Category: The Best Free DnD Battlemaps with System Agnostic Adventures

An Overview of The Flying City of Aeraveska

Soaring hundreds of feet above the surface, the legendary flying city of Aeraveska has existed for centuries as a port of call for travelers, inventors and philosophers. Constructed by the most renowned mechanists and engineers, the city was built with the express purpose of bringing together people from diverse nations without the restriction of borders, or the petty squabbles of rulers and tyrants.

Powered by a mystical arcane generator, the city was made to the highest standards of its era, using the finest materials and designs to make it a place of wonder in a sometimes-bleak world. But time has a way of distorting the original purpose of the most noble endeavors, and Aeraveska is no exception.

The shining streets and towering pinnacles of steel have turned to rust, and as the founding builders passed, so has the ability of the city’s mechanists to properly repair it. Barely resembling its original design, Aeraveska is now a rusting hulk, rebuilt with whatever scraps and improvised machines the mechanists can find or create to fulfil the functions of the old machines.

Gone are the days where noble paladins would walk the streets, discussing the best way to serve the needs of the people. Now, a twisted sort of fanaticism has gripped a portion of the population, who revere the city’s very existence yet actively work against those who are attempting to maintain it. Though it is still an important city that stands apart from the machinations of the lords and ladies below, Aeraveska has its own dangers as factions struggle for control of the decrepit city.

Locations

Paladin Statue

Standing high above the center of the city rises an ancient statue of an armored man, bearing sword and shield and looking outward with an expression of optimism and courage expertly carved into his features. 

This is a memorial to Sir Gareth Prescott, the leader of a small band of paladins who worked with an army of mechanists to create the flying city of Aeraveska centuries ago. Time has not been kind to this depiction of the city’s founder, with large chunks of the statue missing and the surface pockmarked with damage from weapons and age, a more fitting tribute to the current state of the city than it has ever been.

Old Glin’s Docks

This squat tower used to be where the city’s chief mechanist used to live, a man by the name of Old Glin. Revered as a brilliant designer and one of the key architects of the city, the tower gradually became home to his descendants who had grown wealthy from his legacy. 

This is now the wealthy part of the city and arguably the least decrepit, where small indoor gardens liven up the place. They even have access to their own private docks, where expensive air yachts and balloons are kept.

Supply Docks

Referred to as the old supply docks, this is a small docking area for balloons and smaller airships, which is now mostly used as a passenger terminal. Stacks of goods are piled strategically around the place to provide thoroughfares for people moving to and from their ships, though such goods are mostly the luggage of travelers.  

Blue Bridge Inn

Hanging beneath a platform leading from the supply docks is the Blue Bridge Inn, a place where visitors can find a decent night’s sleep during their stay in Aeraveksa. The staff are courteous and polite, and the food adequate but unremarkable. 

The big attraction of the place is the view from the common room, where carefully placed windows reveal a panorama of the skies around and below the city, which can make it difficult for those who don’t like the constant reminder of their current location high above the ground.

Ms. Eva’s Saloon

Ms. Eva’s Saloon is the most popular place to enjoy a meal and a drink in the entire city. It is a place where courtesy and good manners are still maintained, even if life outside the bar’s rusty walls has devolved over the decades. Commonly used as a meeting place for merchants, mercenaries and miscreants, the Saloon is a slice of heaven in an otherwise grim locale. Two hulking clockwork golems are employed as bouncers to ensure the patrons remember their manners, and troublemakers are efficiently dealt with so as not to disturb others.

Mechanist Guild

One of the more important buildings in the city, the Mechanist’s Guild is home to the city’s engineers and inventors, the organization responsible for keeping the city functional and safe, even if they have fallen behind in their work. The building is covered by rust as much as any other, but there is a sense of faded glory about the place, with its high columns and vaulted ceilings.

Raseem’s Observatory

This towering, domed structure is home to Raseem Ahmadi, a scientist who uses this observatory to scour the heavens at night, taking notes and looking for revelations in the stars above. When the huge telescope within is adjusted to look at a different part of the sky, it is accompanied by a horrid screeching of metal on rusty metal, which can be heard through most of the city. Not a native of Aeraveska, Raseem sometimes causes a stir with his insights and hypotheses.  

Slums

All cities have a place where the lowest rungs of society are left in squalor, and in the case of Aeraveska, this is almost quite literal. 

Living in polluted air near the generator core, this place is filled with those who simply don’t fit in anywhere else. The poor, the homeless and those with violent tendencies gather here to try and find whatever work will put food in their bellies. It is rife with crime and the Aeronauts rarely police the area.

Generator

This huge building is under constant guard, for within lies the city’s central power generator which provides the mystical energy that keeps Aeraveska aloft. Smoke billows from improvised chimneys and the constant thrum of machinery vibrates the platform around it, and at night, the dull glow of eerie green lights can be seen through windows and cracks in the walls.

Sky Temple

The Sky Temple is the hallowed meeting hall of The Order of Heavenly Ascension, a religious group that has a moderate following within the city, who the ruling class deem to be bordering on dangerous. The temple itself is one of the more impressive structures in Aeraveksa, with a towering pinnacle reaching to the heavens and lots of glass so that worshippers can bask in the view.

Military Quater

Order within Aeraveksa is kept by the city’s military, who are trained in melee and ranged combat and serve the ruling class, who finance the whole thing. Several times over the centuries, Aeraveksa has been invaded by outside interests who would see it fall under their control, and it is through the expert training found here that the defenders make the best use of their lofty environment to outwit and outmaneuver their enemies with an unbeatable home turf advantage. 

