"I don't know anything about it. We've had enough strangeness as it is. That was just too much."
0
vahn@crev
25
"Thank the Gods it's gone, that's all I can say about it."
"Scares the hell out of me. We're all cut off. Who knows what's going on in the rest of Exile?"
8
1
barrier
25
104
mission
10
"Adventurers, to get clearance, do missions. And we keep track."
He shakes his head. "Don't they tell you guys anything? Clearances! To determine where you can go and what you're allowed to know! There's soldier clearance, for grunts, and magical clearance, the next one up, for mages, and royal clearance."
0
clea
10
He shakes his head. "Not much. Not much action in this area. Nothing for my boys. Yet. Though I occasionally get missions. If you help me out, I can help you get a higher clearance."
"I'm Captain Graham."
A heavily armed and armored man sits behind a desk, shuffling papers. He looks like nothing would make him happier than going out and killing something.
0
stnd
10
She leans back. "That'll show that turd!" She orders three more beers. None of them are for you.
She laughs, takes another swig, and says "I found out where he gets his fungus usually. Go to the tunnels northwest of town, where nobody lives? Yeah? Go there. Look for a rock outcropping by a little lake. Go just west of that."
0
secr
9
She takes a swig, and leans close to you. "Want to hear a secret?"
"Fat bastard!" Customers turn to look at her. She quiets down. "He had me find some toadstools for him. I did, but he don't pay me because they aren't 'magical enough' whatever the hell that means! Then he offers me half price! I stomped on 'em and left."
0
town@rook
9
"Achhh." She spits on the floor. "Adventuring. But that damned Townsend rooked me."
"I'm Rose." She belches, grimacing as the taste of the ale returns to her mouth. "You look like you work for a living. Have a seat."
A woman in leather armor with a rapier at her side sits at the table, swilling down ale. She doesn't look happy.
0
stnd
9
"Thanks for getting rid of the spook. I'm not going to open the room til' I've cleaned it. Plus, it's still spooky in there. Oh, well. Won't last forever." He serves you complementary beer and stew by way of thanks.
He leans close to you. "I only say this because you're adventurers. Keep it quiet. There's something weird in one of the rooms, like a ghost. I saw it, slammed the door, and locked it. It had stuff with it. If you kill it, you can have it."
7
1
afra@avai
8
55
14
He shakes his head. "It costs five gold, I'm afraid."
4
room
8
3
He gives you mugs of the bone -warping, mind-fogging, eyesight-blurring brew that is standard in Exile.
"Three gold, please."
10
drin@beer
8
2
He serves up stew and big chunks of mushroom. It's as tasty as anything you've eaten down here.
"Two gold, I'm afraid."
10
stew
8
"Well, we have stew for two gold, and a round of beer for all of you for 3 gold. Also, one of our rooms is still free. That's only five gold." He winces. "It's the only room available, I'm afraid."
"I'm Gibbon. What can I do for you?"
The bar is tended by a young, unshaven, ferret-faced man. Despite his unsavory appearance, he seems to be running a good inn. Pots of stew bubble happily behind him, and kegs of mushroom ale are lined up, ready for tapping.
0
stnd
8
"Now that the barrier is gone, we must return to the war against the Empire. Anything you can do to help in that struggle, you should do. You are as trapped down here as we are. If we fall, so will you."
"Well, we all heard what that shade said and saw the crevice appear. Exile needs someone to go down into it. It may be our only hope to get rid that cursed barrier. You are the only adventurers around here. You may be the only people who can save us."
8
1
assi@barr
7
"His name is Foley. He's a captain now. If you meet him, be sure to mention my name to him."
0
secr
7
He puts his hand on it protectively. "This is the badge of office of the mayor of Formello. We had a bit of trouble over it a few years ago, but none since."
0
gold@neck
7
He shakes his head. "So many troubles, and even my secretary has gone off to fight. I'm glad to see adventurers here. At this point, we need all the assistance we can get."
