Xynnar-Zeffari Locations

### **Bloody Run**

Outside of the arena, stretching along its southwest arc, a series of wooden stakes jut from the ground in a grim forest. The decaying heads of those that die in the arena are posted here. The heads are left to bake in the canyon sun until they slough to the ground, bloated with maggots and swarming with flies. It stands in constant reminder of what happens to those that disrupt the tenuous order in Xynnar-Zeffari. Because of its macabre nature (and horrid smell) most residents avoid it.

### **The Dice Pit**

The Dice Pit is exclusively a gaming house, though it does serve drinks and small bits of food to patrons spending their coins there. Here, Xynnar-Zeffari’s residents convene to play games of dice, cards, and luck. It is operated by Arakeen Reese (see NPCs), a crafty human always looking for new games to bring into his business. Local favorites include King’s Grave Sixes, Black Basilisk, and Dead Man’s Ante and standard 5 dice poker.

* **Arakeen Reese** (Human, male) Arakeen has always been a merchant by trade, but he trulymade a living for himself when he relocated to Xynnar-Zeffari. He is an averaged-sized human with a short, frizzy beard and unkempt hair, preferring to wear airy, comfortable clothes that complement the heat. He loves games, and is a skilled player. It’s considered a great honor if he sits down at a table with you at The Dice Pit, and he never bets conservatively. Arakeen doesn’t lose often, but he is a gracious loser, a trait that has made him one of the few trustworthy men in the entire town.
* **Trae Costantine** (Half-elf, female) Trae is a slender and cheerful half-elf, and though she spends most of her time in Xynnar-Zeffari’s gaming houses, she’s never been known to spend a single coin in one. Instead, she roams and watches the action, and her presence is considered lucky. Secretly, Trae has been sent to Xynnar-Zeffari under orders to locate the convict Thorn Twiceaxe, and return him to her authorities. So far, Thorn has proved too well-guarded to apprehend, though she has managed to break into his room and investigate his personal effects.

### **Hunter’s Circle**

Hunter’s Circle is an area of Xynnar-Zeffari set aside exclusively for monster hunters (the elite graduates of Razorscorn Academy). Hunters use these lodgings for rest, discussions of monster sightings, and planning new expeditions. They keep a stock of food, water, and beds available here as well. Adventuring parties traveling to Xynnar-Zeffari are welcome within these buildings that make up the Circle, thought common men and women are turned away from its doors. The hunters enjoy conversing with intrepid adventures about monsters they’ve encountered, and gladly offer their hospitality in exchange for helpful information.

* **Tungsten, Strength-of-Boars** (Goliath, male) Tungsten,Strength-of-Boars is nearly as tall as half-giants that occupy outside of  town, with dark, hairless skin decorated by tattoos. Tungsten is an accomplished ranger. He dresses lightly, equipping himself in leather armor and a pack of survival tools. He is currently spending his nights at the Hunter’s Circle, but is preparing for an expedition beyond Xynnar-Zeffari limits in search of Direfin.
* **Dawn Gwenlithniel** (Elf, female) Dawn represents one of the few elves in Xynnar-Zeffari, though she does not find the town to her liking. She thinks its customs and residents are most deplorable. If not for a vision from her goddess, instructing the elf to travel to the town, she would be far from it. Dawn wears clothes of elvish make and has short, silver hair. She chooses to wear gemmed rings, necklaces, bracelets and anklets on most occasions. Dawn is a cleric, and routinely spends time conjuring food and water for the Circle. This earns her a cool place to sleep at night and the hunters’ protection.
* **Kurd** (Human, male) The barbaric Kurd was born to the Fire Serpent tribe. His tribe traded him and many others for water and supplies. Kurd was captured in a battle then sold into slavery, and when he revolted years later, he was thrown into Xynnar-Zeffari’s Arena to be executed. However, fate smiled upon him, and the young Kurd single-handedly slayed his opponent, a captured centaur. This feat earned him a spot in Razorscorn Academy, and today he is renowned monster hunter. Kurd is tall and muscular with long, brown hair. He wears studded leather armor and wields a greatsword named “Shayla”.

### **The Lucky Lizard**

The Lucky Lizard is best described as a “house of indulgences,” where crude alcohol, strong tobacco, gambling, and prostitutes are all available to suit one’s appetite. The place is operated by the halfling Zeke Valentine, and is one of the more popular attractions of Xynnar-Zeffari. An iconic wooden sign of a smiling lizard, smoking a pipe, hangs above its doors.

