|
The
lands about Kun Anyam are inhospitable by any estimation, but for
those who make their lives in the shadow of the Tur Betark their
home has much to offer. In the lush riparian environment along the
banks of the Maudar and Altin great reads grow, from which are made
many huts and gathering halls as well as the fraleb many
fishermen ply upon the waters. These bulky-looking boats are well
suited to the calmer currents near Kun Anyam, after the river have
joined and widened, though some ply them even along the upper
reaches of the Maudar and Altin. The rolling plains and grasslands
on both sides of the Maudar hide greater treasures for the
sharp-eyed, including the highly prized tuber jejen, the
fragrant and bitter harzera flower, an infrequent tisibaiz
bush and its accompanying symbiote the wadris moss.
|
Brozei
- A water-plant with crisp white flowers whose waxy petals
can be used as a stimulant. One flower usually holds five
petals, each of which is enough to temporarily stave off
sleep and increase the overall alertness of a person for
several hours. Overuse of these petals often leads to sores
in the mouth and on the lips.
Turlkeno
- Another water plant whose roots have a pungent acrid smell
and are tough as vines. Many herbalists prize these roots
above all else in treatment of broken bones and muscle
injuries. They are steamed and mashed into a thick paste
which is then applied liberally to the injured area. It is
also said that the roots add a particular spice to the
dishes of wealthier households.
Wadris
- This moss grows only on the tisibaiz bush, in shaded
dimples in the plains. Eaten fresh, it restores vigor and
health to even the most terminally sick or injured person.
If it is eaten too long after it has been harvested it
reacts strongly to the digestive system, often strongly
enough to greatly worsen one who is already ill or hurt,
though someone healthy would only experience a few days of
intestinal distress.
|
The
varieties of animal life about Kun Anyam are also uniquely adapted
to this harsh environment. Species common to Isra can be found here
as well. The feared and highly prized Saisebi (Ta. "Crocodile"),
many varieties of waterfowl and fish, and the ubiquitous Membdar (Ta.
"water buffalo") graze and cool along the riverbanks,
providing the local farmers with many necessities of life.
|
Qarabi
- This strange fish spends the majority of its life buried
beneath the hard baked earth between floods. It is extremely
rare to find even in season, and to catch one is taken as an
great boon and omen from the gods. They are no bigger than 4
inches long and their skin is covered with a thin slime
rather than scales. It is said that they are possessed of
the power of speech and that if caught, will barter for
their lives, offering fortune to he who holds it.
Weftra
- The weftra is a small water spider which lurks in the
shallows and within reed stands. Mottled grey and brown, it
carries a poison strong enough to severely sicken a grown
man or kill a child. Encounters are rare, but those whose
lives are spent on or near the water fear this spider
greatly.
Chanain
- Secretive and mischievous, the Chanain are small rodents
most commonly found near the riverbanks. They grow to be no
larger than a small cat and are the frustration of many a
farmer or riverside worker. Dining on fish and reptiles,
these creatures pose no threat to people, their interaction
with people comes from their insatiable desire to steal
anything left unwatched. If they are too small to carry an
item off, they will simply try to take whatever pieces of it
they can.
6.0 PEOPLE
Many folk have passed through
Kun Anyam over the centuries; some on the road to more distant lands
south or north, some stay for a season or year and then move further
on, some have come and built great families, and some have come to
prey on the unwary who pass through the gates daily. There is little
left of the original clans wandering into the region from Chy and
further lands. Over the sweep of years the faces have changed almost
as if the shifting winds carried with it the wandering folk from
across the south. Despite these shifting tides, the bulk of Kun
Anyam's population has always been of Sireshan stock, whether coming
from other town and cities in Isra and Chennecatt or from the wastes
of Kirmlesra or the great port of Tul Harar. The mixing of blood is
less prevalent in Kun Anyam than it is in Tul Isra or Tul Harar,
where families and companies come and stay for a time measured in
centuries, not decades as is so often the case of the Anyaman.
The Ganari
Perhaps the most common of the resettled folk come
from the land of Gan south of the Tur Betark. Of dark bronze skin
and small stature, these almond-eyed folk count themselves among the
oldest Anyaman still in residence. Their ancestors came over the
mountains some twenty generations ago, and the gift of their native
tongue has long been lost to the years, they sound much like any
other Isran except perhaps for a greater deepness of voice. Fond of
whites and blues, they dress simply and in the styles prevalent for
the time. The current popularity of single shoulder wraps is given
flair by the Ganari by their addition of stylistic chest paint, one
of the few lingering influences of their own culture.
The Ganari are almost all fishermen and
farmers, with very few of
their number ever seeking different professions. Of those who do
find other professions the majority of them are as members of the
warders or guardsmen. They marry early by Sireshan standards,
usually by the age of 12.
The Mablad
The Naugrim of
Bavor's line settled the Yellow
Mountains in 1211, founding the great city of Mablad-dum in the
center of the range. As are their northern brothers, the Mablad are
incessantly exploring and it was only a short time (reckoned by a
dwarf) before they came into contact with the various southern
cities of the Siresha valley. Though the great city of Tartuast near
the headwaters of the Siresha is perhaps most closely tied to Mablad
trade, the site of a Mablad sponsored caravan passing through Kun
Anyam is not uncommon. There are several distinct Mablad families
who have established themselves either in Kun Anyam or in the
surrounding lands. They are craftsmen and explorers, and are sought
after by any who have the money to afford their excellent services,
though many a caravaner has had second thoughts after a quarrel with
them; they are opinionated and keep their affairs to themselves. To
befriend a Mablad is to have a friend for life, and to make an enemy
of one is to have it forever be so.
Despite common feeling of trepidation most feel
when dealing with the Mablad, they are among the more light-hearted
of their kin; very few of these stout folk could be called 'dour'.
When amongst themselves, there is rarely a moment without singing or
music being played and even among the Second Born, the Mablad are
quick to take up a flute or Hurzhan and lighten their spirits
with it. Their dress as well, mirrors this philosophy, for unless
they rarely wear anything of duller color than orange.
The General Populace
Though in such a diverse population as Kun Anyam it
is difficult to generalize, there are common traits and cultural
habits shared (eventually) by most of the various peoples. The
styles of dress are a mixture of foreign and indigenous fashion,
with the current preference leaning towards the urdel, a
loose torso wrap over half-pants or knee length skirt. This is worn
by both men and women, with the men favoring the skirt and leaving
the wrap only halfway (much like a toga). Colors abound, and there
is a Tul Isran habit of altering the colors worn throughout the day
which has gained some popularity with the wealthier Anyaman.
