Cudgel District, sometimes called "Riverside," is primarily a residential district. Due to the vigilance of the local watch and the Temple of Berevrom, it is the safest district in Sasserine. The citizens of Cudgel District know this, yet they are not a soft or naive. They remain ever vigilant to the threat of attack from outside in the form of Tasloi or Corsairs, or from within in the form of thieves and traitors.
Cudgel District’s representative on the Dawn Council is the noble House of Taskerhill. Although they’re hardly the oldest noble family in Sasserine, the Taskerhills are one of the richest. Their ownership of Thunder River Lumber has ensured a constant inflow of profit for hundreds of years. The current patriarch of this noble family is a man named Kalmadar Taskerhill. A recent scandal in the nearby city of Caldera, involving his older brother Andros, has done some unfortunate damage to the family name, and Kalmadar’s primary concern today is to repair this damage in any way he can. As a result, he’s been spending a lot of time away from the city, visiting his brother’s family.
Although the worship of Berevrom is the official religion of Cudgel District, a smaller shrine has been attracting a fair amount of attention lately. This is the mysterious Red Moon Synod, located on Cutlass Lane. The front doors of this small monastery bear heavy chains fixed with a padlock, and there are no windows in the building's stone walls.
Locals say they’ve seen people entering and exiting the monastery using silver keys to unlock its chains, but no one’s been brave enough to investigate further. Rumors of demon worship, live sacrifices, and worse circulate about the Synod, yet its few monks remain curiously close-lipped about the matter. "Mother Annah," the local High Priestess of Berevrom, readily admits that she’s keeping her eye on the Red Moon Monks, but she does not believe they pose a threat to the city.
The people of Cudgel District are a watchful, laconic lot. They have little patience or tolerance for the rough and coarse lifestyle led by most adventurers. Merchants, innkeepers, and bartenders in Cudgel District often charge up to 200% over normal prices for customers dressed like adventurers (typified by openly wearing weapons or armor).
Citizens
If you’re from Cudgel District, it’s possible you’ve never left Sasserine. Indeed, it’s possible you’ve never even left Cudgel District. The outer world is a place of mystery and perhaps fear for you, yet you may be equally intrigued by its lures. You likely worship Berevrom or Praxis. Another "temple" exists in your district; the order of the Red Moon Synod, but chances are that even if you’re curious about what they have to offer, you haven’t figured them out…yet. If you’re a ranger, your favored enemy is probably either Gnolls or Tasloi, as you’ve learned that those evil jungle-dwelling creatures have the greatest capacity for evil and treachery. Of the seven districts, the citizens of Cudgel are the least likely to seek an adventurous lifestyle. Those who do become adventurers are viewed by family and neighbors as black sheep.
Notable NPCs:
Kalmadar Taskerhill, Annah Teraki, Feldus Selvant
CUDGEL DISTRICT BONUS FEAT (choose one)
Suspicious Eye [General] You are always on the lookout for treachery and wrongdoing, like many of the other people from Cudgel District.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Sense Motive skill checks. In addition, the DC to take an object from you through the Sleight of Hand skill is increased to 25. You still receive the normal opposed Spot skill check to notice the attempt, and if you make this Spot check, you may immediately make an attack of opportunity on the target who was attempting to pick your pocket. If someone attempts the feint combat maneuver on you, you gain a +4 bonus on your Sense Motive check to avoid the feint. Normal: The DC to take an object from a character through the Sleight of Hand skill is 20.