Aeronaut School

Anastasia Belle, Sky-Captain of the Aeronauts trains an elite cadre of soldiers deemed strong and smart enough to bear the mantle. 

Aeronauts are humans (or similar races who lack wings) who use mechanical wings to soar around the city, fighting off anything that threatens Aeraveksa. Their unique weaponry includes grappling hooks and dart guns, and their incredible mobility allows them to move throughout the city with speed. 

Marketplace

Tucked away beneath the merchant’s guild is the marketplace of Aeraveksa, a sprawling arrangement of rusty old buildings in which all manner of goods are bought and sold. It is a chaotic affair, with merchants hawking their wares and customers haggling for the best price, all under the careful watch of the city guards. Nearly a quarter of the market is taken up by Lavech’s shop.

Hang Glider Ramp

A quick way to get around the city is to hire a hang glider here, and ride the winds to your destination. For the wealthy, it’s also a fun diversion from the day-to-day life within the confines of the rusting hulk of Aeraveska, a reminder of what it’s like to fly free. 

Trading Docks

Built to replace the smaller supply docks, these are the trading docks, where vast quantities of goods are brought in to feed the city’s insatiable hunger for spare parts. Huge airships and balloons can often be seen here, tethered to the city’s outskirts as workers move cargo on and off these mighty vessels. Passengers rarely come this way, unless they’re looking to keep a low profile.and dart guns, and their incredible mobility allows them to move throughout the city with speed. 

Factions

The Mechanist Guild

“Thanks to the genius and innovative designs of our esteemed founders, we continue the endless duty to maintain Aeraveska. In this task, we cannot fail, lest the grand work of generations come to naught and the city itself falls.”

–Alkari Corvus, Grand Artificer of the Mechanist Guild

The pre-eminent organization within the city, this group is populated with descendants of the city’s original creators. Centuries after its construction, the techniques and blueprints of the original city are long gone, forcing these creative individuals to use whatever materials and designs they can come up with to replace worn-out components. 

In addition to their primary purpose of keeping the city aloft, they create all manner of inventions, and often come together in their great hall to work on their designs, discuss technical details and collaborate on larger projects.

The True Defenders of Aeraveska  

“Our city has become polluted with land-dwellers, those our ancestors built Aeraveksa to escape. In honor of Sir Gareth, our city’s founder, it is our duty as the true defenders of this great city to maintain the purity of our people, and return the land-dwellers to their rightful place beneath our feet.”

–Magnus Sharpe, Lord Captain of the True Defenders

Sworn defenders of Aeraveska, the True Defenders are cultists who fervently believe in the superiority of those born in the city. Led by the disgraced Aeronaut Magnus Sharpe, the group maintain a low profile for the most part, but from time to time they strike out at visiting land-dwellers, kidnapping them and leaving the bodies hanging in prominent places with warnings written in blood. Although their numbers are small, they are a potent force known to cause a lot of disruption to the city.

The Order of Heavenly Ascension

“This holy city that lifts us into the heavens has been corrupted through time and the weak will of its rulers. Through fire and blood, we shall punish the corrupt and restore Aeraveska to its true place of glory in the skies!” 

–Dalia Serafina, Matriarch of the Order

Devout believers in the idea that Aeraveska was designed to be a shining light in the skies, this order of religious fanatics is descended from the benevolent paladins that founded the place, but have since lost their way. From their place in the Sky Temple, they see the rusting, crumbling city around them as an affront to the memory of Sir Gareth, the leader of the paladins, and see the Mechanist Guild as corrupting the purity of the city’s original glory. 

They make their thoughts known with street sermons, protests, and in some cases, violence, all in service of their goal to depose the Mechanist Guild’s leadership and take control of the city themselves. 

Important Characters

Lavech

A tall, lean man of middle-age appearance, this merchant goes by the name of Lavech, yet in spite of his seemingly unassuming nature, it is a name known throughout the city. Quiet and thoughtful, Lavech operates the largest store in Aeraveska, dominating nearly a quarter of the marketplace. There is no signage or official title – shoppers are simply directed to ‘go and see Lavech’ when they have need of something obscure.

In the dark recesses of the marketplace there is a single, ordinary door accessing this shop, and those with an eye for magical may recognize that, upon entry, they are stepping through a portal to a pocket dimension. Indeed, at the whim of the shop’s owner, this single doorway can act as a portal to many dimensions and other places in the world, leading to speculation that Lavech is far more than some mere mortal – some speculate he may even be a minor deity, for he wields this subtle yet powerful magic with ease.

Lavech is known to work as a broker for unnamed wealthy clients, those who need work done but wish to remain anonymous until the right people are found. Only then are the two parties introduced and their business conducted. These are typically high-paying jobs, where ethics is rarely a consideration. 

Lavech’s shop is also the best place to acquire magical items, but these can’t be bought with money – only by running jobs for him can these items be obtained. Such work usually entails finding materials or dealing with problems both in and out of the city itself. When Lavech wants to communicate with a client, he freely hands out Sending Stones, which allow him to speak across great distances. 

Magnus Sharpe

Formerly a high-ranking member of the Aeronauts, Magnus Sharpe was stripped of his rank and (literal) wings after his affiliation with a radical cult was discovered. Now the leader of the “True Defenders of Aeraveska”, Magnus has cobbled together a set of mechanical wings from discarded scraps, and designed an assortment of gadgets with which to fight for his cause, including a grappling hook and deadly dart gun. 

