Lux Tenebris: Moontree - Part One

          

Seal of Moontree

  Moontree is one of the oldest cities in Nur and it is the oldest city on the continent's west coast. It was established over twelve centuries ago by human refugees from the continent of V'resh.  When the humans arrived, they met the gnome clans who had lived in the region for millennia. It is highly doubtful the first settlement would have survived without the assistance of the gnomes.  However, relations between the two races would sour as the humans began to expand their colony into gnomish territories. Eventually, the gnomes would declare war on the humans and thus would begin a protracted conflict that became known as the Gnomeblood Wars.

            The Gnomeblood Wars lasted for almost forty years. Although the gnomes had superior numbers on land, and laid siege to Moontree for years, they had no naval power at all. The humans survived off of trade with V'resh and the Phoenix Kingdom and what they could harvest from the sea. Eventually, the war ground to an end. The humans, led by a battlemage named H'rin Sevov, allied with a dragon called Whitescale, to overpower the gnomes. In the end, only a single gnome tribe survived. Knowing they had lost the war, the gnomes invoked Redethal, the God of Destruction.

            Redethal answered their petition, laying waste to the entire region, killing everyone present. When travelers and traders returned to the area, they discovered the blasted ruins of the city and a countryside haunted by the tormented ghosts of those who had been killed by the God of Destruction. 

            Remarkably, a minor son of the Moontree family survived and pledged to rebuild the city.  Lanor Moontree and his heirs dedicated themselves to the task, which involved placating the restless dead as well as convincing folk to settle in the god-blasted region. It took centuries but Moontree was eventually restored to its former prominence and stature.

            However, as Moontree's material wealth and influence increased, there were concerns that the city's history would repeat itself. Lord Sarrel Moontree was aware of these concerns and whispers and worked to counter them, turning his attention away from the economic growth of the city, and toward more civic and diplomatic matters.  Lord Sarrel instituted sweeping legal reforms, guaranteeing the same rights and responsibilities to all citizens of Moontree, regardless of race or gender.  He invited paladins of Abasha, Goddess of Justice, to oversee the courts and empowered them to ensure that justice and fairness were observed at all levels of the legal system.

            It is Lord Sarrel who is widely credited with ensuring that Moontree did not remain as insular and closeminded as most of its neighboring communities. Indeed, Moontree became a haven for individuals who did not fit in with their families, clans and communities. The city established a reputation for tolerance and inclusion that no other city along the Gulf of Promises could match, and it became a haven for artists, poets and writers, as well as philosophers, radicals, heretics and revolutionaries.  And although Moontree never developed a significant college or university, its Artists Quarter became famous, and infamous, across Nur and V'resh.

            Moontree enjoyed a long history of prosperity and peace. And although the city maintained a strong navy, to defend against pirates and other nautical threats, its land-based defenses were not maintained as stringently.  As such, when the Draconic Invasion began, Moontree was caught by surprise as much as all the other cities in western Nur. They assumed that if the Draconic Empire was going to attack the city, it would be by water and so fortified their defenses facing Silver Moon Bay.  Their neglect of their terrestrial fortifications would have deadly consequences when the Empire attacked, not by sea, but by land.

            Led by General Akor Korkiri, the Draconic Legions marched across Nur and laid siege to Moontree with spell and sword.  The city's neglected fortifications were overwhelmed. The western fortifications fell and the dragonborn soldiers swarmed into the city. Lord Baris Moontree led the city's militia in a defensive battle, to give his subjects a chance to flee. His nobility cost him his life, but hundreds of Moontree's citizens escaped with their lives. Many fled by boat into the bay, while others ran south, seeking refuge in Krake.  General Korkiri set Moontree alight, then gathered his soldiers and their spoils and led them back east.

            It is widely speculated that General Korkiri's actions were not part of the Empire's formal battle plans, that his forces were dispatched with general instructions to harry local communities, to disrupt the morale of local populations.  The Draconic Empire never intended to hold Moontree, but attacked it as part of a larger strategy to destabilize the region.  If so, their efforts may have backfired.

            Moontree's survivors returned and began the process of rebuilding. Assistance and resources were provided from the neighboring communities of Krake and Astordo. With the death of Lord Baris, the only surviving son of the Moontree family is the youngest, Lavic Moontree, who currently resides in Darkwater and has no strong desire to return to the city. Needing leadership, the citizenry turned to Raul Sybrow, a paladin of Rasha, to govern them. He is aided by his wife, Lilah.

