VULLARIA: EASTERN LANDS OF SESAMAR
| Socioeconomics: | Small Poor Class, Large Working Class, and Small Affluent |
| Ruling Body: | Yet to Be Determined |
| Maps: | Eastern Lands North |
| Rumors: | See below |
 |
| Vullaria, Eastern Lands |
Vullaria is a dingy city (due to coal furnaces) that resides close to the orcs. It must always be vigilant because orcs can spring up in attack at any time. Gate patrols are always timely, persistent, and viewed as vital for survival of the city.
This city has the best trade for armor and swords, as its armorers and bladesmiths have passed down its secrets from one generation to another. It procures iron from Bolalius and Xon and transforms it into steel. It has been said some blacksmiths find ingredients from Vulcanus to complete their steel crafts. It also has a large, well-known thieves guild, called Friends of Findus.
|
Vullaria's welcome is stern. Guards clad in gleaming red and black chainmail stand stoic at the entrances, their broadswords strapped tight and large shields propped against their legs. Helmets with visor slits obscure their expressions, but their imposing stature and practiced stances exude an air of unwavering discipline. Entry is a slow and orderly affair, each visitor granted passage only after a careful scrutiny.
The rhythmic clang of hammer on anvil spills out from within the city walls, a constant melody that speaks to Vullaria's heart. Smoke plumes rise from countless forges, swirling into the sky like the city's own breath. Here, armorsmiths and weaponsmiths toil tirelessly, their fiery furnaces and relentless hammers shaping the tools of war that keep Vullaria safe.
|
Vullaria does trade with all other cities, but insists that it does not participate in the slave trades of Poxmuth nor Joria. Vullaria is a lawful city, but it sometimes does see its fair share of questionable characters of dubious intent. The guards of Vullaria may be vigilant against orc and hobgoblin raiders, but it may overlook certain unsavory practices if the price is right.
Vullaria is known for its iron crafts, steel armor and weapons, locks, and defense against orcs and hobgoblins.
Notable Taverns/Bars/Inns: Trolls and Treants (and Trouble) (I), Night Owl (B), It's a Steel (T), and Properly (T).
Trolls and Treants (and Trouble) (Inn)
Immediately entering the inn, there is a large area. It has small tables tightly packed together. The smell of dried ale permeates the place, and the floors are slightly sticky. Behind the bar rests a thick piece of wood half the length of a human. A plaque above it says, "Barkbeard, Treant." To the left of it is a large tooth. Above it reads: "Troll Tooth."
The inn is run by the Cultock family. Iltner and Wiliana are the edler parents and their adult male children are Saldin, Galdin, Nilt, and Bilt.
This inn gets a lot of traffic. It is a common place for soldiers and merchants.
| | Description | Cost/Night |
Small
Rooms 1-35 | These are tiny rooms. They contain a medium bed (sleeps two), chests with blankets, and a chamber pot. | 1s pp |
Medium
Rooms 1-10 | These rooms are twice the size of the small rooms. They are large enough to hold a large bed (sleeps three), a large chest with blankets and a chamber pot. | 2s pp |
Large
Rooms 1-8 | These rooms are larger than the medium rooms. There is a very large bed (sleeps four), a large chest with blankets, a chamber pot, and a desk with parchment, ink, and pen, and a fruit plate. | 3s pp |
This is the food and drink specialties that it offers.
| Menu Specialties |
| | Description | Cost |
| Golden Mead | This is a sweet honey mead with a peck of cloves. | 1s |
| Iron Ale | This ale has a light color, but a heavy taste. It is made with a small amount of mint and a local plant called milkweed. | 1s |
| Sea Catfish | It is a bottom feeding fish from the Gulf of Oros with a strong taste. | 1s |
| Sausage | The choices are pork, beef, chicken, or mixed. It is a heavy dish served with a boiled potato. | 1s |
Night Owl (Bar)
This is a dark room. It has scattered small tables. Booths line the walls with pull curtains. A long bar lines a wall opposite the entrance. There is also shady characters.
