Kotha

The city of Kotha sits a mile north of where the Naiigal River empties into its lake. The river here is wide and slow, and supports many crops and wildlife.
Few footpaths lead into the city, and its twenty-foot clay walls have only three openings besides its riverbank: the main gate to the north, the secondary southern gate, and the western gate, which receives very little traffic. The northern entrance, nicknamed Bloom Gate, is large and painted with images of desert flowers and cacti. The slightly smaller River Gate to the south is painted with crocodiles and waterfowl. The western gate, little more than a doorway, is undecorated and unnamed.
Most likely, however, you will arrive at the docks via boat. From the water, the first sight you’ll catch of Kotha is its limestone Kibine Tower, rising a hundred feet above the next-tallest building. This is the home of archmage Aduwa, protector of the city; its lower levels are a library open to select members of the public. The red clay walls will hide most of the rest of the city from view until your boat passes the checkpoint and is cleared to dock. You'll find no massive merchant ships here; the water is too shallow to support such constructions, and most boats - even those used for cargo - are relatively small skimmers.
Once you've exited your boat and made your way out of the immediate riverside, you will find yourself in the Docks District. This consists of warehouses, merchant headquarters, and several inns that support the river's travelers and sailors. Other than arranging accommodations, there is little for visitors to do here.
To the south lies Refuge Ward - if you hail from Varen, you just might find a part of this district that feels an awful lot like home. While Kotha does not force its immigrants into any particular part of the city, refugees from drought further south established themselves here some 150 years ago, and Refuge Ward became the unofficial residence of newcomers since. People tended to stick with their own, and so Refuge Ward could be subdivided into many smaller districts, each reflecting a unique culture and locale.
But if instead you head north, you will soon enter the Spice Market. There is far more than flavor bought and sold here, of course, but its prominence earned the area - indeed, the entire city - its name. A baffling array of food, weapons, armor, tools, gear, clothes, furniture, books, scrolls, potions, magic items, animals, luxury goods, and more are presented here - if it exists, the saying goes, it can be bought in the Spice Market. Not every seller is reputable, and "pop-up shops" - whose owners and wares mysteriously disappear after a day or two - are common, thanks to the city's lack of market regulations. Nonetheless, quality goods can be found if one simply knows where to look.
In between Refuge Ward and the Spice Market sits the Military Ward, where troops can be most easily deployed toward the water, but other borders remain accessible. Soldiers are trained and housed in this area, and travel is restricted - civilians who would find it convenient to pass through may use the Underground, which has no direct connections to this district.
Toward the heart of the city, the academic and government wards overlap into a single combined area known as the Central District. Two main landmarks are featured here: Kibine Tower, surrounded by Kotha's university, and the domed City Hall across the street. While Kibine Library inside the tower is hypothetically open to all, its entry fee of 10 gp ensures only the wealthy have access to its contents. City Hall, on the other hand, is more genuine in its commitment to accessibility. Anyone in the city, even non-residents, may lodge a complaint or submit a request for consideration, though typical bureaucracy means it may be many months before your submission is acknowledged, let alone addressed.
People, of course, make their homes all over the city, but government officials and the wealthy tend to live in the Upper Residences. These are a collection of large clay and limestone houses that take up a small but notable portion of the city.
The city of Kotha is over a thousand years old, and all who live there know the surrounding sands are merciless. Over time, they will bury the city, as they have done a half-dozen times before. Even now, buildings sink several inches into the accumulated earth. The city rebuilds on top of itself, as it always has, and what lies beneath is the Underground.
With hundreds of entry points across the city, the Underground is a sprawling network of old houses and covered streets. As sand slowly covers Kotha, a portion of the city's budget is allocated to the rebuild. This is the reason for buildings' uniformity - each resembling cubes, with floors exactly ten feet tall and few buildings stretching more than three stories above ground. Every two centuries, a new floor is added on top, and the oldest buildings dig some fifty feet deep.
The most recent layer, known as Topsoil, is frequented by many. Less crowded than the skyside streets, it is a convenient way to get from point A to point B with no stops in between - especially if point B is on the other side of Military Ward, which denies entry to civilians and intentionally omits access to the Underground. Guards are posted on this layer, though at rarer intervals than above. Many people simply use the buried upper levels of their homes and businesses as a basement.
The second layer, called Shadewalk, is less commonly traveled but still reputable. If a guard from Topsoil hears a cry for help, they will answer the call, but they are not stationed on this level.
The third layer is sometimes referred to as Graveyard. It is used by smugglers, thieves, and others evading the law. The city's largest thieves' guild is located here, and turf wars between rival gangs rage beneath the skyside streets. The most notable of these include the Spectral Sisterhood, the Dragonfly Syndicate, and Stigma. The deepest layers of the city's Underground sit largely unused.

Demographics

Kotha consists of about 70% Twansi humans.

Founding Date

3155

Alternative Name(s)

Spice City

Type

Large city

Inhabitant Demonym

Kothian

Location under

Varen

Included Locations

• Bound Books Co.
• Drink Up! Potions and More
• Exotic Weapons and Arms
• Fine Silks and Outfittings
• House of the River Saint
• Jewels and Jewelry
• Kibine Tower
• Kotha City Bank
• Kotha City Jail
• Kotha Hall of Justice
• Kotha University
• Otuo's Wares
• Rare Animals and Pets
• The Armorie
• The Red Lotus
• The Sandstorm Still
• The Scarlet Curtains Theatre

Owner/Ruler

Osami Nkoa

Ruling/Owning Rank

Archwarden

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• The Case of the Confused Wizard