Thranconia

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=====THE TOWN OF CROSSROADS TAVERN======
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**Statistics Population**: 2000 people; Military: Knights 20, Soldiers 80, Militia 400; Dirtbags: 80; Specials: 20; Facilities: Inns: 3, Taverns: 5, Temples: 1, Armorers: 2, Blacksmiths: 4, Alchemists: 1, Herbalists: 3, Building Company: 0, Mage Guild: 0, Gangs: 2 

**Rumors of a Dungeon** The rumors run that the Hand of the Basilisk gang has uncovered a series of tunnels and underground chambers from long ago under the town.  They use them for hiding loot and breaking in to buildings from beneath.  It's been said that there is a sealed stone doorway leading who knows where in these tunnels. See: [[crossroads_dungeon|Dungeon Beneath Crossroads Tavern]].


**Military/Government:** The property owners in town form the Town Assembly, who elect a Master of the Town to run the court, collect tolls and other taxes, maintain public buildings and the town walls. He also nominates candidates for the Town Marshal, who must be approved by the 4 lords of the surrounding castles, in order to assure the neutrality of the town in the struggles of these lords. 
The current Master is Sargon Wells, who owns 3 large warehouses in town to cater to the caravan trade. He is scrupulous in business and very private, doing town business only when necessary. 
The current Town Marshal, Sir Theobaldo of Gorn, on the other hand is a galloping jerk, his band of 20 knights bully and extort everyone they can. He realizes that he must keep up the town's neutrality toward the lords, but otherwise does as he pleases. He has 40 foot soldiers to patrol the walls and can call up several hundred townsmen to repel an attack. The remaining 40 soldiers in town work as guards for various businesses.

**Gangs:**  There are 2 criminal gangs in town:  The Hand of the Basilisk. A group of 40 or so who are part of the Badabaskor group, and who specialize in armed robbery and kidnapping.  The Cheeky Bastards, a group of 20 who specialize in pick pocketing, sneak thievery and rolling Johns.

**1--Temple of Lakshmi** High Priestess Rosamund runs this temple, and the attached casino. Travelers, bandits and all who crave good luck flock here. 

**2--Old Man Jenkins:** independent armorer in the town, has 2 blacksmiths working with him (Pete and Tom): there is a 60% chance that he has any particular hand weapon from the list available, but always has 2-3 suits of chainmail and 20 or so shields. Takes special orders. 

**3--Burno Squampo:** Dwarf armorer, works for the town marshal, shares workspace with Gummo, a dwarf blacksmith. Burno's grandma was eaten by ogres, so he will throw out any ogres, half ogres or those who hang with them.

**4--Mauro Benini:** independent blacksmith, makes tools for town, shoes horses. 

**5--Habib the Wonderous:** mysterious alchemist, has a large shop filled with exotic powders, potions, and tinctures. 75% chance that any particular alchemical substance available. Good source for magic-item, scroll or potion-making supplies. About half the time, a little wooden boy minds the store while Habib is at work in his laboratory.

**6--The Old Inn:** the is a large lodging as old as the town itself. It is a favorite of merchant-travelers coming through town. It has a large number of small rooms, each with a bunkbed set. Run by Jerry Innsman, 12th genertion innkeeper. Everything is systematized, enter lobby/booth, pay fee, get token with room number. Go to booth each day, before 10am to renew for another day. Same fee for room whether one or 2 people use it. There is a stable for horses. 

**7--Gramma Hazel's Bed and Breakfast:** an inn popular with family travelers. Sweet old Gramma's rooms are expensive, but are very nice, very comfortable and come with a nice breaskfast. No drinking, smoking, or rude language allowed. There is a small corrale for guests' horses in the back. 

**8--Travelers' Barn:** a drafty old barn with 2 large common areas for a cheap night's rest out of the elements. Popular with teamsters from caravans who find safety in numbers and drifters. 

**9--The Crossed Swords:** well-kept tavern with fine dining and excellent wine. Has more or less been taken over by the Town Marshal and his bully knights. The owner, Winston Patridge, has managed to keep one of the dining rooms free of the bullies for paying customers, but hates and is terrified of the marshal. 

**10--The Crossroads Tavern:** the oldest building in town, the tavern is an old stone blockhouse from the ancient city, once refurbished as a drinking den for bandits, wanderers and the occasional traveler. Now it's a reasonably respectable watering hole, mainly for travelers. Run by Slick Martin, an ambitious wheeler-dealer who won the property in a poker game with the former owner, over at the temple of Lakshmi. 

**11--Dumper's:** This is a seedy dive bar, converted from 2 old cottages. It's popular among the less-respectable locals. The owner is a greasy stranger named Dumper, who may be half ogre, or maybe just big and ugly. One of the common reason for coming to Dumper's is to get “Liver-Squeezings”, and Dumper is always looking to buy fresh Owlbear carcasses. 

**12--The Frothery**: beer joint popular with the caravan trade. One very long bar, no tables, serves nothing but beer. The owner is Bigs Maxwell, gets carried away in his brew-house out back, leaves the customer service to the head barman Joe Frink. The Frothery usually has a quantity of “Hercu-Beer” in stock. 

**13--Crom's Ghost Tavern:** run by a berserker named Loud Olaf, this tavern is a favorite of those who are looking for trouble. Olaf is constantly shouting at each new person who enters the bar. The place is known for 3 weird drinks: Dead Berserker Ale, Boiling Grog, and Gut Buster brew, in addition to regular beer and mead. The last person who ordered wine was stuffed into a barrel and rolled down the street. 

**14--House of the Clear Horizon:** herbalist shop run by Rengor the Half Elf. Rengor has a 75% chance of having any herb that heals or cures in stock (1d6 doses, aces). He also will have 1-6 packets of Grape Nuts for sale. 

**15--Witchburger's:** herbalist shop run by a self-proclaimed witch named Dimitria. She has a 50% chance of having any herb in stock (1d6 doses, aces). She is also a poisoner who can produce common-level poisons, but she is very cagey about letting it be known. Most Catters swear by her ass cream.

**16--The Natural Goodness of Pie:** herbalist shop run by Orno Muntz. There is a 1/3 chance that he has any desired herb. But, he also bakes Awesome Pies, and he will have 1d4 for sale. 

**17--The Supply House:** a general store that is likely to have most goods used by caravans and travelers. It sells new goods (65% chance of availability) and used goods (1 in 6 chance of defect). Sells used goods for 1/3 price, buys for 1/4 price. The owner is Rufus Tool. Also sells “Mountain Man Breakfast”, usually only 1-2 packages available. 

**18—The Armory**: a fortified blockhouse where the town marshal hangs out, it serves as headquarters for his knights and the town military.

**19—Town Hall:**  large building where the town council meets, important papers and treasure kept.   The large meeting room is used by various organizations in town for all sorts of meetings.

**20—Toby the Tinker:**  he makes and mends all sorts of tin and copper goods.  He has a sturdy shed in back that is always kept securely locked.

**21—Cloth Row**  a row of cottages owned by people in the cloth trade.  There are 2 tailors (one is known as Stupid Pete who is notoriously bad at making deals, Wis 6).  The rest of the owners are spinsters or weavers.

**22-Chapter House** this is the former secret safehouse of the Steady Scouts from Algart, now put to use by the half gross heroes.