Welcome to Quickstone, my new friend—the edge of the world as we know it. Let’s see if I can guess your trade. You’re no quickstone miner; you don’t have the build of someone who spends their days scooping stone out of the mountain. And you don’t strike me as a tradesman who’s looking to set up shop in our lovely town. With that blade at your side, you might be guarding one of the Graywall caravans. But something tells me you’re the kind of person who would appreciate an interesting opportunity…
—Brogan Hul, owner of the Crown
While it began as a mining town, Quickstone’s prosperity is tied to its proximity to Droaam; it’s the last bastion of Brelish civilization on the very edge of the newborn kingdom of monsters. Quickstone has long been a haven for smugglers and scoundrels, a place for brigands to grab a mug of Brelish ale before retreating across the border. But the people of the east are beginning to accept that Droaam is here to stay, and Quickstone is drawing in more respectable residents and travelers. For those who wish to negotiate with Droaam, Quickstone is as close as they can get while still being safely under the shield of Breland. House Kundarak, House Orien, and House Ghallanda are all investing in Quickstone, and others may soon follow. Sitting on the edge of the border, Quickstone caters to merchants and envoys looking to drink their fears away before they enter Droaam—and it’s also the first stop for monstrous mercenaries leaving Droaam on their way to find work in the Five Nations. On a typical night in the Crown, you could find yourself playing cards with a bandit leader, a gnoll mercenary, and a dragonmarked heir. And if you’re smart, you’ll let the gnoll win.
This chapter presents information for both players and DMs. This reveals information that would generally be known to any resident of Quickstone, but it’s up to you to decide if your character knows these things. The innkeeper Brogan’s ties to the criminal Pennyroyals are common knowledge to anyone who lives in Oldtown, but your wizard who just arrived from Ardev likely wouldn’t know this…
Part of the purpose of this chapter is to help you create characters who feel like residents of Quickstone—people who have ties to the community. As you read about the different parts of town, think about where your character might live. The communities, groups, and local businesses all have lists of possible connections a player character could have to them; in creating a Quickstone character, pick a tie to a community and one of the local businesses. Depending on the connection, the DM and their players may need to work together to flesh out the details of these ties. Likewise, with the DM’s approval, a player character could replace one of the NPCs that’s described here, or own a competing business.
This chapter provides the foundation of Quickstone, but the town is actively evolving. There may be new businesses in town. The Grizzlies could have a new leader. There could be other factions in the Tents that aren’t described here. This is a starting point—but never assume you know everything there is to know.