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===The Cthonia Trading Post===                 

[[Image:Cthonia_-_Trading_Post.JPG]]

Trading Post Description:

This is the third attempt to establish a trading post in the Thunderlands. The first two were destroyed, with no survivors. The brutality of the aftermaths made clear that the dangers of the area are not to be taken lightly, but offered few clues as to how these earlier settlements met their fates. The third Trading Post has been established for a little over two years and sits atop a mesa near the sea — hopefully in a safer area.

Small collection of 10 buildings surrounded by stout wooden pallisade with a 120' signal tower facing the sea.  Square design with two watch towers and northern facing double gate which opens outward and has a pair of large timber braces that can be slid into place.  Surrounding the pallisade is about 2 acres of grains, an acre of vegatables and small ½ acre of apple trees.  Below are the specifics on the permament and near permament residents

'''Building 1''':  Tavern/Inn, large common room with center round bar and 4 tables of 6.  Trophies all over the walls.  Small chicken coop and a couple goats out back.  Second floor contains 6 rooms, double bunk beds (4) occupancy and small table with 2 chairs and window.  Common washroom at each end of the upper hall.  Basement storehouse and private 3 room suite of Owner proprietor.

''Haggard Stark'': Tavern Owner/Brewer Haggard is a mountain of a man, standing 6'6" and weighing around 280 pounds.  He is in his mid forties. He is bald, and claims it's because he shaves his head every morning, and honestly, who's going to contradict him? He has dark eyes, bushy brown eyebrows, a very coarse 5 o'clock shadow. He has a large nose, cocked to the right. He wears a sleeveless buckskin tunic, and thick black bearskin (not fur) trousers. He keeps a dagger on one hip and a well crafted handaxe on the other. A large grey-whiskered mountain lion by the name of Grim sits curled up in a corner of the tavern. It raises its head to "check out" each patron as they enter. Haggard's old Greatsword, "Vanguard" hangs above the mantle.   

''Hope Stark'':   Daughter of Haggard Stark and an aspiring young Bard. Hope is a beautiful young woman with a voice of silk. She is tall (5'8") with a lithe, athletic build. She is extremely agile. Long brown hair is left down to flow to the middle of her back. Her eyes are the color of dark emeralds, and her tan skin is without a blemish. She favors a loose-fitting white cotton shirt and a maroon-and-black laced bodice.

'''Building 2''':  General Store;   Small front counter with 10-15 displays of gear and foodstuffs, back office accounting room, secured walk-in vault of enhanced steel with Cold iron and lead inner layers. 3 Amazing Locks.  Large basement store house for foodstuff and other goods that are kept cool.  3 room suite above the Store is a private residence

''Lerangis the Half-Elf'':  A gangly woman, Lerangis stands 6 feet tall and weights no more than 110 pounds. Spry and nimble, she has a long bird-beak of a nose set in a well-weathered face.  She is all about the survival of this post; she thinks Fate brought her here and she’s here for good. She is also security-conscious, so she keeps her goods locked up tight. Her eyes always search and look at customers, even the ones she knows. She has a large collection of good locks, and supplements them with cunning traps of her own devising. 

''Polly'':  Plump, blue-eyed, blond Polly is the sweetest person you'd ever hope to meet. Everyone at the Trading Post says so. Blessed with a sunny disposition, she is never without a cheery smile or a kindly word. 

''Anna'':  Half-elven Anna is as blond as Polly, but she is thin and lissome where Polly is plump. And while Polly is sweet and cheerful, Anna....isn't. Anna is beautiful and knows it. She expects everyone to defer to her beauty, and is visibly annoyed when they do not.

'''Building 3''':  Brewery;   4-6 kegs are stored onsight for internal use, another 8-12 are shipped monthly to the Float.  Local ingredients makes the brews especially smooth and potent and thus fetch a high price.

''Bast the Brewer'':  Trained in the fields and breweries of the second plateau, Bast was kicked out of his family for experimenting too much. Now they beg him to return. Bast has not only developed new brews of his own, he has also purchased a few recipes from others to supplement them. His reputation is growing, and fully a quarter of the traffic that comes to the Trading Post is specifically due to Bast's skill.

''Toth'':  A streetwise kid Bast adopted when he was left behind by a caravan. Toth was trouble, but Bast has tamed, adopted him, and shared with him his love for brewing. Now Toth is an able apprentice, often seen running errands for the brewer.

''Diaosha'', Bast’s wife.  When Bast was driven out by his family, devoted Diaosha came right along with him, and has never regretted it for a moment. She has proven to have quite the head for business, and essentially manages the brewery for her husband. Both Bast and Diaosha pretend that he is in charge, but it is an open secret that he'd be lost without her.

'''Building 4''':  Forge/Woodshop;  Cold Iron and silver crafting are done here as well.  3 of the full time NPC residents own/operate this multi purpose building.  Crafting skills rank 12 for weapon/armor/bowyer/tools

Three old codgers own this place.  

