Pathfinder 2 – Settlement
Campaign – City of Magnimar
Thassilonian Resurgence
Introduction to Magnimar
Founded by former Korvosans seeking to throw off Chelish rule and form a democratic metropolis, the renowned City of Monuments lies at the southern tip of the Varisian Gulf, built up around one of the last surviving remnants of the enormous bridge that purportedly once stretched all the way to Hollow Mountain.
Population 16,428 – Large City
A city where other settlers broke off from Challiax ideas and founded their own settlement away from the influences of other countries. This has been built around a massive broken bridge to nowhere.
The city of Magnimar (pronounced MAG-nih-mahr) stands as one of the two major city-states of southern Varisia. Founded by Korvosan dissenters in 4608 AR, the City of Monuments now stands as a rival to Korvosa in an open war of coin and words.
Magnimar is a large city located on the southwestern coast of Varisia where the Yondabakari River empties into the Varisian Gulf. The city is surrounded by the mostly inhospitable Mushfens. The city itself is defined by two colossal landmarks which predate modern civilization by thousands of years or more. The Irespan is an ancient Thassilonian ruin, the easternmost end of a giant bridge which has now crumbled into the sea. This enormous relic stretched from Magnimar’s other most noticeable feature, the three-hundred-foot tall cliff which cuts the city in two known as the Seacleft.
Districts of Magnimar
While these unavoidable monuments provide natural dividers to the city’s three major districts (the Summit atop the cliff, the Shore below, and the Shadow under the Irespan); residents recognise eighteen official communities within Magnimar.
Major District – The Summit
The wealthiest communities in Magnimar are located in the Summit atop the rise of the Seacleft, as are the city’s centres of government, education, and arts. The Summit contains the following minor districts:
- Alabaster District – The richest and most prestigious district in all Magnimar it used to be known as the Stylobate but is now it is colloquially known as the Alabaster District.
- Bridgeward – Bridgeward is home to the most refined crafts like jewellers, sculptors and other artisans.
- Capital District – The home to some of Magnimar’s most important buildings the Capital District serves as the political heart of the entire city.
- Grand Arch – Although Grand Arch is not the wealthiest district of Magnimar’s prestigious Summit region, but it is the largest.
- Marble District – The Marble District is one of the most prestigious areas to live in the whole city.
- Naos – Disparagingly called the “new-money district” by the city’s more established nobles the Naos is actually one of the nicest, best maintained parts of the city.
- Vista – A part of the wealthy area of Magnimar known as the Summit, the Vista district is home to up-scale businesses of all types.
Major District – The Shore
Home to the majority of Magnimar’s working class, the Shore contains Magnimar’s coasts and docks, and the following districts:
- Beacon’s Point – Beacon’s Point is home of many hard-working dock families as well as numerous sailors and other ocean goers, it also houses numerous warehouses, shipping concerns and other such businesses.
- Bazaar of Sails – The Bazaar of Sails is not just a district it is also the largest free market in the whole of Varisia.
- Dockway – The neighbourhood known as Dockway forms the heart of Magnimar’s maritime activities.
- Lowcleft – It is considered one of Magnimar’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
- Keystone – Magnimar’s central district of Keystone surrounds the mysterious and beautiful Seerspring Gardens that sit almost exactly at the centre the whole of modern Magnimar.
- Kyver’s Islet – One of Magnimar’s most heavily industrialized districts, Kyver’s Islet is almost entirely taken up by loud or heavy industry.
- Ordellia – Ordellia serves as a hotbed of dissent and new political ideas, the people of the district view themselves as embodying the spirit of freedom that led Alcaydian Indros to originally found Magnimar.
- Rag’s End – The poorest, most wretched district in all Magnimar “Rag’s End” and its desolate tenements is a far cry from the city’s grand title as “The City of Monuments”.
- Silver Shore – It is home mainly to well off merchants, members of the Council of Ushers and several noble families who have decided to base themselves by the shore.
- The Marches
Major District – The Shadow
The Shadow district is the most derelict in the city and houses only the single community of Underbridge. It is home to the seediest of Magnimar’s inhabitants and most members of the government take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to the district’s problems.
Magnimar Holdings
Magnimar has begun to slowly expand her sphere of influence to encompass many nearby settlements and communities. This is a list of but a few that have come under the jurisdiction of Magnimar.
