CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 1
THE CALDETH TOWNHOUSE
The Clan Caldeth townhouse in Tashal is a tall, proud
and attractive looking structure. Located at the corner of
Maranos Way and Chidena Street in the Haldana District,
its compound backs onto the city wall. Built between 604-
607TR by Sir Colm Caldeth, 14th Earl of Vemion, its archi-
tecture is somewhat inappropriate for a city dwelling. The
thick stone walls and iron clad doors are more in keeping
with a frontier manor house than an elegant city dwelling
and have earned it the nickname “Little Minarsas.” Lady
Cheselyne Hosath, who lives just across the road, refers to
it derisively as “that awful old pile.”
The townhouse has had just one major renovation.
Between 663-664, the 16th Earl, Sir Jered, replaced the
wooden shingles with slate, added modern fireplaces and
chimneys, and widened the aggressive arrow loops in the
main hall and solar. The newly expanded openings were
fitted with horn windows and protected with bright blue
shutters. Sir Celed, the 18th Earl, enjoyed Tashal and was
a frequent visitor to the city. However, aside from replac-
ing the horn windows with glass, he did little to improve
the structure. Sir Declaen, the 19th Earl, visits infre-
quently, but he does allow a generous allowance for the
care and maintenance of his clan’s presence in the capital.
© 2006, 2021, Kerry Mould, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc.
Sir Rindan Caldeth, the Royal Ostler and the Earl of
Vemion’s younger brother, is the clan’s only permanent
representative. The Earl’s friends, extended family and in-
laws are welcome to use the townhouse and regularly take
advantage of his hospitality. In addition to members of
Clan Caldeth, this can include guests from Clan Valador
(the Earl’s in-laws from Zutlin), Clan Ubael (the Earl’s
older sister and her family from Uldien), Clan Meleken
(the Earl’s daughter from Qualdris) and Clan Verdreth (Sir
Rindan’s in-laws from Ternua). Lord Kaery Valador from
Zutlin is the most frequent guest.
CREDITS
WRITER
Kerry Mould
ARTIST
Richard Luschek
MAPS
Thomas Shook
Bill Beane
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CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 2

Ground Floor

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 CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 3
Compound and Ground Floor
1. Courtyard. A twelve-foot high stone wall with a
single gate encompasses the Clan Caldeth townhouse,
courtyard and stables. There is sufficient room to park
five wagons. A majestic elm tree, planted to
commemorate the short reign of the 17th Earl, Sir Elfrod
Caldeth, shades this tranquil retreat from the hustle and
bustle of the city. The 45-foot tall keep-like townhouse
dominates compound.
2. Wool Warehouse. Much of the Earl of Vemion’s
wealth is derived from the wool trade. The undercroft of
the townhouse acts as a warehouse for his wool. Bales of
the finest Vemion Cross wool are shipped here from
Minarsas for sale to mercantylers from as far away as Ly-
thia. The entire room is permanently impregnated with
the smell of wet wool. Sir Rindan is supposed to act as
the Earl’s factor, but shows little interest. Huw has done
his best to act in Sir Rindan’s stead, but privately acknow-
ledges that he is a better steward and spy than factor.
Several months ago, Huw suggested that the Earl appoint
a full-time factor to administer his wool interests in Ta-
shal. The Earl may take the occasion of his visit to act on
this suggestion.
3. Storeroom. This room is used to store food, wine,
ale and other consumables for the household. It is always
kept well stocked with several months worth of food in
event of unexpected shortages or a siege. A deep well in
the northeast corner of the room provides a secure water
supply for the compound.
4. Stables. Seven horses can be stabled in the
compound’s small stone stable. Additional horses are
normally left with the ostler outside the Ternua Gate.
5. Hayloft. Fodder for the townhouse’s horses is kept
above the stables. When the townhouse is exceptionally
full (something that has not happened in recent memory),
some servants may have to sleep here.

Second Floor
1. Grand Staircase. Added by the 14th Earl shortly
after the main building was finished, the stone staircase
replaces the original wooden structure. It provides a
suitably grand entrance and is one of the townhouse’s
most elegant features. During feasts, a senior servant is
posted at the top of the stairs to announce guests as they
arrive.