Festivities are universally attended in Kun Anyam, regardless of the
faith or faction sponsoring them, and it is at these revelries that
the homogeny that exists in Kun Anyam is most apparent. The
influences of numerous cultures has created a balance of contrast
and there are few elements of Kun Anyam that have been left
untouched. Most Anyaman take a light breakfast of consisting of
fruits and lentils, often incorporating leftover fish or perhaps a
few delicate alqad eggs. The noon-time meal, called
Fedem is the most anticipated of the day and is usually a
festive affair. The people of Kun Anyam gather in friendly groups to
escape the heat of the high sun, often in the shade of the many
plaza's or in a nearby Gerzaud, which is open for business
only during the height of the sun. Fish or fowl are the preferred
meats, though for those unable to afford meats, spiced barley cakes
and minted cream serve well enough. There is often a tray of fruits,
figs, and dates passed about and the best wines are taken during
Fedem.
.01 Notable
People
Though many famous and great people have called Kun
Anyam home over the centuries, there are listed here some of the
most prominent and the influential to Kun Anyam's future during the
late Second Age, circa 1926.
|
|
| |
|
|
MIOREDAN DORENAL
|
| MIOREDAN DORENAL |
| Lvl: 15
|
Hits: 76
|
AT: 17
|
Race:
Numenorean
Profession: Ranger (Trader/Explorer)
Home: Kun Anyam
RM
Stats: Ag86, Co100, Me90, Re87, SD66, Em87, In102,
Pr98, Qu84, St88
Appearance:
76
Skills: 1HE 72, SBow 59, Trading 110, Ride
84, Observation 88 |
Principle ItemsAmatal
Necklace— Predict weather up to 1 week ahead.
Dorenal Sword— +20
Broadsword, gives a
+50 to wearers Sense Ambush and Detect Traps skills.
Urthueg's Vest— Traveling vest made of
layered cotton, magically protects at AT 17. |
|
Special PowersSpells—
Mioredan knows all Ranger base lists to 15th level. 45PP | |
| Mioredan Dorenal was
born into destitution, the fifth child of a down-on-their-luck
Numenorean family in Tul Harar. His father made his life and
reputation on the waters of the Bay of Ormal, becoming one of the
most sought after navigators in the region. Unfortunately he never
had the chance to capitalize on his fame; his ship "Kamdelion
Wind",
captained by Gurfas Jaban was driven into the rocks of the Yabura
coast and all hands were lost. After the loss of their chief
breadwinner, the family lived off what meager savings they had,
until Mioredan's mother was stricken by fever and their funds were
quickly swallowed by the numerous healers and apothecaries whose
efforts ultimately failed seven months later. The children of the
family were split and sent to various temples and ward-houses in the
city. Shortly thereafter Mioredan left his caretakers and hired
himself out to a stable at the western edge of Tul Harar. There he
worked for ten years first sweeping and cleaning the stables, and
gradually worked his way up to become the Second Hand of the stables, which had grown even as he
had. His life may well have
remained much as it was then, with Mioredan set to advance to First
Hand when his employer eventually passed away, but his fortunes lay
elsewhere and this he discovered when the Hararan lord Furd Ramet
hired him in urgent need of someone to replace his recently injured
quartermaster. The trip was only to Tyarett, but on that journey
Lord Furd saw the potential of his new young quartermaster. The rest
is history, often spoken of amongst the merchant-men of Kun Anyam:
how he led the first caravan across the Boas Tanyel, his opening of
the Arzal River as a route around the worst of the Tur Betark, and
most often recounted is his inadvertent founding of Urg Venza (Ap. 'Hollow
Sky') in S.A. 1887. The ship he had hired to assist his
pioneering of the Arzal River was captained by an adventurous if
irresponsible man, whose love for the spiced wine Iemro was too
powerful to resist their fourteenth night out from Tul Harar. The
reefs broke the keel in half and sent men and supplies spilling into
the churning water. Those who made it to the shore found themselves
in a protected cove and walled in by steep slopes on all sides. The
tide was low and water churned and boiled in the narrow cut through
which they had been pulled, frothing above barely submerged rocks
and spitting from hidden blowholes on either side of the straight.
This cove became the survivors' home for many months, as Mioredan
and five others trekked through unexplored jungle back to Tul Harar.
When he returned, he came with three ships, outfitted with lumber
and workers in addition to supplies for those that remained. Urg
Venza has since served as a waypoint for the many ships that sail
the western Bay of Ormal.
Mioredan has lived in Kun Anyam for ten
years, and
in that time has seen his relative fame translate to a seat on the
Em Anyam and then to the Aparn Emel (Ta. "Voice of the Council"). He
considers it a privilege to be so entrusted, though in truth he
wants only to help settle the disputes between Kun Anyam and Tul
Isra and return his attention more fully to his trade. It was he who
pushed for the council to swallow its pride and request military aid
from Tul Isra. His appraisal of the Anyaman army (led by the Council
of Warders) is that they are in dismal shape, and unable to
effectively deal with disturbing rise in grapash activity along the
feet of the Tur Betark.
The land of
Ti'ersh intrigues him greatly and he
hopes to somehow sidestep the exclusive contract which Pem Yarrat
has recently received to trade with them. His position has made him
numerous enemies, as well as friends, and his Numenorean heritage is
often the source of much of his troubles. Akhôrahil's armies roam
not far to the west and there are those who whisper of Mioredan's
ties to the Ciryantandor king. These rumors are popular among the
disadvantaged of Kun Anyam, and Mioredan takes offense when he hears
of them, but he does not believe that his position and status are in
jeopardy from such misguided rumors.
Pem Yarrat
|
| PEM YARRAT |
| Lvl: 12
|
Hits:
112 |
AT: 2
|
Race:
Sireshan
Profession: Fighter (Trader/Explorer)
Home: Kun Anyam
RM
Stats: Ag74, Co98, Me95, Re88, SD59, Em74, In91,
Pr83, Qu66, St70
Appearance:
63
Skills: 1HE 112, SBow 81, Trading 115, Lip
Reading 44 |
Principle ItemsLothil
Stone—The Lothil Stone will always point in to the
place where the last item it touched was created (This
does not work with 'uncreated' items such as rough gems
or metal ore, only with crafted items).
Bow of
Tarun Baudan—+15 Short Bow with 150% range.
'The Deal'—Pem's most prized possession, this
enchanted quill can duplicate any signature the user has
seen. | |
| There are few in the
business of running caravans through Kun Anyam who've not heard of
Pem Yarrat. A native of Tul Isra, Pem has cut his fortunes from the
hard-packed earth of the Yol Isra and Yol Deve over the last thirty
years. He own Kun Anyam's second largest merchant company, and sends
caravans both south over the Tur Betark and west and east to such
distant Haradan lands as Raj and Harshandatt. In his youth he was
known as a fierce and passionate explorer whose keen instincts in
business were surpassed only by his skills at diplomacy. He has
served three separate times on the Em Anyam over the years, and
after each he swore he'd never do so again. His focus has always
been on forging new alliances and luring new partners in the cities
his company trades in, not the mundane busywork of domestic
governance.
