Y'taris at a Glance
A stone circle marks the confluence of ley lines in this bleak and broken place. Among the ancient runes and onyx pillars burn secret powers hidden by gods and men alike. But to the people of Y’taris, the stone circle is just a tourist destination for the rich. Every year, hundreds of spellcasters make the long pilgrimage to the stone circle high in the Broken Mountains. The villagers provide food, shelter, baubles and entertainment, all for exorbitant prices. Merchants bleed visitors of their gold, while pickpockets and scam artists take the rest. Y’taris is a nest of thieves. Anyone is welcome, until they run out of coin.
Rulers: Ayred Guilespire, Girmark Flaskgut and Mulgin Kulon
Government: Secret Syndicate
Population: 189 (57 humans, 16 dwarves, 24 elves, 39 gnomes, 14 half-elves, 7 half-orcs, 32 halflings)
Alignments: LE, NE
Languages: Common, Elven, Giant, Halfling
Resources & Industry: Tourism
A stone circle marks the confluence of ley lines in this bleak and broken place. Across its storied past, Y’taris has hosted spellbinding wizards and apocalyptic cultists, angelic battles and fey outcasts, abyssal legions and eldritch incursions. Among the ancient runes and onyx pillars lurk secret messages, spells and powers hidden through ages past by gods and men alike.
But to the people of Y’taris, the stone circle is just a tourist destination for the rich. Every year, hundreds of mages and necromancers make the long pilgrimage to the stone circle high in the Broken Mountains. Between meditation and study, these spellcasters need a place to eat, relax and play. Y’taris provides it all, for exorbitant prices. Those who are unwilling to pay may find their wallets missing all the same.
Despite this, visitors are in no rush to leave. Besides the ever-elusive call of enlightenment and power, the journey back to civilisation is harrowing. Trolls and goblins infest the mountains, and rumours of cursed dwarven holdfasts abound. While Y’taris provides caravans up the mountain, escorting the rich safely over Kuldor Pass, no such escort is offered for the return.
When visitors spend their last copper, Y’taris takes the rest piece by piece, the destitute sell themselves to Onyx Hall to pay off their inevitable debts. A liver here, a spleen there, until finally they are claimed wholesale.
For there is true power in Y’taris, and it is fed by a willing horde. Necromancers seek the Pit beneath the circle, and shower the populace with riches for access. Greedy citizens are all too willing to indulge these richest guests. Where else can you sell a human body for 10 copper a pound?
This is Y’taris. Anyone is welcome, as long as they are rich.
Cartography Tommi Salama
Notable Locations
Most of the Y’taris comprises peasant homes. A few locations, however, are of interest to adventurers:
The Grey Market: Filled with vendors, beggars, panhandlers and pickpockets, all magical goods can be found here (at exorbitant prices).
The Confluence: The reason mages flock to Y’taris, this stone circle intensifies magical ability and enhances arcane study.
The Pit: A conduit of necromantic power, the Pit draws powerful liches and other unsavoury spellcasters from across the world. This location lies under The Confluence and, thus, does not appear on the map.
Gibbering Stone Inn: This inn epitomises everything about a cheap tavern, except for its prices.
Raven’s Reach: Raven’s Reach inn provides wealthy visitors with opulence and a reason to spend far too much gold on frivolities and distractions.
Griffon’s Call: This gambling hall is the third best place to lose money in Y’taris.
Mage Society: Within the Mage Society, novices pay hefty dues in hopes of arcane revelations that never come.
Trading Post: At the trading post, the merchants of Y’taris buy alchemic ingredients from travelling salesmen.
Onyx Hall: Onyx Hall, which sells necromantic goods, is perhaps the only shop in Y’taris selling it merchandise for its true worth.
Want More?
Village Backdrop: Y’taris by Jeff Gomez is available at our store both in paid and free editions. Download your copies and add Fulhurst Moors to your campaign today!
Design Jeff Gomez Cartography Tommi Salama
