Gateneath

**Gateneath**, also known as **Gate-'neath-Morag**, **Gate Beneath Morag**, **Fort Boivin**, and more formally **The Honored Gate of the Conglomerate Beneath the Shadow of Mount Ir Morag**, is a town in the Barony of Uliman, a region in Gernaris's northeastern coast.

## History

### Formation

During the end of the Conglomerate's Age of Expansion, there were efforts to re-establish positions in the nation of Gernaris to link the splintered governments back to the Dynast King of Old Hisrech. One such attempt was the formation of a town called Gate-'neath-Morag in the Uliman region established in 995 CA. A magical magier and his auto-gnome companion came to build a small hamlet and began work on a mystical tower to allow enforcement of magical law in the region.

### Decline

Due to the issues abroad, the Conglomerate lost its link to the town and the Barony of Uliman gave it no aid. The town starved without any assistance and was all but abandoned. Many of the peoples of the town left to Entolas, capital of the Barony. Some came back to try to rebuild. But the decline that lasted for nearly two decades ended in a terminal end that left the town as nothing more than a hundred or so people living in the remnants of what was started. It was little more than the vineyards and winery that remained. The blow to the town that was its doom was the death of the magier, a mysterious death that left his body broken in the structure that was to become his tower and never would be finished. This structure would later become the seat of power for the ruling family of the town.

### Transformation

Fortunately, the peoples of the Monastery of Ir Morag came down and lent their aid to this broken town. Great resources from the mountain went into establishing the town's infrastructure as a fortified town and the walls built then stand to this day. The leadership vacuum was filled by the leaders of the foresters around the mountain, with the Boivin Family rising above the others to take the position of the town's rulership. As kennelborn, they were seen as natural and well-liked leaders to help the burgeoning town continue its growth. Many of the Conglomerate loyalists that remained accepted the new leadership and structure, especially since the name of the town was not changed and many of the old ways of keeping in the town remained.

### Scandal

The town experienced a bit of a golden age over the next few decades, but for the ruling house of Boivin it wasn't exactly without scandal. The Matriarch Lady Matilda Boivin's husband, Lady Consort Romund Boivin the Heroic, left to adventure north of the town in the spring of 1039 CA, not returning until two years later. During his time away, the town was visited by the noble family of Idhelm from the nearby town of Kalott-by-the-Sea (formal The Eastern Borough of Kalott by the Sea of Madrigard). During this visit, the brother of Idhelm's Matriarch wooed the Lady Matilda and the two became lovers in a passionate summer romance. Lady Matilda became pregnant. When her husband returned from his campaign, the child had already been born and he knew that they were not his. He was hot-headed, but to keep up appearances played the part of father for the child. He would also engage in more adventuring when his ire raised by the matter.

That was until the summer of 1045, when the Idhelm family returned to Gateneath and the father of the children pronounced he wished to take Lady Matilda as his wife, to further unite the two towns. Before Lady Matilda could give her answer to this request, Romund became furious at the very suggestion and challenged the father to a duel to the death. At the end of this conflict, the father was killed and Romund was left wounded. Lady Matilda exiled him and demanded that he go up the mountain to Ir Morag Monastery and request to be taken in by the Abbess. This action would lead to the Idhelm family taking measures to cause Gateneath to be choked off from the outside world, even as far as having troops from Kalott-by-the-Sea attack caravans that would attempt to pass into or nearby the town on their way south to the greater Barony.

This pettiness between the two houses continued until very recently, when the capital of the Barony was sacked by Denisatvan forces. Lady Matilda died of a sudden and grievous sickness. At her funeral, Lady Idhelm made the journey and explained to the new ruler that she wished to push the scandals of yesteryear far aside and unite the two families without conflict. Lady Idhelm offers up the town of Gateneath her promise that she and her peoples will no longer cause issues for Gateneath and will answer the call for aid if ever it arises. It is widely believed that she plans to proffer a union between Boivin and her own child, to join the houses of Boivin and Idhelm in marriage as once was attempted before. There is no actual proof that this is the case, however.

## Organization

### Biovin Keep

The ruling house of Gateneath is House Biovin, a minor house in Gernaris of Upturned Kennelborn who have sworn to maintain the fortified town and protect the Monastery of Ir Morag.

### Militia of Gateneath

The current standing militia is 75 members strong. Five of these members are the Captain's Lieutenants, the most skillful combatants and cunning leaders (NPC Knights). Twenty of these members are venerated Soldiers (NPC Soldiers), who serve in leadership capacities over small cells of other members. The bulk of the militia's members are Guards (NPC Guards) who maintain the peace, defend the town, and hold a constant watch on the fortifications that protect it and the mountain behind the town.

