The Visitor's Guide to Karkown

Hello, Realmers! We hope you enjoyed Episode 15 of The Many Merchants of Malune: The Secrets of Karkown! We were pretty shocked when Jordan dropped this huge bomb on us - that the dwarves of Malune had established a secret bunker-like society belowground. And while we got a good glimpse of the city over the course of the episode, we all wanted a little more, and we thought you would, too.

So here it is! A Patreon-exclusive map and some special tidbits about life in Malune's most mysterious settlement.

1. Jotu's Enticing Estate

Jotu is a bit of an eccentric in Karkown, practicing in a strange magic (?), if one could call it that. For he produces absolutely no visible signs of magic, but simply fervently believes he is manipulating space and time. In the case of his home, which is a shack of fallen apart stone and mortar, he claims it is in actuality an estate in which he has countless people waiting on him and asking Jotu to regale them with a tale. The estate is lined with gold and ivory, some of the rarest resources people in Karkown would ever know. Though to each passerby, it certainly looks like a madman in a ramshackle home.

2. Long Lost Rubble

The remnants of several buildings built upon the wreckage of the previous one. There are many rumours around town about this site being a cursed one. Though so many iterations have now happened that the tales have changed from hauntings all the way to giant rock worms laying eggs in the foundation. Whatever it was, it is presently too bothersome to occupy for the nihilistic residents.

3. Star Dream Club

A small little home in which members of the community gather to collectively imagine what the stars above their home look like. They plan an outing once a year.

4. Little Topside

A small, non-descript neighbourhood populated by salt-of-the-earth dwarves. Most people who walk these streets pass through the neighbourhood without notice. But, for those who care to knock on the back door of these houses, the residents are selling products that most good, Calamity-fearing dwarves haven't seen in centuries.

5. The Great Temple of Karkown

The heart of Karkown's community. During construction, a huge amount of resources went into bringing the temple's large wooden beams, rich fabrics and tokens of the world left behind. Now, this temple serves as a dwelling for the monks and nuns of St. Grielma, a place of congregation, mourning, and on occasion, children's birthday parties.

6. Digger's Row

The houses here are much nicer and larger than the rest of the city. The large estates of Digger's Row belong to the descendants of the politicians, the activists and the religious leaders that led the charge in moving so much of Malune's dwarven population underground. This group is remembered as "The Diggers of Karkown", although a keen-eye history student may notice that none of them were ever reported to hold a shovel.

7. Abandoned School

The school of Karkown is nothing to scoff at. Though the school grounds are small and the community is insular, the schoolhouse holds knowledge passed down and kept sacred by dwarves of countless generations--holding remedies, mathematical principals, and magical secrets unknown even to the scholars of Nen. With the Calamity fast approaching, this knowledge is threatened to be wiped off the continent, dying alongside the last dwarves who attended the school. The school officially shut down approximately 3 weeks before our party arrived in Karkown, but it's still open as a sort of library to those who wish to learn for learning's sake in their final days. It is surprisingly lively and the children still play nearby for want of familiar territory. Perhaps someday, a team of brave adventurers will uncover its secrets once more.

8. Fallow Family's Fungi Farm

Come on down to Fallow Family's Fungi Farm! Built around sticky, musty pools stagnant water, the Fungi Farm may at first appear unappealing. However, inside the damp and dark environment belies the perfect growing conditions to create the tastiest mushrooms in the land. Some say the city itself first grew around these pools, which were rich in minerals and provided the first dwarven settlers with enough food to expand their town.

9. Dela and Long's Apothecary

D&L Apothecary sits on a street known colloquially as the Health District. On one side of the apothecary sits a clinic, on the other side is a small carved shrine to the dwarven god of vitality, Ogal. Though the walls and shelves have begun to fall to disrepair in the wake of the impending Calamity, Long and Dela still provide services and potions to those whom it would bring comfort. They have a child together with whom they run the shop and encourage to experiment with creating new potions. Though not helpful, their favourite bespoke brew is one they call "The Chromal" which gives a mirror coating onto anything it's poured on. Fun fact: Dela is Dhor's cousin.

10: Fountain of St. Grielma

This stately monument venerates St. Grielma, a legendary figure in dwarven history. Legend says that Grielma was a mystic and hermit who foresaw a vision of the Calamity in a perfectly circular and pure pool of water, and through her diplomacy and willpower convinced her kin to warn the other peoples of Malune and seek shelter far below ground. Thus, even dwarven enclaves on continents besides Malune are home to these ceremonial fountains, from which each dwarf must drink when they reach maturity.

11: Bon's Bistro

Though cause for celebration is rare in Karkown, Bon takes pride in maintaining a warm, friendly atmosphere in his bistro, which has been in his family for generations. His specialty dish is grilled cavefish with a signature rocksalt seasoning blend. Few know that in the rear of the bistro, Bon has a small pen of scorchbeetles that he farms to produce his own private supply of fire mead, which he finds helps with the boredom of life in Karkown.

12: Low Council

Given their subterranean status, it's no wonder that the dwarves of Karkown place value in depth, stability, and security. Karkown's Low Council, therefore, features a sunken debate pit where orders are discussed in low rumbles and leaden whispers. Notably, the Low Council building is also meant to serve as the ultimate shelter for the citizenry of Karkown: it is stocked with months of food and supplies should the unthinkable happen and the city fall under threat.

We hoped you enjoyed this quick tour of Karkown! We'll be back next time with more lore uncovered from the far reaches of Malune!