Ombrelongue

Longshadow
Cité
Titres	Jewel on the Marideth
Nation	Nirmathas
Taille	Large town
Population	4,000
Demographies	3,223 Humans, 615 halflings, 138 dwarves, 24 other
Gouvernement	Autocracy (mayor)
Alignement	Lawful neutral
Dirigeant	Mayor Thom Crawbert
Source: Assault on Longshadow, pg(s). 62–71

« L'histoire raconte que le nom de notre pittoresque ville minière vient de la « longue ombre » laissée par Jordish Redcliff. Non seulement il a fondé la ville, mais il a également exploré les collines voisines et passé beaucoup de temps à apprendre les coutumes et les lois en tant qu'avocat. C'est grâce à sa clairvoyance que tant de mineurs des collines du nord ont aujourd'hui ce qu'ils ont. Bien sûr, il n'a pas pu chasser toutes les bêtes et tous les monstres qui se cachaient derrière la colline voisine, mais c'est probablement pour cela que vous êtes venu au Bureau des chasseurs, n'est-ce pas ? « Notre objectif est de fournir aux chasseurs de monstres tout ce dont ils ont besoin pour nettoyer les cavernes, les mines et autres repaires où vivent désormais les bêtes, mais la seule chose que nous ne pouvons pas leur offrir, c'est un guide pour les localiser. Pour cela, il vous suffit de sortir de la ville ; ils vous trouveront. Et faites attention où vous mettez les pieds ! Les trous dans les environs sont connus pour vous attraper et vous entraîner vers le fond. Certains sont plus profonds qu'ils n'y paraissent, et je ne recommande à personne de risquer de mourir en tombant dedans. »

— Meriam Kems, garde forestière et ambassadrice autoproclamée de Longshadow

LONGSHADOW LN large town Corruption +0; Crime +0; Economy +3; Law +1; Lore +2; Society +1 Qualities industrial, prosperous, rumormongering citizens Danger +5 DEMOGRAPHICS Government autocracy (mayor) Population 4,000 (3,223 humans, 615 halflings, 138 dwarves, 24 other) NOTABLE NPCS Garret Graygallow, proprietor of the Graygallow Foundry (N male human expert 4/rogue 2) Kizviz, alchemical junker (CN female ratfolkB3 alchemistAPG 5) Mayor Thom Crawbert (N male human expert 5/ fghter 4) Meriam Kems, regional scout (LG female halfling bard 4/ranger 3) Seneka Volsadd, shipping magnate (NG female half-elf aristocrat 2/expert 4) MARKETPLACE Base Value 2,600; Purchase Limit 15,000; Spellcasting 5th Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 2d4; Major Items 1d4 SPECIAL QUALITIES Industrial

Longshadow est réputée pour ses nombreuses forges et fonderies. Ces installations contribuent à l'économie globale de Longshadow et améliorent le moral de ses habitants. (Économie +2, Société +2) Les habitants de Longshadow se consacrent à la forge et à la fonte. Leur ville enfumée se trouve à l'extrémité nord de la rivière Marideth, au nord de Phaendar et à l'extrême ouest de Tamran, la capitale de Nirmathi. Longshadow vit dans l'ombre proverbiale d'une autre colonie de Nirmathi, la ville de Skelt. Le savoir-faire des citoyens de Longshadow dans leurs métiers respectifs n'est éclipsé que par les capacités supérieures de Skelt, une colonie dont l'emplacement est si facile à défendre qu'elle peut se concentrer presque exclusivement sur le commerce, sans se soucier de la menace imminente des armées de Molthune. Ce savoir-faire commun à Longshadow et Skelt favorise une rivalité assez unilatérale entre les deux colonies.

Introduction

Longshadow’s proximity to the Hollow Hills is what allows its citizens to effectively compete with the efcient forges of distant Skelt. The region just north of Longshadow consists of dozens of excavation and mining sites. Many of the endeavors in the Hollow Hills are long abandoned, leaving the region littered with crisscrossing subterranean tunnels that give the region its name. But despite the number of forgotten and neglected mines, the Hollow Hills remains full of valuable minerals, and the ease of transporting these resources to nearby Longshadow ensures the town’s industry continues churning out goods.

HISTOIRE

La colonie qui allait devenir Longshadow fut officiellement fondée en 4450 ar, peu après la conquête expansionniste de Cheliax connue sous le nom d'Everwar. Jordish Redcliff, un aventurier autoproclamé, prospecteur passionné et avocat originaire de Tamran, revendiqua la région comme sienne. Dix ans avant la fondation de la ville, Redcliff s'était lancé dans une série d'aventures et de prospections dans les Hollow Hills. Avec ses compagnons, il avait éliminé les gobelins, les hobgobelins, les ogres et autres créatures monstrueuses des collines au nord de Marideth. La découverte par Redcliff d'au moins une demi-douzaine de puits verticaux d'or, de fer et d'argent lui a permis de reconnaître la richesse de la région.