### Mayor's Office

#### Guild of Brewers & Vintners

The guild with the best reputation in the town is that of the brewers & vintners. The guildmaster is Mikal Vine himself, and they work as a group of independent groups that strive to maintain the high levels of craftsmanship displayed by the Vine family.

## Named Residents

***Adam Grapecrusher.***

***Bedric Duvine.***

***Belgeth Noldos.*** Son of Efrain and Imystroth Noldos. Works for the Guild of Cobblers & Shoemakers.

***Bill the Guard.*** Bill is a guard in the Gateneath Watch. Bill was seemingly replaced by a changeling and left dead, stuffed in his barracks locker.

***Bindle Nalrick.*** Summer Nalrick's loyal husband.

***Bruenor Fistbrand.*** Half-orc lieutenant

***Carek Wingard.*** Old Gernaran Lieutenant in the Gateneath Watch.

***Cassatte Amidon.*** Guildmaster of the Guild of Painters, Limners, & Sign-Makers.

***Dahabei Bouchaoui.*** The current Lorekeeper of Gateneath.

***Daliah Eggith.***

***Dekan Bathra.*** Husband of the Lady of the Markets, Iorix Bathra.

***Dusk.*** Leader of the Rising Suns. Presumed to be present in or around Gateneath.

***Efrain Noldos.*** Guildmaster of the Guild of Cobblers & Shoemakers, husband of Imystroth Noldos, father of Belgeth Noldos.

***Erik Dughard.***

***Espen.*** Guildmaster of the Guild of Calligraphers, Scribes & Scrivners and trusted associate of Kaysi Emoh.

***Evangeline Boivin.*** The currrent Matriarch of Gateneath.

***Gabriel Vine.***

***Gerdie Blocken.***

***Guy Boivin.*** Younger brother of Evangeline Boivin and

***Heloisa Shan.***

***Iorix Bathra.***

***Imystroth Noldos.*** Husband of Efrain Noldos, father of Belgeth Noldos, lover of the recently deceased Marrick Beorcan.

***Jonah Kez.*** Young guardsman and member of the Gateneath Watch. Directly reports to Rukh Francois.

***Julian Orlov.***

***Kaysi Emoh.*** The current Mayor of Gateneath and its oldest resident.

***Kianel Lavariashzili.***

***Manon Ashdowne.***

***Margaret Andriv.***

***Margot Ashdowne.*** A well-known crafter and alchemist of the town that is also known for her flowers and teas. She has not been seen in some time, but still has business in the town.

***Mavus Zarkanan.*** One of the five Lieutenants under Captain Moarax Elzarr. Currently in charge of the prison.

***Maxwell Gudger.*** The town's coffin maker.

***Mikal Vine.*** Guildmaster of the Guild of Brewers & Vintners, the largest of the town of Gateneath's guilds. He also serves as Magnate of the town.

***Milly Higrant.*** Former Lorekeeper of Gateneath. Currently living within the Lorekeeper's Tower, but in a bed-bound state.

***Moarax Elzarr.*** The current Captain of the Town Guard and Militia of Gateneath. Known as "the Sheriff".

***Paul Agios.*** Laborer in the town of Gateneath who has begun the groundwork of forming a Laborer and Mover's Guild in the town.

***Rilka Greenbottle.*** Guildmaster of the Guild of Glassblowers & Glaziers.

***Rikar Huest.*** A pig and cabbage farmer just outside of the walls of Gateneath. Neighbor to the Vines.

***Rockie Eggith.***

***Rukh Francois.*** First Lieutenant under Captain Moarax Elzarr. Second-in-command of the Watch of Gateneath.

***Skyy Narlick.***

***Summer Nalrick.*** The current priestess of the Temple of Life of Gateneath and spiritual guide to the Matriarch.

***Valor Zarkanan.*** Knight errant recently promoted into knight status after the death of his mentor, Sir Davolio Masgoth.

***Vernon Ashdowne.***

***Violet Narlick.*** Handy women who does not live in the temple.

## Appendix

### Trivia

The town of Gateneath was created during Session 0 of the *Resistance at the Threshold* story arc. It was created using a map from the Borough Bound patreon (the Crabwell map) and a method of forming the town around the Player Characters and generating its history that was a conversion of rules present in the *A Song of Ice and Fire* roleplaying game.