Yartar is a crossroads trading town on the Sword Coast North, population approximately 6,000. It is renown as a place for merchants, smugglers, mercenaries, and spies from all over the North to meet and conduct business. Yartar is a member of the Lords’ Alliance and the historic rival of Triboar.
The city is connected by a fortified bridge to a citadel on the west bank, where the Evermoor Way (linking Triboar and Silverymoon) crosses the Surbrin. The Surbrin Trail runs north through the hills toward the ruins of Nesmé.
Government
Barony. Current Waterbaron is Nestra Ruthiol — a Tethyrian noblewoman in her 50s with a reputation for being shrewd and farseeing, who believes the Lords’ Alliance is necessary for Yartar’s survival.
Defences
Shield Tower: Constructed on the west bank of the Surbrin River, home to 150 mounted Shields of Yartar. At all times, 100 of the shields are divided into teams of five patrolling the most populated areas. The Waterbaron’s barge is normally moored at the tower’s covered docks.
Markets & Trade
The Fishyard: Yartar’s open market is a maze-like agglomeration of stalls selling goods including crystal perfume bottles from Calimsharn, magical potions, and spellcasting components of great rarity. It always has fish from the Three Rivers on sale; even in winter, ice fishermen bring wares to the stalls.
Imports: Food, mostly fish. Exports: Barges.
Religion
Tymora is the primary deity worshipped in Yartar.
Notable NPCs
- Lady Atalia: A human employee in the ship/casino “The Golden Goose.” Secretly a member of the Kraken’s cult, she seduced various nobles to assist Oosith in kidnapping them. When Seekers suspected her, she attempted to manipulate them into killing Oosith. When that backfired, she was telepathically killed by the Kraken before revealing any secrets.
- Artan Rossolio: A naive human noble found by Seekers near Yartar after a near kidnapping. His skin had become translucent, like a fish.
- Dezhia Rossolio: The cold matriarch of the Rossolio family and mother of Artan. After Seekers saved her son, she coldly tasked them with rooting out those responsible for the kidnappings.
- Khemed: The sinister but polite elderly butler of the Rossolio family, who constantly shadowed Seekers throughout their investigation.
- Lord Akain: A minor noble lord and owner of the Golden Goose casino, rival to Nestra Ruthiol. Originally suspected of causing the noble kidnappings, he helped Seekers shut down Atalia and Oosith. After they killed Oosith, he offered Redd a dagger to activate his legacy weapon.
- Faim: An eccentric elderly fisherman who assisted the party in escorting Artan back to Yartar. He values food greatly and warns others against gluttony. He revealed a shameful past as a mercenary who resorted to cannibalism to survive in battle, and single-handedly defeated two escaping rampaging merrow.
Seekers faced Oosith here during their adventures in Yartar.