updated Hillside for 4E

9/11/09

Now that 4E has added a number of core classes I thought would add to Hillside and make it more in line with 4E core. There are now Avengers, Bards, Barbarians (touched of Kalannan), Druids, Invokers, Shamans, Sorcerers, and Wardens. Races added are Devas, Goliaths, and Gnomes.


This is my new 4E world. I hope you will enjoy it! The are some basic assumption for D & D 4E. I have adopted the points of light that the designers seem to want for this edition so no large world maps-just this city and a place to go after. Other basic assumptions are that Bael Turath, Arkosia, and the Nerath Empire have happened.

Now Humanity must endure the dark ages in order to have its renaissance. So I humbly present the city of Hillside. Enjoy!

Ian Demagi 9/11/2008

4E-City of Hillside



Beginning: The city of Hillside is on a low mountain in the Verdant Mountain Chain. (The Mountains are much like the Appalachian chain of North America) The Verdant Mountains are rich with timber and quarry-able stone. Below the town runs the mighty Mytheril River (think Amazon). The town is unique in that a large part of the town is inside a huge cavern (that leads to the underdark).

Hillside is not a Free City; it is a vassal to the Count of Seaside, a fact that rankles most inhabitants since the Count does little other than collect taxes mostly to support his large standing army. Hillside is a far more defendable place than the capital city of Oceanside and started as a fort outpost. Hillside is blessed by being very close the great Mytheril River and the sea coast (the Sea of Dragons). Hillside is also a terminating place of the underdark, and many under dwellers come to this place to trade wares.

Population is about 7500 souls: 40% Human, 30% Dwarven, 15% Elven or Eladrin, 10% Halflings, and the other 5% are Tieflings, DragonBorn, Half Elven, and others.

Religion in Hillside: There are 5 Faiths with churches represented in Hillside. There are temples of Moradin, Pelor, Corellon and Sehanine, Avandra, and Ioun.

The Temple of Moradin: This mighty temple is in the underground ward of the city. It is huge (think National Cathedral size and scope)-made of stone and expertly carved by Dwarven artisans. It is a monument not only to Moradin, but to Dwarven society, engineering, and art. The temple is staffed by the Epic High Priest Kosar Soulhammer, a number of attending paragon level priests, and many heroic level priests and paladins that run the temples day to day activities.

The Twin Temples of Corellon and Sehanine: The twin temples of Corellon and Sehanine are formed by two gigantic trees. Elven magic encouraged the tree’s to grow in this way. Gilas Brightstar is a heroic Elven priest attended by a few assistant priests. The temple has an air of magic and is definitely Elven in style and texture.

The Temple of Pelor: The temple of Pelor is a large and impressive structure. It has a great golden dome and is situated in the Hillside ward (as are the twin temples of Corellon and Sehanine). The Sun god is the patron of humans but accepts worshipers of all races. Jozan Goldenray is the worthy high priest assisted by a large and zealous staff of attending priests and paladins. The temple of Pelor is one of the most visible and active groups in Hillside.


The Temple of Avandra: If the great temples of Moradin and Pelor are great Cathedrals, and the Twin Temples of the Elves mystical, then the temple of Avandra is the friendly little country church. Not much larger than a house and in fact converted from being a private dwelling, this church serves mostly Halfling although all folk are welcomed. Droro Brownthistle is the worthy priest who attends his flock with wit and wisdom.

Temple of Ioun: The temple of Ioun is in the mages guild and is not open to the general public. It serves mages and other arcane practitioners only. Those who need their services are encouraged to make a donation so that a tour might be arranged.

Other Gods in Hillside: There are other Gods worshipped in Hillside who do not have temples or permanent clergy assigned to the town. These are worshipped in small family shrines. Mayor Ironfist is a devout worshipper of Erathis and has a small shrine set aside in city hall. Many not having the wealth or standing of a mayor simply have a corner set aside in a room of their dwellings.

What would a city be without Inns? The city of Hillside has 6 fairly famous grogshops: The Mangy Manticore, Tipsy Pixie, Singing Trout, Hammer and Tongs, Playful Nymph, and Magic Mushroom.