As the years have passed Pem has gained more of a
reputation for his indulgences and indiscretions, though most feel
these are his due by right of effort. His estate in the Altin Valley
is the prize toward which young entrepenuers focus their wills, and
the envy of many less fortunate veterans of the highways and bazaars. Pem is most often to be found
there, allowing his sons to
manage his affairs so long as they continue to turn a profit. He
keeps several Latava (Ap. "Lion") on the grounds and always keeps at
least one in his presence. Some say he cares more for his latavan
than he ever showed for his sons, though this is unfair.
He has only been to Kun Anyam a handful of times in
recent years, usually to address the Em Anyam when his enterprises
might have suffered otherwise. Mioredan has been a friend of his
from time to time, and Pem plays upon that when the need is great (though often with little real
effect.) His last trip was more than
a year ago, to request the intervention of the council in a most
serious matter to him: the company of Kalim Setar was rumored to
have negotiated exclusive trading rights with the T'iershan
Ampantebir (Tr. "Sky-King"). Pem and his four sons appeared before
the council and demanded that the contract with the Ampantebir be
reviewed and appropriate (heavy) taxes be laid upon all of Kalim
Setar's southerly caravans. Their persuasiveness and conviction
failed to spur the council to action though, and Pem returned to his
estate in even greater anger than when he'd left. He has spent the
year since working to increase his company's presence south of the
Tur Betark, as well as to gather promises of exclusivity from his
partners both north and south of the mountains. His mood has only
worsened, despite his activities, and he spends his evenings in
drink and indulgence beyond his usual degree. The recent bandit
attack along the Yol Isra seems to have lifted his spirits slightly,
since it was one of Kalim Setar's caravans that suffered the loss.
Iruileth
|
| IRUILETH |
| Lvl: 15
|
Hits: 77
|
AT: 2
|
Race:
Avari
Profession: Cleric (Necromancer/Evil
Channeler)
Home: Kun Anyam
RM Stats:
Ag94, Co80, Me100, Re83, SD71, Em67, In100, Pr85, Qu94,
St86
Appearance: 98
Skills: 1HE 50,
Thrown 42, Awareness 30, Duping 62 |
Principle ItemsCoat of
Ûnmael—3xPP Enhancer for Evil Channeling.
Knife of Sorvûth—+15 curved knife. 15" long.
RR vs. Poison or sleep for 2-20 hours. |
Special
PowersSpells—Iruileth know all Evil
Channeling Lists to 20th level and most Open Channeling
lists to 10th level. 54x3=162PP
Death
Sense—Iruileth has the ability to detect the death
of any sentient being within 500' feet. | |
| Originally from the
forests of the Ûsakan Bay and once a member of the Court of Ardor,
Iruileth has found her way to Kun Anyam after fleeing the Court and
subsequently being driven out of Tul Harar by several Eldar families
there. She is a necromancer of some power, and studied under Talruth
for much of her early career.
When she chose Tul Harar to further her research
she was unaware of the influence of some of the Eldar there, and was
forced to leave just as she had begun to make real progress. Not
wishing to make the same mistake twice she ended up in Kun Anyam,
which to her seemed suitably backwater and with little or no Elven
population. Now, she has managed to achieve a more than suitable
laboratory and perfect environment in which to carry on her research. The charnel-house of Kun Anyam has had
it's lower storage
rooms converted into her own personal laboratory, and the nature of
her worldly profession supplies her with an endless supply of
research subjects and fuel for her experiments.
Iruileth is a cruel and subtle woman, though she
outwardly takes the guise of a meek and quiet servant. She is adept
at manipulations of the mind and emotions, by which she secured her
position under Shaluan Omol in the house of the dead; and by which
she has so far managed to divert any suspicions of his as to her
activities.
She fancies herself a necromancer of depth and
subtlety, and finds the manipulations of the flesh crude and trivial, but
necessary. Iruileth pursues the powers of the spirit
and the mind in her dark arts, and wishes to achieve what would be
in her mind the ultimate feat: the binding of a person with full
mental and spiritual faculties to her will and she believes that
this sort of complete control is only possible with death as the
catalyst.
Iruileth has recently found a secluded site for
some of her more conspicuous experiments to the south of Kun Anyam
in the Boas Melesra, where ancient graves hold many secrets.
A'Inkor
|
| A'INKOR |
| Lvl: 10
|
Hits:
112 |
AT: 10
|
Race:
Sireshan
Profession: Fighter
Home:
Tul Isra (Kun Anyam)
RM Stats: Ag81, Co99,
Me92, Re83, SD88, Em70, In72, Pr74, Qu80, St90
Appearance: 88
Skills: 1HE 100,
Pole Arm 77, CBow 75, Leadership 67, Mounted Combat 70,
Alertness 17 |
Principle ItemsYolan
Faranj—+10 faranj (falchion); magical
Scale
Armor—+15 scale; magical
Usulkar Helm—+5
DB, reduces head criticals by 1 level of severity (ie. C
to B, B to A, A is no critical). | |
| 'Military advisors' from
Tul Isra are an historically common thing in Kun Anyam. Throughout
the generations there has been periodic need for the Em Anyam to
summon support from its 'ally' to the north. Unfortunately for Yolan
(Ta. "Seargent") A'Inkor he is the first official emissary of this
sort in a generation; not since the outlawing of the lesser Eman has
there been any Isran military involvement in Kun Anyam. It seems to
A'Inkor that the people of this city either resent the outside help,
or fear the repercussions of having an Isran presence within their
walls.
Perhaps these fears are not so
unreasonable. Inkor
and his force (some 35 soldiers levels 2 - 6) were sent here at the
request of the Em Anyam to assist the Anyaman army, a small and
lately disorganized body, with troubles they were having in southern
settlements. The number of Grapash seen in the last few seasons in
and around several villages along the Maudar had been alarmingly
high, and there had been numerous raids on both villages and
caravans alike. A'Inkor arrived with high hopes of re-establishing
strong relations with Kun Anyam by helping their military better
organize and field its soldiers and by directly addressing the
troubles to the south. In fact he has found the Anyaman Council to
be reluctant, even somewhat hostile to his purpose. They have been
given grounds from which to operate, yet at every turn he has found
his actions interupted and his advice falling on deaf ears. Perhaps,
he thinks, it is his history with the Isran army and its long
running operations against the city of Rask that have soured his
potential in the Council's eyes.
