Sobeteta

At a Glance

Sobeteta sits on Rokalel, a rock-rimmed island in the delta of the Ridara River. Apart from the city's sprawling mess, the island boasts little more than sheep, pigs. and farms. Inside and around the city's walls, however, dwells a busy metropolis. In the summer, the constant breeze from the south and southwest is a welcome companion. Its rare absence allows the putrid reek from the Alubelok Swamp to overpower the smells of the city.

City Map

Temples

The rocky island is the seat of the Valiant (high priest) of the Knight of the Gods. The Halls of the Valiant occupy a prominent position in the city, since over 4,000 of the faithful fill its lofty halls on holy days. The Valiant, a swarthy Svimohz named Vanamir has personally saved the city or its citizens from attack by sea monsters three times—once from a band of marine trolls, once from a giant squid, and once from a slew of elementals who streamed from a gate that opened a quarter mile off the island.

The Hall of Oaths is also popular, and its Grand Esquire, Minon, serves the city as Sobeteta's highest magistrate. He has a flawless memory for faces and crimes and criminals fear being brought before him a second time. His policy is "Once, show mercy. Twice, show justice."

Lesser temples exist dedicated to all of the good gods of the Sovereign Lands, the Parish of the Prolific Coin, the Temple of the Three Strengths, the Inevitable Order of Time, the House of Scorn, and the House of Vice. The Temple of Strife boasted a fairly large following until very recently. Ironically, internal dissention among its clerics tore the faith apart and its former followers are now scattered among a dozen other faiths.

Mages & Sages

Resemer the Unholy is a converted spellslinger with a bad reputation, as his moniker indicates. Resemer was one of the main persecutors of the dwarves in Dodera and the blood of many clans is on his hands. When an unknowing dwarf saved him from a rockslide in the Kakidela Mountains, nursing the near-dead sorcerer back to health in his own home, Resemer changed his outlook and his life. He took a vow of poverty and now lives in the port city hunting down clerics of the House of Scorn, whom he blames for his previous prejudices.

Dorata Ku'Ato is a young graduate of the College of Magic and one of the wealthiest merchants in the city. Ku'Ato's willingness to throw around charm and suggestion spells has multiplied the fruit of his business acumen and hard work. He is so subtle and so naturally charismatic that even his most intense business rivals are only beginning to suspect anything unnatural.

Underworld

Expert and creative burglars make up the most influential members of the thieves' guild, but smugglers, fences (selling loot for their pirate partners), and a hearty collection of thugs make up one of the most numerous and active thieves' guilds on Tellene.

Guildmaster Teren Masal, known as Teren the Drowned, refuses to set foot on a ship of any kind. Ten years ago, Teren was part of a pirate crew attacking an Ozhvinmishii trading ship full of gold. A boom knocked him overboard and his pirate "friends" never thought twice about him. His body washed ashore near Rosa!eta, and a selfless cleric of the Raiser saved him, thinking he must have been one of the Basiran marines who had sunk in a storm the day before.

Demographics

56,300 humans, nearly all Kalamarans. A thousand or two Svimohz and their second-generation progeny are the result of an emigration from unhappy Z.azahni. At any given rime, the city has a fairly large transient population thanks to heavy traffic from the Ridara and sea travel.

Government

The city is governed by the Emperor's most trusted duke, and the position is not hereditary. The city's importance does not allow the vagaries of chance and birth for Kabori to entrust this vital city to just anyone. Duke Sorabek II proved his loyalty during the annexation of the dwarven kingdom of Karasta in the Battle of Kadir Ridge, where he ordered the massacre of a gnome village that hid dwarven dissidents. Sorabek has a reputation for being the Emperor's "hatchet man", a man who fixes problems. Sorbak's solutions require ruthlessness and merciless dedication to results.

Defences

The city's barracks house 2,000 to 3,000 infantry and marines. These troops are primarily concerned with external threats from the Alubelok Swamp and pirates in search of wealthy Svimohzish merchantmen.

Industry & Trade

Sobetata lives largely on the rice produced locally, but it also trades with Svimohzia and the cities along the Reanaarian Bay. The city is often the end point of trade from the Ridara River. The frail river vessels are capable of weathering neither the stormy Kalamaran Sea nor the pirate-thick waters of the Elos Bay. Instead, shipping going upriver or to the rest of the world trades hands in Sobeteta, leaving a tidy profit in this Kalamaran metropolis.

Points of interest

The city's docks include a long section of low-lying docks for personal craft. These boats are not used for work or war; they are sleek racing vessels. Most of the people in the city have been on a boat, and many of them spend much time on the water. A few of the rich have time and gold to spend on boats that have no other purpose than to enter a seasonal race from Bosinela Island to the east back to the docks at Rokalel Island, where garlands of lilies and orchids are draped over the winner.

Type

Large city

Population

56,300 humans, nearly all Kalamarans. A thousand or two Svimohz.

Location under

Kalamar