The cult he leads was always lurking in the shadows, with the authorities aware of its existence but paying it little heed, until Magnus took over. With his training and fervent dedication to the cause, he has personally lifted their ambitions and prominence in the city, as well as the danger they pose to society. 

Magnus is charming, driven and passionate, but also quick to anger. He uses his knowledge of machinery to maintain his contraptions, but keeps these devices for himself. Magnus is not above using others for his own ends, and his fervent belief that those who live on the land below are unworthy of living in the skies with the chosen people drives him to commit greater crimes in pursuit of his goals. 

Sabine Pryce

The dark streets of Aeraveska at night are not for the faint of heart. Crime is rife in many areas of the city, as poverty and desperation drive people to do what they need to survive. While the wealthy are thought to be indifferent to the plight of the common folk, one of their number walks these streets looking to balance the cosmic scales a little.

By day, Sabine Pryce is the daughter of a wealthy noble who goes about her normal affairs in the wealthy spires of the city. But by night, she uses her knowledge of the nobility to infiltrate their homes and take a few precious items they wouldn’t really miss. These trinkets are often worth a small fortune, and Sabine makes certain they find their way into the hands of the needy.

What motivated her to take up this rebellious lifestyle isn’t clear, but rumors abound that her family is involved in some unpleasant business that impacts the common folk, and Sabine felt the need to balance the scales with acts of ‘virtuous thievery’. When out on one of her late-night jaunts, Sabine obscures her appearance by necessity. An opera-style mask covers one side of her face, painted with two diagonal orange lines, which apparently has some specific meaning for her.

Sabine walks with a cane, though it is not because of any specific physical need. When its jeweled handle is pulled, a gleaming steel blade is visible within, a weapon with which she is well-practiced. She speaks rarely while in disguise, but her voice is soft and self-assured.

Alkari Corvus

One of the bird-people who have lived in Aeraveska since it first took flight, Alkari is a person reminiscent of a raven, with smooth, black feathers and an inquisitive mind. He wears belts with an assortment of gadgets around his waist, including concealable weapons that can incapacitate, or even kill an attacker. Goggles adorn his head, though he only puts them over his eyes when he works.

The Grand Artificer of the Mechanists Guild, Alkari is the most accomplished and technically proficient mechanist within the city, and uses his vast knowledge and keen mind to keep the decaying city aloft. He is well-liked within the guild, though he is not without his rivals. 

Thoughtful and observant, Alkari tends to let people speak their minds without interruption, before answering with a considered response. It is with this careful and intelligent manner he leads the guild, and although he is advancing in years, he shows no sign of slowing down.

One-Shot, System-Agnostic Adventures with Battlemaps

An Explosive Conspiracy

One day while visiting the floating sky city of Aeraveska, you are given a letter by a messenger dove with a shimmering bronze seal on it. It is marked by the Mechanist’s Guild, and the letter comes from none other than Alkari Corvus; the guild’s Grand Artificer. 

The letter writes that the artificer suspects there is a terrible conspiracy going on, one which he cannot trust to many of the locals–and those he does trust, would be recognised instantly whilst trying to uncover the truth. Alkari writes that he’s heard word of your good deeds in the city, and wishes you to meet with him and discuss preventing a possible disaster.

Should you go to meet with Alkari, you’ll find him in the Mechanist’s Guild. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, though covered by rust like most other things here. But there is a sense of faded glory about the place, with its high columns and vaulted ceilings.

If you enter you’ll be greeted by the receptionist, who has curly black hair and dark skin. She is wearing a copper-colored dress decorated with small, shiny bronze cogs, and shimmering bronze lipstick. Upon seeing the letter, she’ll smile warmly and give you directions for how to find Alkari.

His office is at the top of one of the towers, overlooking the surrounding city and sky. When you knock, Alkari will open the door using a complicated rope-mechanism he can peck from his desk. He looks reminiscent of a raven, with smooth, black feathers and a belt along his waist with an assortment of gadgets. A small set of goggles rest on his forehead.

Alkari thanks you for considering his offer, and gestures with a “hand” tipped wing (much like a raven’s foot) for you to sit down in a couple of chairs draped with thick moss. They appear to be welded together from different cogs and scrap pieces of metal, but polished to a high shine, though there are some patches of rust in the depressions.

Once you are comfortable, Alkari will explain in a solemn voice that he has heard wind of terrible rumors. Rumors that there is a conspiracy amongst one of Aeraveska’s lowest slums to blow up the arcane generator which holds the city aloft! You must go there at once, Alkari pleads, and investigate these claims. If they are real, you must do what you can to stop what he fears is a growing rebellion from the malcontents on the city’s lower levels.

He’ll then pull a small, rolled up map tied with a red ribbon out from one of his desk’s draws. Then he’ll hand it over to you, saying that it shows the locations where most of the rumors of violent discontent have been reported. He’ll also offer you a small pouch of gold doves; some of the city’s original currency, which are highly valued. 

Should you go to the area, you’ll find it is among the very lowest of the city’s slums. The whole area is made of retired timber skyships, which have been nailed together with more planks of wood. The use of such a short-lived material so close to the long-drop below tells tales about the slum’s desperation. A few patched hot-air balloons have been jerry-rigged to add extra lift to heavier parts of the structure, too.

On top of that, these slums have some of the foulest fumes wafting amongst them; exhaust from the arcane generator that holds the city aloft far, far above. Litter that can’t blow away in the often-strong winds cover the walkways. The sides of ships the locals have made homes in are broken in places, or heavily carved out with graffiti. And the often-scarred residents here wear stained, ragged clothes, often with torn strips of cloth over their nose and mouths.

