Buliding: The Arylon Herald
Building Submission by: Hawk
Building Type: Stone two-story structure
Business Conducted: Newspaper and printing
Owner: Malrin Gaungadul (hm 0 lvl NG) Editor and owner
Employees:
- Blaze Lander (hf 2nd lvl fighter NG) Star reporter
- Arjak (hm 0 lvl LN) Reporter
- Cleo (1st lvl hm thief NG) Copyboy
- Hedy (1st lvl hf thief TN) Copygirl
- Kala (2nd lvl; ef thief NG) Copygirl
- Durben (3rd lvl gm fighter CG) Maintenance
- 3 drivers who deliver papers through the city
Contents:
The Arylon Herald is a two-story, stone building with ivy growing up the walls. A wooden sign depicting a griffon blowing a trumpet hangs just above the iron bound, oak door in front and windows peek through the ivy around the building. There is a shed in back where Durben keeps his tools and the wagons used to cart papers throughout the city. The Herald is located in the north-central section of Dock Ward.
Inside the main building are layout tables, a hand-cranked printing press, bottles of ink, reams of paper, and typeset. The floor and ceiling are constructed of wooden planks and inkstains are everywhere.
In the rear is a small staircase leading to the offices upstairs. There, Blaze, Arjak and Malrin write (some say create) their stories for the next daily issue. There is also a lounge area and cots where reporters can sleep at night if necessary.
Outside, at the rear of the building, is a cellar entrance. Wooden steps lead down into a basement which is used for storage. Old copies of the Herald, bottles of ink, pieces of a printing press, and some rubbish clutter the chamber. A bookcase dominates one side of the cellar and it is crammed with moldy old books, dusty oil lamps, a dead rat, loose sheets of wrinkled paper, etc. (Pushing on the right side reveals the bookcase to be a secret door that leads into the catacombs below the city).
Description of Business:
The Herald is one of Arylon's main sources of information and gossip. Malrin Gaungadul was an apprentice to Carson Innes, editor of the Waterdeep Daily Trumpet for several years before moving to Arylon and opening his own news agency. Papers are printed and distributed four times a Tenday and available throughout the city for 1cp each.
His often scathing editorials have infuriated many and more than once have angry officials of the city demanded retractions. Somehow, Malrin has remained in operation and rarely has he ever had to back down. This is mainly because, though he often prints embarrassing stories about the powers that be, there is enough truth to them so he cannot be held liable. He gives his reporters free rein and wants "interesting but true stories" that will sell papers. His copyboys are terrific sources of information as they scamper throughout the city delivering papers and running errands.