GATEWAY
KEEP
INDEPENDENT CITY STATE
Who Rules: First Lord of Gateway
Keep Aldolf Lunimark (N hm W10) is a ruthless,
and no nonsense merchant–mage devoted to
advancement of Gateway Keep and increasing his
own personal power (not necessarily in that
order).
Who Really Rules: Aldolf Lunimark’s
claim of rulership is somewhat more then in
dispute along with its absent founder, at least two
other merchant-mages via behind the scenes for
the seal of Gateway Keep. It is this continued
political strife which both protects and isolates the
various freedoms of the citizens and merchants
within the large boundary areas of control.
Population: 135,740 (registered); real
population averages are 105,000 during the winter
and about 145,000 in summer, not including
sailors or other travelers.
Demi-humans: Some
Humanoids: Few (many along
Western Hills region)
Area of Control: Gateway Keep has a
zone of control which extends to about 120 miles
away from the Gateway Keep. The eastern-most
boundaries are well short of the Vesphean Forest,
only about 50 miles. Military units are stationed
along the major roadways leading into the region.
A series of taxation checkpoints are located along
these routes, which also provide a local barrack’s
for the military units operating in the region. A tax
official is almost always present at these posts.
Treaty Obligations: Due to Gateway
Keep’s close proximity with the Vesphean Forest
boarder. Elven flagged warships and trade vessels
are allowed to bypass all taxation checkpoints.
Elvish trade caravans may proceed without
taxation permits for the first fortnight of each new
moon. Caravans traveling outside of these periods
are subject to the full taxes due. Ships bearing the
flag of Dragonspell are also subject to special
taxation rules. Warships may pass freely, however
merchant vessels are subject to a reduced taxation
rate to about 25%. This has lead to the deceptive
practice of false vessel registrations. Vessels
found to be falsely registered will be seized and a
prize crew awarded. Overland trade caravans from
Dragonspell are subject to the full tax due. Many
Dragonspell ships will off-load their cargo to
other shipping carriers in Gateway Keep to take
advantage of the extra profit by avoiding the long
sailing times to Port Salos and making faster runs
back to Dragonspell.
Economy/Taxes: A series of taxes and
levies are placed on all goods and stuffs arriving
in the region. Items are taxed on a complex table
based on size, nature, and relative value of the
products. Goods are inspected and tax stamps are
issued at that time. Goods found without proper
papers are subject to seizure for the offense. The
various guild factions use undercover shipments to
avoid the steep taxes imposed upon them. Tax
officials have been known to leave or omit items
from the levies (common adjudication), taking the
best for themselves, of course. Slave traffic is
another of such goods, while the practice of
slavery is outlawed in Gateway Keep, the
surrounding countryside is however full of many
slaver pens in which the trade goes unchecked.
The practice of slave trading occurring in the city
is however strictly a black market affair. With the
slave lots being trading via proxy and then
shipped from their respect holding pens to all parts
along the Southern Sea’s and beyond. While the
slaves never even set foot inside Gateway Keep
and its awaiting freedom to them.
Major Products: (Trade), barges,
horses (fine mounts and draft animals bred and
trained), arms, armor, leatherwork, livestock
(meat, cheese), ships, wool, fish, dyes, and
shubberies.
Armed Forces: Gateway Keep has a
standing force of 13,500 troops, of which 7,500
men-at-arms and 1,550 horsemen are combat
troops on active service. Additionally a reserve
force of another 2,550 men-at-arms and 900
horsemen can be called up to active service within
1 month’s time. A strong naval presence is also
maintained in the surrounding sea lanes and river
regions. The fleet of close to 30 warships of a 5th
Rate Ship of the line or better carries out constant
patrols along the seaboard regions. A large
support fleet of over 50 vessels ply the seaboard
area supplying the fleet while at sea with food and
other provisions. The city guard has a standing
force of just over 2,250 men in banded-mail
armor, well-trained and equipped F0s through
F2s. The city guard is commanded by Hector
Hernandez (LN hm F8). Hector is the third leg in
the balance of power in Gateway Keep. It is with
his position and duty to the law that provides for a
very effective system of lawful order within the
city walls.