2. Reception Area. Just inside the door is a large open
area where the host (Sir Rindan, Lord Valador or the Earl)
greets his guests. The guests mingle here before dinner,
while servants offer them cups of wine or flagons of ale. A
group of harpers, seated in the corner, provide
background music. Stairs lead up to the Ladies’ Gallery.

© 2006, 2021, Kerry Mould, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc. HârnWorld
 CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 4
3. Great Hall. This large, two-storey room is equal in
size to the Great Hall of Minarsas Castle. During the reign
of the current Earl’s father, Sir Celed, it was frequently the
scene of many large and well-attended feasts. The hall
has been used only sporadically over the last eleven years,
mostly for the occasional small dinner hosted by Lord
Kaery Valador. Sir Rindan has not hosted a feast or even
a dinner party since the death of his wife in 716TR.
Despite its lack of use, the steward ensures the great
hall is kept in good order, ready for immediate use. A
large tapestry depicting Baron Colm Caldeth’s capture of
Minarsas Castle during the Baronial Revolt (599-603)
hangs behind the head table. Above the two fireplaces are
the coats-of-arms of Clan Caldeth and Clan Valador. Four
seven-foot tall glass windows flood the room with natural
light, while the two carefully crafted fireplaces comfort-
ably heat the entire hall. Three-inch thick iron clad oak
shutters protect each window. They can be secured when
trouble is expected or the townhouse is unoccupied. In
718TR, the great hall was freshly whitewashed and
trimmed with blue, the Caldeth colours. When large
groups (such as the Earl’s retinue) are present, some of the
servants must sleep in the hall. However, this is a rare
occurrence as there is usually more than enough accom-
modation in the kitchen, ladies’ gallery and guest quarters.
4. Kitchen. Two curtained doorways lead from the
great hall into the spacious kitchen. It boasts a huge
fireplace suitable for roasting an entire ox and a bake oven
for making bread and pies. Two preparation tables
dominate the room. With adequate staff, the kitchen is
easily capable of preparing the massive quantities of food
required for a large feast. Currently, Sir Rindan has only a
handful of servants led by the steward Huw Islwyn and his
wife Ortilla, the cook and head domestic. They, along
with four other servants, live here. They sleep on
mattresses stored under the tables during the day.
Third Floor
1. The Ladies’ Gallery. When the townhouse was
built, noble ladies never dined with men. Instead, they
watched the proceedings from a gallery above. Meals
have not been served here in over a decade. Before she
died, Sir Rindan’s wife, Lady Solia, used to love to sit and
do needlepoint by the large glass window. From her
favourite vantage point, she could watch the activity on
Maranos Way and see any visitors as they came into the
courtyard. The gallery is the favourite place for her three
surviving cats to curl up and sleep in the sunlight. When
there are large numbers of guests, this is a popular spot
for guests to sleep, as it is much warmer than the cold
stone floor of the great hall.
HârnWorld © 2006, 2021, Kerry Mould, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc.
The serving girls refuse to go up to the Ladies’ Gallery
alone after dark. They claim the spirit of Lady Solia
haunts the gallery. Others who have slept there are report
nothing. Those who claim to have seen the lady’s ghost
say she just sits, doing needlepoint and looking out the
window. Her only son, Squire Heber, was not able to
arrive in time for Lady Solia’s funeral. Some believe she
waits for him to return home.
2. Solar. Unlike more modern buildings, the townhouse
does not have an abundance of smaller rooms. The only
semi-private room is the solar. It has a generous private
dining area, fireplace and four-poster bed. Sir Rindan
spends much of his time here alone, drinking. When the
Earl is in residence, his younger brother will vacate the
large four-poster bed and move to the single bed in the far
corner. Maid Camissa will sleep in the single bed next to
her father.
Attic
1. Guest Quarters. The townhouse has a spacious
attic under a steep slate shingled roof. The room is used
as guest quarters for nobles and senior retainers. Reached
by a steep narrow staircase from the Ladies’ Gallery it has
a fine polished wood floor. Hot-air rising from the main
hall warms the room. The common area with trestle
tables in front of the fireplace is a popular place for guests
to relax away from the hubbub of the great hall. Thirty-
four bedrolls are stored here for guest use. The attic can
sleep more, but additional straw-ticks must be brought up
from the storeroom. For those desiring privacy, blankets
can be hung from the rafters to sub-divide the room into
smaller chambers.
