The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Cities
"Never bring anything you value into Stovikar that you
can't carry on your back at a dead run."
-Arland Burke, Rukemian Freetrader
| Ruler | His Most Magnificent and Majestic Personage, Champion of the Empire and Wielder of the Sacred Blade Black Talon, King Frederick Douni the Pure |
| Population | 85,800 |
| Demographics | Human 48%, Orc 20%, Ogre 13%, Saurian 8%, Grum 5%, Elven 3%, Dwarven 2%, Baenite 1% |
| Languages | Rukemian 80%, Southern 20% |
| Nationality | Ormek |
| National Colors | Red and black |
| Year Founded | 1758 |
| Currency | Rukemian |
| Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods | Clay, sandstone, cattle, barley, cotton, fish, oranges, sugar cane, molasses, rum |
| Wealth | Very Poor |
| Government Type | Monarchy |
| Government Stability | Very unstable - martial law |
| Allies | Rukemia, War Vale, Mercia |
| Enemies | Coalition |
| Walled | Partial city wall |
| Crime Level | Very High |
| Technology Level | Ancient |
| Primary Religion | Daramis |
| Other Religions | Karenia, Kolter, Kythira, Tharros, Semorjon, Kael |
| Climate | Semitropical |
| Terrain | Coastal grassland |
Stovikar is an old city. Not only has it stood for several hundred years, it is built upon the ruins of an even older city. Over the long years, this city has outgrown the city walls several times. It is a maze of districts and quarters divided up into seven concentric circles, divided by city walls. For this reason, Stovikar is sometimes called the "City of Seven Walls". Most of these walls are in varying states of disrepair. The main outer city wall is currently an incomplete structure encircling only 80% of the main city.
The Labyrinth
Deep in the heart of Stovikar is a winding maze of muddy streets, tall
ramshackle buildings and dark alleys. This place is known simply as the
Labyrinth. It's a destitute and dangerous section of town home to many thieves,
street gangs and homeless.
The Sewers of Stovikar
Beneath the streets of the bustling city is a labyrinth of lightless tunnels and
chambers through which churns a river of filth and muck. The sewer system of
Stovikar is a vast network of stench filled waterways that span kilometers and whose
many levels go deep into the ground.
The sewers are plagued with huge rats, slimy centipedes, blood roaches, bore worms, dung flies and dozens of other vermin. But there is far worse than vermin here. There are those who tell tales of monstrous creatures that hunt the shadowy realm beneath our feet. Perhaps this is why the city guard does not bother to patrol the sewers. It may also explain why the city engineers who are forced to go down there to clear a blockage from time to time do so in well-armed groups. While thieves and bandits will often take advantage of the absence of guards and use the sewer systems as a quick escape route, there are others who refuse to venture into the dark below. Many young thieves with too much bravado have vanished in these sewers.
There is a rumor that a sorcerer in town is creating the monsters that now prowl the tunnels. There are some that say he is breeding them intentionally although none can guess to what ends. If you choose to venture below, for whatever reason, keep your blade at the ready. You will likely need it.
Kragenmyr Castle
Royal residence and governmental building. Brannart Ralin
is the King's castellan and responsible for the castle and its many attendants. His family
has served the Ormek royal family for generations. His sense of obligation and duty is
what keeps him from leaving. His job is to endure frequent abuse and humiliation from a
vain, obsessive, and delusional King. Ralin is literally the glue that holds the castle
together.
Blackstone Keep
This is Ormek's powerful military headquarters, where most of the power of the police
state is concentrated. Tyldon Ginol is the brilliant secretary general of both ground and
naval forces. His keeping track of so many records and resources makes his the most
enormously high pressured job in the city. The corruption here goes beyond the normal
standards. Tyldon is secretly very bitter about the government he works for, and is
continuously frustrated by the gridlock and red tape he must deal with on a daily basis.
He's so overworked and underpaid that he takes every chance he can to make up the
difference. He's in league with the city's largest and most powerful thieves' guild,
The Velveted Blade. By supplying them with crucial inside information, the secretary
general been able to attain considerable wealth, along with the other...fringe benefits
one might associate with being a favored partner of such a powerful crime organization. In
fact, there's even a secret tunnel which leads from one of the Blade hideouts to
his office. Tyldon has been able to get away with this because of the incompetance of the
Ormek bureaucracy and his own expertise at manipulating the books. Thanks to him, the
nation of Ormek will unwittingly remain partners with its most dangerous thieves' guild
for a very long time.
The Harbor Tower
Known more simply as Grestin's Tower. This building houses the dock master and a
large nautical equipment store. It also sells and rents small boats. Grestin Beyor, the
owner/operator, has some connections in smuggling circles. He can hide illegal cargo, even
criminals in his warehouses. For a price...
