Slateholm Nights

[Solomoriah]

Slateholm was built originally on a rocky outcropping rising at most a few dozen feet above the brackish marshland near the place where a minor branch of a minor river emptied into the bay. Indeed, the city was named for the first house built on the dark stone of the outcrop. Stories tell that the men who built the trading post were not the first to inhabit the location, for it was the site of an ancient lizard man fortress.

The trading post grew in fits and spurts, and soon more land was needed than was available on the rocky knob. Newcomers worked to build up the marshland and straighten the river into a proper canal, and in time docks were built for ships. An artificial peninsula thus forms the majority of the city's area.

The modern city of Slateholm is divided into four quarters, though none are actual a fourth of the city's area. The noble's quarter to the southwest is called the Knob by most locals, and covers the least area; second smallest is the Merchant's Quarter to the southeast, where all those who have more than adequate gold but little or no noble blood make their homes. The Docks are the second largest area, occupying the northwestern part of the peninsula and even curving slightly around the coast. The largest area is the so-called Poor Quarter, to the northeast; not all who live there are actually poor, though such folks are certainly a minority.

The Docks and the Poor Quarter are separated from the Knob and the Merchant's Quarter by the Main Canal, or just "The Canal" to the locals (there are branches to the canal, but each has its own name). Prince Street parallels the Canal between the Knob and the Docks, but Prince Street ends in a snarl of buildings built close to the Canal in the Poor Quarter. The borderline between the Docks and the Poor Quarter is a matter of some dispute; each inhabitant of the border area has his or her own claim as to which quarter they live in. The Knob is almost completely surrounded by the old city wall, which serves as the border of the Merchant's Quarter.

Note that all quarters of the city have at least some waterfront, and thus some docks. Those in the Knob and Merchant's Quarter are private, of course, while the docks in the Poor Quarter mostly serve fishing boats.

[Dustinian]

Solo, if you haven't found a city mapper yet, I'd love a crack at it. I'm not sure you felt about the Wellonas map, but I had fun with that project... and I've had an idea for a way to draw a city that's been developing for a few days now, ever since I saw this thread.

I see your post above describing the geography. I'd love a rough sketch to make sure I'm really dialed in on what you want...

But, anyway, I'd love a shot at it. Let me know!

[Solomoriah]

I'll post something sometime... got a cold right now, feel like crapola.

[MaNiFeX]

Hi Everyone!

My name is MaNiFeX/Matthew. I'm a network engineer from Portland, OR. I randomly found an old copy of BFRPG at Powell's while browsing their RPG section, so I followed your directions, Solo, and did not buy it. I went and downloaded the PDF, then promptly bought a copy from your website for $5. (I sold all my D&D5e books a couple months ago.) I'm from the D&D/AD&D era and this game really rings true to me. My first RPG was RuneQuest, so there's some connection there, too.

ANYWAY...

My first campaign is coming up and I am developing a starting point for my party in Slateholm, soon to be sent down to Morgansfort, I'm sure.

The party will meet up in a tavern in the Docks or Poor Quarter... probably the Docks. Either get a lead from a NPC or barkeep. Back room for discussion with party/NPC for details of adventure.

I'll try and post any material I have when I've gotten it started. I like making maps (I do it as part of my job) and am happy to contribute in that regard as well.

Take Care,

Matthew

[MaNiFeX]

First draft of Slateholm for my campaign:



Thoughts?

[Solomoriah]

Nice. Not exactly what I'm imagining, but you've got the gist of it. I'm hoping to get time (and have the energy, still fighting a cold) to draw up my own sketch sometime soon.

[MaNiFeX]

Nice. Not exactly what I'm imagining, but you've got the gist of it. I'm hoping to get time (and have the energy, still fighting a cold) to draw up my own sketch sometime soon.

Thanks Solo. I did the best I could from your description and the existing map of the Western Lands. I'll keep posting the content I create and would love to contribute however I can.

MaNiFeX

[Solomoriah]

Here's where I was going with this. This map is a sketch; there's no scale (indeed, I haven't figured it out yet) but the town has a population of around 75,000 or so (comparable to medieval London). The bridges are probably too big, the canal may be too wide, I don't know. But this is the layout that lives in my head.

For reference, the canal should be about 20 or 30 yards wide, no bigger.