The attic level is well above the height of the Tashal
city walls. From the windows on either end of this floor,
observers can easily see outside the city. When guests are
anticipated, a sharp-eyed sentry is posted at the eastern
window. From there, he can see the village of Lyryn, the
Ternua Road and large groups of people (and possibly
their banners). This can give Sir Rindan or the steward
early warning of the arrival of large groups of visitors.
 CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 5
Townhouse Residents
Sir Rindan, the Earl’s younger brother, is the King’s
Ostler. He serves under Sir Koris Harabor, Marshal of the
Royal Guard, who chose him for the appointment. In
addition to his salary as the King’s Ostler, the Earl grants
his younger brother a generous monthly allowance. Sir
Rindan has developed a drinking problem since the
accidental death of his wife, Lady Solia, three years ago.
Their only son, Squire Heber, will soon be knighted by the
Baron of Nenda. Sir Rindan has lived in the townhouse
full-time for the past eleven years. Officially, he
represents his brother and clan’s interests in the capital.
Huw Islwyn is the Earl’s steward and his trusted agent
in the city. A protégé of Sir Gorlin, Huw was appointed by
Sir Declaen in 709. He is responsible for all of the Earl’s
Tashal properties, which, in addition to the townhouse,
includes a number of rental properties. He sees to it that
the townhouse is kept in good order and faithfully tends
Sir Rindan (especially when he is drunk).
Huw is also one of the Earl’s agents and acts as
another pair of eyes and ears in the capital, keeping the
Earl well informed of the activities in the city.
Unfortunately, he does not have regular access to the
Royal Court, and Sir Rindan’s ability to collect useful
intelligence has greatly diminished over the last three
years. Lately, this role has largely assumed by Sir Kaery
Valador, Lord of Zutlin Manor, much to Huw’s relief.
For the most part, the steward’s duties are not
onerous and Huw has more free time than most. Huw’s
wife, Ortilla, is a veteran of the kitchens of Minarsas
Castle; she has found little challenge in tending the
tranquil townhouse. A fine cook, she trained Taral of
Plair, the Earl’s travelling chef. Both are well paid and
enjoy a comfortable life. They are completely loyal to the
Earl and (by extension) Sir Rindan.
The permanent staff of “Little Minarsas” has always
been small as the Earls traditionally bring servants with
them from Minarsas when they visit. The current staff
includes just the steward, the cook/baker/alewife (his
wife), two male labourers/stablehands (Krance and Tynd)
and two female chambermaids/washerwomen (Lelen and
Donla). The four domestics are in their late teens/early
twenties and natives of Tashal. They are paid an honest
wage, but their loyalty is less certain.
Word of the imminent arrival of the Earl’s retinue has
thrown the quiet, relaxed routine of the household into a
complete uproar. Huw and Ortilla have worked their
small staff hard. The townhouse and stable have been
thoroughly cleaned. Additional food, ale, wine, blankets
and the myriad of other items required to host such a
large party have been purchased.
© 2006, 2021, Kerry Mould, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc.
The Death of Lady Solia
Sir Rindan Caldeth married Lady Solia Verdreth in the
summer of 698. They had one son, Heber, now twenty
years old. Lady Solia had several miscarriages but was
never able to carry another child to term. The couple
were happily married and had an active social life. Lady
Solia was popular in the Royal Court and a particular
favourite of Princess Meliem. She was known for her
sunny disposition, sense of humour and fine needlework.
Sir Rindan was a devoted and loving husband.
Lady Solia’s death was sudden and unexpected. She
died late in 716. After a quiet afternoon doing needlework
in her favourite spot beside the window in the Ladies’
Gallery, she tripped on the hem of her dress as she
descended the staircase to the Great Hall. She hit the
stone floor head first, snapping her neck and killing her
instantly. There was nothing anyone could do. Sir Rindan
was at Caer Elend at the time. By the time he arrived, the
servants had carried her to their bed, but even a layman
could see her neck was broken. At the request of Princess
Meliem, the Serekela himself presided over her funeral
service at Caleme Abbey. Lady Solia is interred in a fine
crypt on the abbey grounds.
