1. Locations

Little Graywall

District
Graywall in Droaam

Population: Goblins and kobolds live here, along with a handful of gnomes and halflings scattered throughout the quarter.

Character: Sar Kuraath lives up to its name—it truly is little Graywall. Much of the town is designed to accommodate Large creatures, and the Hydra Halls have high ceilings and rooms with bunks large enough for trolls and ogres. But goblins are the single most numerous race in Graywall, and Little Graywall is built for them. Every building is designed for Small creatures. The goblin artisans produce goods for the Flayer Guard and the rest of the town, and workhouses have high ceilings and doors allowing ogres easy access to the goods they haul between districts. But all other aspects of the district—from furniture to the flagons served at Black Bahiri’s—are designed with Small creatures in mind.

The goblins and kobolds of Graywall are proud of the measure of independence they have gained under the rule of the Daughters of Sora Kell, and Little Graywall is the symbol of this. Although there are tribal rivalries, goblins of different tribes almost always unite to fight a larger foe. As a result, the natives of this district are unusually bold here in their home, and they are less likely to put up with abuse from outsiders.

Inns: Black Bahiri’s.

Taverns: None (Black Bahiri’s).

Supplies: None.

Dragonmarked Services: None.

Temples: No public temple, though most warrens have their own idols or shrines.

Key Locations

Tribal Warrens: Each goblin or kobold tribe has its own building, which is a structure that serves both as workhouse and barracks. Symbols painted over the door or embedded in the walls indicate the tribe that lives within: the Bone Crows, Hammer-Knockers, Hidden Hands, Stonebreakers, and others. By and large, each tribe focuses on a specific trade; the Stonebreakers work in the mines and quarries, while the Hammer-Knockers are blacksmiths and armorers.

Black Bahiri’s: A single grist mill is in the Little Graywall, and most of the inhabitants dine there or make meals within their warrens. However, one inn has gained a measure of renown throughout Graywall. Black Bahiri is remarkably fat for a goblin; he is also a talented chef skilled in both Droaamish and Talentan cuisines. Thanks to under-the-table deals he gets prime materials from the Skin Factory in Bloodstone, and his Talentan preparations might be the most palatable food an easterner can find outside the Twilight Palace. Bahiri has rooms for rent, and there are a few gnome and halfling exiles who make their homes here. Some believe that Black Bahiri’s is a center for intrigue; there are rumors that the gnome who calls herself Shiv is a top agent of the Trust, and that Bahiri is a master spy from the Shaarat’khesh. These things might be true, or they might be pure fantasy. But if one is looking for a good meal accompanied by goblin song and cheerful company, Black Bahiri’s is a fine choice. Bahiri does keep blood gin on hand for foreigners, but he does not sell the drug to goblins. Renting a room at Black Bahiri’s costs 1 gp per night; since he has a limited number of rooms, Bahiri might turn down an unpleasant customer.

Swift Death: Many people come to Droaam in search of goods they cannot legally buy in the Five Nations . . . such as poison. It’s possible to find simple toxins in the Goblin Market, but Graywall is home to a true master poisoner, a goblin named Swift. Some say that he is part of the Shaarat’khesh, while others claim Swift learned his trade poisoning ogres who abused his tribe. Arranging a meeting with Swift requires a skill challenge (level 7; complexity 1, primary skill Streetwise; a goblin gets a +3 bonus, and anyone asking in Black Bahiri’s gets a +1 bonus). It’s up to the DM to decide just what Swift has available at any given time, but he’s one of the best sources of poison in western Khorvaire.

June 26th, 2019

Adventure Hooks

  • An ally has been poisoned by a toxin that resists all magical treatment . . . a slow-acting venom mechanically similar to a disease. If anyone can create a cure, it’s Swift—but the PCs first have to learn about the goblin’s existence, locate him, and then convince him to help them.
  • A Stonebreaker goblin named Jorl approaches the PCs. He says that his clan found a great treasure in the depths, and that they can give it to the PCs—if the PCs murder a visiting oni mage and his ogre followers, who once held the Stonebreakers in bondage.
  • The gang wars in Sharn have escalated, due largely to the treachery of Zharo, a halfling from the Boromar crime family. Zharo has stolen a lot of the Boromar’s treasury and hidden it; unless they can recover their treasure, the balance of power in the City of Towers will be irrevocably altered. Zharo is hidden in Black Bahiri’s, drinking blood gin and hiding from the world. Can the PCs find him, and can they convince him to reveal the location of the treasure?
June 26th, 2019