The Well of Blood
Stovikar's sprawling arena was recently built by special order of King Frederick
the Pure. It's in use every day. Political prisoners are tortured and executed here,
sometimes with King Frederick doing the honors himself. And not only do violent contests
and sponsored bloodsports take place on a regular basis, but even the lowliest citizen can
challenge another to a duel and have it happen in the public arena for free. The city will
even furnish the combatants with all manner of bladed weaponry to increase the
entertainment value. Admission is cheap...only one copper piece for an entire day. The
beer sold here is equally cheap and watered down. Many citizens will drop a guard a few
silvers and simply never leave. In such a filthy and crime-ridden hole of a city, this is
as good as life gets for the easily entertained. This large arena is run by Edrica
Tikhon.
The Berthing
The name of the local shipyards. Includes a built in tavern where all of the
shipwrights hang out.
The City Guard of Stovikar is little more than government paid thugs who enjoy privileges about the city. These men are often recruited from ships and mercenary companies with the promise of easy wealth and lax discipline. And this much is true. The City Guard runs rampant and keeps the commoners cowering under martial law. This motley collection of ruffians wears a wide variety of armor and weapons, but the typical guardsman wears old, rusty chain, a dirty tunic bearing the heraldry of Ormek, carries a small iron shield and wields a cracked and pitted blade. Equipment is shoddy and training is minimal. Guardsmen roam the city streets in packs looking for troublemakers or just someone to pick on. They can arrest citizens with impunity and in some cases, street justice will involve running the suspect through and robbing the body.
The Dragons
A street gang rumored to be number over 200 street thugs that prowl the streets
at night. Most members are between 14 and 19 years of age. The Dragons tend to
prowl the night streets in groups of 5 to 10.
The Velveted Blade
There are several thieves' guilds in the
city, all warring for greater influence and control. The Velveted Blade
is currently the most powerful, and their influence extends throughout the city. They
have a significant number of important people on their payroll: business owners,
politicians, city officials and members of the militia. They even own churches. Although
many smaller hideouts are rumored to exist, the location of their main headquarters is
known only to members of high esteem. This tavern which bears their name is the front. Their mysterious leader, Montressor, is a man of great charm and poise. He leads with a cool confidence that
implies great power. Legends built around this dangerous man are many. All members are
fiercely loyal to Montressor and would die for him on command, even though no one
has ever seen his face.
The Order of the Crimson Claw
The second most powerful thieves guild in the city of Stovikar. They run the Inn
of the Red Hand (see below).
Stovikar has a number of grand temples to the darker deities of the realm. Major temples include: Hurellin, Karenia, Kolter, Kythira, Oberon, Tharros, Agethos, The Fates, Grundel, Muthara. The largest temple is the Church of the Blooded Cestus (temple to Kael, ogre war god). It is named so because all priests at this temple specialize in the use of a particularly nasty form of bladed gauntlet.
King Frederick Douni, King of Ormek
Frederick Douni is a painfully thin man with pale skin, black greasy hair, a
carefully trimmed goatee and steel grey eyes. King Douni is a cruel and petty
man who cares nothing for the commoners beneath him nor the nation that grants
him his position. He is arrogant, wasteful, prejudiced against non-humans and
generally cares only for himself. He is far to engrossed in pursuing his own
pleasures than in running his kingdom. He has a tendency of referring to himself
as "we".
Ambassador Klyne, Imperial Representative of Rukemia
A tall man with a wild frock of greying hair, watery grey eyes and a thick
goatee. Ambassador Klyne has an air of self-importance about him. He is as
corrupt as the kingdom to whom he plays Ambassador. Douni ensures that Klyne
enjoys every conceivable luxury. In fact, the two are almost inseparable in
their debauchery. Meanwhile, Klyne makes sure that his reports back to the
Empire paint a glowing picture of Ormek in which Imperial law is respected and
upheld. (Far from the truth).
Brannart Ralin, the King’s Castellan and Personal Advisor
Ralin is an assuming blonde man of slight build with curious, intelligent
eyes. Publicly, Ralin is the personal advisor to the King. In reality, he is so
much more. Ralin is a scheming devil with a clever mind and a penchant for
control. It is Ralin who is the real power behind the throne, although Douni is
unaware of this. This situation is not known to the general public and Douni
still struts about the kingdom as a celebrity. While Douni occupies himself with
women, wine and spectacles at the Well of Blood, Ralin quietly conducts the real
work of running the kingdom from behind the scenes. Ralin is not evil, but has
no need to see the kingdom change. His carefully layered plans depend upon a
certain amount of conflict and strife within the kingdom.
