Free Port

The Legacy of Mulyr’kun campaign that I am running started near the city of Free Port.  The characters were in the town of Rivercross south of the city and hired by a man named Arik Graeme to search some nearby ruins.  My plan at the time was to have the entire heroic tier take place in and around the city, so I came up with a fair amount of detail about the area.  Unfortunately, my players chose a different path and ended up leaving the city before reaching level 4.

Free Port

The independent city of Free Port is one of he most prosperous cities in the Heartlands of Avornea.  The city is located at the mouth of the wide Sunwater River as it flows into the Azure Gulf.  Well-travelled roads connect the city with the Highlands, Borderlands, and the nation of Aldun.

Originally known as Sumia, the city became independent following a bloody revolution in 3647 AC.  A group of powerful merchants led the revolt against the Crown Prince and managed to gain the support of most of the city’s residents.  Most of the fighting was over within a month, but it took a large toll on the city.  In the wake of the Sumian Coup, a new government was established where seven elected High Lords rule the city.  Voting in the elections has a steep fee, so only merchants and aristocrats generally take part in the elections.

The Protectorate

Many of the villages and towns near Free Port have entered pacts with the city.  These pacts require the settlements to pay a seasonal tribute in exchange for protection and beneficial trade deals.  Together, these outlying settlements are often referred to as the Protectorate.  Rivercross is one town within the Protectorate.

Independent Settlements

Not all settlements in the region owe allegiance to the city of Free Port. Instead, some rely on their own defenses and hired men-at-arms for protection from the region’s dangers. These independent settlements are often farther from the city in areas like the fringes of the Giant’s Shield and the edges of the Forest of Wisps. 

Boartusk Forest

Located to the west of Free Port in the foothills of the Red Mountains, the Boartusk Forest has long resisted the encroachment of civilization.  Its wild groves and thickets are home to dangerous beasts such as the feral boars that give the forest its name.

Dead Hills

Tainted by dark magic, the dead hills fill the gap between the Kellwode to the northeast and the Grey Forest to the southwest. The rocky hills are home to groups of bandits, undead horrors, and dangerous beasts.

Forest of Wisps

This large forest covers several thousand square miles along the Sunwater River and separates the Bandit Kingdoms from Free Port. It is swampy near the banks of the river, but higher and drier areas can be found on the northern and southern edges of the forest. The forest earned its name from the frequent sightings of will-o-wisps in the swamps along the river.

Giant’s Shield

A large area of rocky badlands south of Mirror Lake is known as the Giant’s Shield. The badlands are home to tribes of gnolls and goblinoids in addition to dangerous beasts.

Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake sits to the south-west of the city of Free Port. It supports several fishing villages along its shore.

Summerwood

This dense coastal forest covers the western portion of the Lost Coast. Tall sea cliffs on the coast buffer the woodland from the wet and salty waves of the Azure Gulf. Elven tribes live on the western edge of the forest and occasionally trade with the human towns in the area.  A fortress on the western edge of the forest marks the easternmost border of Free Port’s Protectorate.

Sunken Forest

The large woodland known as the Sunken Forest lays to the south of Free Port on the east side of Mirror Lake. The forest is dotted with small lakes and ponds surrounded by dark, swampy regions.