Cthonia
Cthonia, sometimes called the Thunderlands, is a sheltered and mostly unexplored land. Located on what is commonly called the Eastern Arm of the Continent of Yrth, it falls between The Scab to the west and the Crying Woods to the east. It was mostly avoided as "too dangerous for civilized folks" until recently. As trade between the Peninsula of Elenna and parts east increased, the need for a land trade route has increased.
Much of the "floor" of Cythonia is jungle. The term floor is used, because above the jungle are huge plateaus. Some rise as high as several thousand feet above the carpeted forest below. Surrounding Savannahs are the home for the larger dinosaurs, also called the Thunder Gods.
Despite the dangers more and more people are choosing to either spend time in Cythonia or even to call it home. Several villages are rumored to exist, but until the trade routes are better secured, the knowledge of trading posts and safe houses along Monster Trail are sketchy and undependable.
The new interest in an established trade route has drawn every manner of explorer, hunter, and trailblazer to the area, trying to cash in on the establishing of this trade route, which has been called Thunder Road. However, the route does not want to be tamed. For Cthonia's main type of wildlife is dinosaurs! There are other threats to be sure, but dinosaurs top the list.
Great Beast Hunters try to keep the trailblazers safe. On the other hand, however, Monstrologers have flocked to the area to see that the "noble beasts" of the area are not hunted to extinction, while scheming to see that the Great Beast Hunters do become endangered. Witch covens have for some reason taken to the area, perhaps seeking solitude and escape from persecution. Other free thinkers, libertines, outlaws, and other misfits of society find Cythonia a refuge, if a dangerous one.
There are also tribes of natives in the area that adhere to a spiritual type existence. To many, the beasts of the area are holy. It is said that a religion is followed by some of these primitives that worships the Great Beast, a legendary power that rules over all the beasts of Cthonia. There is said to be much variation among these tribes and how they choose to worship and follow the Great One.
The Cthonia Trading Post
The third Trading Post attempted to be established in the Thunderlands. The first two were destroyed with no survivors. The brutality of the aftermath left little to the imagination of how it happened. The third Post has been established for a little over 2 years and sits atop of a Mesa near the sea and hopefully is a safer area.
Trading Post Description:
Small collection of 10 buildings surrounded by stout wooden pallisade with a 120' signal tower facing the sea. Square design with two watch towers and northern facing double gate which opens outward and has a pair of large timber braces that can be slid into place. Surrounding the pallisade is about 2 acres of grains, an acre of vegatables and small ½ acre of apple trees. Below are the specifics on the pernament and near pernament residents
Building 1: Tavern/Inn, large common room with center round bar and 4 tables of 6. Trophies all over the walls. Small chicken coop and a couple goats out back. Second floor contains 6 rooms, double bunk beds (4) occupancy and small table with 2 chairs and window. Common washroom at each end of the upper hall. Basement storehouse and private 3 room suite of Owner proprietor.
Haggard Stark: Tavern Owner/Brewer of 46 years old, Haggard is a very large, mountain of a man, standing 6'6" and weighing in around 280lbs. Barrel chest, boulder arms, tree trunk legs and a bull neck. Bald head, partially from age, but you'd never tell because he shaves it every morning. Dark eyes, bushy brown eyebrows, a very coarse 5 O'clock shadow. He has a large nose, cocked to the right. He wears a sleeveless buckskin tunic, thick black, bearskin (not fur) trousers. He keeps a dagger on one hip and a well crafted handaxe on the other. A large, grey whiskered, mountain lion by the name of Grim sits curled up in a corner of the tavern. It raises its head to "check out" each and every patron as they enter. Haggards old Greatsword, "Vanguard" hangs above the mantle.
Haggard was born on the "Border of Civilization" and was raised as such, growing up in a very wild, violent culture. When he was 15 he left for Hook City looking for adventure and eventually joined up with a band of Merc's. The Money was good, and the jobs had him travel all over the Wold. Haggard met a girl, got married, and soon a daughter was born. His wife died at a young age and he took his earnings from adventuring, retired, and raised his daughter. Now that she has become an adult herself, he has decided that together than can try to find adventure... but not to much, in the shape of starting a tavern at the new Trading Post in Cthonia. He was among the first to acquire the recipe for The Lost Halls Porter from Flogrim Goldstone.