La colonie a commencé sans véritable nom, Jordish étant trop modeste pour la nommer d'après lui-même. Elle servait principalement de refuge aux différents mineurs et à leurs familles qui venaient travailler sur les sites d'excavation voisins de Redcliff. Jordish fit plus tard don de parcelles de terrain à des institutions civiques, notamment un temple dédié à Abadar et une école, et il finit par accepter de céder à l'un de ses anciens compagnons d'aventure un terrain pour y construire une auberge. Au cours des 20 années qui suivirent la revendication initiale de Redcliff sur le terrain, le site se développa pour devenir une colonie durable comptant près de 300 âmes.

Les citoyens de la ville naissante ont remarqué que Jordish Redcliff laisserait une « longue ombre » lorsqu'il finirait par disparaître, faisant référence à l'incroyable empreinte laissée par cet homme sur la région. Lorsque Redcliff mourut paisiblement dans son sommeil près de 40 ans après avoir revendiqué le terrain, la première décision du conseil d'administration établi fut d'adopter une loi nommant officiellement la colonie Longshadow en l'honneur des contributions de Jordish.

Longshadow s'est développée au cours des décennies suivantes, atteignant une population de près de 5 500 habitants en 4632 ar, l'année où Molthune a officiellement fait sécession de Cheliax. Voyant une opportunité dans la capitale cosmopolite de Canorate, de nombreux citoyens ont quitté le travail morne des forges et des fonderies pour chercher une nouvelle vie dans d'autres parties de la nation indépendante. Non seulement les citoyens ont afflué vers ce qu'ils percevaient comme une vie meilleure, mais les aventuriers ont également suivi, dont l'absence a été rapidement remarquée. Il n'a fallu que cinq ans pour que la sécurité de la région se détériore, des tribus monstrueuses envahissant les collines voisines et forçant les mineurs à chercher refuge à Longshadow. C'est à cette période que furent construits les murs emblématiques qui entourent les limites de la ville qui ne sont pas adjacentes à la rivière. Heureusement pour Longshadow, l'attrait de Canorate et de la noblesse de Molthune perdit rapidement de son éclat aux yeux des aventuriers, et en 4640 ar, plusieurs groupes d'aventuriers avaient accepté des contrats lucratifs pour nettoyer les collines de ses problèmes monstrueux émergents.

Les citoyens qui restèrent à Longshadow virent leur vie quotidienne rendue plus difficile par l'exode soudain de ceux qui cherchaient une vie meilleure dans les régions cosmopolites de Molthune. Bien que les menaces monstrueuses aient diminué avec le retour des aventuriers, de nombreuses mines de la région furent abandonnées, les combats entre les patriotes chelish et les indépendants molthuni déchirant les familles et les communautés. Finalement, tant de mines ont été désertées et oubliées qu'elles ont présenté des dangers supplémentaires lorsque les mineurs ont pu enfin retourner au travail, car les nouvelles excavations risquaient de se rapprocher trop près des tunnels perdus, entraînant des effondrements.

Lorsqu'une deuxième révolution contre la nouvelle noblesse de Canorate a dégénéré en conflit ouvert en 4648 ar, Longshadow s'est aligné sur les autres colonies voisines et a fait sécession de Molthune.

La plupart citent cette sécession comme étant directement liée à la mauvaise gestion par les dirigeants de Molthune de la sécession de Cheliax. En fait, la colère suscitée par ce que Molthune était perçu comme un pillage des citoyens et des ressources de Longshadow était telle que la colonie fut la première à se consacrer à la fabrication d'armes et d'armures pour les guérilleros de Nirmathi, un fait que les habitants soulignent volontiers lorsqu'ils comparent leur enthousiasme à la participation tardive de Skelt.

Lorsque la révolution a atteint ses objectifs, Longshadow, qui comptait alors 4 000 habitants, s'est déclarée ville de la nouvelle nation de Nirmathas.

Depuis la création de Nirmathas, Molthune a pris Longshadow pas moins de quatre fois. À chaque fois que la ville a été prise, les troupes molthuniennes sont arrivées en force, à tel point que le maire a ouvert les portes de la ville pour laisser entrer les conquérants. Et à chaque fois, les attaques répétées des rebelles, combinées aux problèmes logistiques inhérents à l'approvisionnement d'une armée d'occupation, ont contraint les soldats molthuniens à battre en retraite au-delà de la Marideth en l'espace de quelques mois.

De nombreux citoyens âgés qualifient en plaisantant ces conquêtes de « changements de drapeau », et plusieurs habitants conservent les bannières de Molthune et de Nirmathi dans des coffres au grenier ou au sous-sol, certains gardant même d'anciens drapeaux de Cheliax, « au cas où ». Bien que fiers d'être des patriotes nirmathiens, les habitants de Longshadow savent qu'il serait insensé de s'opposer aux armées massées de Molthune et ne se battent donc pas ouvertement à moins d'avoir de fortes chances de victoire.

