At the moment, Toronto Crawl Classics is focused on an area somewhere within the
former United States, the city-state of Denethix. The city-state is currently
prosperous, despite being a bastion surrounded by the territories of hostile
wizards, largely due to the protection of its ruler, Feretha, the Black Claw.
Celebration of the Black Claw
Feretha’s birthday is celebrated on the 15th
of November. By this time, the first snows have fallen. There will be parades,
hot mead vendors, and a general celebration. The Black Claw is not likely to
attend; indeed, his popularity seems to increase in inverse proportion to how
often he is seen. Having been locked in private experiments now for over two
years, the protection Feretha provides against the other sorcerers of the
surrounding lands has begun to outweigh the memory of his own depridations.
Some Locations of Note
Tower of Feretha: The tower of the great wizard dominates the city. This colossal eight-legged web of steel girders stands in the middle of the Verdant Plaza, 1000 feet tall, supporting a perfect white sphere 200 feet in diameter. Only the Vizier Yrenum and Captain Tyro of the Unyielding Fist are permitted to enter the tower.
Verdant Plaza: In the center of the city, surrounding the
Tower of Feretha and overlooking the Voltaic Cataract, is the Verdant Plaza.
The city gardeners keep this park in impeccable condition, with nary a flower
petal out of place during the summer months. There are wide lawns, tree-shaded rhododendron
hedge mazes, topiary gardens, orchards, vineyards, flower beds, and a multitude
of other botanical delights.
The gardens are patrolled by the mounted
cavalry of the Unyielding Fist, carrying lances, swords, and gilded
blunderbusses. Both cavalrymen and mounts are resplendent in their dress
uniforms and ceremonial barding.
Palais Immaculate: To the west of the Tower
of Feretha is the Palais Immaculate, the grand palace of the Vizier, Koyl Yrenum.
The palace is a marble structure ten stories high, and houses Koyl, his harem,
eunuch slaves, personal guard, sycophants, advisors, household staff, and those
dandies he finds entertaining at parties.
Palais Indomitable: On the opposite side of
the Verdant Plaza stands the Palais Indomitable, the massive towered fortress of
Captain Tyro. The fortress itself houses the Unyielding Fist, its armaments,
and the repair-bays of the Steel Leviathans. Below the Palais are the feared
Judicial Vaults, the dungeons where the sentences of the Star Courts are
carried out.
Palais Public: This seven story building
is the center of political life in Denethix. The first floor of the building is
dedicated to the Hall of Deliberation, where the Exalted and Chosen Brethren’s
public sessions occur. The upper floors are dedicated to the offices of bureaucrats
not esteemed enough to have space in the Palais Immaculate, the Brethren’s
personal offices, and the Star Courts.
Rumours In & Around
Denethix
- The Yellow Sign continues to appear scrawled on various buildings throughout the city. Who is making it, and what might it portend?
- A were-grunkie is hunting beggars in the City Underfoot.
- A man who casts no shadow is breaking into buildings where people have recently been murdered.
- Plague is brewing in Tarryfield. It is said that, with the cats gone, the rats grow bold. Perhaps they are the cause of the plague?
- An idol found in a back alley of Denethix has attracted many worshippers, based on the number of candles and offerings left before it. She appears to be an ivory-hued woman, about 2 feet tall. Strangely, the idol appears to have burst out of the wall which holds it.
- Another wrinkled, balding child was found wandering around the Street of Lesser Men. They don’t speak, none of them ever speak.
- Slavers operating near Marston have made an unholy alliance with the Insect Men of the Wastes. Surely this cannot be good for anyone traveling east. Whether being sold to any of the hostile wizards surrounding Denethix, or being taken into the Wastes to feed the grubs of the Insect Men, neither is a fate one would desire. Luckily, their activities have slowed with the winter months.
- Moktars are camping out in the old temple of Ahriman north of the Cones. It is to be hoped that they don’t stir up whatever may sleep there.
- Stories out of Chelmfordshire claim that demons made of bone and metal have raided outlying farms to the west. Those who are taken are never seen again.
- Giant worms, which do not seem to mind the colder weather, are bothering folks near Harwich.
- When they were digging the City Underfoot, they had to drive out some weird little blue fellows out of the caves that were already there. It’s all gotta be flooded now, but my brother Bill told me he saw a little blue man crawling into the storm drains last night.
- The Unyielding Fist seeks agents to root out cultists in Kingshire, southwest of Tarryfield.
- There is a site near the Bazaar Incomparable where the snow melts as soon as it falls, and men with torches stand guard at night. Rumour has it that a vault filled with priceless jewels is hidden somewhere near.
- William Stoddart, a merchant , was attacked and killed by a beggar – and the beggar then began to drink his blood! The merchant’s guards soon slew the beggar in turn, but it is said that the beggar’s wounds did not bleed.
- The bandits along the western roads grow bolder of late, and more cunning it is said.
