leaving what remained of that side of the hill a few feet above the water. The new eastern face of the hill was a near-vertical cliff of earth and stone, which had to be shored up with a retaining wall in order to prevent it from collapsing farther and destroying the remaining homes. This low-lying waterfront and the cliff-like heights above dominate the geography of the city to the current day; they form the core around which Malador has formed, and to this day they are centers of power and commerce.
Due to its size and explosive growth, Malador lacks the defensive walls that are common to many other settlements in the Swordlands. A wooden palisade was constructed during the Masters’ War, but much of it destroyed during the deluge, and the remainder was demolished to make way for new buildings several years later. As the city has expanded, each area has taken on particular and distinctive characteristics.
Today, there are four widely recognized neighborhoods within Malador.
Harborside
The oldest district of the city, Harborside is built on the low-lying waterfront that was created by the collapse of the hill. It occupies the same site as many of the homes in the original village of Malador. None of the original cottages remain, having been replaced by wharves, warehouses, and the city’s giant fish market.[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 14] Now, thousands of people come here daily to buy fresh fish, and there are also dozens of smoking, salting, and pickling houses, where the remains of the daily catch are preserved
for winter. This feature, along with a giant excise house built by the Council, has made Harborside the commercial heart of the city. More than two-thirds of the city’s shops, stores
and trade halls can be found in this section of town.
Most buildings in Harborside are constructed of wood (the Excise House is the notable exception) and all stand at least two stories high, with three or four stories being more common. Most are narrow but deep, and terraced in groups of six or eight. All but a handful of these structures are used wholly or partly for commercial purposes. Merchants and artisans often live in the same building as their store, usually on the upstairs levels. Sometimes, two or even three businesses share a building, each on a different story of the structure.[/sblock]
Clifftop
Despite its name, the district of Clifftop runs not just along the crest of Malador Ridge, but also consumes more than three-quarters of the hillside beneath it. Although this area
was occupied at the time of the deluge and many of the buildings there survived the event, none of them are still standing. Over the years, Clifftop’s dominating position overlooking Malador has made it a favored location for the city’s rich and powerful. All of the original cottages have been demolished, replaced with opulent stone mansions and extensive landscaped gardens.
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) or (Nobility & Royality) DC 10]Although Harborside is the center of commerce for Malador, Clifftop is the true center of wealth, and also the center of power. Only the richest and most politically powerful families in the city own property there, and they actively conspire to keep outsiders from gaining entry. With all members of the Malador Council hailing from this neighborhood, this task is usually easily accomplished.
Although Malador lacks a city wall, the inhabitants of Clifftop have funded the construction of a 10-foot-high stone wall around their community. Lacking battlements and pierced by four large gates, the wall is all but useless as a defensive measure, but it is not intended as such; its purpose is instead to prevent intrusion by “undesirable elements”— which in the view of those who live in Clifftop is essentially everyone else in the city. Entry is prohibited to any outsider who lacks an invitation, and any “vagrant” found within the walls is arrested and imprisoned.
[sblock=DC 15]Every home in Clifftop—and with the exception of the Council Hall, they are all homes—is a huge and sprawling affair. Most have two stories, while a few have three, but
they spread most of their size across the ground. A single mansion in the Clifftop might take up as much room as eight or ten buildings in the Harborside or the Foot. The mansions
are invariably decorated in opulent fashion, though the level of taste in the décor is by no means as consistent as the luxury. As if the buildings themselves were not extravagant enough, each also has grounds at least as large as the mansion itself. These gardens and lawns are usually enclosed in a head-high or taller stone wall, though some are bounded
with tall hedges instead.
The roads of Clifftop are wide, and paved with broad, fitted stone to give the carriages of the rich a smooth and comfortable ride.
