Dragongirl
First Post
Well I like to write up stuff, was making a few city places for a city of mine and then thought to myself that these were rather generic and could be easily placed in any setting. So here is an example. Is this sort of thing useful to anyone? Be kind 
<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://hometown.aol.com/azdragongirl/esthal/maps/clockwork-ratcatcher.gif" width="216" height="252"></p>
Carbunkle's Clockworks
This shop is run by the gnome Linger Carbunkle and his wife Nardle. Linger specializes in making small clockwork items, especially toys. Sometimes Linger is commissioned to do an elaborate clockwork for a rich noble or merchant, the most famous of which is a brass swan that spreads it's wings, and moves it's head around honking then pouring out whatever beverage has been stored in it, just enough to fill an average wine glass. These commissions are very rare and they make most of their money with toys and other minor items. They recently had a baby daughter who they call Kiki.
Linger has a live-in brother named Hodje who is a "Sewer Maintenance Worker" though Hodje would say that is "just a fancy say nothing title his brother made up" and refers to himself as a ratcatcher. Although he understands most people find his job repulsive he takes great pride in doing his job and doing it well. Linger often tries to design new and complicated traps to help his brother but that just leaves Hodje mumbling "who needs these new fangled contraptions when the old traps work just fine!". Hodje knows the sewers in this quarter of town like back of his hand, every twist, turn and exit (secret or not). He doesn't care who uses the sewers as long as they don't mess with his traps or make a mess of things. Those who frequent the unseen ways under the city have learned to ignore the cranky gnome muttering to himself that they meet in the sewers. Hodje is not the only ratcatcher in this quarter, and has made himself the unofficial leader of the others.
One example of Hodje's point of view is a story he related to his brother. One night he was doing his rounds and spotted a dark figure dropping something in the middle of the sewer and start to walk away. Hodje runs up saying "hey there" as the shadowy figure quickly turns to face the gnome, "don't you be leaving junk in my sewer". The murder; as Hodje later decided the stranger was, then tried to attack him with a dagger, but Hodje merely batted the attack aside. "I don't know or care what you are up to, but you are not leaving this here" said, Hodje as he started to poke the murderer. Eventually the confused and somewhat frightened murderer picked up the body and carried it out of the sewer.
When Hodje first moved in he tried to insist that the storage room was big enough for him, but Linger would not hear of it. Since then Hodje has refused to put anything in most of his room which only has a bed and a small storage chest. "A" on the diagram above is bathtub, specially installed (at the insistence of Nardle) for Hodje's use after his rounds. "B" is a secret storage place where special clockwork projects and extra wealth is stored. The upstairs storage is primarily full of various kinds of traps that Linger has made for Hodje. Note : the jagged lines in doorways represent curtains separating rooms.
NPC's :
Linger : 85 year old, 10th lvl expert.
Nardle : 76 year old, 4th lvl commoner.
Kiki : 3 month old baby.
Hodje : 94 year old, 4/6 rogue/warrior.
Edit : Grrrrr HTML does not work in this forum, you can see the image of the shop here : http://hometown.aol.com/azdragongirl/esthal/maps/clockwork-ratcatcher.gif
<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://hometown.aol.com/azdragongirl/esthal/maps/clockwork-ratcatcher.gif" width="216" height="252"></p>
Carbunkle's Clockworks
This shop is run by the gnome Linger Carbunkle and his wife Nardle. Linger specializes in making small clockwork items, especially toys. Sometimes Linger is commissioned to do an elaborate clockwork for a rich noble or merchant, the most famous of which is a brass swan that spreads it's wings, and moves it's head around honking then pouring out whatever beverage has been stored in it, just enough to fill an average wine glass. These commissions are very rare and they make most of their money with toys and other minor items. They recently had a baby daughter who they call Kiki.
Linger has a live-in brother named Hodje who is a "Sewer Maintenance Worker" though Hodje would say that is "just a fancy say nothing title his brother made up" and refers to himself as a ratcatcher. Although he understands most people find his job repulsive he takes great pride in doing his job and doing it well. Linger often tries to design new and complicated traps to help his brother but that just leaves Hodje mumbling "who needs these new fangled contraptions when the old traps work just fine!". Hodje knows the sewers in this quarter of town like back of his hand, every twist, turn and exit (secret or not). He doesn't care who uses the sewers as long as they don't mess with his traps or make a mess of things. Those who frequent the unseen ways under the city have learned to ignore the cranky gnome muttering to himself that they meet in the sewers. Hodje is not the only ratcatcher in this quarter, and has made himself the unofficial leader of the others.
One example of Hodje's point of view is a story he related to his brother. One night he was doing his rounds and spotted a dark figure dropping something in the middle of the sewer and start to walk away. Hodje runs up saying "hey there" as the shadowy figure quickly turns to face the gnome, "don't you be leaving junk in my sewer". The murder; as Hodje later decided the stranger was, then tried to attack him with a dagger, but Hodje merely batted the attack aside. "I don't know or care what you are up to, but you are not leaving this here" said, Hodje as he started to poke the murderer. Eventually the confused and somewhat frightened murderer picked up the body and carried it out of the sewer.
When Hodje first moved in he tried to insist that the storage room was big enough for him, but Linger would not hear of it. Since then Hodje has refused to put anything in most of his room which only has a bed and a small storage chest. "A" on the diagram above is bathtub, specially installed (at the insistence of Nardle) for Hodje's use after his rounds. "B" is a secret storage place where special clockwork projects and extra wealth is stored. The upstairs storage is primarily full of various kinds of traps that Linger has made for Hodje. Note : the jagged lines in doorways represent curtains separating rooms.
NPC's :
Linger : 85 year old, 10th lvl expert.
Nardle : 76 year old, 4th lvl commoner.
Kiki : 3 month old baby.
Hodje : 94 year old, 4/6 rogue/warrior.
Edit : Grrrrr HTML does not work in this forum, you can see the image of the shop here : http://hometown.aol.com/azdragongirl/esthal/maps/clockwork-ratcatcher.gif
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