His greatest detractors thus far have been
those,
in fact who played the greatest roles in summoning him here:
Mioredan Dorenal and Pem Yarrat. A short time after his arrival, he
led his troops south into the Altin River valley to scout the
foothills of the Tur Betark. He was told by the council that he
would receive supplies and food at Yarrat's estate before venturing
further on, though when they arrived they were rudely informed that
there were no supplies and that they'd best return to Kun Anyam.
They had taken only enough supplies to travel to Yarrat's estate,
and so were had no choice but to return, and when they had done so
Inkor found himself before an angry Mioredan Dorenal and being
accused of stealing goats. Pem's estate had sent a messenger telling
of the loss of several goats and the wanton killing of several more.
Inkor could say little, for his men had indeed taken a stray goat
for food on the return, though it was almost a day's walk from Pem
Yarrat's estate and they'd seen neither flock nor shepherd to return
it to.
"Last come the
saviors," Inkor is often to be heard
saying under his breath. His dour attitude and persistent frown give
the impression of a deeply embittered man, though in truth he
carries a light heart. A'Inkor cultivates his outward appearance as
he sees best for a man of his rank, and his authority is
unquestioned among his troops. He is not a large man in body; he
stands just over five feet tall. He carries himself with a presence
greater than his stature, and equal to his experience, and it is
rare that others think of him as 'small'.
Jahen Obene
|
| JAHEN OBENE |
| Lvl: 10
|
Hits:
104 |
AT: 10
|
Race:
Sireshan
Profession: Fighter
Home:
Tul Isra (Kun Anyam)
RM Stats: Ag86, Co90,
Me84, Re92, SD90, Em72, In67, Pr69, Qu83, St87
Appearance: 72
Skills: 1HE 96, Pole
Arm 73, CBow 81, Leadership 54, Mounted Combat 61 |
Principle ItemsYolan
Faranj—+10 faranj (falchion); magical
Scale
Armor—+15 scale; magical | |
| Jahen Obene was promoted
to Yolan (Ta. " Seargent") on the same day that he was given his
current assignment. He has served with A'Inkor as his second in
command for just over a year during the campaigns in and around Rask, therein earning a reputation as an excellent tactitian and
leader. He has learned much from A'Inkor and done well by him; on
their return to Tul Isra, A'Inkor submitted him for promotion (a
full year before most soldiers of his rank are given that chance).
As a Yolan, Obene should be given his own Asrep (Ta. "Forearm" an
Isran unit consisting of 50 men in three squads), and A'Inkor's
request that he remain with him for this assignment has prevented
this honor. To Obene's eyes, his position now is no different now
from what it has been: A'Inkor's second; and the honor and attendant
dues of it have been kept from him by his commander.
Obene is a man of ambition and though he likes
A'Inkor and respects him, he also harbours a growing resentment of
the man who both pushed for his advancement and then quickly took
away the benefits thereof. Obene is anxious to finish this
assignment in Kun Anyam and be back to Tul Isra where surely his own
Asrep awaits and he may cut away from A'Inkor and re-forge his
reputation independantly.
In order to most quickly bring his tenure in Kun
Anyam to an end, Obene believes that A'Inkor's force must sweep the
southern villages and strike the Grapash directly. He worries that
the recent increase of banditry along the Maudar will prevent this
rapid deployment, as his Yolan A'Inkor seems determined to give
these Anyaman anything they desire just to endear them to his Isran
forces.
Forsothi
|
| FORSOTHI |
| Lvl: 6
|
Hits: 55
|
AT: 8
|
Race:
Mixed Haradarim
Profession:
Animist
Home: Kun Anyam
RM Stats:
Ag73, Co85, Me100, Re87, SD82, Em87, In99, Pr65, Qu74,
St85
Appearance: 83
Skills: 1HE 38,
Thrown 25, Hiding 40, Picking Locks 34, Locate Hidden 30 |
Principle ItemsScimitar—
+5 quality weapon from Umbar.
Glass of
Aerolan— a small collapsible monoscope which triples
normal range of vision and allows the user to see
through smoke, fog, dust, and haze as if through clear
air. |
|
Special
PowersSpells—Forsothi knows all base
Animist lists to 10th level. 31PP | |
| Originally from the
shores of the Bay of Umbar, Forsothi was ever a wanderer. Her
adventurous spirit led her north first, to the fens and green hills
of Tharbad, then south aboard merchant ships to the ports of Bozisha
Miraz in the Gaj, Ostelor and Arpel in the Dominions of the Seven,
and finally Tul Harar, the jewel of the Siresha. She made her was as
both an apothecary and rogue and saw much of the influence of
Numenor and its colonies. One colony and its effects stood stark in
her mind, and she has been unable to shake the horror she felt when
she watch the cities and town along the coast of Tulwang burning
under the forces of the Ciryantandor King.
Now here in Kun Anyam she sees the approach of
those same forces from the west and her anxious wanderlust has grown
into resolute focus. Forsothi works to turn back the tide of
Akhôrahil's Winds, away from the lands of the Siresha. Forsothi
spends some of her time helping the sick and injured in Kun Anyam,
working out of her small apartment south of the Zarait, and spends
the rest of her time working with the secretive group known as The
Caja. Few know of her involvement with the Caja, and she herself
never speaks of them.
Hulsep Tenda
|
| HULSEP TENDA |
| Lvl: 24
|
Hits:
104 |
AT: 10
|
Race:
Sireshan
Profession: Magician
Home:
Kun Anyam
RM Stats: Ag88, Co71, Me82*, Re95*,
SD63, Em102, In100*, Pr100, Qu65, St41
Appearance: 67
Skills: 1HE 50,
Thrown 35 |
Principle ItemsMalruth
Ring— x3 spell multiplier, gives wearer limited
oracular vision which is correct 75% of the time.
Elemdol's Staff— Casts any spell from the
Base Mentalist lists up to 10th level five time per day. |
|
Special PowersSpells—
Hulsep knows all base Magician lists to 30th level, all
open Essence lists to 15th level, and all closed Essence
lists to 5th level. 92x3=275PP | |
| Hulsep Tenda was the
previous Aparn Emel before Mioredan was elected, and his weight
within the council is still great. At 58 his years are catching up
to him quickly, and his once sharp mind has begun to wander and grow
confused. For a man who made his fortune and reputation first as a
scribe and then as a successful merchant and politician, and to a
man who's great skill as a magician have been unable to stop the
disease, his rebelling faculties are his greatest threat and a dire
curse. Thus far he has maintained his reputation and authority
within the council by biting his tongue and feigning indifference
when he has felt the threads of his thought unwinding, though many
on the council have noticed his odd behavior and overheard his
occasional mumblings and are growing concerned.