He nods. "I am Amtar. Mayor Amtar, honored ruler of the city of Formello."
You meet a man in his fifties, easily. He is very tense - his body seems about to tear itself apart. In addition to the traditional mayor's sash, he wears a large gold necklace.
0
stnd
7
"I'm not actually in the army. I just teach what I know, and if I don't know it, I find someone who does. Captain Graham runs the garrison here, if you have any questions about it. He's across the road."
0
sold@mage
14
""
9
trai
14
"I run the training center. It's where all the soldiers and mages and such come to learn new skills to use against the enemy. You can get training too, if you want."
"I'm Amber. Welcome to Formello's training center."
A woman, flushed with exertion, walks up to greet you. As she approaches, she sheathes a broadsword. She must have just been practicing with it.
0
stnd
14
"Well, I was stuck here for a while after the barrier appeared. Now it's finally gone, but I have to wait for a caravan to head south I can travel with. It's dangerous around here now."
"Was. I was just leaving here when I heard about the barrier. You know, the one that cut us off from anywhere else? Now I'm just doing odd jobs, waiting to get away."
8
1
silv@fami
12
"Well, I was heading south to Silvar to visit my family. Was."
"Oh, you stuck here too? I'm Rose."
A young woman with a haversack paces around Formello, looking at the sights. She doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it.
0
stnd
12
"Yeah. They're emergency crops, in case we get sieged! And I'm in charge of em! Touch 'em, and you might get in serious trouble, if you live past what I do ta' ya'!"
0
mush@nick
11
"Yeah. I grow the mushrooms in the corner of town. Don't touch 'em, or you're nicked!"
0
farmer
11
"I'm a farmer."
He grunts. "Tybalt."
A taciturn man in moss-stained clothes stalks about.
0
stnd
11
5
0
Library of Formello
14
purc@know
6
"That is the place to go to do any really serious magical learning. I hate to admit it, but there it is."
"Patrick's tower, in the Great Cave, is the source of much powerful and arcane research. But the greatest center of magical learning is the Tower of Magi, a huge basalt tower in the southeast corner of Exile."
0
cent@learn
6
"I run the Library of Formello, one of the three centers of magical learning in Exile. Feel free to browse the scrolls. Also, for a small fee you can purchase the magical knowledge of the ages. This is a school as well as a library."
"Hmm? Oh! Welcome, to the library, travellers!" He stands to greet you. "I'm Miles."
A very tall man with raven black hair and short beard reclines behind his desk, humming something that sounds like a sea chanty.
0
stnd
6
"Right now, I'm supposed to be finding this book on holy rituals, stinktification, or something like that. But I can't find it anywhere! These shelves aren't very well organized."
0
erra@diff
5
"I don't mind the scut work, as long as I get to learn magic!"
"To Miles. He runs the library, and he's really powerful! He's going to teach me magic for the next five years! And I'll do a lot of sweeping." She brushes off her skirt, and stands up straight.
0
appr@amge
5
"I'm an apprentice mage. I haven't been one for very long, so I can't blow anything up yet. I mostly have to run errands. And sometimes it's really difficult!"
She curtsies to you in a very perfunctory manner. "I'm Alice. The apprentice mage!" She's quite proud of that last part.
A young girl in the robes of a mage's apprentice, at least two sizes too big for her, wanders around keeping things clean and organized.
0
stnd
5
7
0
Caius the High Priest
15
purc@spell
4
""
20
heal
4
"When Claudette passed away, let her soul find rest, I finally returned here. And here I will stay."
"I once served here under Claudette, a fine woman, but I left to search for a safer place for my family during the slith wars. I ended up preaching to frightened souls near the front line! So much for safety! We all end up doing what we must."
0
trav@temp
4
"It has fallen to me to end my travels here, as caretaker of this temple. I perform services in that capacity. I can heal, for a small donation. I can also teach certain clerical rituals to you. Please be sure to let me know instantly how I can assist."
"I am father Caius, current caretaker of this temple. I welcome you - it is always inspiring to see new faces here." Having someone be so friendly to you is simultaneously refreshing and unnerving.