Weather/Climate: Gateway Keep’s
location allows its harbor to remain ice free year
round. Gateway Keep's climate is classified as
humid subtropical and is characterized by hot,
humid summers and cool winters. Due to its close
proximity to the Southern Sea coast, Gateway
Keeps rarely experiences temperatures as extreme
as those in interior. Nevertheless, temperatures as
high as 105 °F and as low as 3 °F have been
recorded. Summers tend to be humid with many
thunderstorms. Nearly half of Gateway Keep's
precipitation falls during the summer months,
characteristic of monsoon-type climates. Due to
the warm weather conditions, farmers will grow
crops almost year round filling out the fields with
winter wheat and other grain crops to take
advantage of the cool winters. As the city is south
of the snow line, it rarely snows in winter.
Occasional Arctic cold fronts in winter can push
nighttime temperatures into the 20s, but usually
not much further than that. Gateway Keep is at
risk for hurricanes during the late summer and
early fall months, because of its location in the
Vesphean Bight (the arc of the Southern Seas
coastline in region) as well as the tendency for
hurricanes to recurve up the coast.
Notable Mages:
 Fivil Fingers (CG gm T8/W(I)6) while
listed in the notable mages section due
to his expulsion from the local thieves
guild, he remains an active source of
intrigue for those that seek him out. He
however seeks to out the current thieves
guild leadership at the earliest
opportunity.
 Teresa Elmyna (CG heff W6, S:
chemistry) is a diminutive, bright little
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 whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm,
who is greatly concerned with making
and perfecting her spells, items and
potions. She operates out of small
storefront in the central market district.
 Zhundult “Stormshadow” Ulblesk (CN
hm W8) is an aggressively private,
dangerous, and possibly deranged man,
who spends his time researching planar
powers and conditions. Zhundult is a
former retainer of the city’s founder
Marlin Pintelli and has a great deal of
information regarding the layout of the
Keep.
Notable Churches:
 A major Asgardian Hall of worship is
located within the city and is dedicated
to the various Asgardian deities save
Loki. The largest faction within the hall
is dedicated to Thor and is led by
Patriarch Ragerson Oloryn (LG hm
C8), a shrewd investor in new ventures,
who enjoys ceremonially consecrating
new ships. He is a deadly foe of the
pirates and slave traders, with whom he
often sends his priests to fight; 22
priests 4,500 followers. The other
deities in the mythos vary from one or
two priests and may have up to several
hundred followers.
 A Temple of the Sun, dedicated to deity
Pelor is located near the eastern city
gate. Led by High Priest Lama
Cristobel Dreen (NG hm C7/ former
Pal3), 12 priests and 1,400 followers.
 The Ready House of the Right Strong
Hand, temple of Helm; Vigilant
Myrmidon Tathlo Brimmerbolden (LN
hm F6 (Str 18/69)), 11 priests and 500
followers.
 Shrines to Tempus, Tyr, Gond,
Yondalla, Paladine, and Mishakal.
Notable Rogues’ and Thieves Guilds:
The guild factions tend to rely on unseen conflict
to resolve the many issues between them.
However a deep animosity between them had lead
to double and triple agents working to foil each
other’s projects and bring the attention of the City
Guard on its opposite number. Small independent
bands go almost unnoticed, provided they remain
behind the scenes and do not take sides in this
ever expanding conflict.
 The Silver Picks Society operates
within the city walls in many legitimate
storefront businesses. They however are
engaged in a secret guild war to remove
the Black Hands from the city proper.
Due to the heavy handed approach
taken by the law enforcement, theft and
pick-pocketing is greatly discouraged
by its membership as to not draw
unneeded attention upon themselves.
The guild is under new leadership since
the removal of Fivil Fingers from the
guild order.
 The Black Hands operates with far
more ruthlessness in the countryside.
Agents are known to perform
kidnappings for slavery and
assassinations on travelers and others
found in the many miles of roads and
waypoints in the region. The guild is
very active in the slave trade and
operates many of the slave pens for
profit to the various trading factions.
The guild is believed to be led by
Executioner Grumvar Headcleaver (LE
hom C6/As9). He has been very rarely
seen but can be identified as always
wearing a patch over his left eye.