''Risca the Stalwart'':  Master Craftsman/Smithy who says he doesn't have a history.  Extremely protective of Hope though none can really point to a reason.  Nudge and Patterson likely have an idea, but are moot on the point.  Without a douhbt it has something to do with the old dwarf's past.  No on knows his last/clan name.  He is only know as Risca the Stalwart for his exploits while adventuring.  Risca is an extremely talented craftsman and his work is gaining in reputation in Hook City and Floating City.

''Nudge'':  Not his real name.  He’s a gnome who makes armor.  He’s had a fear of “horrible raking attacks” and nightmares since some battle decades ago.  He talks very fast and never stops between sentences.  

''Patterson'':  A halfling;  You can see his hairy white feet hanging from this tree or that and smoke rings coming out of the tree.  He makes bows and various needed tools around the place.  Somewhat shy, he talks softly and always seems to be looking over his shoulder.  He falls neatly into the hunter camp, but also holds church services for various gods on their holy days.  
'''Building 5''':  Administration;   Treaties, Maps and Commissions are all kept in the first floor two joined rooms.  A small meeting room is in the far back of the building and a 3 room suite residence is located on the second floor 

''Penfold Blurwinder Phwent (Pen)'':  Gnome from the Floating city assigned to run the post.  Stuck as a lower administrator and yearning for more, he jumped at the chance to move to a higher profile position.  Middle aged and married with 1 son.  He is maticulous and driven to keep order and prove his worth and usefulness in expanding the post and making it more than it is.  ‘Someday I will make them take notice of us.  Someday.’

''Phinystys Cobberstore Phwent'':  Pen’s devoted wife. She loves her husband dearly and despite what Pen thinks, she is quite happy with their life together.  She supports and encourages Pen, but does not understand his drive and needs to be so much more.  She was a bit put off when they first came out beyond civilization and she lost access to reliable metalsmithing tools and supplies for her tinkering, but she now makes do with an occassional delivery.  Mostly she worries about their son who seems to have the feys (A word she uses to describe mischievious behavior and innate magical gifts)

''Penttlecaster Blurwinder Phwent'':  A gnome of 16 whose magical gifts are beginning to manifest.  He is still young and being kept under guidance by his caring parents, though Pen himself spends a vast majority of his day behind his desk, leaving Mrs. Phwent to raise him.  He is a curious boy, overly so really and a bit of a prankster

'''Building 6''':  Church/Residence;   A general church with a dedicated shrine to each of the gods of the Wold along the east and west walls to Alemi, Domi, Gargul, Waard and Ffloy.  The entrance is from the south and the north end is a small two room suite residence.  There is no second floor.  A crypt is being constructed under the church, but as of yet is unfinished and unoccupied.

''Rexxann'':  Human cleric of Alemi and former member of the group sent by Mr Randolph to the Trading Post.  He has decided to retire from the adventuring life that brought him here and to set up pernament residence.  He is currently known to be courting 
Anna.  He and Patterson currently share the residence.  plans are being finalizied to build an addition.

[See Patterson above.]


'''Building 7''':  Alchemist/Herbalist;   Lower room store front very small, Product is sold through the General Store.  Back room is a workshop/alchemical lab.  Herbalist has access to pretty rare stuff in the jungle and sells what he makes for good coin.  The upper floor is a 3 room suite Residence

''Gazzy'' :  She is quite the cat’s meow to the older gentlemen of the trading post.  None have the courage to make a move on her though.  She simply LOVES dinosaurs.  When others run, she can sometimes make them turn away.  There’s an affinity there, even if she isn’t willing to admit it.  It is almost like she goes into a trance that they can understand.  She is out more than in gathering for her potions and concoctions.  If anyone in the area gets sick, they come to her for the anecdote.  She views all diseases as poisons of the body to cure.

'''Building 8''':  Stable;  4 mule and 3 heavy horse

'''Building 9''':  Miller/Bakery/Residence;    The grind stone is powered by the mules housed in the stable.  The bakery is small with 2 ovens and the NPC is solely supplying the outpost.  Product is pretty basic hard tact breads

''Borcht the Baker'':  Think the Soup Nazi.  He has a tough exterior, yet he won’t let anyone go hungry.  If you say thank you to him though, he’ll get angry.  He’s always negative with voice but positive of action.

''Klairiest'':  Borcht’s sister.  If Borcht is the soup Nazi, Klairiest is is the furher.  You do and help because that is what you do, not to be thanked 

'''Building 10''': Grain storage

A large community well is located in the central yard

The overall Population is fluid, as hunters, explorers, missionaries and thrill seekers temporarily take up residence through out the year. 
The most well known at the Post is Orion.  A Burly bald headed man.  [Think the guy that Indiana Jones fought near the airplane in the first movie.]  Tattooed all over with the things he’s killed.  Deep Basso Profundo voice and sings too.  A hybrid hunter/monstrologer, he gets along with both factions but also has problems with both cause he’s a moderate.