Cela fait près de 30 ans que Longshadow a chassé sa dernière vague d'occupants molthuniens. Les gens se souviennent encore des actions de Thom Crawbert, maire de Longshadow depuis 20 ans, qui a contribué à la première véritable défense de Longshadow lors de cette attaque. Le siège de six jours, comme certains l'appellent, a été la première fois dans l'histoire de Longshadow que ses murs ont repoussé des attaquants humains plutôt que les créatures monstrueuses contre lesquelles ils avaient été construits à l'origine. Longshadow a tenu bon, et les troupes molthuni se sont retirées au-delà de la rivière Marideth, contraintes de renoncer à s'emparer de la ville. Encouragés par la défense offerte par leurs murs, les habitants de Longshadow ont depuis lors connu une paix relative.

LIEUX À LONGSHADOW

Voici quelques-uns des lieux et magasins les plus remarquables de Longshadow.

1. Hôtel de ville : autrefois siège du pouvoir du gouverneur de Chelish, l'hôtel de ville de Longshadow a été réaménagé en un bâtiment beaucoup plus axé sur les services aux citoyens.

La moitié du bâtiment est consacrée aux questions de gouvernance, avec des salles de réunion et des bureaux individuels pour le maire et les membres du conseil municipal. L'autre moitié de la mairie abrite un auditorium où plusieurs centaines de citoyens peuvent se réunir pour discuter de questions politiques ou profiter des divertissements proposés par le conseil. Il y a seulement 20 ans, le maire Crawbert, alors nouvellement élu, a commandé le métal nécessaire pour doter la structure d'un symbole officiel de Nirmathas sur sa façade extérieure. La construction d'un arbre argenté complexe avec une épée en laiton saillante a nécessité le talent d'un expert en métallurgie de Kyonin, qui a minutieusement enfilé des métaux chauffés pour créer le feuillage majestueux du symbole national.

2. Le Canary : Auberge et taverne très réputée, le Canary a été l'un des premiers bâtiments construits à Longshadow, avant même que la colonie n'ait un nom officiel. Contrairement à Longshadow, le Canary est resté sous le contrôle de la famille de son fondateur, un ancien compagnon d'aventure de Jordish Redcliff. Gestelle Ambrose (CG femme humaine experte 3/ swashbucklerACG 2) dirige désormais l'auberge, après avoir passé une brève période comme aventurière dans la vallée de Bloodsworn jusqu'à ce qu'elle perde un œil lors d'une altercation avec un piège fabriqué par des kobolds.

Cet événement a considérablement terni son ancienne exubérance.

Elle prend désormais plaisir à gérer l'entreprise familiale et à menacer les clients turbulents avec sa rapière, affirmant souvent : « J'aurais peut-être du mal à vous transpercer à un endroit non vital, avec mon mauvais œil et tout ça. » 3. Fonderie Graygallow : située le long des rives de la rivière Marideth, cette immense installation s'étend sur trois bâtiments distincts. Le bureau des ventes, en contact avec la clientèle, est accessible aux personnes extérieures, tandis que la fonderie proprement dite et les logements des ouvriers sont interdits d'accès à ceux qui ne disposent pas d'une autorisation appropriée. Les instructions de Garret Graygallow à son personnel sont devenues erratiques ces derniers temps, et ses ordres de retarder intentionnellement les expéditions sèment la confusion parmi les ouvriers de longue date. La fille de Garret, Aureni Graygallow (LG, femme humaine experte 4), sait que quelque chose ne va pas dans les récentes actions de son père, mais ses investigations ne lui ont permis de découvrir qu'un important stock de métaux non traités.

4. La voûte de la fonderie : La plupart du minerai de Longshadow est fondu dans une grande installation connue sous le nom de « voûte de la fonderie ». La voûte emploie beaucoup moins de personnel que la fonderie Graygallow, mais elle a l'avantage d'être entièrement détenue et exploitée par des intérêts civiques. Le conseil municipal détient la majorité des parts de la voûte de la fonderie, les autres actionnaires privés percevant des dividendes moins importants sur ses bénéfices. Le directeur actuel de la fonderie est un demi-elfe en haillons du nom de Kesten Idliss (LN, homme, demi-elfe d'âge moyen, expert 4/combattant 3), qui a accompagné le maire Crawbert dans certaines de ses premières aventures. Kesten est continuellement nommé au poste de directeur malgré son manque d'aptitude réelle pour la fonte, ce qui conduit certains à croire qu'il connaît un terrible secret sur le passé de Thom Crawbert. Quoi qu'il en soit, Kesten reste discret et fait de son mieux pour s'assurer que le minerai est correctement fondu avant d'être distribué dans d'autres quartiers de la ville.

