The namesake of the town, the torch atop Black Hill, most often burns as a high purple flame out of a five-feet wide hole. Rarely, the last time some fifteen years ago according to the local blacksmiths, the torch erupts to form a solid purple ray of energy shooting straight up into the sky.

Torch Statistics:
N Large town
Corruption +O; Crime -1; Economy +O; Law -1; Lore +O;
Society +4
Qualities insular, strategic location, tourist attraction
Disadvantage heavily taxed
Danger +5

Marketplace Statistics:
Base Value 2,400 gp; Purchase Limit 5,000 gp;
Spellcasting 3rd
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:42, Tue 17 July 2018.

Torch Overview

Torch is a town with a relatively short history, probably not much more than a hundred years. It is built around the purple flame atop Black Hill, a flame of major importance to the town. Experimenting and investigating the flame has lead to a rough understanding of how it works - the heat it produces is strangely directional, as anything above it will quickly melt or burn, but nearly no heat radiates to its sides. Periodic eruptions more common in the past have made it impossible to establish any permanent buildings atop the hill, but portable workshops are brought up for the blacksmiths to make use of the heat which burns hot enough to easily melt the extremely hard skymetals found all around Numeria. While the torch also serves as garbage disposal for the whole town, the blacksmithing enabled by it is the backbone of Torch.

Torch, with it's unique blacksmithing opportunities, would be a very rich town if not for the Technic League. While they do not maintain a presence in the town, at least not as far as anyone knows; town leaders pay a heavy tax each month, gold sent north to Starfall.

Government
Torch is governed by a council, which is generally well-respected and which selects replacements for councilors who die or for other reasons leave the council. Current council-members:
Councilor Bazlundi Otterbie, heir to one of the founding families of torch. His family organizes the many smiths and artisans of the city.
Councilor Dolga Feddert is Torch's older councilor. The dwarf was one of the very first families to arrive in Torch, and her family's smithing has been part of Torch since.
Councilor Joram Kyte, cleric of Brigh, is the religious leader of Torch. He is friendly, and along with his innovative crafting this helped him land a seat at the council many years ago.
Councilor Khonnir Baine is the newest member on the council, and the one with the most specialized technical knowledge in the city. Known for often lending a hand to colleagues on the council, and other townsfolk alike, as well as for the Foundry Tavern which he runs with his daughter Val, Khonnir is much appreciated by all.
Councilor Serantha Olandir is an influential, charismatic part of the council. Her husband died two years ago in a back-alley mugging by ropefist thugs, and she has since then been engaged with making sure Torch does not become a den of crime and corruption.

Other notable people
Garmen Ulreth who was recently killed. While investigations are ongoing, according to the council he was suspected of involvement in extinguishing the torch. Prior to that, he ran Silverdisk Hall - gambling den of Torch.
Jhestine Imierin Town healer and apothecary.
Junkmaster Garitt Burrwaddle is a bleachling gnome who received his honorary title after decades of obsessively collecting and cataloguing scrapmetal found or used as components for melting skymetal alloys at the torch.
Mylan Radli is a cleric of Pharasma and sees over the graveyard as well as gives blessings to those who visit.
Smeltrunner Oskah Unteret coordinates work atop Black Hill and owns the four adamantine carts stored in a building near the top of Black Hill, carts used for bringing metals up for smelting.

Notable Buildings and Locations

1. Iven's Livery Stable
Run by a half-elf and his barbarian wife, the stable is an important location in a town that lives on the trade with distant locations, and where many caravans pass through.

2. General Store
This store caters to scavengers, artisans, and metalworkers first and foremost, but also carries plenty of gear sought by adventurers traveling through Numeria.
Most adventuring gear can be found here, but not weapons and armor. See Marketplace below for further information.

3. Silverdisk Hall
The future of this busy gambling house is currently quite uncertain, as its owner has recently been killed.

4. The Merrymaid
The Merrymaid bordello has existed as long as Torch has been a stable settlement, and is frequently visited by traveling scavengers and merchants as well as townsfolk.

5. The Copper Coin
This is the oldest tavern in town, popular among artisans and laborers. It is run by Lawton and Katina Rimos in the same spirit as their father ran it before he passed away, and here everything costs just a few coppers!

6. Garrison and Armory
A thirty foot tower atop the barracks building marks the resting place and gathering point for the several dozen town guards, who most often patrol the streets and the marketplace.

7. Olandir Estate
This is the home of influential councilor Serantha Olandir.

8. Otterbie Manor
Expensive home of one of the original founding families of Torch.

9. Weeping Pond
This stinking water lined by banks lacking any vegetation has shown to be the entrance to vast cave systems below Black Hill. A shallow stream runs off and empties into Crowfeather Lake.

