Standing over the ruined city of Halyk, on the margin of the Plains of Lig, is the Bakers' Tower.
The tower, named for the guild militia formerly responsible for its upkeep and defense, is the only major structure remaining in the destroyed and razed city. Halyk's walls and companion towers were collapsed by a vengeful barbarian horde under the command of several battle-mages, leaving the massive "Baker" as the only complete tower standing. It stands alone, surrounded by the rubble and rot of the old city, with the burned remnants of the city stretching behind it.
Baker's Tower is a fortified hive of structures and residences stacked upon each other and suspended within the shell of the burned-out tower. The structures are cobbled together from mismatched and salvaged materials gathered from the surrounding ruins.
Navigation through the Tower typically requires passage up multiple ladders, ramps and staircases, and across swaying rope bridges. Because of the crowded, slum-like conditions, access is often through someone else's residence or business. Occasionally a tough will attempt to extort passage through a building, but this will tend to be thwarted by available detours, either existent or improvised.
In order to prevent the Tower interior from becoming waterlogged during periodic deluges, a complex series of gutters and catchments collect rainwater into rain-barrels and cisterns, including one large wooden cistern on the east interior wall. Likewise, a morning ritual of lowering buckets and chamber pots for collection and distribution into the nearby fields provides necessary sanitation.
The old tower gate is long gone, replaced by reinforced planking moved into place on a pair of weighted ox-carts. A remnant pair of the city's scorpion catapults are arrayed behind the planking to dissuade intruders. The scorpions are smaller than ballista and may be more easily moved and aimed. Reloading action is per heavy crossbow (1 per two rounds), damage 2d6, range 100 ft. The scorpions fire specially-made heavy darts or arrows. Because of the length of the darts and power of the prods, on a critical hit, the dart will penetrate its primary target and strike a second target standing behind for the same damage. The scorpion requires a minimum crew of two, however, three is preferable.
Any raiders attempting to invade the tower will be met with pugnacious resistance, finding themselves showered with rock, bolts, offal, and burning debris. Any entering the tower itself will receive more of the same, as the residents retreat upward, pulling ladders and ropes behind themselves. Attempts to fire the structures will be dowsed by deluges from the rain barrels.
Within the creaking nest of shacks, cabling, rope ladders and bridges, wobbly ramps, improvised elevators and fragmentary staircases, are a collection of former citizens of the town, desperate immigrants and refugees from the surrounding war, and opportunists seeking remnant marrow from the bones of the dead city.
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| Welcome to Baker's Tower |
Approximately 116 individuals are wedged within the tower. The majority are human, but there are 6 half-elves, a pair of halflings, and 6 individual of other races. Town governance is by a rotating committee that changes half of its members every 6 months.
