Zoa
At a Glance
The city is known for its large, airy wooden buildings. Even most Dwarves bow to local custom; they too live in spacious homes with many rooms and wide open windows. The temperate weather allows for shutterless windows in most seasons, with a thin sealskin curtain (seals live on the islands south of the Zoan peninsula) pulled across the window during the rare summer rains.
Temples
Visitors expect the Parish of the Prolific Coin to be the largest temple in this cosmopolitan city, but the old temple sits sedately except on worship days. Then it houses a great many worshippers, but the faith is nor as popular as it could be. Administrator Neila Tarealeon holds views on money that other Profiteers find dangerously close to heresy. Neila believes that the earning of money is not as important as the spending. "What is profit that sits in a bank? Better for profit to be spent on strong ale, beautiful women, and works of art."
The Home Foundation, the Assembly of Light, the Parish of Love, the Temple of the Stars, the Theater of the Arts, and the Order of the Passionate One are the most common faiths in the city, Because of the large number of visitors from around the world, temples or shrines of all faiths exist somewhere in the city.
Mages & Sages
More than a few famous wizards have lived in Zoa. One of the best-known is Sutiola "Sooty" Suoriina, a continually dirty man who used to mine for gold up and down the Ka'Asa mountain chain. He struck a vein so pure you could pick the gold out with your fingers and sold the rights For a fortune. Sutiola is now an educated scholar concerning the elements, especially gold, but he still cannot keep clean.
One of the newest gnomes in town (from Nissen across the bay) is a tutor named Resram. He makes sure all the little Gnome boys and girls can read, write, count, and occasionally cast 0-level spells. With those youngsters who show any talent at all, Resram usually speaks to their parents and takes the children on as apprentices. While not a powerful spellcaster, Resram is a patient, dedicated teacher, and any one of his students could become a superlative Wizard.
Zoa is also home to Ziliana Abeilua, a pensive blonde woman who spends much of her time painting scenes of the port from the patio behind her home. Ziliana is a prodigious writer as well. Her most famous work is Making the Perfect Man, a two-volume treatise on golems and other magical constructs. Naturally, visitors view the many stone sculptures on her grounds with suspicion. None would ever guess that the home itself is sentient and obeys her commands!
Underworld
Stolen goods from around the world are likely to end up in Zoa, where they might have changed hands a dozen times. Smuggling is an activity often tried but rarely successful in Zoa. The punishment for selling smuggled goods is confiscation of the property and fines of up to three times its value on the supposition that the seller has bought smuggled items before. The steep punishment has put merchants our of business more than once.
Because foreigners are commonplace in the city, Zoa is an ideal place to hide from unwanted attention. Refugees from across Kalamar and Svimohzia flock to the city to hide among its ever-changing masses. They might be hiding from assassins or fleeing religious persecution, or they might be exiles from their native lands.
Demographics
The free population of Zoa includes 37,400 humans of Reanaarian descent, 3,000 Dwarves (about 2,000 of which are refugees from Irontop), 2,800 gnomes, 1,600 high elves, 500 wood elves from the Fautee Forest, 2,000 half-elves, and about 2,100 halflings. An uncounted number of slaves augment this population, but since they don’t pay taxes, serve in the militia or have any income to spend, they don’t count for any practical purposes.
Because the city draws traders, sailors and pilgrims from across Tellene, Zoa houses a large and widely variable number of foreign residents at any given time. This number ranges from a low of about 2,000 during winter to a peak of as many as 10,000between Renewal and Replanting.
Since 500 YND, the Master of Labor has conducted a census every 20 years. The free population of Zoa includes 37,400 humans of Reanaarian descent, 3,000 dwarves (about 2,000 of which are refugees from Irontop), 2,800 gnomes, 1,600 high elves, 500 wood elves from the Fautee Forest, 2,000 half-elves, and about 2,100 halflings. An uncounted number of slaves augment this population, but since they don’t pay taxes, serve in the militia or have any income to spend, they don’t count for any practical purposes.
The city-state of Zoa claims as its governed lands all the lands and oceans for 100 miles from its walls. The human settlements within this range self-govern, although they generally acquiesce to most demands Zoa makes, if she makes them loudly enough and often enough. The nonhuman settlements usually ignore Zoan decrees unless a marine regiment delivers them. Scholars estimate the number of humans, elves, gnomes and halflings in this region to exceed 50,000.
