"Welcome to the Crossroads. We have something for everyone..."
- Gold Tooth, grumman trader
| Ruler | Lord Mayor, Travik the Red |
| Population | 50,400 |
| Demographics | Human 50% (even mix of Northerns, Southerners and Easterners), Grum 25%, Ogre 8%, Dwarven 7%, Orc 5%, Elven 3%, Borrellian 1%, Other 1% |
| Adjectival/Demonym | Crossroader/Crossroaders |
| Official Language | Rukemian |
| Other Common Languages | Grumman, Northern, Ogrish |
| Nationality | Independent. |
| National Colors | Gold and green. |
| Year Founded | 2448 CY |
| Currency | Mixed. |
| Natural Resources | Cattle, wheat. |
| Manufactured Goods and Major Exports | Beef, wheat grain, baked goods, dairy products |
| Wealth | Average |
| Government Type | Aristocracy |
| Government Stability | Stable |
| Allies | The Falkir Clans. |
| Enemies | None |
| Walled | Yes |
| Crime Level | Moderate |
| Corruption Level | Low |
| Technology Level | Dark Ages |
| Primary Religion | Drenmoragin |
| Other Religions | Various |
| Climate | Cool temperate |
| Terrain | Grasslands, some nearby sparse forest |
The Crossroads is an independent town in the grassy expanse that lies at the crossing of two great roads between the Rukemian Empire, the Falkir Clans, Duthelm and the War Vale. For centuries, the crossroads was home to a tiny hamlet... little more than an unnamed inn, a stable and a few farms. The hamlet was simply referred to as "the crossroads". The hamlet was razed in an orcish raid from Duthelm in 2391 CY during the reign of King Kalamus of Duthelm. King Kalamus declared the crossroads belonged to Duthelm and he would not tolerate an independent town there. The locals of the hamlet fled, among them the son of the innkeper, a young boy named Hamish. The hamlet was taken over by Duthelm soldiers. For years, caravans continued to trundle through the crossroads and were taxed by the Duthelm soldiers stationed there. Hamish and his family relocated to Kitar and Hamish eventually became a militia officer and spent his life fighting against Duthelm, the very nation that had robbed him of his child hood home.
In 2446 CY, King Kalamus was defeated and a new king rose to power, King Maruk. King Maruk withdrew the soldiers from the crossroads the next year. News spread of the death of King Kalamus and the abandoning of the crossroads. Hamish, now an old man, led a group back to the hamlet and began to rebuild. In 2448 CY, Hamish officialy named it Crossroads and declared it an independent town, free from all influence. They built a new inn on the foundations of the old inn. Hamish became the defacto leader of the tiny community. King Maruk was busy opening up the mines under the Citadel and had no interest in crossroads. In fact, seeing the benefit of a strong trade town to the south, he declared that Duthelm accepted the independence of the town and it became an unwritten rule in the Duthelm military that Crossroads was to be left alone. Hamish spent his final years continuing to build and expand the Crossroads. His son and grandson would go on to lead Crossroads in its early years.
The Crossroads has grown steadily over the last two and a half centuries. It is a major center for trade and has a large market place. It is also a farming community with large herds of cattle. Beef cattle, wheat fields and dairy farms dominate the area.
The city is ruled by a Lord Mayor and city council which is composed mostly of aristocratic guild leaders and business owners. The current Lord Mayor is Travik the Red, renowned for his fiery red hair, long beard and boisterous personality. The population is a mix of farmers, woodsmen, merchants and craftsmen. It is a racial melting pot and all are welcome. The majority of the people, language and culture come from the many nations that surround it. Merchants caravans, traders and travelers are constantly coming and going. Imperials citizens, grumman clan members, local farmers, War Vale traders, Duthelm soldiers and Kitaran woodsmen intermingle, trade and live together here.
It's location at the border of several larger nations has made it a hotbed of spy activity and the constant flow of goods and merchandise through the town has attracted thieves and bandits. As such, it has a thriving underworld community. To keep crime under control and to protect its interests and independence, the town maintains a standing militia of 500 soldiers that patrol the streets and the two main roads in the country. It has erected a curtain wall around the town as it has had to deal with attacks from large bandit groups and the occasional unsanctioned raid from Duthelm by overzealous units. The Crossroads has very good relations with the Falkir Clans. The Clans help patrol the roads and would also come to the aid of Crossroads in a time of great need.