The Summit – Minor Districts of Magnimar
Alabaster District – The Summit
(Also known as the Stylobate)
The richest and most prestigious district in all Magnimar it used to be known as the Stylobate but is now it is colloquially known as the Alabaster District. The district is home to Magnimar’s elite and is cut off from the rest of the city by a large marble wall that is only interrupted by a few well-guarded sets of steps that lead to the wide avenues of the Alabaster district. The districts most prominent feature is Fort Indros that looks out north over the seas of the Varisian Gulf.
Locations:
- Fort Indros
Bridgeward – The Summit
Most of the other district of the Summit region of Magnimar are residential but Bridgeward is the exception, while most industry takes place in the Shore, Bridgeward is home to the most refined crafts like jewellers, sculptors and other artisans. It is also home to one of Magnimar’s most unique industries, the Golemworks, which creates many types of golems for its incredibly rich customers. Bridgeward also contains the Cenotaph and the surrounding Mourner’s Plaza where Magnimar’s social elite are buried in the shadow of the monument to the towns founder.
Locations:
- Cenotaph
- Golemworks
- Mourner’s Plaza
Capital District – The Summit
The home to some of Magnimar’s most important buildings the Capital District serves as the political heart of the entire city. The district lies in the Summit region of Magnimar the Capital District is south of both Bridgeward and the Irespan itself but is north of the “new-money” area of the Naos. The buildings of the area are as ornate as they are important, the Usher’s Hall, which sits opposite the monument known as Indros cul Vydrarch, is home to the Council of Ushers and is the place where many of the city’s most important decisions are made. Nearby stands the Pediment Building, the home of justice in Magnimar the above ground floors are home to stern faced judges and large courtrooms while below the ground is Magnimars only prison, the Hells.
Locations:
- The Hells – Magnimar’s Prison
- Idros cul Vydrarch
- Pediment Building
- Usher’s Hall – Home to the Council of Ushers
Grand Arch – The Summit
Although Grand Arch is not the wealthiest district of Magnimar’s prestigious Summit region, but it is the largest. Grand Arch stretches from the Twins’ Gate monument to the north for most of the length of the Avenue of Honours, while to the east it engulf most of the length of the Lord-Mayor’s March its borders blending with the neighbouring district of Naos. The area is home to middle class merchants and respectable shop owners, while not as affluent as some of the nearby districts Grand Arch is still a respectable place to live. Many of its homes stand vacant for much of the year as most of the travelling merchants who visit Magnimar keep their homes in the Grand Arch district, swelling the population for parts of the year while leaving the area relatively empty at other times. The district is named after its most famous sight, the twin statues known as The Guardians.
Locations:
- Avenue of Honours
- The Guardians
- Lord-Mayor’s March
- Twins’ Gate Monument
Marble District – The Summit
Located atop the Fogwall Cliffs within the Summit area of Magnimar the Marble District is one of the most prestigious areas to live in the whole city, the only area more prestigious is its northern neighbour, the Alabaster District. The Marble District is very well off containing beautiful town houses, small villas and even the estates of some of the city’s noble families. The biggest and most famous building within the district is the largest building in the entire city, the huge arena known as Serpent’s Run.
Locations:
- Fogwall Cliffs
- Serpent’s Run – Arena
Naos – The Summit
(Also called the New Money District)
Disparagingly called the “new-money district” by the city’s more established nobles the Naos is actually one of the nicest, best maintained parts of the city. It lies in the wealthy area known as the Summit and is centred around the Avenue of Hours. it is bordered by the Marble District to the north, the Capital District to the north west and the Grand Arch district to the west. The rest of the Naos borders are made up either by the natural barrier of the Fogwall Cliffs to the east or the city walls to the south. The district is home to both great public spaces like the Starsilver Plaza and the Lord-Mayor’s Menagerie and great buildings like the Triodea and the Heidmarch Manor which serves as a lodge for members of the Pathfinder Society.
Locations:
- Avenue of Hours
- Fogwall Cliffs
- Lord-Mayor’s Menagerie
- Starsilver Plaza
- Triodea Manor
- Heidmarch Manor – Location of the Pathfinder Society
Vista – The Summit
A part of the wealthy area of Magnimar known as the Summit, the Vista district is home to up-scale businesses of all types. Vista is sandwiched between the road known as the Avenue of Honours in the east and the vast cliff known as the Seacleft to the west. Not only is the district home to wealthy businesses but it also houses several powerful trading organizations including the infamous Aspis Consortium whose Varisian headquarters is based here. As well as businesses Vista is also home to the estates of many of the city’s well-to-do nobles who enjoy the breathtaking views over the shore region below. All of these estates are overshadowed by Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras estate, known as the Defiant’s Garden.