Hulsep fears most the loss of his senses and the
humiliation he is sure would accompany it. After so many years his
pride refuses to go quietly into madness and he has lately been
channeling great amounts of wealth into alchemists, herbalists, and
a small army of foragers who search the wildlands and cities for
elixirs, herbs, and for those schooled enough in the arcane arts to
reverse his progression into madness.
The estate he holds just north of the city is one
of the finest in the area, kept by his 80 servants and 200 slaves.
Hulsep has 15 wives and keeps at least as many mistresses both in
the estate and in the city though he seeks from them comforts of a
more quiet nature now than in his wilder youth. It is in such
comforts recently that his hopes have been most greatly stirred, for
his newest paramour is a keen and beautiful Isran who claims to have
knowledge of a cleric and healer unparalleled in his art. Hulsep has
grown increasingly interested in her promises as his desperation
grows and his own investigations have gathered nothing but
disappointments.
He spends less time in his estate now than with his
new mistress, and she maintains a room for him in her apartments.
She offers more than this distant hope for she herself is a woman of
the arts, and her balms and practices give him some temporary relief
and peace. Her promise that this great cleric will answer her call
does almost as much as her ministrations themselves.
Maurel Alushan
|
| MAUREL ALUSHAN |
| Lvl: 5
|
Hits: 51
|
AT: 13
|
Race:
Mixed (Numenorean/Ciryantandi)
Profession:
Mentalist
Home: Kun Anyam/Ciryan
Arhost
RM Stats: Ag75, Co85, Me77, Re81, SD72,
Em81, In92, Pr97, Qu80, St83
Appearance:
100
Skills: 1HE 44, Thrown 22, Stalk/Hide 35,
Attune/Runes 49 |
Principle ItemsOrphel
Stone— +3 spell adder; cast Invisibility II twice
per day; set in her belt.
Bracelet— +20 DB
Dagger— +15 dagger; magical; often poisoned
with level 5 nerve toxin. |
|
Special PowersSpells—
Maurel know all Mentalist base lists and the Delving
list to 10th level, Detections to 5th level | |
| Maurel
Alushan's real
name is Marelin Aelastor. Born in the teeming streets of the Storm
King's capital, Maurel scraped, kicked, and killed her way into her
current position. The bastard daughter of one of Akhôrahil's court ,
she never knew either of her parents. Her mother died in childbirth
and her father was unknown to her for most of her early life. She
scraped a life for herself out of the slums as a thief and lure for
a Ciryantandi slaving company until she was sixteen.
Everything changed when she stumbled on evidence of
her father's identity and began to forge a new destiny for herself.
She slipped into a royal ball thrown for the visiting ambassador
from Numenor and confronted her father. None heard their exchange
but soon thereafter she became an apprentice under Inyan Oris, a
prominent elven sage and soothsayer. Inyan's taking of a half-breed
as an apprentice was soon dismissed by the court since he himself
was an avari (one of the very few in the court). Maurel's skill and
promise were soon recognized, as was her incredible ambition and
focus, and when she requested assignment in the forces of the Storm
King's Winds, she was given a post within the Corthel Broth (the
Ciryantandi intelligence forces). She has risen quickly and is
working in Kun Anyam and southern Isra as second in command of the
region, under Peletar Sireath.
Maurel has positioned herself as a migrant slaver
who has set up shop temporarily in Kun Anyam. She rents space in the
slave pens of the great market and does a brisk if comparatively
small business in the trade. She is also well known on the black
market as a able fence and racketeer. She has a handful of
underlings who gather information for her though none of them are
aware of her true profession.
Maurel works to ensure that the relations between
Kun Anyam and Tul Isra remain strained, but not so strained as to
risk armed conflict between the two cities. Her business contacts
with various merchant companies offers her some leverage in guiding
the thoughts of Pem Yarrat and other powerful Anyaman against Tul
Isra. |
|
7.0 POLITICS
& POWER |
|
Perhaps the greatest factor in
Kun Anyam's failure to rival its sibling cities has been the
political instabilities that have plagued its history. It could
perhaps never have aspired to usurp the wealth and power of Tul Isra, nor the strength and resources of Baud
Selen, but its own
potential has been more gravely wounded by the internal power plays
than any external threat or posturings. There are many factions
which have risen and fallen in Kun Anyam, and many times has the
political landscape been reshaped by strife or greed. The Em Anyam
has existed since the early days of Kun Anyam, though not always in
the same form, but there have been many others maneuvering to either
control or disband it.
7.1 The Councils
These outlawed organizations still hold significant
influence in Kun Anyam, the weight of history and tradition have
insured their continued presence despite official edicts to the
contrary. Few newly formed businesses remain isolated from their
covert pressures, and while most of the lower workmen know little of
the councils' influence, owners and upper managers are periodically
(and sometimes painfully) reminded.
Em Pelezain - "The Council of
Caravans". The
first of the councils outside of the Em Anyam, and still the most
powerful of the lesser councils, the Em Pelezain holds meetings once
per season to discuss recent events relating to their trade, and to
discuss strategies by which they can increase their influence and
their profits. Between these meetings the 'Seated' members will
often gather to deal with any pressing matters that may arise as
well as to take care of the more unpleasant matters which are not
discuss in the full council. Malum Toreh is the current speaker on
the council, and under his guidance the organization has become
closely aligned with the council of warders and the council of
scribes. Malum is positioning himself carefully to ensure that he
and his fellows gain the appropriate support should a struggle for
power ensue. The back rooms of the Ashalee Gerzaud are where these
powerful men and women hold their court, though among them they own
a large percentage of the town's real estate which they occasionally
utilize when greater security is necessary.
Em Vayin - "The Warders
Council". The Em
Vanyin is often referred to in quiet voices as "table of the
blades". Though the warders themselves are held in universally high
regard, the fear of their council is prevalent among the populace.
During the failed coup of the Em Pelezain, it was at first believed
that they were assisted by the Warders, though this was never shown
to be true. Despite the unplausibility of the argument (for in fact
the Em Vayin were the strongest resisters to the coup, fearing the
loss of status if the merchants began using their own guardsmen to
replace the warders), the initial fear has held in the public's
mind. Because of this, the Em Vayin has received the greatest
portion of the Em Anyam's enforcement; the Warders were almost
completely prevented from congregating in any fashion outside of
their duties to the city. For years this was the case outlasting all
other organized suppression of council activity; and it is only
within the last fifteen years that those few Warders who resisted
the ban have managed to rebuild their organization. Eschet Romao has
spearheaded the effort and bolstered the council's numbers to almost
half of what it once was.
