World of Samardan: Nobium, Tower of the Ancient Ones...

Greetings, All:

Welcome to my fourteenth post for this year's A to Z Challenge series. This year, I am describing 26 different locations in the World of Samardan campaign setting, one for each letter of the alphabet. Today's post was brought to you by the letter N, and N is for Nobium, Tower of the Ancient Ones.

(Hex) Nobium, Tower of the Ancient Ones

Population: 7,000 (65% Husrani, 30% Human, 5% Other). Ruler: Raganu Sumataro Mudakusan (7th Level Human Warrior[Mercenary]). Resources: Gorkeshi, Water.

Ambiance: Lying on the edge of ancient ruins, the settlement of Nobium inhabits the lower levels of the only major structure to have survived from ages long past, that of a tall arcology. The exterior is cracked, and many of its wide windows and terraces are broken. While humans and Husrani occupy the lower levels, the upper reaches of the tower serve as nests for wild flying creatures.

History: The purpose of the tower and the adjacent ruins have been lost in antiquity. Several decades ago, a human warlord united several Husrani tribes under him, and conquered these ruins. Gathering his newfound wealth and his people together, he made the tower of Nobium his base of operations. The elderly warrior is near death, and his eldest son has yet to return from a mercenary's life to inherit the society his father had built. The gorkeshi (large six-legged herbivorous mounts with a single horn upon their foreheads for goring predators) raised by Nobium herders are considered the finest in the region, given their better nourishment and regular access to water.

Encounters: Vigilant patrols monitor the ruins and the outlying wastes surrounding the tower. Within Nobium, one is likely to encounter warriors, hunters and raiders, as well as a handful of experts and mystics. Common hazards and encounters include flying creatures, collapsing stonework and combat challenges from young warriors seeking to prove their worth and increase their wealth.

Treasure: The Raganu Sumataro Mudakusan possesses a number of artifacts from the ruins that function only when he has power crystals for them. One of these relics is said to be an airship of the Ancient Ones. In addition, the Raganu has the accumulated wealth of his raids on non-aligned tribes and even a few civilized settlements along the walls fo the Granbalem.

Adventure Hooks: Adventure hooks for this site could include the following:

• Devo Sumaranhen, a brash and uncouth young warrior, has taken to challenging new arrivals to Nobium who appear weak, claiming that their possessions become his under the ancient laws of conquest.
• Hiko Balganan, a human mercenary in the Raganu's entourage, is soliciting hunters to clear an upper level of the tower in preparations for the construction of a new aerie. His last two attempts failed, but the man has not given up hope.
• Refugees, mostly the children and the crippled of tribes shattered by forces under the command of Raganu Mudakasan, have constructed a small "shanty-town" not far from the tower, and now act disgracefully by begging for food and water. They claim that the ancient laws of conquest make the Raganu responsible for their lives, as he defeated their warriors in combat.
• Sano Devaloban, a gorkeshi herdsman, cannot find his daughter and fears she may have wandered off into the ruins on her own.
• The Raganu Sumataro Mudakusan of Nobium seeks a band of mercenaries to retrieve his eldest son, who was captured by a Husrani tribe. The Raganu feels that it is likely that his son, Semahen, has been sentenced to the Justiciar's Vault for "crimes" the Nobium army has performed against the tribesmen.

Standard Disclaimer: As I have not yet decided where to set this particular location on the map as yet, I've left a placeholder to remind me to come back to this in the future. Later on, I'll replace (Hex) with the actual hex location, when I put all of this together into a single document.

Enjoy,
Flynn