Shadycreek Run

Shadycreek Run is an outlaw town just north of the Quannah Breach, encircled by the Savalirwood in the Greying Wildlands. As of 835 PD, the power over the city is divided between the Tribes of Shadycreek Run, the Greytrader Union, and the Grudge Gang.

Description
Shadycreek Run lacks cohesive shape; instead, it is a "crooked, long town" built in a long line along the edges of the Savalirwood and its creek. The northern half of the city vanishes into the woods that have historically kept the Dwendalian Empire at bay and protected the sovereignty of the Run.

The name of the town is either derived from the creek that is in nearly perpetual shade from the nearby pines or from the unpredictable criminal element of the town, as the residents often say "they call it the Run for a reason".

The neighborhoods of the city are built around Clover Alley, a three-mile-long central street that passes through the North Clover and Clover Plaza districts and all around the southern treeline of the Savalirwood in one throughline. It is slick with mud, lined with hovels, and shelters ragged peasants,

North Clover
North Clover is in part built into the Savalirwood and is the heart of wealth, power, and criminal activity in the Run, housing most of the ruling families. Northwest, in the woods, there is the Estate Sybaritic, home to the Mardoon family.

On the outskirts of the forest, there are broken down-tent cities and hovels. Many of the wealthier people live further into the forest, in well-constructed houses spaced further apart.

Wickerskids
On the western end of the Clover Alley, the Wickerskids, farmers tend to the harsh land of the north to produce food for the people of Shadycreek Run.

Clover Plaza
Clover Plaza is the central square that meets with Clover Alley and is where much of the business of the city, including vice and criminal activity, is done. It often gets rowdy and unruly.

The open area of the plaza contains log benches. It is flanked by a four-story stone tower with two balconies from which the Taskers often watch over the area.

There are a few establishments located on the plaza:
 * The Landlocked Lady: A two-story brothel, designed to look like a sailing ship, on the eastern side of the plaza.
 * Plaza Emporium: is run by, according to Keg, a "pleasant but occasionally murderous dragonborn".
 * The Trench: A tavern where the Iron Shepherds frequently spend time, located on the northern side of the plaza.

Gruff Slum
Gruff Slum sits on the eastern end of Clover Alley, and is full of thieves and drug dens.

South Clover
The neighborhoods of the South Clover are particularly destitute and are where the poorest or most desperate residents live.

Society
Being outside the supervision of the Empire, Shadycreek Run has few regulations. It is often spoken of as a haven for criminals, thieves, and murderers, but is also described by The Gentleman as home to "the truly free entrepreneurs of Wildemount." Many of the people either have fled the Empire, or prefer living in a relatively lawless town, whether to indulge in vice or seek their fortunes. There are a number of legitimate artisans, hunters, farmers, mercenaries, and entertainers among the many thieves and smugglers; crime and hunting tend to pay best, however.

Much of the populace wears motley or improvised armor, and almost everyone is armed.

The scavengers of the Shadycreek run, adventuring into the Savalirwood and the ruins of Molaesmyr for lost treasures from the distant past, often come into conflict with the elven refugees of Molaesmyr who settled in Uthodurn. The people of Uthodurn, the looters, the Tribes, and the Greytrader Union all battle over the export of these artifacts.

Government
In 835 PD, the Shadycreek Run have no formal government. Power and influence in Shadycreek Run is divided between three competitive factions: the Greytrader Union, the Grudge Gang, and the Tribes of Shadycreek Run.