Noyen Trumyai - "The Quiet
Ink". Scribes are
among the highest classes of the citizenry, some even achieve
nobility in other cities of the south. The council of Scribes in Kun
Anyam achieved perhaps even greater things for its members before
its disbanding; through their efforts no scribe of Kun Anyam may be
made a slave as punishment for a crime or defaulting on debts (which
is fairly common practice in all of the other Sireshan cities, even
including the nobility in severe circumstances), and no business
operations of any kind may be undertaken without at least one scribe
hired for its duration. Through these edicts, which exist despite
the disbanding of the councils, many scribes became as wealthy as
the greatest merchant family. This was done not through overt
organized persuasion of the Em Anyam, but through the quiet
persistent attentions focused on a few key governing members of the
city's council. It is widely believed that the Noyen Trumyai has
indeed disbanded, but no one has been able to ascertain if this is
true.
| An Incomplete List of Councils |
Em Trobelam Harbua
(Coppersmiths)
Emateol (Guides)
|
Em Iyemallal
(Boatwrights)
Em
Dienan Rihop (Cloth Dyers)
|
Shep Hedar Nalil
(Glassblowers)
Yomad Em
(Water Bearers)
|
7.2 MIEMPER
The Temple of Miemper is still a force in the city,
and the god of battle still draws a loyal following. The priesthood
however, remember the shame they faced when Deve Entol fell and they
were forced to beg admittance to Kun Anyam. They no longer push for
sovereign rights nor do they challenge the Em Anyam openly. Some of
their number however consider the advance of the Storm King and
wonder if, when the armies march on Kun Anyam, an alliance with the
invaders would prove more prudent than staying true to their city.
These musings are discussed in whispers in back rooms, and only by a
few, but they make preparations to send an emissary to the
Numenorean Prince.
7.3 THE CAJA
The Caja were born of fire on the plains of
Chennecatt when armed riders wearing a black dragon emblazoned on
their shirts swept through camp and village. The struggle with the
Army of the Southern Dragon (the Storm King's East Wind) was as yet
unknown to most of the Siresha, for no great conflict had yet
ensued, but outlying areas had suffered raids from the Wind's
scouting parties as they roamed the land. The caja are small brown
and yellow snakes native to the plateau, and are highly regarded and
feared by the shepherds and farmers of that land. The survivors of
the early raids began to organize and strike back at their
aggressors, calling themselves after that snake which is so easily
overlooked in the grass lands of Chennecatt. They are few, and only
loosely organized, but fierce in their determination to exact
vengeance for their families' suffering.
7.4 SLAVERS
Widely despised by the Sireshan
populace, slavers
have plied their trade from the dawn of history here in the great
lands of Greater Harad. The two major slaving companies of Kun Anyam
have secured their positions through a mixture of intimidation and
diplomacy. Much of their work now resembles that of police, for most
of their inventory is made up of people who have defaulted on their
debts, and criminals at large. It is not uncommon for a slaver band
to pursue a thief with more tenacity than the city warders and bring
the accused before the magistrates themselves. If they are able,
then the magistrates will with rare exception sentence the accused
to the slavers control. The warders themselves will occasionally
bring apprehended criminals to the slavers and receive a percentage
of the subsequent sale price upon conviction.
7.5 JARLELEL'S
CHILDREN
This small but growing faith is the newest and
perhaps most to be feared in Kun Anyam. Led by the mystic Tanat
Behoun and believing that the people and land will burn beneath the
coming of god Jarlelel, their evangelistic practices extend to
kidnapping and brainwashing. Behoun is said to hold some secret
power by which he can convert even the most hostile and resistant
into truly devout followers. The followers of this fanatic call
themselves Jarlelel's Children and believe that they are to become
his foot soldiers. Their faith leaves no provision for unbelievers
and when the time comes, they are ready to slaughter those who will
not convert.
7.6 THE STORM KING
The prince Akhôrahil the Blind Sorcerer has spread
his armies and spies across the breadth of the Southern lands,
swallowing peoples and nations and growing ever more hungry. His
armies, the four Winds, under the great general Wyatan have
conquered Tulwang and Hyarn in the last three years, and rumors and
worried whispers speak of red and black emblazoned riders prowling
the land of Chennecatt. For years the lands of the Siresha have
grown wealthy by running great supply caravans to Ciryantandor,
piled high with grains, finished goods, and raw materials to fuel
his conquests. Now the wise and learned of Isra, Chennecatt, and the
free cities fear he has turned his sightless eyes to their fertile
valley. Caravans still run to his capital, and some return with
tales of great parties thrown by their hosts and the lust of
conquest glistening ever brighter in their Numenorean eyes. Tul
Harar sees more and more 'travelers' disembarking from Ciryantandi
trading ships when they pull in to dock. The Em Anyam is for the
most part, still giddy with the prospect of increasing their wealth
by trading with the voracious western colony and do not see the
shadows that have begun to creep about their chambers and offices.
Akhôrahil's hand reaches far ahead of the arm of his armies, and
even now he lays the foundations of subjugation in the lands of the
Siresha. |
|
8.0 ECONOMY |
|
The Altin River valley is a
thriving agricultural region, producing some of the best olive oils
in the south as well as being one largest areas of Yarum tree
orchards, from which comes the prized spice Mur. Grains, dates,
cotton, and grapes are among the other varied exports from the Altin
Valley.
The difficult waters of the upper Maudar are one of
the few locales where the prized Utrul eel is found, and
Anyaman traders transport them live to places as far away as Tul
Harar (a city of notably selective palates when 'sea-food' is
concerned) and Tul Poac. Anyaman craftsmen are noted for their skill
with leather and dyes, and several great gold-smiths have called Kun
Anyam home. But despite the strength local production, the Yol Isra
and all those who pass along it are the true backbone of Kun Anyam's
economy.
Tariffs and tolls keep the
city's infastructure
well maintained; the flow of caravans and pilgrims keep the inns and
taverns lively; the temples see brisk business, as do the street
vendors, wagonwights, blacksmiths, weavers, stablers, and of course
jailers. Kun Anyam no longer mints its own coin, though it is not
uncommon to see an old Anyaman piece in daily trade. Now much of the
currency used within the city is of Isran, Baud Selenan, or Hararan
origin, as well as a smattering of more exotic denominations from
beyond the Tur Betark and the Naugrim cities beneath those
mountains.
The 10% taxation rate on trade goods is eagerly
paid by merchants looking to make their fortunes on both sides of
the Tur Betark.
Barter is as common as currency in this frontier
land, and indeed is the only form of commerce available when dealing
with the nomadic Ayten clans.
| |
| 9.1 CITY
SITES (click to enlarge the map)
Though there are many places of interest in Kun
Anyam, the following are those sites most commonly of interest in a
campaign.
