Ready-To-Run Adventures

Thuin Boid Map

Phillip Gladney ©1999

Thuin Boid is situated on a flat hilltop in the heart of the Rhuduarian frontier. It serves as the territory's main bastion against invasion from the north. Nothing stands between this fortified town and the armies of the Witch-kings' vassals. Ruled by an appointed garrison commander, and populated by a mix of traders, trappers, shepherds, farmers and merchants, this is the last stop before reaching no-man's land.
The structural defenses of this town, comprised of a thin, stone wall topped by wooden timbers, are adequate at best. The garrison consists of a mercenary contingent, the Red Lances, an auxiliary unit and the local levy. The Red Lances are all veterans of the Stonearm Wars and most are of Northron descent. They gained their name due to the large number of enemies that fell to their weapons in the earlier wars. A pennon of red adorns all lances as a sign of their prestigious position. The levy itself is quite experienced and trains with the Red Lances every two weeks. Any individuals who choose to live in this sometimes-violent region are accustomed to fighting and can defend themselves as well as any warrior from Angmar; however, the levy rarely leaves the town walls.
The highest point in Thuin Boid is the rebuilt remnants of an earlier Rhudaurian tower. This edifice serves as the headquarters of the mercenary unit and the last refuge of the townsfolk. It is square-shaped and approximately fifty-five feet tall. Consisting of five floors, it stands on an upraised section of earth, overlooking the main gate. Several small ballistae are positioned along the flat, crenellated roof aimed at the wagon tracks, which serve as a road, leading into town. Aldurin, a cousin of the heir to the Rhudaurian throne, is the commander of the Red Lances and lives in the tower along with the officers of the mercenary group. His sole obsession is to retake Cameth Brin and install his cousin as King. Thus Aldurin has a vested interest in the region as does his warriors. All Red Lances come from the Cantons of Feotar or from the Angle itself and their mission is to protect the Cantons and the A ngle from any future invasions. This they will do with tenacity for many of the experienced soldiers have lost family or friends to the savage armies of Ermegil Stonearm. These soldiers are also responsible for the security of the town and conduct regular patrols outside of the town walls as well as manning the parapets of the tower and it's surrounding bailey.
The town of Thuin Boid has around three hundred residents not including the transient population, which during festivals or markets can reach another two hundred individuals. Most live in one of the houses built around the wall or in one of the two inns. A large field in the southeast corner of the town serves as a stockade for any animals brought in the gates. It can accommodate horses, cattle and sheep and is sustained by a large reservoir of water in a wooden trough and four expansive barns, along with a sizable amount of extra hay. The horses of the Red Lances are kept here when not out of town on patrol.
The land in the immediate vicinity of Thuin Boid is well cultivated. There are fields of wheat and other grains as well as fruit trees and vegetables. The only difference between this and other areas is the lack of habitation. Most of the farmers which provide for Thuin Boid's needs live inside the town walls with their farming implements and draft animals and travel out to farm the land. This makes the farming more difficult, to say the least, but it is better than dwelling out in the plain. Every family that has chosen to do so in the last twenty years has wound up dead. Raiders from the north, particularly mounted Easterlings, make any attempt at dwelling outside the safety of the town wall extremely dangerous. In response to these raids, patrols have been beefed up and ranges have been extended. Once a month or so, the Red Lances on patrol will come back with a story about meeting groups of southbound marauders. These bands are usually from the Dunlending tribes that serve Ermegil and are easily dispatched and sent running home.
Shepherds make up a small percentage of the residents, but they are one of the most important. The wool their sheep furnish is the only commodity that the populace of Thuin Boid can export. It is therefore the only means of bringing in money to the region except for the tariffs on traders' goods that go through the town. This practice, however, is occurring less and less as the years' go by and the trip to the Great North Road becomes more hazardous. Most of the shepherds of the region have huts inside Thuin Boid. They live here only frequently since they must constantly roam the area looking for pasturage. This is also a dangerous profession, but the men who tend the sheep almost never travel north. They wisely prefer the locale to the south as it is generally more safe, that is, except for the haunted Vale of Brethil. The plundering gangs from Rhudaur are rarely seen south of Thuin Boid.

