Post by edsan on Mar 5, 2009 2:03:18 GMT -6
Where and When?
It is midyear in 2,354 After the Seal. The PCs have arrived in Jakalla sometime earlier this year and have been living in the Foreigner Quarter for some time, sharing one room which is barely large enough to hold them all.
The Tower of the Red Dome (the cheapest Imperial Hostel around) is, to put it bluntly, bursting at the seams and you where lucky enough as it was to find your squalid lodgings.
It is also bloody expensive for a "cheap" hostel! Your understanding of the local currency tells you have use of the room for maybe another couple of weeks before behind kicked out, unless you come up with some source of funds.
Time and your common economic difficulties have whittled away common suspicion and created a mild bond between the 7 of you. After all, no one was ignoble enough, during these weeks of room-sharing, to steal from another or stab someone during the night.
Even those of you with professional skills have concluded that living in this foreign land is going to be hard. Most of the crafts and trades, even within the foreign quarter, are in the hands of groups who have done them for generations and are not keen to hire total strangers regardless of how much mastery they may have.
It is clear that if you want to make money you will have to endeavor to take jobs that skirt the edges of legality (or are downright illegal) and require skill with blade more than manual dexterity or scholarly knowledge.
Fortunately you seem to have arrived in Tsolyanu in the right year for this...
THE JAKALLA DIGEST
Weather
2,354 A.S. has been a strangely dry and cold year, the spring monsoon was quite milder than expected and the month of Firasul didn't quite live up to its reputation as "the month of hell". While some welcome this change other speak fearfully of its effect on the crops and the famously endemic Jakalla Food Riots.
Pugnacious Prevaricators at a Premium
The more martially-inclined among you might have been quite saddened when they learned they arrived in Tsolyanu just in time to miss the biggest event of the year in Jakalla's foreign quarter.
Apparently, some big character named Lord Ssung hiVu'urtesh, of the Standing Stone clan pushed his weight around and managed to create a 13th Cohort for the famous (and reviled) Legion of Chulin the Foreigner, 33rd Imperial Medium Infantry who is known to take anyone into its ranks regardless of origin or status.
The Imperial Legions are, as everyone knows, an awesome stepping stone for Citizenship and maybe even Clan Membership. Alas, you missed this chance.
However not all is bad news. By Imperial Edict the recently formed 13th Cohort was ordered to recruit exclusively from the populace of Jakalla's foreign quarter, and the response by eager recruits was such (some say well over twice the number of necessary men applied) that the Emperor himself, under suggestion from the Governor, ordered the selection process should take place within the Hirilakte Arena via deadly combat.
The result, of course, was that hundreds of able-bodied would-be soldiers left Jakalla's foreign quarter, and a greater number still died in the sands of the arena. The locals say competition for jobs such as bodyguard duty is next to non-existent compared to just a few months ago, and the few professionals who remained are demanding extortionate rates, forcing the less wealthy contractors to sometimes settle for complete beginners.
Strangely enough, in Jakalla both the Temple of Karakan the God of War, and the Palace of Ever-Glorious War are located within the walls of the foreign quarter. The later building is where men-at-arms and mercenaries traditionally go to offer their services to prospective employers.
You have gone there several times in the last days to try your luck, but so far the Weaver has not worked his loom in a manner beneficial to you.
The Quarter's Curfew
The gates of the foreign quarter are closed every night and opened every morning. You know you don't want to get caught outside after sunset.
Even those of you that have mastered the Tsolyani language can run into trouble dealing with the natives. With over 30 different ways of saying "you" it is possible to insult someone just by greeting him.
Map of the Foreign Quarter: 3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMHFyThpmMA/R_xSNcHTD5I/AAAAAAAAAMk/XRXUJiiaeLY/s1600-h/Foreign+Quarter.JPG
It's Dangerous Out There!
Night walks in the foreign quarter are discouraged. There isn't any police force making rounds at night, but there sure is a fair number of criminals, vigilantes slavers, religious fanatics and downright crazy people.
Quite simply the Tsolyani authorities don't give a toss about what happens in the quarter unless citizens are involved or the problem spills outside so aren't bothered with ensuring safety in the streets after the gates close.
In fact, if the City Police or Imperial Soldiers come into the quarter you'd better get the hell out of dodge because they usually don't come here for sigh-seeing but to get answers to questions.
