Chapter 5: Bridgemoor: Difference between revisions

|}

As a deputy, there are multiple ways to gain Militant and Bridge Knights Goodwill, and ways to lose it. You may decided to extend these bonuses and penalties to other occupational categories as well, such as resolving a local dispute leading to +1 Militant and Mercantile Goodwill.

* Attacking a Bridge Knight: -10 Goodwill

Beneath the keep are a series of cell blocks built into the Underbridge and sealed off from the sewers. These cells house hundreds of prisoners and fall under the purview of the Bridge Knights. They descend several levels deep, and are warded from both Divining magic and from teleportation. Prisoners here are treated with basic dignity—they are fed and aren’t beaten, but many don’t see the sun until the end of their sentence. For some, in the deepest [[darkness]], this means they never taste fresh air again.

While pleasant, a majority of citizens pass through the courtyard because it shaves an entire hour off of travel between East and Westbridge. With as many folk as it sees, this makes the courtyard a common gathering place, where cultures collide and ideas spread in the shadow of the three major institutions of the city. Mercantile efforts are disallowed within, but over time several cafes and day-time lounges have sprung up, nestled between the small wooded grounds and constructed lakes, allowing a bit of nature to seep into the urban landscape. Many lobbyists and concerned citizens will spend their days waiting in the yard, hoping to catch a Meritocrat out for lunch.  

As one of the few “wild” places on the Moorian surface, there are some rare events that can occur within the gardens. Use these if you’d like to give your players new interactions in the city.

{| class="wikitable"

The university oversees thousands of students at any given time. Unlike most of the city, it welcomes non-citizens, allowing them to live in local dormitories and espouses an egalitarian approach to its acceptance. Still, there’s an obvious classist disparity, as only those with money can afford to pay tuition and keep up with a full class load. Those that graduate find an immense number of doors open to them, as the respect and skills that come with a degree are highly valued within Bridgemoor and beyond.

Players may register as students. To do so, they must choose a field of study: Arcane, Mercantile, Legal, or Civil. Each grants its own benefits, and a player may only participate in one field at a time. Once a field is chosen, a player pays the initial tuition of 1,000 sc, and must take an entrance exam.  To pass, they must succeed a skill check relative to the field:

A player must succeed 2 out of 4 checks to complete a semester. If failed, the player loses 1 Goodwill from the Academic occupation, and if they fail 3 semesters in a row, they lose their student status. Failing a single semester nets no benefits, and must be taken again. If a player passes a check by double the target, this counts as 2 successes, and they may pass the semester early.  

As an Arcane student, a player needs to make an INT/Arcana check to complete a semester. For each successfully completed, the player learns either 1 Arcane cantrip or spell or may increase their Arcana skill by 1. Arcane classes are more expensive and cost 500 sc per semester.

After completing 12 semesters, a player is awarded with an Arcane degree, gains a +1 to their INT, +5 Goodwill with the Academic occupation, and becomes eligible to teach at the university or become a Meritocrat.

As a scholarly student, a player makes rolls based on the skill they used to pass their exam. This includes the CHA or AWR options. For every semester completed, the player may add +1 to a skill depending on their chosen field:

{| class="wikitable"

|

While there is no official academic tag for talents, the following all qualify. These can all be found via the ''Core Rulebook,'' chapter 5, “Skill Stack”.

After completing 12 semesters, a player is awarded with a degree in the relative field, gains a +1 to either their AWR, INT, CHA, or LUCK, +5 Goodwill with the Academic occupation, and becomes eligible to teach at the university or become a Meritocrat.

If a player graduates from the Meritocratium, or possesses at least +10 Goodwill with the Academic occupation, they may put on a guest lecture once every 30 days. To do this, a player must spend at least 4 hours at the university, and may roll any skill they possess at least 5 points in, and has an academic application. For instance, a character may not use DEX/Sneaking, but may use INT/Religion, despite it not being taught. The results depend on the following checks:

{| class="wikitable"

|

While the Underbridge Sewers are a grand marvel, they also smell terrible. Facilitating the waste of thousands of tightly packed humanoids leads to nausea-inspiring heights. If players spend more than a hour in the sewers or fall/enter the sewage, they must make a DC 8 END check or become Sickened until they can breath fresh or, or the condition is cured via a spell. This DC is modified, increasing by 1 per hour players have spent in the sewers.

====== '''Inferno''' ======

{| class="wikitable"

!Party Level

Smaller than any major city district, this one consists of four compounds that all face a large, public square, where more religious inclined merchants, denizens, and organizations set up during day-time hours.  