1) TENEVYA SOSEIN
One of the few established
temples within Kun Anyam, the Tenevya Sosein (Ta. House of Tenevya)
smiles down upon the travelers of the city. Tenevya herself is a
local deity, having been nothing more than a wilderness spirit
revered by the early tribes of the Siresha Valley for centuries. Her
worship and status in Kun Anyam are the result of several factors,
most recently the Sadayn Grapash. She is revered as a goddess of
flood and mountain stream. And many survivors of the ruin of Deve
Entol praise her fickle hand, claiming that they escaped pursuit and
slaughter during that horrible season only by a series of
unseasonable and fortuitous floods which swelled local streams
behind them as the fled. Some wilder accounts even describe the
waters rising up in the form of women grasping and pulling the
pursuing Grapash beneath the torrents.
Travelers and caravans alike now revere her image
and give money to her temple, and those who venture in or over the
Tur Betark never do so without prayers and sacrifice to Tenevya. The
priest and priestesses of Tenevya maintain an infirmary and sell
herbs and ointments. The temple also organizes and manages scouting
groups which range into the Tur Betark and the nearby lands to
forage for remedies and to keep a watchful eye on the Yellow
Mountain orc groups.
2) PELEZAIN FEL ARAM
The Pelezain Fel Aram
(Ta.
(The Caravan Chambers) houses the offices of the Dorenal, Yarrat,
and Tenda companies, along with many other merchant companies, and
the scheming that goes on within these walls is legendary. It sits
on the North-Western corner of the great market and it is at the
south side of this building that recruitment and hiring is carried
out by the companies. Even those companies who have offices
elsewhere in the city, and some who are based in other cities have
at least a room in this building and do their hiring here. As a
result, this end of the great market is often teaming with guards
for hire and all manner of folk seeking gainful employment among the
merchant houses.
3) AMSAL AMASUR
(Ta. "The Great Market"). This
great square is the busiest place south of Tul Isra. It is a grand
maze of tents, stalls, and temporary buildings. The paths between
these mercantile establishment change often, as new vendors arrive
and old vendors leave. Even long standing establishments such as the
famous Harq Fedem (a large restaurant occupying many tents and
employing portable trees for shade in makeshift courtyards between
the tents, see below) move from time to time, both to gain better
placement and to adapt to the shifting world around it.
On the north-west corner of the market the Pelezain
Fel Aram recruits and organizes their companies. On the north-east
corner sit the three holding houses and their display platforms of
the local slaving companies. The western most end of the market
abuts the city wall, and it is there that locals and foreigners
alike have erected shrines to their gods. The shrines occupy almost
the entire length of wall, and range from simple bowls of wheat to
large stone effigies with colorful canopies and chanting pilgrims. A
small contingent of city guards patrols the shrines, ensuring that
no offerings given at the shrines is stolen, protecting the shrines
from vandalism, and nightly collecting any money left at otherwise
unattended shrines to bring to the city's treasurer.
The market is bounded on the south by the beautiful
Anyam Fel Aram, within which the Em Anyam manages the day to day
needs of the city and it's economy. And to at the eastern end of the
market is the temple of Tenevya and the Warders' Hold.
The Great Market at night is only slightly less
busy than during the day, as it is one of the two squares within
which travelling troupes and entertainers set up to stage their
shows which often run late into the night. This activity encourages
many of the stall owners and merchants to remain open as well, and
those that do not often take to the shows and drinking tents in the
market anyway
Harq Fedem
Harq Fedem is one of the oldest establishments in
the market. It was started by Borel Harq in 1572 and has been run by
his descendants ever since. Originally it was only a rug and pillows
for his customers to sit on, with his wife and son serving them and
he at his small stove and oven, it has grown now to include twelve
tents, fifteen portable date palms planted in great clay pots, some
forty employees, and a large, loyal, and ever-changing group of
customers. Harq Fedem is now run by Shalul Sirh and her children,
and despite it's name it is open from just after sun rise until the
customers stop coming (usually well into the early morning) not just
for fedem. The establishment is most often in the south-eastern
quarter of the market, but does move on occasion to another place
nearby or to another section of the market entirely. Shalul and her
family are well connected in Kun Anyam, and there is little they
haven't heard by way of rumor and tale. Many people know that if
they were in need of work or information, they could most likely
find it in the Harq Fedem.
4) ANYAM FEL ARAM
The Anyam Fel Aram
(Ta. "The
Chambers of Anyam") were once the palace of the early Qirsef rulers
of Kun Anyam. Since that time the building have been significantly
modified, but the original grandeur of the structure still shows
through. Great dome-topped towers rise on the four corners, and the
central structure is roofed with red stone in the form of a great
tent. Slender marble columns line the many exterior walkways that
circumnavigate two of the three floors, and statues of all sizes
stand and watch the great market below. The main doors of this
building were marred during the Sadayn Grapash though they still
stand tall and strong. Made of dark Gurna wood from the lands of Gan
to the south, they are bolstered by decorated bands of copper-plated
metal. The cuts and scars left by the orc are a reminder to all of
the terrible season past.
5) THE GATE TOWERS
The Gate Towers of Kun Anyam
remain standing even though the gate itself is never closed. With
the destruction of the wall centuries ago, the city has grown beyond
its original bounds and the wall has become an artifact of the past.
The towers now serve to moderate traffic in and out of the city as
well as inventory passing caravans for taxation and direct travelers
to places within the city. Guards still stand atop the towers, but
serve only as lookouts for approaching caravans from the north.
6) YOL EHEN
This Yol Ehen
(Ta. "The Golden
Road") tavern and inn is one of the finer such establishment in the
city; its clientele consisting mostly of wealthy travelers, visiting
dignitaries, and eminent locals who come to the city from their
estates beyond. It is known for its fine food, excellent quarters,
and outrageous prices
7) KELMEM GROUP
The Kelmem Group is a
'mercenary' company of sorts. They hire themselves out to merchant
companies as guardsmen, drivers, and guides; and they are always
looking for new members. They see themselves as a separate council
from the Em Pelezain, though they have no official capacity as such.
But many of them feel that the needs and desires of those of their
professions are not adequately represented by the Council of
Caravans. They are indeed a force to be reckoned with and the Em
Pelezain rarely ignores them outright, but they have been prevented
from forming a true council both by political maneuverings of some
of the other councils, and by own internal differences.