As a place of rest for merchant caravans, the Crossroads has several good inns, taverns and gambling halls. It is also home to a number of butchers, bakers, cheese merchants, a bustling farmers markets and several trading posts.
In common conversation, many people refer to this town as "Crossroads", but on most maps and legal documents, it is referred to as "The Crossroads". Either is considered acceptable.
| Name and Proprietor | Description |
| The Old Inn Kashak |
Inn - This the original inn that was built by Hamish and his family on the foundations of the original inn that stood at the crossroads. As such, the foundations of this building are almost 1000 years old and it holds a special place in the history of the town. It is a small inn with only eight private rooms. The Old Inn is run by Kashak, his wife, children and a few hired helpers. His wife does the cooking and the food is quite good here. The Old Inn has its own well and a hand operated pump. Because of this, it has easy access to water and offers hot baths to its clients for a few extra coins. |
| Hall of the Friendly Hearth Toecutter |
Inn - The Friendly Hearthly is the largest inn in town. It has one large common room, 18 private rooms and three suites for merchant lords, caravan leaders and other wealthy guests. The Friendly Hearth also has a six rooms sized specifically for grum. The Hall of the Friendly Hearth is run by Toecutter, an obese grum with a boisterous personality (even for a grum) and a penchant for colorful clothing. |
| The Hawk and Hare Omar and Hagin |
Tavern - The Hawk and Hare is a tavern that specialized in meat dishes. Roast duck, wild boar ribs, fresh hare, red deer venison and smoked sausage are all on the menu along with local cheeses, breads and ales. This tavern is run by a pair of brothers. Omar and Hagin. Omar is a big and heavyset blonde man with a loud laugh. He tends the bar, serves drinks and entertains guests with stories and jokes. Omar's wife, Adela and daughter Tresh tend tables and serve food. Omar's older brother, Hagin, is a lean and dark haired man with a quiet demeanor. Hagin prefers the solitude of nature to the boisterous crowds of the tavern and so spends most of his time hunting and bringing back fresh game for the tavern. Their uncle, Old Man |
| The Hoard House Dakmor |
Gambling Hall and Tavern - Run by a half orc named Dakmor. The Hoard House caters to the rowdier crowd. While most are here to gamble and drink, the crowd is thick with assorted lowlifes... whores, thieves, mercenaries and worse are common. There are several private rooms in the back for all manner of nefarious deeds. |
| Name and Proprietor | Description |
| Grom's Meat Market Atherton |
Butcher - Atherton is a half dwarf who has traveled extensively. He has studied iron craft in Kalimura and Uthran. From all this study, Atherton has developed the skills of a master. He is often commissioned by the military to forge blades for officers. Atherton runs this smithy out of a small two story stone building with the help of two assistants. |
| Kranik's Fine Breads Willy |
Baker - Willy, a wiry old man, runs a large general store and trading post in the south end of town. He is an ex-miner and specializes in mining gear. He will often regale customers with helpful hints on mining the northern mountains and the best locations to mine. (It doesn't matter in the least if they are not miners or have no interest in mining). |
| The Creamy Curd Pundar |
Cheese and Dairy Trader - The Spit and Polish is a general store which specializes in armor, weapons and tools. Mostly leather and metal goods. Pundar is a dwarf from Urmordia. His human wife and four children help run the store. |
| House of Fair Trades Brock |
General Store and Trading Post - The Shattered Blade is a general store that sells everything - food, clothing, horses, blades, armor, cloaks, boots, rope, tents, miscellaneous tools, etc. Brock is a tall, thin human male with a shock of blonde hair and pale grey eyes. He has a slow, easy manner which conceals his quick mind and ability to sniff out an easy sale. |
The Scarred Hide |
Leather Goods and Tannery - Agurax is an ugly half orc with rotten teeth, a bald head and bad skin. He smells almost as foul as his tannery. This establishment lies a bit outside of town due to the smell. |
The Crossroad Jewels |
