GEM/Cahyrst

The Town of Cahyrst
The fortified town of Cahyrst sits at one end of the wide valley that forms the best pass through the Dragonspine Mountains to the east. As a Duchy seat, Cahyrst has all of the facilities one would expect from a moderately large frontier town: shops where armor, weapons, and other gear can be forged in situ or special-ordered from the smiths back west; inns, taverns, and brothels happy to help adventurers spend the fruits of their labors; a mage’s tower where a small group of sorcerers study the wild, disordered magical forces near the frontier; a functional underground market dealing in illicit goods; and shrines dedicated to a plethora of divine beings. The Town Watch patrols aggressively for about a day’s ride around the town, and Cahyrst sits at one end of the Imperial High Road; traveling west, one encounters inns (usually with supporting farming hamlets) approximately every fifty miles, with towns growing larger the farther west one goes. Traveling east, one encounters the dangers and wonders of the Eastern Marches.

Cahyrst is ruled by the local Duke, Sir Lefton Towne; other NPCs will be sketched in on an ‘as needed’ basis (see Notables).

The cost to stay in Cahyrst is $150 per person per week: this covers three square meals a day and a pallet in an inn's common room. Delvers can use Survival (to live in the wilderness) or Urban Survival (to live on the streets) if they don't want to spend money. Living extravagantly provides bonuses to various rolls in town:

Add the bonus (or subtract the penalty) to all rolls made to learn rumors (Carousing, Current Affairs), advertise services (Propaganda), investigate details (Research), or secure backing (Savoir-Faire, Streetwise, Writing) as well as any reaction rolls made by townspeople.

Things To Do In Cahyrst
Buying Things


 * Scrounging (DF2, p.3): Any PC with Scrounging may try one roll for each week spent in town.


 * Crafting, Brewing, and Natural Preparation (DF2, p.3): The guildmasters of Cahyrst are happy to rent facilities and sell materials to traveling craftsmen; see DF2, p.3. Any PC with Armoury, Alchemy, Poisons, Herb Lore, or other crafting skill at 15+ may buy a Perk: Guild Membership (specialized by skill). This is effectively a No Nuisance Rolls perk and allows the PC to automatically get 20% off when crafting their own gear without the need for a roll: the discount for guild membership and the availability of skilled assistants absorbs the wastage cost of failure.


 * Bargain Hunting (DF2, p.4): Cahyrst is the last trading post on the eastern road and sees a wide variety of traveling merchants. The skill of any given merchant is 1d+11.


 * Black Market (DF2, p.4): The city has a thriving black market. Use the rules on DF2, p. 4 if players want to risk buying through less-than-legal channels.


 * Shoplifting (DF2, p.4): Note that the Smuggling roll is made at the same penalties for value as the original Filch roll: theft of particularly valuable items makes the Watch more careful!


 * Enchanting: The local wizards are capable of creating enchanted items, and any of the items in DF1: Adventurers is available at list price. Additionally, enchantments can be transferred between items; this takes one week, and costs 10% of the value of the enchantment or $1000, whichever is higher. Custom enchanted items take longer: a base of two weeks, plus one week for every full $10,000 worth of enchantments. The GM has final say on any custom enchanted items ordered.

Scoring Extra Cash
 * Any of the options on DF2, p.4 are available.

Finding a Quest
 * PCs may make one roll per week to find rumors, advertise, or find a sponsor (See DF2, p.4). If a rumor is found, it can be researched the same week or researched later.

Selling Things
 * A PC with no Connections sells items at 40% of list price. A reaction roll of 16+ can boost this by 20%, and a seller can Haggle (against a Merchant skill of 1d+11), sell on the black market (using the rules on DF2 p.15), or sell through the temple if eligible. Connections confer an automatic 20/40/60% boost - with Connections 3 you don't need to haggle, and will always get the best price for your goods.