Orc Harbor

Image Needed Orc Harbor
Country:	Principality of Ulek, except when occupied by the Orcish Empire
Leader(s):	Occupied Military Governor: Rugar
Population:	population::1,900

Statistics

• Population: 1,900 (100% humans)
• Gold Piece Cap: 800 gp (Small Town)
• Size: 28 acres (900 ft by 800 ft)
• Occupying Force: 1,630 (Army of Infernal Might)

Military Commander(s)

• Military Governor: Rugar (Orc Barbarian 4, Warrior 2)
• Master of Mercenaries: Bildar Bilegnasher (Hobgoblin, Fighter 10)

Description

"Orc Harbor" was previously known as "Hook Port", but now even the natives are calling it "Orc Harbor". This is the result of a strange development that shocked the humans of the town and the larger Principality beyond: the arrival of the orcish navy.

Prior to the occupation, Hook Port was home to ten fishing ships and an average of 2-3 trade ships at any given time. Now those ships are all gone, replaced by orcish war galleys and short-range transports. The port sees several trade ships arriving and departing every week, bringing in supplies from Glosspox and Fury Bay. The humans remaining in town are used as slave labor, loading and unloading ships and warehouses.

Orc Harbor is perhaps the second most important city for the Empire in the conquered provinces. Control of it prevents Ulek ships (or any others) from using the harbor to launch a southern front in the war, and harbor is essential for moving out silver minded in Thunderstrike. The supplies brought in through the two eastern orcish harbors are also helpful, if not essential, to the occupation.

In late CY 591 the Army of Infernal Might was destroyed in a lightning fast invasion of Orc Harbor by the Obsidian Bay Expeditionary Force, an invasion made possible by the deft scouting efforts of the Blackrazor Guild. The Army’s half-ogre/half-orc General Durbamog Elfmangler was slain in an epic battle with the Expeditionary Force’s commander, Tanevir Calywyn on the ramparts of Stormlight Keep and the remnants were forced to flee the city.

City Geography

• Silver Ward: Home to the town's few middle and upper class individuals. Features lots of trees as well as nicely-appointed manor houses. The most cooperative human sympathizers to the orcish occupation were given homes in this ward. It also contains the Baron's Keep, the former dwelling of the dwarven ruler of the city. It provided to be filled with magical traps, and has since been abandoned.

• Crafter's Ward: Home to the city's various craftsmen, including leather workers who import goods from the odiferous ward outside the town wall.

• Market Ward: A fairly open ward with lots of shops and the town commons. Home to both the Brothel of Auren (a new addition) and the Seadown Inn.

• Stonehold Ward: The Stonehold ward is located on the peninsula that forms the old "Hook Port". Contains the town's four docks, as well as several stone warehouses (from which the ward takes its name). It also contains Stormlight Keep, a combination fortress and lighthouse. The ward's warehouses hold supplies being brought into the city, as well as those departing. One in particular, which always has a heavy guard of at least 100 orcs, is known as "The Horde" and contains bars of silver and other precious metals earmarked for shipment back to the Pomarj.

• Slave Ward (formerly Church Ward): Hook Port's handful of churches were once located in this ward. Then the orcs came, burned down the churches, and converted the entire ward into a slave pen. Most of the buildings have been demolished and been replaced by crude, open structures where the slaves are kept before being shipped off to other areas of the occupied territories. A wooden stockade -- its only entrance opening on Dorn Road -- surrounds the ward, and watch towers are scattered around its perimeter.

• Orc Town (formerly Seaman's Ward): Originally home to many of the city's sailors and captains, and formerly known as the Seaman's Ward, Orc Town is now home to most of the occupying humanoid forces. The Bloody Elf Tavern is located here.

• Outer Ward: The collective name for the wards surrounding the inner ring of the town demarked by the Stone Road. Contains all manner of single story buildings belonging to the town's commoners. The southern portion of the ward has been taken over by the orcs.

• Squatters Settlement: Not a formal ward, the Squatters settlement consists of haphazard shacks built around the town's two gates. Its inhabitants are individuals who have been driven from the town proper by the creation of the Slave District or refuges who have fled to Orc Harbor from other areas of the domain.

Buildings of Interest

• Stormlight Keep (Stonehold Ward): Stormlight keep consists of a lighthouse, a reinforced stone wall, and several stone outbuildings. A garrison of about 100 troops is stationed here at any given time and it is presently the seat of power for the orcish occupation forces.

