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.