Winter is come. A score and a century ago, Malbareth the Foul, servant of the Abyss and lord-sorcerer of the Armies Below, was cast back into the chasm from whence he came by the Helms of Light. He is now imprisoned in the Mouth of the North, an enormous pit that not even the dwarves have measured. The Helms of Light cast a final spell on the Mouth, that anyone who dared attempt to awaken the Foul One would be cast into the prison that they desired to free their master from. The remnants of Malbareth's followers sought sanctuary in the uncharted deserts of the south. They were pursued by the Helms and purged without mercy, the most wicked and unrelenting left to die slow deaths in the burning sands southwards. For a hundred and twenty years after, peace endured in the continent of Belar. Then, during the continent-wide spring festival of 1210 AR, the earth shook with power. Many died and countless more injured, but what was more troubling were the reports from Helms stationed at the Mouth of the North soon after. One swore that teeth-like rock formations had grown inside the Mouth overnight. Another reported that a faint rattling of chains was heard all around the North. Some reported a dark hooded figure walked the edge of the Mouth. When called to, it disappeared. On the first morning of the summer festival, Belarians woke up to an entire land swathed in the robes of winter. After a day, a week, a month, winter refused to depart and the reports near the Mouth worsened by the hour. Something had to be done. The Helms of Light turned towards what may be Malbareth's first target: the town of Estermere, in the cold northern country of Rostguard. It was a small frontier town on the edge of civilization until a certain dwarf was born there. Hador Icebreaker, a common dwarven smith, forged Dumatir, Dark-sealer. Horen Gauntlet, commander of the company of Helms that would soon imprison Malbareth, had lost his hammer during one of many clashes with the Foul One's legions. Desperate for arms, Horen commissioned Hador to forge a king among hammers, one worthy of legend and song. Hador was young and was only just beginning to master his craft, but nonetheless he did as the Helm commanded. Little did Hador know that he had forged the weapon that smote Malbareth's helm, sundered his physical form and thrust him into the Mouth of the North. Now Malbareth, out for revenge, would surely make for Hador's home. For Estermere. And that, my friends, is where our adventure begins.

So, as explained in the plot, Estermere was a small frontier town in the bold, cold north, barely worthy of mention in Rostguard's national map. That all changed when Hador Icebreaker, dwarf blacksmith, forged Dumatir, the warhammer that would kill Malbareth. After Malbareth was gone, Estermere rapidly transformed into a sleepy hamlet of about a few hundred into the third largest city in Rostguard. Hador refused the seat of mayor, and just like his family centuries before, continued the trade for generations to come. However, Icebreaker Arms and Armor is now one of the most prosperous and influential smithing companies ever to grace Belar. Besides being a historical site, Estermere also borders the White Chasm, a narrow canyon that inside is said to host a wealth of the finest iron in Belar.

Estermere is presided over by a town council, with the mayor getting a final say. Besides the other elected representatives, Icebreaker Arms and Armor has a special seat on the council, and so does the current leader of the local garrison of the Helms of Light. Estermere has a population of about 4,000 (not counting kiddies).Besides it being the origin of Malbareth's Bane, city is known for mainly its large amount of dwarven population, a staggering 40%. Hardy northerner manly men and tough women are what make most of the rest of its population. Elves and orcs and all that other good folk are rarely to be found in Estermere.

One of the most profitable jobs in Estermere is smithing... provided you work for or pay a tribute to Icebreaker Arms and Armor, the current monopolizing business. Hador tragically passed on while mining in the White Chasm eighty-odd years ago (his statue in the town square proudly depicting him by Horen's side, both staring defiantly into the distance) leaving the family business to Hidur Icebreaker, his more ruthless and businesslike son. New independent smithing businesses are often steamrolled by Icebreaker A&A, but sometimes Hidur will be generous and let your business survive if you show enough skill worthy of competition. Other businesses thrive decently well, but none of them have matched a size as big as Hidur Icebreaker's. He frequently makes deliveries to Fayport, Roatguard's northern coast capital.

