Moortown was a small community located in the Bottomless Bogs of Vaasa.[1]
Description[]
The small town was encircled by an eroded earthen and stone wall built on the remains of an earlier palisade.[2] Moortown was meant as a stopover for merchants, and so contained warehouses, stables, and at least one inn—the Swamphouse Inn.[2][3]
Life in Moortown was harsh and dangerous.[2] As of the mid 13th century DR, the town was known as a place where a person's honor and trust were more valuable than their life.[4]
Geography[]
Moortown lay within the Bottomless Bogs alongside the Beaumaris River.[1][5] It sat at an important point along Dead Man's Walk,[2] the main road passing through Vaasa from east to west.[1][5]
Trade[]
In the 15th century DR, the town was part of Vaasa's western trade route. Harvested materials and other goods were floated down the river to Kond for wider distribution,[6] while taking in goods via the trail to Avang and the Dead Man's Walk that led to points across Vaasa.[1]
History[]
The town was initially founded in the 13th century DR[7] sometime before the Year of the Moat, 1269 DR.[4] The original town was built by an expedition of settlers seeking to create a trading post midway between the Bloodstone Mines and the Moonsea North.[2] However, it was soon overrun by monsters and humanoids coming out of the surrounding bogs,[7][2] leaving the ruins inhabited by giant rats and hairy spiders.[2] Even so, the town was repeatedly resettled over the centuries, with new arrivals dreaming of taming the vast marshlands around the site and discovering their rumored hidden treasures.[7]
The town stood in ruins as of the Year of the Serpent, 1359 DR,[5] but by the late 1360s DR, it was occupied by members of the Cult of the Dragon in order to have an outpost near to Castle Perilous.[2][8] Their garrison included a number of dragons, several Ring-nose orcs, and a handful of trolls who were strong-armed into serving as guards.[2] The Cult of the Dragon continued to operate in and around the town for over a century despite repeated attempts to stamp them out. They were rumored to still be active in the area as of the Year of Deep Water Drifting, 1480 DR, by which time the Warlock Knights of Vaasa were in control of the town.[7]
Notable Locations[]
- The Swamphouse Inn, the most intact building in town as of the mid-to-late 14th century DR.[3]
- A temple of Tempus which lay in ruins as of the mid-to-late 14th century DR.[3]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Dungeon #53: "Steelheart"
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Brian R. James (April 2010). “Realmslore: Vaasa”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dungeon #177 (Wizards of the Coast) (177)., p. 81.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Paul Culotta (May/June 1995). “Steelheart”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dungeon #53 (TSR, Inc.) (53)., p. 62.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Paul Culotta (May/June 1995). “Steelheart”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dungeon #53 (TSR, Inc.) (53)., p. 63.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Troy Denning (March 2002). Realms of Shadow ("Darksword"). (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2716-X.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands (Map). (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ Brian R. James (April 2010). “Realmslore: Vaasa”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dungeon #177 (Wizards of the Coast) (177)., p. 82.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Brian R. James (April 2010). “Realmslore: Vaasa”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dungeon #177 (Wizards of the Coast) (177)., p. 83.
- ↑ Paul Culotta (May/June 1995). “Steelheart”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dungeon #53 (TSR, Inc.) (53)., p. 55.