10. Crowfeather Palace
This wondrous construction designed and built by Khonnir Baine with the help of the local priests of Brigh purifies the tainted waters of Crowfeather Palace with means both arcane, divine and technological. Thanks to the "Palace", as it is commonly called, the townsfolk of Torch have a safe source of drinking water.

11. Market Square
The largest marketplace of Torch lies at the southern shore of Crowfeather Lake. Second only to the torch, this is a big tourist attraction in town.

12. Foundry Tavern
Run by Councilor Khonnir Baine and daughter Val Baine, this often packed tavern is doubles as a place for Khonnir to show off new inventions. The neighboring foundry is often rented out to visiting smiths and metalworkers.

13. Tempting Tonics
Jhestine Imierin markets a wide range of poisons, antitoxin, healing potions, and even pharmaceuticals.

14. Seven Tears Farms
Fertile fields and orchards line the stream near the southern side of town. Thanks to the Crowfeather Palace, the farmers no longer need to rely on charity for water purification.

15. Town Hall
Apart from Council Meetings on every Oathday, Town Hall functions as a garrison and lookout as well as a locale for social gatherings and dances.

16. Chapel of the Wanderer
A chapel in Pharasma's name, it along with the graveyard is overseen by Mylan Radli.

17. Temple of Brigh
Decorated by bronze wind chimes and clockwork statues to honor their god, the worshipers of Brigh maintain a workshop here, and a small shop where they sell magical and technological items.

18. Evercandle Inn
Strange alchemical candles lighting the rooms of this establishment give it its name.

19. Boarding House
Nine buildings around a small park serve as temporary homes for larger parties not wanting to pay for more expensive accommodation.

20. Warehouse District
The majority of buildings here serve as storehouses for trade goods. One of the unused buildings here was also allegedly the site of famous Garmen Ulreth's death.

21. Torch Guildhouse
Established by the Otterbie family, this building is the home of the metallurgists' and artisans' guild. This is also where weapons and armor is sold.

22. Dolga's Foundry
Ringing hammers and dwarven songs always sound from this building owned by Dolga Feddert and her team of veteran crafters.

23. Junkyard
This is the place to go for anyone looking for rare spare parts for advanced constructions, and for disposal of unusable scrap metal.

24. Black Hill
The major landmark of Torch burns atop this blackened hill. Near the top, Smeltrunner Oskah Unteret coordinates smelting work and transporting to and from the hill.

Marketplace

Several different shops specialize in producing and selling different goods, and long with Market Square itself supplies adventurers and craftsmen alike with what they need.

Marketplace Statistics:
Base Value: 2400gp
Purchase Limit: 5000gp
Spellcasting: 3rd

Items available:
Inkrit's General Store - Cloak of the Hedge Wizard, Wand of Technomancy (44ch), +1 Flaming Warhammer, 5x Trauma Packs, Filter Mask, as well as most tools and other adventuring gear.

Jhestine's Tempting Tonics - 2x Cureall, Hemochem (grades I-IV, one of each), 2x Cardioamp, 6x Medlance, as well as most common potions, antitoxins, poisons.

Temple of Brigh, add a 5% discount! - 3x Scroll of Restoration, Scroll of Raise Dead, Wand of Rebuke Technology (11ch; 4,620gp), Wand of Protection from Technology (22ch; 1,980gp)

Guildhouse, add a 5% discount! - +1 Cold Siccatite Longsword, 93x Adamantine Bolts (60gp each), +1 Construct Bane Adamantine Dagger, +2 Neraplast Armor¹ (5200gp), +1 Mithral Chain Shirt, +2 Spiked Light Steel Shield, and the masterwork weapons and armor the party would require.

Market Square - Scroll of Destroy Robot (CL11) 1650gp, Cybernetic Eyes 4000gp, +1 Energy Hammer² (18,340gp)

5% discount on gear found in Guildhouse, Temple of Brigh, or randomly rolled for.

¹Neraplast Armor:
Light armor, +2 armor bonus to AC, -0ACP, +8 max dex, ASF5%
24 charges. Use 1 to as full-round action (provoking AoO) cycle through and choose camouflage pattern, gaining +3 stealth.

²Energy Hammer:
The construction of this technological weapon matches that of an Earth Breaker well. The hammer holds 10 charges, and one is consumed to power the added force on a hit - the weapon deals 3d6 damage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:54, Wed 25 July 2018.