Everlund

Everlund

Geographical Information

Size: Large City • Location: Silver Marches

Societal Information

Populace: 12,000 • Human 48%, Elves 21%, Half-elves 14%, Halflings, Lightfood 9%, Shield Dwarves 7%, Others 1%

Religion: Temples: Helm, Mielikki, Corellon Larethian, Shiallia • Shrines: Oghma, Shaundakul, Waukeen

Imports: Ale, armor, cheese, clothing, fruit, grain, sugar, weapons, wine

Exports: Amber, charcoal, furniture, furs, stone, syrup, timber, valuable ores

Political Information

Government: Oligarchy

Ruler: Council of Elders, allied with the Lords' Alliance

Military: Army of the Vale

Everlund is a city of merchant traders and caravan teams and is one of the greatest supporters of the league of the Silver Marches. Located southeast of Silverymoon and situated on the north bank of the River Rauvin, Everlund is the second largest city in the Silver Marches and one of its most active mercantile communities.

Even though it is one of the smaller and weaker cities of the North, Everlund is the Silver Marches gateway to the rest of Faern. It lies due south of Silverymoon, on the eastern banks of the river Rauvin and is the home base of many caravan masters, guides, hunters, mercenaries, adventurers, and Harpers. Local rangers and adventures, aid Everlunds large standing army in diligently keeping the local roads free of raiding orcs, goblins, bugbears, trolls, and other monsters of the wilderlands. Since giants have driven the trolls out of the Evermoors, the trade road west of Everlund has become increasing expensive for the Silver Marches to patrol. There is concern that if the giants make a concerted effort they could effectively cut off the fledgling kingdom long enough to seriously affect trade.

Standing on the very edge of the High Forest, Everlund is a beautiful city of trees, wild flower gardens, and little bowers. The fact that the High Forest seems to be growing closer every day is a source of concern for some of Everlunds citizens, but so far there has been no confrontation with the mighty treant Turlang who rules the wood. The inns and taverns of Everlund are on its outskirts, and many the citys streets curve and meander around, avoiding the center of the city. Broad, straight caravan roads cut through the city like the spokes of a wheel however so its hard for a stranger to stay lost for long. Parks, groves and other patches of natural greenery, separate the homes and small shops in the heart of the city so that at night Everlund sometimes seems as quiet and as peaceful as any glade of the High Forest.

People

As befitting a caravan and trade center Everlund is even more tolerant then Silverymoon of various peoples, races, and religions. The citys population is predominately human but there is also good representation of elves, half-elves, and halflings. There are a number of dwarven clans that have trade representatives in Everlund, but with retaking of Mithral Hall and revitalization of other Dwarven Halls in the North many of Everlunds dwarves have left to help resettle their ancient homes in the mountains. Gnomes are a common sight in Everlund but most are visiting from their villages in the High Forest.

Everlunians are known to fiercely protect their city and well over half the citys population is capable of taking up arms if there is ever a need. Everlunds regular defenders include a large number of Silverymoon trained mages and bards, as well as their own homegrown rangers who are as wise in the ways of the wilds as any Uthgardt barbarian. Everlund is fairly ruled by a Council of Six Elders who are part of the Lords Alliance as well as members of the Silver Marches confederacy. They have always been a strong ally of Silverymoon and an active opponent of both the Zhentarim and the Arcane Brotherhood.

History

The walled city was resettled by humans from Ascalhorn on the site of Besander's Blockhouse in 515 DR. Since its humble beginnings as a fortified trading outpost and bridgehead on the Rauvin, the city's population and importance increased so that it became one of the most important trading cities in the region.

Government

For nearly five hundred years, Everlund has been ruled by the Council of Elders. This group is composed of the people holding the most prominent positions in the city, although there was occasional debate over whether some civic figures were important enough to merit a seat on the council. The council is led by the First Elder, an office granted by vote of the others. The First Elder holds this position until another member challenges it; sometimes this post was held for many years, other times a few days.

Defenses

The city is defended by the Army of the Vale. Its leader is titled the High Captain of Everlund, a position currently held by one Kayl Moorwalker, who was made First Elder a number of years ago after his service to the city. The Army has 200 heavy infantry, 400 light infantry, 300 elven archers, 300 light cavalry and 150 heavy cavalry. The Army also has 180 city watchmen, whose leader is called the Keeper of the Bridges, a man named Malvin Draga.