These are the drink specialties it offers.
| Menu Specialties |
| | Description | Cost |
| Night Mead | This is a slight bitter honey mead. | 1s |
| Owl Ale | This ale has a dark color and a heavy taste. | 1s |
| Shade | It is a slightly thick, made with a molasses. It has a high alcohol content. | 2s |
It's a Steel (Tavern)
The name is a play on words based on the steel weapons and armor made in the city and also the dirty deels that happen in Vullaria. The place is lined with various battle-worn blades and armor that are firmly fixed to the walls.
This establishment is run by a grey-haired Pointant Silversmith. He made his money from making silver jewelry, but he prefers the excitement of running a tavern and the social interaction he encounters. He is very curious and asks a lot of questions.
These are the drink specialties it offers.
| Menu Specialties |
| | Description | Cost |
| Down the Hole | This dark ale has a strong alcohol content and a dry after taste. Several of these ales will lead the drinker down a hole of despair. | 1s |
| Steel the Night | This ale is light with a moderate alcohol content. Several of these, with a meal, will not spoil a soldier's fight the next day. | 1s |
| Orc's Blood | This tangy red wine is made with secret ingredients. Every order delivered to a customer is met with this statement, "May you spill orc blood so that we may fill more goblets to drink!" It is the signature drink in this tavern. | 1s |
| Goose Me | This pan-fried goose meat is cooked with honey and a fermented fennel cabbage combination. So what if it is a tad gamey. | 1s |
Properly (Tavern)
This establishment is very clean and the owner, Becka Tavernus, is extremely hospitable. She is a decendant of the great Tavernus family, which is well known in Sesamar. History tells us her ancestor, Ancris Tavernus, was a pivotal figure during the Age of Salamundi.
These are the drink specialties it offers, which are said to provide near medicinal qualities.
| Menu Specialties |
| | Description | Cost |
| Meadow Dew | This golden mead is made with honey and several wild plants that grow in the regional meadows. These drinks make people less anxious and slightly drowsy. | 1s |
| Proper Gale | This strong ale has an ingredient that comes from a local shrub said to accelerate healing. Why does it never stop swirling? | 1s |
| Plumina | This is a wine made from plums. It is sweet and fruity with delicate overtones and after tastes. It is an exquisite wine. The locals call it a smart wine to drink. | 3s |
| Chicken Puffs | This is a chicken pastry. Each pastry contains half a thigh of chicken with herbs and fats. One portion comes with two pastries. It is a local delicacy. | 2s |
| Chicken Soup | Made from chicken wings, legs, and breasts, it is served in a generous quantity. It has corn, white beans, carrots, and whatever other vegetables are available. Locals say it is comforting and it accelerates the healing process. | 1s |
Rumors
- An army of undead is growing in Hune. It will be unleashed by a powerful necromancer and attack the city.
- Travelers who pass the Straits of Plinius (northwest of Vullaria) report seeing strange events from the tip of the peninsula: flashes of light, ominous deep sounds, ...
- Elf bodies have been seen floating on the river from Brightwood. These elves wear military garb from Evandelith.
- The Broken Bone raiding party (see Orc Lands) is frequently attacking farmers.
- Evandeliths require cheilia (the lips of Aphrodite) to make potions. A complicated trade via Caliptokos brings conflict to Vullaria. It is thought there is a half-elf who uses military ships to transport the flowers to escape paying shipping fees. Military officers are thought to be involved.
- The supply line of coal and ore from Xon has been disrupted.
- Kobalds from Old Pokon are attacking Xon, which has forced Xon to divert resources away from mining coal and ore.
- Shipments from Xon have been disrupted by (pirates, gnolls, ...). As a result of the disruption of coal and ore from Xon, Vullarian armorsmiths and weaponsmiths cannot sufficiently equip troops.
This creates a huge weakness when dealing with orcs and hobgoblins. This could be a concerted effort by dark forces, but who would be the mastermind behind such an effort?
