95102_RAA_Hasselberger2024_R1_PROOF

masters, adventurers and seekers of far-off places as people occasionally disappear here without a trace… even the innkeepers! What happens to them and where they go is unknown, but it is enough to keep most business away. Still, necessity and convenient location as the last dry roof at the edge of the hinterlands sometimes forces travelers to take solace beneath its roof. Rumors swirl of fey magic, dreadful curses, ghostly apparitions, and even predatory cannibals, but none can be truly sure of what is happening here.

Nocht-ul, the Isle of the Manakins First discovered (and then quickly abandoned) by pirates fleeing high seas justice, Nocht-ul has gained a reputation among seafarers as cursed ground. According to the tales, the wizard who once made the island his home went mad after his daughter drowned in one of the nearby canals. Shortly after, he began creating magical constructs to bring his beloved daughter back to life. The wizard is long dead and isle is now littered with the cast-off debris from his years of experimentation. Manakins, dolls and effigies of all sizes hang from the trees, sometimes strung together like ornaments. Those few who have visited (no doubt searching for the wizard’s fabulous array of magical treasures) swear that they watch trespassers intently… and even move when the moon is high in the night sky! The Ghol Catacombs In the district of Ghol, far beneath the streets of Lothernia, a vast ossuary of bones, skulls and ancient human remains spread out beneath the streets like a crack in shattered glass. These catacombs house the remains of an incalculable number of former citizens ranging all ages and social stations. Entrances to these warrens can be found all over the city and even though they are actively guarded by the king’s men, those who work in the shadows still use them as a secret highway. Murder, trafficking, cult rituals and worse occur in the Ghol (a shortened term, used by locals) with rumors of monsters, ancient magic and deadly traps being commonplace. Who can say what else lurks in such a desolate place?

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