 * The Greytrader Union: The Greytrader Union is comprised of reformed criminals and who want to make Shadycreek Run a safer place with legitimate trade partnerships, though they do still value their freedom from the Empire and other governing bodies. They hope to govern via self-appointed marshals and keep civilians safe, and these goals often pit them against the Grudge Gang and the Tribes of Shadycreek Run.
 * The Grudge Gang: The Grudge Gang is made of deserters from the Dwendalian army who have banded together. They serve as mercenaries, and refuse to harm innocents but are happy to serve as enforcers and commit considerable violence against those they do not consider innocents. They will hire themselves out to the families of the Tribes or to the Greytraders. Overall, their goals are to make Shadycreek Run livable for civilians, protecting the city from the Empire and threats from the Savalirwood, and making money while they do so.
 * Taskers: Are the members of the gang who have assigned themselves to maintain order and protect the civilians in the city, often by any means necessary.
 * Tribes of Shadycreek Run
 * Mardoon family: Primarily involved in organized crime, brothels, and the slave trade, and has a number of contacts and alliances with Myriad.
 * Jagentoth family: Assassins, slave traders, and drug dealers, who have a reputation as the most violent of the families. They are rivals with the Mardoons and once employers of the Iron Shepherds.
 * Uttolot family: Importers and poachers, and the family who controls the passage through the Quannah Breach that leads to the Empire.
 * Trebain family: Heavily involved in smuggling antiquities from Molaesmyr.

Demographics
As of the year 835 PD, Shadycreek Run has a population of 14,770: 56% are humans, 15% are elves, 14% are dwarves, and 15% are other races.

Notable people

 * Gustav Fletching: Either came from Shadycreek Run or spent considerable time there.
 * The Iron Shepherds: A group of slavers headquartered northeast of town, in the Sour Nest.
 * Lucien
 * Keg

Before Campaign 2
Shadycreek Run was established by criminals, reprobates, and otherwise exiles from the Dwendalian Empire fleeing north over the Dunrock Mountains through the Quannah Breach. What originally was a series of shantytowns built along a creek at the edge of the Savalirwood eventually conglomerated into a single town around the 730s PD. It was around this time that Shadycreek Run came under the control of the Tribes, the four families that run many of the businesses within the city.

The Dwendalian Empire has attempted numerous times to take control of the Run. However during every attempt the residents of the town retreat into the Savalirwood, using the cursed forest and its reputation as a bulwark, causing the Dwendalian forces to eventually give up on these attempts.

Lucien grew up in Shadycreek Run, and the Tombtakers were based out of there.

Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein
The Mighty Nein took a job for The Gentleman of going up to Shadycreek Run to help Ophelia Mardoon with some issues she was having and bring her back to Zadash. En route, Fjord, Jester, and Yasha were kidnapped by the Iron Shepherds to be sold into slavery, and Molly was killed in an attempt to recover them before they reached Shadycreek. Guided by Keg, who had previously worked with the Iron Shepherds, and joined by Nila, whose family had been kidnapped as well, Beau, Caleb, and Nott entered Shadycreek Run.

Upon Keg's recommendation, the party first went to the Landlocked Lady, as it was run by the Mardoon family and would be safe from the Iron Shepherds. After staying the night, they went to the Estate Sybaritic, further into the Savalirwood, to meet with Ophelia. On the way, they noticed that the Crownsguard were hiring mercenaries from Shadycreek Run for the brewing war.

Ophelia's goals aligned with theirs in that she wanted them to kill everyone in the Sour Nest. The Mighty Nein then went to scope out the Sour Nest. Nila was successful in getting some of the layout of the fortress, but the guards noticed Keg, and the party ran back to Shadycreek Run. From there, they went to the Blooming Grove outside of town to seek aid, and met Caduceus, who joined them. The party then began their extensive assault on the Sour Nest.

After Fjord, Jester, and Yasha were rescued, the party then met with Ophelia and, on their way back to Zadash, headed back through Shadycreek Run, where they noticed some Kryn Dynasty soldiers.

Some time later, the Gentleman brought up another potential job in Shadycreek Run, involving a delivery to Ophelia, but the Mighty Nein did not pursue it.

Campaign 3: Bells Hells
While at D&O Toy Emporium in Uthodurn, Bells Hells learned that Oltgar's associate Drixlitch Ovana was using child labor from Shadycreek Run for some of the toys.