You are greeted by a graying man in spotless white robes. He approaches you and bows humbly.
0
stnd
4
1
0
Townsend the Alchemist
16
purch
3
He chuckles, jiggling slightly. "You don't think I would tell you where I get my supply, do you? Don't be so naive."
0
scar@toad
3
"I know recipes for poisons of weak and medium strength. You may purchase them if you wish. However, both recipes require toadstools, which are scarce these days. Just so you know."
0
alch@reci
3
""
21
iden
3
"I see you've been doing some looting. I can identify your items for a small fee. I am also an alchemist of some skill. I'm out of potions, but I have recipes for sale."
"I am Townsend. Townsend the sage. How may I help you?" He studies your possessions with a practiced eye.
Considering the unpleasantness of the food down here, it's amazing that this man managed to get so corpulent. He stares at you greasily from across the counter.
0
stnd
3
17
11
Stoppard's Miscellany
12
purc@miss
2
""
13
sell
2
"What with the war with the Empire, the soldiers and mercenaries have many needs. I fill them as best I can. Have to earn my keep."
0
vers
2
"I have a wide variety of potions which you can purchase. I also carry a few missiles on the side. Also, you can sell me anything. I've had to be versatile lately."
"Welcome to my shop. My name is Stoppard."
A tall gangly man grinds up fungus behind the counter. He is surrounded by bundles and bunches of mold and mushrooms.
0
stnd
2
Dried Mushrooms
6
2
11
purch
1
"Our rations aren't too cheap, what with things the way they are." She shrugs. "Not much I can do about it. I'm just a humble servant of the people. Let me know if you want to buy something."
0
rati@price
1
She smiles sadly. "Well the barrier's down. You must have heard. But merchants don't come up here much - they're afraid the barriers will come back. So we struggle by on what food we have."
"A lot of this area's food came from Mertis, way down south. Lot of people up here. With the barrier, we'll be having shortages before too long." She shakes her head sadly. "Just one thing after another."
8
1
barr
1
"We sell rations here. Not much food coming in, what with the barrier and all. Still, we try to give people a fair price."
"My name's Jen. Welcome to our shop."
You meet a tired-looking woman in her thirties. Her pale face shows more age than it should for her years - her years in Exile have not been easy on her.
0
stnd
1
"Jen and I were Exiled together. We didn't like the way things were going. Heck, who did? But we just couldn't keep our mouths shut about it. But we got ours! That's for damn sure."
0
exil@surf
0
"We raise what we can. All we have down here are sickly cows and vicious lizards. We make do with what we can."
0
pigs@nece
0
"Before I got exiled, I raised pigs. I liked them. They didn't always try to kill you. But this isn't the surface - you do what's necessary."
0
rais@liza
0
He dodges a giant lizard who is trying to bite his foot off. "I raise the lizards." He kicks the lizard in the face. It backs away, ready for another go.
"Call me Ken. Watch out for the lizards."
You meet a tall, rugged, middle-aged man. He has long blond hair, a lizard-skin jerkin, and many scars on his hands and arms.
0
stnd
0
The lizard eyes you hungrily.
0
gnrc
18
"Hiss!"
0
gnrc
17
The lizard eyes you hungrily.
0
gnrc
17
"Moo."
0
gnrc
16
The cow moos at you.
0
gnrc
15
"I don't have much to say about that."
80
6
There is a strange message carved in this wall:
'Ent Bel Tor'
Marble plaque:
City Hall
A very nice brass plaque:
LIBRARY OF FORMELLO
Librarian - Miles of Formello
All mages welcome!
A delicately carved marble slab reads:
Church of the Bright Star
Carved into a granite slab:
Barracks of Formello
A brass plaque:
Townsend the Alchemist
Sage Advice Available
The plaque reads:
Training Center
The plaque reads:
Training Center
A crude wood sign:
Warehouse
This wood sign has only a painting of a blue flask.