            Under the Sybrows leadership, Moontree has recovered far more quickly than anyone expected.  Also, unexpectedly, the city has adopted a war-footing, reaching out to its allies and trade-partners across the Gulf of Promises, hiring mercenary companies from V'resh to reinforce the city militia and contracting with dwarven engineers to repair and upgrade the city's defenses. The attack on Moontree has also had unexpected diplomatic and economic repercussions for the Draconic Empire.  Moontree's allies have invoked trade sanctions against the Draconic Empire and some, observing the Empire's actions in Western Nur, have expelled Imperial embassies from their own territories.

Inspiration Photos: The Graymist Way

The Graymist Way is a long, winding road that connects Darkwater, in the North, with Moontree, in the South. Below are some inspiration photos that, I think, reflect the general atmosphere of the Way and the small, mean-spirited communities that exist near it.

Lux Tenebris: The Graymist Way

            The road stretched before Malora, wide enough for two carts to pass each other. To the east, the road was bordered by thick woods. On the western side, the road dropped away to nothing but air and sea. Thick fogs were common, making the road slick and perilous. Malora saw the remains of more than one cart crashed on the sea rocks. More often than not the skeletons of horses could be seen, still harnessed to the vehicles. Malora kept her own pace slow and careful.

            She knew that the Graymist Way ran from Darkwater, in the north, to just south of Moontree. The route was used by traders to transport goods from the major ports to the smaller villages and towns that lined the route, and provided access to the major trade routes that ran east.  Moontree and Darkwater were the biggest ports, but there were scores of small fishing villages along the way.  From what Malora had seen, traveling between Widowmaker Bay and Gullcliff, many of those villages were clinging to existence by their fingernails.

            Most of the local economies were based around fishing and logging. Trade was limited between the villages. Most of the communities were self-sufficient and insular to the point of actively distrusting strangers.

            It had taken her a day to make it to Gullcliff from Widowmaker Bay. The town was small and the source of its name obvious. Gulls in their hundreds nested on the cliffs around the town. She wasn't at all surprised to discover that gull pie was a local specialty.

            The liveryman in Widowmaker Bay had given her the name of an inn in Gullcliff where she would find safe lodging. The Blackwood Inn stood on the outskirts of town, near the Graymist Way, and offered no-frills lodging and meals. Malora had stayed at much worse placed and, after making sure her horse was properly tucked away, she'd had a meal and gone to bed. The night had passed uneventfully and she'd left the next morning just after dawn.

            The innkeeper had told her she'd make it to Moontree before sunset, depending on the weather. It was changeable this time of year, the thick fog often heralding coastal storms that could be inconvenient to dangerous. An hour after leaving Gullcliff, the fog turned into a heavy, persistent rain that prompted Malora to take shelter in a copse of trees until it relented.

            The rain had cost her a couple of hours, but she was hesitant to rush. The road here was made of fitted stone, hard and durable, but slick as glass when wet. She slid off her mount and they proceeded on foot.

            They passed tiny hamlets comprised of a few stoutly built wooden houses. Smoke rose from chimneys, but she saw no sign of the inhabitants. Occasionally, she could hear the sound of trees falling in the woods, and surmised the local folk were more loggers than fisherfolk.

            The further south she went, the more the landscape flattened until the road was flanked by forest and beach. Gradually, the road twisted eastward, taking her away from the beach, until there were tall pines all around and the only hint of the sea's presence was the smell.

            Ahead, a wooded track diverged from the Graymist Way to the east. A simple wooden sign identified the track as leading to Elawor. The name was Elvish but the meaning escaped Malora. Remembering Master Dusk's warning, she did not leave the Way but continued south.

            The road twisted west again and, once more, the sea came into view. The sky was blue and cloudless, a rarity in this region, and the water shone like polished silver. Malora ducked her head against the glare, but enjoyed the sunlight on her skin.

            Now, she began to meet traffic on the road, coming from the south, from Moontree. She adjusted her cloak, pulling her hood over her head.  Her hand drifted, quite unconsciously, to the hilt of her blade. Old instincts died hard.

