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TheStenchCarts
ByEdGreenwood

HowandwhereandwhendidtheForgottenRealmsstart?What'sattheheartofEdGreenwood'screation,and
howdoestheGrandMasteroftheRealmsusehisownworldwhenherunsD&Dadventuresfortheplayersin
hiscampaign?"ForgingtheForgottenRealms"isaweeklyfeaturewhereinEdanswersallthosequestionsand
more.

stheoldballadputsit:"Andeverydaythesuncomesup,andthestenchcartsrollaway."

"Stenchcarts"wasaneverydaytermtwocenturiesagothesedays,theRealmsmoreoftenknowsthembythe
slightlymorepoliteterm"nightsoilwagons."

EverycityintheHeartlands,eventhosethathavesewers,isservedbythesenoisomeconveyances.They
rumble(theirdoublewidthwoodenwheelsoftenquietedwithragwrappings,whenoperatingindistrictswhere
importantandpowerfulfolkdwell)throughstreetsandalleysbynight,emptyingchamberpotsand
"dungbuckets"(bucketsthatholdthecombinedcontentsofahousehold'schamberpots)for1cpeach.These
wagonsserviceatticandotherrentalpropertiesinbuildingsnotconnectedtosewers,temporary"backofyard"
privies,andanyhome,shop,orwarehousethatwantsrefusecartedaway(frombrokenfurnituretooldclothes
andspoiledfoodtokitchenscraps).

Fascinatingtosome,butothersmaywellask:Whyexploretheworkingsofafantasysettinginsuch,ah,vivid
(nottosaypungent)detail?Well,thelorethatfollowsdoeshavesomeuseinadventuresandtoadventurers.
Readon...

Mostnightcartsarecreaking,ricketyoldopenwagonspulledbymulesoroxenforsuchwork,stoliddisposition
andstrengtharevaluedoverspeed.Atwobeastteamistypical,andmostsuch"nightcartplodders"wear
feedbagsandblinders.

Necessarythisworkmaybe,butthatdoesn'tstopmostfolkfromlookingdownondungandbonewagoneers
(whoaremoreoftencalled"dungcarters"indailyspeech)thankstothenatureoftheprofessionandthesmells
thatclingtothosewhotoilinit.

Mostcitizens,iftheythinkaboutwhatdungcartersdoatall,believetheytakethecontentsofchamberpots
"awaysomewhere,"andthat'stheextentoftheirwork.

Therealityisfardifferent.Dungcartersdotakeawaythedung(usuallytodunghillsthatarecarefullymixed
withrottingvegetablesandfireashes,overtime,tomakefarmfertilizer),buttheydofarmorethanthat.

Theysellkitchenscrapstotheownersofpigsandgoats,rags(drywhiteragsfetchingthehighestprice,usually
3cpperpound,andthose"ofgoodcolor"goingfor2cp/pound)topapermakers,andbones(usuallysellingfor
2cp/pound,buthumanbonesfetchingtwicethat)toalchemistandnecromancersandcarvers.Boneispopular
formakingthehandlesofknivesandsmalltools,andalsoinsomejewelryandthemakingofsmalltoys.Large
hollowbonesfetchhighpricesasscrolltubes,andhornsasdrinkingjacksandbeltstoragecontainers.

Dungcarterscollectandsell(ormakeanduse,themselves)greasefrombonesforwagonaxlelubricantand
soapmaking.Smithseverywherebuyscrapmetalfromdungcarters,whopryupstreetcobblestogleanfallen
horseshoenailsinadditiontothemoreusualcollectingofbrokenbitsofmetalfromhouseholdsfor1cp/bucket
(thatpriceincludesanythingthatsticksoutofabucketbutcanbecarriedalonginit).Temperedsteelcanfetch
asmuchas1cpfora"goodlypiece,"andrustfreeironalmostasmuch,butnailsandother"smalloddments,"
aswellasbrass,copperandpewter,sellforabout4cp/pound.
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Dungcartersarealsoinfamousfortheirsidelinebusinesses:takingawaythecorpsesofdeceasedpets(and
sometimesevenstillbornchildren)carryingmessages(inlore,veryoftenlovers'notesundertheverynosesof
disapprovingparentsorsuperiorsamongtheservants)andsmugglingcontrabandorfugitivesadventurers
wantedbytheauthorities,forinstanceoutofcities,concealedunderthenoisomecontentsofthewagons.