Because the city draws traders, sailors and pilgrims from across Tellene, Zoa houses a large and widely variable number of foreign residents at any given time. This number ranges from a low of about 2,000 during winter to a peak of as many as 10,000 between Renewal and Replanting.
The majority of these transient merchants stay in inns or boarding homes in the Artisan or Market Districts, although it’s common practice to house a ship’s crew in the cheaper Dregs. Some of them also work for foreign merchant houses that maintain a small barracks for ship crews in Zoa. A very small number stay on their ship. These few are usually exiles from the city or notorious criminals from elsewhere. Some stay on board for punishment for their actions en route.
Government
A council of twelve elders elected by the city's landowners to a life-long term of office rule Zoa. They are elected singly, chosen from any educated citizen who wishes to run For the office. Currently, there are three half-elves, an elf, a dwarf, a gnome and six Reanaarians (three are women) serving on the council. It should be noted that demi-humans are rarely elected to sit on the council, however, their long life spans make it seem like they are elected often.
Of the dozen, the elf known as Werlen holds by far the most power. He has been on the council for 200 years and has guided the city-state from a peaceful bayside village of timbers to one of the richest places on the planet. Until the council can convene to come to any permanent decision, his word stands as the initial law on any subject, from military activity to foreign policy. Fortunately, his main concern is making sure the city is able to fend off attacks by humanoids (now rare along the bay), pirates, or monsters. Currently, the city has a treaty of mutual military aid with the surrounding towns and demi-human clans.
The Council of Elders
The Councilors are made up of elders elected by the city’s landowners. In order to qualify for the post, the nominee must be at least Middle-aged according to his race’s standard in the Player’s Handbook (coincidentally the Council of Zoa established this exact figure in its laws). This council of supposed equals forms a tight oligarchy. Because wealth tends to remain in the same families, the titles are usually hereditary. The most recent election occurred about 4 years ago, resulting in Riisia Xataal taking office. Technically, elections are held at large, which means that any Councilor being elected could fill any post. However, since a post only becomes available when a Councilor dies or retires, the incoming Elder generally assumes that post. However, in the case of multiple simultaneous deaths or openings, the remaining council members would vote on which new Elder assumes which position. At times, a current Elder wishes to take over the open position, either retiring from his current post or (very rarely) assuming more than one.Defences
The wall around the city is 6 foot thick hewn stone (hardness 8, hit points 1080 per 10’x10’ section, Climb DC 22). A catwalk and parapet runs the entire length of the wall, with access by stairs at each guard post. The wall itself is 12 feet high, with the parapet adding another 3 feet. The parapet provides cover for guards along the wall, while each guard post provides up to two guards with improved cover (+8 AC).
The city’s wall has more guard posts than need be maintained in times of peace. During the day, guards usually occupy no more than one tower in six, while at night the ratio becomes one in three. In times of dire emergency, the city can call upon enough militia to station guards at every post.
The city has three gates allowing the entrance and exit of foot and wheeled traffic. At night, these gates are closed, and a squad of militia members guards each entrance. The guards do not allow the entry of foreigners, though they usually let familiar faces enter, especially if they see evidence of danger pursuing people banging at the gate. Each gate contains two iron portcullises (hardness 10, 60 hp, break DC 28), one at the outside and one on the inside. Lifting the portcullis from outside requires a DC 25 Strength check.
The Wayfarer’s Gate to the north is the busiest and collects the most tolls. It sees the majority of the trade goods coming in from the rest of the peninsula and the military patrols as they enter and leave the city.
The Wagon’s Gate lies on the western face of the wall. It sees the least use, being used primarily by the work gangs heading to and from the city-owned orchards and fields west of the city.
The Poor Gate heads south to the tip of the peninsula. That area is mostly agricultural, so oxen- and pony-drawn wagons plod through the gate in a slow pageant during the harvest seasons.
Industry & Trade
Districts
The city of Zoa is separated into several districts, including: the Artisan District, the Citadel District, the Coins District, the Dregs, the Market District, and Small Town.