The Glorious Companions of the Silver Mace
You have rumors of what passes for a self-ordained vigilante group within the quarter who has been very active lately. Reputed to be a bunch of fanatics of the God Qon who hide their faces behind dog-masks and carry their namesake weapons, patrolling the western sections of the quarter (where the wealthiest residents live). While all the members are nakome (clanless) and inhabitants of the quarter, their families are said to have been living here for so many generations that they consider themselves Tsolyani. The leader of this group is said to be particularly intolerant of foreigners.
The Road of Bountiful Nourishment
Toward the northeastern section of the quarter there is a road almost long and wide enough to pass for an avenue. It is reputed to be the best place to buy fresh vegetables and fruit within the quarter.
At night the vending stalls vanish and the buildings open up for an altogether different type of trade as both sides of the street are lined with brothels and watering dens. Curiously, it is one of the few places reputed to be quite safe at nighttime, given the quantity of bouncers and bodyguards working there and their intolerance toward uncivilized behavior.
Jakallan Geography
The PCs are very unfamiliar with the layout of Jakalla outside the quarter. You all roughly know that the Musa Jakalla harbor stands somewhere to the south and that to get from there to the foreign quarter you must travel trough the avenue where all the magnificent temples to the Pavarian Pantheon Gods stand lining both sides (where you have seen, simultaneously, religious chanting, monastic asceticism, legalized religious prostitution and human sacrifice both by blade and fire) and cross the Bridge of Splendor of the Gods over the Equnoyel river.
At this time if you where to leave the quarter and loose sight of of its walls or any of the hallmarks noted above you aren't sure you could make it back.
This city is huge!
The Clan of the Surefooted Path
Found in every major city of the empire this clan of very low status is composed mostly of guides. Its lowest lineage works within the foreign quarter (a few of its members can always been found at the Gate of the Black Stair) and take anyone anywhere they wish within the city for a price. The gate guards don't seem to mind much so everyone agrees both parties much have some form of "understanding". They have a reputation for competence, honesty and astoundingly a reluctance to bargain, having a set list of prices their inform their prospective clients of before guiding them to their destination.
(some character notes will follow)
It is midyear in 2,354 After the Seal. The PCs have arrived in Jakalla sometime earlier this year and have been living in the Foreigner Quarter for some time, sharing one room which is barely large enough to hold them all.
The Tower of the Red Dome (the cheapest Imperial Hostel around) is, to put it bluntly, bursting at the seams and you where lucky enough as it was to find your squalid lodgings.
It is also bloody expensive for a "cheap" hostel! Your understanding of the local currency tells you have use of the room for maybe another couple of weeks before behind kicked out, unless you come up with some source of funds.
Time and your common economic difficulties have whittled away common suspicion and created a mild bond between the 7 of you. After all, no one was ignoble enough, during these weeks of room-sharing, to steal from another or stab someone during the night.
Even those of you with professional skills have concluded that living in this foreign land is going to be hard. Most of the crafts and trades, even within the foreign quarter, are in the hands of groups who have done them for generations and are not keen to hire total strangers regardless of how much mastery they may have.
It is clear that if you want to make money you will have to endeavor to take jobs that skirt the edges of legality (or are downright illegal) and require skill with blade more than manual dexterity or scholarly knowledge.
Fortunately you seem to have arrived in Tsolyanu in the right year for this...
THE JAKALLA DIGEST
Weather
2,354 A.S. has been a strangely dry and cold year, the spring monsoon was quite milder than expected and the month of Firasul didn't quite live up to its reputation as "the month of hell". While some welcome this change other speak fearfully of its effect on the crops and the famously endemic Jakalla Food Riots.
Pugnacious Prevaricators at a Premium
The more martially-inclined among you might have been quite saddened when they learned they arrived in Tsolyanu just in time to miss the biggest event of the year in Jakalla's foreign quarter.
Apparently, some big character named Lord Ssung hiVu'urtesh, of the Standing Stone clan pushed his weight around and managed to create a 13th Cohort for the famous (and reviled) Legion of Chulin the Foreigner, 33rd Imperial Medium Infantry who is known to take anyone into its ranks regardless of origin or status.
The Imperial Legions are, as everyone knows, an awesome stepping stone for Citizenship and maybe even Clan Membership. Alas, you missed this chance.