Hope Stark: Bard: Daughter of Haggard Stark as well as an aspiring young Bard. Hope is a beautiful young woman with a voice of silk. Received the best features of both her mother and father. She is tall (5'8") with a lithe, athletic build (130lbs). She is extremely agile. Long brown hair is left down to flow to the middle of her back. Beautiful green eyes, the color of dark emeralds. Tan skin without a blemish. Typically wears loose fitting, white cotton shirt covered by a maroon and black corset vest.
Building 2: General Store; Small front counter with 10-15 displays of gear and foodstuffs, back office accounting room, secured walk-in vault of steel, 3 Locks. Large basement store house for foodstuff and other goods that are kept cool. 3 room suite above the Store is a private residence
Lerangis the Half-Elf: A gangly woman, she stands 6’ and weights no more than 110 pounds. Long birdbeak nose and weathered face. Very dextrous, which belies her height. She is all about the survival of this spot. She thinks fate brought her here and she’s here for good. She is also security conscious, so she keeps her stuff locked up tight. Her eyes always search and look at customers. Even the ones she knows. Her two daughters, full humans without unknown and likely questionable fathers are below. Thier back story and lineage are a mystery to all but Lerangis
Polly: Human Fat but sweet. Nicest girl you’ve ever met. Blond. Think Fat Dolly Parton
Anna: Half Elf Beautiful, but arrogant. Always claiming she’ll hook up with one of these travellers and they will take her to the big city. Think every blond that has had plastic surgery you’ve ever seen. She has “crafted” her beauty to the point that she comes across instantly as phony.
Building 3: Brewery; 4-6 kegs are stored onsight for internal use, another 8-12 are shipped monthly to the Float. Local ingredients makes the brews especially smooth and potent and thus fetch a high price.
Bast the Brewer: Trained in the fields and breweries of the 2nd plateau of New Elenna, he was kicked out of his family for experimenting too much. Now they beg him to return as he’s developed both his own brews, as well as concoctions of others which he buys the rights to. At least every month someone arrives with wagons to try and buy him out of everything he’s made. He holds an auction 4 times a year and this is always a huge event at the post.
Toth: A streetwise kid Bast has adopted, when left behind by a caravan. He was trouble, but Bast has tamed, adopted him, and shared with him his love for “making brew.”
Diaosha, Bast’s wife. Ran away with him when his family gave Bast the boot. Completely devoted and happy.
Building 4: Forge/Woodshop; Cold Iron and silver crafting are done here as well. 3 of the full time NPC residents own/operate this multi purpose building. Three old codgers own this place. They used to be adventures, but have long since retired.
Risca the Stalwart: Dwarf: Master Craftsman/Smithy who says he doesn't have a history. Extremely protective of Hope though none can really point to a reason. Nudge and Patterson likely have an idea, but are moot on the point. Without a douhbt it has something to do with the old dwarf's past. No on knows his last/clan name. He is only know as Risca the Stalwart for his exploits while adventuring. Risca is an extremely talented craftsman and his work is gaining in reputation in Hook City and Floating City.
Nudge: Not his real name. He’s a gnome who makes armor. He talks very fast and never stops between sentences.
Patterson: A halfling Priest. You can see his hairy white feet hanging from this tree or that and smoke rings coming out of the tree. He makes bows and various needed tools around the place. Somewhat shy, he talks softly and always seems to be looking over his shoulder. He falls neatly into the hunter camp, but also holds church services for various gods on their holy days.
Building 5: Administration; Treaties, Maps and Commissions are all kept in the first floor two joined rooms. A small meeting room is in the far back of the building and a 3 room suite residence is located on the second floor
Penfold Blurwinder Phwent (Pen): Gnome from the Floating city assigned to run the post. Middle aged and married with 1 son. He is maticulous and driven to keep order and prove his worth and usefulness in expanding the post and making it more than it is. ‘Someday I will make them take notice of us. Someday.’