            Another hour and she passed a waystation. It consisted of a three-sided structure with a roof. There was a firepit, a cistern and a trio of latrines.  A battered carriage, being pulled by a team of four, was parked nearby. The top of the carriage was laden with trunks and luggage. A lanky human youth sat beneath the waystation roof, next to an older looking man that Malora assumed was the carriage driver. They nodded amiably as Malora drew her mount to a stop.

            "Well met, mistress."

            "Well met, sir. Might you know how far it is to Moontree from here?"

            "Just a hop, skip and a jump, mistress," said the driver. "Be there before nightfall, you will."

            "Thank you, good sir," said Malora.

            "And the road north, mistress?" asked the driver. "Was it hard traveling?"

            "No, sir. Well-kept between here and Widowmaker Bay. Not a bandit or a beast in sight."

            The driver nodded. "Good to know, mistress. Our thanks."

            "Fair travels to you and yours," said Malora, and guided her horse back onto the road.

            The day progressed, the sun marching toward the west. The area became more inhabited. Tracks led off the Graymist Way toward wood and water, toward small hamlets with names like Silverbeach and Honeywood.  There was more traffic than before, heading north and south.

            The road began to snake up cliffs and coil around hills. And, then, cresting a small hill, Malora looked down and saw Moontree.

Lux Tenebris: Widowmaker Bay - Part Two

Widowmaker Bay is a small, insular community located on the western coast of Nur. To the west is the Gulf of Promises. The Graymist Way, a major travel route, lies just east of the town. South of Widowmaker Bay are a string of small fishing villages and hamlets that make Widowmaker Bay appear positively cosmopolitan. North of the town are pine forests, but no other communities for at least a hundred miles.

The town's population is predominantly human and nonhumans are seldom encouraged to settle within Widowmakers Bay.  Fishing is the dominant industry, followed closely by logging.  The recent opening of a Circle Station just outside the town has opened up new trade opportunities, but many local merchants and townsfolk are suspicious of the Station's motives.

The town is governed by a mayor, elected by the citizenry every four years, and a six member town council, its members chosen by popular vote every two years. Widowmaker Bay is a 'Free Town' and swears no allegiance to any noble lord or king.

Places of Interest

Widowmaker Bay offers few places of interest or note to travelers or adventurers. 

The Circle Station (1) just north of town has become a point of local interest. It occupies the home of the Stark family, one of the town's oldest and most respected bloodlines.  Although use of a teleport circle is too expensive for most locals, tours of the Station are available via appointment for a small fee.

South of the town proper is the Widowmaker Bay Lighthouse (2), established over a century ago to warn ships of the treacherous coast surrounding the town.  Local history, not typically shared with strangers, records that the Lighthouse was built and commissioned after the town was laid seige too by the angry ghosts of folk who perished in the bay.

On the northwest side of town is the Temple of Solat (3). Built by Widowmaker Bay's wealthiest families, the temple is a modest stone building. The exterior is painted black and purple and the color theme continues on the interior. The Temple is weatherbeaten and has seen better years. As the wealthy merchant families moved away, the Temple has fallen into disrepair. There is no priest or clergy in residence, although on occasion an itinerant priest of Solat will appear to bless the temple and lead informal prayers. By longstanding tradition, the town's widows look after the Temple, as best they can.

South and east of the Temple of Solat are the town's graveyards(4). In Widowmaker Bay, the dead are burned and their bones are interred in crypts and mausaleums.  Only residents may be buried in the town graveyard.

The area further west of the town graveyards is known as the Wreckers' Yard(6). For a time, Widowmaker Bay's residents employed shipwrecking as a means to keep the town's fortunes afloat. They would light bonfires on the beaches to lure ships close to shore where they would run aground and sink. Survivors of these shipwrecks were brutally murdered, their bodies buried in the marshy land that became known as the Wrecker's Yard.  Today, when someone from outside of Widowmaker Bay dies, they are buried in the Wreckers' Yard.  The area has an unpleasant reputation with locals. There are rumors of undead prowling the Yard, and most locals avoid it after sundown and on overcast days.

At the western end of the small peninsula Widowmaker Bay occupies, beyond the Temple of Solat, the graveyards and the Wreckers' Yard is the Bottom(5).  Even a town like Widowmaker Bay has its undesirables and this area is where they tend to congregate. Although technically part of the town, the town does nothing for the Bottom. Its residents, known as Bottom-Dwellers among the locals, are a mix of outcasts, criminals and rejects. If you're an outsider in the town proper, you'll probably get snubbed. If you're an outsider in the Bottom, you'll probably get stabbed.