The Mangy Manticore Inn primarily serves humans serving basic human food (cooked badly). The drinks are very cheap but watered down. Rooms are spacious and well kept. Ronin Travelmaster is the proprietor. The sign is a very scruffy looking manticore. The inn is located “on the hill.”

The Tipsy Pixie is an inn serving Elven/Eladrin tastes and style and is located “on the hill” in the Elven enclave. Food is light Elven cuisine with plenty of vegetables, fish, and fowl. There is an assortment of berry wines, most being excellent. Hospitality is very Elven-simple cots and smallish rooms. Larger folk are welcome, but many are not very comfortable. The sign outside has a small fey sleeping in a wine glass.

The Singing Trout boasts gourmet river/sea food: Trout, Crayfish, Shrimp, and even Mytheril River Dolphin are served here, expertly prepared. The proprietor is Mit Woodweller who is also the chef. Mit is an excellent businessman who knows how to accommodate all his customers. Outside above the inn is a sign with a trout apparently singing with a good deal of gusto.

The Hammer and Tongs is a Dwarven bar in the under ground ward of the town. The food is bland and often burnt, but the ale is surpassingly good and served ice cold. Grog Twohammers is the owner an adventurer who made his gold in the underdark. The sign outside is a picture of a hammer and tongs.

The Playful Nymph is the place for eye candy. The food is passable and the drinks imported from all over the continent. So too are the serving wenches also from all over the continent but every last one is very beautiful. You get what you pay for and you’re getting a lot so open your wallet wide. The sign outside is a likeness of the owner, Rayndell-a beautiful Elven woman.

The Magic Mushroom is an inn in the underground ward famous for mushroom boom (a whiskey). Ren Hellhand is the owner (a Tiefling). The sign outside is a sparkling Mushroom.

Government: The mayor of Hillside is the Honorable Korg Ironfist. Despite his name Korg is very practical and sensible in his rule. Korg is even tempered gracious, generous, and shrewd. Beings that mistake these qualities for weakness are sadly mistaken. Korg came to this town as a hero adventurer who lived through a number of long campaigns. Korg is an axe master who has not had the need to wield it in years.

Korg is assisted by a wise and loyal town council comprised of major groups in Hillside. All others are free to speak in the Mayor’s court held every fortnight. Beings such as Drow and Lizard Folk have visited the city upon occasion and are welcome as long as they behave themselves. The penalty for making trouble is very severe-most beings do not leave this up to chance.

There is a small standing army and a police force. Many in the town would like to declare their independence from the Count, Korg included. Korg has resisted this revolution because he does not want a large professional army at his gates at least not at the moment.

Korg founded a school for the arcane to teach Warlocks, Wizards, Sorcerers and the like. Korg also has a special police force to deal with divine matters comprised of Clerics and Paladins.

The Guilds: The guilds regulate commerce in Hillside. They insure that merchants operate honestly as possible. Persons who violate guild law too often are severely fined. Those committing criminal acts are handed over to the police. Sometimes infamous criminals are stern symbols of guild law, turning up unexplainably dead-falling off cliffs, choking on fish bones, and the like. The Mayor sensing that guild law was heinously broken has never pursued investigating these accidents. Officially though, capital punishment belongs to the province of the government and its governor.

Getting a job adventuring in Hillside:

Adventuring opportunities are plentiful in Hillside. Unlike most D & D worlds it is not often that a crier would be used to shout out a job or that hand bills would be printed and posted. This is because of the cosmopolitan air of the city and the notion that a person meeting a peer is at the service of a person and his family. Many well to do parties do not want to associate with adventurers. Intermediaries are often hired to prospect for “talented people.” Most bar tenders are busy tending bar and are more interested in selling drinks than giving newbie adventurers advice. Of course, a new group can set out for adventure by just wandering out the door and down a path away from the city-a few of these groups turn up missing or dead every year. Most of the groups use a mediator.

