Kabakosikido
At a Glance
The population seems barely large enough to man the impressive fortifications in this town even if all of its inhabitants were strong soldiers. A double ring of thick stone walls, tall towers, and an array of siege engines protect the town. On the south side of the town, shirtless men work at a steady pace, digging a huge trench 20 feet across and at least as deep. Instead of encircling the town like a moat, the builders intend to run the trench for miles in either direction. Currently, only wooden planks lead from one side to the other, and there is no sign of a foundation for a bridge.Temples
The Temple of the Patient Arrow, the Conventicle of the Great Tree, and the Way of the Berserk have traditionally been the most popular faiths, but people are turning to the Church of the Life's Fire for better crops and to the Face of the Free out of fear of what lies in the Obakasek Jungle. The temples for the Raiser and the Guardian are both much newer than the other three temples, and they show signs of hasty construction. The garrison has a small chapel dedicated to The Old Man, and the senior cleric, a mere Lieutenant, has been requesting that a senior member of the faith take over this important position.Mages & Sages
The local townsfolk have no wizards or learned scholars among them. Only one wizard, Golzumak "the Earthmage", has been attached to the soldiers. The men respect Golzumak and his ability to magically work stone into fine shapes. Since Golzumak has been stationed on the border of the jungle, he has become more versatile, learning spells that deal with earth and nature.Underworld
Punishment is extremely harsh in this little town. The paranoid Boganiro liberally maims, exiles, or executes criminals, seeing humanoid spies at work everywhere. Soldiers openly follow strangers to ensure that they do no harm. Anyone who goes into the Obakasek Jungle without first earning the solid trust of the town is assumed to be a spy and is tried and most likely hanged or at best banished upon his return.Government
Baron Boganiro rules Kabakosikido as
the center of his fief. The baron has long envied the
economically stronger towns east and west of him, and now
his envy grows as he watches the heavy garrison in
Kabakosikido break his town apart. Boganiro's son Melesip
is tenuously enrolled in the College of Magic in Bet Rogala,
but the Baron is tempted to recall him to help enforce his
rule, which grows weaker as the fortifications and soldiers
wreck the economy.
Defences
While the town has formidable physical
defenses, its manpower falls short of standard. Because of
the harsh demands of the local climate, the locals can spare
virtually nobody for a militia, so the duties of manning the
fortifications fall on the garrison.
The garrison numbers 100 Imperial heavy infantry and
200 heavy infantry from Oloseta, which produces a
backbreaking strain on the town's resources. The army
shortsightedly stations no engineers here to man the
numerous siege engines. Captain Takano petitions both
Olosera and Bet Kalamar for assistance weekly by way of
messenger, reminding his superiors constantly about the
humanoid invasion hundreds of years ago that advanced to
within sight of the capital. Takano hopes the trench he is
building between the town and the jungle will slow the
humanoids until help arrives. He does not delude himself
into thinking that they will stop the inevitable attack when
it comes.
Industry & Trade
Kabakosikido, like the other southerly
towns of the lands of Tarisato, lives on the small but hardy
cattle native ro the area, but they also sometimes go into the
Obakasek Jungle to hunt birds, large lizards, and monkeys
(a favorite local treat). Export of these items is low, but
caravans regularly take goods north to Oloseta or
sometimes to Pagalido, which thinks it has a port (two
shoddy docks and 8 feet of draft do not make a port in the
eyes of the Golden Alliance).
In return for nondescript butter, leather, and pickled
birds (eaten uncooked), and "kabak" cheese—actually a fairly
popular item—the townsfolk import sugar (when they can
get it), cotton, Kalamaran rice, and worked tools and
weapons.
Points of interest
The trench reaches east about four
miles and west six miles. Only a reedy fence keeps people
from falling into it in the dark, and the fence is down in
some places for people to repair damage to the trench from rain. The far side is about 3 feet lower than the near side
and the near side has wooden spikes facing out to hinder
enemies that might climb up it. Its depth ranges from 15
feet to 25 feet at random, and garbage sirs in the bottom.
The filth attracts giant rats, snakes, crows and even carrion
crawlers.
Type
Large town
Population
4200 Kalamaran humans. Fewer than 200 of the citizens have humanoid blood, and none are fully humanoid.
Location under