However not all is bad news. By Imperial Edict the recently formed 13th Cohort was ordered to recruit exclusively from the populace of Jakalla's foreign quarter, and the response by eager recruits was such (some say well over twice the number of necessary men applied) that the Emperor himself, under suggestion from the Governor, ordered the selection process should take place within the Hirilakte Arena via deadly combat.
The result, of course, was that hundreds of able-bodied would-be soldiers left Jakalla's foreign quarter, and a greater number still died in the sands of the arena. The locals say competition for jobs such as bodyguard duty is next to non-existent compared to just a few months ago, and the few professionals who remained are demanding extortionate rates, forcing the less wealthy contractors to sometimes settle for complete beginners.
Strangely enough, in Jakalla both the Temple of Karakan the God of War, and the Palace of Ever-Glorious War are located within the walls of the foreign quarter. The later building is where men-at-arms and mercenaries traditionally go to offer their services to prospective employers.
You have gone there several times in the last days to try your luck, but so far the Weaver has not worked his loom in a manner beneficial to you.
The Quarter's Curfew
The gates of the foreign quarter are closed every night and opened every morning. You know you don't want to get caught outside after sunset.
Even those of you that have mastered the Tsolyani language can run into trouble dealing with the natives. With over 30 different ways of saying "you" it is possible to insult someone just by greeting him.
Map of the Foreign Quarter: 3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMHFyThpmMA/R_xSNcHTD5I/AAAAAAAAAMk/XRXUJiiaeLY/s1600-h/Foreign+Quarter.JPG
It's Dangerous Out There!
Night walks in the foreign quarter are discouraged. There isn't any police force making rounds at night, but there sure is a fair number of criminals, vigilantes slavers, religious fanatics and downright crazy people.
Quite simply the Tsolyani authorities don't give a toss about what happens in the quarter unless citizens are involved or the problem spills outside so aren't bothered with ensuring safety in the streets after the gates close.
In fact, if the City Police or Imperial Soldiers come into the quarter you'd better get the hell out of dodge because they usually don't come here for sigh-seeing but to get answers to questions.
The Glorious Companions of the Silver Mace
You have rumors of what passes for a self-ordained vigilante group within the quarter who has been very active lately. Reputed to be a bunch of fanatics of the God Qon who hide their faces behind dog-masks and carry their namesake weapons, patrolling the western sections of the quarter (where the wealthiest residents live). While all the members are nakome (clanless) and inhabitants of the quarter, their families are said to have been living here for so many generations that they consider themselves Tsolyani. The leader of this group is said to be particularly intolerant of foreigners.
The Road of Bountiful Nourishment
Toward the northeastern section of the quarter there is a road almost long and wide enough to pass for an avenue. It is reputed to be the best place to buy fresh vegetables and fruit within the quarter.
At night the vending stalls vanish and the buildings open up for an altogether different type of trade as both sides of the street are lined with brothels and watering dens. Curiously, it is one of the few places reputed to be quite safe at nighttime, given the quantity of bouncers and bodyguards working there and their intolerance toward uncivilized behavior.
Jakallan Geography
The PCs are very unfamiliar with the layout of Jakalla outside the quarter. You all roughly know that the Musa Jakalla harbor stands somewhere to the south and that to get from there to the foreign quarter you must travel trough the avenue where all the magnificent temples to the Pavarian Pantheon Gods stand lining both sides (where you have seen, simultaneously, religious chanting, monastic asceticism, legalized religious prostitution and human sacrifice both by blade and fire) and cross the Bridge of Splendor of the Gods over the Equnoyel river.
At this time if you where to leave the quarter and loose sight of of its walls or any of the hallmarks noted above you aren't sure you could make it back.
This city is huge!
The Clan of the Surefooted Path
Found in every major city of the empire this clan of very low status is composed mostly of guides. Its lowest lineage works within the foreign quarter (a few of its members can always been found at the Gate of the Black Stair) and take anyone anywhere they wish within the city for a price. The gate guards don't seem to mind much so everyone agrees both parties much have some form of "understanding". They have a reputation for competence, honesty and astoundingly a reluctance to bargain, having a set list of prices their inform their prospective clients of before guiding them to their destination.
(some character notes will follow)
