Tenement Palazzos

The most expensive residences in Dragon's Jaws are the Tenement Palazzos that form one wall of the Alabaster Precinct fronting onto half a kilometre of the Serene Canal, one connects to the next and near the centre has broad stairs from the first floor down to the water, with a smaller pier leading into ground floor, which is the servants and storage area. Part grand home, part commercial headquarters and part social hub these structures are the ultimate marker of status in the port city.

From the landward end, the Palazzos are:

1. Grand Palazzo of the Righteous Despite the name this building is no larger than the others, what would otherwise be a blank stone wall is covered with a series of wooden balconies interconnected by ladders and walkways. Considered the best place to watch any entertainment on the Serene Canal. Owned by the Noble Peony family.
2. Seat of the Flame of the Upright and the Just Covered in bright red stucco worked into abstract patterns and High Realm text.
3. Elephant Graced House of Eternity Built of large ashlars joined together with an exotic sparkly mortar, with two enormous bas-relief elephants carved into it and facing each other. The interwining tusks are made of genuine ivory, beneath them is the only front stairs and entrance (unlike most of the palazos which have both a main entrance and a seperate delivery dock and stairs). The eye of each elephant is a barred window, the only ones in the front of the building. In addition to the normal functions of a palazzo this one is also a Manse.
4. Spire Reflecting the Grace of Heaven and Perseverance of Humankind The pale yellow stone and balconies and windows of this building might fade into obscurity in these surroundings except for the bulbous minaret style tower climbing from the centre of the palazzo to about twice the height of its neighbours, the highest point in the city. The lower half of the bulb contains a walkway while the top half is made of clear quartz that makes up part of the light shaft illuminating the large chapel of the Golden Lord beneath.
5. Cinnabar Palazzo with accents of Adamant The stone of this palazzo is a pale red colour shot through with swirls of silver and scarlet and a reflective though clear mineral that is surely not Adamant. The materials are striking enough that the plain design acts to emphasise the colours and patterns. A pair of cantilvered balconies project out over the canal, lit by coloured flames at night (copper green being the most common).
6. Palazzo of Truculent Delight Essentialy unremarkable by the standards of grand buildings, this home of the Flensed Pike family is famous for the enormous banquets they host every month, along with more exclusive gatherings that showcase the finest food in the city. Scions and assosciates of the family generousy hand out lottery tickets for a place at the banquets.
7. The Middle Palazzo Not exactly in the middle, but the front is a vertical garden of potted trees and flowering bushes with the wall covered by vines, ivy and other climbing plants, all meant to invoke the Middle Lands. Owned by the Fallen Magnolia Family family who covered the slightly eroded structure with the current riot of life when they purchased it a few generations ago. Three sides of an open rectangle form the building and contain a hedge maze that leads out into the precinct proper.
8. Belltower of Flowers A cupola at the top of this palazzo holds a peal of bronze bells originaly believed to be from the fallen capital of Dead Flowers. They are rung on an irregular basis, but are used to announce and lead musical performances of large bands on barges in front of the palazzo, including complicated bamboo and cloth mechanisms that magnify the sound that can be heard on the other side of the canal. The appearance of the front wall is a random seeming arrangement of false walls and projections that are carefully designed to improve the accoustics instead of impressing the eye.
9. Rejoicing in the Scent of Salt and the Freedom of the Waves The thick stone walls have many barred windows but few entrances, the front is covered by a mosiac showing ships at sea, including a Realm trireme. From here the Slender Ash family run the richest merchant bank in the city and their shipping empire.
10. Vaulted Eternity Built from heavy stone, using integral arches (most filled in) for extra strength, with grotesques liberally dotting the surfaces. The Quicklime family are rumoured to have the largest number of people under arms of any family in the city, and to store valuable heirlooms and cargoes for a substantial price.
11. Red Soil Palazzo A blocky building with an austere exterior made from red brick and tile, believed to be the oldest of the palazzos it was built by the Red Soil Family and has been owned by them ever since. The second storey has a large many pillared opening onto a grand ballroom, the balcony area can be divided from the interior by wooden partions that can be assembled into a pattern of blank wall, windows, doors and sight-blocking lattices. Contains a very defensible and private Royal Suite reserved for the use of the Shore Prince when he chooses to visit the city.