Equipment Shops: Full (some rare
Elven manufactured items).
Adventures’ Quarters: Gateway Keep
has more than a 100 places to stay, due to the
importance of overland and sea trade; it is
impossible to visit them all in a season, let alone
list them here. All must be tolerant of a wide
variety of races, behavior, and customs on the part
of their guests. Adventurers have found the
following establishments most useful, for widely
different reasons.
 The Axe and Pick Inn is operated by
Olga Stonebridge (LG hdf C3/F2). The
inn is a large and quiet stone structure
built to the designs of a small fortress
within the city, and is heavily policed
by its dwarven staff, all of whom seem
to be F1s or more. It is generally
considered the safest place to stay in
Gateway Keep. Others dub it the “The
Coffin” for its all-pervasive silence and
general lack of merriment.
(excellent/moderate)
 The Spitskull Inn and Tavern, located
near the southern gate, is a wild,
brawling place that features a sand pit
used in gambling on fighting prowess.
(fair/moderate)
 Whiskey Pete’s has two locations in the
city. The main location being on the
waterfront itself. Whiskey Pete’s is a
common port of call to all that enter
Gateway Keep via the seaport. Whiskey
Pete’s even has a separate dock for
cargo ships unloading goods directly
for the bar; some might wonder why a
bar needs its own dock. The second
location is within the city itself and has
a larger selection of guest rooms and
halls for rent. Both locations, however
offer a wide range of food & drinks and
a selection of the best ladies of the
night. (excellent/moderate)
 Red Flame Inn, a large popular place
with a clientele of many races, where
rare wild boar-pie cooks, pleasure-girls
and wine-vendors from across the city
offer room service. (good/expensive)
 DeGriss’s Other Tavern is run by
Bendel DeFloris (CG hm Due5). A wild
and no nonsense locale which offers
cheap drinks and even wilder tastes to
all present. The cost of replacement
tables and chairs is listed on the menu
board for those who choose to destroy
the furnishings. Rumored to be owned
by a second cousin to the original
proprietor from Kaneloon. (fair/cheap)
Important Characters:
 Aldolphus the Stout (LN halfm F1/T1,
S: astronomy, botany, geology, and
myconology medicine) formerly a
resident of Racepeath, who fled the city
due to a wide variety criminal charges
against him to which he maintain his
innocents. He maintains a small stone
keep about 12 miles to the northeast of
the city which serves as his observatory
and main laboratory. A huge glass
greenhouse is located inside the
courtyard with many rare species of
flora collected from such far and away
places such as deep caverns of the
underworld and the highest peaks of the
Dragonridge Mountains. His family is
normally in residence as well as several
other friends and retainers.
 Barandows Hawklin (LG hm Cav6) is
the current Knight Commander for the
noble order of Knights of St. John’s the
Hospital. The Knights of St. John of the
Hospital, commonly known throughout
as Knight Hospitallers, originated in the
city of Termace and have expanded
down the river avoiding conflict with
the knightly orders in Dragonspell. The
Hospitallers numbering about 90 strong
(F0s through F2s) will assist
adventuring parties of good in missions
throughout the region. They will
actively assist by providing knights to
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 those who confront the slavers preying
on the weak in the region.
 Dhaerhaera Nanatar (CG heff W6) is an
adventuress who recently captured and
tamed a griffon, which she often rides
towards the Vesphean Forest in search
of adventure.
 Emil Muzz (CN dgm T4/W(I)3) is
merchant, inventor and large-scale
slumlord in Gateway Keep, willing to
trade in his own grandmother if it
benefited him in any great way.
 Nuygi Kurita (LN hm Yak3) is an
adventurer from over the Southern Sea.
He has been a transplant of sorts in
Gateway Keep since his arrival. Due to
the language barrier it has taken an
extremely long and difficult time for
him to establish a base of operations.
However he has found a niche and
exploited Thieves Guild conflict to his
own advantage. He is also known to
assist those whom he can find a fair
bargain with for his own needs.
Likewise he has also found a work in
the training of pupils in the art of
Jujutsu and is a sought after master for
those skills.