Phinystys Cobberstore Phwent: Pen’s devoted wife. She loves her husband dearly and despite what Pen thinks, she is quite happy with thier life together. She supports and encourages Pen, but does not understand his drive and needs to be so much more. She was a bit put off when they first came out beyond civilization and she lost access to reliable metalsmithing tools and supplies for her tinkering, but she now makes do with an occassional delivery. Mostly she worries about their son who seems to have the feys (A word she uses to describe mischievious behavior and innate magical gifts)
Penttlecaster Blurwinder Phwent: A gnome of 16 whose magical gifts are beginning to manifest. He is still young and being kept under guidance by his caring parents, though Pen himself spends a vast majority of his day behind his desk. Leaving Mrs. Phwent to raise him. He is a curious boy, overly so really and a bit of a prankster
Building 6: Church/Residence; A general church with a dedicated shrine to each of the gods of the Wold along the east and west walls to Alemi, Domi, Gargul, Waard and Ffloy. The entrance is from the south and the north end is a small two room suite residence. there is no second floor. A crypt is being constructed under the church, but as of yet is unfinished and unoccupied.
[See Patterson above.]
Building 7: Alchemist/Herbalist; Lower room store front very small, Product is sold through the General Store. Back room is a workshop/alchemical lab. Herbalist has access to pretty rare stuff in the jungle and sells what he makes for good coin. The upper floor is a 3 room suite Residence
Gazzy: She is quite the cat’s meow to the older gentlemen of the trading post. None have the courage to make a move on her though. She simply LOVES dinosaurs. She is out more than in gathering for her potions and concoctions. If anyone in the area gets sick, they come to her for the anecdote. She views all diseases as poisons of the body to cure.
Building 8: Stable; 4 mule and 3 heavy horse
Building 9: Miller/Bakery/Residence; The grind stone is powered by the mules housed in the stable. The bakery is small with 2 ovens and the NPC is solely supplying the outpost. Product is pretty basic hard tact breads
Borcht the Baker: Think the Soup Nazi. He has a tough exterior, yet he won’t let anyone go hungry. If you say thank you to him though, he’ll get angry. He’s always negative with voice but positive of action.
Klairiest: Borcht’s sister. If Borcht is the soup Nazi, Klairiest is is the furher. You do and help because that is what you do, not to be thanked
Building 10: Grain storage
A large community well is located in the central yard
The overall Population is fluid, as hunters, explorers, missionaries and thrill seekers temporarily take up residence through out the year. The most well known semi pernament resident at the Post is Orion Orion Burly bald headed man. Think the guy that Indiana Jones fought near the airplane in the first movie.] Tattooed all over with the things he’s killed. Deep Basso Profundo voice and sings too. A hybrid hunter/monstrologer, he gets along with both factions but also has problems with both cause he’s a moderate.
The Inn’s maximum room capacity is 16 in addition to the PC’s. Another 10 could bunk out in the common room which seats 24 at a time The Outposts provisions are managed to contend with an average population of 12 beyond the full time residents
Supplies came weekly at first and then tapered to every other week and now stand at once a month. The Party is the last magical transit and even they do not arrive on target. Land and sea routes will now need to become more firmly established. The potential wealth of the area, established and rumored has several merchants setting their sights on becoming THE trade route through which all goods will flow.
All trade in and out of the region is done through the Trade Post or at least that is what is supposed to happen, but like all things when laws are laid and claims of nobles proclaimed, there are those who do not agree. Poachers and looters funnelling goods to the Black market is a constant concern to the interest of the Post
History
Cythonia was destroyed at the end of the 4th Age and the entire area was a desert of black ash. This was first discovered by the Gold Dragons who claim that the First King of New Elenna, Yatimir, was secretly buried in the Ashlands. With the death and recreation of The Wold at the end of the 5th age, the area was restored, pristine and complete--at least as far as anyone knows. A remnant of the Ashlands known as the Blasted Crater was left as a reminder of the arrogance of the Noble Races of the past.
