Threshold

Introduction
This northern town of 5,000 residents is a logging and farming community
surrounded by untamed wilderness. It's an ideal home town for player characters.
Threshold is ruled by Baron Halaran (also known as Patriarch Sherlane, a cleric).

Threshold is a frontier community on the Windrush (Wulfholde) River near Lake

Windrush. Originally a simple logging community, it has grown into sprawling settlement
of nearly 5000 people since the coming of the Thyatians. Despite its large population,
Threshold is not a squalid, crowded town due mainly to a law passed by Baron Sherlane
Halaran that forbids any building to be built within 50' of each other.

On arrival in Threshold visitors are asked their profession and business by the town
guards, who also explain town rules and regulations. Directions will be freely given and
any illegal weapons will be confiscated, with receipts given for their return upon
departure.

History

The original Traladaran name for the village of Threshold is Lugsid, the name
being replaced by the Thyatian conquerors in AC 910. Many of the Traladaran locals still
refer to the town by its original name. The Ivanov family was once the major Traladaran
noble clan of the area.

Town Sites

There are six districts in Threshold - Docklands, Fogor Isle, Old Town, West, North and
South.

1. Town Hall - In the centre of Old Town is the Town Hall, a very large building used for
storing confiscated weapons, town meetings, public declarations, trials and
entertainments.

2. Fogor Isle - Fogor Isle is the seamy side of town and is not patrolled at night. On the
north end of the island is the blackened ruin of the Old Mill, burned 15 years ago. The
building often becomes infested by giant insects and has to be cleared periodically.

3. The Loveable Rogue – The loveable rogue is a small ralrely frequented tavern that
serves as the headquarters for the Thieves Guild.

4. The Volk – See accommodations.

5. The Rose of Valerias – See accommodations.

6. The Black Jug – See accommodations.

7. Gold Dragon Inn – See accommodations.

8. Hook & Hatchet Inn - See accommodations.

9. Crossed Swords Tavern - See accommodations.

10. Juggling Ogre Inn - See accommodations.

11. The Threshold Academy – This school primarily teaches the wealthy and elite
history, mathematics, agriculture and astronomy. There is a small magical school that
takes few apprentices every year.

12. The Bank - See accommodations.

13. Guard Headquarters – This secure structure houses rooms and offices for the town
guard. There are cells in the basement level.

14. Church of Karemeikos – This is the main chapel for Thyatin worshipers in town.

15. Church of Traladara – This is the main chapel for Traladarans to worship.

Threshold Surrounding Area Sites

1. Loggers Camp – This community of frontiersmen is encamped in semi permanent

shacks on the east side of the river. Approximately 1,000 loggers and family members
make up this community. They are considered to be citizens of Threshold with a
spokesperson, Nanevar Seystald, nominated to speak on their behalf at the town hall.

2. Fishing Village – This fishing village of 800 men, women and children rests on the
banks of the river Windrush. Many of the fishermen spend three quarters of the year on
boats trawling the lake for trout. The women catch smaller pan fish with nets from the
banks. During the winter months, most families stay and fish through the ice of the frozen
lake. Some families travel south to work on larger fishing vessels in the Gulf of
Marilenev. The village spokesman is Mordok Akeli.

3. The Dam –The dam keeps large boats from traveling upriver. There are always at least
four soldiers from Tarns keep guarding the dam.

4. The Weir – This man made barrier can be opened to allow lumber to float
downstream. The Weir is manned by members of the logger’s camp.

5. Tarnskeep - Tarnskeep is a small sturdy fortress located approximately half a mile

north of town, the home of Baron Halaran. It has a curtain, four walls and a large manor
house.

Accommodations

Threshold has a full range of services, as one would expect from a community of this
size. A wide range of accommodations are available in the town represented by the
following.

The Volk is the oldest and most prestigious hotel in Threshold. Currently owned by Yuri
Ilyov, this local landmark has been in the Ilyov family for over 100 years. The Volk is
noted for its understated elegance and impeccable service. The finest cuisine in the region
is served during supper hours. Rates for a standard room are 3r while the suites range
from 8-10r. Vacancies trends tend to be somewhat unpredictable. The Volk is situated in
the Old Town.

The Rose of Valerias is a comfortable, informal establishment situated in the Old Town
that caters to both Thyatians and Traladarans. The tavern is a favorite destination for
younger crowds, especially from The Threshold Academy. Owner Monika Chronus, a
devout member of The Church of Karameikos, views her establishment as a symbol of
unity in the Grand Duchy. Food & beverages are served at all hours yet the atmosphere
remains peaceful due to the typical patronage. Rooms are small but only run 1c per night.
There is no common room. Vacancies are rare when the Academy is in session but
common during the summer months.

The Black Jug is a rough and tumble tavern on Fogor's Isle, the tenement section of
Threshold built before the Baron's law. Accommodations are less than refined as is most
of the clientele. Adventuring opportunities, however, are numerous here and the
proprietors often overlook certain ordinances pertaining to weapons and magic. There are
no private rooms and the common room is 5k per night. Vacancies depend on the
sobriety, or lack thereof, of the evening's revelers.

