Vel

Small City

Courtesy of [Dolya]

The Dwarven City Vel is famed for the apple cider that is brewed under the very countryside the apples are grown on. Within the time since the Spume the territory has experienced a great deal of friction with the Orcs of Zogaz-Ta, who across the centuries have attempted to gain control of Tenebrous Ridge on three separate occasions. In stark contrast of the brutish Zogaz-Da the mostly dwarven citizens of Vel have become more and more of a sanctimonious people, which only serves to drive a wedge between them and their orcish neighbours.

### Castle

In the north end of the city, nestled into the Light Orchard district, lies the Castle Vel. A great cavern has been dug within the rock here, carefully its architects avoided cutting into the form of the castle, what was left behind was a mighty castle. Parapet windows intermittently break the smooth surface of the cavern walls many yards above the tile-cut floors. Some Apple trees have been planted in beds lining the walk up to the castle’s great applewood doors. Herin rules the Baron Suriel Mablure.

### Applechurch

Applechurch is a small offshoot of the Light Orchard district, dug into the rock just southwest of the castle. This small neighbourhood houses Vels elite ruling class, owners of successful breweries and the like. A small force of guards is stationed at the only entrance to the area.

### Light Orchard

Typically the richer denizens of Vel live in this part of the city. Guests of the nobility and potential partners of the great breweries of Vel will spend the better part of their stay in this district. There is one tavern in Light Orchard, The Crossed Candles.

#### The Crossed Candles (1)

The innkeeper is an old female dwarf named Thudu. She is a retired adventurer, and keeps a collection of exotic coins and trinkets.

#### Northern Forge (2)

Weaponsmith: Zuri, a male Dwarf Craftsman, Good. Zuri has thin red hair and light amber eyes. He wears modest garments and carries a rowan staff.

#### Western Forge (3)

Armorsmith: Undim, a female Dwarf Craftsman, Good. Undim is thin, with brown hair and gray eyes. She wears simple clothing and an iron amulet. Undim has an animal companion, a red firedrake named Hola.

### Trade District

Visitors and citizens alike enter the city through the elevator in the centre of the Trade District, though the latter rarely leave the embrace of the rocks they call home. This is the centre of trade and activity of the entire city, and one of the only places where the incredibly rich are seen with the incredibly poor.

#### Fat Beggar Brewing Co. (4)

Est. 964 the Fat Beggar Brewing Co. is Vel’s largest exporter of apple cider. Though not generally appreciated as of a distinct quality; Fat Beggar is relatively cheap for Vel cider and still held in high regard in regions where apples grow less abundantly.

Currently run by: Fari, a female Dwarf Druid, Neutral. Fari is rough in appearance, with braided silver hair and brown eyes. She wears leather.

#### Dainarv (5)

A very successful general store in the heart of the city. Be you an apple farmer or a noble of Applechurch Dainarv sells something you can’t get anywhere else.

Run by: Dana, female Dwarf Fighter, Good. Dana is exceptionally beautiful, with cropped red hair and gray eyes. She wears a chain.

#### Rewalt & Sons (6)

Rewalt & Sons have been supplying Vel with furnichure long since the passing of old Rewalt in 827. Many of the top houses in Vel boast an original Rewalt built by the man himself. Nowadays the store serves a far broader clientele.

Run by: Thrasanz, male Dwarf Scholar, Evil. Thrasanz has silver hair and narrow gray eyes, and a round nose. He wears expensive clothing and carries a fine stiletto.

#### Adventurers Guild (7)

Located on the northeast road from the elevator.

Guildmaster: Uril Dadh, a female Dwarf Druid, Neutral. Uril has black hair and blue eyes. She wears leather armor and wields a scimitar and dagger.

##### Wandering Jester

An Adventuring gear emporium within the adventurers guild. Here are sold armors, weapons, bags, and any other tools and equipment commonly sought after by the avid adventurer.

Run by: Vidi, male Dwarf Artist, Evil. Vidi is beastly in appearance, with black hair and dark amber eyes. He wears expensive clothing and a silver holy symbol. Vidi is searching for his lost brother.

#### Fool and Cauldron (8)

On the east road from the city’s centre lies the Fool and Cauldron Inn. Here some of the residents of the Trade District and the slightly poorer of the Light Orchard gather to drink and make merry. Often even those who could afford its prices will opt to drink at the Hero and Cup of the Lodge, despite its obvious impoverishment, for many dwarves still hold a deep distrust of the elves and this establishment is run by one Launa Anzin.

Launa Anzin is a male Elf Professional, Evil. Launa has a long face, with curly blonde hair and green eyes. He wears tailored clothing and a sling of vials and potions. Launa is barbaric and immoral. He seems to know every thief and rouge in the city.

Fool and Cauldron Menu
 Boiled Carrot
 Stewed Shark and Turnip
 Boiled Eggs and Dried Leek
 Wheat Biscuits and Bitter Cheese
 Roasted Eel and Whey Cheese

#### Gumnk Cider (9)

Gumnk Cider is brewed from the sour, fly-bitten, unwanted apples thet were rejected by the loftier breweries. As the apples are acquired cheaply the Gumnk company can offer the cheapest cider in Vel. Though the cider is of a low quality it is packed full of sugar and is still palatable enough.

