Overlook

Map of region

Overlook is a prosperous Dwarven city in Thorast.

Location

Located in the centre of Thorast, some 100km from the northernmost coast, the city is home to numerous adventurers and mercenaries. It overlooks a region known locally as the Elsir Vale; a sparsely populated area which covers an area out to around 60km from the city.

Population

The current population of Overlook numbers just over 20,000 making it actually quite small by comparison with most Imperial cities, but too large to be be grouped into the same category as towns such as Brindol.

The inhabitants of Overlook are primarily (over 70%) Dwarven, with about 20% Human. The other races make up the remaining 10%.

Description

Overlook itself has a rich history, having originally been a Dwarven garrison town before the Empire even existed. Since then its location, at the base of the main pass through the Hammer Peaks, has proved to be vital for the defence of the western half of Thorast. Overlook is a (roughly) square city consisting of of concentric fortifications each of which has developed its own identity:

Overlook © 2008-2024 WotC

• High Hall - Situated at the core of the city, this is the oldest part and is where all of the civic administration takes place.
• Stonehammer - Immediately outside of High Hall, Stonehammer is by far the most typically "Dwarven part of the city" and which is difficult for non-Dwarves to cross (both physically due to the scale of the roads and structures, but also in terms of the temperament of the populace).
• Elftown - This is a small section of the city to the NW of Stonehammer and is an area reserved for green space. Some Elves do live there but it isn't a specifically "Elven" district.
• Forgeworks - The Forgeworks is industrial and artisan region of the city
• Tradetown - as the name implies this is where commercial space is located.
• Nine Bells - the wealthiest suburb of the city
• Blister - a "middle-class" residential district;
• The Boneyard - the colloquial name for the temple/cemetery district.

To the east of the city is the most recent addition - "Shantytown". Despite its name it is not a "slum" area but houses local farming folk and housing that can't be contained within the city walls due to the topography of the land. Most of the town's Human population live here. Overlook's engineers have been debating whether an additional ring of walls to encompass Shantytown is economically justified for some decades now.

Defences

As noted, the city of Overlook started out, hundreds of years ago, as a Dwarven garrison town. As the needs of the garrison grew, extra walls were built to contain the expanding population. The city itself still shows much of it's progression from garrison to city, now being in effect a series of walled towns expanding outwards.

The garrison function of Overlook has long since gone though and its military force instead resides in nearby Bordrin's Watch, just a few km to the west. Under the agreements between the Human and Dwarven people, Overlook opted to have control over its own defence and hence this garrison is responsible for the security of the pass and Overlook only - the defence of the wider Elsir Vale is still handled by the Imperial Army at Fort Elsir to the southeast.

Overlook has all the typical layers of Dwarven bureaucracy that one might expect but Overlook itself is notable by its lack of a prison. Instead of time in prison, most miscreants spend their time either in hard labour in the SDS. Participants in the "SDS" are expected to give their lives for the protection of the city.

Inns and Tavern

As might be expected from a Dwarven city, no-one is ever far from a drinking establishment. Among the more notable inns and taverns (and the district of the city they are in) are;

Inns:

• Belden’s Rest (Forgeworks)
• Clean Sheets and Good Food (Shantytown)
• Polliver’s (High Hall)
• The Greasy Gnome (Forgeworks)
• The Orc's Nest (Shantytown)

Taverns:

• Bordin’s Barrel (Stonehammer)
• Drogon’s XXX Brewery (Forgeworks)
• Ewan’s House of Boards (Nine Bells)
• Irvine’s House of Rest (Elftown)
• Last Place (Shantytown)
• No Beards (Stonehammer)
• Ramsey's (Shantytown)
• Seven Bells (High Hall)
• The Bent Spoon (Elftown)
• The Gilded Stein (Stonehammer)
• The Ogre Chef (Boneyard)
• The Pickled Imp (Nine Bells)
• The Pig and Bucket (Blister)
• The Salty Aftertaste (Tradetown)

Notable Places

• The Monastery of the Unbroken Chain

A full map key can be found here

Acknowledgements

Overlook is fully detailed in "The Siege of Bordrin's Watch" - part of the "Scales of War" adventure path available from Wizards of the Coast. The map of the city, along with the districts, comes directly from that product as published in Dungeon Magazine, issue 157 and so are ©2008-2024 WotC.