The Cthonia Trading Post
The Cthonia Trading Post
Trading Post Description: 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: Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger: Tavern Owner/Brewer of 46 years old, Haggard is a very large, mountain of a man, standing 6'6" and weighing in around 280lbs. Barrel chest, boulder arms, tree trunk legs and a bull neck. Bald head, partially from age, but you'd never tell because he shaves it every morning. 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, 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 and every patron as they enter. Haggards old Greatsword, "Vanguard" hangs above the mantle.
Hope Stark: Bard: Daughter of Haggard Stark as well as an aspiring young Bard. Hope is a beautiful young woman with a voice of silk. Received the best features of both her mother and father. She is tall (5'8") with a lithe, athletic build (130lbs). She is extremely agile. Long brown hair is left down to flow to the middle of her back. Beautiful green eyes, the color of dark emeralds. Tan skin without a blemish. Typically wears loose fitting, white cotton shirt covered by a maroon and black corset vest.
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, she stands 6’ and weights no more than 110 pounds. Long birdbeak nose and weathered face. Very dextrous, which belies her height. She is all about the survival of this spot. She thinks fate brought her here and she’s here for good. She is also security conscious, so she keeps her stuff locked up tight. Her eyes always search and look at customers. Even the ones she knows. She makes her own locks, traps, etc.
Polly: Human Fat but sweet. Nicest girl you’ve ever met. Blond. Think Fat Dolly Parton
Anna: Half Elf Beautiful, but arrogant. Think every blond that has had plastic surgery you’ve ever seen. She has “crafted” her beauty to the point that she comes across instantly as phony.
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 2nd plateau of New Elenna, he was kicked out of his family for experimenting too much. Now they beg him to return as he’s developed both his own brews, as well as concoctions of others which he buys the rights to. At least every month someone arrives with wagons to try and buy him out of everything he’s made. He holds an auction 4 times a year and this is always a huge event at the post.
Toth: A streetwise kid Bast has adopted, when left behind by a caravan. He was trouble, but Bast has tamed, adopted him, and shared with him his love for “making brew.”
Diaosha, Bast’s wife. ran away with him when his family gave Bast the boot. Completely devoted and happy. Has picked up the art of Trade and economics very well and is the brains behind the merchant end, though Bast himself is the front and she prefers it that way
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: Dwarf Fighter/Stone Warden: 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 fighter/mage who makes armor. He’s had a fear of “horrible raking attacks” and nightmares since the battle decades ago. He talks very fast and never stops between sentences.
Patterson: A halfling Ranger, he can still climb trees. 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. Most think he’s a priest instead of a ranger.
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 whos 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.
[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 Orion [orion the hunter? get it? yeah?] 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.
