Four Winds (The Vega Lakes) Large City: AL LN; 60,000gp limit Assets 56,040,000 gp
Population 20,000; Mixed (30% human, 40% Minotaur, 8% Tengu, 4% dwarf/gnome/halfling, 2% elf, 1% half-elf, 15% other). Note: Human encapsulates the elemental touched, shapechangers and planar touched races.
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Four Winds Map Key
The keyed locations on the Four Winds map indicate various districts of the city.
1. Defensive wall: 20 feet tall and 10 feet thick. (hardness 8, 450 hp, break DC 55)
2. City gate: Solid and defensible, constructed of heavy wood (hardness 5, 20 hp, break DC 23)
3. Lord Mayor’s Manor: Oread Vassimore Stonegallow is in the second year of his first term as Lord Mayor of the Four Winds.
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| Vassimore Stonegallow |
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| Legatio Lepos |
5. Fine Shopping:
5.1 Rock Candy: Sells and buys a wide variety of gemstones. The shopkeeper is an Oread named Brox who has a tendency to eat the product, much to the dismay of the shop owner Catamus Bunk.
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| Brox & Catamus Bunk |
5.2 The Mountaineer's Bandolier: Sells survival kits, potions that help you adapt to weather, and various supplies that help explorers get through tough climate situations.
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| Vaniccia Nungoct |
6. Magic district: This district's name is quite misleading as it is filled with theaters, the most prominent of which is a half dome amphitheater called The Half Moon, which regularly hosts musical events. The Four Wind Orchestra plays concerts here the week of a full moon culminating into a masterpiece performance on the night of the full moon.
Most of the other theaters are indoor affairs, varying in size and quality. It is rumored that several of the travelling performers that visit here are spies of one sort or another, usually tracking the movements of other visitors to the city.
7. Noble estates: The estates surrounding the Marketplace are the homes of the noble elite of Four Winds.
8. Wealthy residential district: Where the non political merchants rest their wealthy weary heads and plot new markets.
9. Average residential district: These districts usually have a large amount of construction as well as commercial intrusion. There are rumors of a cult or new faith that has taken up in one of these neighborhoods but so far information is scarce. What is known is that in three of these neighborhoods, new wells of Water Seed design have been built, seemingly for free.
10. Garrison: Four Winds is blessed with a skilled set of city guardsmen. Many members are older former adventurers making some easy coin for their day to day expenses, their homes and livelihoods already secure. Two lieutenants in the city guard carry the title of Dragon Slayer, one of them legitimately.
11. Guildhall district: Civic Works, Stone Masons, The Growth Alliance (farmers), The Bronze Shield (Soldier/Guard), The Golden Trumpet (Bard's Guild), Blaze Hall (arcane casters), Brewmaster Battalion, Carters Garage, Handlers and more fill up this district with self importance
12. The Marketplaces: The Marketplaces north, south, east and west are paved areas of town that are extremely well organized. When you shop here you either wear a symbolic light blue dickey while you walk around , indicating your purchases are cash and carry or you find yourself at the Carters' Stand. There you rent a wagon at discounted price that the Carters then deliver your purchases anywhere in the Rift. The wagon's cost is based on size, required pull team, and distance of delivery. These are just some of the many businesses to occupy space in the Marketplace.
12.1 A Man's Burden: A blacksmith who displays and sells exotic weapons, made using blueprints gathered from across the land. Owned and operated by the human Gordon Mann, the forges creations are crafted by the Jann Kalique Mulaam.
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| Kalique Mulaam |
12.2 The Day to Day is a General Store and Grocery. This particular store seems to change hands between owners frequently. There isn't a lot of profit in a general store.
12.3 Munsters Mash: A tiny gnome named Herman stands at a crate, hollering in broken common to come over. He'll buy your scavenged monster parts (albeit at varying prices) from you. If you give him enough, he'll turn them into an item. It's disturbing, but how can you resist his cute lil' face?
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| Razor |
12.4 Bunions' Boots offers weather proofed footwear for sizes small to huge. Several years ago, a pair of boots so large they marked the ground where they were created with stones, was crafted and shipped off via a wizard's magic! The boots, certainly crafted for the feet of a Titan, were ensorcelled by a wizard, both disappearing shortly after final payment was made. Bunion's Boots is owned by a halfling merchant gambler known as Razor. When other gamblers wish to annoy the halfling and get him off his game, they will call Razor "Bunion". Locals frequently trick visitors into calling the halfling by the Bunion name, a practice he detests.
