Shadycreek Run is a town just north of the Quannah Breach, in the Greying Wildlands.
Description
Shadycreek Run is a sovereign town, outside of the Dwendalian Empire and its law. It has historically used the Savalirwood to keep the Empire at bay. It is spoken of as a haven for criminals, thieves, and murderers, but also described by The Gentleman as home to "the truly free entrepreneurs of Wildemount...and criminals, thieves, and murderers".
The city does not have a normal cohesive shape. Instead, it is built in a long line along the tree edge and a river or creek. The name of the town is based on the creek that is in nearly perpetual shade from the nearby pines. It is a "weird, crooked, long town," with the northern half of the city vanishing into the forest.
The main street, Clover Street, heads north through the Clover Plaza towards North Clover. It is slick with mud and dirty snow. Ragged peasants with their hands extended for some sort of alms gather in the alleyways.
Clover Plaza
The open area of the plaza is dotted with log benches. There is a four story tower of motley colored stones standing vigil over the area, with two balconies and the top housing the crossbow- and longbow-wielding roughnecks known as Taskers. There are a few establishments located on the plaza:
- The Landlocked Lady: a very beautiful two-story brothel on the eastern side of the plaza.
- Plaza Emporium: is run by a pleasant but occasionally murderous dragonborn. She is not affiliated with any of the unseemly folks directly.
- The Trench: a tavern where the Iron Shepherds always hang out. It's located on the northern side of the plaza.
Clover Alley
Clover Alley, often referred to as Clover Street, is the large central street that is the one throughline of the entire city. It runs all around the treeline of the Savalirwood.
North Clover
North Clover is built directly into the Savalirwood. This is where most of the ruling families claim their territory. In the beginning of the forest there are broken down tent cities and hovels; further into the woods the roads and alleys break down and becomes sparser. The buildings are further apart. It's less of a gridded city and more of a cluster of buildings that are generally more well made.
Northwest of Shadycreek Run in the woods is the Estate Sybaritic, home to the Mardoon family.
Society
Being outside the Empire, the city has no watch and few regulations. Most of the people in the city live in absolute squalor and are here out of necessity, either because they came seeking fortune and failed, or they came to indulge in vices that have slowly crushed them. The other half of the populace are usually armored to some extent in patchwork hides, chain, or leathers. Almost everyone is armed, with a general sense of needing protection amongst the chaos. Some folks look like they're trying not to be seen, but many parade their thickened arms. A very unique and curiously motley group of people call this place home.
Demographics
Shadycreek Run has a population of 14,770 as of the year 835 PD. 56% are humans, 15% are elves, 14% are dwarves, and 15% are other races.
Notable people
- Auntie Mama: Known as Chidra the Blue Rose in her youth, she was a smuggler for the Mardoon family an a benefactor for all the members of the Tombtakers in one way or another
- Gustav Fletching: Gustav apparently came from Shadycreek Run.
- The Iron Shepherds: A group of slavers headquartered northeast of town in the Sour Nest.
Government
Shadycreek Run is ruled by the delicate balance between three factions: the Tribes, the Greytrader Union and the Grudge Gang.
The Tribes of Shadycreek Run
They are four criminal families who ruled the city for almost a century until they lost part of their influence due to infighting and power struggles. Each still maintains control over specific business that transpire in Shadycreek Run, considering "within the family" not only their relatives, but also those who are loyal to them. The leadership of each family is shared between a small group of relatives, with one of them being the head of the family and styled as "Lord" or "Lady".
- Mardoon family, with many contacts and contracts outside Shadycreek Run, and a fortune made from brothels, jewels and the slave trade.
- Ophelia Mardoon - An old friend of the Gentleman who had a base on the outskirts of the Shadycreek Run.
- Jagentoth family, known for their brutality, they're connected to the Iron Shepherds.
- Ionos Jagentoth - A master negotiator and deceiver, and the writer of the letter found in the Sour Nest.
- Uttolot family, they control the gates into the town.
- Jagoda Uttolot - An expert hunter but without diplomatic skills.
- Trebain family, heavily involved in smuggling antiquities from Molaesmyr.
- Lord Darko Trebain - The head of the family, very interested in the corruption of the Savalirwood.
The Greytrader Union
Composed by reformed criminals and outcasts, this faction tries to establish firm trade with foreign societies and make Shadycreek Run safer and free of its legacy of violence, while still maintaining their independence from the Dwendalian Empire. They want to institute self-appointed marshals to keep the peace.
The Grudge Gang
A company of mercenaries created by former Dwendalian soldiers, now they inforce local interests within the Run, keeping people safe from dangers coming from the Empire or the Savalirwood. They try to stay neutral, and they work with the Union or the Tribes in any job that isn't too bloody or directly harms the city and its people. Whenever chaos and violence spiral out of control the Gang and its Taskers step in, beating everyone involved in order to maintain order or, at least, prevent complete chaos.
Campaign Two
The Mighty Nein made a deal with Ophelia Mardoon and the Mardoon Family through the Gentleman. The deal involved clearing a rival slaver organization, the Iron Shepherds, from their headquarters in the Savalirwood and escorting Ophelia back to Zadash to meet with the Gentleman to discuss further business.
While exiting Shadycreek Run the group saw a meeting between two burly mercenaries and two drow in heavy cloaks and dark insect-like armor. There was a brief discussion, transaction, and handshake, suggesting that they reached an agreement. This may be evidence of the Dynasty hiring mercenaries from the Shadycreek Run Tribes.
Campaign Three
When Bells Hells were trying to save D&O Toy Emporium from monstrous insects during the apogee solstice of 843 PD, they discovered documents in the desk of one of the owners, Drixlitch Ovana, that linked him, among other things, to child labor in Shadycreek Run, revealing that many of the toys being imported into Uthodurn for sale in the store were actually made by the children themselves. The adventurers took that evidence, planning to use it against the elf and send him to jail.
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