Places of Interest

• Moongleam Tower (7): Openly maintained by the Harpers, this fortress is made of large cut stone cemented together by a magical force. No one, except Harpers, has been inside. It's believed a ward of some sort prevents anyone from entering, even through the use of teleport and planeshift spells. Rumors that gates to places like Waterdeep, and Silverymoon have floated about recently, especially when several Harpers were seen exiting the structure blathering about an evil being with multiple arms and three heads that gated into the place. Flames and billowing smoke were seen in the sparse windows that day.

Official

• The Great Armory (12): A walled compound overlooking the waterfront that serves as a barracks.
• The Hall of the Elders (9): The seat of government in Everlund, with a low, circular building at the heart of the city. It stands next to an old, battered keep that serves as the armory, and next to that are the six large barracks of Everlunds standing army.
• The Hall of Records (O1) and the Hall of Redress (O2) are the courts of Everlund.

Mercantile

• The Bell Market (8): Market (1c - 3c). There's a great bell used to sound the call to arms or signal a retreat. The bell hangs in a frame in the open space next to the Barracks, and it gives its name to the space: the Bell Market. This is the chief produce fair of the city.
• The Bent Bow (M1): Bowyer (4c). This excellent archers' shop opens onto the Bell Market. It's known for its everbright (nonrusting) arrowheads, some of which can be enspelled so they can be magically traced. The Bent Bow is also known for custom-made bows designed to pull to the desired weight of the purchaser.
• Hethmeir's Highboots Corvisor (M2): Corvisor (5c). This is the best place to buy boots north of Waterdeep - truly a first-class corvisor (a cobbler resoles and repairs; a corvisor custom-makes). In fact, these boots are as good or better than any found elsewhere in Faerûn. Hethmeir and his four nimble-fingered assistants work with incredible speed. An adventurer who brings them a dead beast and wants boots made from its hide can expect them in three days.

Nightlife

Expenses

Squalid (1sp/day): 1c Poor (2sp/day): 2c Modest (1gp/day): 3c Comfortable (2gp/day): 4c Wealthy (4gp/day): 5c

• The Battered Hat (N1): Inn (2c•3a). Guides such as the famous defender of Everlund, Ruldorn the Storm Ranger, gather at this inn. It's run by two halfling families, and it's decorated with dusty old stag heads and old maps. It stands just inside Silvermoon Gate. The inn is named for a piece of dilapidated headgear that perches atop a wyvern's skull on the lobby wall. It was all that Nander Gultree, the halfling who built the inn, managed to wear out of his first encounter with a dragon.
• Danivarr's House (N2): Inn (5c•4a). The oldest and largest inn of the city, this rambling mansion joins to the one next to it by a number of rickety, covered, flying bridges. It's got a loyal clientele and is always full. This is the place to go if you want to meet interesting people (retired adventurers, elves who think they've a royal claim to thrones that no longer exist, and gnomes with delusions of grandeur).
• The Dreaming Dragon (N3): Tavern (3c•4p). The Dragon, located near the Downriver Gate, is beloved by elves, halflings, and the whimsical. The Dreaming Dragon is the place for good harping and eerie ballads of yesteryear. Its elverquisst is of the finest quality.
• Myklryn's Sorrow (N4): Tavern (3c•4p). Myklryn's, next to the Downriver Gate, is named for a man who drowned in the Rauvin River while sailing to see Waterdeep. His widow used his money to build this tavern. She's dead, but her three daughters run it now. Harpers are welcome here.
• The Old Sword Sheathed (N5): Tavern (3c•5p). This tavern is like all of those heard of in wonderful fireside tales. It's a ramshackle place where everyone's a friend, the dart and dice games never stop, elders tell tall tales, and young people trade jokes. It serves a huge wine list and butternut beer. Folk in Everlund say this tavern is the place to meet your mate for life.
• The Olorin (N6): Inn (4c•3a). This is a large, new inn near Mountain Gate. Many travelers end up here when they can't find room elsewhere. Though it's new and clean, it's rather soulless. All its furnishings were bought from a shop in Waterdeep and brought to Everlund by river barge, but many look mass produced.
• The Phantom Knight (N7): Inn (4c•4a). This inn, by Bridge Gate, is named for its ghost, a silent, mustached apparition in full plate armor who appears to guests who soon will face great danger. He makes warning gestures, sometimes pointing helpfully to needed or important items. The Knight is a large place, known for its fresh, hot bread, its cream pastries, and its hot baths (each room has its own copper tub). The inn is popular with caravan merchants and adventurers alike.
• The Seeking Arrow (N8): Inn (3c•4a). This inn caters to rangers, hunters, and guides. It stands between the Lady's Tree and the Bloody Hunt. Its walls are adorned with trophy heads, and its lobby desk is a glass case containing a wolf's skeleton of astonishing size. The wolf (killed by the owner's father) looks to have been as large as a bear.
• Sordar's Cup (N9): Tavern (3c•4p). This quaint tavern is named in awe of a local dwarf of legendary capacity for drink. He once won a bet by drinking three entire casks of wine in one evening. When he repeated the feat the next night, the odd human who'd lost the bet decided to build a tavern to accommodate Sordar's drinking supplies. Sordar is long deceased (he died soon after winning the bet), but his cup (about the size of an upturned war helm) is on display here.
• The Stag at Bay (N10): Tavern (3c•4p). Named for a sumptuous tapestry hung on its taproom depicting an elven hunt, the Stag caters to visiting hunters, adventurers, and those who like to fool themselves into thinking they're intrepid. Patrons outdo each other describing the perilous adventures that befell them in the "Savage Frontier."

