At a Glance
The buildings look much like small
mountains themselves, with sharply conical wooden roofs
and stone walls. A glance inside these curious buildings
shows that the bottom floor is devoted to living, cooking,
eating, and serving guests, while the narrow upper stories
are used solely for sleeping. Small basements store supplies
and food.
The roads twist and wind to take the easiest way up
and down the city's natural slopes, making travel tedious.
Horses are rare, but mules are common. People have small
red monkeys for pets, and the little imps get into anything.
Other animals are uncommon, except for native goats that
apparently wander freely through the city.
Bet Dodera grew up around the ancient Castle Tipili,
built for protection from the northern barbarians.
Overlooking the surrounding city from atop Tipili Hill, the
highest of the many heights in the city, rests Castle Tipili.
While home to the Dukes of Dodera, the castle remains a
strictly military building with frequent guard patrols, armed
with crossbows, spears, and swords. The guards scrutinize
castle visitors closely, even ones they know. The guards
interrogate strangers with legitimate business for hours, and
those without good cause are beaten, fined (often of everything
they own), and kicked out of the city.
City Map
17,900. Over 17,000 humans and a
handful of elves and half-elves live in the city. The
remainder number a handful of humanoids and one or two
gnomes who hide among friends. The humans are
Kalamaran; the natives do not trust outsiders.
In an attempt to concentrate his attention on the twin problems of the dwarves and bandits, Orilaras appointed a Reeve to rule his capital city. Kenos, the hopeful appointee, quickly assumed total authority. He was almost overwhelmed with the responsibility. Fortunately, he learned to handle it and now governs the city fairly well. Lately, he has moved the city's pillory and chopping block near the city gates to remind visitors how seriously they take
the law in Dodera.
The Grand Duke Orilaras has not been executed, a rare victory in Bet Dodera. Free of the daily functions of the capital, he has been free to accompany sallies east, disrupting several important dwarven caravans and smoking out
(literally!) two underground clans. His extensive spy network has also broken a commonly used dwarven military code. Orilaras has not decided how best to use this advantage, or how far he can abuse it before the dwarves discover the coup.
Bet Dodera uses a large veteran force both to
defend itself and conduct offensive operations. At any
given time, visitors might see experienced soldiers in the
city, returning to the city, and leaving for other garrisons or
duty. The barracks is a hive of activity—training, moving,
building, and the leisure activities of the off duty soldiers.
The military is well respected here: the soldiers generally
behave themselves, and the officers often marry local
girls and move here when they resign their commission.
Hence, the local militia is both well trained and ably led.
Girod, the Captain of the Northern Frontier, is a loud city
leader who insists that the city needs more arts to balance
the emphasis on the army. He encourages sculptors
especially to visit the austere city, ostensibly for "inspiration."
He has been known to inspire them with gold out of
his own purse.
The city creates little other than fine arms and armor. That which is not used locally is exported and sold CO other parts of Kalamar, especially Tokis. The city's chainmail, axes, swords, and spears are all widely respected.
The symbol of Aladis the Fletcher, a stylized Kalamaran "A" with a bolt for the upstroke, marks some of the best crossbow bolts in the Sovereign Lands. The half-elf destroys any bolt that is not masterwork to ensure his reputation. He has grown wealthy from his wares and now trains three apprentices.
The city imports hemp and cotton, although wool is very common. The local drink, a flat beer, leaves the city's drinkers thirsty for good wine. Any wines that arrive via the port sell quickly and at a nice profit.
It is hard for visitors to avoid seeing
the public execution and punishment area in the center of
town. This area sees activity daily, ranging from a quick
flogging to multiple beheadings and disembowelings.
Because of the crowds in the area, it is an ideal meeting
place for surreptitious meetings and note-passing. Spies,
undercover military and civil police, and thieves convene
here to do their work. Nearly anything could happen there, including hauntings, rising dead and ghostly visions.
