Baron Jubfek's Mansion
Map produced with Campaign Cartographer
The Entrance Hall
This imposing space is dominated by a large (1½ times life size) of Carlos, the first Baron Jubfek. A smaller statue of the second Baron stands in the north west corner of the room. The floor is tiled with dark green tiles. In the centre of the floor the black dragon emblem of the family is laid out in smaller tiles. A heavy wooden chandelier and two tall windows give plenty of light. A door in the north wall leads to the stairs while another door leads east.
The tall statue shows a distinct resemblance to the current baron, especially around the thin mouth and strong chin. The clothes are old fashioned, a long cape covering what was probably a leather jerkin over a short kilt. Buskins covered the feet and were laced nearly to the knees. Most importantly of all was the disk held in the figures right hand. This object fitted the description of the talisman exactly.
This statue is less impressive than the others, both in size and execution. The second baron is much chubbier and strikes a less dramatic figure than his father.
At his waist is a fine sword with a dogtooth pattern carved into the scabbard.
Baron Jubfek's Library
The Baron's library is a long well lit room. Three tall windows in the north wall let in a lot of light which combined with the tall ceilings makes the room a lot less musty and oppressive than most libraries. Two small statues, about three quarters life size, stand against the south wall. One is of the third baron the other is of the fourth. Both have similar features as the current baron. There is a door in the south wall through which you entered and another smaller one in the eastern wall. Beside thiis door is a painting of the current baron. In the centre of the room is a square table with four chairs. On top of the table is a heavy book in a dark binding with a number of silk bookmarks protruding from the pages. In the north east corner of the room are a pair of bookcases. These contain a number of scrolls in linen scroll binders.
This statue is carved from pure white marble which has an almost sugary texture. In the baron's right hand is a rapier in his right a small galleon. These illustrate his love of fencing and the time he spent at sea making raids on the Spice Isles far to the west of the Western Realms.
This statue is hewn from a much darker marble and the face is much harsher. In his right hand he holds a mace in the left a book. Francis was the younger of two brothers and only gained the throne on the death of his brother before he could father an heir. He had become a cleric of Calitha and was reluctant to return to the secular world, less still marry and beget an heir.
This bookcase has two shelves.
The top shelf contains nineteen scrolls. Each is on fine parchement and all are quite old. They appear to contain elven poetry. Flowery descriptions of forests and plants, the sea and the mountains. One other poem describes the last years of an ancient elf and is very beutifully written. This poem appears to have been read more often that the others.
The lower shelf contains eleven scrolls. The parchment is of a poorer quality and the writing is less fluid. They appear to be translations of the poems on the top shelf by the first Baron.
This bookcase has three shelves.
The top shelf contains a number of ornaments, a silver hourglass with fine golden sand, a terracotta dragon about 6" high and a small painting of a wolfhound.
The middle shelf contains fifteen scrolls of various ages. They contain descriptions of historical events within the Avondale area. One describes the building of Avondale bridge by the giants.
The bottom shelf contains another nineteen scrolls. Again these contain historical documents. Some deal with the Great Plague and the cures that were tried, most of which were unsucessful. Some cures included drinking the blood of elves who were immune to the plague. Other scrolls describe the fashions in clothing and weapons of the time of the Kinship War.
The book is a heavy tome with a dark calf skin binding. Heavily embossed gilded lettering reads 'The History Of The Jubfek Family'. The Baron has left a number of silken bookmarks to mark important passages.
The first tells of the first Baron
Carlos Jubfek was a scholarly lad who spent his time wandering the ruins of the Ancients
on the borders of what is now Coranos. This was of course before the coming of the Serpent Folk. He wrote many books on the forest cities of the Ancients who some say were the ancestors of the elves but few belive that.
The second tells of the finding of the talisman.
The talisman was found in a temple to Ordana, near the northern edge of the Coranas forest. It was about the size of a woman's hand, made of darkest ebony with a design of linked oak leaves around it's rim. A green silken cord was attached to it and despite it's age the cord had not perished. This alone suggested to Carlos that the talisman was magical.
The third tells of the Kinship War.
Carlos sided with Bormar in the battle with his brother Doral after the death of thier father. Carlos rose rapidly through the ranks and many wished to sserve with him as he seemed unbeatable in battle. Many spoke of a lucky medallian he wore under his jerkin. In the battle of the River Kalo he mangaed to avoid an ambush by a magically concealed
group of assassins. Another time he and a handful of rangers destroyed a whole brigade of the ememy. In the song 'The Forest Rising' by the bard, Will the Bald, it is said that the trees and shrubs themselves aided Carlos, striking and crushing his foes. Spells cast by the enemy failed unexpectedly and soon the mear sight of his standard was enough to cause his foes to flee.
The fourth tells of Carlos' coming to Celidor.
At the end of the war, at the Treaty Of Fendarrow in the year 779, Bormar gave the lands around the town of Avondale to Carlos and his family. He could have more but he was not a greedy man. Here he built the castle and the family seat.
The final bookmark tells of Carlos' coming to Celidor.
In his declining years Carlos returned once more to the study of the talisman. He had kept it with him, not letting others use it in the purging of the elves. Why this was he never said. He had the mausoleum built in the woods north of the town where he was to be buried. Only his closest servants were present at his burial. The wearabouts of his talisman has never been discovered. Few have dared disturb his peace. It is said those with inpure hearts cannot approach the tomb, the trees move and shift the paths so that they wander aimlessly for hours before returning to the place the started.
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