Qyn’ki

Written By Collin Ritzinger

Qyn’Ki– Swampy Colonial Decay & The Edge of Divine Collapse

Sidebar: Crashing Divinity & Leadership
  • The Great Oubliette: A radioactive mire birthed from divine conflict, its expanding mists encroach upon Qyn'ki, bringing both physical and metaphysical disturbances.
  • Baron Harlan “Swamp King” Jefferson: Once a celebrated war hero, now the beleaguered ruler of Qyn'ki, struggling against the city's decay and the creeping influence of the Great Oubliette.

Qyn’ki is a large, mist-laden town situated on the Murkbound Coast, nestled within the Abandoned Lands of Somnuria. With a population of around 25,000, it serves as a vital outpost at the edge of empire and mystery. Built upon the shattered remnants of pre-Kol ruins, the city blends ancient stonework, orcish engineering, and divine salvage from long-forgotten battles. Swamps creep ever closer to its outer walls as the Exclusion Zone of the Great Oubliette—a radioactive mire birthed from the depths of divine conflict—continues to expand and its mists touching this town. Though geographically isolated from the orcish core territories, Qyn’ki remains a critical point of spiritual, military, and magical intrigue.

Once an independent hub of traders, outcasts, and theologians, Qyn’ki now lives under the rule of the Patriciate Empire, specifically governed by Baron Harlan “Swamp King” Jefferson. Though nominally loyal to the Church of Gris, the Baron is overburdened by food rationing, growing corruption, and the creeping influence of divine radiation from the nearby Oubliette. Patriciate dominance is subtle but firm—pressing cults, outlawing select rituals, and favoring imported bureaucracy over native tradition. Yet cracks in that rule are beginning to show, as Black Church agents, rogue priests of Ceslida, and cultists of forbidden gods maneuver for footholds in the increasingly unstable region.

Spiritual life in Qyn’ki is anything but monolithic. Shrines to Krajevi, Mekhila, Ceslida, and even Renji persist alongside the sanctioned temples of Gris. Forgotten spirits and ancient local gods are venerated in alleyways, beneath floorboards, and on lonely riverbanks. The city has become a safe haven—or testing ground—for displaced worshippers and exiled divine orders. The Black Church, now rising in prominence through new leadership, has claimed Qyn’ki as a critical outpost. It serves not only as a foothold in enemy territory but as a staging ground for investigations into a broader metaphysical disturbance that affects memory, history, and divine presence.

This disturbance is deeply personal for Grim, a member of the Black Church’s newly assigned party. Records suggest his long-missing father once lived in Qyn’ki, perhaps even started a family here. Even more mysteriously, Grim and his companions were dispatched to replace officers whose very existence seems... recent. These individuals now appear in Black Church records, maps, and personal histories—but no one remembers them before a few months ago. A similar phenomenon surrounds a new city—one which now appears on maps and in books, yet remains wholly unknown. The party’s post in Qyn’ki isn’t just about authority—it’s about untangling cosmic interference.

Qyn’ki’s location places it directly in the contested territory between divine collapse and fiendish incursion. Patriciate forces continue to dig into local infrastructure, claiming rights to natural and magical resources. But their “loyalty” to Gris masks a deeper infection—the Cult of Ahriman, which now guides much of the Patriciate’s doctrine, trade, and conquest. Meanwhile, rumors swirl of the elusive Beau Abernathy, the “Frenzied Fox,” a legendary rogue archivist and ex-Black Church librarian believed to be operating in the region. He, too, seems tied to the reality-warping events occurring here.

Today, Qyn’ki stands at a crossroads of fate. Between the creeping Murk, divine silence, fiendish hunger, and unraveling timelines, the town has become far more than a strategic foothold. It is a potential beacon of rebirth or a crater of cosmic failure—and which future it faces will depend on the choices of a few mortals within its mist-bound streets. For now, its lamps flicker, its gods sleep or stir, and its fate balances on the tip of a knife.

"In the mist-laden streets of Qyn'ki, every shadow has a story, and every story is a thread in the city's unraveling tapestry."
  • Local proverb

Why Are We Here?

The Black Church has installed agents here under the guise of assisting the town’s survival. In truth, the Church seeks to investigate memory anomalies, suppress the cult of Teàrrachar Analach, and recover lost artifacts once handled by Bert Davidson—father of Grim, a current party member. The fog, the Oubliette vault beneath the swamp, and the town’s distorted timeline are all part of a growing divine breakdown. As newly promoted officers of the Black Church, your assignment is clear — but the path ahead is anything but.

You have been stationed in Qyn’ki, a large town in the Abandoned Lands — territory lost beyond the Orc Empire’s protective walls and now governed by the Patriciate. While the surface reflects uneasy peace under Baron Harlan “Swamp King” Jefferson, the truth seethes beneath. The Exclusion Zone from the nearby Great Oubliette has begun to expand unnaturally, and what was once arable farmland now teeters on the edge of murky, irradiated swampland. With the Orc Empire pulled back and the Patriciate unchecked, Qyn’ki has become a strategic foothold for divine, arcane, and political interests.

You are here because Grim discovered evidence that his long-missing father once lived here—perhaps even started a family. Documents, artifacts, and local whispers all point to this seemingly quiet town. The assignment offered not only a promotion within the Black Church, but a chance to dig deeper into personal shadows — and to unearth whatever truth lies buried in Qyn’ki’s history.

More disturbing is the emergence of a mysterious city, one that now inexplicably appears in local maps, historical records, and the memories of some townsfolk. And yet, when pressed, no one can recall who lives there, when it was founded, or what name it bears. This same phenomenon seems to have affected a group of mid-tier Black Church officers—individuals who now have well-documented careers, yet whom no one remembers recruiting. You are replacing them. Their names are listed in the rolls, their accomplishments recorded, and their items archived… but they are ghosts.

There are deeper stakes at play. The Patriciate, once the devout empire of Gris, has been co-opted by the Cult of Ahriman for nearly a millennium. With Ansil, Ceslida, and Auriel slumbering in the paused Age of Ruby, Ahriman's agents have infiltrated mortal realms unchecked. The Black Church believes this region could be critical to weakening Ahriman’s grip, redistributing power, and ensuring karmic balance before the long-foretold end-time arrives.

Adding to the urgency is the confirmed presence of Beau Abernathy, the elusive and infamous Frenzied Fox. He is a feared a Master Chapter Librarian of the Black Church, but he has been missing for months. Last seen near the Great Oubliette, Beau is believed to be pursuing something incredibly dark and powerful. His name appears in the same corrupted records tied to the mysterious city and the erased officers. His goals are unknown. But the Church is certain: wherever Beau walks, the veil of reality is fraying.

Population:

Trivia and Interesting Facts
  • Architectural Mosaic: The city's structures are a blend of ancient stonework, orcish engineering, and salvaged remnants from bygone eras, symbolizing its layered history.
  • Cultural Melting Pot:Qyn'ki hosts a myriad of shrines and temples, including those dedicated to Krajevi, Mekhila, Ceslida, and even the forbidden Renji, reflecting its diverse spiritual landscape.
  • The Clockless Bell Tower:Qyn’ki’s central bell tower has no clock face and no known bell. Still, it rings at dusk and dawn every day. No one knows who—or what—maintains it.
  • Prayers That Answer Back:At the ruined shrine to Arevay near the swamp, some visitors claim the prayers speak back in their own voice—but wrong, like a mirrored echo that remembers things you never said.
  • No One Is Born In Qyn’ki:There are no recorded births within the town limits for the last 70 years. Midwives are paid to deliver elsewhere. Still, Qyn’ki’s population seems to remain steady.
  • The Swamp King’s Missing Portrait:Baron Harlan Jefferson once commissioned a grand portrait for his office in the King’s Hall. It was painted, framed, and displayed for three days—then disappeared, along with the artist’s name and signature.

Government:

Notes on Current Events and Factions
  • Patriciate Influence: While the Patriciate's control is evident, their subtle oppression, such as outlawing select rituals and imposing foreign bureaucracy, has led to growing unrest among the populace.
  • Black Church’s Role:Emerging as a significant power, the Black Church uses Qyn'ki as a base to investigate anomalies affecting memory and divine presence, intertwining their mission with local mysteries.