Persons of Interest

Thalia Arthoria, L14 Human Hermit

Thalia Arthoria is the last living descendant of the wreckers who once led ships to their doom in Widowmaker Bay.  She's a crone who lives in the Bottom, but spends her waking hours in the Wreckers' Yard, tending its makeshift graves. Thalia's a bit mad, but she knows more than anyone else in town about the strange happenings in the Wreckers' Yard.

Aldoral Dusk, L9 Human Conjurer

Aldoral Dusk is the Master of the Widowmaker Bay Circle Station. An affable, but rather mediocre, wizard, Dusk is originally from Darkwater. He doesn't much care for Widowmaker Bay, and has decided that when his current contract is up that he will move to Moontree where people are "more civilized and less inbred." 

Arabella Stark, L8 Human Merchant

The Stark family was one of Widowmaker Bay's wealthiest and most-revered families. Arabella Stark was the youngest of four children and the only member of the family to still reside in the town. The family's fortunes have fallen recently, necessitating Mistress Stark to lease out a floor in her home to the Circle Station. It's not something she would have done under other circumstances, but she didn't have much choice. And Arabella Stark, for all of her narrowminded prudery, is a survivor.  She will do whatever she has to, to ensure the success of herself and her family.

Doric Rider, L4 Human Merchant

Doric Rider runs a livery stable in Widowmaker Bay. He mostly rents out horses to folk who need to travel to Gullcliff or Moontree. Rider's family is fairly new to Widowmaker Bay (less than three generations have lived in the town) and there are rumors he has orc blood in him, considering his prodigeous strength and stamina. Of course, no one says anything about it to Doric, but behind closed doors people gossip. Doric is aware of the gossip, and it's starting to grate on him.  Sometimes, he dreams about setting fire to the town and riding away on one of his horses.  Outsiders, especially those with orcish blood, might find Doric a useful ally while in town.

Issilor Roseoil, L9 Half-Elf Pirate

Issilor Roseoil walks through the streets of Widowmaker Bay at night, sure in his confidence that there is nothing more frightning in this shithole town than himself. A smuggler and pirate, his fortunes took a turn for the worse and he wound up in Widowmaker Bay. He's biding his time until he can leave the town, trying to keep a low profile, but its hard. Issilor hates this town with a passion and spends as little time as possible among the locals. Most days, he can be found wandering the beach or sitting in the Temple of Solat. The Temple has become his favorite place in Widowmaker Bay. He's started reading some of the old books there, more out of boredom than anything else, and feels a curious sense of empathy with the Deep God.

Lux Tenebris: Widowmaker Bay - Part One

Physicality returned with brutal suddenness.

Malora found herself on hands and knees, gasping for breath, trying to remember how to breath and process sensory information.

"What in the Twelve Hells is that?"

The voice was feminine and nasal, the kind of voice that could strip paint off of a wall. Malora had heard such voices before. It centered her.

Raising her head, she saw a tall thin human woman standing over her. She wore a long black dress and leaned on a mahogany walking stick. Her hair was pulled back from her face and secured in a tight knot. The woman's face was powdered and thin, with black tinted lips and a beauty mark at the right corner of her mouth. She peered at Malora with suspicion.

A figure moved forward, brushing past the woman. The man was tall and thin, wearing wizardic robes, and a blue cap. He bent and helped Malora stand.

"Please forgive, Mistress Stark," said the wizard. "I am Aldoral Dusk, Master of the Widowmaker Bay Circle Station.  Mistress Icefire sent word that you would be arriving today, Lady Malora."

"Lady?" Mistress Stark's nose wrinkled in disapproval.

"Yes, Mistress Stark," said Aldoral Dusk. His tone was firm and cold. "This is Lady Malora of Fallen Baramir. You will address her by her title and show her proper respect. Am I understood?"

The pale woman shrank back from the wizard's tone and she bobbed a quick curtsy. "Yes, Master Dusk. My apologies, milady."

"Come, Lady Malora." Dusk offered her his arm. "We have a private lounge nearby where you can recover from the circle."

