Red River

City Description

Population: ~110

Founded: 2285 (105 years ago)

Within the ruins of an ancient village buried beneath the ash of Sinner's Peak in centuries past, Red River is a colloquial name for a place devoid of label. The lava flowing from the ever spewing caldera of Sinner's Peak flows through the heart of Red River, and the smoke and ash in the air create a suffocating, black atmosphere where the sun has trouble finding purchase. It is within this darkness and heat new residents have moved in.

Drow and Duergar from the Underdark have used the lightless shores of Red River to establish a surface community devoted to one thing: crafting obsidian. Through hoary techniques secret from even the Dwarven smiths of Dagmar, the Underdarklings work tirelessly and with singular purpose on creating obsidian from the lava found there. However, they are not alone in this endeavor.

It's not know if the Mind Flayer known as N'Ledalayi was there when the Underdarklings arrived or if they came after, but N'Ladalayi now runs the communtiy at Red River. They (N'Ladalayi) decide what will be crafted and how it will be used. And while an Illithid, Drow, and Duergar may cause most to believe nefarious plans are afoot, for over one hundred year, Red River has produced some of the most sought-after jewelry, small arms, and accessories in Vault.

Of course, obsidian has the special property of nullifying magic, but the craftspeople of Red River rarely create with such a purpose in mind.

Besides the crafting of obsidian, which is an endless pursuit, the community at Red River must battle for their survival on multiple fronts. Many are the people who perceive Mind Flayers as singularly evil, due the track record of them being so, but N'Ledalayi seems to be exerting not psychological control over the denizens of Red River. They follow the Illithid due to their admiration for them. On the other side of the coin, an entrance to the Underdark, one of the few known on Vault, exists near Red River, and the community must battle back incursions of the kin to preserve their way of life.

Content to ignore the world and be ignored, not many venture to Red River, including the Ignipotents of the jungle surrounding it.

City Landmarks

There are no buildings, nor places to stay, in Red River. Its people sleep outdoors.

Taken Heart Cemetery - one of the last remaining structures from the ancient settlement swallowed by a past volcanic eruption, this cemetery's head stones are beautifully preserved, with names still etched in detail. The citizens of Red River take pride in preserving these graves and consider it a sacred site.

The Sable Gardens - some obsidian taken from the ground is just too geometrically perfect to be crafted. These chunks of obsidian rest in a garden of lush green contrasted with the deep black of the towering stones within. Wandering through the garden is disorienting, and some speak of being lost within its paths, hearing the voices of old gods, long lost to the universe.

Cutter Row - the soul of Red River is in the blistering heat of its outdoor kilns, casts, and sculpting areas. Set along the banks of the lava flow, these stations are constantly filled with activity, whether it's the mining and creation of obsidian, or the tempering and forming of the result.

People of Note

N'Ledalayi: Illithid, outcast from their colony, they are a master craftsperson and immortal artisan of obsidian

Lady Nocturne: Female Drow, from a prominent Drow family in the Underdark, keeps the secrets of casting and forming obsidian

Oglep Nuarthanan: Male Duergar, tasked with training youngsters in the ways of Red River