"With one gold piece, a character can buy a quiver, 50 feet of good rope, or a goat. A skilled (but not exceptional) artisan can earn one gold piece a day. The gold piece is the standard unit of measure for wealth, even if the coin itself is not commonly used. When merchants discuss deals that involve goods or services worth hundreds or thousands of gold pieces, the transactions don’t usually involve the exchange of individual coins. Rather, the gold piece is a standard measure of value, and the actual exchange is in gold bars, letters of credit, or valuable goods. One gold piece is worth ten silver pieces, the most prevalent coin among commoners. A silver piece buys a set of dice, a flask of lamp oil, or a night’s rest in a poor inn. One silver piece is worth ten copper pieces, which are common among laborers and beggars. A single copper piece buys a candle, a torch, or a piece of chalk." -D&D Basic Rules v0.2

Estermere is defended by a wood-and-stone wall about eight feet tall, with a large wooden gate for the main entrance. To prevent wild animals and intruders, the gate is closed at night with a sentry on the watch. Visitors can be admitted late at night however. The Estermerean garrison is composed of forty full-time well-trained guards (all outfitted, of course, with Icebreaker state-of-the-art equipment), with its accompanying volunteer militia of about two hundred that can be brought into service within a few hours when the need arises. The garrison's headquarters is incidentally the home of Icebreaker Arms and Armor. The old smithy was converted into a building of war, its wall made entirely out of stone. Mini turrets are also present. It is no surprise that the garrison headquarters is home to the largest armory in Estermere. Besides the garrison, the nearby temple of the popular religion of the Light houses a number of Helms. Because of its historical significance, a company of about twenty Helms, straight from Perundus, is always present. Lately, because of Malbareth's possible rise, the number has doubled.

As said in the military section, a company of fully-armed well-trained devout Helms are present at the local temple of the Light. They are friendlier than most and can heal most sicknesses for a fee. However, they are wary and distrustful of mages and do not take kindly to needless damage caused via the arcane. Some consider Estermere sacred, because of its part in defeating a servant of the Abyss. Magic in Belar is quite different from religion. There is no god of magic. Its origins lay in the first magicians at the dawn learning how to manipulate the fragments of reality via mysticism and the occult. The Light was originally against this idea, but seeing as how it benefited the inhabitants of Belar, It grudgingly agreed. The only known magic-user in Estermere is Onar Berion, a reclusive high elf who makes his home near the White Chasm, where some people say he conducts alchemical experiments on the iron nearby. He is not exactly on excellent terms with the Helms of Light and does not take kindly to his experiments being disturbed. However, if there are any illnesses beyond the help of the Helms, some townsfolk seek Onar for help (which is, of course, discouraged by the temple).

Mayor William Hensburth: The current red-faced, jolly and slightly obese mayor of the town. To compensate for his love of food and drink is his hospitality and generally pleasant personality. However, some people think he is too tolerant and easy-going. He is drinking buddies with Harry Tinder, landlord of the Leaping Stag. Captain Ander Ramdel: Current Captain of the Estermerean Guard. A strict disciplinarian both among his own men and the citizens, Ander is also a tad xenophobic and is wary about newcomers. He is also a devout follower of the Light and is on good terms with the temple. He is so devout that he managed to convince Mayor Hensburth to pass a law that heretics are to be whipped. High Helm Atasha Norgom: Leader of the current residing company of Helms of Light. Besides being an unrivaled archer, Atasha is also famous for beating all of the Estermerean guard in an arm wrestling competition. She, like Captain Ramdel, is also wary of outsiders. She also does not completely trust Onar Berion. Onar Berion: The enigmatic, reclusive, and on occasions mildly insane high elf magician that lives on the outskirts of Estermere, performing alchemical experiments near the White Chasm. However, he has a soft spot for people suffering from sickness and is visited by some townsfolk if the case is beyond the temple's aid, to the dismay of the Helms. Hidur Icebreaker: Leader of Icebreaker Arms and Armor guild. A self-made calculating businessdwarf that has smashed every other Estermere smithing business so far. Incredibly influential as well due to his family's historical influence. Harry Tinder: Landlord of the Leaping Stag, not the only tavern in town but by far the best in terms of food. The Stag is most remembered by the townsfolk for its nightly roaring outdoors barbecue, with roasting hot venison, bacon and turkey. And, of course, drinks all round. Drinking buddies with the mayor too.