Qyn’ki is officially ruled by Baron Harlan “Swamp King” Jefferson, a noble appointed by the Patriciate to govern this frontier town in their name. Though technically a Baron, Harlan’s real power is limited by a combination of environmental collapse, economic decay, and political stagnation. Once a celebrated Patriciate war hero, the Swamp King earned his moniker during the Battle of Muckfen, where he waged guerrilla warfare against Ahriman cultists in swamp-covered ruins. That same experience now feels prophetic, as the Exclusion Zone of the nearby Great Oubliette expands with disturbing speed, flooding outer districts and farmland with noxious, swampy terrain. Harlan spends most of his time trying to preserve what little control remains over resources, trade, and military patrols—but his grasp is slipping.

The Baron technically presides over The King’s Hall, a local seat of government shared by several rotating Patriciate chapters. In reality, governance is a bureaucratic nightmare: supply routes are failing, farmland is being overtaken by radiated mire, and religious tensions strain what remains of civic unity. Patriciate officials regularly rotate in and out of the city, using Qyn’ki as a testbed for obscure policies or as a place to bury inconvenient noble scions. Baron Jefferson’s decrees are enforced by a dwindling guard force called the Saltcloaks, but their numbers are low, and morale is worse. The Baron has recently turned to mercenaries and even “retired” adventurers to fill critical roles—often at great political risk.

Despite being an agent of the Patriciate, Harlan’s loyalties are not absolute. He is a pragmatic ruler who has occasionally looked the other way to allow Black Church agents, Golden Clemency emissaries, or even minor Renji cultists to operate—so long as they don’t directly challenge Patriciate authority. His inner circle includes a handful of trusted aides, such as Verris Graft (an exorcist accountant) and Captain Talwyn Blight (his one-eyed war mage enforcer), but the Baron is increasingly isolated. Many believe the creeping swamp outside mirrors the creeping doubt within his own court. Rumors persist that Harlan is negotiating with opposing factions, even preparing a possible betrayal of the Patriciate if conditions worsen.

The Exclusion Zone has become the city’s most urgent crisis. What began as a minor divine contamination near the Oubliette has now grown into a semi-sentient mire that warps plant life, twists terrain, and poisons the water supply. Harlan has appealed to the Patriciate Senate for reinforcements and purification magic, but his requests have been “delayed.” Worse still, cultists of the Crawling Chaos and opportunists from the Church of Ahriman are reportedly experimenting within the zone, hoping to weaponize its strange properties. With each passing month, more refugees stream into Qyn’ki’s districts, overwhelming what little infrastructure remains intact.

Because of these pressures, real power in Qyn’ki is beginning to shift. The Baron remains the public face of authority, but more and more citizens look to the Fog Council—a clandestine coalition of merchant lords, divine representatives, and shadowy fixers—for guidance. Temples operate independent charity networks, mercenary companies patrol city gates in exchange for coin, and smugglers now control more of the port trade than any Patriciate ledger reflects. Qyn’ki has become a city ruled by fog in more ways than one: fog of politics, fog of memory, and fog of prophecy. Whether the Swamp King can hold the reins much longer—or whether he even wants to—is a question no one dares ask out loud.

Strange Phenomena:

Several bizarre occurrences plague Qyn’ki:

  • A mysterious fog lingers on the edge of town.

  • A city not found on any map appeared in records.

  • Historical records were altered—mid-level officers and buildings now exist retroactively, with no memory of them beforehand.

  • Temporal Distortions - Recent phenomena include the sudden appearance of individuals and even entire cities in records and maps, with no prior recollection by the inhabitants, pointing to disruptions in time and memory.

  • Someone called the Frenzied Fox (Beau Abernathy) is believed to be the cause of these memory anomalies and tied to the corruption from the Great Oubliette.

  • Many suspect the presence of a False Hydra-like entity warping memory and reality.

The Fog

"Beware the fog; it remembers more than it forgets."
  • Common warning among Qyn'ki's elders

The creeping divine fog surrounding Qyn’ki is not natural. It is the byproduct of a breach in the seal beneath the swamp—a breach likely caused by Bert Davidson. As it expands, time unravels. People forget entire years. Documents rewrite themselves. Spellcasters report prayers answered by something else.

Mechanical Effects:

  • Insight and History checks near the fog suffer disadvantage.

  • Each long rest in Qyn’ki risks implanting false memories (DM’s discretion).

  • PCs may interact with altered versions of their backstories—reflections of what “could’ve been.”

Black Church Activity:

The Black Church took an open post in Qyn’ki and uses the town as a staging ground to:

  • Investigate the memory anomalies and reality distortions.

  • Undermine the Patriciate, which has been co-opted by the Cult of Ahriman.

  • Hunt Beau Abernathy, the Frenzied Fox.

  • Search for pages and knowledge from the Book of Vile Darkness, some of which are hidden near the Great Oubliette.

  • Follow leads from Grim’s father, Bert Davidson, who once lived in Qyn’ki and has ties to its mysteries.

The local Black Church HQ is secretly based at the Black Doe, a rough tavern located in Hovel Square. It is operated by “Auntie” (Gyna Lombardi), and functions as a hidden safehouse and social hub for Black Church agents. Its features include:

  • A demon-faced fireplace with magical runes.

  • Private whisper booths with magical silence.

  • Secret entrances, coded language, and enchanted drinks.

  • Frequent visits from church members such as Enzo Expresso, Luigi Pellegrini, Carla Mancini, Garrik Frabonis, Janis Gabronis, Steffawnee Kataleena, and Bast the Untethered (a Valkyrie).

Notable Places:

The Black Doe

The Secret HQ of the Black Church, hidden behind a tavern facade. Includes Inquisitorial confession booths, shrines to the Ainheria, and coded rituals. The HQ is ran by Auntie Gyna Lombardi. The Sable Inquisitors Father Silas Thorne and Gillian Wraithe (disguised as Miss Thorne) operate from here.

  • Inquisitorial Confession Booths: Private sanctums in back rooms allow PCs to “confess” memories or sins to unlock coded missions. Some offer cryptic visions from Ainheria.

  • Ainheria Shrine Room: A hidden sub-basement with flickering torchlight and murals of the crusades. Contains old Black Church armor, war banners, and ghostly echoes of chants.

NPC Hook - Father Silas Thorne: A former Sable Inquisitor and friend of Morrigan seeks a legendary relic hidden in Qyn’ki. This relic is tied to a forgotten Black Church martyr whose memory is eroding and has a personal connection to Father Silas.


The Bone Row

Located deep in the Necro-Quarter, the Bone Row is a cramped alleyway of twisted architecture, bone chimes, and embalming smoke. It is here that bonesmiths, witch-butchers, and reanimation artists peddle their controversial craft. Bone Row is technically illegal under Patriciate law, but bribery and fear keep the enforcers distant. Its practitioners offer bone-crafted limbs, marrow-infused salves, and animated sentinels fashioned from saint remains. The line between medicine and necromancy blurs with each transaction.

At the heart of Bone Row stands the Skeletal Choir—a troupe of intelligent undead bards who sing harmonized prophecies in exchange for coin, secrets, or fresh blood. Their voices seem to echo through bone rather than air, and their predictions often come true, though never in the way one hopes. Residents both revere and dread them, unsure whether their presence wards evil or invites it. To visit Bone Row is to walk a tightrope between the sacred and the profane.


The Davey Lamp

The Davey Lamp is a humble apothecary nestled at the edge of the market row, bathed in flickering candlelight and the soft rustle of hanging herbs. Run by Bast the Untethered—a Valkyrie of Mekhila known for her serene demeanor and piercing eyes—the shop offers healing services, bizarre potions, and artifacts known only as “vanishing miracles.” These miracles are relics of divine phenomena that no longer occur, captured in fragile jars or stitched into silken prayer bands. Despite her powerful lineage, Bast remains humble, rarely speaking of her past crusades. Her backroom is a reliquary of half-forgotten wonders, and some whisper it is alive.

