Reeshov was a fortified settlement located in Lowerdark.[1]
Description[]
Reeshov was a heavily fortified town with low buildings made from slabs of stone. Most of the buildings lacked a ceiling. A network of canals and aqueducts channelled water from the town's river to several storage areas and any surplus was provided to the large communal bath in the center of the cave.[1]
Geography[]
The settlement was located in the lower Northdark roughly 12 miles (19 kilometers) beneath the Serpent Hills. It was situated in wide circular cavern that was only 20 feet (6.1 meters) in height. At the center of the cavern, a waterfall flows down from the ceiling.[1]
Government[]
In 1372 DR, the settlement was ruled by Grenel Throatbiter. He held the loyalty of the grimlocks and quaggoths but had to treat lightly with the lizardfolk and troglodyte residents. He worked on maintaining the peace with Shepsurletts, who was head of the town's lizardfolk.[1]
Economy[]
The town's economy was based on the barter system.[1]
Inhabitants[]
The residents of Reeshov were former slaves and thralls of mind flayers. The town's inhabitant were intensely paranoid and defended their freedom with ferocity. Due to several attempts by mind flayers to infiltrate the town with dominated thralls, they were wary of strangers and only met with non-residents outside the trapped zone around the town. Only those individual who have performed a great task for the town were allowed within the settlement.[1]
They were so untrustworthy of outsiders and fearful of spies that new residents were on a probation of sorts for two generations. These individuals were part of the town but were seen as outsiders until the probation was over.[1]
Defenses[]
All tunnels within 0.25 miles (0.4 kilometers) of the town were protected with a variety of traps. The beginning of this defensive perimeter was marked by carvings in the tunnel walls of grimlocks impaling mind flayers with spears. The type of traps included dead-falls, traps that launched sharp spikes and traps that collapse tunnels. The residents of the town have the location of the traps memorized.[1]
Despite being heavily fortified, Reeshov lacked a traditional gate. Instead, the entrance to the town as a serpentine stile surrounded by floor-to-ceiling walls of thick stone. When attacked, the floor of the entrance was covered in flammable oil and set alight. Within the stile are pits of spikes that were normally covered by a metal grate, which were uncovered during an assault. Located near the stile on the cavern's ceiling was a poison dart launcher. This launcher was triggered by vibrations from a shrieker cluster that when exposed to light or motion began shrieking, which created vibrations that triggered the trap.[1]
The town itself was full of traps as well. Just under half of the settlement's building were rigged to collapse if hostile forces breached the town. Spears and polearms are found everywhere within easy reach. The ceiling of the town had several patches of luminescent fungi that glowed brightly when touched. The town's defenders used long poles to lightly touch these patches when the town was assaulted by Underdark creatures who were sensitive to light.[1]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 170–171. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.