[center] [hider=THE CITY DRAYDON] [img]https://i.ibb.co/418CfTp/E7641515-2-CF8-4375-BDBD-F3-B5-E280-E3-E1.jpg[/img] What was once a small fishing village coupled with a trading post is now arguably one of the most critical hub cities on the [u][url=https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Sword_Coast_North]Sword Coast[/url][/u]. Draydon was first settled roughly eight hundred years ago, at the foot of the Sword Mountains, south of The Mer of Dead Men and just leagues north of [u][url=https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Waterdeep]Waterdeep[/url][/u]. Developing into a large town, it soon became a pivotal trade stop and relay position. Miners also frequented the city from mining camps in the Sword Mountains. And the establishment of the various guilds and arrival of nobility over the passing decades inevitably saw the coastal town develope into a sprawling port city. A centre of trade, commerce, politics, and innovation. Draydon is said to rival Waterdeep and [u][url=https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate_(city)]Baldurs Gate[/url][/u] as the mightiest and most vibrant city in the north. [img]https://i.ibb.co/tLyCyQY/C949601-E-1-D44-4507-9-F4-D-54-EB4-CCC444-D.jpg[/img] Ruled over by Baron Darrick of House Wengale, Draydon is a city of firmness and justice, albeit justice in harsh forms in some cases. Marshaled by the Draydon city guard and protected by the Knights of the Red Griffon, Draydon has many who would protect the city. The Knights of The Merciful Sword, the Holy Paladins of Ilmater, and the Crimson Knights of Torm are also three religious based crusaders of justice who protect not only Draydon, but it’s people, peasant and noble alike. Despite this, Draydon faces many threats from outside and in. The Sword Mountains to the east are the lands of tribal orcs, who when not warning amongst themselves can prove a great threat to miners and explorers. Local mine lords regularly hire mercenaries to defend their mines and workers from hostile orcs. And then there is the foreboding Mere of Deadmen north of the city, a cold water swamp filled with decrepit ruins, vicious and bizarre creatures, and the walking dead. Many expeditions over the decades have been charted deep into the Mere though few have returned with tales of the dreaded swamp. But perhaps the greatest dangers to Draydon are within the bowels of the city itself. Covens of witches and blood mages, thieves and murders, pirates and slavers. Corrupt nobles and rogue guardsmen. A city of possibility and problem Draydon is divided into six districts; the Commons District, the Harbor District, the Market District, the Emerald District, the Foundry District, and The Temple District. [/hider] [hider=GUILDS OF DRAYDON] [h2][b]THE QUESTERS GUILD[/b][/h2] [img]https://i.ibb.co/ZHtNtWY/E4-AD8-EDA-623-B-47-A4-B068-AB0361-C3-B3-E8.jpg[/img] Trumpeting the call for adventurers, vagabonds, and seekers, the Questers Guild has only a small handful of members, and is the smallest of Draydons’ guilds. Funded by a collection of noblemen and scholars, the Questers are those who are called upon when standard expeditions or mercenary escorts simply will not do. Questers are hired for substantial fee to journey to some of Faerûn’s most dangerous places. Ancient ruins, collapsed temples and sanctuaries, abandoned castles and estates and so on. Questers can be given any sort of missions from locating ancient artifacts or tomes to securing an ancient ruin of it's dangers for a research expedition. The Questers Guild is very particular, and will only accept those of high repute and experience into their guild. The Questers guild hall is based in the Emerald District. Formerly a lavish estate, the nobleman who founded the guild had no heirs, and in his will granted his estate to the guild. Over the decades it has been expanded upon, including housing, an armory, and a training arena. [h2][b]THE ACADEMY OF MAGII[/b][/h2] [img]https://i.ibb.co/fdQFnVR/BAE4-B40-E-6-BCC-4-BDD-92-C4-D807-E67-CE987.jpg[/img] Sounded two centuries ago, the Academy of Magii is the single largest academy of magic in all of Faerûn. The Academy tower sits amidst the common district, surrounded by thousands of highly suspicious locals who mistrust the academy and its mages. The tower is built solid like a massive stone keep and is protected by the Mage Wardens. Skilled soldiers taken from the ranks of the city guard trained as security and defense for the tower. In decades past this proved effective, as more than once in history has the Academy been marched upon by an angry mob bearing torches and rustic iron swords and farm tools. The Academy is as much of a place of magical research and mentoring as it is a place of students young and old learning of magic. Masters and apprentices alike come and go as they will once registered at the college, honing their