Kymal
Glitzy. Gilded. Grimy.
The city of Kymal stands as the grumbling ghost of a gold rush mining centre now become a haven for gamblers and criminals; a city of gold built atop a mountain of mud. Over two centuries before, the discovery of rich gold veins within the Ironseat Ridge sent a rush of eager folk to its base. Kymal began life as their base camp, and over the next century grew into a lively, booming city. Gold and minerals came out of Kymal, and creature comforts came in. Troupes of players and musicians, merchants peddling food, liquor, and illicit goods arrived in force. Sex workers quickly followed, and those who would abuse them and enslave them were close behind.
Unfortunately, the veins began to produce less and less, and in desperation, the mountain was ravaged by hungry interests unwilling to accept the signs. Within ten years, the mining industry in Kymal had died, poverty and hunger becoming commonplace. Since then, the populace has shifted to survival through farming, fishing within the Foramere Basin, and trying to build interest as a trade centre like Westruun, but without much luck. The community had remained stagnant for decades when an entrepreneur from Ank’Harel named Calis Krishtan opened a small casino called “The Maiden’s Wish.” This gave the economy a vibrant boost, interest in the city grew, and people returned to Kymal as it rebranded as a haven for luck and quick currency. Now expanded over the past two generations, Kymal has now recovered somewhat due to this growing presence of sanctioned games of luck, even going so far as to name Calis’ son, Jaktur Krishtan, heir to the Maiden’s Wish, as the Margrave of Kymal. While larger-scale gambling is not illegal within Tal'Dorei, it is generally considered uncouth on a social level, and the council within Emon is happy to keep the bulk of that element away from the capital city. This type of industry does draw the attention of opportunists, however, and many competitive gambling joints, loan sharks, and criminal interests have sprung up in recent years.
Government
Jaktur Krishtan is a businessman and celebrity-turned-politician, unusual within Tal’Dorei. His extravagant lifestyle is not unusual among Tal’Dorei’s leaders, but his flamboyant, showy behavior certainly is, and the people of Kymal love him for it. Instead of leading personally, Jaktur delegates most of his duties to his advisors, leaving him free to do what he likes best: being a fabulously wealthy public icon, making nightly appearances at the Maiden’s Wish, throwing magnificent galas, and organizing street fairs. Jaktur’s majordomo, an austere tiefling woman named Prudence, wearily manages the day-to-day minutiae of running Kymal.
Kymal is no longer the den of crime it once was, but there is still scum beneath its glitzy surface. Small-time cutpurses lurk in the shadows, waiting to make off with the small fortunes won by the casinos’ luckiest patrons. Though not as significant as their Emon headquarters, the Clasp has a substantial presence in Kymal, and often utilizes petty criminals as freelance operatives when they need a job done quickly. Most covertly, the hostility between the Clasp and their rivals, the Myriad, manifests as a quiet proxy war, using these common thieves as fodder. The Clasp and Myriad both own casinos in town, the Wishing Well and the Dragon’s Hoard, respectively.
Geography
Kymal is built on the rocky foothills of the Ironseat Ridge. Exploring beyond the glamorous city leads one to nothing but a desolate expanse of boulders and scrubbrush. Truly intrepid explorers may find the sealed entrances to the dried-up Kymal Gold Mines, but those who venture inside will likely find more than just empty caves.