[sblock=DC 18]The patrolling groups of town and private guards travel mounted here. (These patrols are frequent and regular.) Anyone seen afoot is immediately suspected of being a vagrant or, if dressed in livery of some kind, a servant.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
The Foot
As money and people began to flow into Malador fifty years ago, many new buildings were constructed at the western foot of Malador Ridge. The construction took place in such haste and confusion that many people simply gave their address as “at the foot of the hill,” an appellation that was soon shortened to just “The Foot.”
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 10]Although hastily built and utilitarian, the buildings of the Foot are solid and well constructed. Fashioned of a mixture of wood and stone with a thatched roof, most are singlestory cottages. They were generally built without interior walls, though their owners have often added these since the original construction. The fronts of these buildings generally open onto the road, but most also have room for a small herb or vegetable garden at the rear.
[sblock=DC 12]In many ways, the Foot is the most diverse neighborhood in Malador. It provides homes to many different classes of people, from those barely above the poverty line to wealthy merchants, and features a wide variety of stores and workshops. The majority of such businesses are situated in Harborside, a district with a better reputation and lower crime rate, but the Foot is the best alternative for those who cannot afford Harborside’s higher property costs.
[sblock=DC 15]The Foot is the one district of Malador that was built along a prescribed plan. Its roads follow a grid-like pattern, interrupted every four or five blocks with cobbled squares. Each square is provided with either a well or a rudimentary pump, depending on how close it is to the river. Although the squares are cobbled, most of the roads simply have gravel poured over them to prevent them from turning into muddy quagmires during rain.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Lodgings for Player Characters]The Foot is the most likely part of town in which player
characters might establish their base of operations.
There are numerous taverns and inns in this section of
Malador, offering lodgings ranging from some floor
space in the tap room to private rooms with a hot bath
included. It is also a decent location to purchase equipment
as many items can be acquired at the regular
markets held in the district’s many squares.[/sblock]
Beggars’ Flow
The largest of Malador’s neighborhoods in both area and population, Beggars’ Flow is also the newest. It formed as the influx of immigrants to Malador began to vastly exceed the city’s ability to house them. With no other recourse, the new arrivals scrounged for driftwood, broken lumps of stone, torn boat sails, and any other bits of refuse that could be cobbled together into makeshift shanties. Several times the Council sent town guards to drive these squatters out, but the shanties simply sprang up in a new area each time. Eventually the city authorities accepted the inevitable and declared the plains southwest of the Foot to be suitable for “temporary housing.” Forty years later, many of those “temporary” houses—or their replacements, at least—are still here.
Beggars’ Flow is the only district of the city where the dead are buried: in other parts of Malador, the bodies are taken to funeral ships at the docks and disposed of at sea, going back to the ocean that provided them with food and wealth while they were alive. The folk of the Flow simply take their dead to “body pits” (deep, quicklime-lined holes dug by city workers) and dump them there. The body pits are covered up at the end of each month and new pits dug elsewhere, so their location changes regularly, but they are always within a quarter mile of the edge of the Flow, and at least half a mile from any other part of the city. [sblock=Knowledge (Local) or Gather Information DC 15]The pits are rumored to attract ghouls and —even more foul— living cannibals, though the authorities deny these tales.[/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 10]Constructed from whatever materials its inhabitants could find to use, the neighborhood now known as Beggars’ Flow is a rambling warren of narrow, twisting streets that curve back on themselves, stop in unexpected dead-ends, or cross
other roads completely without warning or any form of signs to tell a traveler where he might be. Many people have gotten lost in the Flow, and not all of them have survived to tell of the experience. Gangs of thugs prowl the muddy streets, fighting over territory, stealing whatever they can find, and accosting strangers with demands for food or money. The thugs have no fear of the town guard, which ventures here only when it must.
As its name suggests, Beggars’ Flow is home to the poorest and most desperate of Malador’s citizens. Exactly how many people live here is unknown, though it is probably close to half of the city’s total population. Failed adventurers, camp followers, orphans, thieves, and every other manner of destitute, indolent, or otherwise unsavory specimen of humanity ends up in these dirty, half-finished hovels, amidst the tangle of muddy, dangerous streets. The district’s name was originally bestowed by the sneering inhabitants of Clifftop, and has been adopted with a kind of spiteful pride by the people of the Flow.