talents and studying the arcane arts and histories of magic. However, the Academy has rather strict rules, and some magics such as necromancy, blood magic, and shadow magic are all outright banned by the Academy and outlawed by the city. Many rebellious apprentices and headstrong magic adepts have been slain by the blade of a Mage Warden, who are just as vigilant of rogue mages as they are of those who would threaten the Academy. [h2][b]THE CRIMSON BLADES [/b][/h2] [img]https://i.ibb.co/28X06Sy/0412-E82-E-0432-48-B4-B05-E-147-B442-D8-F38.jpg[/img] The Crimson Blades have “graced” the streets and waters of Draydon for nearly twenty years now. After the disbandment of the decaying Mercenary Guild, a former member named Teague Arion founded the Red Blades, cobbled together from former guild members and local brutes alike. Beginning with only thirty men, a single beleaguered brig, and outdated armor, the Red Blades have evolved into an organized private army of over three hundred men. Originally they were only swordsmen and cutthroats, but now mages are among their ranks as well. They also command a small fleet of ships which they regularly use to hunt pirates and brigands at sea. Recent accusations have been made against the Red Blades of harboring blood mages and shadowmancers, though this has remained unproven. The Red Blades’ compound is located in the Harbor District, a large walled-in collection of bunkhouses, warehouses, and shipyards, where they moor their fleet when not out on contracted duty. [h2][b]THE DRAYDON THIEVES GUILD[/b][/h2] [img]https://i.ibb.co/dG0HpYB/BBA853-F1-BE81-407-D-AA18-FB7-CF5-B8-E40-E.jpg[/img] Only a decade old, the Thieves Guild took over the Draydon criminal underworld when the Shadows of Mask were driven away. The Shadows were a religious based thieves guild, and had desisted in Draydon for four decades. However, internal strife and implanted city guard agents saw the Shadows decay from infighting and indecision, and their guild hall was raided soon after. Nearly every thief was slain in self-defense, save for a few who escaped. Their vault was found empty. Forty years of stolen treasure and wealth vanished. Several months later, rumors began to spiral about of a new guild of thieves. Since then, the guild has grown in size, having nearly fifty members, less than half of the previous guild and holding none of the respect nor influences of the Shadows. Something the current Guild Master looks to change. The guild hall itself is located in an underground cellar of an abandoned Harbor District warehouse. And there are various secret entrances via the use of sewer drainage tunnels. [/hider] [hider=THE WILDERNESS] [u][url=https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Sword_Mountains]THE SWORD MOUNTAINS[/url][/u] The Sword Mountains are a towering and vast range of mountains that span the eastern horizon of Draydon. Home to numerous isolationist tribes of orcs and little else more than trolls, bears, and wolves, only the bravest would venture here. In decades past Draydon faced the terror of many orcish attacks and even a great horde when Wund Many Arrows United the orcs. Many battle have been fought at the foot of the mountains and to this day farmers still uncover bones and decrepit weapons in their fields. The mountain has little in regards to ruins, however it’s mountains bear deep veins of precious metals. Many mines have been opened over the years, yet time and again orcish attacks have seen the expeditions wiped out and the mines abandoned. [u][url=https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Mere_of_Dead_Men]THE MERE OF DEAD MEN[/url][/u] The Mere of Dead Men was given its name for a terrible and bloody massacre that occurred in the massive swamp. Many years past, this treacherous marshland was a kingdom of humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves. However, a great orcish horde invaded, plundering the kingdom and slaughtering thousands. All were brutally killed by the orcs, and during the battle, powerful elemental magics were used. The sea rose and flooded the land, swallowing the fallen kingdom. The water eventually receded, but the land was forever flooded, and the cold water Mere of Deadman was formed, a dangerous swamp of one hundred miles. The great marsh is filled with ancient ruins long forgotten with treasures aplenty to be plundered, even after so long. However, the Mere is riddled with dangers. Restless ghosts and terrible spirits, giant leeches, giant toads, hydras, aballins, zombies and skeletons, sivs, and legends tell of a penanggalan. A hideous vampiric she-demon from The Nine Hells that lives in the Mere. This has never been proven though, only acclaimed sightings and wild tales. Questers from the guild and other adventurers regularly venture here in search of lost treasures and artifacts. Many never return. [/hider] [/center]