Location:
- Aspis Consortium
- Avenue of Honours
- Defiant’s Guarden – Home to Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras
- Seacleft
The Shore – Minor Districts of Magnimar
Beacon’s Point – The Shore
Beacon’s Point forms one side of Outcast’s Cove, the harbour that forms the heart of Magnimar’s nautical trade. It is located to the north of Magnimar’s poorest district, Rag’s End. As may be expected of a district that deals with hardy sea folk it is loud and raucous. Beacon’s Point is home of many hard-working dock families as well as numerous sailors and other ocean goers, it also houses numerous warehouses, shipping concerns and other such businesses. The most famous landmark of Beacon’s Point is its statue studded lighthouse, the Wyrmwatch which was supposedly built upon the very spot where Alcaydian Indros vanquished the Sea Dragon Vydrarch.
Locations:
- Wyrmwatch – Statue studded lighthouse
Bazaar of Sails – The Shore
The Bazaar of Sails is not just a district it is also the largest free market in the whole of Varisia. Located in the Shore region of Magnimar the Bazaar of Sails is located adjacent to the waterfront, wedged between the Seacleft and the Varisian Gulf and is nearly under the Shadow of the Irespan. The Bazaar of Sails is probably the busiest district of the city, it is filled with the hustle and bustle of traders from dozens of nations all competing for space, attention and profit. From Osirion spices to Andoran wood to Chelish clothing the markets are filled with goods of every sort. With such a variety of wealth on display one might imagine the district was riddled with crime. But it is well policed; though not by the watch. Sabriyya Kalmeralm bears the title “Princess of the Market” which she inherited from her missing father Nazir Kalmeralm, with it comes the responsibility of keeping the markets reasonably safe through whatever means necessary. Some critics view Sabriyya as little more than Magnimar’s most open crime boss. However, those who trade in the Bazaar of Sails understand the service she provides, even if it sometime requires unsavoury methods.
Locations:
- Markets – protected by Sabriyya kalmeralm “Princess of the Markets”
Dockwary – The Shore
The neighbourhood known as Dockway forms the heart of Magnimar’s maritime activities, nestled round the shore of Outcast’s Cove in the city’s Shore region. Dockway never sleeps. The constant flow of trading ships and local fishing vessels keep the docks busy at all hours. Much of this part of the city is home to businesses that cater to the hardy sea folk who spend their earnings here. A few blocks inland from the salt-soaked dock fronts there are a host of more comfortable inns and taverns that try to cater to the exotic tastes of Magnimar’s foreign visitors. The most famous of these Dockway sanctuaries is probably the Fang, a cheap dockside inn run by Ol’ Mam Grottle, its no nonsense proprietress.
Locations:
- The Old Fang – Inn run by Ol’ Mam Grottle
Lowcleft – The Shore
The district of Lowcleft sits at the bottom of the imposing Seacleft and is considered one of Magnimar’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. Lowcleft’s borders Seacleft to the east, while to its west lie the districts of Keystone and the Marches. To the north lies the Dockway, and to the south the city walls. Lowcleft is the home of avant-garde artists and performers of all sorts, and is filled with small theatres, tap rooms, hookah bars, dance halls, and even brothels. Venues in this part of town tend to show performances too innovative or shocking for the more famous Triodea theatre, though there is still a connection between the Triodea and Lowcleft performers. One of the Lowcleft’s most infamous nightspots, the Gilded Cage, is run by the ex-Triodea prima donna Jayleen Mordove.
Locations:
- The Gilded Cage – nightspot run by Jayleen Mordove
- Triodea Theatre
Keystone – The Shore
Magnimar’s central district of Keystone surrounds the mysterious and beautiful Seerspring Gardens that sit almost exactly at the centre of the Shore region and the whole of modern Magnimar. With the Seerspring Gardens at its heart Keystone radiates out along four main avenues each lined with impressive buildings like the Temple of Iomadae and Magnimar’s illustrious wizards school, the Stone of the Seers. Keystone is surrounded by other districts with the salt encrusted Dockway to the north east, artistic Lowcleft to the south east, the Marches bustles to the south west while the poverty-stricken maze of Rag’s End stretches to the north west. Central to the city of Magnimar Keystone still manages to maintain its own unique feel and thanks to Seerspring Gardens is a surprisingly peaceful district.
