Quickstone was founded by smugglers and others keen to exploit the opportunities that come from being on the edge of Droaam. While Sheriff Constable is quick to address violent crimes in Main Street and Oldtown, there’s a tacit understanding between the sheriff and more peaceful criminals; without the support of the Pennyroyals, it would be all but impossible for Constable to maintain order. So shady dealings are kept in the shadows and the Crown, but the undercurrent is always there.
The following organizations are active in the region, and characters with appropriate backgrounds—Criminal, Charlatan, Smuggler, City Watch—will be familiar with these forces. Depending on your background and backstory, you could have ties to a specific organization or individual in one of these groups. If your character has the Criminal Contact feature, you should work with the DM to choose both an organization and individual you’re tied to. Even if you’re not a Criminal, you might have other ties. If you’re a Noble, you could have been robbed by Dassk raiders or conned by a Coin grifter. If you’re a Soldier, you could have a former comrade in arms who’s now riding with the Black Crown Company. Do you want revenge, or are you hoping to convince them to change their criminal ways?
As described in chapter 2, Breggan Blackcrown and her company are the most infamous bandits on the Western Frontier. To date, they’ve never actually attacked Quickstone, and they have a loose truce with Sheriff Constable. When Breggan comes to Quickstone, it’s to deal with the Pennyroyals and to enjoy the entertainment; as long as she and her bandits don’t commit any major crimes in Quickstone, Constable leaves them alone. But that leaves plenty of room for brawling in the taverns or the Tents, and there’s no love lost between the Black Crowns and the Grizzlies, who despise the bandits as deserters; it’s always a tense time when the company comes to town.
Breggan generally drinks at the Crown when passing through town, and is always happy to play a hand of Thrones; she doesn’t cheat any more than anyone else, but most people are smart enough to let her win.
The Coins—followers of the Three Faces of Coin—make up a significant portion of the population of Quickstone. The Coins believe that they are each especially blessed by one of the three Sovereigns they worship, and one of those three alone.
Those blessed by Onatar are the artisans who create goods. Those blessed by Kol Korran are the merchants who buy and sell in the open markets. And those blessed by Kol Turrant—who other Vassals know as the Keeper—are the Pennyroyals. Kurrant’s blessed can get people the things that they desire, even if the law stands in their way; they are grifters, smugglers, fences, and thieves. The Pennyroyals of Quickstone are a loose cabal that supports non-violent crime. Their one strict rule is that those who engage in targeted crimes must never target residents of the town. Anyone passing through—merchants, mercenaries, diplomats, settlers moving on—are fair game, but you don’t abuse the people you live with. It’s this code that has allowed them to maintain an understanding with Sheriff Constable, which is why certain members of the Pennyroyals are well known in town. It’s an open secret that Brogan, the owner of the Crown, is the lynchpin of the Pennyroyals; if you’re planning to run a racket in Quickstone, you’d best clear it with him.
If you’re a resident of Quickstone, the Pennyroyals are generally more of an opportunity than a threat. If you’re looking to sell exotic or questionably acquired goods, Brogan can help you find a buyer. Brogan helps people get the things they need for a price, and that means that he often has job opportunities for adventurers, if they’re willing to perform tasks that aren’t entirely legal. Brogan is married to Vesper, the local priest of the Sovereign Host and the spiritual guide of the Three Faces of Coin; people with a good relationship with the Pennyroyals may be able to get a price break on Vesper’s services.
While Brogan and Vesper’s ties to the Pennyroyals are generally known to residents, others maintain a lower profile. If your character has ties to the Pennyroyals, Brogan is most likely your Criminal Contact, but talk to the DM if you want to consider other options.
In the wilds of the Western Frontier, the greatest threats that emerge from Droaam are generally Rhesh Turakbar’s raiders or independent brigands. But as Quickstone grows in size and significance—as Dragonmarked houses and other powerful forces increase their investments—it is also drawing the attention of Daask, a criminal organization based in Droaam. There’s no known permanent Daask presence in Quickstone, but Daask members come to town both to deal with the Coins and on their own business. Some people believe that there is at least one Daask spy observing the town and considering opportunities for expansion. If more denizens of Droaam settle in Quickstone, this could create the cover Daask needs to solidify its position.
As things stand, Daask can provide unexpected opportunities or dangerous threats. A Daask smuggler can be a source of exotic goods or a useful guide if adventurers need to sneak into Vralkek or Turakbar’s Fist. On the other hand, a Daask changeling might replace someone in town in order to establish a foothold for the organization... Or a bunch of Daask enforcers could stop in Quickstone on their way to Sharn, looking for trouble.