Because of this, the locals will notice you right away. Many of them regard you with dour looks, while others might try to jump you for your valuables. If you try to ask anyone about the conspiracy, however, they’ll coldly say they don’t know what you’re talking about before excusing themselves.

Should this happen, you will be jumped by a group a few minutes later–once the individual you questioned has had time to run off to tell their contacts that a stranger’s been asking around regarding their plans. If you manage to defeat the group, the other locals will begin attacking you also. They may be poor, and many of them even drug-addled, but they’re a close-knit community with nothing much to lose.

Once the fight reaches a certain size or hits a certain number of casualties, the leader will emerge and try to reason with you. She’ll come out of one of the rooms, with her hands up in the air as a gesture of peace. She is wearing red, worn-through fingerless gloves, and a bandana tying up thick locks of auburn hair. Holy stockings cover lean legs, while a dress that has been patched far too many times drapes her wiry frame.

Her ears are adorned with steel or carved wood earrings, and she has a belt covered with different tools along her waist–predominantly knives. She’ll introduce herself as Kathorne, and say that she seeks an end to this violence for her people. Then she’ll say that you came here asking about their plans, so as a peace offering she’ll explain them to you. Then you can decide for yourself what you wish to do with that knowledge. Fair?

If you listen, she’ll explain with a relieved sigh that yes, they have been planning to blow up the arcane generator which holds up the city–but it’s not as bad as it sounds! They have a mechanist friend who works for the guild, and he told them there are safety measures in place so the city won’t just crash. It’ll drift to the ground.

She continues to explain that her people have been forced to live in these slums due to the overpopulated city’s stagnant economy. There are too few jobs and too many people–we can’t work even if we want to! On top of that, it costs money to get down to the land below, so most of us can’t just leave. There are so many people in the slums, all over Aeraveska, breathing in the toxic fumes from the arcane generator. Most don’t make it beyond 30! All her people want is to leave and start a new life somewhere else, somewhere far away from this dying city.

If you are swayed by her reasoning, she’ll breathe a sigh of relief and thank you, before sending a group out to rig the final explosives and set them off, now that the Mechanist’s Guild is cluing on to them. Before the crowd disperses, she’ll tell you where you can find her in her hovel should you need to.

About an hour later the explosion will destroy the arcane generator. The bones of the city will shudder terribly, and it will slant as it begins a steep slide through the sky, crashing down towards the earth at terrifying speeds. The emergency systems will engage, slowing the descent somewhat magically, as well as sending a barrage of parachutes up behind the doomed city.

Upon impact with the earth below, some of the old and rusted buildings will crumble and collapse. 10% of Aeraveska’s population will die.

If you go to find Kathorne afterwards, her house is among those that collapsed. Should you make your way into the ruins, you’ll find her crushed body, as well as a journal. In the journal Kathorne wrote that she knew the fail-safe wasn’t fully functioning due to the city being so old and in such a decrepit state, but she believed the risk was worth it for her people.

Should you refuse to aid Kathorne in her plan instead, unless you can find a peaceful resolution (such as paying for their passage off the city), her and her people will put up a vicious fight.

Once you tell Alkari about what has occurred however, he’ll puff up all his feathers in distress. Then he’ll remark how horrified he was that they wanted to rely on the failsafe systems, which were created at the city’s founding and might be just as unreliable as much of the old, run-down city. It could have ended in many, many deaths–without even regarding where Aeraveska would land. Shaking his head some more, Alkari will solemnly pay you even more of the golden doves as thanks for making the right choice against what could have been a convincing argument. Thanks to you, he emphasizes, many lives were saved, along with our great city.

As you leave, he muses to himself thoughtfully that perhaps the Mechanist’s Guild can find some way to allow poor citizens to leave, if they wish.

The Screw

There are posters up inside Ms. Eva’s Saloon and the Blue Bridge Inn within the floating city of Aeraveska. They’re from an old woman who is looking for help finalizing her deceased husband’s estate. She writes that she wants to donate a lot of the items to the Mechanist’s Guild, so they can melt them down and use the scrap to continue repairing the city. It’s a simple job, just labor intensive–though it pays alright.

Should you go meet with the old woman who’s offering the job, you’ll find she lives in the wealthy district of Aeraveska, known as Old Glin’s Docks. When you arrive at her considerably well-maintained house (compared to the rest of the rusting city), a middle-aged maid will open the door and invite you inside. Once in, she’ll sit you down at a small coffee table in the midst of an indoor garden, before leaving to get the matron.

When the matron arrives, you’ll see she’s a woman easily in her 80s, with her gray hair tied up in a neat bun. She is wearing a long, blue dress and some simple jewelry made with expensive gold and colorful jewels, and moves smoothly.

She will welcome you warmly, before taking a seat opposite you. She’ll explain that her husband had a lot of things she has no need for, and since his passing she’s been tying up the loose ends to prepare for her own, eventual death. Her now-adult children moved away from Aeraveska many years ago you see, and they don’t have need for their father’s things. So, she’s decided to send much of it to the Mechanist’s Guild to become scrap and much-needed parts to repair the city. If you would take it there for her–chairs, mechanical contraptions, a metal workbench and some tools–she can pay you once the job is complete.

Should you accept, she will thank you, and pay you half in advance before getting her maid to show you where the things are located.

When you arrive at the Mechanist’s Guild, there are two burly men standing outside the front door, with light leather armor and weapons on their belts. Should you try to enter, they’ll say that you can’t in thick voices. If you ask why not, they’ll pause for a moment, before saying the Guild is closed for maintenance.