Locations:
- Seerspring Gardens
- Stone of the Seers – Magnimar’s wizard school
- Temple of Iomadae
Kyver’s Islet – The Shore
One of Magnimar’s most heavily industrialized districts, Kyver’s Islet is almost entirely taken up by loud or heavy industry. Kyver’s Islet itself sits in the middle of the Yondabakari River where it empties into the vast Varisian Gulf and is surrounded by patches of sandbar and shallow water. The shore of this small island is almost entirely covered in lumber mills and shipyards, all vying for the limited space. The only real building of note in this otherwise uninteresting district is the small lighthouse at the northern most tip of the island called the Floodfire, which serves to warn ships away from the dangerous sub-aquatic terrain which is near Kyver’s Islet.
Location:
- Floodfire
Ordella – The Shore
Separated from the rest of Magnimar by the Yondabakari River, Ordellia has always considered itself somewhat apart from the rest of the city. Ordellia is the western-most district and is the only one on the western side of the Yondabakari. It is connected to the rest of city by a bridge to Kyver’s Islet (which, in turn, is then connected by bridge to Silver Shore). Ordellia serves as a hotbed of dissent and new political ideas, the people of the district view themselves as embodying the spirit of freedom that led Alcaydian Indros to originally found Magnimar. The people of the district are proud of their community, organised militia and other services, viewing themselves as a separate entity to the rest of the city. The beating heart of this community-wide spirit is The Rose and Rake Theatre, renowned for its satirical and often scathing plays which target local political figures.
Locations:
- The Rose and Rake Theatre
Rag’s End – The Shore
The poorest, most wretched district in all Magnimar “Rag’s End” and its desolate tenements is a far cry from the city’s grand title as “The City of Monuments“. The maze-like alleys and slums of Rag’s End are home to only the most desperate of Magnimar’s working class as well as a host of homeless, addicts, cripples and vagrant wanderers. Most people only get by thanks to begging, temporary work and the charity of the churches of Iomedae and Erastil. Much of this desolate slum is owned by a much loathed Varisian slumlord named Rassimeri Jaijarko who uses the Sczarni gang The Gallowed as his hired muscle.
Locations:
- Church of Erastil
- Church of Iomedae
- Slums – Run by Rassimeri Jaijarko
- The Gallowed – A local Sczarni Gang
Silver Shore – The Shore
The wealthiest district below the more well-to-do Summit region Silver Shore is far more affluent than the rest of the rough and ready Shore region. It is home mainly to well off merchants, members of the Council of Ushers and several noble families who have decided to base themselves by the shore. The reasons why the wealthy chose life down by the shore are myriad, some want to stay close to their water-based businesses, other want to stay close to the people themselves while some just prefer the view. As well as its residents Silver Shore is renowned for the bizarre Aquaretum created by gnome inventor Nireed Wadincoast to serve as something halfway between a museum and an aquarium.
Locations:
- Aquaretum – halfway between a museum and an aquarium run by Nireed Wadincoast
The Marches – The Shore
The Marches serves as the entrance to Magnimar for most of the land bound traders who enter the city. The Castlegate is the first sight many traders see when approaching Magnimar and is one of only four gates which penetrate the city wall and is almost as large as the Twins’ Gate in the Grand Arch district. The Marches is south of central Keystone, west of Lowcleft and east of the wealthier Silver Shore district. The Marches is home to many content, but not particularly wealthy folk, lower class shop owners and less skilled craftsmen. The Marches, thanks to its location next to Castlegate, is quite a busy district bustling with traders, but it is given no extra funding for security and as such is filled with Sczarni gangs and other such thieves and con-men. Luckily the local churches of Iomedae, Erastil and Abadar all provide manpower that helps keep the district safe, or at least safer than it would be.