THE ARTISAN DISTRICT
From the marketplace down to the wall separating the city from the Dregs is Artisan’s Way, a long street full of shops. All that Zoa produces in the way of fine crafts are on this road and the streets near it. Jewelers, furriers, sculptors, and craftsmen of good reputation are common here, while the nearby Market District is home to more common carpenters, drovers, and so on.
The city’s best craftsmen and artisans live and work here, and a large amount of the city’s gold flows into this region. The roads are clean and well-maintained, but traffic is thick on the main roads. Most of the city’s better restaurants, inns, taverns and shops are in the Artisan District.
THE CITADEL DISTRICT
This district encompasses all of the wealthiest and most powerful of Zoa’s citizens. In this northernmost district, the wealthy are elevated to the status of nobility. They have land, servants, large estates—everything but noble titles. These are the highest-ranking clergy, guild officers and leaders, military commanders, and the families of the elders.
Homes here have at least two stories as a rule, although some smaller homes are limited to a single level. Homes feature several bedrooms, including at least one guest room, and many feature a private chapel so that the wealthy don’t have to brave the press of the crowd at the Circle every week. While most other people in Zoa walk wherever they go, carriages are common here, especially on the prestigious eastern side.
Standard carriages in Zoa rely on two heavy horses for propulsion and come with a leather suspension. A seat allows one driver and one passenger up front with room for up to four passengers inside. About half of the carriages in Zoa are covered. The values of a carriage are privacy and prestige rather than comfort. However, a leaf spring suspension that allows for a relatively smooth ride has begun to appear at twice the price or more; they begin at 200 gp and sell for up to 1,000 gp. These luxury items are obviously designed for the wealthy and feature extra ornamentation like plush cushioned seats and window curtains. These models are always covered. Werlen owns a carriage made of darkwood with bronze trim that is estimated to be worth several thousand gold pieces.
Many of the landowners here also own tenements in other districts (even the Dregs), which they never visit. Servants collect the rents on these properties and on-site staff handle the minimal repairs. Others own vast estates north and west of the city, which hold their crops, hunting lodges, and vacation homes.
Whenever text refers to any “nobility” in Zoa, it typically means the residents of the Citadel District, the wealthy powerbrokers who collectively control nearly all of the city’s functions. Similarly, the skill Knowledge (nobility & royalty) gives a character information about this part of town, its most notable characters, its customs and its specific locations.
THE COINS DISTRICT
This part of town consists of large houses and small estates of the richest merchants, sea captains, and landowners of Zoa. Most of these people resent the growing number of dwarves, gnomes, and “outsiders” that have taken up reisdence in the Forges, to the west.
Much of the neighborhood rests on a hill 50 feet high, just behind the Circle of the Gods. This gives the rich merchants of Zoa a good view of the bay, and many ship owners have a tower affixed to their home from which they can watch for their ships to return.
While many of the craftsmen in the Market District are journeymen, the inhabitants of the Coins tend to be the masters and their apprentices. Homes here often feature a residence separate from the shop, with apprentices and slaves living in the shop. Homes tend to have individual yards, and many of them even feature fences to give the owners privacy. These luxuries are well beyond the means of most journeymen.
Although the city doesn’t have a separate elven division, many of the city’s elves and half-elves live here. With their long lifespan, they are able to excel in their craft and gain the title of master soon enough. While blocks tend to be racially homogenous, neighborhoods are not, and the races are mixed well. Like the rest of the city, horses aren’t common, but ponies, mules and donkeys are. About half the owners have a wagon or cart that they use more for carrying goods than for personal transport. Other animals are rather few and include more exotic pets and fewer working animals. Residents of the Coins walk or ride to the Circle of the Gods for their worship.
Many guild houses are in the Coins also. The best shops, nearly all of the theatres and music halls, all of the city’s scholars and a number of its clergy live here.
THE DREGS
The Dregs is home to the city’s poorest citizens, most of its criminals, and a goodly number of secrets, renegades, and hidden monsters.
The buildings are older, often patched up with the fallen boards of abandoned buildings. Many of the homes are tenement buildings five or six stories tall, with each floor holding up to a dozen families. The owners of these buildings live in the Coins or the Citadel District, never even visiting their tenements in person.
The Dregs’ primary divisions are the territories of various crime lords, each taking up one or more blocks. The various gangs defend their own territory and attempt to expand, resulting in conflicts between the groups. While most of this conflict stays between the gangs, sometimes an innocent victim gets caught up in it.