Unknown even to Bast herself, a few of these items hold prayers and sigils left behind by Grim’s father—Bert Davidson—during one of his final trips to Qyn’ki. His handwriting appears in fading ink on a prayer scroll kept in a locked chest she no longer remembers acquiring. These forgotten remnants link the shop not only to the past but to the unraveling divine threads in the city itself. The Davey Lamp is more than a place of healing—it is a lighthouse flickering in the fog.

  • Eclipsing Tonics: She’s begun selling experimental potions that sharpen memory or protect against divine radiation—but they come with side effects.

NPC Hook - Backroom Reliquary: Bast is collecting “vanishing miracles”—small divine phenomena that no longer occur. She pays for these in odd favors or memory tags.

NPC Hook - Ghost Writer: Bast has secretly begun writing down forgotten prayers from Grim’s father—without realizing the source until recently. She has discovered that a Cait Sith may be involved and wants the party to investigate any leads.

Exploration Hook - Daddy Issues: A sealed jar of fog labeled “For Grim’s Eyes Only” is buried in the mess of her reliquary, left by someone long dead—or not yet born. It’s hard to tell.

Gibbeter’s Courtyard

At the edge of Qyn’ki’s central square lies Gibbeter’s Courtyard, where nooses hang dry and sermon stages creak in the wind. Though no one has been hanged here in years, the gallows remain, serving as a message board and spiritual battleground. The space plays host to veiled threats, encoded songs, and overlapping rituals where the Black Church and Patriciate deliver their “performances.” Hymns meant to venerate end-times justice harmonize—uneasily—with speeches on divine order and civic duty. Most citizens understand that what is said here publicly means little; it’s what’s left unsaid that holds power.

Occasionally, figures leave sigil-marked apples, jars of blood, or folded parchment as tokens of allegiance or warnings. The gallows itself is rumored to be sacred to a minor god of judgment, though no official record acknowledges such a deity. Children dare one another to touch the wood at midnight, and spies meet beneath its beams disguised as mimes and mad prophets. In Qyn’ki, Gibbeter’s Courtyard is where faith, fear, and folklore collide.

Social Hook: There is a lot of chatter going on in the Gibbeter’s Courtyard. Secret faction debates happen in the guise of sermons and folk music. Reputation battles, coded rivalries, and Black Church whisper-duels all bloom here.


Hushfen Swamp Trail

Winding through Qyn’ki’s outer swamplands, the Hushfen Trail is a path of shifting secrets and memory-twisting magic. Originally used by foragers and smugglers, the trail now shifts every few days, sometimes even during a single journey. Travelers speak of seeing echoes of themselves from alternate lives—sometimes as children, sometimes as corpses. Strange lights flicker just beyond the moss-draped trees, and the deeper one goes, the more time seems to slip sideways.

Diviners claim the trail is alive, or at least aware—shaped by the fog and whatever entity stirs beneath the swamp’s bedrock. Black Church agents patrol the trail irregularly, watching for cult activity, but even they avoid camping too long near its bends. Rumors suggest that Grim’s father once vanished for two days along this route, returning with an unfinished map and blood-soaked boots. Following the Hushfen Trail is as much a spiritual challenge as a physical one.

Bast and Gillian Wraithe know Bert Davidson (Grim’s father) constructed a false divine seal decades ago to cover up an unstable Godstone hidden in the swamp. This “False Door” appears like an Oubliette vault entrance but warps both time and space inside.

Mini-Dungeon Hook - The False Door: Bast or Gillian Wraithe know that Bert Davidson (Grim’s father) constructed a false divine seal decades ago to cover up an unstable fragment of a Godseye hidden in the swamp. This “False Door” appears like an Oubliette vault entrance but warps both time and space inside.


The King’s Hall

The King’s Hall is the administrative heart of Qyn’ki, where Baron Harlan “Swamp King” Jefferson and various Patriciate chapters attempt to manage the unstable town. The building itself is an elegant fusion of red brick, timber scaffolding, and wrought iron, decorated with aged banners of the Patriciate and faded murals depicting the conquest of the Northern Continent. The Hall was once a fortification during the Orc Wars but has since been rebuilt as a civic meeting space, judicial court, and military briefing center. Within its halls, magic-proof conference rooms and divinely consecrated side chambers serve to protect secrets and enforce oaths. A permanent posting of Saltcloak guards watches the entry and restricts public access.

Despite its grandeur, the Hall feels hollow. The once-bustling staff have dwindled, and recent shortages have left entire wings empty or converted into emergency storage. A musty scent clings to the stone, mixing with the ozone of ancient wards. During high-level meetings, the Fog Council’s informants often linger in the shadows or deliver cryptic letters to delegates. It’s said even Baron Jefferson avoids certain wings after sundown, claiming the past rulers of Qyn’ki still whisper through the stone.

Magistrate Oro Barron is the highest ranking officer in the King’s Hall. He is a beaucrat who is obssessed with “timeline purity,” secretly writing an eplic play based on lost memories. His obssession led to the establishment of the Memory Tax Office. A small wing within the Memory Tax Office A small wing tracks “temporal stability.” Strange maps, redacted census records, and relics of cities that never existed are stored here. The underbelly and unfortunate of Qyn’ki knows that Oro willing to pay to relieve people of their memories.

Twilight Hearings: The King’s Hall contains the Memory Tax Office and Magistrate Oro Barron’s secret archive of “unstable timelines.” Once per week, “memory hearings” are held where citizens dispute altered pasts. The Patriciate hires specialists to resolve which memory is “correct.” The party could be hired as investigators or manipulated by multiple factions.

NPC Hook: Magistrate Oro Barron—a bureaucrat obsessed with “timeline purity,” secretly writing an epic play based on lost memories.

Exploration Hook: Rumors suggest the collection of memories and anomalies has begun to curse the King’s Hall itself. Magistrate Oro Barron and Bast


Lantern’s End

On a cliffside just west of Qyn’ki lies Lantern’s End, a cemetery and reliquary of forgotten gods watched over by the Gravetenders of Ashbone Hollow—stoic half-giants draped in ceremonial ash and moss. Tombs here are carved into the rock, illuminated by enchanted lanterns that never burn out. At night, the graves shift subtly, as if the land remembers different burials than those recorded. Funeral rites are held only under moonlight, where mourners whisper prayers meant to stay buried.

Lantern’s End is revered for its stillness, said to offer peace even from divine reincarnation. The Golden Clemency patrols the grounds not just to protect them, but to ensure the seal buried beneath remains undisturbed. This seal is said to keep a dreaming thing locked away—a failed god, a primordial curse, or something older still. Most who visit feel a strange calm followed by a sense of being forgotten. Perhaps that is the cemetery’s final blessing.


Krajevi’s Temple

This two-story plaster temple in the Riverside Quarter is dedicated to Saint Krajevi, revered by the Black Church as a martyr of karmic justice. The temple is modest but beautifully maintained, with expertly crafted columns, soft gray tile roofing, and hand-carved wooden furniture arranged with loving care. It functions not only as a place of worship, but as a communal workshop and haven for the faithful, vagrants, and secret agents alike. The temple is often surrounded by bustling onlookers, travelers seeking sanctuary, and children weaving through legs with wild pets at their side.

Its caretaker, Pikar Cherrycheeks, is a deceptively shrewd halfling cleric with deep Black Church ties. A natural orator and gentle soul, Pikar often mediates disputes and teaches common folk about karmic cycles in practical terms. Alongside him is Reynard Quinton, a pensive human archivist and underground mystic who ensures records of miracles and omens are properly documented. Beneath the temple lies a locked sub-chamber where visiting Ainheria can ritually rest or commune with Krajevi’s spirit. Many claim the bell atop the temple rings on its own during karmically significant eve


The Maw’s Folly

The Maw’s Folly is Qyn’ki’s infamous den of drink, lies, and blood-oathed entertainment. Carved into the massive skeleton of a behemoth sea beast, the tavern thrums with residual enchantments. Its walls of cracked ribs are inlaid with jagged teeth that rattle when someone speaks a lie. Owned by Asha of the Red Thistle—a sharp-eyed woman with ties to both the Fog Council and Baron Jefferson—the Maw hosts gladiator duels, divine stand-up comedy, and auctions of sacred promises.