5. Forager's Alchemicals & Emporium : une famille de rats gère cette entreprise qui combine fabrication d'alchimie et récupération de ferraille. Arrivés pendant la période tumultueuse de la sécession de Molthuni de Cheliax, ces rats sont restés à Longshadow et ont formé leur propre enclave familiale multigénérationnelle au sein de la ville.

La récupération des différentes mines abandonnées dans les Hollow Hills a vu le retour d'aventuriers cherchant à se débarrasser des babioles redécouvertes, et les rats se sont révélés aptes à déterminer ce qui pouvait être acheté à bas prix et revendu (en ville ou à l'étranger) pour un profit intéressant. L'alchimiste rat Kizviz, très habile, gère la partie alchimique de la boutique avec sa jeune sœur.

Pendant ce temps, une demi-douzaine d'autres marchands rats gèrent l'emporium, négociant des objets magiques mineurs redécouverts et d'autres babioles de valeur.

6. Le ferry de Gorenheim : pour une seule pièce d'argent, les passagers peuvent prendre l'un des trois ferries qui traversent la rivière Marideth. Ces bateaux en bois particulièrement spacieux et robustes restent répartis de manière égale, l'un près du centre de la rivière, tandis que les autres accostent et se réapprovisionnent aux extrémités respectives de la voie navigable.

Ce ne sont toutefois pas les passagers qui font gagner de l'argent aux ferries de Gorenheim ; l'entreprise tire l'essentiel de ses profits du transport industriel important qu'elle effectue à travers la rivière dans les cales inférieures de ses grands navires.

7. Last Shif Graveyard: While most mining work agreements are one-sided affairs, ofen favoring employers over employees, mining businesses operating in the Hollow Hills region are required to offer the “lastshif clause.” The contractual clause ensures workers whose bodies are recovered are granted free interment in Longshadow’s graveyard. One of Jordish Redcliff’s enduring legacies, the Last Shif Graveyard lies on townowned land specifcally set aside for those lost in mining accidents. Other plots of land are granted to those who die of natural causes but who dedicated years to the mining or industrial needs of the Hollow Hills area.

A morose and mysterious individual by the name of Aahshira (N samsaran sorcerer 5; Pathfnder RPG Bestiary 4 230) maintains the grounds of the graveyard. Aahshira is supported by a staff of middle-aged and elderly villagers, for whom she acts as a type of life counselor. The samsaran’s appearance in Longshadow came on the eve of the previous caretaker’s demise, and Aahshira offered to start work almost immediately. While lacking any formal religious training, Aahshira is knowledgeable in the religious practices necessary to maintain the graves of the Last Shif. Actual ceremonies and blessings take place away from the gravesite, as bodies are consecrated at the temple of the deceased’s patron deity.

8. Sparkstrike Smithy: A boisterous artisan named Elus Sparkstrike (CG male human fghter 5) is considered the most prominent of Longshadow’s three blacksmiths.

While plying his craf, he wears only a sash and reinforced leather apron as upper-body protection—a tradition that has resulted in burn scars pockmarking his arms and face. Elus works jovially despite this visible and somewhat self-aficted disfgurement. His greatest joy is hammering freshly heated metals while carrying on a yelled conversation with clients from across his shop. Those spending time with the smith as he works are treated to the latest town gossip, as well as a healthy amount of (free) ale regularly ferried over from the stores of the Canary.

9. North Gate: One of three gates guarding entrance to Longshadow, the northern gate has seen the most violence.

Monstrous creatures from the Hollow Hills repeatedly attempt to assault the town, and each incursion has met its end at this gate. The most recent attack occurred over 15 years ago, when a band of well-organized ogres assaulted the walls with the support of magical equipment and unexpected tactics. The attack floundered due to the heroics of a group of Pathfnder Society agents taking a break from exploring the nearby Mindspin Mountains.

In honor of their timely intervention, the northern gate of Longshadow is permanently emblazoned with the symbol of the Pathfnder Society, the Glyph of the Open Road, signaling to traveling Pathfnders that they are welcome in the town.

10. Migrant’s Welcome Dock: Longshadow’s docks received their rather contentious title in the afermath of Jordish Redcliff’s death. Disparaging those who partook in the boom of immigration as word spread about the discovery of minerals in the Hollow Hills, Longshadow’s residents ofen declared those frst workers migrants, despite them being loyal citizens of Cheliax—and the dock where they disembarked took its name afer them.

The name stuck for years, and even when people flooded back out of Longshadow for Canorate, the townsfolk still used it, more out of familiarity than for any other reason.

Numerous wooden landing piers stretch out from the southwestern edge of Longshadow, extending like greedy fngers onto the Marideth River. Poor planning has resulted in a haphazard arrangement of docks, with new piers routinely added with little regard to proper shipping routes or ease of docking for larger vessels.

The slapdash arrangement is now the responsibility of a handling crew of 60, overseen by four shif managers.