Most of the monsters in this part of the city are relatively harmless. Some abandoned buildings hold spider swarms or worse, while dire rats live near the Diroolio River. Rarely, illegal living cargo sneaks ashore from one of the ships docked at the Low Market in search of food or a hiding place. While many of these animals are exotic but mundane predators like leopards or pythons, more monstrous creatures have been known to escape and terrorize the area.
At night the gates between the Artisan’s District and the Dregs are locked until morning. Anyone found trying to climb over the walls going either way is flogged and fined 10 gp.
Because the attention of the guards is lax here and because the river is nearest to the best fences, smugglers often try to slip into the city here, under the cover of night.
THE MARKET DISTRICT
From the eastern marketplace to the western wall, and north to the river, is the Market District. Like the Artisan District, it contains many storefronts, but also includes a great many warehouses, as well as the Rider Garrison and many other military buildings.
Craftsmen of common goods and services are more likely to be found here than in the southern Artisan’s District, but this is not a strict rule. Scribes, lawyers, and governmental offices and buildings related to trade and commerce are most common along the south part of High Street.
Since most of the craftsmen of the area (including dwarves) live out of the same building they work from, it is also a heavily inhabited area.
Within the Market District is an area called ‘Small Town,’ where dwarves, gnomes and halflings have formed communities of their own. Small Town is detailed separately, later in this chapter.
SMALL TOWN
Small Town is not a random mix of short nonhumans. Instead, it is three subdivisions of homogenous races. Each has a distinct image and behavior. Customs can change dramatically within a short distance. The city doesn’t recognize Small Town as a distinct section. Technically, it considers each area part of the Market District.
Assets
Zoan Citizens and slaves
Slavery is the lowest level of rights in Zoan society. They have no rights to own property, coinage, shares of a business or anything other than a set of clothing and minor personal effects. They cannot initiate lawsuits, and few laws protect them from harm or death. The children of slaves are freemen.
Freemen technically include all people who aren’t slaves. In reality, the people of Zoa use the term specifically to refer to people who are above slavery but not citizens. Freemen have the rights to own personal property, choose their own course in life, join the military, and engage in trade. They have limited rights if accused of a crime; they are not allowed to speak in a court, for example. Zoan-born freemen are obligated to serve in the military or provide civic service.
The most common means of obtaining citizenship is for a Zoan-born freeman to become a journeyman in his trade. This requirement qualifies most of Zoa’s adults. A character does not lose citizenship if he loses his guild membership. Foreign-born freemen must become masters to gain citizenship through the guilds.
Military service provides another means of citizenship. After serving twelve years, a soldier, sailor or marine born in Zoa achieves citizenship automatically. Foreign-born freemen must serve a full 20 years to become citizens. During wartime, the council often chooses to reduce this time period to encourage volunteers and discourage desertion. In rare cases, the city awards citizenship to those whose military career must end prematurely because of wounds suffered during battle, especially if the person acted courageously when obtaining those wounds.
Citizens have a wide range of rights, including the right to become an officer in the military, own property or shares of a business, use coinage, enter into contracts, marry who they wish, sue somebody in a court, hire an attorney, vote in the elections for the Council, etc.
Citizens also have obligations. Like all freemen, they are required to serve in the militia or civic service. They are required to pay a broader range of taxes than are freemen (slaves pay no taxes other than gate tolls). They are obligated to render service to the courts as needed. Court duties primarily include appearing as a witness and turning over evidence or fugitives. Technically, no person in Zoa has rights greater than a citizen, although the city does recognize special cases. Foreign dignitaries are usually held to be above Zoan law. They cannot be punished for their crimes; instead, the city can send them back to their native land. In 381, an ambassador from Dynaj was so egregious in his abuse of the castle’s handmaidens that the Council sent him home absent some of his parts. The two cities skirmished at sea for a short while before Dynaj apologized for the affronts and sent a replacement.
Aside from the resident ambassadors, certain officials have limited immunity to prosecution for minor law-breaking. On the other hand, such actions usually translate into scandals in their office and have far greater reperussions than a minor fine. If the Master of Trade were seen picking a pocket in the market, his head would likely decorate the end of a pike.
