1. Locations

Silverwall

Ward

Silverwall is a place of stark contrasts. One half, called Locksmith Square, is alive with color and abuzz with activity, from street performers and peddlers to the comings and goings of locals and visitors alike. The sounds of haggling and laughter, as well as cheers and screams rising from the Red Ring, dominate the air here. Coasthold is the square’s silent neighbor. A pervasive sense of gravitas, of orderliness, fills this dignified half of Silverwall—a reminder of its neighbor’s boisterous character.

Of all the city’s wards, Silverwall is unique in its layout. Other wards, such as Oldgate and Southwatch, have cultural divisions, but only Silverwall is physically divided. And as new arrivals are quick to sense, the two halves could scarcely be less alike.

Locksmith Square, the ward’s western half, plays host to some of the most notorious personalities and establishments in the city, including the Red Ring and the shattered land’s most upscale brothel, Shadows. The eastern half of the ward, in contrast, is both a paragon of restraint and a monument to dwarf ingenuity. Dubbed Coasthold, this district lies entirely outside the walls of the old city and was built from the ground up by the engineers of House Kundarak.

Silverwall gets its name from the peculiar coloration of the walls that surround Locksmith Square. The walls are massive, reaching some 60 feet into the air, but the distinctive silver sheen covers only the sides facing the square. As a result, the entire square is reflected back at itself everywhere one looks, and though the reflections aren’t mirrorlike in their clarity, they do serve to surround the area in a mildly disorientating cast, making lights seem more spread out (which in turn generates more shadows) and colors appear brighter. This curious design is found nowhere else in the city and helps lend the square its vibrant character.

The name is doubly appropriate, since Silverwall is easily the wealthiest ward in the city. This is not due to the success of the businesses in Locksmith Square but rather to the vast holdings of the Coasthold dwarves and their prosperous cousin among the Storm Lords. Coasthold is also the seat of international diplomacy in Xen’drik and houses both the Citadel of the Twelve and the Kundarak bank, which secures the wealth of almost every important figure in the city.

Adventure Hooks

  • Locksmith Square is a notorious haven for pickpockets. When one of the PCs is robbed, the trail leads to Shadows. This could be the start of a romance with the exotic pickpocket or a gateway into one of House Thuranni’s schemes.
  • A riot breaks out in Locksmith Square following a terrible upset in the Red Ring. Depending on how the PCs handle the situation, they could gain the friendship of the Amanatus and the Stormreach Guard or the enmity of anyone they injure in the riot.
  • Someone is willing to pay an astounding sum if the PCs can penetrate the security of the Tower of Kol Korran. He won’t reveal his identity; is he a member of the King’s Citadel, a rival house, or House Kundarak itself? Any investigation of Kundarak’s affairs is a dangerous business—especially if the job is a setup from the start.