| The World of Teréth End - Gazetteer - Places - Evàlshat< |
||||
|
Links Home "...[name] stood in the [name2] Hall, a hundred peers watching from the galleys above. She called her Provider's name, and all could feel the power she commanded. [name3] summoned his wards, but all that watched knew his efforts were in vain. The next name she offered was his, and the misery of [name3] was legend." translated
from Dekàlan fragment People Rorn
Garadur (Adp2)  |
The Village of Calsador Nestled deep within the high Evàlshat lies a bucolic mountain village. From high on the slopes above, two streams tumble down across the rocks into a sheltered valley. Here a few dozen white stone houses huddle under colorful roofs against the great mountainslope, smoke trailing slowly from their simple chimneys rising lazily to the tops of the valley sides before being snatched away by the freezing wind. Standing in the distance, a herd of large white and gray goats search for grass in the snow. The houses of Calsador are small fitted-stone structures with bulbous chimneys topped with blue-gray caps. Most of the buildings are single-story cottages though a few roofs stand much higher than the surrounding. The roofs of the town are bundled-thatch covered with layers of faded wool rugs. Small roads weave inbetween the buildings and their small fenced gardens. The People Situated high in the Evàlshat mountains, Calsador stands outside the claimed territory of surrounding kingdoms. Furthermore, the village has existed much as it does now for many centuries. All of the residents of Calsador are related (their lineages for the last thousand years are outlined in the Temple, see below). They are a fair people with light colored eyes and some variation of blond, red, or gray hair. Their features are narrow and their frames lithe. All residents are descendants of an ancient race of Elve that lived in this area many years before the coming of the Dekàlans. Descendants of the Tolarians, the people of Calsador are products of one of the most ancient cultures of the region. Only three members of the village know of this connection (the priestess and the defender and the wizard), though Calsadoran hunters know of the ancient "sky-city". Over time, most defenders of Calsador have been Uren, which also accounts for the slow dilution of the Elve blood-line within the villagers. Due to their Elve heritage, most residents of Calsador are accustomed to the Chaos, and can generally employ it to aid in household chores and other minor uses. It is uncommon to see a Calsadoran woman casting a "spice" over a cooking pot, or a "burn" to summon fire from damp wood in the fireplace. A simple spell that can be cast by elders of the village is called "talk" where the villager will touch a stranger's lips to understand the words he says. The use of the Chaos is so common that the villagers do these things without thinking. Calsadorans are hospitable but distrusting of strangers that might bring bad influences into their homes. They know of wars (which they take no part) and rely heavily upon their Defender (the only member of the village to bear arms). The Village Dorin's Grist Mill: The Grey Inn: The only place available for visitors is the Gray Inn. The Gray Inn has two rooms suitable for one (maybe two people if one sleeps on the floor by the fire). The main floor has a short bar and three tables for people to meet and drink. Two drinks (berry wine and ale) are served, as well as goat, rabbit, and bear stew. The innkeepers are Rorn Garadur and his wife Syla. A room at the Grey Inn is three silver. The White Tower: The tallest building of Calsador is the White Tower. A narrow three-story building recognizable not only for its height, but for a wooden beam that sticks out near its top, from where a lantern burns during the night. The resident of the tower is Eril Klirvane, a wizard and "scholar" of Calsador. Klirvane has many duties in the village including Keeper of the Flame. He also serves as teacher for the village children, and mentor for those wishing to develop their cantrips further. Eril Klirvane is the most recent of a long succession of wizards who have held the position. Two villagers have been studying furiously under his direction to succeed him as Keeper of the Flame. The History There is not much to tell about Calsadoran history except that the people of the village believe that they've always been here and that they are likely to remain. Some may whisper (though unlikely as it is Calsador's greatest and perhaps only secret) that there are prophesies of a Time of Reunion that is to come, but no one knows when that will be. The belief is that the village is part of an ancient kingdom, and that during the Time of Reunion the great king will return to claim his crown (which is buried in the mountain with the last king) and the people of Calsador will be thanked for keeping the kingdom safe. Who is buried in the mountain? It is hard to say. The Temple of Calsador was constructed around an old shaft-tomb that extends back into the mountainside. At the end of the shaft is a heavy stone door marked with arcane carvings. The stone does not look like it has ever been moved (or could be moved), though supposedly the returning king will be able to touch the stone and it will open for him. The Temple The Temple of Calsador rests above the village where the two streams issue forth. There among the goat pastures stands a round stone building draped with long narrow rugs that though faded, were once colorfully embroidered. Through the squat stone door is a wide room of benches with three fireplaces burning slowly. Priestess Ina Orgya is a bent old wrinkled woman with bad eyesight who offers all visitors a wooden cup of strong wine before she begins to talk. She will not address those unwilling to drink with her. The berry wine is made from berries found in the lower valleys to the south, and is used liberally in all meetings and services here in the temple. The priestess wears a layered white robe with gold-stitched sigils and a silver necklace (mythrul) with a large pale green stone, a light blue stone, and a small dark violet one. The weight of the necklace seems to keep the old woman hunched. The Temple of Calsador has many purposes including meeting place and place of worship. The people of Calsador practice ancestral worship. The pastures surrounding the temple are marked with hundreds of small weather-worn stones, markers for the dead.
|
Geography The Gazetteer details the following regions:
Emer (The Lost Isle) The Cosmography details more "distant" locations:
Zarátam |
||
|
Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
||||