City Guide I
Traken Brothers’ Stables
A strangely shaped building faces the road here. It obviously began as a small barn with a high roof, but now someone has added small buildings or workshops to each side of the barn. The barn, which clearly is used to stable a number of horses and draft animals, is painted yellow and the twin buildings to either side are both painted green giving all three buildings a somewhat outlandish appearance. Open doors lead into the small buildings to either side of the stables while the main entrance has a sign marking it as “Traken Brother’s Stables.”
Bolik and Eddon Traken turned their father’s stables and forge into something larger, and more popular. Bolik takes care of shoeing horses and creating metal buckles, pins, and other items used in harnesses for horses and draft animals while Eddon makes saddles, harnesses, and packs. Despite rumors to the contrary, both brothers get along extremely well, something they attribute to their separate workshops. Bolik and Eddon have a trusting, some would say foolish, nature. Weather permitting, the doors to their work areas and the stables are always open. Everyone in the city knows that both young men are completely non-violent and refuse to lift a hand even in their own defense. Their quiet natures, and disavowal of violence, gave them much grief when they were children but eventually earned them the respect of their neighbors, and the city guard. Anyone caught attacking either of the brothers is met with such outrage that they would be lucky to survive long enough to be arrested. Merchants and travelers often bring newly purchased animals here to have them shoed and get new saddles and harnesses made. Animals stabled here are extremely well-cared for and the brothers’ work has a reputation for being solid and high quality, though without much flair or artistry.
Traken Stables Interior Rooms 1) The Stables While the stalls smell strongly of the horses, mules, and oxen stored there, the reek of manure is far below most stables. The animals have shiny coats and fresh straw suggesting they are extremely well cared for. A ladder in the back of the stables leads up to an enclosed loft while short ladders to each side reach small lofts holding large quantities of hay. Doors in the north and south walls lead into the buildings built onto the sides of the stables.
The Traken brothers normally only stable animals here that are awaiting new shoes, saddles, or harnesses. While they are willing to stable additional animals, they charge double the standard rates and give all of the excess money to Guralf, the young boy that works the stables for them, as a bonus. One of the stalls in the very back of the barn has been converted into a small sleeping area for Guralf who has no other home. There is a bell near the entrance to the stables that Guralf rings loudly in the event of a horse theft.
Guralf, Male Human, Exp1: CR1; Medium-Size Humanoid (5 ft. 7 in. tall); HD 1d6+2; hp 5; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Atk +1 melee (1d6+1/crit x2, club); SQ deaf mute; AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13. Skills: Animal Empathy +5, Handle Animal +5, Knowledge (horses) +4, Ride +6, Profession (stable hand) +3, Wilderness Lore +3. Feats: Iron Will, Run. Possessions: wood club, pouch with 2 gp, 45 sp, and 57 cp.
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