Rareisthecitywatchman(andevenrarer,theprivatecitizen)whowantstoprytoocloselyintotheheapsoffly
swarmingfilthcarriedbymostnightsoilcarts.Moreover,manyfolkdon'tlooktoocloselyatadirtydungcarter
cladinoldanduncleanclothing,soevennoblesandrulerswithpricesontheirheadshavesuccessfully
rumbledoutofcitiesthatarebeingenergeticallysearchedforthem,as"justadungcarter"(usuallyafterpaying
therealdungcarterenoughforclothes,wagons,andthebeaststhatpullthewagonsforthatcartertoretirein
luxuryforadecadeormore).

Dungcartersdon'tearnmuchbytheirlegitimatedailywork,butevenwithoutsuchdramaticwindfalls,their
sidelinescanoftenearnthemhighcoinindeed.Mostsoongrowusedtothereek,developstrongstomachs,
andwon'thesitatetoundertakealmostanysortof"muckwork"(suchascollectingpiecesofdeadbodiesfrom
battlefieldsorthescenesofgruesomemurders).Theyalsocartoffspoiledfoodsinbulkfromwarehouses,
slaughterhouses,creameries,andsoon(skinsofspoiledmilkareparticularlypungent),andareusuallyexperts
orhavekinwhoareskilledatturningwhatcanbesalvagedintosomethinguseful(spoiledmilkcanusually
bemadeintovarioussoftcheeses,spoiledfruitpressedtoyieldjuicesthatcanbecombinedwithodorcutting
substancestoyieldmeatmarinades,andsoon).Oftendungcarterstradesmallamountsofsuch"foundgoods"
witheverydaycitizensforleftoverpreparedfood,toaugmenttheirtables,andsoekeoutfairlygoodlives
despiteseldomhavingmanycoinstoclinktogether.

Finally,dungcartersinanycityknowlocalhidingplacesandwheretogetsmall,everydayitemsand
substancescheaplyaswellaswhichestablishmentscustomarilythrowout"goodthings"andscrapsenough
todineon.Atypicaldungcartercanquicklyhelpsomeoneshelterovernight,oracquiresomethingforafeastor
importantmeetingwhenmostshopsareclosedforthenight.

InWaterdeep,Suzail,andtheportcitiesofSembia,dungcartersfunctionasshuttlewagonsformanyinnsand
roominghouses,largeandsmall,orevenas"takethedrunkardshome"conveyancesfortavernstryingtoclose
intheweehours,orwhentheWatchwantssenselessandthereforevulnerablecitizenstakentosafetywithout
Watchpatrolsbeingburdenedwithcarryingandprotectingthem.

Nobleswhoknowtheymayhavefutureneedforthequietremovalofbodies(livingordead),oramessengeror
agentfewwouldsuspectofbeingassociatedwiththem,oftenseekoutspecificdungcartersandestablish
friendships(givingthecartersmonetaryorusefulbirthdayoranniversarygifts,providingthemwithalibis,andso
on)soastohavethemreadytomeetsuchfutureneeds.

Beholdatypicaldungcarter:HelmethSundarlofSuzail,ownerofSundarlNightsoils.Thisfamilyfirmoperates
threewagons(thoughoneisanaging,ramshacklewreckkeptinreserve,andpressedintoservicewhenoneof
theusualcartsoneislarge,onemuchsmallerbreaksdown)andhasastableoftwomulesandsixoxen
twobeastspullacart.TheSundarlsconsistofHelmeth'swifeJarra(whoseldomrunsawagonthesedays,as
shehasaninfantdaughter,Telmra,tolookafter)andthreechildren:thesonsFarlandDeldren,andadaughter,
Sesteira.Onatypicalnight,HelmethandSesteirarunonewagon,andFarlandDeldrentheothertheyswitch
wagons(androtatethebeasts)fromonenighttothenextsoeveryoneis"infulltrim"withbothcartsandallthe
beasts.

SundarlNightsoilshasanofficejustinsidethewestwallofSuzail,runbyJarra,whichisalsotheircarriage
shedandstablesthefamilylivesaboveitall,sharingtheloftwithfodderforthebeasts.