To the locals, the Maw is both a cathedral of chaos and a sacred confessional. Secrets are bartered, debts are forged in blood, and legends are born in whispered dares. Though its energy is wild, the Maw’s Folly operates under a strict hierarchy, and those who violate its unspoken rules tend to vanish beneath the floorboards. If the Black Doe is the Church’s mind, the Maw’s Folly is Qyn’ki’s fevered heart.


The Mirror-Drift Baths

Tucked into the ruins of a shattered temple, the Mirror-Drift Baths are shrouded in ever-present fog and mystery. The pools glow with radiant saltwater, infused with divine memory and starlight. The enchanted mirrors here do not reflect appearance but possibility—showing visitors what they might become, or what they’ve forgotten. The bathhouse is operated by Lira and Lorn, twins with translucent skin and voices like waves.

Locals claim the twins are the spirits of witches who drowned beneath the swamp but returned with insight instead of vengeance. Entry requires not just a coin, but a secret—one the baths may return to you with interest. Some who bathe here emerge sobbing, others laughing with forgotten clarity. More than one prophecy has started in steam-clouded silence.


The Veiled Spiral

Beneath Qyn’ki's shifting stones lies the Veiled Spiral, a ghostly subterranean tower visible only during specific phases of Kol’s moons. Operated by the Scrollmaw Circle—an esoteric order of archivists and cursebreakers—the Spiral is both library and sentient trap. Tomes within it write themselves, erase their readers, or whisper forbidden truths to those who pay memory as a toll. Entry requires an offering of forgetfulness: a vow, a name, or a memory of someone once loved.

Few emerge unchanged. Those who leave often possess powerful insight into divine architecture, Cipher theory, or ancient prophecy—but forget who asked the question. The Spiral coils downward infinitely, or so the Scrollmaw claim. For the Black Church, it’s a trove of hidden verses and forgotten pacts. For everyone else, it’s a gamble with your soul’s history.

The Black Doe (aka Home Base & Black Church HQ)

The Tavern That Whispers

Summary

Tucked away in the winding back alleys of Hovel Square lies The Black Doe, a rough yet unassuming tavern that doubles as the secret headquarters of the Black Church in Qyn’ki. Known only to a select few, this clandestine den of shadows has served as a node of espionage, resistance, and quiet plotting for decades. While its signage is nonexistent and its reputation whispered rather than spoken, the Black Doe is a vital artery in the covert lifeblood of Qyn'ki’s karmic resistance.

The entrance is as theatrical as it is secretive. Prospective initiates are told, “It’s in an alley across from the Cooper’s shop, hidden by a set of stairs that lead to a blue door. Knock three times and speak the words: ‘The spider weaves its web in silence.’ Once inside, go to the bar and ask the barkeep for a Widow's Kiss. After you pay, she will escort you to the meeting room.” This process ensures that only those who know the code—and can afford the price—are granted audience beyond the mundane veil.

Inside, the Black Doe transforms into a carefully curated sanctum of danger and discretion. At its heart stands a massive stone fireplace carved to resemble a demonic maw. Twin gemstones—a ruby and an alexandrite—glow in the eyes of the demon, pulsing faintly with an unseen magical rhythm. The fire within never roars but crackles just enough to make your skin crawl. Privacy booths lined with silence-spelled curtains line the walls, while green-glowing orb lanterns bathe the room in an eerie ambiance. No ale is served—only wine and spirits, some of which glow with arcane energy.

Gyna Lombardi – “Auntie”

Matron of Secrets, Shepherd of Shadows

Gyna Lombardi is the owner and de facto Black Church leader in Qyn’ki, affectionately (or fearfully) known as “Auntie.” A human woman in her late 50s with silver streaks in her braid and a face weathered like ancient parchment, Gyna projects both warmth and danger. Her sharp wit and iron will have allowed her to survive five assassination attempts, three betrayal plots, and one actual siege. She blends grandmotherly charm with subtle menace—patrons who underestimate her usually don’t make the same mistake twice.

Beneath the surface, Gyna is a master tactician, broker of intelligence, and high-ranking BC operative. Her allegiance to karmic justice runs deep, and her tavern operates as a microcosm of the Church’s vision: order in shadow, mercy with a blade. She orchestrates local crusades, assassinations, and karmic reckonings, all while serving Triceratops Cake like it’s just another Tuesday. Despite Bast the Untethered technically outranking her, Gyna is the undisputed power here, trusted and feared by all who pass through the Black Doe’s doors.

Food & Drink Specials

  • Triceratops Cake and a Glass of Whiskey – 4 sp

  • Umber Hulk Meatball Pie with Potatoes & Ansil’s Ambergris Ale – 5 sp

  • Urcilium Biscuits with Giant Wasp Sausage, Gravy & Ale – 5 sp

Notable Patrons

  • Gillian Wraithe (Human Cleric): Morrigan’s Sable Inquisitor contact, Gillian hides as a barmaid at the Black Doe. A veteran of the Black Church’s darkest campaigns, she now investigates Bert Davidson’s legacy and the Godseye fragment hidden beneath Qyn’ki.

  • Enzo Expresso (Tabaxi Rogue): A caffeine-addicted spy, pickpocket, and informant, Enzo “wakes up” both enemies and allies with equal flair. Known for his quick wit and quicker claws.

  • Steffawnee Kataleena (Human): Seemingly a vapid gossip and Gyna’s “useless girlfriend,” she’s actually a ruthless con artist and intelligence gatherer. Everyone talks around her—and that’s exactly what she wants.

  • Carla Mancini (Female Dwarf): The smuggler’s smuggler. Carla operates a fencing network that moves cursed relics, divine texts, and lost Ainheria bones through enemy lines.

  • Salvatore Russo (Dragonborn): A former thug turned BC enforcer, Salvatore prefers to “talk” with his fists. He's the tavern’s last line of defense.

  • Luigi Pellegrini (Human Assassin): Wild-eyed and whisper-voiced, Luigi is a political anarchist and expert poisoner who kills not for money, but ideology.

  • Garrik Frabonis (Lizardfolk): The Black Church’s armorer, Garrik supplies weapons under the table, occasionally testing enchanted gear on rowdy patrons.

  • Janis Gabronis (Goblin): The arcane jeweler and sister of Garrik, Janis uses the tavern to deliver hexed heirlooms and spy-glamoured trinkets to agents in need.

  • Father Silas Thorne (Goliath) A one-eyed ex-Inquisitor turned tavern monk who trains recruits. Hates paperwork. Loves Morrigan.

  • Bast the Untethered (Drow): A high-ranking Ainheria and silent storm. Though she usually keeps to herself, her presence in the Black Doe is a chilling reminder that even death bends to the Black Church.

Available Black Church Quests

Ask for a “Widow’s Kiss” at the Black Doe to receive briefing details.

“The Fox’s Footsteps”

A known Black Church traitor—Beau Abernathy, the Frenzied Fox—was last spotted near the Exclusion Zone’s edge. Gyna wants a quiet trail run: find out where he’s going, who he’s meeting, and whether his loyalties truly are gone—or if something stranger is at work.

“Letters Never Sent”

Intercept a Patriciate courier traveling to the Northern Continent with diplomatic missives. The documents are magically sealed, so Gyna is offering a bonus to anyone who can retrieve them without detection or magical alarm.

“The Widow's Bloom”

A sacred flower of Ceslida—long thought extinct—has been spotted growing near the swamp border. Gyna suspects divine interference and wants the party to retrieve it before the Golden Clemency notices… or something worse claims it.

“The Mud-Born King”

An exiled swamp witch claims the Oubliette's growth is awakening an ancient being she calls the Mud-Born King. The witch was last seen babbling in the town square and then vanished. Find her, interrogate her, and confirm whether there’s truth beneath the muck.

“The Owl’s Gambit”

A scribe within the local Patriciate chapter is secretly feeding the Black Church information—until they stopped. Gyna believes they’ve been found out and offers a mission to extract or silence them before their capture endangers more informants.

“Gallows Glass”

A shard of enchanted mirror stolen from a ruined temple now hangs in the bedroom of Baron Jefferson’s heir. It shows twisted versions of those who look into it. Gyna wants the party to either steal it or turn it against the boy to stir court paranoia.