"I was wandering down a crowded street in the western part of town one night when I
stumbled across yet another tavern, the Black Jug. The place was dark and filled with
smoke. Reasonably attractive wenches served a dark brew in (you guessed it) black jugs.
There was a commotion coming from one of the tables, a rather fat man seemed to have
won a fair share of coin in a dice game. Gold-digging wenches were fawning all over
him, I had to take action. Call it bravado or stupidity, I wagered all my coin to upstage
this sweaty, balding excuse for a man. Alas, Valerias did not favour me on this occasion
and all my coin went to the fat man."
Location: Fogor Isle
Tavern keeper: Sergei Ivanevich
Patrons: Poorer Commoners, Dmitri Sergeiov (aka the fat man, a devil swine with a ring
of telekinesis)
Quality: Below Average
Claim to fame: Gambling, dark brew

Gold Dragon Inn - "Following some rather embarrassing indiscretions at the party of a
Selenican socialite, I was forced to leave my city of birth for new lands and new
opportunities. I managed to hire on as a guard with a caravan belonging to Kelvin's most
famous merchant, Ahiktos. Well the life of a caravan guard was not my cup of tea and I
hastily said my goodbyes and headed for a renowned adventurers' town, Threshold. Upon
arrival, the locals pointed me to an inn in the dead centre of town, the Gold Dragon Inn.
The inn was bustling with commoners and adventurer-types. The commoners were doing
quite well for themselves, offering tales of local treasures in exchange for pots of amber
fluid. Whilst most of the tales were obviously pure fiction, the story of the innkeeper,
Anthemio Paphcaris, piqued my interest. He talked the lost treasure of the wizard Gygar
in the ruins of Castle Mistamere to the north to a group of wide-eyed adventurers. After a
quick introduction, I managed to convince the adventurers to let me accompany them to
the ruins in search of adventure and some much needed cash."
DM Notes
Location: Centre of Old Town
Innkeeper: Anthemio Paphcaris Busiest inn in Threshold
Patrons: Commoners and adventurers
Quality: Good
Room Price/night: 18sp
Stables Price/night: 3sp
Claim to Fame: Best place to hire adventurers and hear rumours of local treasures.

Hook & Hatchet Inn - "After gaining much booty from the ruins of Castle Mistamere, we
returned to town all cashed up. Unfortunately, the town guards were a little too inquisitive
for the liking of my Halfling companion, Shastri. The heated exchange attracted the
attention of the head of the guard, Sergeant Arthol. When Shastri made a derogatory
mispronunciation of the good sergeant's name, some fast talking was in order. To placate
the guards, I offered to shout them drinks all night. Sergeant Arthol agreed, nominating
his favorite watering hole, the Hook & Hatchet as the venue.
That evening we made our way to the Hook & Hatchet Inn on the east side of the old
town wall, near the centre of town. Sergeant Arthol and his men were already there, their
jugs and throats eagerly awaiting what I had promised them. After the third round of jugs,
I excused myself from the guards' company and ventured over to the other side of room
where the commoners quietly ate their meals. I spotted an attractive elven lady sitting
alone in the corner (thank you Valerias!). After a few hit and miss one-liners, I discovered
her name was Cardia and she ran a flying carpet service from town! We polished off a
bottle of innkeeper Callinian Perakarius' finest wine. After a few hours of enthralling
conversation, Cardia retired to her room, but promised me a discount on her flying carpet
service.
I glanced over to the bar to see Shastri, pipe in one hand, jug in the other, laughing
heartily with Sergeant Arthol. All in all, an enjoyable and successful night."
DM Notes
Location: Old Town (western side opposite the wall)
Innkeeper: Callinian Perakarius
Patrons: Sgt Arthol and town guards, Cardia, less-boisterous commoners
Quality: Above Average, food is popular among patrons
Room Price/night: 15sp
Stabling Price/night: 2sp

Crossed Swords Tavern - "Locals had warned me of the dangers of Fogor Isle, the seedy
part of town. I decided to check out this Fogor Isle, for with danger often comes
opportunity! After hours of wandering I spied a tavern on the northeast shore. The sign
read `The Crossed Swords Tavern'. Unfortunately, it was all boarded up and in poor
condition. I left Fogor Isle wondering what happened to the Crossed Swords Tavern."