Should you explain that you’re bringing scrap to donate so that they can melt it down and use it to help repair the dying city, one will shake their head fervently and say that they’re not accepting scrap today, go take it elsewhere. At this point, however, a loud scream will sound from somewhere within the building.

If you insist on entering to see what’s going on, the “guards” will fight you rather than willingly letting you in. Should you make it past, you’ll find a handful more of the thugs beyond the door, in a room with a statue at its heart.

Further in, there are a couple of crumpled receptionists who have been knocked out and tied up behind the desks. If you succeed at waking either of them up, they’ll beg you to free them and warn you that there are armed men in the building looking for an artifact.

Should you free the girls, they’ll thank you before running out the way you came in, saying they’re going to go get help. In the room beyond the receptionist’s section, you’ll find a number of soot-stained tinkerers, wearing leather working clothes, who have been tied up and surrounded by more of the goons. If the goons see you, they’ll attack–muttering to themselves about “giving the boss more time to get the artifact”.

When you’ve defeated the goons and freed tinkerers, they’ll thank you before urging you to hurry. They’ll say that those goons don’t seem particularly bright and kept mumbling to themselves about this being some kind of a distraction!

There’s a loud bang from the upper floor as they say this. If you race up the stairs to see what it is, you’ll encounter a couple of men in brown leather armor with mechanical wings made of scrap metal. They’re in an outdoors area in front of Grand Artificer Alkali’s office. They will attack on sight, flying and using aerial combat to their advantage as well as any trained aeronaut.

The sounds of combat come from Alkali’s office while this happens. 

Should you defeat the winged defenders and go into the office, there are a number of holes which have been cut into the ceiling. Dead goons lie on the floor (some with darts in their neck), but there is a tall man with mechanical wings still standing, quite alive. He is wearing light leather armor, with a crossbow aimed at Alkari, but one side of his face is covered with a splatter of blue dye and his body is already covered in scrape wounds.

 Alkari is a person reminiscent of a raven, with smooth black feathers and a tool belt on his waist. He is wearing goggles over his eyes, and hefting a small contraption in a clawed “hand” at the tip of his wing, from where he perches on a desk. Unusual traps have been set off all over the tower, and they appear to have done damage to the tall, winged man–who is both frustrated and out of breath.

When you enter the tower you walk into this stalemate, and both the men will look at you in confusion. Alkari will twist his head at you thoughtfully, before asking if you have come to his aid. The winged man will spit, saying of course it’s outsiders. Then he will growl at you to leave the affairs of Aeraveska to the skyfolk, warning that you have no idea what you’re meddling with. 

If you ask him what you’re meddling with, he’ll say plans that will enable his people to finally reach the true glory this city dreamed of–plans which Alkali Corvus is getting in the way of.

At this point Alkari will clack his beak, and say that if the True Defenders of Aeraveska’s plans for greatness rely on The Screw, they are doomed to fail. Far more goes into mechanical engineering than relying on a magical artifact.

Should you ask what The Screw is, he’ll explain that it’s a wondrous screw created by Kolgar the Frustrated. It will make any invention it’s added to work, though it doesn’t guarantee that it won’t explode or fail later on. Only a desperate man–or a fool–would wager important plans on such an item. Alkari will then look at the winged man, saying that, while he has had his differences with Magnus Sharpe, he never imagined he was a fool. 

The winged man will growl, telling Alkari to stop speaking ill of his leader, and demanding that he hand over the artifact and let them be done with this nonsense. He’ll tell the bird that he does not want to harm one of the city’s own skyfolk–despite him killing so many of his men–but he will end him if he doesn’t hand over what he wants.

At this, Alkari will look at you, a twinkle in his eye, and say that he supposes that you are the deciding factor in this stalemate. He warns you that Magnus Sharpe is a religious extremist, as are his followers. The blood of many innocents are on their hands, and he has never found them to be reasonable. Whatever they are planning, it will not be good.

Should you side with Alkari, if the winged man is injured enough he will attempt to flee back out through one of the holes in the ceiling. Afterwards, Alkari will sigh, and say that today was a near miss. He’ll ask after the health of the mechanists below, and once he knows they were saved, he’ll visibly relax. Then he will hop down to his seat and open up a draw; pulling out a screw from a box amidst all the other junk.

He talks while he hops back over to you with it, saying that he supposes after today’s events it is far too dangerous to keep The Screw here. Magnus is the last person who should be allowed access to the artifact, due to the terrible damage he could do with it. So, as thanks for your good deeds today, you may have it, he says. He finishes with a small, gracious bow.

If you side with the winged man instead, Alkari will not surrender. Instead he will stare you down determinedly, saying that he will never hand over The Screw to a man known to be violent and wholly unreasonable. His death will slow you down, for it’s a large office to search for such a small screw–and by now, the Aeronauts will have heard of the fighting here. They’ll be here any minute.

Should you attack him, he’ll attempt to shoot you with a poison dart from his small revolver. If you manage to kill him, his dying words will be a warning that Magnus may be charming, but he will try to kill you. If you turn back now, you can still save the city from whatever evil he is planning…

Once Alkari is dead, the winged man will step on his small feathered body, spitting that he was a traitor to his true brethren; the skyfolk. He’ll then ask for your help pilfering through all the drawers for The Screw, and when he gets his hands on it, he will thank you for your assistance. After that, he’ll fly out through the hole in the ceiling, before dropping a firebomb from his belt into the room you’re still in; calling you a useful idiot. 

He’ll laugh as he flies away, not looking back to see if you survived or not.