By living in the town all their lives the PC’s have found out that there is a mediator by the name of Burgoyne. Burgoyne is either a very small human or tall dwarf, clean shaven, with a large nose and beady eyes. Burgoyne does not suffer fools so PC’s had better bring their “A” game and good manners.

There are other mediators and all of them keep very low profiles.

Temples might have jobs for those who are devoted to their causes, and the government might choose upon occasion to use professional adventurers rather than police or military personnel.

Public Works & Sites: The Moradin of the Verdents.This is a huge statue (300 feet high) of the Dwarven God Moradin bare-chested (muscled like Arnold Swartzenegger) raising a hammer above an anvil about to strike life into the Dwarven race. This sits on Mt. Cloudytop the highest mountain in the Verdant chain. Most dwarves bow their heads in reverence when passing under this mighty work.

The Golden Dome of Pelor: Dominating the Hillside ward is the great temple of Pelor and its wonder the golden dome of Pelor. It has been rumored to strike down any undead that might move in the city.

Up-Down Street is unique in that there are carriages to move residents both up and down the hill. These are cars that are hooked to cables. This is a free service for regular traffic although most give a copper or two to offset the cost. The poor are generally exempt from this. There are also freight cars which have a modest fee to cover the cities expenses and make a small profit for the city.

Mord’s Lifts: This is a large crane run by the DragonBorn business being Mord-DragonBorn. These large cranes take freight and people straight up or down the mountain.

Hillside Haulers: This Company is run by Greeg Swordsmith. He employs teams of mules and donkeys to move freight up the mountain. Greeg also moves some cargo through the city to the underdark gate via the Donton Lizard (looks like a large komodo dragon)-a ferocious animal in the wild, but can be successfully tamed.

Raneeda’s School of Blades and Bows. Raneeda is an Elven Ranger who has founded a school of fighting in the Elven enclave. Raneeda is a Two Blade specialist Ranger who is proficient with bows, but leaves instruction in the bow to her cousin Aletha (a bow master). The school definitely caters to Elves and Eladrin although all humanoids are accepted. There is also a new master of beasts (beast-master type ranger) by the names Athalas.

Trulor Farseer is a Half Elven warlock who tutors young warlocks. Any who have demonstrated the arcane powers of a warlock are accepted, but they may not be of evil or chaotic evil alignment. There are generally five or less students. Trulor charges a hefty sum for his teachings. At this time Trulor has 5 students: Kallista a Tiefling (infernal), Daran a half elf (star), Immeral an Eladrin (Fey), Keira a human (infernal & star), and Errich a Halfling (fey & star). All students live in Trulor’s mansion. Every once in a while Trulor takes his students on “outings” which involve practical applications of the warlocks skills. Usually the students bring back some small amount of treasure that helps offset some of the cost of Trulor’s fees. Trulor recently accepted Andrin, a halfling Storm sorcerer, and Titus a Chaos sorcerer at the request of the mayor.

The Fighters Guild is a place for professional swordsmen (and women) to unwind. This place is made sturdily to accommodate the high spirits that can some times come from brawling. Kargrad Stouthammer is the worthy proprietor. This is a place for fighters to gain news and possible job openings. The Guild is private and has membership requirements.

The Captain’s Club is a place for professional leaders who are not clergy (warlords). (Think about this place as an officers club). Much like the Fighter’s Guild, this is a place for professional soldiers to unwind and obtain news. Like the Fighter’s Guild the Captains Club is private and has membership requirements. Evane Half-Elven is the worthy keeper.

Adventuring groups in Hillside:

The Black Company: These 5 individuals originate out of the temple of Pelor. They Almand Strongarm a human paladin, Skragg Dragonson a dragonborn paladin, Aeleus a deva avenger, Graham a human cleric, and Tadrick Ironbeard a dawrven invoker. This group specializes in hunting undead.

Friends of the Wild: Kaleeus a goliath Warden, Shella a goliath Barbarian, Phlyllis a human druid, Arlen an elven Shaman, and Talron an elven ranger. This group often adventurers into the feywild or deep into the natural forests.