#1: Don't be a dick. #2: Have fun.

Name: Race: Age: (Make sure your character's age makes sense given the rest of your sheet. You're rather unlikely to meet any 16 year old master wizards, just as you're unlikely to meet any 70+ year old warriors in active duty. If you're playing a race that lives beyond the typical human lifespan (like elves, for example) then obviously these restrictions won't exactly apply to you, but still try to keep things reasonable.) Gender: Appearance: (In at least one paragraph, describe your character's appearance, including eye color, hair color and style, body build, height, skin color, scars/tatoos/birthmarks, etc. A picture will suffice, but please make sure to denote any differences from your envisioned appearance and the actual picture in text. Please avoid pictures that are too modern or otherwise don’t fit the setting.) Clothing/Armor: (In at least one paragraph, describe your character's preferred style of dress. Remember that the setting is medieval fantasy, so please avoid modern clothing or something that is otherwise out of place. A picture will suffice, and it may be the same picture as your appearance, but please make sure to outline the parameters of your armor (if applicable) in text. Remember that the more protective armor is, the more it restricts movement.) Weapons: (Describe the weapons your character carries with them on a regular basis. You may include pictures if you wish, although as long as you’re clear enough it’s not entirely necessary. In this section, you must also describe where your character keeps their weapons. In case your character is caught off guard or restrained in some way, it’s much more believable that they could quickly draw their dagger if it was sheathed at their waist than if it was at the bottom of a cluttered backpack, after all. This is for the sake of consistency. For weapons like bows or crossbows that require bolts or arrows, make sure to note how many arrows your character keeps on them on a regular basis and where.) Alignment: (Which of the nine alignments does your character tend toward to? Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic Good/Neutral/Evil? If you don't know what these are, a quick google can help. Note that few characters are consistently faithful to their alignment and may deviate from it at any time.) Skills/Abilities: (Describe your character's abilities, if applicable. This includes combat ability (weapon proficiency, martial arts etc excluding magic) as well as general trade skills like blacksmithing, carpentry, farming, hunting, fishing, tailoring, and medicine (to name just a few). Basic skills like cooking or sewing, for example, need not be listed here unless your character is exceptionally good at them. Miscellaneous skills and attributes that are unique to your character should also be listed here. If you have any questions about what should and shouldn't go here, ask a GM.) Magic: (If your character possesses magical or supernatural abilities, please describe them here in detail. There are many different methods of spellcasting in the fantasy genre, but feel free to use DnD's mage archetypes as a baseline for inspiration. Please make sure to describe the source of your character's magical abilities, whether it be their own internal "mana", magical runes, alchemical ingredients, wands, spellbooks, artifacts, talismans, or some contract with a deity or spirit (these are just a few examples). Certain magical abilities are generally considered off-limits for the sake of balance, such as time manipulation, teleportation, invincibility and total mind control. You can include a spell list, but this is not by any means required and you may take a more general approach to this description if you wish.) Inventory: (List what your character currently has on them and regularly carries around, excluding weapons, armor, and clothing (see above). Try not to list too much; carrying heavy loads will considerably slow down your character and probably require a cumbersome backpack on top of that. In other words, pack light. It may be wise to organize these items in a list, as you will be editing this section frequently as your character acquires more items. This section should also include how much money your character has in their wallet. The currency of Belar follows the traditional DnD system of copper, silver, and gold coins. 10 copper pieces are equivalent to one silver piece, and 10 silver pieces are equivalent to one gold piece.) Backstory: (In at least two decent length paragraphs, detail your character's life up until this point. Make sure to explain why your character is in Estermere at present. If you wish to keep your backstory secret, you must message a GM about it beforehand to ensure it's reasonable and acceptable.)