12.5 Soupies Soaps: A Sylph purveyor of soaps, fur oils, incense and other toiletries. Soupies is always busy. There is a Soupies Soaps in each marketplace.
12.6 On Balance is a small dome building that houses the moneychangers and local appraisers. The Master Money Changer is Dakor Cault of the Black Tar Clan. Appraisers are made up of a variety of races depending upon their expertise. On Balance has the most security of any business in the Marketplace. While exact security is unknown, various incidents in the recent past have revealed summoned creatures and an invisible guard force. A half dozen minotaurs also visibly represent they protections available here.
12.7 Get Smart: Text books, educational aids, scribe services and the rare book of mystery are all offered from this domed structure. Experts and tutors have adopted this business as a gather place for those looking to hire individuals of their expertise. The actual owner of Get Smart is a bit of a mystery but the current manager is a Tengu named Suumik.
12.8 Black Tar BBQ, Its the Pits! They will barbecue anything and their sauce tastes like no one else'. 4 Ovens and Grills dominate the outside of these half domes. The BBQ smells terrific but the choice of meats depends on the day. 1gp gets you a jar of Black Tar BBQ along with a day long access to their buffet of barbecued mystery meat. For an extra silver they include a Black Tar Ale. Believe us when we say you'll only drink one. Black Tar BBQ is the largest central dome in the Marketplace and is easily reached from the majority of businesses. There is one in every marketplace! Strangely enough it doesn't appear many other merchants enjoy barbecue.
15. Inn/Tavern district: Unless otherwise stated, most Inn's and Taverns occupy clay domes of medium size. Any beverages crafted outside the kingdom are heavily taxed.
15.1 The Dancing Imp: Once a bar of ill repute, where shady deals and even devil worship took place. The legend goes that once a cunning bard called a devil, tricking him by destroying his sigil and cursing the imp to dance until it perished from exhaustion. Nowadays, it goes that demons have never since been found into the bar due to this old superstition. While the truth of this tale is often in dispute, the bar runs a marathon dancing contest on the first Saturday of every month with the winner taking a "devil's share" of alcohol in winnings. The Dancing Imp has twenty simple rooms available to rent. The food is not recommended even by the bar's staff.
The current owner is a Tengu woman named Sheen Salek
15.2 The Giant’s Foot: A dirty bar full of lowlifes and criminals, commonly used for dealings between races such as orcs, goblins and yes, giants. While it's a hive of scum and villainy, where crimes between patrons are met with an uninterested shrug, those who mess with anything within the bar such as stealing glasses are swiftly met with a hill giant guard who nails them by the feet upside-down to the wall to rot, until their ankles break off and only their crucified feet remain. This bar holds a commons area where patrons can sleep the drunk off or wake up from being knocked out.
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| Blank |
The current owner is a Troll named Blank
15.3 The Twin Golems: At the entrance to the tavern two huge clay golems stand, lifeless, their longswords crossed above the door frame. When commanded, such as during a raid or crime, the bartender can tell them a secret command word which activates their defensive procedure, blocking anyone from entering or leaving the building with force if necessary. The golems have been repurposed here, having been once automated labourers in a mine, but have no personality and are comatose until commanded. The Twin Golems has twenty simple rooms, and ten suites available for rent.
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| Zedar Ekran |
15.4 The Portly Frog: A large, open room with a circular fountain and one particular statue of a giant, fat frog at the centre. Rumours say that the frog was a magically cursed prince petrified by a Medusa, though it is impossible to determine its validity. A small quartet of bards can usually be found in the corner, singing beautiful songs and busking for money. Those who cause trouble in the bar quickly find that this band of high-level Bards are also the security of the establishment. The Portly Frog has a dozen simple rooms and one commons.
The current owner is the Half Moon Ampitheater
15.5 The Whispering Web: A bar infamous for hosting criminals and fugitives from authorities, often home to Drow and other evil creatures. Theories go that secrets travel faster than feet there, which may or may not be true: Mirrors hanging on the walls around the bar are used to anonymously conduct business with one another, with each dealer the only person able to see the other. For this reason the tavern in prized for its discretion and has been rumoured as the host to a number of highly influential underground business deals.
The current owner is a minotaur named Shank
15.6 The Grand Dome: This Inn and Feast Hall is the largest, finest, and most expensive Inn located in Four Winds. The Inn has fifty simple rooms, fifty mid size chambers, and twenty five suites. The food in the Feast Hall is very popular due to the strange duo of cooks that run the kitchen. The chef is a gnome with a very long name that locals have broke down into Barnacle. The Cook is a stone giant woman Finlilly Farfaw. Barnacle sees to the upper class clientle and Finlilly cooks for the masses. Their friendship and rivalry provides much of the entertainment inside The Gand Dome.