  1. The Eastern Trace - this dirt track leads eastward to the main road that splits the Angle down the middle.
  2. Beacon Hill - The tower of Thuin Boid sits atop this 10' high mound of earth. The surrounding ground is rather steep and covered with grass. A wooden palisade (10' high) with a parapet surrounds the top. There are always at least 3 Red Lances walking along this wall, serving sentry duty.
  3. Tower - This tower is five stories high and is the centerpiece of the Angle's border defenses. One can see for many miles in every direction. It is square-shaped and has a small interior courtyard. The officers of the Red Lances and auxiliary unit live here as well as a garrison healer and other support personnel. Inside the courtyard a small smithy and tannery have been built to handle the day-to-day repair needs. There are always 2 Red Lances serving guard duty on the roof of the tower. They have a warning bell in case enemies appear on the horizon. In addition, the town's warning beacon is located on the roof closest to the town. There is a store of dried wood kept in a box out of the rain as well as several lighting implements. In case of invasion or siege, this beacon will be lit to notify everyone within visual range. In the basement is a store of dried goods and several disassembled siege engines. In the case of a siege or attack these siege engines will be brought up into the town's courtyard and assembled.
  4. Gatehouse - Overlooking a long stairway, this gate is the only means of entry into the bailey surrounding the tower. It is protected by a wrought-iron door and guarded by 2 Red Lances armed with crossbows.
  5. Stair - this stone stairway leads up to the beacon hill and its keep.
  6. Main Gate - called the "Horse Gate" due to its appearance, these twin wooden towers allow access into the town of Thuin Boid. The gate is always guarded by at least 5 auxiliaries, commanded by an officer, and has one small ballista bolted onto the floor of each tower's uppermost level. The auxiliary officers' duty is to question unfamiliar persons about their business in town. If any strangers convince him of their good intentions, he will order the wooden gates opened and give them a warning to behave themselves while in town.
  7. The Lord's Hall - the largest and nicest inn in town is devoted to the grandeur of the past. The owner, Borran, claims to be descended from the ancient family of Melosse. This family once ruled the entire Angle from the castle of Minas Brethil to the south. The common hall is decorated with sigils and heraldic items from this family. It is unknown whether or not Borran is truly descended from this noble family, but his knowledge of their history and the region itself is without peer. Unbeknownst to Borran there is an old map of the castle hidden somewhere in the mess of his basement.
  8. The Red Pennon - this tavern was opened by a retired member of the Red Lances, Danthuir. Fittingly, it is the favored hangout of the mercenary troop. A bright red pennon hangs from the uppermost reaches of the building. Inside, off-duty soldiers drink and gamble in a relatively friendly atmosphere.
  9. Jerl's huts - these wattle and daub huts house the various Dunlending families that farm the nearby countryside. Leaving early in the morning and arriving late in the evening, the men from these households spend most of the day out in the fields. Since the soil is not very rich and the farmers cannot afford oxen and large farm implements, the yields from these crops barely sustain their cultivators. Most are in debt to one of the townsfolk for one thing or another, be it supplies, land or food. Also, the exorbitant taxes, most of which goes to feed the large number of troops stationed in Thuin Boid, on all crops raised in the area keep the farmers from making a good living. Many of the young women and men not old enough to work in the fields have menial jobs around town, bringing in extra income for their families. And yet, even in these conditions, when called to defend the town, they will fight to the death for they know that the Rhudaurim and their fellow Dunlendings will treat them far worse.
  10. Pasture field - a large field in the south part of town provides food for the horses and sheep when they must be kept in town. Normally, the horses of the garrison will be led outside the walls in shifts to feed on the vast acres of grassland there, however in times of war the horses must stay within the protective palisade. When sheep come to be sheared they must stay in this paddock also. In addition, any required horse training is done on this field under the close supervision of one of the more experienced riders.
  11. Barns - four large barns provide shelter for the horses of the garrison. Each barn can easily accommodate 40 or more horses. They barns are never kept that full except in times of war. On the second floor of each barn is a large store of hay as well as extra livery supplies. At least one barn is set aside for the general populations' use. Horses or cattle can be kept here for a modest fee of 2 copper pieces per week.
  12. Wall - the wall surrounding Thuin Boid is constructed of stone and wood. The foundation, crafted during an earlier period, is made of stone while the top is made of sharpened wooden stakes. A parapet has been built behind every part of the wall so that the residents can defend the entire perimeter.
  13. Watchtowers - these 8 twenty-foot tall towers are made of stone and interspersed along the palisade protecting the town. They each house one auxiliary guard at all times. The three watchtowers closest to the keep on the north side of town each have two auxiliaries serving guard duty. They are more important and more vulnerable and so merit more protection. The top floor of each tower is protected from the rain by a tiled, wooden roof. The middle and ground levels each house a small number of auxiliaries. The basement contains extra stores of arrows as well as barrels of water.
  14. Gate Tower - the second tallest building in Thuin Boid, this square-shaped edifice overlooks the entrance to the town. It is constructed of stone and stands four stories tall. Numerous arrow slits face out of both the northeast, northwest and southeast sides of the tower. Like both the main gate and the beacon tower, there is also a small ballista mounted on a swivel base in the topmost floor of the tower. The ballista, coupled with the arrow slits, make any forced entry into the border town very risky. A large store of arrows and ballista bolts are kept in the bottom floor and a small number of auxiliaries live on the second and third floors. One sentry is always present on the roof.
  15. Village green - this area in the center of the town is lush with grass. Carts and wagons are not allowed on this so that the grass is not destroyed. Festivals and parties also occur here during the summer and spring months.
  16. Shop
  17. Shop
  18. Shop
  19. Shop
  20. Shop - most of these houses contain both family rooms and work areas. The craftsmen and shopkeepers who have chosen to live in this dangerous yet profitable border town work out of their houses to keep down costs. Included among the various shops are a cobbler, an outfitter, a general store and a food merchant.
  21. Tradehall - A venerated and respected institution, within this building all issues of trade, such as tariffs and caravan organization, are handled. The town council also meets and large celebrations take place here. In addition, justice is handled in this structure. The council and Aldurin hold court here when needed. Each has a different jurisdiction. The council has jurisdiction over the events within the town wall while Aldurin has jurisdiction over the tower and countryside. Those who commit serious offenses are imprisoned in the basement of the tower. All other less severe sentences are handled by the use of a pillory constructed on the side of the Tradehall.
  22. Barracks - two stone buildings house the warriors of the Red Lances mercenary unit. Each is two stories tall and has a thatch roof. Each floor contains cots for 25-30 warriors as well as a latrine. The bottom floor of each building also has a kitchen, where cooks prepare the warriors meals. Equipment and personal items are kept in a locker to either side of each cot.