Gumnk Cider is run by Siga, a female Dwarf Alchemist, Neutral. Siga has a narrow face, with straight blonde hair and bright brown eyes. She wears expensive clothing and a dragonscale cloak. Siga has an animal companion, a hunting dog named Hidga.

#### Wichant Imports (10)

Anything that cannot be sourced from the countryside or from within the mountains must be imported into Vel, Wichant Imports handle the majority of these transactions.

Run by: Orleid Anirdotr, a female Dwarf Aristocrat, Good. Orleid has a square face, with blonde hair and amber eyes. She wears fine raiment and a feathered hat.

#### Allnor’s Alchemy (11)

Allnor’s is a new establishment in Vel, opened by Allnor Gwali to sell alchemical ingredients to the local breweries. Allnor also offers magical remedies to the many labourers of Vel and some more recreational elixirs to the aristocracy of the city.

Run by: Allnor Gwali, a male Dwarf Alchemist, Neutral. Gwali is tall and willowy, with braided copper hair and narrow gray eyes. He wears well-made clothing and carries a yew staff.

**Catalogue**

#### Raenke Vintage (12)

Raenke is the oldest family of Vel, they have run the brewery here since Vel was a simple hamlet. Through the ages the Raenke has honed the craft of cidery and has developed a technique to allow the cider to age like wine. It is said that the first vintage is still stored somewhere in secret, never released to the public, awaiting the perfect buyer.

Run by: Kali Raenke, a female Dwarf Scholar, Neutral. Kali has white hair and green eyes. She wears well-made clothing and a dragonscale cloak. Kali suffers an acute fear of death.

#### Altar of Stintoral (13)

The first thing you see when the elevator doors open is the temple devoted to Nar Stintoral. It is a humble structure Built of many different sizes and colours of bricks. Some earthier in tone, reminiscent of the sedimentary layers of rock nearer the surface, and others are hewn of the same rocks as the rest of the city. The bishop of the temple is Thali Dastim, Thali is short, with uneven brown hair and light brown eyes. He wears expensive clothing and an amulet of luminous crystal. Thali is a terrible liar. He is good by nature.

Nar Stintoral most often takes the form of a rotting female dwarf and is associated with disease, death, war and fortresses, and she seems to be quite popular.

True Nar has made some reptilian werecreatures, and she does receive adulation from some necromancers, but strangely enough considering her spheres, she has never made a single vampire.  She may look like a zombie, but she is not a pro-undead goddess. Truthfully her visage has more to do with recycling and renewal.  Nar is the compost heap, breaking down the old, the worn-out and used up back into their basic components.  She's the ugly sister of the deities of life and fertility, making their jobs possible.  She prunes away the old and infirm to make room for new growth, and frees up locked-in resources to prevent stagnation.

### The Lodge

Few honest folk visit the Lodge except to drink at either it’s brewery or Inn. Even the laborers often chose to live above ground instead of living in this part of Vel. It is known that people that stay in the Lodge are marked by poverty, and most fear that once forced to live here, they will never find prosperity. As a result only the truly desperate or those dwarves who label this talk as silly superstition remained. Many morally questionable folk and those trying to stay from prying eyes also find the Lodge a desirable destination.

#### Boars’ Breath Winery (14)

Many of Vel’s residents choose to ignore this establishment. It is seen as an affront to the founding seven to be brewing a booze that is not alcohol. In spite of this apparent philosophy the Boars’s Breath still makes good coin selling to the local taverns, quenching the thirst of visitors accustomed to drinking such a great deal of cider.

Run by: Arun, a female Dwarf Merchant, Neutral. Arun has uneven copper hair and soft amber eyes. She wears modest garments and a blue cloak.

#### Dungeon Vel (15)

Jailkeeper: Thrasanz, a female Dwarf Fighter, Evil. Thrasanz is wretched in appearance, with straight brown hair and bright amber eyes. She wears plate mail and wields a bastard sword.

#### Southern Forge (16)

Toolsmith: Idgeg, a female Dwarf Professional, Good. Idgeg is tall, with messy auburn hair and narrow hazel eyes. She wears modest garments and a silver holy symbol. Idgeg has an animal companion, a silver cat named Thainarv.

#### Hero and Cup (17)

The inn has simple wooden walls, with a small hedged yard. Accomodations consist of several wooden cots in the cellar. Many of the tables in the common room are used for gambling.

The innkeeper is a heavy set female human named Reder Leighey.

Hero and Cup Menu
 Rye Porridge
 Roasted Crab & Onions
 Pottage

#### Mushroom Fields (18)

Here are grown most of the mushrooms that nourish the people of vel, the cropmaster is Alin, a male Dwarf Professional, Neutral. Alin has black hair and light hazel eyes. He wears modest garments and numerous rings.