Scornubel
(est. population 12,000 in
winter, 80,000 in summer)
Scornubel, the Caravan City, is a huge,
unwalled open city set on the north shore at the confluence of the
Chionthar and the River Reaching. It is an unwalled town buzzing with
continual activity, and a large number of pack animals, wagons, and
symbols of merchant and trading companies can be seen as the traveler
enters the city. Most of the buildings are low-one or two stories-
with a scattering of larger buildings and towers in the center of
town.
Scornubel is one of the key cities on the Trade Way leading from
Waterdeep to the lands of the Inner Sea. Like its rivals Elturel and
Iriaebor, it is a town of merchants and those things merchants are
concerned with: warehouses, transportation, and protection (usually
from other merchants). Its population can swell to sixfold its
numbers during the summer trading season but this late in the fall the
population has begun to dip as merchants seek warmer, more hospitable
places to winter.
The Caravan City is ruled by the shrewd, elderly, and regal Lady
Rhessajan Ambermantle, who in her time was a daring explorer and
wandering trader and is still famed as "Rhessajan of the
Tents". Lady Rhessajan is is supported by three lord high
advisors named Burdan, Deep, and Phantar, all middleaged adventurers
and caravan masters themselves. Lady Rhessajan make their judgements
on one key factor: what is profitable for the city and its
merchants. The city militia and scouts are provided by an agreement
with the Red Shields mercenary company.
Shrines to nearly every diety can be found somewhere within the
city, but the only full scale temple is the Healing Hands of
Lathender, a fortified monastary which lies on the town’s
northern outskirts (off map).
Scornubel has always been home to some pretty racy nightclubs,
dancehalls, and taverns, with wild entertainments of magic, exhibited
monsters, acrobatics, and exotic dancing presented for the
patrons. There are many tales of monsters that escaped, ate a few
unfortunate revelers, and still lurk in the area. Darker legends
whisper of monsters with mental or magical powers that came here
controlling their human handlers and left with considerably more
mentally enslaved subjects, and treasure to boot.
There are also persistent rumours that among the costumed, painted
dancers of both sexes who perform in Scornubel are outlaws on the run,
adventurers seeking to escape the vengeance of foes, nobles seeking to
escape vendettas or parental control, heirs evading the blades of
those who would forcibly disinherit them, and so on. Some of these
tales are undoubtably true. On more than one occasion, a tavern has
erupted into a full scale battle when a seasoned adventurer in the
audience has recognized a nearby performer as a lamia, doppleganger,
or other dangereous menance.
Whatever the present levels of danger and intrigue in the Caravan
City, one thing is certain: it is never a dull place to visit.
Key to Scornubel
- Trail Lords (merchant company) headquarters; office and
warehouse (A), warehouses (B E)
- Highmoon Trading Coster (merchant company) warehouse (C-J),
office and stronghouse (A), and staff quarters (B. K, L)
- Highmoon Trading Coster stables and paddock
- Trail Lords stock pens and stables with paddock
- The Stags Caravan Company stables and stock pens, with
paddock
- Ferry dock and route of Souiroad Ferry, a large barge
operated by Burlin and two warrior bravos
- Arkaras the Shipwright
- The Red Shields stables and paddock; office at (A)
- Tallahabur the Wagonmaker (sheds A-D, house E)
- The Walk (public meeting place and market)
- The Windriders Trading Caster stables (with paddock) and
stock pens
- Surefeet Trademasters (merchant company) stables with
paddock
- The Purple Sun Trading Coster stable with paddock and stock
pens
- The Windriders Trading Coster (merchant company)
headquarters; office (F), and warehouses (A-E)
- Purple Sun Trading Caster warehouse (A-D)
- Surefeet Trademasters headquarters; office and stronghouse
(D), warehouses (A C)
- Red Shields warehouses (A C and D-F)
- The Stags Caravan Company headquarters: warehouses (A-H)
- The Jaded Unicom (tavem and inn of very low quality)
- The Thirsty Thunder Beast (tavern)
- The Dusty Hoof (tavern and inn)
- Traveler’s Rest (inn)
- The Fishym & Smoka Inn (the "Fishsmoke"; tavern
and inn of low quality)
- The Nightshade (festhall and nightclub)
- Kaenus Thambadar’s smithy (blacksmith and
ironmonger)
- Fish market
- The Green (assembly area for outbound caravans)
- The North Green (see 27)
- The East Green (see 27)
- The Spice & Wine Shop; Ulder Mooroo, proprietor
- Malikhar the Outfitter (leather straps, packs, tarpaulins,
weather cloaks, harnesses, boots, etc.)
- Purple Sun Trading Coster (merchant company) office
- Purple Sun Trading Coster hirelings’ barracks
- Angah Lalla (fence for stolen goods; ostensibly a curio
trader in items from exotic lands)
- The Free Traders of Scornubel offices (run by the city); a
registry of unemployed, casual journeyman drovers, guards,
animal trainers, etc., and stronghouse)
- Free Traders public warehouse (rental storage space guarded
by the watch)
- Free Traders public warehouse (rental storage space guarded
by the watch)
- Headquarters of the watch (D) with barracks (A C) and
enclosed stables (E)
- The Randy Wench (tavern and gaming rooms)
- The Jester’s Bells (tavern, festhall, and scented
baths)
- Thruu’s Way Rooms and Dining (the
"Through-Way"; inn)
- Scornubel Hall (meeting chambers available for rent, quarters
for the local council and visitors, the city’s emergency
granary and deep wells)
- The Raging Lion (inn; tavern and rooms at A, stables at
B)
q
- Mother Minx’s (festhall)
- Thyumdaqr’s Reliquary & Eremosckh (general store for
all goods; large and prosperous)
- The Everfull Jug (winery and drinks shop)
- Ehaevaera’s Beauty Rooms (hairstyling, scented baths,
massages, manicures, body painting, and tattoos for
women)
- Ssimbar’s Fine Clothes
- Preszmyr the Herbalist (herbs, drugs,
phylacteries, perfumes, and scented powders)
- FarAnchor(inn)