“The Clockwork Curse”

A local tinker crafted a clockwork butler that began repeating cryptic prophecies—including the true names of Black Church agents. The party must infiltrate the manor, destroy or retrieve the automaton, and erase all records.

“Old Bones, New Debt”

The cemetery at Lantern’s End has unearthed ancient Ainheria remains during a burial. Gyna suspects a reanimation attempt or desecration plot from Ahriman cultists. The bones must be recovered before they are corrupted.

“Flesh for Stone”

A sculptor has begun working with living stone, shaping statues that move when unobserved. The statues are reportedly appearing with familiar faces—including Gyna’s. Investigate, cleanse the quarry if needed, and end the curse.

“The Choir Below”

Singing has been heard in the sewers beneath the Black Doe—low, weeping melodies in languages no one remembers. Gyna believes something ancient is awakening under the town. She wants the party to descend and silence the voices before they gather a crowd.

Mini-Dungeon: The False Door

A submerged ruin beneath the Hushfen Trail houses a warped replica of a divine Oubliette vault. Created by Bert as a failsafe to mask a Godseye fragment, the False Door warps memory, time, and self.

Features Include:

  • Hall of Echoed Names

  • Altar of the Unbound Prayer

  • Mirror of the Buried Self

  • Optional boss: The Echo of the Builder

Rewards Include:

  • Cipher-scroll fragment usable only by Black Church PCs

  • Bert’s toolset

  • An Inverted Candle that reveals hidden glyphs

NPCs

Bast the Untethered

  • Black Church & Silver Temple

  • Female Drow

  • Twilight Domain Cleric & Divination Wizard)

  • Ainheria

NPC Hook - Backroom Reliquary: Bast is collecting “vanishing miracles”—small divine phenomena that no longer occur. She pays for these in odd favors or memory tags.

Exploration Hook - Daddy Issues: A sealed jar of fog labeled “For Grim’s Eyes Only” is buried in the mess of her reliquary, left by someone long dead—or not yet born. It’s hard to tell.

Mini-Dungeon Hook - The False Door: Bast or Gillian Wraithe know that Bert Davidson (Grim’s father) constructed a false divine seal decades ago to cover up an unstable fragment of a Godseye hidden in the swamp. This “False Door” appears like an Oubliette vault entrance but warps both time and space inside.

NPC Hook - Ghost Writer: Bast has secretly begun writing down forgotten prayers from Grim’s father—without realizing the source until recently. She has discovered that a Cait Sith may be involved and wants the party to investigate any leads.

Bast the Untethered is a legendary figure within the Black Church and a rare example of a Drow who has transcended the confines of both her heritage and mortality. Once a high-ranking priestess of the Nephael dynasties, Bast forsook her birthright during the Cleansing Burns of Kol and pledged her eternal service to Mekhila of the Silver Temple. In time, she became one of the first Ainheria, rising as a Valkyrie of judgment and twilight. Her moniker, “Untethered,” refers not only to her severed bonds with the Drow's corrupted past, but also her ability to roam the veil between life and death without restriction.

Despite her ancient origins and divine alignment, Bast has chosen a quiet, purposeful existence in the town of Qyn’ki, where she runs The Davey Lamp — an alchemical and clerical sanctuary tucked near the town gate. Locals see her as both a mystic and a healer, while Black Church agents know her as a powerful witch with access to rare elixirs, resurrection rites, and forbidden scrolls. Though she technically outranks Gyna Lombardi in the Church hierarchy, Bast avoids leadership or politics, preferring instead to watch from the shadows and offer guidance only when necessary. Her presence is calming, though her eyes betray a knowledge of grim futures.

Those who meet Bast often speak of the smell of freshly baked bread, the gleam of twilight in her silver-threaded robes, and the hush that falls when she speaks. She is quiet but never unsure, warm but never soft. Her loyalties lie with Mekhila, but her actions serve the greater balance of Kol. While some whisper she communes with the Ainheria and maintains an open path to the Undead Legion, Bast neither confirms nor denies these rumors. She remains a mystery — an eternal sentinel, waiting for the storm she knows is coming.

Carla Mancini

  • Black Church

  • Female Dwarf

  • Artificer

  • Smuggler, Fence

Carla Mancini is a smuggler who laughs in the face of divine interdiction. Compact, foul-mouthed, and built like a vault, Carla specializes in moving contraband through impossible places. Her network traffics in the kind of items most clerics wouldn’t dare name aloud—cursed heirlooms, shattered relics, forbidden texts, and bones that once belonged to saints. Carla knows the weight of every artifact she moves, both physically and karmically.

She sees the Black Church as a necessary evil and Qyn’ki as a collapsing gold mine. Her allegiances are flexible, but her reputation is not—if she gives her word, the job gets done. Some say she once smuggled an entire altar across a warzone. Others believe she’s just stockpiling favors for when the world burns. Either way, she always pays in platinum, liquor, or secrets.

Enzo Expresso

  • Black Church

  • Male Tabaxi

  • Rogue

  • Spy, Pickpocket, and Informant

Enzo Expresso is a whirlwind of energy, secrets, and very expensive imported coffee. A tabaxi rogue with claws faster than his mouth—and that’s saying something—Enzo serves the Black Church as both an informant and agent provocateur. He’s the type who can swap your gold for a sermon pamphlet mid-sentence, all while charming you into thanking him. Known around the Black Doe for his jittery movements and endless commentary, Enzo thrives in chaos.

But underneath the nervous energy and clever barbs is a deeply embedded spy. Enzo collects secrets like stamps: who’s cheating whom, which Patriciate official is about to crack, what relic Bast just sold behind closed doors. His methods are unorthodox, but his results are undeniable. He’s fiercely loyal to his found family in the Church, and even more so to his own code of street justice.

Garrik Frabonis

  • Black Church

  • Male Lizardfolk

  • Armorer

Garrik Frabonis is the Black Church’s unofficial quartermaster in Qyn’ki, running both the Rope and Basilisk armory and a clandestine weapons lab beneath it. Taciturn and cold-blooded in both senses, Garrik forges experimental weapons and armor for agents who know how to ask. Every blade he sells has at least one secret, and half the time he’s still testing its limits on unruly customers.

Garrik’s loyalty lies with craft, not cause. He doesn’t care about gods or ghosts—only results. His one soft spot is his sister, Janis, with whom he shares encrypted supply chains and occasional arguments about “aesthetics.” For those who earn his respect, Garrik is a reliable and brutally efficient supplier. Just don’t complain when your armor starts humming during moonlight.

Gyna Lombardi

  • Black Church

  • Female Human Rogue

  • Auntie, the Matron of Secrets, Shepherd of Shadows

Gyna Lombardi is the owner and de facto Black Church leader in Qyn’ki, affectionately (or fearfully) known as “Auntie.” A human woman in her late 50s with silver streaks in her braid and a face weathered like ancient parchment, Gyna projects both warmth and danger. Her sharp wit and iron will have allowed her to survive five assassination attempts, three betrayal plots, and one actual siege. She blends grandmotherly charm with subtle menace—patrons who underestimate her usually don’t make the same mistake twice.

Beneath the surface, Gyna is a master tactician, broker of intelligence, and high-ranking BC operative. Her allegiance to karmic justice runs deep, and her tavern operates as a microcosm of the Church’s vision: order in shadow, mercy with a blade. She orchestrates local crusades, assassinations, and karmic reckonings, all while serving Triceratops Cake like it’s just another Tuesday. Despite Bast the Untethered technically outranking her, Gyna is the undisputed power here, trusted and feared by all who pass through the Black Doe’s doors.

Gillian Wraithe

  • Black Church

  • Female Human Cleric

  • Sable Inquisitor

Mini-Dungeon Hook - The False Door: Bast or Gillian Wraithe know that Bert Davidson (Grim’s father) constructed a false divine seal decades ago to cover up an unstable fragment of a Godseye hidden in the swamp. This “False Door” appears like an Oubliette vault entrance but warps both time and space inside.

