Runegate is a fortified town in an agriculturally rich valley near the Upland Marsh. It is important for horse breeding, and the fenced pasture northwest of the town is the site of an annual horse market. Runegate itself is quite small – it covers less than 12 hectares and has a population of about 1000 people.
The buildings in Runegate are mostly of stone, with roofs of thatch or tile. Most structures are one-story square or rectangular buildings, although some of the richer residences are two stories tall.
Horsetown
Horsetown is a fenced pasture northwest of the town of Runegate. A wooden palisade defends Horsetown from bandits and from the things of the Upland Marsh. It has a minor temple to Issaries and a shrine to Elmal.
Horses can be purchased from Horsetown during the small weekly market in Runegate or at the annual fair each Fire Season. All purchases go through the Issaries priest of Horsetown or his apprentices.
Fortifications
Runegate is surrounded by stone-faced earthworks topped by a wooden palisade and several timber watchtowers. The northern earthworks lower than the others as it was crushed by the Crimson Bat in 1602. The original stone towers were destroyed by the Bat and have been replaced by timber watchtowers.
There are four gates into the town. Three of the gates are identical and typical of Orlanthi hill forts;
they are built into the earthworks and surmounted by a tall wooden superstructure. The east gate is unique and described further below.
The East (Rune) Gate
This is the main approach to the town. Above the gate is a massive stone lintel beam depicting Asrelia as the goddess of luck and fortune within an eight-sided star. The gate is the only location in Runegate remaining intact from the old settlement; it used to be called the Fool’s Gate for only a fool trusts to luck. Yet; all who took shelter under the stone lintel when the Crimson Bat destroyed the town survived and now locals call it the Luck Gate.
The East Gate is sacred to Asrelia in her aspect as the Goddess of Good Fortune. Gifts of food, flowers, and treasure are offered to Asrelia on either side of the gate. As a result, the gates are usually covered with garlands of flowers, surrounded by plates containing offerings and burning candles, and festooned with belts of coins. The gate guards are extremely hostile to any who try to steal the gifts to the Goddess of Good Fortune. Periodically the priestesses of Ernalda gather the gifts and dispose of them as they see fit.
Market Square
This open area serves as a market place for the town. There is a weekly market on Wildday and horses can be bought and sold here.
Around the Market Square are temples of recent construction: that of Elmal the Sun, the Meeting Hall, Ernalda the Earth Mother, and the Lightbringers Temple (the temple to Orlanth, Chalana Arroy, Eurmal, Issaries, and Lhankor Mhy). There is a shrine to Issaries in the middle of the square.
There are the smoldering remnants of several funeral pyres in the Market Square; grey ash is everywhere.
Elmal the Sun Horse Temple
Elmal is a local variant of Yelmalio worshiped by some clans in Sartar. The temple to Elmal is the largest building in Runegate. Unlike most Yelmalio temples, the roof beams are carved in the shape of horses, and a golden horse is painted on each side of the shingled roof. The entrance faces the rising sun during Sacred Time.
Lightbringers Temple
This wooden temple contains shrines to the Seven Lightbringers (Orlanth, Chalana Arroy, Eurmal,
Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, Flesh Man and Gina Jar) and to Ernalda. The temple is open to any godtalker or priest, although normally only one priest actually resides within.
Until recently Erelena the Merciful was the resident priestess of the Lightbringers Temple. Since her murder, that position is currently vacant.
Ernalda Temple
This square building is a temple to Ernalda, and also a shrine to Asrelia.
Meeting Hall
This large, long building stands at the center of Runegate, across from the temple of Elmal, the Sun-Horse god, a local variant of Yelmalio. It has a tiled roof, imposing doors studded with bronze and, extending from the roof, an enormous and intricate carving of two rearing horses, facing one another in dramatic confrontation. Verinos the Old holds court here, meeting with clan leaders and resolving disputes.
Seven Mothers Shrine
This small building is a shrine to the Seven Mothers. The shrine was once supported by the Lunar Empire but is now only supported by visiting travelers from Lunar Tarsh.
Last Chance Inn
The Last Chance Inn consists of three buildings (the central building is two-stories high), clustered around a courtyard. Entertainment of food is provided in one of the side buildings, the other is the stables for animals. Sleeping areas are in the central building. The inn is of even more recent construction than the rest of the town, being built in 1615.
The innkeeper, Starken Var, purchases ale from the Lismelder tribe and sometimes the Last Chance is called the “end of the Goodale Path”. Gambling is particularly popular in the common room; gambling sticks, dice games, knife games, wagers on horse fights, and so forth all can be found here. Starken Var takes a small commission from the winners and Snaggletooth enforces the paying of wagers.
Storm Bull Shrine
The Colymar offered sacrifices here before fighting the Chaos Flood of 1610 that reached the walls of Runegate. They were victorious and in thanks, the Colymar tribe had this shrine constructed. Sacrifices are made by whatever Storm Khan wanders into town.
Geo’s Runegate Inn
Rebuilt after 1602 by supportive Colymar kings, Geo’s Runegate Inn welcomes all who are loyal to Sartar. Tamara Three Chops, a retired adventurer who once served the god Humakt, is the sole proprieter of the inn and said to be almost as deadly with the sword as Londra of Londros.
House Of Death (Humakt Temple)
This small building serves as a shrine to Humakt, a mercenary hiring hall and a barracks for the Humakti cultists in Runegate. It is avoided by all who fear death. Humakt is revered for his power to protect Runegate from the denizens of the Upland Marsh.
Within the walls of Runegate, there live approximately the following number of initiates:
- 150 Orlanth
- 150 Ernalda
- 50 Issaries
- 75 Humakt
- 25 Storm Bull
- 150 Yelmalio
- 10 Gustbran
- 50 Others
Runegate (town): This fortified town of the Colymar Tribe is so called because of the magical stone lintel the city founders brought from the Holy Country. The lintel forms the Luck Rune over the east gate and it is thought to be a site of the unnamed Goddess of Luck. The town has a Geo’s Runegate Inn. A dragonewt road runs through Runegate; as a result, dragonewts occasionally visit. It is shared by three clans – the Enyhli, Narri, and Taraling – and ruled by the Colymar Tribe.
Runegate has a major temple to Ernalda, and minor temples to Orlanth Thunderous, Yelmalio and Humakt. There are also shrines to Orlanth Rex, Hyalor Horsebreaker, Issaries, and Storm Bull.
Runegate was the site of a major battle when the Red Emperor invaded Sartar in 1602. The town survived an assault of undead from the Upland Marsh only to be destroyed by the Crimson Bat, only the lintel stone surviving. It was subsequently rebuilt; as a result, most of the buildings are less than a generation old and most are built out of wood and lime plastered adobe. It now has a population of approximately 900 residents.
Note that this version states that most of the buildings are less than a generation old and out of wood and lime plastered adobe. That’s correct. It WAS mostly stone, but not now.