Certain clerics receive certain benefits of their faith, according to their rank. Because of their public positions, they are subject to greater punishment from their church for seemingly minor violations of the law. More importantly (in the eyes of the church) they must also observe the restrictions of their faith. If a junior priest heads a weekly service, it could very well be that the senior cleric is undergoing a week of fasting and penance in atonement for allowing a candle to go out or for making a pun (considered a dire violation by certain Merry Muses).
Slavery and Servitude
Because of the wealth required to buy and care for slaves— not to mention safeguards to prevent them from escaping— only the wealthiest individuals own slaves. Fully 80% of the city’s slaves work in the Coins District, the Citadel District, or in the wealthy villas just north of the city’s walls. These households tend to have at least half a dozen slaves each, with some households owning 20 times that number. Thus, the majority of the Zoan slave population is concentrated into just a few hundred homes.
The remaining 20% of the city’s slaves are individuals who live and work in the Artisan and Market Districts. These slaves are considered valued additions to the family business, treated in some cases more as partners than as property. These slaves are often half-trained apprentices or even foreign journeymen who can help out in the shop without violating guild laws. A single household might have one or two slaves; few have more than that because of their high purchase cost.
Most slaves come from two sources. The first and larger is debt servitude, often for a period of 7-10 years. A citizen who suffers a substantial fine or debt in Zoa is subject to imprisonment and slavery to work off the debt. In the case of a public fine, the citizen usually works directly for the city until the debt is paid. In the case of a private debt, the city pays the creditor some or all of the money owed and the city sells the citizen to the Slavers’ Guild for a standardized price. The guild sells off the slaves to merchants or other citizens who have asked for a particular trade skill or quality. Once every few weeks, the guild auctions off the unwanted slaves in the market.
Secondly, the Zoan navy brings in prisoners of military action as slaves to be sold to the Slavers’ Guild. After capturing a pirate vessel or a smuggler, the city enslaves the surviving crew, although it might free some based on extraordinary circumstances (such as a trusted character vouching for the captive). Inrare cases, the ship captain may take prisoners as personal slaves as part of his booty. Most captains trade the slaves for political favor or gift them to land-bound family members.
The Zoan army used to make its contribution to the city’s economy by introducing goblin slaves captured by the militia and regular army patrols. Unfortunately, even enslaved goblins are evil. The goblins tended to murder their owners, steal their jewelry and then flee the city to tell their comrades about their adventures in the human city. This practice ended shortly after it began.
The nonhumans keep few slaves. Slaves in Small Town are there as a result of trade, given as payment for a debt or traded for goods. Few slaves live in Small Town.
Those few slaves who live in the Dregs are victims of private debt, usually gambling beyond a person’s ability to pay. In the Dregs, it’s often hard enough for a character to feed himself, much less an extra mouth, and the extra pair of hands is useless if a character can barely find enough work to keep his own hands busy. The Slavers’ Guild looks at these slaves as profit centers: by offering a poor person a few silver pieces to remove the burden of feeding a slave, the Guild can maintain an irregular but frequent supply of new slaves to resell in the Coins or to a foreign merchant.
Only the very wealthy citizens maintain slaves for entertainment— bards, Basiran dancers of various traditions, gladiators, jugglers, magicians, and jesters. These slaves are signs of prestige; a performer of excellent talent earns her owner fame and reputation. These special slaves can command outrageous prices, and pursuing them has broken lesser families. While these slaves don’t earn their own keep in terms of spenders and keepers, they help create a pleasant environment in which their owners can negotiate lucrative deals with guests.
Economics of Slavery
A laborer earns 1 silver piece per day. A person who owns a slave laborer can “earn” 36 gold pieces per year, spending only 24 gold pieces per year feeding the slave (counting slave rations as Self-sufficient upkeep according to the Dungeon Master’s Guide definition). Thus, a slave owner saves 12 gold pieces per year by owning a common laborer versus hiring a free one. In the case of a landowner who needs 100 pairs of hands to bring in the crops, this amount adds up quickly. This situation describes the domestic, farm and labor crew slaves that belong to the wealthy.