Quest Hook - Lost and Found: Recovering Lost Ainheria Relics

Quest Hook - No Rest For The Wicked: Hunting heretical cultists mimicking Ansil

Quest Hook - Hour of Heresy: Delivering a sealed letter that could trigger a Black Church purge

Gillian Wraithe, operating under the alias Miss Thorne, is a calm, sharp witted Sable Inquisitor of the Black Church embedded within Qyn’ki. Disguised as a milk-drinking barmaid at the Black Doe, she’s anything but simple. A veteran of the Church’s most brutal purges, Gillian now walks a path of silence and shadows, tracking ancient relics and cult infiltration linked to the unraveling divine vault beneath the city. Her eye—burned with sacred fire—can glimpse seconds into the past, allowing her to reconstruct fragmented events others forget. She sees Morrigan not just as an agent, but as a potential successor in an escalating war against forgotten gods and unbound heresies.

Gillian’s mission threads are as layered as her past: hunting forged documents that falsify Church history, investigating warped cults mimicking the Ainheria, and quietly preparing for a purge that may one day be turned against her own ranks. She operates under the Ainheria’s doctrine but carries doubt in her silence. The sealed letter in her pocket contains orders that could ignite an internal cleansing. To most, she is quiet and distant. To those she trusts, she is the keeper of hard truths.

Harlan "Swamp King" Jefferson

Race: Human • Class: Druid • Alignment: Neutral

Baron Harlan Jefferson, often called the “Swamp King” by locals, is the appointed representative of the Patriciate in Qyn’ki. With straight silver hair, a weather-worn face, and piercing amber eyes, he cuts a pleasant and approachable figure among the common folk. Harlan wears humble leather armor, carries a hammer and sling, and is known to lead occasional rituals to commune with the spirits of the Exclusion Zone. Despite the looming environmental disasters and political pressures, he remains surprisingly optimistic—sometimes to a fault. His leadership style leans toward improvisation and intuition rather than strict order, earning him a curious mix of loyalty and frustration from his advisors.

Harlan believes in coexistence over conquest, making him an uneasy fit within the imperial expectations of the Patriciate. Though many mock his title as a joke, others have begun to use it with genuine respect due to his grassroots efforts to protect the townspeople. He frequently walks the edges of the Exclusion Zone barefoot, collecting mosses and listening to the “voice” of the land—a practice which disturbs some and mystifies others. His trusting nature makes him vulnerable to manipulation, especially from those closest to him. Still, his love for Qyn’ki is genuine, and he often sacrifices political capital to protect it.

Hilia Jefferson

Race: Human • Class: Necromancer • Alignment: Evil

Lady Hilia Jefferson, wife of the Baron, is a figure cloaked in beauty, secrecy, and cold intellect. With messy silver hair that mirrors her husband’s and unnerving green eyes, she commands an air of both elegance and danger. Her fascination with mathematics and sacred geometry goes beyond the academic—it seeps into her necromantic rituals, where complex patterns dictate the boundaries of life and death. Banished from the Black Church for unrevealed heresies, she has since aligned herself with the Hermit, acting as an agent of occult influence beneath the nose of her own husband. This allegiance is known to high-ranking Black Church officers, though they allow her to remain—perhaps to keep their enemies close.

Hilia’s presence at public events is minimal, but when she appears, her voice and gaze silence rooms. She is a master manipulator and does not flinch when her ambitions put lives at risk. While her husband trusts her, their philosophies diverge significantly: he seeks harmony, while she seeks transcendence through control and pattern. Secretly, she keeps a heavily warded sanctum beneath their estate, filled with necromantic artifacts, scrolls, and a mirror that whispers names. Her ultimate goals are shrouded in secrecy, but one thing is certain—she plays a long game, and Qyn’ki is just one piece of it.

Janis Gabronis

  • Black Church

  • Female Goblin Sorcerer

  • Jeweler, Poisoner

Janis Gabronis is a jeweler in the same way a venomous snake is a belt. She crafts enchanted jewelry laced with hexes, glamours, and tracking enchantments. Her wares look delicate, but they’ve been used to seduce, spy, and assassinate across the Abandoned Lands. Janis uses the cover of her tiny storefront to quietly serve as the arcane logistics officer for the Black Church’s Qyn’ki cell.

She is sharper than she looks, dresses in dramatic lace and bones, and speaks with a cadence like snapping twigs. Janis gets along with her brother Garrik only when business demands it, and even then, only barely. Many fear her smile more than Garrik’s forge. For Black Church agents, a gift from Janis might be a blessing—or a curse that hasn’t bloomed yet.

Luigi Pellegrini

  • Black Church

  • Human Ranger Rogue

  • Assassin, Bounty Hunter

Luigi Pellegrini is a wild-eyed and whisper-voiced, Luigi is a political anarchist and expert poisoner who kills not for money, but ideology. He whispers in ideologies, not coin. A razor-thin assassin with wild eyes and steady hands, Luigi believes every death should serve a message. He kills politicians, heretics, and apostates—not for money, but for balance. As a devout political anarchist, he sees the Patriciate and the Cult of Ahriman as two heads of the same beast. He wants both to fall.

Despite his quiet nature, Luigi’s presence rattles even hardened agents of the Church. He talks to his knives as if they’re old friends and claims they remember every lie they’ve silenced. Gillian tolerates him—barely—because his results are impeccable. He may be a liability, but he’s their liability. Just don’t turn your back when ideology shifts.

Mara Quist

Race: Tiefling • Class: Sorcerer (Wild Magic) • Alignment: Chaotic Good

Mara is an eccentric and beloved local oddity who runs “The Stitched Sky,” a shop that sells hand-stitched constellations, magical weather jars, and fortune cookies. Her magic is unpredictable, but her heart is always in the right place. Children adore her, and travelers often leave her shop strangely happier than they arrived. Her past is murky, but some believe she was born during an eclipse and marked by the stars. Mara secretly fears the expansion of the Exclusion Zone and has seen visions of its reach.

Melliora Vask

Race: Half-Elf • Class: Alchemist • Alignment: Neutral Good

Melliora runs a small tincture shop in the market, unaffiliated with the major power groups. Once a wandering healer, she settled in Qyn’ki after losing her family to a Deathdrinker raid. Her shop smells of rosewater and burnt sage, and she’s known for treating townsfolk at no cost. Melliora maintains a strict neutrality but quietly supports those who oppose the Patriciate. Rumors say she was once part of the Silver Temple but left after a falling out with a high priestess.

Oro Barron

A Magistrate ranked bureaucrat of the King’s Hall who is obsessed with “timeline purity,” secretly writing an epic play based on lost memories.

Osric Drumrow

Race: Dwarf • Class: Bard (Retired) • Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Osric is the permanently drunk but much-loved tavern musician of Qyn’ki. Once a famous bard of the underground circuits, his songs now slur through mead-soaked evenings at the Mossback Taphouse. He knows dozens of stories about the region’s history and is a treasure trove of secrets—though good luck getting a coherent one without several drinks. He holds no allegiances but despises the Crawling Chaos cultists who took his sister. His lute is old, cracked, and rumored to contain a hidden scroll of immense value.

Salvatore Russo

  • Black Church

  • Male Dragonborn

  • Fighter, Ranger

  • Armorer, Guide

Salvatore Russo isn’t subtle, and that’s exactly the point. This broad-shouldered, deep-scaled Dragonborn serves as the Black Doe’s final line of defense—a bouncer, enforcer, and executioner when needed. Once a thug for one of the old Patriciate cartels, Salvatore now applies his strength in service of the Black Church’s more physical needs. He doesn’t ask questions. He breaks jaws.

Despite his brutal methods, Salvatore has a simple moral code: protect the crew, punish betrayal, and never swing twice if once is enough. Most think he’s just muscle, but the truth is he’s chosen silence over drama. His past is heavy, his fists are heavier, and his presence is the reason most fights in the Black Doe end before they begin.

Father Silas Thorne

  • Black Church

  • Male Goliath

  • Monk

  • Trainer & Recruiter

A one-eyed ex-Inquisitor turned tavern monk who trains recruits. Hates paperwork. Loves Morrigan. Silas is a devoted member of the Black Church, but he also has a personal goal in Qyn’ki. He volunteered to retired to Qyn’ki because he is seeking a relic rumored to be hidden here—one tied to a forgotten BC martyr whose memory is eroding.