Kidrin Relvaed (NE male human rogue 3) is one of these shif managers. He uses his position to assist local crime interests, primarily in the form of shipping bodies away from Longshadow aboard passing vessels. Unscrupulous ship captains know they can earn a few gold coins by taking on one of Kilian’s “extra” shipments.

11. Warehouse Lane: This ominously light-deprived section of town is flled with a half-dozen warehouses, each rented on contract from the town. At any time, various mining and smelting enterprises interested in long-term storage of goods claim half of the structures.

The unused warehouses are ofen the sites of illicit aferdark meetings between criminal interests in Longshadow.

A Molthuni patriot, Neele Wittich (CN female human fghter 4/rogue 4), operates out of this district, moving from warehouse to warehouse as contracts lapse and buildings are loaded and unloaded. She maintains an extensive underground network of tunnels connecting each of Longshadow’s major warehouses, a system her agents continue to expand. Recent digs have ended with the disappearance of several of Neele’s agents and the discovery of previously unknown tunnels under the town.

Neele is utterly ruthless in her mission to upset the balance of power in Longshadow, as part of a long-term subversive plot sponsored by Molthune’s government.

Her current schemes revolve around siphoning off and hiding forged weapons and precious minerals so they can be claimed by Molthune during its next invasion of the town. These weapons are stockpiled in her subterranean tunnels, though the recent discovery of an extended unrelated tunnel network puts the endeavor in jeopardy. No one in Longshadow suspects Neele’s role as a Molthuni saboteur and spy, and only a handful of the town even know her as a prominent leader in Longshadow’s small criminal underworld.

12. Rutra’s Trading Post: Named afer its current owner, Rutra’s Trading Post is easily one of the most identifable structures in Longshadow. The architecture of the expansive general store is foreign to that of the town, recognizable only to those familiar with dwarven stonework, as the Trading Post was built in the same style as distant Kraggodan—a dwarven Sky Citadel to the southwest of Longshadow. Rutra Grimburrow (LG female dwarf expert 2/wizard 4) operates the establishment with cool efciency. The Grimburrow family emigrated from Kraggodan long ago, seeking to establish trade routes between the Sky Citadel and other settlements, only to fnd themselves, over the course of several generations, becoming more a part of the human town than of their distant mountain home.

Rutra oversees a staff of just over a dozen assistants and laborers. This group is mostly made up of Rutra’s close relatives along with a few Longshadow citizens. Until recently, the Grimburrow clan offered the fnest imports from nearby Kraggodan, but the ongoing Molthuni siege of the Sky Citadel has greatly reduced the fortress-city’s exports to the Trading Post. Some intrepid merchants still sell their wares within the upper reaches of the Sky Citadel in the periods when the Molthuni assaults are forced back, though these imports are scarcer than ever before. Rutra has been in negotiations to start up trades with Tamran, but until she can arrange the right deals, her stock is woefully undersupplied for her typically extravagant needs.

13. Hunter Bureau: This simple two-story wooden home stands apart from nearby residential buildings, marked by an austere sign of darkwood with red paint detailing its name. Despite its formal title, the Hunter Bureau’s interior is a combination of tavern and lounge, ofen frequented by adventurers, hunters, and trappers active in the Hollow Hills. Visitors sit and recount their adventuring or hunting tales among those with similar interests. The air of the Hunter Bureau is laden with the heavy smoke of tobacco and the occasional hint of flayleaf. Because the building caters to valued members of Longshadow’s ecology, there’s some leeway in what is allowed on the premises; most town guards ignore all but the most dire of problems from within the Bureau.

The true purpose of the Hunter Bureau is to assign bounties to claim to interested individuals and groups looking to hunt creatures in the region. Originally, the organization handled only the collection of animal carcasses and pelts, but it has since expanded into the business of monster hunting and population control.

Isaki Farhif (LN male human ranger 3) inherited the establishment from its previous owner, despite not being a familial connection. Instead, Isaki proved himself a capable and useful hunter afer leaving his old life in Katapesh. He sits behind the main desk of the Bureau’s lounge, assigning and paying out bounties. Meanwhile, a jovial halfling named Meriam Kems fancies herself as the de facto ambassador for those coming to the Bureau. She ensures that new arrivals are given personal introductions to all of the Bureau’s regulars and offers her services (for a reasonable fee) if there’s a major hunt to take part in.

14. Dominick’s Reagents and Poultices: Something of a local remedy man, Dominick Vlais (NG male human adept 3/ expert 2) maintains a shop adjacent to his home. The store contains various unique herbs, minor alchemical items, and various components that are useful in the production of magical effects. Dominick leads a solitary life, but enjoys discussing magic of all sorts with clients inspecting his wares. Though only a minor practitioner of magic, he has extensive knowledge regarding various healing techniques, and much of his humble store is dedicated to supplies of a curative nature.

