Originally, Doggerrise was merely the humble service entrance and supply depot for the majestic Whisperwind Fortress. Its name originates from the massive stone sleds, known as doggers, once used to haul supplies up the steep incline to the fortress proper. This area was never meant to be a permanent settlement.
In 289 DR, a catastrophic event shattered this tranquility when the Dead Wyrm devastated Whisperwind Fortress. The upper keeps were broken, raining tons of debris down upon the service district. Sir Meklen Renald, a key figure, was not killed by the dragon's fire as widely believed.
Hidden truths reveal that Meklen was betrayed by a ruthless lieutenant who deliberately opened the fortress wards. This act of treachery led to his demise and paved the way for the lieutenant's descendants to eventually rise to power. Their influence would one day culminate in the formation of the Guild of the Slope.
In the centuries that followed, a sprawling, chaotic shantytown rose from the scree and debris at the base of the cursed fortress. This parasitic settlement, clinging like barnacles to a sinking ship, grew to become known as Doggerrise. It evolved into the premier black market of Eastern Coia, thriving on illicit trade.
Bone Pickers, courageous and desperate scavengers, continually delve into the haunted ruins above. They retrieve artifacts, armor, and trinkets from the pre-calamity era, fueling the district's unique economy. While Doggerrise technically falls under the jurisdiction of regional lords, it is truly ruled by the Guild of the Slope.
This ruthless collection of fences and smugglers trades in goods that legal markets refuse. Their wares include cursed heirlooms, necromantic reagents harvested from the fortress's lingering ghosts, and shards of Bukhara stone. The Guild's deep roots extend back to the betrayal that founded their lineage, subtly manipulating the district for generations.
Recently, the atmosphere in Doggerrise has shifted dramatically from desperate commerce to palpable dread. The Dead Wyrm is stirring in Rueside, and wild magic surges from Iron Mountain have intensified. These magical energies leak directly into The Pit, the central marketplace, which is unknowingly built atop a buried, fracturing Bukhara Spire Gateway.
Consequently, magical items sold in The Pit have become increasingly volatile and cursed, turning unsuspecting buyers into unwitting ticking time bombs. The ruins above have grown more active, and the fortress's ghosts are no longer confined to its shattered walls. They now drift down the slope, unsettling the district.
A pervasive, chilling fog rolls down from the fortress at night, which is not natural weather. This mist is a manifestation of the Dead Wyrm's consciousness. Anyone who spends too long in the fog begins to hallucinate, allowing the Wyrm to see through their eyes. It actively hunts for any hiding descendants of the Meklen bloodline among the refugee population.
The Bone Pickers, facing these escalating dangers, are returning from their expeditions in fewer numbers and with stranger, more unsettling injuries. Doggerrise currently exists in a perilous and paranoid state. Its economy booms due to widespread war fears, yet the environmental and supernatural dangers are escalating rapidly, threatening to consume the entire settlement.