Skilled slaves, those capable of working as assistants on a craft, are worth much more. A slave with 4 ranks in a Craft skill and no ability score modifier can take 10 on his Craft check for a week’s work, earning 7 gp per week for his master (10+4=14, and 14/half = 7). That works out to 364 gold pieces per year. Even accounting for better accommodations and better food to keep the slave healthy (a “Poor” upkeep), plus the material cost of plying the craft (121 gp), the slave owner spends only 265 gold pieces per year, thus gaining 99 gp per year.
These slaves typify the arrangement in the Artisan and Market Districts and specialized slaves owned in the Coins. Slave owners of all social status might hire out their slaves to others, charging a fee for the work. Rarely, they offer the slave a fraction of this additional coin. Slaves that earn their own money might spend it on personal items or save it toward paying off the rest of their debt. Others use it for bribes, weapons or other purposes with the intention of escape.
Ref: Economics of Slavery in Zoa Citadel by the BayGuilds and Factions
The Clerics’ Guild
The Clerics’ Guild is one of the largest and most influential in the city. Its inflated numbers include every deacon, usher, and almsgiver under a temple’s employ, and the prominence of its leaders grants it great influence among the community. This combination of grass-roots popularity and financial power gives it substantial leverage. Its substantial divine power gives it great strength as well. The Clerics’ Guild numbers around 1,800 members, with over 30 of those holding an office of some kind. Most of these officers are minor committee members with little real power, but eight of them are decision-making leaders. The Clerics’ Guild recommends one of its number to the Council of Elders for the position of Master of the Divine, and the Council traditionally approves the recommendation. Several past Elders have come from the senior members of this guild, and the guild master position is seen as a stepping stone to a Council seat.The Mages’ Guild
The Mages’ Guild hall is a large building, befitting its status within the city. Oddly, its hallways are dark and empty, reflecting the guild’s low membership. The guild maintains only three officers: the guild master, the Judge of Members, and the lore keeper. The guild master makes the important decisions for the guild, although few guild masters have done so without regard for the opinions of the other two officers. Traditionally, the guild master is also the Master of the Arcane, although another wizard currently holds that position. The guild master controls the guild’s treasury, with the Judge’s assistance. The Judge of Members approves the promotion in rank of its members and entry into the guild. The Judge also collects dues and other fees from the members and has supervisory power over the treasury. The Judge’s primary duty is to investigate potential abuses of magical power, crimes involving spells, and illegal use of magic in a self-policing effort to keep official investigation at bay. Members abusing their powers are subject to punishment up to expulsion from the guild. The lore keeper maintains the guild’s library, including a substantial number of scrolls available from which members may learn new spells. Finally, the position is responsible for keeping track of known tomes, librams, books and other written works on Tellene. While the position does not facilitate the growth of political power, it excels at enhancing the officeholder’s personal spell repertoire. The post of lore keeper is the lowest and least important of the three. Calirex is the lore keeper for the Mages’ Guild. He owes his position to family connections rather than to personal power. Calirex is flush with power, having learned more from his imp familiar in the last few weeks than he has on his own in the previous ten years. His desire for more has begun to exceed his respect for societal conventions, and his alignment has slipped toward evil.The Marines’ Guild
This weather-beaten old building holds The Marine Guild hall. While marines are required to be part of the guild, a large number of ship captains augment their crews with non-guild marines. The Cutlasses have a nasty reputation for feeding these non-guilders to the fish. The strength of the Marines’ Guild varies with the prominence of the Master of that branch of the military. Nafoor does little to exercise the guild’s strength, and it has atrophied under his administration. He has the wholehearted support of the younger, active marines, but many retired marines wish he would put more energy into his duties.The Merchants’ Guild
Tanias Grind owes his position as guild master to Werlen’s machinations, so he is slavishly loyal to the old shark. Grind has supported most of Werlen’s previous schemes to regain power in the past, so Werlen has deliberately left him out of his current plans to avoid attention from those who use Grind as a weathervane for Werlen’s ambitions. Grind began dabbling in worship of the evil gods of Tellene in his youth, and his position of wealth and luxury allows him to indulge his worship at great length. He has become quite the student of the divine. Birisia is the Speaker, an officer in charge of public relations. Birisia’s business enterprise is small but highly profitable. He doesn’t even own his own ship; he rents space on other ships. His success is based largely on his personal charm, and he has been unable to find a protégé or successor as skilled as he. Birisia wears clean clothes of white and pale blue, with no jewelry other than a silver ring on one hand and a silver chain of some kind that is sometimes visible at his neck. He has an outdoor cloak which he removes on entering the building and carries draped over his left arm until he has an opportunity to hang it or hand it to a servant. His hands are manicured. He is slender, with most of his hair gray. He looks to be about 60, but his voice is full.The Slavers’ Guild