Steffawnee Kataleena (Human)

  • Black Church

  • Human Wizard

  • Con Artist and Intelligence Gatherer

To the casual observer, Steffawnee Kataleena is little more than a bubbly, over-accessorized gossip with no depth beyond her favorite drink order. As Gyna Lombardi’s so-called “useless girlfriend,” she spends most of her time fluttering about the Black Doe, chatting about fashion, weather, and who’s in love with whom. But those who dismiss her are already in her trap. Steffawnee is a con artist of exceptional subtlety, trained in the art of listening rather than talking.

Her true role is that of an intelligence gatherer. She collects social threads like a weaver, piecing together betrayals, allegiances, and weaknesses in the tapestry of Qyn’ki’s power structure. Everyone talks around her—because they believe she can’t understand. That illusion is her greatest weapon. What she overhears often makes its way to Gillian’s desk by morning.

Sir Tandem Brayde

Race: Human • Class: Fighter (Former Knight of the Patriciate) • Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Sir Tandem was once a respected knight of the Patriciate but was dishonorably discharged after he questioned his superiors' treatment of orcish prisoners. Now, he trains local youth in swordsmanship and defense, quietly building a network of potential resistors. He has a weathered face and a booming voice, but age and regret weigh heavily on his movements. Tandem has been approached by both the Black Church and Golden Clemency but refuses to choose sides—for now. He suspects something greater stirs beneath the Exclusion Zone.

Shops:

The Eldritch Anklet

Janis Gabronis, Arcane Jaweler
Janis' Personality: Sardonic, fashion-obsessed, and prone to naming cursed items like pets. Keeps a bone spider named “Velvet.”
Secret Service: Can attune trinkets to spy on others via whisper charms or mirror familiars.
Black Church Tie: Creates hex-rings for BC assassins that detonate upon betrayal.

Hidden down a narrow alley in Hovel Square, The Eldritch Anklet is a small magical jeweler’s shop run by Janis Gabronis, a cunning goblin artificer devoted to the Black Church. The storefront is marked only by a softly chiming anklet hanging above the door—one that glows faintly whenever a wild magic surge is nearby. The plaster walls of the shop are hung with dozens of candles suspended on invisible threads, casting eerie but elegant shadows across the floor. Janis specializes in jewelry infused with subtle hexes, blessings, and arcane focuses, some of which are banned in other Patriciate territories.

The interior feels cramped but warm, and there’s a constant smell of old books and lavender oil. Janis is known for speaking in riddles, crafting experimental pieces for low cost—provided the buyer agrees to testing them under real danger. Many adventurers in Qyn’ki stop here before diving into cursed ruins or patrolling the Oubliette’s edge. Her services also include tracking magical signatures and attuning enchanted heirlooms to specific fates. She is rumored to be working on a time-loop charm made from soulglass dust and whispersteel.

  • Artificing, Jeweler, and Enchanting Services (25-75% cost)

  • Unique Items

    • Ring of Smoke-Sight (Uncommon, requires attunement) While wearing this ring, you can see clearly through fog, smoke, and magical obscuring effects up to 60 feet. Once per day, as a bonus action, you can cast See Invisibility for 10 minutes. After use, your eyes emit faint smoke for 1 hour.

    • Witch-Coin Choker (Rare, requires attunement) This choker appears as a string of cursed copper coins. As a reaction to hearing a lie, you may force the speaker to make a DC 14 Charisma save or be silenced for 1 round. If you tell a lie while wearing it, you take 2d6 psychic damage.

    • Earrings of Sudden Silence (Uncommon) Once per long rest, you may activate these earrings as an action to cast Silence centered on yourself (no concentration). The wearer becomes mute for 1 hour afterward.

    • Memory-Knot Bracelet (Rare, requires attunement) This braided bracelet holds knots representing moments. If removed without a DC 15 Wisdom save, you forget the last 6 hours. While worn, it grants +1 to Intelligence (History) checks involving personal memories.

    • Hexed Hairpin (Uncommon) Can be plunged into a target’s garment or hair. Once per day, when used as part of a melee attack, you may cast Hold Person (DC 13) on the creature struck.

    • Amulet of Oozing Light (Very Rare, requires attunement) Grants resistance to radiant damage and allows you to emit bright light in a 20-foot radius as a bonus action. After 7 days of use, your neck begins to petrify unless Greater Restoration is cast.

  • Official 5e Items:

    • Ring of Mind Shielding

    • Amulet of Health

    • Periapt of Wound Closure

    • Cloak of Protection

    • Ring of Spell Storing

    • Brooch of Shielding

    • Eyes of the Eagle

    • Necklace of Adaptation

    • Earring of Message (flavored Sending Stones)

    • Chime of Opening (250 gp)

    • Crystal Arcane Focus (10 gp)

    • Revolver (50 GP) https://www.dndbeyond.com/equipment/45-revolver

    • Pistol (50 GP) https://www.dndbeyond.com/equipment/42-pistol

    • Musket (100 GP) https://www.dndbeyond.com/equipment/43-musket

    • Runepowder Barrel (600 GP) https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Runepowder_Barrel

The Rope and Basilisk

Garrik Frabonis, Blacksmith, Armorer, & Explorer
Garrik's Personality: Grumpy, direct, thinks all weapons should come with a manual and a warning.
Secret Service: Will custom-engrave Cipher or Ainheria runes for trusted Black Church members.
Black Church Tie: Designed the armor of three legendary BC martyrs; their blueprints still hang in his forge.

Located on the main drag of Hovel Square, The Rope and Basilisk is a blacksmith’s forge, armory, and general store owned by Garrik Frabonis, a stoic lizardfolk with a grim sense of humor. The building once served as a barracks but now bustles with the clang of hammers, bursts of forge-light, and the tang of molten metal. Inside, weapons and armor of all kinds hang neatly on iron racks, while a full suit of enchanted armor guards a backroom where sensitive inventory is held. Books on metallurgy and divine forges line a massive shelf—many written by Garrik himself.

A proud craftsman for the Black Church, Garrik takes great care to balance functionality and spiritual symbolism in his work. He refuses to arm known cultists of Ahriman or the Crawling Chaos, often interrogating customers mid-sale to ensure their loyalty. Garrik’s ties to the Fog Council allow him access to rare materials from the ruins beyond town, and he frequently reforges relics recovered from old battles. The Rope and Basilisk is a vital stop for any crusader, templar, or karmic reaper seeking justice—or revenge.

  • Blacksmithing, Armorer, and Fletching Services (25-75% cost)

  • Unique Inventory:

    • Reinforced Fogplate (Uncommon, Heavy Armor) Grants resistance to necrotic damage while the wearer is in fog or heavy obscurity. The armor imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks due to thick plating.

    • Swampglaive (Rare, Martial Weapon) +1 glaive. Grows faint moss and vines. On hit vs. aberrations, deals an additional 1d6 psychic damage. Counts as magical.

    • Bastion Gauntlets (Very Rare, requires attunement) These gauntlets grant +1 AC and allow an unarmed strike to automatically grapple the target (DC 14 to escape). After each use, roll a DC 13 Wisdom save or experience a traumatic flashback.

    • Ashen Mail (Rare, Medium Armor) This blackened chainmail radiates faint warmth. Once per day, grants resistance to fire for 10 minutes. Smolders when within 100 feet of a creature under a cult’s influence.

    • Lanternbuckler (Uncommon, Shield) Can store a single spell of 3rd level or lower that targets you. Once per day, it can reflect that spell at a new target as a reaction.

    • Chain of Sworn Vows (Rare) Two creatures attuned to this chain share HP damage equally for 1 hour. Each creature may end the effect as a bonus action, taking 3d10 psychic damage.

    • Firebiter Bolts (Uncommon, Ammunition) These crossbow bolts deal an extra 1d6 fire damage and scream when fired, giving away the shooter’s position.

    • Whispersteel Blade (RARE) (Rare, requires attunement) +1 shortsword. Can only deal damage to a creature whose name is spoken aloud within the last minute. On a crit, the blade whispers secrets in Deep Speech.

    • Spineweaver Helm (Rare) While worn, this helm allows the wearer to cast Compelled Duel once per long rest. During sleep, the wearer dreams of foreign battles and gains one temporary combat trait (DM’s choice).