If your character is an immigrant or exile from Droaam, you might have ties to Daask. A Droaamite with the Soldier, Criminal, or Spy background could be an active observer, assigned to watch Quickstone for opportunities. On the other hand, a monstrous character could be a former agent of Daask, who has turned their back on the organization or been driven out by internal feuds.
Most of the Cyran refugees in Quickstone are honest folk looking to build a good life in a new land. Farmers, artisans, and miners all want to use their knowledge to help their new home prosper. But there are also rumors of a sinister force hidden among the Mourners. The tago is an iconic Cyran dance—beautiful but filled with surging energy—and in its most infamous form, performed with knives. When there’s a crime in the Tents—a murder with no witnesses, a significant theft—many are quick to blame the Tago, a force that strikes swiftly and then dances back into the shadows.
The Tago is largely a rumor, a straw man the Brelish use to blame their troubles on the Mourners. According to the stories, the Tago are a cabal of Cyran criminals, elite soldiers, and members of the Fifth Crown—spies and assassins, Cyre’s answer to the Dark Lanterns. The claim is that the Tago chafe at taking charity from the people they were fighting, and that they see Breland as the rightful territory of their dead queen; any crimes they commit in the service of their people are justified as acts of war. Grander conspiracies assert that the Tago has a deeper agenda, that they are seeking ways to harm Breland (Triggering a war with Droaam? Damaging Breland’s relationship with House Orien?). Assuming that the Tago even exist, they are a small group of elite individuals. But there’s certainly a wider range of petty criminals in the Tents, both Cyran and Brelish. The lesser crimes of these individuals could be blamed on the Tago, or the Tago could be acting to defend abused refugees
In general, the Tago are a rumor, an explanation for violent crimes in the Tents. If your character is Cyran—especially if you have the Soldier, Spy, or Criminal background—you may have closer ties to the Tago. If so, talk to the DM to establish these details.
The Western Frontier draws a wide assortment of lone criminals, people whose infamy or antisocial tendencies keep them from working with others for any lengthy period of time. Some of these malefactors live in the Tents, where it’s relatively easy to avoid the eyes of the law. Others are only encountered in passing, moving on as soon as they’ve made new enemies or when their past catches up with them. Where the Pennyroyals prefer not to target residents, these criminals aren’t bound by any code and can potentially threaten anyone.
Some lone wolves are well known and have just as many friends as enemies; Three-Widow Jane is a notorious duelist, but also has a reputation for helping the underdog when things are grim. Jane may be recognized wherever she goes, but Constable won’t try to arrest her unless she lingers after her latest duel. On the other hand, other petty criminals are pure scum, and will be targeted by the sheriff as soon as they are identified; and if an adventurer finds them first and deals with them, the townsfolk will be grateful.
| d6 | Criminal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Three-Widow Jane (female half-elf) is a deadly wandslinger and infamous duelist, said to have killed three men in a single showdown. She’s a gambler and a rake, always willing to play a dangerous game. While she’s left a trail of bodies in her wake, in most of the stories told about her, Jane never kills someone who doesn’t deserve it; she hates a bully. |
| 2 | Jonni Thunder (male dwarf) a Brelish combat engineer who deserted in the final days of the war. He lost his right arm in an accident and uses a prosthetic. He specializes in Blast Disks and other explosives, and is a suspect in a number of bank robberies and caravan ambushes. He’s said to wear a Blast Disk that’s been set to trigger upon his death. |
| 3 | Jek and Tol (nonbinary changelings) are the sort of changelings who give changelings a bad name. Brilliant grifters, they specialize in two-person cons. They’re always planning their next job, and take as much pleasure in the deception as they do in the gold they obtain. |
| 4 | Taarka’sar (male kobold) is an exceptionally talented pickpocket. In addition to his mundane skills, his minor sorcerous powers allow him to disguise himself as a halfling or gnome, and to Charm his way out of a tight situation. |
| 5 | Calamity is an urban legend. Some say she’s a Thuranni excoriate, while others insist she’s the daughter of Sharn crime lord Saiden Boromar. What’s certain is that she’s a brilliant burglar who’s robbed the lightning rail, Orien caravans, and even Soldorak Manor. If she could be positively identified, there’s many people on both sides of the law with scores to settle. |
| 6 | The Bosco Boys (male humans) are muscle for hire, drifting from town to town looking for quick jobs that require muscle and a lack of scruples. There’s currently three Boscos in the gang, though it may be that there’s a larger Bosco family waiting for the call. |