Battlemaps for the Adventures

Skyship Slums of Aeraveska

Made for “An Explosive Conspiracy”, download this complimentary free battlemap for VTTs from our Patreon here: patreon.com/posts/64874360.

Mechanist’s Guild of Aeraveska

Made for “An Explosive Conspiracy”, download this complimentary free battlemap for VTTs from our Patreon here: patreon.com/posts/64874360. 

Seeds of More Adventures

• It is a closely guarded secret that the city is running low on the machinery essential to maintaining its flight. The few mechanists responsible for maintaining the engines are getting desperate, and need people to go on extraordinary quests to locate obscure resources.

• There’s a rumor that the Order of Heavenly Ascension are going to attempt to destroy the main docks to the city, cutting it off from the outside as a prelude to something bigger. 

• The captain of an airship owes money to one of the shadier criminal groups within the slums, and with this debt coming due, may ask a huge favor of the party. The captain is more than happy to offer free transportation to places near and far for eliminating this problem.

• Though the city is usually able to be steered clear of rough weather, sudden and powerful storms can arrive too quickly to avoid. When this happens the systems of the city are sorely tested, with emergency crews in short supply and high demand to save lives and prevent a mortal blow to Aeraveska itself.

If you enjoyed this adventurer’s guide, please help us make more by supporting us on Patreon or buying some battlemaps from this website 🙂 Want your NPCs or setting added to our next guide, and immortalised in TTRPG lore forever? Sign up to our Forger of Worlds Patreon tier! Your support helps make what we do possible! Thank you so, so much for anything you contribute.

Hope you and your friends enjoy Aeraveska! \(^.^)/

Beb and Luke, with the help of Stephen L. Nowland and The Art of Caustic

An Overview of Craobh Agus’tur

Built on the coast between a lush forest and calm waters, the village of Craobh Agus’tur is an old settlement home to a few hundred people, consisting of farmers, shipwrights and mages going about their daily lives in peace. Here, the weather is pleasant, the waters calm and the people productive.

Although none would consider it a wealthy place, the people are well-clothed and few go hungry.

It wasn’t long ago when war cast its long shadow over the town, leading to the death of dozens of people and the destruction of many homes.

The population was predominantly human, until gnomish refugees fled the strife further inland and made their stand with the people of Craobh Agus’tur against their attackers. Now, in the aftermath, they’re building new homes here after losing everything but their lives. All of the residents of this village work together and look out for each other, a community forged in the fires of war which only grows stronger by the day.

Travelers are generally welcome, though some who walk the streets will cast a nervous eye at any newcomers, still wary of those from outside the town after recent dark events. Craobh Agus’tur is loosely governed by prominent members in town, such as the wizard Ichorath, the Dockmaster Corin Blackwell, and the Guard Captain Mothus Barkton, but the unlikely person everyone defers to is Meadmaster Fuzzington, who offers wise counsel and general good advice to those running the town, even if he deplores the role.

Locations

First Tree

This is a vast, blackened stump towering over the southern part of town, the charred remains of the beloved First Tree, which had been planted here centuries ago when the town was founded. It was one of the first casualties of the recent war, it’s massive bulk absorbing flaming arrows and catapult barrages aimed at the town. In a way, the sacrifice of this great tree was instrumental in the town’s survival, buying the defenders time to counterattack and disable the enemy. 

The stump now stands here as a solemn reminder of what was lost. Small shrines can be seen dotted around its base, or carved into the blackened wood to remember those who were lost during the fight, and fresh flowers are frequently left here to commemorate their lives.

Second Tree

Following the winding coast road into town reveals a small community nestled around what the locals call the Second Tree, magically grown from a seed recovered from the smoking stump of the First Tree. Even with the application of magic to speed its growth, it stands less than half the height of the original, but it is healthy, green and vibrant, embodying the hope for a better future the people of Craobh Agus’tur share in the wake of the war.

The Party Hall

While times have been grim of late, festivities are never in short supply as The Party Hall usually has some kind of celebration going on. A big place with lots of public and private rooms, it was known for drinking, dancing and debauchery long before the war descended upon the town. 

Operated by the vivacious Celeste Del Tara, she and her staff enjoy life and encourage people to revel in it, and to get on with living after the darkness that came to Craobh Agus’tur. This often results in rather boisterous affairs, and a few select days a year are devoted to public days of celebration, where the party spills out of the hall and into the streets, for all to enjoy. Such affairs are rarely well remembered, since most of the town becomes roaring drunk and the following day is spent cleaning up the mess they made.

Mage College

Far from being a simple rural village, Craobh Agus’tur is also home to the College of Mages, where young aspirants showing a spark of magical skill are taught by the venerable wizard Ichorath in the ways of the arcane arts. The size of the place suggests that in times past, there were several dozen students here at any given time, but recently only a handful have been studying the arcane arts, at least until the injection of new, inquisitive minds with the arrival of the gnomes.

Now, the place is packed with people eagerly experimenting with magic, under the tutelage of Ichorath and a few other trusted teachers. Thought to be close to retirement, the wizard has been given purpose anew with the influx of students. 

Wyvern Grounds

The Second Tree is home to a nest of wyverns, bred and trained by the talented Nadia Vesper who’s steely demeanor reflects her iron will. Although the community was initially cautious about the prospect of homing such powerful beasts, Nadia has proven their worth and the locals consider these creatures to be a useful addition to Craobh Agus’tur’s character, not to mention a powerful new defense.