Tyldon Gimol, Supreme Military Commander of Ormek
The commander of Ormek’s armies is a towering man of muscle and scars with
shaggy dark hair and a full beard. His name is Tyldon Gimol and he is the master
of thousands. Ormek’s armies are composed mainly of slaves, prisoners and
indentured servants pressed into service to pay off debts. They are given no
training, primitive weapons and crude armor. They overcome their enemies on the
battlefield by sheer numbers. Being a soldier in the Ormekian military is a
harsh existence with a very short life expectancy. Some are assigned to patrol
the realm and beat back the occasional orcish raid that comes from the Mercian
forest while others serve aboard ship. Currently, no serious threats stand
against Ormek or the Rukemian Empire. However, if ever the day comes when all
out war is declared against the Coalition, General Gimol will send thousands to
their death.
Edrica Tikhon, Operator of the Well of Blood arena
This tall, raven haired beauty is known as the "Queen of the Pit" and
the "Princess of Blood". She is the owner and operator of the Well of
Blood, a government funded combat arena where spectacles of blood play out
before cheering crowds. The Lady Tikhon oversees the most important events
personally, drawing the audience in with her charisma and seductive voice. She
wears black always and often sports jewelry made from the bones of those who
have fallen in combat in her arena. In the arena, she carries a tall staff
tipped with a human skull. The staff is rumored to be enchanted and she herself
is said to have some form of witchcraft. Edrica and Tyldon will sometimes trade
prisoners back and forth depending on the relative talents and fighting skill of
the individual.
Aegulf, the Rat - Fence and Bandit
There are many brotherhoods of thieves and assassins in the city of Stovikar
and most of them deal with Aegulf who is called "the Rat". He is a
small man with a large nose, beady eyes, short hair and pointed ears. It is said
that he was once changed into a rat by a wizard's spell and that, after the
spell wore off, the transformation had some lingering effects. Of course, this
is just a rumor. Aegulf is well known in the underworld circles of Stovikar. He
has a reputation of being able to find anything or anyone for a price. He knows
just about every thief in the city and has a knack for sensing trouble before he
gets in too deep (and for saving his own neck).
Targrum Ortuss
An Ormekian nobleman that lives on an estate on the edge of Stovikar. He is
fascinated by death, the body and undead. He is a practicing necromancer. He
frequently robs graveyards, and has a collection of over 70,000 bones, body
parts and full skeletons in the dungeons beneath his estate. He lives with a
small staff and no family. He is careful to keep his hobby a secret lest the
serfs rebel. Over the years his appetite for the macabre has increased and he
has recently taking to murdering his own serfs at night and taking their bodies
back to his laboratory. On occasion he will purchase a slave for
experimentation.
The Lords of the Hunt
A small hunting club of six wealthy Ormekian nobles who frequently come to
Stovikar looking for new exotic animals or healthy slaves from distant lands.
| No | Name | Owner/Operator | Description |
| 1 | The Velveted Blade | Montressor | Tavern - An average tavern with a small common room and several smaller, private rooms for meetings. On the second floor above, there are six rooms for rent. This establishment is the cover for the Velveted Blade thieves guild and a secret entrance in the cellar leads to the main headquarters of the guild. This establishment is run by Valdorin, a surly old man with a bad limp. Once a cocky young thief, his thieving days were ended by a springblade trap. He now tends bar and keeps a watchful eye over both the business and the guild members. |
| 2 | Kerynn's Keg | Kallyk Kerynn | Tavern - The Keg is one of the largest taverns in Stovikar, and brings in a fair amount of money for its owner. Kerynn has the soul of a master brewer, but with only a modest amount of talent. The seven different ales offered here are all crafted by him personally, and range in quality from almost drinkable to torturously bad. Still, his regulars seem to swear by the stuff. He takes a great deal of pride in his work. |
| 3 | Inn of the Sideways Glance | Fenster Daunte | Social Club - This is an exclusive social club, and only members know of its secret location. The members make up one of the more powerful thieves' guilds in the city, and this is their haven and hideout. The inn itself is quite upscale, as the guild fancies themselves the only center of true culture in the area. Foppish dilettantes engage in frequent political backstabbing and gossip here, and network with other guildsmen while sipping Normidian Mead and Emerald Wine. The Sideways Glancers are known for their slyness, snobbery, and fake smiles. |
| 4 | Grand Golden Inn | Ariana Kemble | Inn - This is the most expensive inn in Stovikar, where foreign ambassadors and other honored guests of the government stay. During the height of Ormek's glory, this was once a beautiful and ornate building. Sadly, it is now a worn-down shadow of its former self... New leaks spring through the ceiling on a daily basis, and there's several odd smells coming from beneath the floorboards that nobody can seem to figure out. The present owner would have had it fixed up and restored by now if not for his ever-increasing gambling debts. Ariana is seriously thinking of selling the place. He considers running it to be far too much trouble. The inn is still very good by Stovikar's current standards, although compared to some of the nicer places in Aridorn or Freeport, it's like an old dog waiting to be put out of its misery. |