* **“No Way” Nuro** (Goliath, male) The Goliath Nuro guards the door to The Lucky Lizard during business hours, making sure none too young of age or light of wallet enters the premises. Zeke has also provided the goliath with a short list of people not allowed in. The only words in Common Nuro can speak are “no way,” which he often says shortly before physically removing someone from the pleasure house’s grounds.

### **Monster Pits**

Three stone buildings occupy the eastern side of the grand arena, each constructed over caged pits. These pits connect to the tunnels that lead into the arena. Xynnar-Zeffari’s monster hunters pen the beasts they capture in these pits. The beasts are are given meager meals and stoked to frenzy, often starved before they are let loose in the arena against the unlucky few sent there to die. As such, this makes the pits a dangerous place, and only ranking members of Razorscorn Academy are allowed inside.

* **Cor Beslesek, the Key Keeper** (Gnome, male) Cor is three feet tall with wispy, white hair. He sports a thick pair of glasses and a heavy ring of brass keys which open pit cages. The gnome usually spends his time traveling from pit to pit, inspecting his monsters, and arranging their meals and care. When Cor is brought a new monster he knows little about, he excitedly studies the beast as long as he can.

### **Razorscorn Academy**

One of the few brick buildings in Xynnar-Zeffari is Razorscorn Academy, the training grounds for Xynnar-Zeffari ’s infamous monster hunters. The academy runs a mercenary force, hunting and trapping beasts to stock Xynnar-Zeffari’s monster pits. A “faculty” of two dozen veteran hunters operates the academy, these men and women representing perhaps the most seasoned warriors in Xynnar-Zeffari at any given time. The academy welcomes those wishing to become monster hunters, but its lessons are taught in blood. Only half its applicants survive the training. Its halls are decorated with the stuffed corpses of canyon monsters, arranged in menacing positions. Razorscorn Academy’s grounds are used for education and training only; those that graduate to full-fledged monster hunters join the ranks of Hunter’s Circle.

* **Headmaster Hilde Brandhammer** (Dwarf, female) The oldest teacher of Razorscorn Academy is Hilde Brandhammer, who wears the title Headmaster like a crown. Hilde is stout and stern, usually clad in her steel breastplate when she can escape the sun. The dwarf has seen her fair share of contests against the monsters she teaches her students to hunt, and she bears many scars as proof. Hilde doesn’t tolerate nonsense or absentmindedness. In her opinion, a student that died in the line of work was not worth her time in the first place.

### **The Silvershoe**

The newest and largest gaming house in Xynnar-Zeffari is The Silvershoe, owned and operated by the half-orc Ursa Dracosdodder (see NPCs). The Silvershoe hosts traditional games of chance as well as new games becoming popular in town. Ursa employs a full staff to take care of The Silvershoe, and many patrons fill her halls from sun up to sun down. While she does have spare bedrooms available in the building’s loft, she reserves these only for special clientele; otherwise patrons out of coins to spend or with one too many drinks in them are kicked out.

* **Ursa Dracosdodder** (Half-orc, female) Ursa is exceptionally intelligent, which makes her an anomaly among half-orcs. She came to town three years ago with a bag of money and a cart of supplies, though she doesn’t speak of her home, family, or past at all. Her human heritage shows stronger in her appearance, and she’s usually mistaken for a human woman until seen up close.
* **Rak Bites-Nails** (Half-orc, male) Rak is an aged half-orc. He proudly boasts he was there the day the first buildings of Xynnar-Zeffari went up. He has his own place in town, but frequently spends nights between the gaming houses and taverns. The Silvershoe is one of his favorites, as he’s grown sweet on Ursa (the sentiment isn’t shared, however). Rak almost always wears padded leather and carries an oversized greataxe. True to his name, the half-orc often picks his teeth with nails, a habit that has left the edges of his mouth scarred and his teeth chipped

### **The Sin Arena**

Sin Arena is the most prominent feature in town, rising 150 feet into the air and visible for miles around the canyon. It can easily hold fifty times the town’s current population, its seats are tiered and fanned out from the open course at its center. A network of tunnels connects from underneath the arena to holding cells. Xynnar-Zefari’s residents have repurposed these cells with newly forged steel bars and locks, creating a pen for their prisoners. Other series of cells have been adopted into the town’s monster pits, where trapped monsters are kept and fed. Xynnar-Zefari’s favorite pastime is sending their prisoners into the arena against these monsters, putting on bloody shows to the amusement of all that attend.