  • Official 5e Items:

The Davey Lamp

Bast the Untethered
Bast's Personality: Calm, maternal, sometimes eerily serene; speaks to ghosts as casually as customers.
Secret Service: Can perform “Last Rites for the Forgotten”—a ritual that removes cursed memories.
Black Church Tie: Bast was once a frontline Valkyrie in the Ainheria Crusades.

Hidden near the town gate on a sunken side street, The Davey Lamp is an alchemical and magical shop operated by the infamous Bast the Untethered—a twilight domain cleric, divination wizard, and one of the first Ainheria of Mekhila’s Silver Temple. Bast is a legend in certain Black Church circles and still wears the ancient sigils of her holy order. Her shop is a cozy, two-story building with creaky floors, glowing braziers, and an ever-present aroma of baked bread. The building pulses with magic—potions shimmer in lightless corners, books hum with latent spells, and a warded altar of Mekhila flickers behind the counter.

The Davey Lamp is one of the few places in Qyn’ki where divine healing, alchemy, scroll creation, and inter-planar communication are available under one roof. Bast offers enchantments, ritual services, and even prophecies—though all come with a price. Her clientele includes exiled priests, broken adventurers, and renegade scholars. If the town ever falls to chaos, the Davey Lamp will be one of its last bastions. She offers discounts to faithful of Ceslida and the Black Church—but exacts favors from others.

  • Scroll Creating, Wizard, Cleric, and Alchemical Services (25-75% cost)

  • Unique Inventory:

    • Eclipsing Tonics: She’s begun selling experimental potions that sharpen memory or protect against divine radiation—but they come with side effects. (varies)

      • Clarity Draught: +2 to Intelligence saves for 1 hour. Gain disadvantage on Charisma saves.

      • Nullshield Serum: Resistance to radiant damage for 10 minutes. Afterward, you forget your last spell slot used.

      • Recall Tincture: Recover one expended spell slot (1st–3rd level). Roll a d6—on a 1, lose a random prepared spell.

    • Sunroot Elixir (Uncommon) Restores 3d8 HP and removes one minor curse or poison condition. The drinker glows faintly with sunlight for 10 minutes.

    • Fogmilk Draught (Uncommon) Grants immunity to fear for 1 hour, but the drinker forgets who gave them the potion until the next long rest.

    • Vial of Silver Breath (Uncommon) Once consumed, casts Lesser Restoration on the drinker. Leaves a silvery shimmer around the mouth for 1 hour.

    • Bloodrose Tonic (Uncommon) When consumed at 0 HP, automatically resets death save counter and allows one additional failed save before death.

    • Shroud-Wrapped Philter (Rare) When the wearer drops below 10 HP, they automatically become invisible for 1 minute. This can only occur once per long rest.

    • Rebirth Salt (Uncommon) If sprinkled on a corpse under the light of the moon, allows the dead to speak one sentence within the next minute, in their original voice.

    • Bone-Stitched Bandages (Uncommon, Cursed) Heals 4d4 HP but grafts a scar onto the user from another creature. These scars may be memories.

    • Dew of Forgotten Saints (Very Rare) Restores a single lost memory to a creature or erases a traumatic one (your choice). Casts Greater Restoration with a memory-focused twist.

    • Prayer Pebbles (Common) When thrown or scattered, they create a whispering echo of 2d6 people praying the name of the thrower. Lasts 1 minute.

    • Divine Embers (Uncommon) When lit, creates a 20-foot radius of radiant light that repels aberrations. Lasts for 10 minutes.

    • Pallid Mask (Rare, requires attunement) Grants the wearer advantage on Deception and Insight checks, but once per day the mask whispers a false memory that the wearer believes is true.

  • Official 5e Items:

Vask’s Soda Pops Shop

Mellioar Vask, Tincturist and Bog Witch
Melliora's Personality: Muttering, suspicious, fiercely loyal to the swamp. Has a crow named “Doctor.”
Secret Service: Sells “rot tinctures” to fake illness for infiltration missions.
Black Church Tie: Herbalist for a now-dead Inquisitorial unit; wears their tokens on a vine-chain.

  • Poisoner and Herbalist Services (25-75% cost)

  • Unique Inventory:

    • Marshcat’s Eye (Uncommon) When consumed, grants +2 to Perception for 1 hour, but the drinker has disadvantage on Arcana checks.

    • Slumberdew (Uncommon) A sweet-smelling liquid that forces a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw on a creature hit by it. On fail, target falls unconscious for 1 minute (even if normally immune to sleep).

    • Frogskin Poultice (Common) Renders the user immune to poison damage for 1 hour. User develops green skin growths for 24 hours.

    • Murkblood Philter (Rare) Drink to become undetectable by divination spells and magic for 24 hours. Fails on Wish or True Sight.

    • Swampbrew Shot (Uncommon) Causes vivid hallucinations for 10 minutes, but grants Truesight 30 ft. for 1 minute. DC 13 Wisdom save to avoid confusion afterward.

    • Withering Draught (Cursed, Uncommon) Heals 10 HP instantly, but reduces maximum HP by 1d4 until Greater Restoration is cast.

    • Ashcap Spores (Uncommon) Blown into fog or mist, reveals any aberrations within 60 feet by outlining them in ash-colored light for 1 hour.

    • Hag’s Mirror Oil (Uncommon) Spread over water or a mirror, allows the user to see into the dreams of one known creature. One use only.

  • Official 5e Items:

    • Potion of Poison (cursed)

    • Alchemist’s Fire

    • Dust of Disappearance

    • Potion of Animal Friendship

    • Spell Scroll (Entangle)

    • Potion of Climbing

    • Potion of Mind Reading

    • Perfume of Bewitching

The Stitched Sky

Mara Quist, Curio Dealer
Mara’s Personality: Dry-humored, intensely curious, wears a stitched star cloak that moves in the windless air.
Secret Service: Barters in dreams and sells maps to “unfound places.”
Black Church Tie: Used to forge ritual masks for Ainheria ceremonies.

  • Unique Inventory:

    • Compass of Nevernorth (Uncommon) This rusted compass never points north. Instead, it points toward the last memory you forgot. It glows softly when within 100 feet of a memory-altering magical effect.

    • Doll of the Hollowed Saint (Rare) This porcelain doll, once belonging to a forgotten Ainheria martyr, can be activated once. Upon reaching 0 HP, the doll casts Death Ward on the attuned creature, then disintegrates while whispering a forgotten prayer.

    • Timewound Pocketwatch (Uncommon, requires attunement) Once per long rest, the user may rewind time by 6 seconds (1 round) as a reaction. After use, the next Initiative roll is made at disadvantage.

    • Fable-Map (Uncommon) A magical parchment that reveals secret passages in dungeons when sung to. Performance (Charisma) DC 14 required to activate; failure causes map to erase 1d4 previously revealed rooms.

    • Liar’s Lens (Rare, requires attunement) A monocle that shows humanoids as they believe they are—idealized, monstrous, or lost. Insight checks made using the Lens have advantage.

    • Mask of the Elseface (Uncommon) When worn, this mask alters your alignment signature for 1 hour, making divination magic perceive you as your opposite alignment. Usable once per long rest.

    • Astral Thread (Uncommon) A silver string that can be tied between two objects or creatures. If one moves more than 60 feet from the other, both feel a sharp tug (1 psychic damage).

    • Mourning Bell Pendant (Uncommon) Chimes faintly when someone dies within 300 feet, but only if the death goes unrecorded. Once per day, the pendant can be rung to cast Detect Evil and Good.

    • Starshard Feather (Very Rare, single use) This black feather with twinkling edges allows the user to fly 30 feet as a bonus action. The feather burns to ash after use and leaves behind a star-shaped scar. (Uncommon) Write a name on this fragile paper doll and burn it. You forget the named person permanently unless Wish or True Resurrection is cast.

    • Paper Effigy (Uncommon) Write a name on this fragile paper doll and burn it. You forget the named person permanently unless Wish or True Resurrection is cast.

  • Official 5e Items:

    • Driftglobe

    • Bag of Holding

    • Sending Stones

    • Deck of Illusions

    • Heward’s Handy Haversack

    • Wand of Secrets

    • Rope of Climbing

    • Slippers of Spider Climbing

    • Hat of Disguise

Collin Ritzinger
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