• Baron's Manor (Silver Ward): The dwelling of the former ruler of Hook Bay, the Baron's Manor is a fortified manor house with an allegedly expansive sub-basement. The manor is crawling with magical defenses, and its basement (which is believed to hold the baron's treasure vault) has proven to be exceptionally lethal. No one lives here, but a garrison of 20 troops keeps watch over it.

• Brothel of Auren (Market Ward): This brothel caters primarily to the traders, pirates and mercenaries in Orc Harbor as well as the occasional orc. The brothel is actually a front for the Order of the White Lilly, which uses it to gather information for the cause. It is run by Mistress Eleanor (Rouge 9)

• The Seadown Inn (Market Ward): An inn and tavern preferred by the city's traders, pirates and mercenaries.

• The Bloody Elf Tavern (Orc Town): A tavern frequented by the city's orcs, and the bravest (or stupidest) of its mercenaries. It's owner -- a retired half-orc adventure named Gork Bladaven (Fighter 6 / Rouge 2) -- is known for his hatred of the Ulek's original protectors.

• The Bronze Spar Tavern (Outer ward): The sole watering hole left for the city's human population.

Occupying Force

• Jagged Blade, Roster: 1000 orcs , Location: Orc Habor, Leader: Rugar (Orc Barbarian 4, Warrior 2)

• Rotting Kraken, Roster: 400 hobgoblins, Location: Orc Harbor, Leader: Bildar Bilegasher (Hobgoblin, Fighter 10)

• Grey Renders, Roster: 200, Location: Orc Harbor, Leader: Dardocan (Human, Rouge 4 / Fighter 6)

• Robvald's Minions, Roster 30, Location: Orc Harbor, Leader: Robvald (Wizard 10 / Elementalist 6)

The Spidereyes

Also located in Orc Harbor is a detachment of the Spidereyes, the intelligence agents of the Army of Infernal Might. They number 5 individuals, and are led by a human, Sil Hawkander (Rouge 8 / Fighter 1). Their primary concern is in ferreting out any rebels in the city. Their ranks include:

• Sil Hawkander (Human, Rogue 10 / Fighter 1)
• Tarasac Bloodletter (Half-Orc, Rogue 5 / Fighter 3)
• Hedlanda (Human female, Rogue 8)
• Gronggard (Orc, Barbarian 3 / Rouge 3)
• Snobotten (Orc, Barbarian 1 / Rouge 2)
• Vilfar Marrowsucker (Hobgoblin, Rouge 2 / Fighter 4)
• Arzar (Human, Rouge 9)

Hawkander distrusts the Brothel of Auren, even if it does have a formal sanction from Governor Rugar, who views it as a necessary tool for keeping the human traders and mercenaries happy. He has had Tarasac become a regular of the establishment in hopes he will overhear something of interest and managed to have Hedlanda hired as one of the brothel's women.

He constantly worries about the various humanoid factions fighting amongst themselves and as a result has charged Gronggard and Snobotten with watching the Jagged Blades. Both frequent the Bloody Elf, but do not suspect its owner as being a member of the resistance. Similarly, he has attached Vilfar Marrowsucker with watching over the hobgoblins.

Finally there is Arzar, an expert rogue and sellsword whom Hawkander hired specifically to infiltrate the Grey Renders. The man joined the Grey Renders in Highport, and will be arriving along with the Blackrazors. Prior to serving Hawkander in this role, he worked in Bridgeford where he was known as "Bryotl" and worked along side the bridge construction crews.

Unknown to Hawkander, Arzar is growing bored with his job. All of the fun seems to have been leeched out of the endeavor , and that's almost always a sign for him that its time to move on … or to switch sides.

Items of Note

• Special Defenders: In addition to its impressive garrison, Orc Harbor is home to two unique defenses. First there is a dragon turtle that was subdued in southern latitudes by orcish adventurers, and then brought back to the port to serve as its charmed guardian.

The other unique defender is Robvald human aquamancer (Wizard 10 / Elementalist 6) who is called into duty to drive off attacking human ships and aid in piracy. He has a small contingent of followers who aid and guard him, and they are stationed with him at his lighthouse stronghold.

• Resistance: Orc Harbor has the second most active resistance movement in the occupied provinces. This is due in large part to the town's harbor, which constantly brings in merchants, troops and mercenaries from outside. As a result, it is one of the easiest towns in the provinces for the Allies to smuggle agents into.

However, recent events have stemmed the flow of information to the Allies. The "Spidereyes" were able to discover the identity of several agents in the city, and their very public execution by crucifixion chilled the resistance movement to its very marrow.

The two remaining leaders of the resistance are Gork Bladaven (of The Bloody Elf) and Mistress Eleanor of the Brothel of Auren. Each has a handful of agents in the city who are still able to gather information.