Juggling Ogre Inn - "After clearing a castle to the west of town for local merchant Clifton
Caldwell, my companions and I decided to celebrate with Clifton at his favourite
watering hole, the Juggling Ogre. The inn is located on Market Street and not surprisingly
it is patronised by many merchants. Shastri had a bit of trouble meeting the dress code,
but we all got in eventually. My clerical companion, Arzon Amadeus, was impressed by a
large statue of his immortal Asterius in the entrance way. Of course I was comfortable
hobnobbing with the merchants, however I noticed my companions struggling to fit in.
As the night progressed, more alcohol was consumed and a splendid bard got the whole
crowd singing. The merchants proved a useful source of information, yet I was glad to
part their company, for it was clear their love of money had diminished their passion for
life."
DM Notes
Location: Docklands, East side of Merchant St., Old Town
Bar Keeper: Willington Stough
Patrons: Clifton Caldwell, merchants, commoners
Quality: Good
Room Price/night: 17sp
Stabling Price/night Ale 1sp
Claim to fame: Attracts the best bards in town: 3sp/night
Drinks Price:
The Tavern of the Three Rings (formerly The Orcs Head) is located in the Docklands area
of Threshold and is operated by a Traladaran named Sopot, an ex-adventurer who met
and befriended some Darine. The name of the tavern is from the gold three-ringed ear-
ring that was given to him by one of the Darine. Sopot himself is an upbeat man with a
love of story and song, and is happy to provide free services for someone willing to share
either. He has long dark hair, starting to go bald on top, and wears the bright, loose-fitting
clothes of the Darine. The food is good (not great) and normally only the more traditional
Traladaran dishes are served. Don't expect a lot of information from here; most are older
men who tell tall tales in hope of conning Sopot into free food (the regulars try constantly
to little success).

There are over half dozen more drinking establishments dotted around Threshold,
including The Merchants Rest in the Docklands (Merchant Street) and The Lovable
Rogue on Fogor Isle (Headquarter of The Kingdom Of Thieves). The average price for a
weeks lodging is 10 G.P, a bed in the lowly common room around 1 S.P per night.

Transportation

A trade boat brings supplies and provides rides once per week. Tickets are purchased at
Tarnskeep for the weekly trade ship to Kelvin (2 day ride) for 2 G.P per person. From
there a daily boat sails to Krakatos (2 day trip), costing 1 G.P per person, and then carries
on to the capital Specularum (1 day trip) costing 3 S.P per person. Rich characters could
also choose to travel using Cardia’s Carpet Service. Cardia is a well known elf with a
flying carpet that can carry up to two passengers (Details in Expert Rules).

Arcane Arts

The Threshold academy is the only game in town when it comes to spell casting. Magic
Users can buy and sell spells, learn new spells and even trade magical items with the
staff. Mages on staff or upperclassmen can also be hired to accompany adventuring
parties for the right price.

Banking
The only bank, situated in Old Town, offers coin exchange at 10%. Also, goods can be
stored for a month at 10% charge, for up to six months at 5% charge and free for longer
periods (although two weeks grace must be allowed withdrawal amounts over 1000 Gold
Royals.)

BANK REGULATIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF ASSETS.

If a customer is confirmed dead and has not left a written will the deceased’s next of kin
must put a claim in within a year of the death. If they are deemed legitimate they receive
90% of the wealth, with the bank taking a 10% commission.
If an account lies dormant for ten years then the customer loses claim on their money,
which is divided thus – 50% to the Baron’s coffers, 10% to each church as a tithe and the
remaining 30% goes to the bank.

The Law

There are 2 local laws worthy of note. First, casting of wizard magic within town limits is
a minimum of a Class 1 crime. Second, only daggers, swords, & staffs may be carried.
Prohibited weapons are confiscated by the town guard. Also, keep in mind that though
wearing armour is not illegal, citizens will be highly suspicious of armoured persons
wandering the streets.

The Town Guard consists of 50 1st level fighters and 10 3rd level Corporals commanded
by Sergeant Arthol, a 5th level fighter.

A patrol consists of five Guards and A Corporal.

The guards are stationed thus -

Five Guards and a Corporal man each outer gate (Sergeant Arthol heads the guards on the
southern gate).

Two Guards man each inner gate, whilst a 3rd level Corporal and a Guard are situated in
the town hall. These are the guards for the Old Town, where there are no wandering
patrols.

Two patrols wander Fogor Isle during the day, (none at night).

A single patrol operates within the town proper both day and night.

A 4th Level Cleric of the Church Of Karameikos, Kalhon Beworhin, is stationed in the
town hall who escorts all people carrying confiscated weapons to the town gates.

The Clerical Court comprises five clerics appointed by Baron Sherlane (three of the
Church Of Karameikos, two from The Church Of Traladara) to overview the running of
the town. They take a dim view of lawbreakers.

Crime - There is a small Thieves Guild operating out of Fogor Isle, a branch of The
Kingdom of Thieves. They offer fairly trouble free fencing of stolen goods, some
expedition backing and other services, for which a member is expected to turn over 15%
of their earnings.

Important N.P.C’s In Threshold.

Baron Sherlane Halaran. - Patriarch of Threshold (Church Of Karameikos). 60 Years old.

Aleena Halaran is the 22 year old niece of Sherlane, who arrived in Karameikos two
years ago after her parents had died of disease. She immediately joined the Church Of
Karameikos and it is rumoured that she is expecting to join the Order of the Griffon very
soon. The Thyatian beauty is of medium height and build, flowing blond hair and large,
expressive blue eyes.

Church of Traladara - Patriarch Vasili Basilevsky, Vatresh (Threshold)