Kesmai Surface
The other two buildings fronting on the plaza are the town tavern and the gymnasium. The Blue Noose Tavern was established by Rolf's family many years ago as a place for adventurers to gather, exchange stories, or plot new hunts. The pub has a wide selection of local alcohol and Rolf is more than willing to pay good gold for various items. Rolf likes to know what is going on in the city, and the information you can obtain from him is usually reliable. The gymnasium is an imposing building on the East side of the town plaza specializing in short courses of instruction to adventurers on methods of fighting the local vermin.
The office of the local Sheriff is just to the Southeast of the temple, behind the gym. He is, however, rarely in his office, spending most of his time walking the streets looking for evildoers. He is a High-Knight of old, and incorruptible, so it is prudent to avoid him if you are a doer of evil (or a Thief). Main Street runs South from the plaza to the sea, where the municipal pier juts out over the ocean. The first intersection South of the plaza on Main Street is the Street of Thieves. The town armory, the most important shop in Kesmai, is located just South of this intersection, on the East side of Main Street. The armory sells a full line of new weapons and equipment, and buys used weapons and other paraphernalia, at reasonable prices.
Opposite the armory, on the West side of the street is the bank. With death an ever-present danger, your gold is safest in the bank's impregnable vault. The second floor of the bank building is a locker room. It is reached from stairs at the Southwest corner of the plaza, near the entrance to the tanner's shop. Your locker is a magical box, with room to store valuable items and spare weapons. To the West from Main Street, the Street of Thieves turns to a dirt path after a block. A local Martial Artist has set up a small dojo where you can get basic instruction in the martial arts. The trail starting at the end of the street leads through the woods to the West coast of the island, where there are some ancient ruins which contain a second entrance to the dungeon. To the North of this entrance is a small islet where arcane rites were performed by those who dared not come into town by daylight. These ruins should be avoided, unless you are looking for a unique way to commit suicide.
The dwellings of the local peasants are East of the Main Street, at the other end of the Street of Thieves. They are too busy trying to provide themselves with food and shelter to take much notice of the random adventurers who come to the island. The plaza on this street holds an active market on most days. The town Wizard has his lowly abode just to the North of the plaza, off the alley. A humble sage has been living just East of the plaza for some years. The Thieves' Guild is headquartered on the South side of the plaza. A pawnshop is located just inside the entrance to their building. Around here, one can also find the seller of recall rings - handy devices which return the wearer to the spot where it was put on the instant it is removed.
The Town Council, with the assistance of the town Wizard, has prohibited certain kinds of magic in some public areas, both to protect the citizenry, and to preserve the buildings of the town. Any Wizardly spell which tries to induce a change of terrain will change the alignment of the caster to neutral which in turn will induce the scorn of all the local lawfuls, some of whom, despite their sedentary ways, can pack quite a punch. This includes FIREBALL, ICESTORM, ILLUSIONS and CONCUSSION. If you look around, you will notice that this part of town is always "brightly lit". There are also signs on the paths back into town, warning magic-users to be cautious. The town Wizard recently cast a powerful spell on the town which grants protection from the effects of area spells, though if you listen carefully you can hear their sound effects while his powerful enchantment prevents damage from the spells. Be warned that just the attempt of casting these spells will cause a lawful Wizard to change alignment. Several of the buildings around the outskirts of town are constructed with materials enchanted with the spell of IMPERVIUM, since the Town Council and the inhabitants like the town the way it is, and do not want any uppity Wizards rearranging it.