Bridges & Gates

• The two bridges in Everlund are named Knightbridge (10) and Dwarfbridge (11), both of which cross the River Rauvin.
• The five gates of Everlund are open from dawn to dusk and shut at all other times. They are named Bridge Gate (3) (the start of Evermoor Way), Downriver Gate (2), Mountain Gate (5), Silvermoon Gate (1) (the start of the road to Silverymoon) and Upriver Gate (4) (the start of the trail to Sundabar).

Temples & Shrines

• Evergreen Hall (15): Temple of Mielikki, built around the Lady's Tree, a great oak once used as a simple shrine. The leaves of this oak change color with the season but never fall to the ground. Even in deepest winter the Ladys Tree and surrounding garden is never snow-covered. Once a season the resident priestess, Athytia Starbreeze selects and harvests several dozen leaves from the tree and uses them to create potions of healing which she sells to maintain the shrine. These potions are especially potent and have been known to cure diseases in both plants and animals. Legend has is that so long as a servant of Mielikki dwells within the Lady's Tree Everlund will never face attack from the High Forest. As Turlangs trees draw closer and closer many pray that this legend is based on fact.
• The Grotto (T1): Area devoted to Shiallia.
• The Keep of Vigilance (14): Temple of Helm.
• The Starmeadow (13): Area devoted to Corellon Larethian.
• All Faiths Hall (T2): Opening onto the Market is All Faiths Hall, a shrine for the use of all good worshippers.
• The Bloody Hunt (T3): Located just inside Downriver Gate, the Bloody Hunt is a bloodstained table made of petrified wood. The table is often used for dressing game and any remains left on the table overnight disappear with the coming of dawn leaving only the thick layers of dried blood behind. Local hunters consider it good luck to make an offering at this shrine as often as once a season.
• Also located in Everlund are small shines to Oghma, Shaundakul (popular with the caravan masters), and Waukeen.

Trade Routes

Roads & Trails

Everlund is the final destination on the Evermoor Way (6), the primary trade route from the south and west. The road to the north, eventually reaching Silverymoon, passes through Everlund Pass at the western end of the Nether Mountains. Trade to the east traces the banks of the River Rauvin, reaching Sundabar as its final destination. Points of interest along this trail (in order from Everlund to Sundabar) included Hilltop, Jalanthar, Lhuvenhead, and Rauvincross.

River

Downstream travel on the River Rauvin is blocked by the Striding Giant Rapids. Upstream travel on the River Rauvin is possible for about 170 miles (274 km) to Sundabar.