Important Features in Town/Region:
Gateway Keep is laid out along the eastern river’s
edge and is one of the largest and busiest harbors
east of Port Salos. The city’s main walls are over
120 feet in height and give a commanding view of
the countryside outside the walls and provide for
excellent defensive positions to men-at-arms
along the walls. Defensive armaments line the
towers, walls and harbor entryways. A smaller fort
just to the north of the city is on the western river
edge and is used as the base for the heavy metal
chains which are drawn between the river’s edges
stopping and preventing ships from proceeded
without first entering into the port facilities for
inspection. The strongpoint is always well
guarded and manned. While the harbor dominates
the layout, the remainder of the city is sprawled
along the river’s edge.
Near the northern gate is the Grand
Curia Hostilia of the Council (where Gateway’s
governing body meets), the Barracks of the Guard
(Gateway’s jail, courthouse, armory, and main
barracks of the Guard), and the forbidden grey
tower of Marlin Pintelli, the first ruler and founder
of Gateway Keep. Property taxes for the grey
tower are always paid via agents and very few
servants are ever seen about the place, however its
upkeep remains pristine. The southeastern portion
of the town is home to the many warehouses,
granaries, and storage buildings used by the
merchant’s guild. The city stables, stockyards and any other large carriages. The standard charge is 1
other essential services are located in the southern copper per traveler and 2 copper for each horse.
corner of the walled city. This is to take advantage The light duty ferry only operates during daylight
to the nearby major sewer system tunnels which hours. The ferry is winched across the river using
empty into the river basin well below the city and power generated by a paddle-wheel engine located
harbor. The slaughterhouses, tanneries, saw-mills, in the citadel on the east side of the river. The
barge-makers and the shipwrights industries are second, located near the western river edge fort, is
located outside the city walls to the south and the heavy use, commercial ferry which runs on a
along the river’s edge. Waste and rubbish is carted set schedule every half hour during daylight and
outside the city to the northeast to an abandoned every hour after dark. This ferry consists of a large
rock quarry about 6 miles away. A very small floating bridge section that is moved across the
enterprise of rubbish traders has made a mini city river by another of Hector Bearcloak’s harbor
around the site. tugs. The bridge will fit about 80 fully loaded
wagons, animals and teamsters. The cost is 3
Gateway Keep’s water supply is taken copper per traveler or horse and 7 to 10 silver per
from protected upriver site and is channeled into wagon load. A second bridge section is moored in
underground pipes providing each street block and the harbor and is available for use if an additional
major buildings with a water spigot for public use. harbor tug is diverted from its normal duties to
Private water connections can be obtained for a move it.
fee. A series of deep underground cisterns provide
a secondary storage of water if the flow of fresh
water is cut off. The backup supply is deposited
into the four excavated reservoirs and has a
capacity of 1.95 million gallons, providing the
Keep’s inhabitants with about 90 days’ supply
(120 days if severe restrictions are put in place) in
time of emergency.
Ships wishing to travel upriver must
either unload cargo for inspection or have a lawful
manifest inspection at anchor prior to embarking
upriver to Dragonspell or the city of Termace. The
largest port area is located outside of the city
where a majority of the fishing and other shallow
water boats are moored. Located within the city
proper is the shipping harbor for deep water
vessels which occupies about four miles of
waterfront space and has over seven miles of pier
and wharf space for shipping operations. It is
defended by the massive Waterfront Bastion
which commands the entrance to the harbor. There
are several fully covered protected stone shelters
where even large warship can be maneuvered
inside for security proposes. The strongpoint has
emplaced within its walls 4 stories of pre-sighted
and registered siege implements. Several unique
harbor tugs are operated by Hector Bearcloak (LG
hdm F4/C2 S: engineering) and his fellow
clansmen. The tugs are powered using a coal-fired
water-boiler steam engine allowing them to work
and operate in all wind and most sea conditions.
This allows for faster docking alongside the piers
for cargo unloading before being moved out of the
way to the harbor mooring quay lines. The Port
Services controls more than 6,500 ships'
movements annually as they arrive and depart
their berths.
There are two river ferry points located
just to the north of the city. The first point is the
light duty ferry located about 2 miles upstream
that will take travelers on foot and horsemen
across the river. The ferry cannot take wagons or
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