| 5 | Shattered Skull Alehouse | Elvid Vyor | Tavern - The Shattered Skull is a large tavern in the center of town, and is very aptly named. Some of the city militia used to stop in every so often to drink and use their status to bully the patrons. One night, one of the regulars finally stood up and asked the guards to leave, and was answered by a club to the face. A bar brawl of legendary proportions started, which claimed the lives of twelve customers and two members of the city militia. The next day, by order of King Frederick, the remaining tavern patrons and employees were tracked down and arrested as "Enemies of the State". They were not heard from again. It is still unclear how the owner/bartender Elvid managed to escape this fate. It is also unclear why his establishment was not seized by the government and sold by auction. As it happened, he was freed from detainment and back in business six weeks later. Rumor has it that The Velveted Blade may have stepped in and made Elvid an offer he couldn't refuse... |
| 6 | Vasil's Forge | Vasil Golyad | Smithy - The tenacious Vasil's Forge, located across the street from The Ivory Duck, was recently burned down by a neighborhood gang. Undaunted, Vasil set up shop right in front of his shop's charred carcass. Mysteriously, the head thugs of his neighborhood turned up dead within a week after his re-opening. No one bothers him anymore. His business in certain circles is greatly improving. |
| 7 | Ivory Duck | Dakro Halchart | Trading Post - This trading post is several hundred years old, passed down from father to son. It has been heavily involved with the city underworld for the same amount of time. Dakro himself is a semi-retired member of the assassin's guild, and is looked to by fellow members for the most recent rumors in this shady business. The most recent city contracts are to be found posted in the back room of his store, behind a bookcase. For his assistance, the guild offers him a small cut from the accepted contracts. Dakro has been known to complete a contract himself from time to time, "just to stay in practice". He has a way of making friends very quickly. |
| 8 | Winking Eye | Jarren Grenier | Gambling Hall - Jarren Grenier runs this gambling house, but it's owned by the city. This is one of the very few government operations in Ormek that is actually bringing in considerable cash. City officials are slightly confused by this fluke of a success, but are nevertheless looking into opening a new brothel. |
| 9 | House of Satin | Elmora Strachan | Brothel - This popular brothel is located by the docks, and is frequented by a wide variety of clients, from the city militia to common dockhands to thieves. Elmora has become a very wealthy and well known town celebrity. She fancies herself the "Queen of Ormek". |
| 10 | Inn of the Red Hand | Rolf Maglan | Inn - This large inn has relatively clean rooms, sturdy doors, excellent locks and very low prices. The clientele is mostly foreigners and travelers. The Inn of the Red Hand, however, is not all it seems. The inn is owned and operated by one of the city thieves' guilds, the Order of the Crimson Claw. They use this inn has a training ground where young thieves in training are able to practice on "live targets". Rumors abound about this inn that circulate the city and most natives know better than to stay here. This is why it tends to cater to foreigners, travelers and pilgrims. although the excellent quarters, good food and low prices entice even those who know better and are willing to risk it. The guild does not run this inn as a source of profit and do not overly tax their guests with robbery. Rather, they are interested in training their recruits. To this end, all doors have locks and are in excellent condition. The locks are changed frequently as well. On occasion, other groups in the city will send their men here for "anti-thief" training. |
| 11 | Prolo's Precious | Prolo Maygar | Money Lender/Money Changer - Prolo Maygar is an immensely fat man, bald, hairless and sweaty. He runs a small business lending money, exchanging currencies, buying and selling jewelry and storing precious items for wealthy clients. To those he lends money to, he charges outrageous interest. |
| 12 | Great Red Troll Tavern | Sora Dvitra | Tavern - A small tavern at the water's edge with
a good view of the harbor. According to the weathered sign that hangs above
the door, this establishment has "the best chowder in the Empire". And this
may well be true. Sora makes a rich, thick spicy broth of shrimp and crab
with a tomato base. This thick red stew has helped her tiny tavern become one of the most
popular places in the city. She also bakes and serves bread with the
chowder. Beyond fresh baked bread and chowder, there are various seafood
dishes and decent ale, but little else on the menu. Sora herself is a short woman with plump curves and a mane of fiery red hair. Her husband died long ago and she now runs the business by herself. She does everything - cooks, cleans, serves. She is fiercely independent and will accept help from no one. She is known for an explosive temper and a loud, raspy voice. The clientele often jokes that the name of the tavern refers to her and this is something she doesn't deny. However, some believe it refers to the chowder and others believe it refers to her dead husband. |
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This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.