15. Longshadow Armory: Any town that is doubly threatened by roaming monsters and an aggressive neighboring nation requires equipment to defend itself. The Longshadow Armory is one of the most well-defended buildings in town, always staffed with at least a dozen armed guards to deter thef and acts of insurrection.

Inside the metal-reinforced walls of the building are dozens of chests and racks laden with arms and armor of varying designs. Most of the stored equipment is the result of taxes levied on local mining ventures; a portion of all profts go toward the armament and upkeep of Longshadow’s militia.

One of Longshadow’s most notable relics is a swif obsidian greataxe (Pathfnder RPG Ultimate Equipment 161) that once belonged to an adventurer who scoured the Hollow Hills of its growing monstrous infestation sometime during the uprisings of 4640 ar. Madleen Kulcher (LN female human fghter 6) is the current head of security for the armory, and the greataxe has recently disappeared on her watch. Word of the disappearance hasn’t spread past the few guards under her command, who insist to the public that the weapon is simply undergoing routine cleaning and maintenance.

The truth, however, is that a Molthuni spy within Longshadow threatened Madleen’s family, and she gave up the weapon to protect them. Now, Madleen secretly investigates new arrivals to the town in hopes of fnding a group to discreetly recover the lost weapon and discover the identity of the hidden Molthuni agent.

16. Jail: Longshadow has its share of crime, and thus maintains this jail, though it is rarely overflowing with prisoners.

Many attribute the lawful nature of so many of the town’s citizens to the efforts of the head sheriff, Grenta Irontusk (LN female middle-aged half-orc brawlerACG 5). She was once a chaotic force in Longshadow, eventually falling on hard times when a barroom brawl at the Canary shattered her two prominent tusk-teeth. The town pulled together and purchased a set of wroughtiron inserts to replace Grenta’s lost protrusions—from this, she learned to respect the law and her community. Ten years later, she took the position of sheriff with no opposition from even the most senior of militia and town guard members.

17. Redcliff Schoolhouse: The town of Longshadow strives to educate children whose families work in the mining and smelting industries.

The Redcliff Schoolhouse has existed since the inception of Longshadow, though the building itself has been demolished and rebuilt numerous times since its creation. The legacy of the town’s founder, Jordish Redcliff, endures through the constant reconstruction and the town’s funding of the school.

The establishment is easily equivalent to any school to be found in larger settlements such as Skelt or Tamran.

The Redcliff Schoolhouse’s greatest claim to fame is the free education it provides for the children of local workers. Teens seeking education in Longshadow’s prominent industries (namely mining and smelting) make up a large segment of the school’s student body. A half-dozen instructors, supported by various industry-veteran adjuncts, compose the teaching staff of the facility. Headmaster Klemens Dracht (LE male human wizard 5) is the current overseer of the Redcliff Schoolhouse, which he uses more as a personal study than as a place of education. Much of the headmaster’s current seclusion relates to his acquisition of several tomes from a Varisian convoy passing through Longshadow. The contents of the tomes are a mystery to all but Klemens, though eager students have caught a glimpse of a tome supposedly made of leathery flesh and bound in bone.

18. Cerisum Manor: This dust-strewn, abandoned manor once housed numerous Chelish, and later Molthuni, nobles. At the declaration of Nirmathi independence, the family who owned it fled, leaving their worldly possessions within. No locals wanted to be associated with the manor, nor has any town effort been made to maintain or restore it. Schoolchildren play daytime games where they dare one another to run into the house and remain there for a set time before leaving. The games haven’t led to any problems, mainly because—as any Longshadow youth could tell you— the house becomes only haunted at night. What causes the lights to go on in the manor afer sundown may be a mystery to the children, but several citizens speak of worshipers of Razmir meeting in secret due to Nirmathi scorn of their so-called Living God.

HOLLOW HILLS MINING VILLAGES

The following is a small selection of villages and hamlets located within the Hollow Hills region.

Kusker Farm (Population 23): The lands surrounding Kusker are little more than a family operated farm. A half-dozen workers assist with operations of a small dairy operation, along with herding sheep throughout nearby pastures. Albrecht Shinter (N male middleaged human commoner 4) runs the farm and recently made the diffcult choice of secretly surrendering one of his workers to a resident tribe of ogres that threatened his holdings. He fears the ogres will return for more “playthings,” and that he’ll run out of workers—after which the ogres might instead take his family.

Lawson (Population 180): Miners from across the Hollow Hills come to Lawson for its lively festivals. The village is known for hosting a different festival at the end of every work week, each uniquely themed. The current trend of festivals involves parades depicting different Inner Sea nations. Participants wear devilish costumes for Cheliax one week, only to switch to drinking horns and furs during their celebration of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings the next. These continual attractions drain much of the nearby miners’ wealth, but allow the village to thrive despite its otherwise remote location.

