Zelradton

Zelradton is not a large city, though its population has been swollen with an influx of refugees. But it is a mighty one, and it is the center of power of South Province. Historically, the Aerdi established the city as a military stronghold, defending the unnamed silver and iron mines in the fringes of the Hollow Highlands.

For centuries, raids were made from here into the Iron Hills, seeking dwarven treasures and slaves, and adven turers from the city brought fame and wealth back from the passage-ridden, cavernous Hollow Highlands. There are more tales of famous dungeon exploits in Zelradton than in any other Aerdy city, because of the proximity of two hill ranges with their treasures of old. Nowadays, the Hollow Highlands have been exhausted of minerals, treasures and tall tales.

Reydrich, ruler of the city, lives in a majestic tower which has been built within the past year. Since it is 140' high, and doubtless has extensive dungeons, it is clear that he must have had magical aid in its construction. The slaves, dwarves, and trio of stone giants Reydrich recruited from some unknown place could not have finished the work so swiftly. Indeed, Reydrich made sure that visiting princes saw the dergholoths at work inside the place, their five-armed bodies and great strength being very useful in carrying and lifting immense weights. Reydrich let it be known that these horrors were just the tip of the iceberg, and that more powerful fiend ish aid was on hand. It got his tower built, and it made sure the princes had a healthy respect for the archmage-ruler.

The great armies of Zelradton dominate the city. Little used in the wars, they remain in good morale and deter mination. Among their leaders, the talk is of the threat to the Scarlet Brotherhood and the need to strike against Onnwal and Idee. There is a general view that, if these lands could be annexed, it would protect Ahlissa from the Brotherhood and secure a valuable naval base, Scant, and eventually allow the army to annex Irongate as well. Because the army doesn't have a great deal to do, such fighting talk is on the increase.

All this does not go unnoticed by the Brotherhood. They have a key spy here, the inquisitioner of the city, Karnquiza. The inquisitioner is an important post histori cally; this man is responsible for ferreting out the ruler's enemies and then "interrogating" them. He also adminis ters the city's forbidding and grim prison with its chained and shackled penal slaves used for building work and stone-breaking. The average prisoner has a life expec tancy of less than 18 months, so most people here have a healthy respect for the law.

Reydrich is suspicious of Karnquiza, not because he has any evidence of his treachery, but because he instinc tively distrusts anyone with so much power. Rather than act directly against him, what Reydrich has done is to appoint his own relatives to be "understudies" and assis tants to Karnquiza. Thus, the city's assistant head jailer is one of his cousins, while his nephew Tarannis has been appointed as a liaison between the army and Karnquiza in his intelligence-gathering role.

Thus, the wily Graf cramps Karnquiza's scope for action. Karnquiza's position grows very difficult, for he has so much covert activity as a spy and also as the Hidden Sickle of the cult of Midnight Darkness. His lengthy entry in the personalities section below gives further details.

Because Zelradton is home to the Ahlissan ruler, and is so militarily powerful, the city is awash with spies and representatives of other Aerdy factions. Xavener of Kalstrand keeps a staff of three diplomats and several hulking bodyguards, ever seeking to recruit Reydrich to his cause—or at least to make sure the Graf remains neutral. A military attache from Rel Deven with his staff are here to discuss integrating patrols around the Bonewood, and also to negotiate division of toll payments along the roads between the cities.

The most noteworthy recent addition to this number is the dwarf Cragden Keephand, an invited emissary from Irongate. Reydrich is actively courting Irongate as an ally, because he feels that if Irongate falls to the Scarlet Broth erhood then Ahlissa would be severely threatened. Cragden is aware that while Reydrich may be sincere in this view, there are many army leaders here who see Irongate as a very desirable bastion and seek to eventu ally conquer it.

The Irongate dwarves decided to send their emissary simply because it gave them an agent in Zelradton who could keep them informed of events in the city. Cragden has mercenary spies in Zelradton, paid with Irongate gold. PCs seeking a dangerous and intriguing time here could find him a rewarding employer.

Zelradton is a city waiting for momentous events to pass. With a large and increasingly restless army seeking glory and battle, spies, fiends, agents of Nerull and more, this frontier city offers a considerable scope for PCs.