Orien Station

Location: Main Street (19)

Services: Transportation (lightning rail, stagecoach, caravan), courier services

Key NPCs: Lord Seneschal Emerick d’Orien (male human administrator), Bruus Tayne (male dwarf stationmaster), Rhia d’Orien (female human House Agent)

Traffic between Breland and Droaam is on the rise, and House Orien is prepared for whatever lies ahead. Orien Station is a large facility designed to support both individual stagecoaches and trade caravans. The station serves both as the post office and as the courier station; while the Speaking Stone remains inoperable, Orien couriers are the fastest way to send messages. The station’s importance has dramatically increased with the arrival of the lightning rail; this is a recent development, and artisans still work to improve the freight cranes and other systems that support the rail.

In addition to the services it provides the residents of Quickstone, Orien station supports house operations. The station has sleeping quarters for teamsters and couriers, a stable so mounts can be swapped out, and facilities to repair damaged coaches. The stationmaster is an old dwarf named Bruus Tayne.

Newcomers are often surprised to see a dwarf in charge of an Orien facility, but Bruus has proven his value through long service to the Transportation Guild; he may not have a dragonmark, but he has a brilliant grasp of the logistics required to maintain the facility and ensure that coaches are kept on time and in good repair. He’s a serious man who’s always counting the minutes until the next coach arrives, and he has little patience for interruptions or frivolity.

While Tayne is the stationmaster, he’s been upstaged by the arrival of Lord Emerick d’Orien, the Orien Seneschal of Breland, along with his personal operative, Rhia d’Orien. Emerick’s role and his goals are discussed in more detail later in this chapter, but he is one of the most powerful members of House Orien and is used to having things his way. Some say Emerick’s presence is grating on Stationmaster Tayne, though surely Bruus won’t allow frustration to interfere with his performance of his duties.

Possible ties to Orien Station:

• (Orien House Agent) You could replace Rhia d’Orien as Lord Emerick’s personal agent, or you could be a local agent assigned to work with Stationmaster Tayne. You may be tasked to deal with obstacles to the expansion of the lightning rail or with bandits raiding the caravans.
• You’re waiting for an important letter to arrive; you’ve checked in at the station every day for weeks, but it still hasn’t shown up. Who is the letter from?
• You’ve known Bruus Tayne since he arrived in Quickstone. You play Conqueror with him once a week in his office at the station; to date, you’ve never won a game. He’s not talkative by nature, but you’re probably his best friend in Quickstone.