Faces of Pretomournon: Introduction

Pretomournon is an extraordinary city. As capital of The Mournful Kingdom, it’s the city where the Queen’s palace stands. It’s the place of the largest and most important university in the world. And although most of the people in the city are humanotheists, the largest cathedral of the Temple is there as well.

First-time visitors to Pretomournon marvel at the layout of the city: It’s not built on, but in the ruins of older versions of the city. Crowded streets run through uninhabited expanses of debris and half demolished buildings. Some of the ruins are inhabited by the city’s underprivileged. No homeless sleeping in the streets of Pretomournon.

The people of the city are just as remarkable as its buildings and ruins. Their clothing resemble stage costumes, and many of the inhabitants act like they’re thespians, talking as if they’re orating a monologue. Every man and woman in Pretomournon presents himself how he wants to be perceived, not how he or she really is.

That is why visitors to the city never get to see the real Pretomournon. They get to see the façade – the false faces the inhabitants put forth. The real Pretomournon hides behind the façade, where the inhabitants scheme and plot against each other. Every Pretomournian is involved in a conspiracy or two.

The series Faces of Pretomournon will present 30 inhabitants of the city. Every one of these NPCs takes part in one of the many conspiracies the city has. You will learn about:

Book Trade: A librarian illegally sells books from the university library, and with the money buys terrible books of forbidden lore on the Nightmare Market.

Dead Master Thieves: A lich tries to turn the local thieves’ guild into one of the worldwide Meta-Guilds. To assume Guild leadership, he raises famous thieves from history as Dead Master Thieves.

Dreams and Nightmares: A succubus courtesan steals the dreams and nightmares of her customers, and sells them on the Nightmare Market.

Making Art: The up-and-coming artists of the Pretomournon art world center around a single art gallery, where art created by nightmares and genies

The Romanticist in Trouble: A romantic swashbuckling rogue climbs into the rooms of teenage girls at night. However, he picked the wrong window, and a powerful mage wants him dead for touching his daughter.

Sex, Spies & Murder: The Madame of one of Pretomournon’s pleasure palaces is secretly a senior member of the Secret Masters. In addition, she’s the city’s primary spymaster and conspirator.

Summoning the Anti-Deity: A small cult within the Temple works to summon their goddess to the mortal world. However, disciples of the Lords of Misrule conspire to summon one of their masters, and with it, the apocalypse.

Weapon Smuggling: Weapon smugglers bring strange, powerful magic weapons into the city. Recently, shipments are disappearing. The seller wants his money, and the owner wants his weapons.