The current owner is the Jinn Born Rock Island clan member Vailamore Goss.
16. Red-Light district: Changelings, Lycanthropes, Tengu, and Ogres run the brothels of this district with ownership frequently changing hands. Pimps from this district often cause trouble in the slums and shantytown for anyone practicing "The Trade" outside the district.
17. Ancestor's Rest: Four Winds Cemetary: Maintained by the various faiths of the city, only citizens of the kingdom may be buried here. Several wealthy families maintain family plots and mausoleums here.
18. Slum/Tenement/Shantytown district: Many of the individuals in these areas of town are either escaped slaves or prisoners escaped from outside the kingdom.
19. Warehouse/Caravan district: Every clan has a warhouse
Four Winds is surrounded by lakes, including four great lakes in the rift and is the major trading hub for the central and southwestern portions of the rift. The city exists for commerce, and it has grown to its current size as the literal center of its economic region. The city operates under a charter granted by the King to the Mayor of Four Winds, a powerful and respected position. Four Winds has a higher gp limit than most cities its size due to the constant influx of travelers and merchant caravans from all over the continent. It frequently houses more than 8,000 travelers in addition to its usual population.
ARCHITECTURE
The major structures of Four Winds are large and impressive, yet lack any single unifying style. The city’s architects are torn between the conflicting desires of impressing merchants and dignitaries from distant lands and avoiding the appearance of bias toward any one culture. As a result, public buildings reach for a grandiosity they fail to attain, conveying a sense of pomposity without any real majesty. They appear to be based on descriptions of other great structures never actually seen by residents of the city. Unimportant buildings, such as small shops and the private homes of less prominent citizens are simple, built of inexpensive wood or clay domes. Most are plain and unadorned, but some feature gaudy décor in a feeble effort to appear more important than they are.
LAYOUT
Four Winds is surrounded by a single defensive wall, 20 feet tall and 10 feet thick. The wall is wide enough for guards to patrol and strong enough to withstand at least a brief siege (hardness 8, 450 hp, break DC 55). Yet a trading hub cannot afford to make access difficult, and the city has never needed to repulse invaders. Thus, vast gates pierce the wall at many points, including on each of the four main roads. Though they normally stand open day and night, the gates are solid and defensible, constructed of heavy wood (hardness 5, 20 HP, break DC 23). Each gate has a standing guard of two city watch soldiers.
The city government spares no expense in road maintenance, even when cutting costs in other services. The cobblestone streets are built to accommodate feet, hooves, and wheels. The main roads are abnormally wide, allowing even the largest wagon to pass unhindered. Intersections have clearly marked street names, and most major thoroughfares are lit at night by lanterns or—in the richest portions of town—by continual flame effects. The layout of the minor streets is a simple grid, so visitors can easily find their way around. Smaller roads and alleys are hidden from the main roads behind buildings, ensuring that merchants are not inconvenienced by trash or beggars.
PERSONA
Ironically, Four Winds’ attempts to remain culturally neutral have produced a unique personality. Styles and fashions from nearby kingdoms and farther lands blend to create a riot of colors, garish to visitors but considered the height of taste by the inhabitants. Foods, music, games, and languages from the world over are equally mingled—Four Winds has a scent and an accent all its own.
The people of Four Winds have an overdeveloped sense of their own importance to the region, but they try to hide that attitude from travelers. Citizens believe themselves to be cosmopolitan and declare their tolerance of others, but they actually hold fairly provincial attitudes. They scoff at unfamiliar beliefs and often mock the dress and behavior of foreigners—but only out of earshot, since they want visitors to feel comfortable and thus be willing spend money in the city. This façade manifests as a sense of brittle politeness, pseudo-friendliness that visitors notice. Merchants flock to Four Winds to trade—or at least to stop over on their journeys to other markets—but few foreigners stay long.
In order to make merchants feel safe and secure, the city government makes a show of rigidly enforcing the law. In truth, Four Winds has an exceptionally high crime rate, but so long as miscreants limit their activities to picking pockets and other petty thefts, the guard grants them some latitude in the name of maintaining the peace. Should a foreign merchant be harmed or murdered, however, the guard turns Four Winds upside-down in the search for the perpetrator.
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