[sblock=DC 15]Although it has a deserved reputation for violence and crime, it would be an incorrect assumption that all inhabitants of Beggars’ Flow were fundamentally dishonest and dangerous... it would, however, be a prudent one. Desperation can push people to do things they would never normally consider, and there are very few in the Flow who aren’t desperate. The Flow is also a favored hiding place for those who have committed serious crimes in the other districts of the city. Make it to the Flow before being captured, then wait out any watch the town guards set up, and you’re unlikely to ever be arrested for the crime.[/sblock][/sblock]
Government of Malador
Malador is ruled by a Council, a body whose title suggests a degree of democracy that does not actually exist. New Council members
are elected by vote, but only on the death or dismissal of one of the current Councilors. Additionally, only those who have paid for electoral licenses may take part in the vote. In theory, purchase of the 100-gp license proves the voter’s commitment to the success and stability of Malador. [sblock=Knowledge (Local) or (Nobility & Royality), or Gather Information DC 10]In practice, especially as there is no limit to the number of licenses an individual can buy, it puts all electoral power in the hands of the rich. Not surprisingly, all the Councilors for the last forty years have come from the Clifftop district.[/sblock]
There are seven Councilors at any given time. As noted above, appointment is for life unless the Councilor is dismissed, an event that can occur only with the unanimous vote of the other six Council members. Otherwise, a simple majority vote is enough to carry all other decisions.
[sblock=Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) DC 14]In theory, Councilors are not paid a salary for their work. In practice, they have control over all of the city’s financial decisions, including taxation, business licenses, municipal projects, and so forth, which gives them several highly lucrative sources of income.
[sblock=DC 16](i) All seven Councilors regularly receive “benefices” from
persons with an interest in upcoming Council decisions.
These gifts may take the form of valuable works of art, free
samples of a merchant’s wares, or an out-and-out bribe of
gold pieces.
(ii) Councilors have the right to charge the city for expenses
incurred in their work, and the definition of “expenses” is
notoriously vague. Councilors have charged the city for such
diverse purchases as clothing, a new carriage (and horses to
draw it), theater tickets, meals, and their servants’wages.
(iii) The Councilors are in the perfect position to ensure that
lucrative monopolies end up in their own hands, or in the
hands of their immediate families. Councilors own controlling
interests in the Excise House, Malador wharves, the
boatyards, and the Lost Angel Theater, as well as many other
important businesses and properties throughout the city.[/sblock]
In short, Malador’s government is based on a system of blatant graft and corruption. Power is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy, and everything is set up to ensure that the power—and the wealth—stays where it is. There are frequent grumbles about this in the tap rooms and market places of the city, but no one really expects things to change nor has tried to change them. There’s a general assumption (actively encouraged by agents in the pay of the Council) that any new regime would be just as corrupt, and probably more oppressive than the present one.[/sblock]
Trade and Finance
The city of Malador raises its finances from three sources:
1. Excise/Taxes: Due to the complexity of monitoring trade in most items, Malador charges tax on only three types of goods: treasure, seafood, and arms and armor.[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 12]• Treasure recovered from the Drowning Towers is assessed at a rate of 50 percent of its appraised value. This is achieved by having Excise officials calculate the total
value of the items recovered and pay half that value to the agents who recovered them.
• The sale of arms and armor within the city is subject to a tax of one-fifth of the price for which they are sold. This means that weapons and armor purchased within the city generally cost more than elsewhere.
• Catches brought to Malador wharves are charged a tax of 17 copper pieces for every 10 pounds of fish. This rate is a recent increase (it was previously 15 copper pieces).[/sblock]
2. Fines: Malador’s legal system imposes fines as a standard form of punishment, with floggings or time in the stocks reserved only for those who cannot pay the fines.[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 14]Maladoran justice recognizes only three types of rimes. These are crimes of property (arson, burglary, theft, or vandalism, and performing a licensed activity without a license), crimes of person (assault, murder, or rape), and crimes of state (treason).