Malora took the wizard's arm, somewhat reluctantly. "I've traveled by circle before but it was never like that. Like . . . ."  Words failed her.

"Aye," said the wizard. "It's a unique experience. Fortunately, once you've been through our circle network once, subsequent journeys are less upsetting."

He led her away from the circle. Malora let her gaze wander over her surroundings. The circle occupied a large, dim room. The walls were made of unadorned wood. Light was provided by a trio of large oil lamps, set in the corners of the room.

Dusk led Malora through a set of double doors, into a corridor painted a ghastly shade of green. Framed paintings of sour-faced men and women lined the wall. They bore a strong resemblance to Mistress Stark.

Aldoral Dusk led Malora into a side room. It was small and furnished with a fainting couch that had seen better days. There was a side table with a bottle of spirits and a number of small glasses. He poured her a glass of something thin and green.

Malora sniffed it. The glass smelt strongly of licorice.

"A restorative, milady," explained Dusk, and poured one for himself. "Would you like the window open?"

He nodded at the narrow, shuttered window at the far end of the room.

"Please," said Malora. The room was stuffy. The couch smelt of dust and neglect.

Dusk waved a hand and the window opened, revealing a gray sky. A cool, wet wind blew into the room. Malora inhaled, smelling the familiar scent of the sea.

Mistress Stark appeared at the door. "I've had the lady's belongings taken down to the hall, Master Dusk."

"Thank you," said Malora, but the woman had already gone.

"She's never met a drow before, has she?"

"I'm afraid that Mistress Stark has led a sheltered life," said the wizard. He tossed back his drink, and smacked his lips appreciatively. "Ah! But what she lacks in the social niceties, she makes up for with her expertise in spirits."

Malora took a tentative sip of the drink and almost choked. It smelt like licorice, but burned like strong peppermint.

"Demon's teeth! What is this?"

"It's called heartsfire, I believe," said the wizard. "Very popular around these parts."

"And it's a restorative?"

"I believe they give it to drowned sailors, to get them back on their feet."

"Yes, well, if someone poured that down my throat, I would probably get to my feet just to run away from them," said Malora.

Dusk chuckled.

"Mistress Icefire said you were heading to Moontree. Will you be traveling by horse or carriage?"

"Horse, if I can find one."

"There's a livery stable in town," said Dusk. "I can put in a word with the owner if you like."

"That would be very appreciated," said Malora.

"I'll write a letter." Dusk hesitated. "Were you planning on staying in town overnight?"

"Do you advise it?"

"Honestly? No, I don't. Widowmaker Bay is a small community, milady, and not the most . . . egalitarian. If you understand."

Malora chuckled. "I understand perfectly."

"The folk in Moontree are much more open-minded," said the wizard. "Especially since the Sybrows were chosen as the new leaders."

"What happened to the old leaders?"

"Killed during the war. There's supposed to be a son up north somewhere, still alive, but no one's heard a thing from him. And, well, if he came back now, I doubt he'd be welcomed with open arms."

"What about the city?"

"Sacked," said the wizard. "But they've rebuilt, and trade has never been better."

Malora nodded. She took another tentative sip of heartsfire. It was less shocking the second time.

"And the road between here and Moontree?"

"Fairly safe, milady. I would avoid the villages between here and Gullcliff, if I were you, and, er, there is an elvish settlement called Elawor. . . ."

"I'll avoid it," said Malora. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome, milady. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and write that letter for you."

He bowed and withdrew, leaving Malora alone.

After a moment, she stood and walked to the window. The breeze was constant and cool. From the window, Malora had a vague sense of the house that circle station occupied. It was large and weather-beaten. The exterior walls and shingles were black and she identified a widow's walk on a nearby roof.

Beyond the house, the ground appeared to slope away, ending in a dense cluster of similar black-shingled rooftops that made up the town of Widowmaker Bay. Beyond the town, the waters of the bay slapped ferociously at a gravel beach.  Arms of rocky land could be seen jutting into the waters of the bay. On the nearer arm, the one to the south, Malora saw a lighthouse rise like a defiant soldier, facing down gray sky and blackish water.

It all looked very quaint, but if Mistress Stark was an example of the locals, Malora had no desire to linger in this place. Better to get a horse and start south, to Moontree deliver the letter and then get on with her own affairs.