Old Rugged (Population 37): A brewery constructed by miners and dating back to the times of Chelish rule, the Old Rugged stands tall atop a hill. While some of those employed here reside in Longshadow, Lawson, or Red Stem, others lodge in the brewery’s outbuildings, along with a score of miners who work nearby. Visitors from afar come to enjoy the beer brewed here, which is also a popular purchase among Longshadow’s citizens and local miners alike.

Red Stem (Population 45): The hamlet of Red Stem is built around a single crossing of paths, nestled between several of the regional hills. A small inn bearing the same name as the hamlet rests at the crossroads.

Miners come to Red Stem most often for sundries from its general goods shop. ==HOLLOW HILLS REGION== True to its name, the Hollow Hills is an area riddled with subterranean caverns and tunnels wrought by humanoid hands. Hill-strewn plains, rock escarpments, and the remnants of old industrial equipment litter the region. Those completing the hike to the apex of a hill discover larger hills on the horizon, with few areas of note interspersed between. The hills’ obfuscation of important landmarks and sites makes it something of an explorer’s paradise for adventuring parties, who scale each hill eager to be rewarded with an eagle’s-eye view of the next set of sites to explore.

The Hollow Hills region acts not only as a treasure trove of useful minerals, but also as a haven for a variety of creatures seeking to hide from civilization. With so many monstrous creatures in the area naturally prone to violence, there’s an increased need for security— particularly in the form of adventurers.

The following are several sites of note within the Hollow Hills region.

Carrion Brides’ Roost: Harpies have had little direct effect on the people of the Hollow Hills, mostly due to the cunning leadership of the region’s sole harpy flight, the Carrion Brides. These avian humanoids stalk other monstrous creatures terrorizing the Hollow Hills, leaving the humans of Longshadow and the resident miners in relative peace. This unique coexistence began just over 2 decades ago, when the current matron Parvona (NE harpy sorcerer 6/arcane archer 4) seized leadership of the Carrion Brides afer shooting through the previous matron’s wings mid flight. While the other harpies were unimpressed with her edict to leave the humans unmolested, none contested the immediate positive effect it had on their safety.

The harpies currently maintain a defensible home along the base of the Mindspin Mountains at the northwestern border of the Hollow Hills. This roost is entirely inaccessible by land travel, requiring flight or expert climbing gear in order to reach it. Carrion Bride patrols guard the single entry perch, though several human-sized access shafs lead into and out of the cavern portion of the complex. While otherwise unguarded, these vent tunnels have been rigged with various traps meant to hamper intruders while still allowing the harpies a means of escape. Within the cave are numerous personal quarters, as well as a sizable den for Matron Parvon.a A shrine at the far end of the cave is dedicated to the goddess Lamashtu. Adriaonis (CE harpy cleric of Lamashtu 8) dutifully tends to the shrine, though her nightmare-riddled sleep warns her of an approaching storm, and that the Carrion Brides will need to stand against the humans of Longshadow—regardless of what Matron Parvona thinks.

Domain of the Chitinous Queen: Giant ants are considered one of the more dangerous threats to mining operations in the Hollow Hills. Mining crews take extreme caution when in the process of excavating new tunnels for fear of stumbling upon an active nest.

The ants found the plethora of abandoned tunnels in the region a convenient nesting site, and these vermin have made great gains in the underground of the Hollow Hills. How these giant ants frst came to the Hollow Hills is unknown, though it occurred centuries ago, despite claims of Molthuni involvement.

A powerful gremlin known as the Chitinous Queen (LN female giant nuno asceticB5 monk 11) is the subject of local myth, and is blamed for many accidental deaths or unexplained disasters. Adventurers and miners alike have, over the years, run afoul of a unique magical curse from disrupting the anthills within the queen’s domain. This curse causes wounds to scab over with chitin similar to that of an ant’s head. More than just a visual quirk, the chitin growths also prevent natural healing, leading the cursed individual to suffer violent bleeding from subsequent wounds. While powerful magic can overcome the curse, many make pilgrimages to seek out the Chitinous Queen and offer her tribute in exchange for the curse’s removal. The gremlin is said to move between the Hollow Hills’ dozens of giant-ant colonies, making her difcult to fnd. Those familiar with the curse have learned that if an aficted individual pours molten metal into a container, the metal runs in the direction of the Chitinous Queen.

Several of Longshadow’s smelters allow use of their facilities for this purpose—though at a high price, of course.

Lost Mines: Just over 200 years ago, one of the Hollow Hills’ most lucrative mines simply vanished. Even the mine’s original name has seemingly disappeared from historical records, though several unscrupulous merchants offer maps that supposedly reveal its location—at an exorbitant price. Those who follow the tremendously rare maps that show the true location of the Lost Mines fnd no rents in the earth, and no indication that a mining site ever existed. The Lost Mines have become a folk tale passed down through generations, and have even evolved over the years into a clever marketing tool for Longshadow to attract adventurers seeking to get rich quick. Every year, dozens of adventuring parties set out to scour the Hollow Hills in search of the Lost Mines—and inevitably at least several of these fail to return, only adding more fuel to the rumors surrounding the mines.