If the accused cannot pay the fine assessed for a crime of property or person, he is given an alternative sentence based on the fine amount.
[sblock=DC 16]Crimes of Property: The standard sentence for a crime of property is a fine equal to three times the value of the stolen or damaged goods.
Crimes of Person: The standard sentence for a crime of person is a fine based on the nature and extent of the injury.
Crimes of State: The punishment for all crimes of state is death by hanging.[/sblock][/sblock]
3. Licenses: Anyone seeking to open a place of business in Malador must pay an annual fee for the privilege of maintaining his or her profession. This fee is assessed based on the physical size of the place of business (which is one of the reasons shops in the Harborside tend to be small), as well as on the type of goods sold.
Malador also requires boat-owners to purchase a license to moor their vessels in the harbor. This license costs 1 gold piece per year per foot of length of the vessel. While PCs are unlikely to acquire trade licenses, they need a weapons license if they intend to carry weapons or wear armor in public places within the city. These licenses cost a daunting 2 gold pieces per week, payable in advance. Few people can afford such an extravagant sum, but an alternative does exist, as is explained in “Defenses of Malador,” below.
Performing any licensed activity without a license is a crime; individuals found enacting such a crime must immediately pay for the required license, plus a 1 gold piece “processing fee,” or be arrested.
Defenses of Malador
In theory, Malador is wide open for conquest. It not only lacks a city wall, but it has no standing army. Instead, the city’s defense is left in the hands of a volunteer militia, much as it was in the days when Malador was still a village. As a volunteer force, the militia is unpaid, but members are permitted to go armed on the city streets without paying for a weapons license, since they must be ready to defend the city at any time. Since the only requirement on members is that they attend at least one training session per month, most adventurers and mercenaries who live in Malador sign up with the militia in order to save themselves the cost of the license.
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 12, or member of the militia]Membership in the militia is open to all adults who retain the use of all four limbs and at least one eye. Although there is no pay, militia members are guaranteed certain considerations in the event that they are mobilized by the city:
• 50 gold pieces for reporting to a town guard barracks building within 4 hours of a mobilization being announced • 50 gold pieces per limb or eye lost while defending the
city during a period of mobilization
Militia members who fail to respond to a mobilization announcement within 8 hours, or who fail to follow orders once mobilized, are automatically considered guilty of treason. The punishment in all cases is immediate execution without trial.[/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) DC 8]Malador has a Town Guard approximately 200 strong. This force is split into equal shifts for night and day, with each shift working 12 hours. These guards wear bright red tabards and leather armor, and carry a spear, a club, or both. They usually travel in groups of five, consisting of 4 guardsmen and a squad leader.
[sblock=DC 10]The guards do not maintain a regular presence in Beggars’ Flow, though from time to time they make a large-scale incursion (30 or more guards) therein.
[sblock=DC 15]The hundred guards on active duty at any one time are usually distributed as follows:
• 20 to guard the entrance gates to Clifftop
• 30 on duty in the streets of the Harborside
• 30 on duty in the streets of the Foot
• 5 on duty in the Harborside barracks
• 15 on duty in the Foot barracks buildings (5 per building)[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Knowledge (Local) or (Nobility & Royalty) DC 14, or Clifftop resident]The Clifftop Guard is employed by the inhabitants of the Clifftop district rather than the city. Similar in ability to their more common counterparts, these 40 men and women are nonetheless substantially better trained and equipped and are mounted on horses.[/sblock]
Ready-made characters can attempt Knowledge checks (mostly Geography, History and Local) or, in some cases, Gather Information checks to know more about these things. There's also a list of well-known landmarks, but I'll copy-paste that at a later time (the map for those is in this post, however). Right now I'm heading for bed.
