City of Strife

The 19.000 inhabitants of Dervat are known for their great learning and fine culture. However, their once beautiful city lies in ruins and is plagued by both internal strife and external enemies. The remnants of the population live in a handful of palatial Houses, surrounded by crumbling ruins that encompass more than three-quarters of the city. As the noble families fight ever more desperately over the dwindling resources, the old republican institutions are torn asunder, and law and order give way to naked violence. All the while, Dervat’s ancient enemies, the Ukbar batkin, make probing attacks to test the defenses of the weakening city.

Recently, the city has become home to a minority of refugees from Zarthoris Plenia who have fled the bloodthirsty tyranny of the vampire sisters. Due to their pale white complexion, they stand out among the jet-black Dervatites. Lacking ties to the city’s noble families, they are viewed with suspicion but also seen as useful assets.

Rumors in Dervat, d12

Rumors are labeled (T) for True or (F) for False.

The Hungering Mother is a renegade sorceress who teaches self-deification to the select few who possess the required strength and are willing to make the necessary sacrifices. (T)
Lady Sarbana of Ahn, Supreme Mystagogue of the House of Sapphire and speaker of the Council of Elders, has not been seen in public for several Lunar days and has been missing from one meeting in the House of Pearls. She has been murdered by assassins working for Lady Nara of Tarvon. (F)
Butar, the younger son of Lady Ptali of Gandra, is to be married to Inistra, daughter of Lord Kendar of Arz-Domor, signifying an alliance of the two noble families. (T)
Lord Valhar of Dirin has given expensive gifts to prominent members of the refugees from Zarthoris Plenia to buy their support. (T)
Lady Una of Tarvon has lost her wits to old age but refuses to be superseded as matriarch by her daughter Nara, High Priestess of the Lunar Queen in the House of Opals. (T)
There have been street fights between armed gangs supporting the families of Tarvon and Gandra. Several people have been killed. (T)
An assassin was recently caught after trying to murder Lord Kendar of Arz-Domor. The would-be murderer managed to commit suicide before she could be interrogated. (T)
A recent fire in the barracks of the House of Rubies was the work of agents of the Dirin family. (F)
Lord Leton of Dirin has fallen ill after being poisoned by enemy agents. (T)
The masked fighters who attacked and killed ten civilians in the service of the Tarvon family were men from Zarthoris Plenia working for the Arz-Domor family. (T)
The refugees from Zarthoris Plenia are agents sent by the vampire city to conquer Dervat from within. (F)
The Hallowed Ancestors in the Crypt of Dreamers know many things long forgotten by the living; the trick is knowing what to ask for. (T)

The Noble Families of Dervat

Traditionally, Dervat has been ruled by five great families: Ahn, Tarvon, Arz-Domor, Dirin, and Gandra; each one having a wide set of branches as well as several allied lesser families. However, as the population dwindles, the city can no longer support such an extensive aristocracy. Thus, the nobles find themselves fighting not only for power but for their very existence.

Lady Sarbana, the matriarch of the Ahn family, is the Supreme Mystagogue of the House of Sapphire, the crypt of dreamers containing the memories of dead aristocrats. The supreme mystagogue is, by tradition, also the speaker of the Council of Elders. The Ahn family has taken a neutral position regarding the strife between the other noble families.

Lady Nara, daughter of Lady Una, the matriarch of the Tarvon family, is the High Priestess of the House of Opals, the Lunar Queen’s temple in the city.

Lord Kendar, the patriarch of the Arz-Domor family, is the master sage of the House of Emerald, the city’s center of learning.

Lord Valhar, son of Lord Leton, patriarch of the Dirin family, is chairman of the merchant council of the House of Onyx that controls any trade passing through the harbor.

Lord Ravan, son of Lady Ptali, matriarch of the Gandra family, is commander of the garrison of the House of Rubies.

The House of Emerald

This venerable institution is famed for the learning and wisdom of its sages, especially concerning philosophy, history, and the fine arts.

Item / Service Price

Sage’s wisdom. The sages of the House of Emerald can answer questions relating to philosophy, history, or the fine arts. 50 gp / question

The House of Obsidian

This is an arena for combat, encompassing both blood sports, where gladiators entertain the citizens, and litigation duels, where disputes between aristocrats are settled by martial prowess.

The gladiators fight each other or captured monsters, using standard melee weapons. Each noble family supports a gladiator team of their own, but common citizens and foreigners are welcome to enter the arena to prove their bravery and prowess. The winning side is rewarded 1d6 × 10 GP for every HD defeated.

The litigation duels are conducted according to a local custom peculiar to Dervat, where the combatants wear aggressive marshhogs (an amphibious relative to the billhog) strapped to their bodies instead of ordinary weapons or armor. It is common for aristocrats to hire a combatant to take their place in such duels.

The House of Onyx

The council of merchants ruling the House of Onyx controls the harbor and has a monopoly on trade. Everything passing in or out of the city goes through their hands and is subject to fees and levies. The House of Onyx is home to merchants, sailors, and artisans, but also fishermen and farmers.

Item / Service Number in stock Price

Condensation unit 1d6-1 20 gp

Macbrus lantern 1d6-1 25 gp

Poleastis stove 1d6-1 35 gp

Saber, moonsilver 1d6-5 1,000 gp

Poleastis crystal 4d6-4 5 gp

Macbrus crystal 2d6-2 60 gp

The House of Opals

The House of Opals is the temple of the Lunar Queen. The clergy possesses the city’s only functioning manna-machine. At the start of each Lunar day, all inhabitants of the city come to worship the Lunar Queen and receive their share of manna for that period (non-citizens must pay to partake of this).

Item / Service Number in Stock Price

Manna, 1 ration – 1 gp

Detect Magic – 100 gp

Cure Light Wounds – 75 gp

Cure Disease – 1,000 gp

Remove Curse – 1,500 gp

Dispel Magic – 1,000 gp

Cure Serious Wounds – 350 gp

Holy Water (vial) 2d6 25 gp

The House of Pearls

This is where the Council of Elders holds its meetings and where the noble families run the city. At the start of every year, the inhabitants of the city gather in the square outside for the Assembly of Commoners to ratify the council’s decisions and approve any new official appointments.

The House of Rubies

The House of Rubies contains the city garrison, comprised of 650 guards that man the walls and towers, guarding the city against the Ukbars. Furthermore, Dervat can muster an additional 1.450 warriors when attacked by the Ukbars or other enemies. Dervat’s fleet is also under the command of the House of Rubies, and consists of only two small galleys, “the Scar” and “the Wave-Cleaver”. In addition to soldiers, the House of Rubies is also home to the craftsmen producing the arms, armor, and tools necessary for the defense of the city.

Armour AC Weight (Coins) Number in Stock Cost

Breastplate 5 [14] 100 1d4-1 300 gp

Battle harness, simple 8 [11] 50 2d6 50 gp

Battle harness, ornate 7 [12] 80 1d6 80 gp

Bracers (+1 bonus) 50 3d6 20 gp

Greaves (+1 bonus) 80 2d4 30 gp

Helmet (+1 bonus) 50 2d6 20 gp

Shield (+1 bonus) 100 1d8 40 gp

The House of Sapphire

The mystics of the House of Sapphire tend to the Crypt of Dreamers, where the memories and personalities of dead aristocrats are stored for eternity. The inhabitants of this house consist only of the keepers of the crypt, and are not many, but they are held in great esteem by the other houses.