Sundarldungloadsareusuallycollectedfromthewestendofthecity,andgoouttheFieldGatesbynight(in
peacetime,thegateswillopenthroughoutthenightfornightsoilwagons),makingthelastrunbeforedawn.
Helmethownsafield(heapedwithdunghillsbecomingfertilizerinaslowandverysmellymanner)and
adjacentlimepit(perfectforthedisposalofbodies,thoughheseldomremindsanyoneofthis)almosttwomiles
duewestofSuzail,wellbackfromtheseafrontandsurroundedbythepropertiesofotherdungcarters.Thedry
bowlvalleywhereallofthesearelocatediscollectivelyknownastheWormpits,butisfarsmaller,safer,and
asidefromratslessmonsterhauntedthanthenotoriousRatHillsoutsideWaterdeep.

SundarlsellskitchenscrapstotheswineherdArnLuthofLuth'sHill(amuddystyatopatinyhillhalfwayalong
thecarttracklinkingSuzailandtheWormpits)andragstoYarlysTanrethofTanreth'sFinePaperworkson
PendleStreet.

MostofSundarl'sbonesgotoGalaskar"theDark,"asinistersoothsayerand"purveyortonecromancers"(a
shopkeeperwhosesidelineisfrighteningthrillseekerswithfake"cultrituals,"whooccasionallymeetscovertly
withbuyersfromMarsemberwhodopurchaseonbehalfofsomenecromancers),ofGalaskar'sDoorofHorns
(ashopcrammedwithdarkcostumes,cosmetics,scarypaintings,humanskullornamentedfurniture,scented

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candles,andalchemicalremedies)ontheStreetofStaves.Sundarlalsosellslargehollowbones,whenhecan
getthem,toNalasso'sScrollworksonTorchStreet,whereyoungImberNalassoandhiswifeVarauntafashion
themintofinescrolltubeswithchasedsilvermountsandcaps.

GleanedglassshardsaresoldbySundarltoElsarl'sBottleworksonStallionStreet,wheretheyaremelted
downandblownintonewbottles,andhesellsallhisscrapmetaltothesmithHuirimGosktalofGosktal's
FoundryonSeawindLane.

Finally,JarraSundarlboilsallbonesgleanedbyfamilywagons,collectingthegreasetomakeherownaxle
lubricantandsoap,forfamilyuse.

IfHelmethSundarlranhiswagonsinWaterdeep,wherethere'sfarmorecompetitionandmanybuyersfor
gleanings,he'dlikelyputfarmoreenergyintopittingonesmithoralchemistagainstanother,orseekingoutthe
bestprices.InSuzail,ashegrowsolderandhisbackhurtsmoreandmore,he'dratherjustrunhiswagons
andmaketheoccasionallargesidelinewindfall.

Sundarl'swindfallsusuallycomefromsmugglingsomeoneoutofthecitywho'sunderroyaldispleasureor
fleeinglocallawkeepers,orsmugglingtheoccasionalsmallcofferofvials(probablycontainingstrongdrugsor
evenpoisons,butSundarldoesn'tcaretoknoworask)intothecity,fromcontactswhowaitintheWormpitsand
wantthevialsdeliveredtoGalaskarorthe(asfarasSundarlisconcerned)nameless"tall,gauntSembian"who
livesonanupperfloortwodoorsnorthofGalaskar.

TheWarWizardsknowaboutsomeofSundarl'ssilentsidelineactivitiesbutsodotheHarpers.Forreasonsof
theirown,thelatterhavereachedan"understanding"withtheWarWizardstoleaveSundarlalone.Fornow.

Afterall,thenightsoilhastogosomewhere,andthereareworsedungcartersthanHelmethSundarl.

AbouttheAuthor

EdGreenwoodisthemanwhounleashedtheForgottenRealmssettingonanunsuspectingworld.Heworksin
libraries,andhewritesfantasy,sciencefiction,horror,mystery,andromancestories(sometimesallinthesame
novel),butheishappiestwhenchurningoutRealmslore,Realmslore,andmoreRealmslore.Hestillhasafew
roomsinhishouseinwhichhehasspacelefttopileuppapers.

19952015WizardsoftheCoastLLC,asubsidiaryofHasbro,Inc.AllRightsReserved.

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