The Street of Thieves turns North after passing through the plaza, and at the edge of the woods, turns to a path which, and leads to the East end of the island. Shortly after this path enters the woods, it forks to the South and East. The Southern fork leads past the swamp to the Southern bay. Hidden in the swamps to the East of the path are the oldest ruins on the island. Within these ruins, practitioners of the Black Art once performed their most solemn rites. Only the brave, or the foolish, dare explore the depths of the swamps. Across the bridge at the head of the bay to the East is another weapon shop, which caters to those characters, which do not want to enter the town. A little further to the East is the dojo of Phong, the martial arts master. Phong located himself here so that his students could receive the quality training that they deserved without the constant interruptions associated with the town. Nearby you will also find the master blacksmith, Ironbar, the sweet sound of his hammer ringing throughout the area. Provide him with ore and ytrill (not the easiest commodities to find) and he will forge you a Black Broad Sword of outstanding quality. A group of Centaurs have taken to wandering the Eastern Woods, protecting the wildlife from any further intrusion by the human population. They have a great hatred for any that walk on two legs, caused by the original intrusion of the pirates many years before, and worsened by the wanton destruction caused by the Brotherhood during the height of their power. The Centaurs will attempt to slay ANY that cross into their domain (which at times leads up to the very edge of town.) Between the Centaur's Island and Ironbar is an ancient graveyard. Legend has it that many Ghosts and Spirits walk the graveyard at night, though none has actually proven the existence of such Spirits. In the center of the graveyard is a special portal, that will transport the person activating it to the realm of the Underworld, where that person may quest to regain lost skill, youth, and constitution.
Also near Ironbar is a small pit, which will lead directly to the third level of the dungeon. Caution should be taken when using this access. Hobgoblins, Trolls, Gargoyles, and Orcs usually guard the bottom of the pit. Even Wraiths and Wights are known to wander this area. In the farthest reaches to the East, in the small shrine the Brotherhood used to summon the Drake, a lone survivor from the Brotherhood still exists. Since much of the Brotherhoods power was derived from their teamwork, his power is not as great as it once was, but the evil Ydnac is still powerful in the ways of Thaumaturgy, and is generally left to his own devices. If a brave adventurer should vanquish Ydnac and enter his sanctuary, they may sometimes find one of the Brotherhoods lost artifacts. The legendary Returning Hammer.
Herman and Harriette, brother and sister Knights from the Old Order of Knighthood, grew tired of the constant hunting of the Brotherhood, and have retired to a partially hidden cave on the Island. Two vicious Griffins guard the approach and sometimes Bears - including the much-feared Smokey, the super Bear; any fighter who seeks Knighthood must brave these hazards to reach Herman. Harriette deals with only Knights that have made the brave effort of slaying the red Dragon of Droon known as Daisy. A Knight who has struck down the Dragon and retrieved the agate gem from her belly should take it to Harriette, whereupon she will impart some of her wisdom to those Knights (along with a more practical token of her esteem). To the South and East, an ancient portal exists that will transport an adventurer to Leng. This was used a lot by the Brotherhood, and though the portal is slightly overgrown these days, it is still active. The destination of this particular portal leads to the portal complex in Leng, from which an adventurer may journey to any of the other lands.
The island is surrounded on all sides by treacherous reefs that successfully bar most shipping, and make swimming virtually impossible. There are many varieties of wild and dangerous fish in the reefs, and swimming in the ocean is at best a risky proposition. Even the bays and inlets are often infested with sharks. It is rumored that there are beds of oysters somewhere near the island, where pearls of great beauty were once found, but is deemed safer to seek the treasures in the dungeons than to dive for the riches of the sea.
There are several entry points into the dungeons, but the busiest one is in the temple. The catacombs consist of four levels, often referred to as -1, -2, -3, and -4 by the experienced adventurer. The top level of the dungeon was once where the Brotherhood maintained their residences. A library of their greatest works was once in the Northwest corner of the level, though most of the works have been destroyed (though not before a few of the brighter Orcs and Goblins managed to learn a few of the secrets of using magic). Much of the level is now inhabited mostly by the lowest of creatures, Skeletons and Kobolds, with an occasional Orc, or a Troll. On rare occasions, a Wight (one of the weakest of the Undead casters) can be found. These should be treated with respect. Many years after the downfall of the Brotherhood, a disfigured fighter made his way through the dungeon, and after finding a special room hidden behind several secret doors, took up a sort of residency. The Trog, as he was called, appears to be part Troll, part Ogre, and part human. He can be a formidable opponent for a beginning adventurer, but poses no real threat for an experienced warrior. A secret passage leading to the Thieves Guild may be found on the Eastern side of this level.
