Category: Saturday Spark

Saturday Gaming Spark: Oracle’s Trade House

A nexus of trade on the periphery of an oasis buried deep within a sandstone canyon, this trade house is a place of rest and resupply for desert travelers and merchants alike. While merchants eagerly trade rumors and exotic goods from their respective regions, they also seek to pay their respects and offerings to an elusive, ancient oracle which resides in the upper chambers. She rarely makes an appearance outside her confines. But the merchants eagerly listen to her rasping voice dispensing visions of the future, parsing out her insights, gleaming what information they can on the most fortuitous routes to take through the surrounding inhospitable terrain. Link.

Saturday Gaming Spark: Apothecary Refuge

Deep within the jungle a group of pious researchers in the healing arts have carved out a laboratory and repository of knowledge within cliff walls of the river falls. The surrounding land holds a plethora of herbs and plants, many of which are not fully studied for their medicinal properties. This remote apothecary is a treasure of healing knowledge and a refuge for infrequent travelers that make the trek through the dangerous jungles. It is open to all, but those seeking aid are tasked with a simple request in lieu of payment. The staff of the laboratory only ask that written compilations of their works be deposited in the Grand Arcane Library. The wet and humid jungle climate is simply too harsh an environment for written tomes, and better locales for archiving the results of their medical studies are needed. Link.

Saturday Gaming Spark: Sea hag’s moon

The mangroves are cursed according to locals. A labyrinth of trees filled with saltwater crocodiles, venomous snakes, and dangerous to those who don’t know the shores well. But the most dire horrors are the sea hags. It’s said that during a full moon the hags are the most active. The moon’s rays cast the creatures as lovely nymphs. Many crying and wailing softly, their frail looking forms imploring men to come to their aid, only to transform into their true hideous forms and drag their victims under at the last moment. Woe is the lone fisherman that falls prey to their siren’s call. Link.

Saturday Gaming Spark: Airbarge Tugs

Nearly every port city utilizes air tugships to deftly navigate cargo tankers through crowded docks and neighboring industrial districts. Most are honest workers but a few have links to the underworld, either passing on information about choice targets for theft or stealing cargo themselves. But those well versed in the workings of airships know tugship crews are a key resource for information, and also adept at loading and unloading passengers who want to keep off official travel logs. Link.

Saturday Gaming Spark: Lakeside castle

The fortified castle serves as a hub for river traffic. Its thick walls a refuge for the marauding goblins that sweep down from a nearby mountain. The pittance of dwarves in the river community pine for the days where their clans called the mountain home. But most common folk know the mines are only warrens now, lost to the kobolds and goblins forever. Link.