While most affected by the recent disaster have fled, some few survivors have remained in the vicinity of the destroyed city, and they have been joined by a small collection of opportunists. All of them expect that eventually they will be able to unearth some of the valuables that have been lost or buried in the city's ruin.
The resulting encampment is not large, with less than a score of souls total. There is only one standing building (badly damaged and poorly repaired with mismatched scraps) that is being used as an inn of sorts. Near it, a number of tents have been set up. At any given moment during the day, a large portion of the inhabitants will be exploring nearby ruins for valuables. As a result, the economy of the place is strange. Gold is plentiful, but food is scarce. Piles of scavenged metal goods and once-fine furniture are assembled inside some of the tents, and some of the inhabitants are very keen to convert their heavy salvage into lighter and more portable coin.
While the inhabitants are not hostile generally, they are also not particularly interested in visitors other than for the commerce they might bring. Difficult questions will go unanswered, and even those who are survivors of recent events won't want to discuss it. Some of them probably recognize that being here is a mistake, and are looking for just enough profit to safely make their escape from this dreadful place.
Most routine adventuring goods, armor and weapons can be acquired here, generally for less than its typical market value, presuming that the purchaser is willing to accept goods that are used, slightly damaged, and clearly taken from the recently dead.
Bardak - A half-orc scavenger. Not a local, he came when heard of the disaster in hopes of making a quick buck and retiring to a warmer place.
Bern - A catfolk ranger, actually came in hopes of helping survivors. The scale of the devastation has left him feeling more than a bit helpless. A kind word and some encouragement could (easy diplomacy) win him to the party's side, and he would be particularly useful as a guide of the area. Unlike most here, he's not afraid of a little adventure, and could be hired to accompany the party as long as the terms are favorable and clear.
Carver - An old man who has been struck mute by recent events. He silently goes through the day-to-day motions of life, but if engaged about recent events, tears begin to flow from his eyes and he will wrap his arms around his knees and rock back and forth, unresponsive to further entreaty.
Dregan - A young sharp-tongued scavenger, and survivor of the disaster. He's got keen eyes, and has been more fortunate than some, and has a tidy sum of scavenged gold coins and gems in a hidden purse. He puts on a brave front and will talk about what happened, but he doesn't really understand what happened, and the longer he discusses it, the more his hands shake.
Eagle - A half-elven scavenger that tries to find the right moral line to walk. While he is scavenging goods from the city, he's also doing what he can to put the dead he finds to rest. He's likely to intervene to keep the peace if people engage in behavior that wouldn't be acceptable in a real village or town, though he won't willingly throw away his life over any matter of principle.
Felicity - Felicity has some hopes of establishing herself a horse trader, but while she is far from beaten, she has not yet been successful in collecting any strays from the area. She has set up a simple paddock, and will be willing to buy horses at fair market value. If made friendly (medium diplomacy) she will offer to board horses for the party, or to look for needed animals and hold them for future sale.
Gill - A beggar who survived in a cellar from relatively deep inside the radius of the city's destruction, Gill only recently arrived at the encampment. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his near-starvation and ate some of the tainted meat of the creature. While the exact nature of his affliction is not obvious, it is clear to anyone that pays attention he is deeply ill. Beset by strange and violent urges, it wouldn't take much to drive him into a violence. Any ill-treatment, or even poorly chosen words, could drive him to immediately attack. If this occurs, treat him as a ghoul, with a possibility that anyone bitten will sicken and become a ghoul themselves.
Gless - A amoral force, she isn't stupid enough to provoke an armed party, but she is certainly willing to take any available opportunity to advance her own prospects at the expense of others. This is especially true of theft, if she thinks she won't be caught.
Scarver - Easily the most wealthy of the inhabitants, Scarver has the most optimistic view of the future. He's got the biggest inventory of the merchants, and buys and sells readily, but his mind is always on the long game, and he makes his deals accordingly.
Silkstep - An elven thief who survived the attack on the city through a combination of luck and lightning fast reflexes, she is waiting for the opportune moment to rob Scarver and slip away from this dreadful place. So far though, Scarver has not given her the opportunity.
Ulgart - An older half-orc who was living in the hills around the city as a hired shepard, Ulgart is waiting in hopes that some members of his family who lived in the city might have survived. So far, such hopes have been fruitless.
