Gatetown

**Gatetown** is a trade town sitting in a valley just south of *Gateway Pass* through the mountains most commonly known as the *Great Barrier* that lead to **Gardyn** from the **Dusklands**. The town proper is a large circular city with many different types of stone, woodwork, and canvas tent structures. For several miles along the roadway leading into town there are sprawling tent communities. Sitting above the town are great towers and a gatehouse hewn into the steep mountain face. Beautiful shimmering and glowing auroras dance in the night sky every evening in the peaks above the town. The steep incline suggests the mountain pass known as *Gateway Pass* beyond town must be the only way to safely traverse the mountain barrier. The town itself is a chaotic trade hub set at the foot of the mountains. Sly traders, gruff tradesmen, mysterious travelers all are collected here. Various taverns and inns frequently have "For Hire" signs advertising work available to adventurers. Mostly traders looking for a security detail.

## Places Around Town

### The Empress's Hairpin

The Hairpin is the largest and most central inn of Gatetown. It sits on the southeastern corner where the two largest roads of town cross in the center of the circular city. The other major venues at that intersection are the Ginzik's Supply Depot, The Four Winds Federacy trade hub, and City Circle Chirugeon (doctor/hospital). The inn is managed by a boysterous middle aged human woman named Kasha.

The tavern area of the inn is quite large and is often bustling with all manner of townsfolk from traders to sellswords. Card and dice games are often struck up and typically draw entertaining crowds. The entryway is lined by advertisement signs offering up work of all kinds from trade caravan security details to some very specialized and even more profitable work. One of the most notable characters to frequent The Empress's Hairpin is the renowned collector, Elias Browning. He uses the inn as his preferred location for doing business despite the fact that he owns a large manor on the northeastern part of town.

### The Sand & Glass

The Sand & Glass is a tavern and inn near The Pit, a coliseum on the eastern part of town. It's owned by Pit Master Gruun and is ran by Eddie Osgood. It's a favorite haunt for the rougher element of Gatetown, and it's not unusual for fights to break out. For the most part problems solve themselves, but if antics get out of hand the boss will step in. Gruun is feared and respected and situations tend to cool down quickly if he gets involved. In addition to be a raucous tavern, the S&G also serves a purpose for identifying fighting talent for Gruun. On a far side of the main floor there is a chained off section where the wood floor is replaced by a gravel pit. Bar fights happen, but when things get serious Gruun calls the combatants to "the ring".

### The Hunter's Mark

The Hunter's Mark is a tavern and huntsman lodge in the eastern part of Gatetown. It's owned and operated by a well known game hunter named Oswalt Ness. Oswalt is a grisly human with a booming voice and a particular excitement for the hunt. The tavern is decorated with a gaudy number of trophies from kills. Oswalt is always willing to provide hunting jobs for those interested, and he pays well proportionate to the game.

### The Pit

The Pit is one of the more impressive structures in Gatetown. It is a relatively large stone coliseum on the east side of town where game fighting takes place. It's all for fun, coin, and glory. The fights are organized by Gruun the Pit Master and there are typically large spectator crowds for the fights. Wagers are common.

### The Four Winds Federacy

In the center of town there is the main trade office of The Four Winds Federacy. The Federacy are the business and trade organizers who keep steady trade moving throughout Gardyn and into The Dusklands.

### Genzik's Supply Depot

Also sitting at the crossroads in the middle of town is the large Supply Depot run by a half-orc named Genzik. He's a tall lean half-orc with pale blue skin and tight cropped white flat top haircut. Genzik is relatively friendly mainly focusing on matters of business.

### The Sleeping Forge

The Sleeping Forge is a specialized shop run by a peculiar tortle named Gongrahm Shey. The shop specializes in finely crafted items and he occasionally has a rare old world magic item. He's a master craftsman who can improve the quality of standard items and sometimes has the ability to embue items with magical properties. Given the chaotic nature of magic in the Dusklands, he lets his clients know that they take on a risk when paying for magic enhancements. It may not work, and good or bad....all sales are final.