Brothel - Kessal is a beautiful woman with dark skin, long curly dark hair and beautiful large brown eyes. She has a soft voice and charming accent that she uses to good effect when she speaks. Kessal, a former whore of this very house, rose to a position of prominence and wealth that allowed her to buy the brothel and become the new madame. She employs eight girls and treats them well. Kessal is charming, charismatic and wise. She knows the town well and her clientele better. Thanks to spy holes in all of the rooms, she hears a great deal of gossip and secrets. Because of this, she is always in the know about what is going on in town. Kessal has the uncanny ability to diffuse an argument or conflict with calm demeanor and a few well chosen words. |
| The Spirited Stallion Mathagir |
Horse Ranch and Stables - This establishment buys, sells, trades and trains horses, mules and donkeys. Caravans will often trade for fresh horses here. Injured or sick animals can be left here for treatment. Mathagir is a tall, lanky, sour-faced human with a limp he got from his days in the King's service. He was a squire to a knight of Normidia that fell out of favor with the King. When that knight fell in battle, Mathagir fell on hard times and sought his fortune in the east. His talent with horses has served him well. |
| The Hammered Flame Quardin |
Blacksmith - Quardin, an old dwarf, works and repairs a broad array of metal items. He can bang out a simple horseshoe, iron bucket, plow or nail, but he has also produced excellent knives, fine shields, steel weapons and the occasional piece of plate armor. He has four apprentices that work under him repairing mail and other simple tasks. Quadin is a bitter and reclusive drunk. He drinks constantly and often mutters to himself has the fire roars and the hammer rings. He will make vague references to a "great beast" and a "lost fortune" that is rightfully his, but when pressed for details, he will just take another drink or bark some insult at his interrogator. He came to Crossroads a decade ago (some say he was looking for something) and ending up staying. He does often pack a bag and venture out into the plains on foot, only to return days later, hungry, tired and angrier than ever. The only thing that seems to bring him joy is a particularly challenging metalworking job. He will gladly take on a custom order for a blade or piece of armor, produce a magnificent piece and then hand over the masterpiece with pride. Such orders, however, are not cheap. His work is impressive, but so are his prices. Quardin can often be found drinking alone at the Hoard House. |
| The Rolling Wheel Rathun and Bloodsplitter |
Wagons and Barrels - A joint venture between a human wagon maker named Rathun and a grumman cooper named Bloodspitter. This business repairs wagons and sells vehicles, barrels, boxes, crates and so forth to passing merchant caravans. They also sell horse gear, rope, etc. |
The Bent Bow |
Bowyer/Fletcher - This small shop is run by Luwella. A older woman, yet lean, tall with long grey hair and a finely chiseled face. She is also surprisingly strong for her age. She crafts both bows and arrows, strings and quivers. In fact, her bows are some of the finest to be had. She buys arrowheads from the Hammered Flame by the score. Luwella crafts both long bows and composite recurves. She has a shooting range out back that she will allow customers to try out different bow and she herself shoots there often. Because of this, she is an expert shot with any bow. Luwella lost both her husband and son to orcs and understandably despises those foul creatures. She refuses to do business with any orc nor anyone who associates with orcs. In fact, the practice targets on her shooting range are stuffed dummies made to look like orcs that wear real orc hide armor. Luwella is a serious drinker and often drunk. When not in her workshop or on her range, she can often be found at one of the local taverns. Luwella is an angry and bitter old woman with a sharp tongue and a sarcastic retort to most things... and that’s on a good day when she’s sober. She has ended up in many ale-fueled tavern brawls and spent many nights sleeping off her rage in the local jail. Anyone who asks will learn she can be bribed with a good bottle of ale. |
1. Duthelm has decided to reclaim the Crossroads and begin taxing caravans. It's only a matter of time before an orcish army marches down from the Citadel and puts everyone to the sword! This is a frequent rumor with many variations.
2. A new group is slowly taking over the underworld of town.
3. A caravan is coming through town loaded with imperial gold.
This website was last updated February 1, 2026. Copyright 1990-2025 David M. Roomes.