Sir Rindan has been devastated by his wife’s death.
After seeing her dead body, he fell into a stupor, refusing
to eat or talk. Steward Islwyn and Princess Meliem’s
ladies-in-waiting made all of the arrangements for the
funeral. He attended her funeral, but was like a man
carved of stone. Since then, he has not been himself; the
spark has gone out of him. He has developed a drinking
problem, using alcohol to dull the pain of his loss. He has
no interest in his duties as Royal Ostler; fortunately, Gaerl
of Seredia [Tashal 14] is more than capable of covering
for him. Now, he merely goes through the motions of
fulfilling his duties. He starts drinking in the morning and
most days he is drunk by mid-afternoon.
Sir Rindan’s state of mind is not helped by rumours
that Lady Solia’s ghost haunts the townhouse. Servants
gossip that the ghost of the lady sits in her chair doing
needlepoint every night. Sir Rindan ordered that the
chairs be moved aside, but each morning they have
inexplicably returned to their original locations. In
addition, Lady Solia’s three cats frequent the area in front
of the window and often heard to purr, as if being stroked,
in the middle of the night. It is said that during a full
moon, when all the lights are out, Lady Solia’s ghost can
be seen from the Great Hall, sitting in her favourite chair,
profiled by the moonlight coming through the west
window.
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 CALDETH TOWNHOUSE 6
Adventure Hooks GM Notes:
Robbery. The Caldeth Townhouse is used to store
the Earl’s wool. The bales of fine Vemionshire wool are _________________________________________________
very valuable but bulky. However, after a sale, Sir Rindan
often has large quantities of silver in the house until it can
_________________________________________________
be exchanged for usurers’ notes and sent to Minarsas.
One night in a tavern, a loose-lipped mercantyler lets slip
that he just paid Sir Rindan £25 in silver for a shipment of _________________________________________________
wool. The Royal Ostler is known to be a drunk and there
are only a middle-aged steward and two male labourers to
_________________________________________________
protect the money.
Ghost. Sir Rindan is away travelling with the King.
The serving girls have convinced Goodwife Ortilla that _________________________________________________
they need to put Lady Solia’s spirit to rest. Huw has heard
that the PCs have a reputation for successfully dealing _________________________________________________
with the supernatural and approaches them. He offers
them £1 each if they can dispel the ghost.
Wool Factor. Sir Rindan’s problems with alcohol _________________________________________________
have left him incapable of managing the Earl’s wool
interests. The steward has done his best, but has _________________________________________________
requested assistance. While he is in Tashal, the Earl has
decided to hire a factor to represent him. The position
comes with room and board plus a (small) percentage of _________________________________________________
the profits (to be negotiated between the PC and the Earl).
Deliver Message. The PCs have been hired to _________________________________________________
deliver an important message to Huw Islwyn (from
Minarsas or elsewhere). After delivering it they are
_________________________________________________
offered room and board in the townhouse for the night.
Sometime after midnight, a group of thieves break in and
attempt to rob Sir Rindan of a large amount of silver he _________________________________________________
was paid for a shipment of wool. The thieves are
surprised by the PCs presence and attempt to kill all
_________________________________________________
witnesses.
Surveillance. The Earl of Vemion regularly
investigates his followers; his own brother and steward are _________________________________________________
not exempt. The PCs are hired to watch the townhouse
and report on all activities. They are also ordered to test _________________________________________________
the security and see if they can break in without being
detected. They are to bring back proof of their success.
Sneaking Into The City. The PCs are late returning _________________________________________________
to Tashal and find the city gates already locked. They
must get into the city immediately. An NPC suggests they _________________________________________________
might try and go over the wall. The Caldeth townhouse is
an easily identifiable landmark and is known to have a
_________________________________________________
small household without guards. It should be a simple
matter to scale the wall and sneak through the compound.
The Earl’s Guests. The PCs have earned the favour _________________________________________________
of the Earl of Vemion. He has given them a letter of
introduction to Steward Huw Islwyn. In it, he grants them
_________________________________________________
permission to stay at his townhouse while they are in
Tashal. This gives the PCs a secure (and free) base of
operations while in the city.

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