"Blind in our ways, we warred amongst ourselves as we had for generations. Until black steel scarred the land and our true enemy came upon us."
—Koeas-Civin, Words of the Elders

This column details the Black Steel campaign setting using the Pathfinder rules. The campaign could certainly be run using RuneQuest, the Warhammer Fantasy RPG, D&D, or another fantasy RPG.

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Magnimar, City of Monuments

Magnimar, city of monuments, is a great urban location to start a campaign.

"Built in the shadow of megaliths, Magnimar endlessly endeavors to surpass the overwhelming scale and grandeur of the ancient wonders that litter the Varisian landscape. A place of great opportunity, social stress, and cold beauty, the city exudes the airs of a southern metropolis, seeking to rise above its ignoble beginnings as a refuge for Korvosan outcasts to become a beacon of culture and freedom in an unforgiving land. Yet its towering monuments, elegant gardens, ostentatious architecture, and elaborate sculptures form but a cracked mask over a struggling government and a desperate people in need of heroes."
—From Rise of the Runelords

The GameMastery Guide provides details on stat blocks for settlements. Here is Magnimar.

Magnimar, City of Monuments
N large city
Corruption +0; Crime +2; Economy +5; Law +2; Lore +5; Society +2 Qualities academic (Founder's Archive and Museum of Ages), holy site (the Arvensoar), prosperous (Andoran's deposed Rousseau family, offices of the Hook and Hammer traders, and a lavish regional headquarters of the infamous Aspis Corporation), strategic location (Varisian Gulf), tourist attraction (monuments especially the Irespan)
Danger +10

Demographics
Government autocracy
Population 16,500 (13,365 humans; 825 halflings; 660 dwarves; 660 elves; 495 gnomes; 330 half-elves; 165 others)
Notable NPCs

Haldmeer Grobaras , lord-mayor (N male human aristocrat 9)
• Verrine Caiteil , spokeswoman of the Council of Ushers (NG female elf aristocrat 5/bard 2)
• Lord Justice Bayl Argentine , leader of the Justice Court (LN male human aristocrat 6/fighter 3)
• Remeria Callinova , leader of the Varisian Council (CG female human expert 4/rogue 2)
• Lady Vammiera Symirkova , mistress of the Gargoyles (NE female human aristocrat 2/rogue 6/sorcerer 4)
• Princess Sabriyya Kalmeralm , de facto ruler of the Bazaar of Sails (CN female human rogue 12)

Marketplace
Base Value 12,800 gp; Purchase Limit 75,000 gp; Spellcasting 9th
Minor Items 7 (4d4)

• +1 morningstar
• Potion of bless weapon
• Potion of enlarge person
• Potion of make whole
• Arcane scroll of identify
• Wand of endure elements
• Stone of alarm

Medium Items 7 (3d4)

• +1 shock shortspear
• Potion of darkvision
• Arcane scroll of summon monster III
• Divine scroll of inflict serious wounds
• Divine scroll of flame strike
• Wand of fire trap
• Wand of levitate

Major Items 3 (2d4)

• Potion of protection from arrows
• Ring of acid resistance 10
• Wand of invisibility purge

Here's a list of possible sellers and buyers of magic items in Magnimar and some items they currently are offering.

At the Founder's Archive and Museum of Ages, Dr. Archisa Aparna (female human Pathfinder) may be able to locate anything with enough time.

Jorston "Axetongue" Droaeb (male dwarf) at the Serpent's Run has magic arms and armor for sale. Currently, he has a +1 weapon and a +2 weapon for sale.

The Golemworks' Toth Bhreacher (male human wizard) excels in constructs and he sells arcane potions.

The Bazaar of Sails market is overseen by Sabriyya Kalmeralm (female human) and she can sometimes find items of interest to sell as well as buyers willing to buy unwanted items.

Naos is home to the esteemed hunters, explorers, and Pathfinders Sir Canayven Heidmarch (male human) and his wife Sheila Heidmarch (female human) have many items to trade. They currently have a magic stone of alarm for sale that adventurers with only a few quests under their belts might be able to afford.

Seerspring Garden holds the temple of Iomedae run by Chaplain Tira Ronnova (female human priest of Iomedae) and has access to many divine magic items and usually has divine potions and scrolls for sale.

Magnimar's most esteemed school of wizardry, the Stone of the Seers is run by Master Leis Nivlandis (male half-elf wizard) and focuses on abjuration and divination magics. Beware of low-price arcane scrolls; apprentices wanting ale sometimes sell scrolls they penned and sometimes their efforts result in cursed scrolls. Wands charged with arcane spells are also for sale. Master Nivlandis just crafted a powerful ring of acid resistance as a draw for new students interested in abjuration. He's willing to sell it, but only†the most powerful adventurers can afford his asking price.

Getting Started in Magnimar

A campaign can kick off quickly in Magnimar by rolling a d6 on the encounters from last month's column. The sea hag operates out of either Rag's End or Underbridge. The cannibals are likely trolling for victims in the Bazaar of Sails or Dockway. The dealer causing problems might be Slumlord Rassimeri Jaijarko, a slimy half-Varisian drug dealer with ties to the Sczarni gang the Gallowed, who works out of Rag's End. Wererats might be found under the Seerspring Garden in Keystone. Noble scions may accost anyone not of noble birth found anywhere in the Summit. The racketeer may be working over Ol' Mam Grottle in the Old Fang taproom in Dockway.

Next Month

Traits for the Black Steel campaign setting.

May you find the path,
Charlie