This oppressive building boasts barred windows and a high wall. It houses not only the guild hall but barracks for the members’ slaves. The guild hall itself is high atop a tower, wellguarded and visible from most of the district. The Slavers’ Guild hall is a large walled compound at the corner of High Street and Guardsman Road. LAILIX INAROO Lailix Inaroo is an officer of the Slavers’ Guild and the Master of the Vault. Inaroo is old and shrewd and no friend of the wizard Calirex, a neighbor of hers. She’s considered to be one of the finest at the game of politics, and crossing her is a dangerous move for anyone. Lailix has more than a streak of vindictiveness, and one of her strengths is the ability to make the laws work for her. Many of her former enemies languish in the Castle. She owns several others.The Smiths’ Guild
This two-story building has stone floors and an attached forge with an impressive array of tools. Its work area is covered in soot, despite regular cleaning by guild-owned slaves. This guild has an exceptional reputation for the sharing of techniques between its members. The Zoan smiths all consider the guild one of their greatest strengths, and many of them claim to have learned as much from their peers as they ever did from their master. Members of the guild includes blacksmiths, whitesmiths, weaponsmiths, and armorers.The Tailors’ Guild
The Tailors’ guild hall is a simple rectangular building. Its main feature is its plainness. Characters who enter its unlocked door find a large meeting hall, with a short, featureless stage and a podium. There are a few mismatched chairs, stools, barrels and old crates on which people can sit during a meeting, but most attendees must apparently stand. The wall opposite the doors contains a table composed of a long plank over two barrels. It holds a water pitcher and several wooden cups. The Tailors’ Guild has the worst membership problem of any guild. Its eligible craftsmen practice illegally for the most part because they earn so little compared to the guild dues. Most of its paying members hold the guild in disregard, freely disobeying guild restrictions on activities, pricing, and other aspects of their job.Points of interest
The market is a festive, busy place where nearly anything can be traded. Even minor magical items appear in the market, along with observant guards. At least two slave auctions rake place each day, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Strangely, thieves caught in the marketplace are not often turned in to the authorities. The merchants (and eager bystanders) bear thieves bloody and laugh the incident off. As a result, prospective buyers who appear to be injured draw a great deal of attention and have a hard time convincing merchants to trust them.
Inns and Taverns
Common Taxes and Tariffs
Arms tax
Anyone may carry simple weapons. Carrying a martial or exotic weapon in the city requires payment of 1 gp weapon tax. Weapons that are obviously magical, like flaming or shocking weapons, require a 10 keeper tax. The rule technically applies to all magical weapons, but tax collectors don’t have access to the detect magic spell when assessing the tax.Death tax
The city charges a fee of up to 10 gp for the reading of a will. The recipient of the largest share of the inheritance pays.Gate tolls
The tolls to enter the city are 1 cp per person or draft animal (ox, horse, pony or riding dog) entering or leaving the city, except for people on official city business. Work gangs or militia patrols, for example, don’t pay this tax.Guild fees
Guild membership costs a fee dependent on the guild. The range is from 10 gp to 150 gp per year. Masters pay double the journeyman’s fee. A guild officer’s token stipend usually includes payment of his dues. Most guilds demand payment during the month of Renewal. As a general rule, guilds don’t offer prorated dues for characters that join part way during the year.Income tax
The city assesses this tax on all citizens. Tax collectors assess and levy the tax during the last week of Harvest, when the landowners hold the most wealth. The tax is based on property, coinage and trade goods, so personal possessions and magic items are not a major liability. Thus, it rarely affects adventurers.Land taxes
Landowners pay 2 gp per acre or fraction of an acre at the beginning of Replanting. Landowners can buy a tax exemption for 25 gp per acre that lasts until the property changes hands.Port fees
Ships pay to dock based on their tonnage. The fee is nominally 1 gp per ton, although negotiation of this fee is one of the primary duties of foreign ambassadors; hence, the actual tax rate is a complicated variable according to the ship’s port of registration.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
