Balic

Andropinis lives in a majestic palace of white marble, rectangular in shape and adorned on all sides by magnificent columns. This palace is located atop a stony, fortified bluff in the center of the city. Andropinis' personal army consists of ten thousand highly disciplined foot soldiers who carry twelve-foot lances, large wooden shields, and thrusting daggers made from the sharpened thigh bones of Erdlus. The nobles of Balic are called Patricians. Like most other nobles, they hold their lands from generation to generation. Most of them make their living from the olive orchards and grain farms surrounding the city, but a few own large parcels of the scrub plains, upon which they carefully graze kanks and other creatures, twenty miles west of the city.

Balic's Merchant Emporiums sit nestled against the base of Andropinis' rocky fortress, in an area called the agora. The merchants do a bustling business in olive oil, kank nectar, and the decorated pottery produced by the city's famous potters. The Elven Market rings the agora on all sides, so that it is impossible to do any legitimate bartering without first being assaulted with dubious offers.
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Major Merchant Houses

House Tomblador

House Tomblador is a vast Balican merchant dynasty with holdings in every city-state exept Gulg and Nibenay.
The sworn enemy of House Wavir, Tomblador gladly deals in the slave trade that Wavir forsakes. Tomblador was the preeminent merchant house of Balic until Wavir arose and displaced it two centuries ago. Today, Tomblador controls many of Balic’s silt skimmers and the Estuary trade (most lucratively, Tomblador maintains relations with many giant tribes and serves as Athas’ major distributor of giant-hair ropes). Despite its rivalry with Wavir, the two houses (along with House Rees) share control of the fortified town of Altaruk under the watchful eye of Balic.
Holdings
Balic, Wallis, Altaruk.
Diplomacy & Tactics
See the Wandererʹs Chronice. Tomblador de facto owns Wallis through the purchase of Ardian, even if Ardian is allowed to operate independently.

House Wavir

Wavir is the largest of Balic’s merchant houses and maintains emporia in all of Tyr’s major cities. It is also one of the three sponsors of the fortified town of Altaruk. Wavir is unusual among the major (non-Tyrian) merchant houses in that it refuses to engage in slavery; it does not trade in slaves, nor does it use them in its operations. This stems from Wavir’s roots; it was founded by freed slaves (including ex-gladiators) hundreds of years ago.
Holdings
Holdings in all 7 cities. Ft. Glamis, Ft. Thetis, Outpost Ten, Outpost 19.
Diplomacy & Tactics
Magic and psionics used for espionage. Open battle with Tsalaxa, but cordial in public. Kind and generous to smaller houses. Contacts with Shadows, a mysterious elven tribe involved in smuggling, espionage, etc. Openly anti‐slavery (see Dune Trader).

House Rees

House Rees is one of Balic’s most economically successful merchant houses. At one point it controlled much of the grain trade across Athas, overseeing the shipment of Nibenese rice to Draj, Draji corn to Tyr, Tyrian faro to Urik, and more. House Wavir has largely supplanted it in that field, however, and House Rees now focuses on more specialized foods.
Holdings
Balic, Altaruk.
Treatment of Employees
Slave‐driver personality, according to Wanderer’s Chronicle.