Kalaman
Situated in the province of Nightlund in Solamnia's eastern reaches, Kalaman is one of the nation's most vital gateways to the outside world. The city, known as the Beacon of the East, rises along a deepwater port near the mouth of the Vingaard River, Solamnia's greatest trade artery. Blessed with the bounty of the river, the benefits of trade, and the fertile soil of the Solamnic plains, the Kalaman region flourished even after the Cataclysm.
The city of Kalaman is considered to be the northeastern jewel of Solamnia, and features one of the most beautiful castles in all of Ansalon. Kalaman is a walled city with a central castle, and is surrounded by a series of farms. The city is located in the northeastern fringes of the realm of Solamnia, and is bordered on the north by the Vingaard River. One of the largest features of the city is its port, which allows vessels access to the sea and also into the inner lands of Solamnia. Because of the highly developed port, Kalaman is a frequent stop for many merchants and is a bustling centre for trade.
Within the city is a huge open air bazaar, which is run by the government, and houses merchants and wares of every possible kind. The city is also home to a large fish market, widely famed for the availability of firefish, a special fish that inhabits the nearby Bay of Thoradin, and is considered a delicacy throughout Solamnia. Kalaman is controlled by a series of trade guilds, who in turn nominate a governor to rule the city in their stead. The city is patrolled by a militia, formed of some locals, as well as hired mercenaries. The militia of Kalaman is famed for being some of the most orderly and skilled local militia's in all of Ansalon.
Kalaman began as a sleepy fishing village on the coast of the Turbidus Ocean. It might have remained so if not for the arrival of an Istarian trading mission centuries before the Cataclysm. Seeing the potential of a deep harbor so close to the mouth of a great river, the Empire of Istar invested heavily in the town, transforming it into a thriving trade hub. Solamnia soon found Istar's stranglehold on the booming port intolerable, and after a climactic battle on the plains west of the cirt, Istar ceded control of Kalaman.
City of Kalaman
Characters in Location
The City Seal
It is said that during the reign of King Tristan the Wise, a great dragon terrorized the city, causing destruction and fear wherever it went. Despite the bravery of the city's militia, the dragon proved to be too powerful and seemed impossible to defeat.
One day, an old woman appeared in the city, carrying with her a small red teapot. The woman told King Tristan that the teapot was a magical artifact, capable of defeating the dragon and saving the city. King Tristan was skeptical, but in his desperation, he agreed to give the teapot a try.
That night, when the dragon came to attack the city, King Tristan and his bravest knights went out to face it, armed only with the teapot. To everyone's surprise, as soon as the dragon saw the teapot, it let out a deafening roar and fled from the city. The old woman only explained that the dragon was afraid of the teapot because it was a symbol of bravery, wisdom, and peace.
Whatever the reason that the dragon fled was, from that day on, the red teapot became the symbol of the city of Kalaman and was adopted as the city's official seal. The teapot was displayed on all of the city's banners and was even incorporated into the design of the city's coat of arms. The people of Kalaman saw the teapot as a symbol of their city's resilience and bravery, and they embraced it with great pride. The red teapot remains to this day the symbol of the city of Kalaman and is a reminder of the city's past and its unbreakable spirit.
Unfortunatley, some 200 years after the passing of Tristan the wise the teapot went missing under mysterious circumstances. Many rumors purport its still out there to this day.
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