Several somewhat credible leads regarding the Lost Mines have sprung up in recent years. The dwarven Ninth Battalion’s leader, Charak Helmrunner, is in possession of several ancient documents that mention feuding tribes of orcs and goblins involved in a conflict near the former site of the mines. Charak maintains an ongoing interest in clues relating to the Lost Mines and fears that the location’s disappearance is part of some elaborate orc plot. For unknown reasons, the Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga (Pathfnder Campaign Setting: Artifacts & Legends 20) contains a confguration to reach the mines. What reason the Queen of Witches had to create an entrance to the Lost Mines is a mystery, but it’s entirely possible, given Baba Yaga’s incredible power, that she was responsible for the mines’ vanishing in the frst place.

Lunar Watchers: For the past millennia, a mysterious group of robed giants have made camp in the Hollow Hills twice per year at regular intervals. Most times, the giants pass peacefully, but their earliest recorded arrivals were laden with conflict. Eventually, the people of Longshadow discovered the giants’ comings and goings matched the equinoxes and solstices attributed to important lunar phases. By temporarily halting their smelting around these times, the residents of Longshadow saved themselves from the ire of the wandering giants. The last time Longshadow’s inhabitants neglected this important industrial ritual, the giants manipulated a marauding band of ogres into assaulting the northern gates of the town; the assault was stopped only due to the timely intervention of several experienced Pathfnders.

The giants are a cult of moon giants (Pathfnder RPG Bestiary 5 122) under the leadership of a potent oracle named Xadvatharium (LN male moon giant oracleAPG of heavens 12). They visit to the Hollow Hills at regular intervals to observe particular lunar and celestial patterns in the night sky. In years past, when Longshadow’s foundries and smelters clogged the heavens with smog, the giants have grown agitated, and while they rarely attack the nearby town themselves, their empathic emanations have sent scores of other nearby monstrous humanoids in wild assaults against the town. Xadvatharium has spent centuries carving lunar records into his flesh, and he believes observing only one more cycle will enable him to unlock the complex stellar enigma his cult researches. Should the giants’ view be obstructed, whether because Longshadow’s residents decide to suddenly end their practice of ceasing operations during the moon giants’ arrival, or in the event of a catastrophic event such as a siege, Xadvatharium’s rage would surely be irrepressible.

Navah’s Tower: This infamous tower stands roughly 40 miles northeast of Longshadow. Navah, a changeling wizard with a keen interest in monster-related research, is the current inhabitant of the tower. Her tower is further described on page 27 of this adventure.

Ogre Holes: The Burl family leads the majority of ogres in the whole of western Nirmathas. Their deplorable actions directly led to their eviction from the Mindspin Mountains over 50 years ago. A coalition of mountain-dwelling fre giants forced the Burls and several subservient ogre families out of the mountains, all under the guidance of the red dragon Gamrestrax (who many believe was acting under influence from Molthune). With nowhere else to go, the ogres fled into the Hollow Hills, where they established dozens of familial dwellings within abandoned mine shafs and began to terrorize the countryside.

Today, the denizens of these so-called “ogre holes” plague the people of Longshadow and the miners of the Hollow Hills. Most ogre families laze within these forgotten mines for months or years on end; but occasionally—and far too frequently for the liking of miners—they emerge to unleash their depravity on settlements and mining outposts. Members of the Burl family are easily the worst offenders among the ogres.

Their extensive family line spreads across no fewer than four abandoned mines. Lately, word is abuzz in the Hollow Hills that their patriarch, Grand Pappy Burl (CE venerable male ogre brawlerACG 7), is organizing a “Family Reunion,” an event that, if it is not stopped, is sure to be awash with the blood and suffering of the people of the Hollow Hills.

Pylon Rock: This tall, narrow rock formation rises from the top of an otherwise bare mound at the northern edge of the Hollow Hills. The height and width of the column shifs sporadically, sometimes remaining static for years before changing dramatically several nights in a row. Theories as to the megalith’s origin and purpose abound, ranging from claims that it was built by Azlanti explorers before Earthfall to scientifc hypotheses of abnormal erosion, seismic activity, and errant castings of stone shape.

In truth, the rock is the result of centuries of countless earth mephits molding the structure with their sofen earth and stone spell-like ability. The creatures most ofen stay beneath the hill, in a series of vast but isolated caverns where they constantly try to outdo one another with their creative and sometimes dangerous sculptures, including precariously balanced platforms, walkways, and deep pits with spiraling spikes on their walls and floors. Occasionally, one mephit breaches the surface during its molding efforts, and upon seeing the vertical rock, endeavors to alter it in some way—whether by changing its shape or texture—to make its mark on this inviting structure.

Références

Paizo a publié un article important sur Longshadow dans « Assault on Longshadow », et a également situé l'aventure du volume Adventure Path en grande partie dans cette ville.