Important Locations in Mor-ladron

Last week, I described the major islands of the Skies of Mor-ladron(SoM), the places characters are most likely to be from. Today, let’s explore a few more important locations in SoM. These locations are places players might want to visit or even start their adventure. 

Blackstone 

Blackstone is a volcanic island (the only one discovered so far in SoM) covered in obsidian. It is home to the Blackstone guild, mostly made up of dwarves whose origins stem from a group tired of the magical hierarchy in Empyrean. They saw their rune-crafting skills as equivalent to the arcane might of the Seven Towers. 

Currently, the Blackstone guild is responsible for creating some of the most complex rune-crafted devices. Although the Blackstone dwarves are not the inventors of cannons and culverins, they have perfected these runepowered weapons and are the sole creators of the runelock weapons, rifles, and pistols. It is rumored that the volcano's fires have magical properties that help Blackstone create its wonders.  

A small cult of pyromancers also lives on the island. The Blackstone guild permits the cultists to remain as long as they use their powers to regulate the guild’s mighty furnaces. These pyromancers study the volcano and its rivers of lava to increase their elemental fire powers. None of the major islands recognize the cult as a sanctioned institute of magic; its practitioners are viewed with suspicion and distrust. In Hilean they could be arrested on sight, as Hilean has very strict laws on the use of fire. In the other cities, they would probably be encouraged to leave if they were found out, since they are outside the order and hierarchy of those cities. 

Mount Ancora 

The recent discovery of Mount Ancora has caused a stir in the Skies of Mor-ladon. It is the only known geographical feature still connected to the world below. Why it was not destroyed or completely overrun by demons (as is the probable fate of the rest of the world) is unknown. Scholars and explorers have started to explore not only its peaks and cliffs but also its depths. It was on one of these explorations that the silver tree was found. 

The silver tree is a sleeping celestial bearing holy fruit upon its branches. An order of knights has made its mission to protect and learn more about this celestial. The small frontier settlement of Port Town has sprung up to service the explorers and scholars coming to the mountain. 

Shipspire (working name)

Shipspire is a small icicle-shaped island surrounded by docked ships. Many of these ships have made permanent berths and act as shops and inns, and in effect, double the size of the island. Many ladders and walkways connect these ships and the island.  

This unique and cobbled-together island is the home to delvers, smugglers, and pirates. Outside the jurisdiction of any major powers and close to the Shattered Isles—an area filled with many islands home to ancient ruins and dungeons from the world below—Shipspire is the perfect place for those seeking quick riches and black market goods.

This melting pot of an island is the perfect place to start adventures for explorers who wish to delve into the mysteries of the world below—or get rich through less-than-legal means. 

There we have it—some other important locations in SoM that players will interact with. I think Shipspire will be a key starting location for many of my games, so I hope to do a deep dive into it and its people/factions and create a map for it. Let me know what you think about these locations. Which one would you want to visit?