The Moorian Temple of Vigil is less militant than many of its kind. Due to its contract with the city, Vigil paladins and other warriors are given less creedence to operate within the city walls, making this construction a more serious place of worship. The temple itself is a white-stone construct, four stories tall and has a slew of support buildings for local [[clergy]] and worship shrines for Celestials and Avatars. It keeps a modest wealth, not nearly as well funded as other Vigilant centers, but perhaps more earnest in spirit.  

Here, adventurers can liaison with the more benevolent forces of the divine. If they possess +5 Religious Goodwill in Bridgemoor, they can rest safely at the temple for free. Otherwise, Saphira will allow an adventurer to join the ranks of the Vigilant. There are no requirements for service. On joining, an adventurer will feel a divine influence about their person and can begin to accrue Vigilant Goodwill.  

This Goodwill is earned even if there is no one around to witness the act.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|

The temple possesses 1d10+5 scrolls at any time. These scrolls refresh every 15 days and can be any Divine spell of an SPC cost of 15 or less. Whenever you roll to refresh scrolls, you or your players can roll a d100. If the result is 50 or higher, the temple will have 1d8 extra scrolls of an SPC cost of 25 or less.

|}

A purely militant compound, the order has managed to convince Bridgemoor to allow it to operate within its walls, if only by the grace of Governor Arinwin. The Bridge Knights are vocal opponents of the order, and it possesses little to no authority, only allowed to act as independent mercenary guards for those that seek out its services—meaning order members cannot [[intervene]] in violent confrontation, lest they suffer legal consequences. Still, the order persists, if mostly for their interest in snuffing out the Underbridge Cult and other occultic activities in the surrounding areas.  

The ranking chapter member is Sera Nessacourias Elian, an elven [[Paladin]] of an iron will and a fervent adherence to her beliefs. She has incurred several fines levied from the Magistrate due to illegal interference, but refuses to budge on her stances, making her rather popular with the Westbridge locals. Players can speak to Nessacourias to join the Darkscourge.

To become a squire within the order, an adventurer must first pay dues of 500 sc to prove that they are self-sufficient enough to provide for themselves. This need not be currency. They can donate weapons, scrolls, items, or anything of value to the order. Next, the adventurer must face several order members in single combat with wooden weapons (all do blunt damage). A '''Squire''', followed by a '''Knight''', then a '''[[Knight Errant]].''' The adventurer needs not win any of the bouts—only prove their resourcefulness in combat, by lasting at least 3 rounds against each opponent (but the order will not inform them of this). Finally, they must take a vow to uphold the order’s values.

{| class="wikitable"

|

“From this day, upon my life, I pledge my sword, my soul, my worth, to seek out those that spread the vile curse of chaos and will see their misdeeds brought to an end. I will be the beacon in the night, the [[terror]] of ill intent, forever and for always, I will be the scourge of the dark.”

|}

This Goodwill requires at least one witness to the act, or for the deeds to be reported to an order member.

{| class="wikitable"

|One hero may advance to the next rank of the Knight profession. This cannot advance Knight beyond rank 3.

|}

The House of Alms is run by Sorrowstone, an elder Bhrunai of immense patience and empathy. Sorrowstone has dedicated much of his life to caring for the sick and can be seen among the ranks of his physicians and healers, helping where he can despite his aging hands.  

These markets are less prone to Bridge Knight patrols and given less attention by magistrate officials. They get by with only monthly inspections to check writs of sales, catalog goods, and to levy a 3% sales tax on profitable merchants for every 30 days of income. Theft and less scrupulous behavior occurs more often in Westbridge than in other districts, but it is still not considered to be rampant.    

The following are events that can occur within the markets. Combat encounters are rare here, as Darkscourge members and Bridge Knights are never too far from trouble. Combats of less than four rounds can escape notice, so long as no civilians report it.

{| class="wikitable"

Instead, on a difficult or higher encounter, you may have a Darkscourge Paladin (or Nessacourias herself) approach the adventures and offer to have them join the order, bypassing the fee and combat test.

'''The Grove.''' Home to a simple conclave of [[Primal]] mages, The Grove sits apart from the markets while being at its very center. Surrounded by stone walls lined with vines and greenery, the mages here receive a regular stipend from the Meritocratic Senate to upkeep the Courtyard Gardens and to seed the city with greenery, interrupting the yellow, brownish make of the bridge. The mages care little for city politics and foster a policy of noninterference, concerned only bringing a bit of nature to Bridgemoor and the chasm below.