Fuzzington’s Meadery

Not far from the College is Meadmaster Fuzzington’s Meadery, a rustic and homely old building where the owner’s home brews are served to eager customers. There is accommodation out the back for travelers to rest, and although the rooms aren’t large, they are cozy and exquisitely furnished. The beverages served here are of such quality and flavor that travelers come from miles around to sample Fuzzington’s legendary brews.

Mushroom Farms

This cave opens into a large cavern, which is used to grown mushrooms for an assortment of applications. Some are grown for general consumption, while other varieties provide “interesting” effects, often used in The Party Hall to provide the celebrants with a little extra kick. It is known that the cavern is connected to a series of tunnels that descend into the earth, though nobody alive today has explored them completely. 

Junkyard

Unceremoniously placed along the road into town, this patch of land is littered with the broken equipment from those who were fought back by Craobh Agus’tur’s tireless defenders. Nothing here is intact, but the pieces of magic items, weapons and armor can be seen rusting away in the pile, along with other refuse from the town. The smell is what people would expect from a pile of junk, but there are a few brave souls in town who pick over the discarded refuse looking for valuable trinkets.

Dock Ward

The docks on the shore are always bustling with activity, as new supplies are brought in to continue the rebuilding effort, and produce from the town’s farms and mushroom caves are exported to hungry customers abroad. The hammering and sawing of shipwrights assembling a new vessel are often heard, and the town does a lively business constructing new ships to take its wares to places near and far.

Battleground

At the far end of town, more serious activities are pursued. A large field called the Battleground is used for new recruits and traveling mercenaries to train in weapons and tactics, and to prepare for the time when the town must defend itself again. There has been a surge of interest lately, especially from the gnomish refugees who wish to learn how to defend themselves and their loved ones, should they be called to fight once more.

The thirty soldiers of Craobh Agus’tur are led by Captain Mothus Barkton, a grumpy, unshaven lout who was a common soldier during the war, but has now found himself in charge of the town’s defenses. He’s a decent trainer and fierce fighter, but he lacks the social grace and magnetic personality required for a true leader. Thus, when hard pressed, he will defer to the judgment of others in town rather than risk his own skin.

Farms

Large fields of crops are grown in this area, with farmers producing a wide assortment of grains and vegetables, such as wheat, corn, pumpkin and potatoes. Pigs and goats are also grown here, providing a steady source of food for the town, and for export to other places along the coast. 

Ichorath’s Tower

The old mage Ichorath lives in this tower, made with transparent walls on the eastern side of the Second Tree. The magic he used to build this wondrous design allows him to sit and gaze for hours upon the green hills and blue waters around Craobh Agus’tur, or turn them opaque with a gesture to grant him some privacy now and then. 

It is understood he has a large collection of books and magical paraphernalia locked within his magical tower, and while reluctant to share power, he would likely share knowledge with those in need.

Factions

The College of Mages

“We must always ensure the absolute best education for our students. If that means we must step in to protect the town, as loathsome dabbling in politics is, I say we do what must be done to preserve our esteemed College.”

–Icorath, Grand Wizard of the College of Mages

Teachers and scholars all, the men and women who impart magical knowledge to a new generation of arcane students have little interest in manipulating affairs to their advantage. 

Indeed, if they put their minds and collective will to the task, they could easily dominate the day-to-day operations of Craobh Agus’tur, but to these middle-aged scholars, that sounds like an awful lot of work. 

The College Dean is Kalist Edin, a kindly a respected woman who is effectively the second in charge, after the wizard Ichorath.

The Dockers Guild

“Whatever we do to maximize our profits, we must not–under any circumstances–incur the wrath of the community. To best achieve this I propose we rebuild the town’s fleet, so we have control of the flow of goods to and from Craobh Agus’tur…”

–Corin Blackwell, Merchant and Black Marketeer 

The continued operation of the docks is paramount to the rebuilding of town, and those who operate the docks know this very well.

Led by Corin Blackwell, his shipwrights work hard to build and repair ships, as well as ensure the loading and unloading of merchant vessels is undertaken efficiently. 

Sometimes goods go missing without a trace, and the dockers are quick to charge a recovery fee if the owner is desperate enough to want it back.

Gnomish Survivors

“I refuse to roll over and let us be treated as if we are on uneven footing with the other members of this town. We must be firm in asserting ourselves for our continued survival!” 

–Brialla, Spokeswoman of the Gnomes

Led by the strong-willed Brialla, the gnomish survivors have formed a strong bond with each other, and they tend to act as one with Brialla as their spokeswoman. Though grateful for the shelter and help they have received in town, they’re unwilling to be pushed around and thus, strongly negotiate any agreements to make sure their needs are met.

Beyond mere survival, these industrious and inquisitive people look for ways to contribute to the town’s recovery, and provide a wide variety of trade skills from carpentry to stone-masonry, and everything in-between. Thus, they negotiate from a position of surprising strength in the community.

Important Characters

Meadmaster Fuzzington

At first glance, this individual appears to be a brown bear, albeit one dressed in a large apron and wearing spectacles that have seen better days. He is, in reality, a sapient and articulate fellow who, in spite of his huge, imposing form, is beloved by the townsfolk and is the proprietor of Meadmaster Fuzzington’s Meadery, the fanciest place in town.

When he isn’t hosting functions or weddings at his magnificent and highly successful establishment, Fuzzington is a professional apiarist who cares for his bees, who in turn provide the honey he uses to make the finest mead in the region. 

His personality is as sweet as the mead he brews, and he has a reputation for helping adventurers and travelers in need. But troublemakers who mistake his easy-going nature for weakness soon find themselves being literally tossed from his establishment in short order.