Locations:
- Castegate
- Church of Abadar
- Church of Erastil
- Church of Iomedae
The Shadow – Minor Districts of Magnimar
Underbridge – The Shadow
By far Magnimar’s most seedy, dangerous and dirty district Underbridge is the only district in what is known as the Shadow area of Magnimar because it lies beneath the shade of the Irespan. Rat infested Underbridge is filled with gambling dens, rancid brothels, cheap flop houses and decrepit tenements serving as a collection of the worst vices of the city. While the Magnimar government have pledged to clean up Underbridge many members of the Council of Ushers realise that the vice-filled district actually helps attract business to Magnimar and that shutting it down may adversely affect the rest of Magnimar. Despite being a shore-side district Underbridge does not have the bustling docks of the Bazaar of Sails or Dockway but there are a few places to dock. These Underbridge docks are inevitably used for smuggling, the most infamous of which backs on to the Friendly Merchant a shady tavern whose owner charges extortionate rates to use his smuggling dock.
Locations:
- Friendly Merchant
Campaign Events as Reported to the People
- AR 4608
- Magnimar Founded by Korvosan dissidents
- AR 4708-02-15
- Goblins vandalism in the Sewers of Magnimar, stopped by Pathfinders with most of the valuable returned by the Pathfinder Society, gaining thanks from most of the citizens. Some are claiming that the lodge was responsible for the thefts in the first place.
- AR 4708-02-16
- Rumours of quakes are happening with strange lights, but no investigations into the area have been able to find the source, a reliable witness or even evidence of the events.
- AR 4708-TBA
- Wedding, Title and social climbing for Halfling of the town now referred to as Sir Winkle, otherwise known as Pimwinkle Stout. Since the wedding his family home has been under constant watch by the Hellknights based in Magnimar.
Content Updates
- 2021-08-06 – Updated with layout, menu and some more content.
- 2020-07-05 – Added in details from RotR players guide.
TRAP Campaign
Adventures, Challenges, Personalities, Runelords, Varisia, TRAP Design
Characters: Feats (Location, Social (RotR), Social (JR))
Main Settlements: Absalom, Korvosa, Magnimar, Riddleport
Other Settlements: Abken, Baslwief, Biston, Galduria, Harse, Ilsurian, Janderhoff, Kaer Maga, Melfesh, Nybor, Palin’s Cove, Ravenmoor, Roderic’s Cove, Sandpoint, Sirathu, Turtleback Ferry, Urglin, Velderaine, Wartle, Whistledown, Windsong Abbey, Wolf’s Ear
Other Locations: Ashwood, Bloodsworn Vale, Brinewall, Calphiak Mountains, Celwynvian, Chorak’s Tomb, Churlwood, Cinderlands, Crystalrock, Crystilan, Curchain Hills, Ember Lake, Fenwall Mountains, Fogscar Mountains, Gnashers, Gruankus, Guiltspur, Hollow Mountain, Hook Mountain, Iron Peaks, Kodar Mountains, Lady’s Light, Lurkwood, Malgorian Mountains, Mierani Forest, Minderhal’s Anvil, Mindspin Mountains, Mobhad Leigh, Mundatei, Mushfelns, Nolands, Red Mountains, Rift of Niltak, Rimeskull, Sanos Forest, Shimmerglens, Skotha Lake, Skull’s Crossing, Spindlehorn, Spire of Lemriss, Stormunder Lake, Stony Mountains, Storval Deep, Storval Plateau, Storval Stairs, Sunken Queen, Syrantula Lake, Varisian Gulf, Velashu River, Velashu Uplands, Viperwall, Wormwood Hall, Wyvern Mountains, Yondabakari River
Organisations: Hellknights, Pathfinder Society
PFS Factions: Andoran, Cheliax, Grand Lodge, Lantern Lodge, Osirion, Qadira, Sczarni, Shadow Lodge, Silver Crusade, Taldor
Adventures
Level 1: Aspirant Pathfinders, The Lost Star, Ilsundal Carnival, Pharasma’s Quest, Welcome to Kaer Maga
Level 2: Sandpoint Festival, Shard of Pride, Welcome to Korvosa, Welcome to Riddleport
Level 3: Korvosa Gone Mad, Missing people in Sandpoint, Rescue of Ameiko, Shard of Greed
Library of Books
B5, d20 System, Pathfinder, SW
This site is currently undergoing migration to www.thedarkelf007.com website due to needing a different set of tools that I had available to me on here.
General Links
Basic Links: Who Am I?, Home, Game Tools, Game Session Videos, My Campaigns, My Library, Site Map, Subscription Information
Game Systems: Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder 1 & 2, Shadowrun, Star Wars. Other Game Systems
Site sponsored by the author AS Hamilton (my wife) with her books available on amazon kindle.
TheDarkElf007 Gaming Blog 