Easily the most popular person in town, Fuzzington is thought of as something of a leader in the community, and it is a poorly kept secret that he’s actually running the place, even though he holds no official position. Repeated attempts to get him into any sort of official job are repeatedly rebuffed, as the brewer has no love for the tedium and weight of responsibility that comes with high office.

Still, when times are tough, there is no-one better to count upon than this quiet and unassuming bear-man.

Ichorath

A mage of substantial skill and power, Ichorath resides in the transparent tower near the Second Tree. Elderly and wise, he appears very much like the classical wizard, with a short, white beard and round spectacles adding a kindly aspect to his features. Comfortable robes drape around his thin frame, and he is often seen walking with a tall staff, which he leans on for support.

In spite of his frail appearance, it is widely understood that his magical power is the main reason the town still stands. Though the First Tree was lost and many buildings burned, Ichorath led his students and helped turn back the tide of war that threatened to overwhelm Craobh Agus’tur.

Slow and ponderous in conversation, Ichorath is content to let everyone speak their mind and reveal their true intentions, before making his own thoughts known. He has little patience for outsiders coming to him with trivial concerns, but if there is genuine need, he will set aside time to sort out problems both mundane and magical.

Wary of the other factions within town, Ichorath prefers to ignore the politics and focus on teaching his students the wonders of magic, a task he has endless patience for. He possesses vast sums of knowledge, some of which is stored at his personal tower, and some at the college, but he keeps many secrets that he has never put to parchment. 

His past is largely unknown, but it is thought he has traveled far and wide in his youth, and only settled here a few decades ago to teach. Rumor has it that there are other reasons he chose to settle in Craobh Agus’tur, but for now, the ghosts of his past remain buried.

Elvira and Mr. BugBugs

A recent arrival in town, this orphaned young tiefling girl is dressed in little more than rags, and goes by the name Elvira. She carries with her a slightly disheveled teddy bear called Mister Bugbugs, whom she keeps close at all times. Elvira can sometimes be heard talking to the teddy bear as if he were listening.

Those who have approached the wandering girl have learned that Elvira can’t recall where she came from, only that she escaped from some “bad men” and that “Mister Bugbugs looks after her.”

Elvira is often seen wandering around town or sitting around the docks, watching the people go about their work and enjoying the fresh seaside air. She cheerfully offers her help to anyone who needs it, and although still a child, she has remarkable insights and sees things as they truly are, exhibiting some innate magical abilities she barely seems aware of. 

Any adult tiefling she meets is asked the slightly awkward question of “are you my mommy (or daddy)?”

Anyone who threatens Elvira, or if she faces danger will quickly discover the true nature of Mister Bugbugs, who transforms into an 8ft tall bugbear who will fight to protect her. Even without the transformation, when hugged, the magical teddy bear appears to speed healing and offers other less tangible protections against attack.

Spending any time talking to Elvira about her past gives a strong indication that the “bad men” she refers to aren’t quite done with her yet, and sooner or later they will come for her. Although she never asks for help directly, Elvira will often look up at people with her big, round eyes that implore someone to step up and protect her against those who would return her to captivity.

Snatch

The junkyard is usually avoided by most people in town, but those who look closely might spot this green-scaled kobold scurrying around, searching the mound of discarded waste for broken magic items left behind after the war. Going by the name Snatch, he’s obsessed with fixing and rebuilding magical items out of the broken pieces he finds. 

Tolerated by the community, Snatch is considered an odd fellow by any measure. His little shack near the junkyard is sort of a temple to a “Clockwork Goddess”, for whom he creates his little gizmos. 

Although usually left to his own devices, Snatch is happy to trade bits and pieces for the parts he needs to repair his broken items. The quality of his repair work varies greatly, and townsfolk caution anyone thinking of purchasing such magical artifice that you can expect anything from barely functional, to better results than the original. 

Snatch can talk for hours about his work, but if a visitor can make it through all of that, he actually has some interesting insights on the people in town. He views the interactions of those within the community like cogs in a machine, with each one performing a unique task, and without everyone doing their thing, the whole place would fall apart. 

To this end, he will sometimes assist others in town on their tasks, often for reasons that seem unfathomable to the casual onlooker, but those who know Snatch understand he’s working to improve the lives of everyone in town.

Adventure Hooks for Players At Craobh Agustur

• It is known there are shipwrecks in the shallow waters off the coast, the remains of the small defensive fleet that fought the invaders. Scavenging from these wrecks is considered a foul act, yet there are treasures ripe for the picking for the unscrupulous.

• The junkyard is thought to contain the broken remnants of some dangerous and powerful magical items. In the wrong hands, these could prove disastrous to the town, and Snatch the kobold is probably not the best person to be playing with all this stuff.

• Ichorath’s choice to settle here is a curious one, given he could have chosen a more populous area to teach magic. Rumors abound that he has another purpose for settling in Craobh Agus’tur, where he can watch the surrounding land from his transparent tower. 

• The mushroom caves are connected to a series of tunnels, and while they have never been fully explored, the guards of the town keep a wary eye on them in case something wicked this way comes. 

If you enjoyed this adventurer’s guide, please help us make more by supporting us on Patreon or buying some battlemaps from this website 🙂 Want your NPCs or setting added to our next guide, and immortalised in TTRPG lore forever? Sign up to our Forger of Worlds Patreon tier! Your support helps make what we do possible! Thank you so, so much for anything you contribute.

Hope you and your friends enjoy Craobh Agus’tur! \(^.^)/

Beb and Luke, with the help of Stephen L. Nowland and The Art of Caustic