8) VAYIN PULMET
The Vayin Pulmet
(Ta. Warders' Hold) was once the hall of the Em Vayin and the warders make their
home in this semi-fortified building still. The day to day
operations of the warders are run from both this building and the
Anyam Fel Aram, though the arming and training of the warders takes
place solely here. The council of warders has been relatively
quiescent since the attempted coup of the Council of Caravans and
the warders' subsequent censure, but of late have begun positioning
themselves quietly to perhaps make a play to regain power among the
other councils. They are well funded (some say by outside sources as
well as by the city) and are the largest single military force
within Kun Anyam (some 600 all told, though at least half of those
are in various sedentary posts such as at the jail). They are still
the sole protectors of merchant goods within the city itself, but
have no such privileges outside the city.
The building is constructed of yellow stone from
the Tur Betark and is accessible only through the two street level
doors. The upper two floors have slender windows and small stone
balconies upon which a warder is always stationed.
9) CARC BEDIL
This grand estate is the holding
of Pem Yarrat, though he himself is rarely there, preferring his
estate in the Altin Valley to the noise and stink of the city. His
sons are often to be found here, and much of his business is run
from this estate. There are frequent parties thrown by his family
for business associates and visiting and local dignitaries. During
such parties the walled estate yards are transformed into great
fields of light and color and the round walls of the estate house
blaze with the golden and red light of countless lanterns.
10) THE ORANGE WALLS
This is Kun
Anyam's jail.
The walls are of a darker yellow stone of the Tur Betark and give
the place its nickname. The jail is well built and well staffed.
There is often a small line of locals within the semi-circular domed
entryway awaiting a chance to bribe a warder into allowing them in
to speak to a loved one.
11) THE ISRAN HOLD
This older building has been
turned over to A'Inkor and his Isran forces to serve as a base of
operations within the city. It was once a merchant house, but has
since lain vacant for some time. A'Inkor is not often here, except
during the evening hours, though Jahen Obene can usually be found
here during the day. The building is three stories high and has had
its roof converted into training space for the Isran soldiers.
During those times that the Isran troops range south in pursuit of
grapash the building is almost vacant again, with only a few
soldiers left behind to stand guard.
12) QARAM ELIESH
(Eliesh's
Emporium) This
building houses the industrious Eliesh and his goods. He serves the
merchant companies and others who have need of his wares or services. He offers everything from beast of burden to refined metal
goods and everything in between. Most of his business is made in the
servicing of caravan equipment, but he also houses armorers,
weaponsmiths, herbalists, carpenters, and stonemasons. Eliesh
himself is from Skara Taib (Charnesra in later ages), and is said to
have some skill in the magical arts learned in that great city. He
is also known to have dealings with several families of the Eldar
living in Tul Harar, but what these dealings are and how he came
into such company is not known. Eliesh is a great collector of
rarities as well, and has often hired people to track down and
acquire items which he has an interest in.
13) MIEMPER SOSEIN
The temple of Miemper is a
long low structure and plain to the eye. Despite it's unassuming
appearance, it is the wealthiest temple in the city and the most
frequented. The door to Miemper's House is always open, and there
can always be found at least a handful of faithful immediately
within it, waiting patiently in the small entry hall for an audience
with a priest or to make a donation. The priests of Miemper are the
finest apothecaries (and some of the best soldiers) in Kun Anyam and
will often take the local poor in without payment. They do expect
however that those with the means to do so offer a donation to the
temple.
14) OSILEN FEL ORMAL
Named for the Bay of Ormal
far to the East, the Osilen Fel Ormal (Ta. The Winds of Ormal) inn
is constructed and painted to look like soft waves of that great
bay. It is a popular place among caravaners and travelers, and
offers descent food and quarters for reasonable rates. The inn is
owned by Mioredan Dorenal and is decorated with the stuff of his
travels. The proprietor is Eprem Nevat, an older, balding man of
some girth who has run the inn since it opened ten years ago. Much
news from lands both near and far can be gained in the Winds of
Ormal while sharing a drink with a guardsman or pilgrim.
15) THE ZARAIT
The Zarait is the oldest and
most densely populated area in Kun Anyam, and is almost a city with
the city. The streets of Kun Anyam disappear into this great tangle
of buildings which clamber atop and aside each other so tightly that
the entire conglomeration has almost become a single building which
sprawls out encompassing most of the south-eastern quarter of the
city. It tumbles along ranging from a single story to five or six
stories high, with streets and byways running almost accidentally
through the spaces between and under the structures. Torches and
lanterns burn continuously along the better of these tunneling
streets, while the less well maintained are simply black paths
leading to areas best left unexplored. A great many steep and narrow
stairways serve to connect the various levels and surmount the odd
wall or roof. Most of the poor of Kun Anyam make their lives within
the ramshackle neighborhoods of the Zarait, and many clandestine
dealings take place behind doors tucked beneath a street or recessed
in a corner. While the tangle and dark inside much of the Zarait can
be suffocating and the roofs of the Zarait are a brilliant display
of color and activity. Many residents make their way to the roofs
during the day to conduct their business, and though many roofs are
claimed by families living among the higher apartments, many are
simply open and available for whoever arrives first. Upon these
roofs and within the occasional courtyard or uncovered street a
second great market exists, selling the necessities of daily life
for the Anyaman. Cloths are dyed and sold, small gardens offer up
fruits and vegetables, all manner of livestock are penned throughout.
Weavers, cobblers, healers, smiths, moneychangers, thieves,
charlatans, and others roam and sell and steal their ways
throughout the Zarait.
Though the Zarait proper sits well within the city
walls, its creeping influence affects the other neighborhoods around
it, raised walkways connect it to many buildings and roofs along the
southern wall, and some other similar architectural growths have
grown to straddle the city wall itself.
16) YALED MIEMPER
(Miemper's Court) This
tree-lined square is a favorite place to take fedem. Many of the
smaller fedem establishments in the city sit around this square and
are frequented by warehouse workers, local merchants and tradesmen,
and even the nomadic Ayten as well. At night it turns into a less
raucous entertainment square than the great market.
17) NOYAN ALO
The Noyan Alo (The Ink House) was
once the house of the Noyan Trumyai, the Council of Scribes, and is
now the office of the Akuar Company, producers of fine papers, inks,
and all things related. The building also houses a fine library
which is available to the scribes of the city once they have
registered with the company (for a fee). The main building houses
the library and the store, as well as offices in it's upper level.
Several of the nearby buildings are owned by the
Akuar Company as well, and it is there that their products are
produced. Many of the wealthiest and most influential scribes of the
city hold positions in the company and some members of the Em Anyam
feel that the company is nothing more than the Noyan Trumyai
reformed. The company is also known for its dealings in the arcane
arts, and perhaps because of this is rumored to have ties to the
great school in Skara Taib. Though there are no formal schools of
the arts in Kun Anyam, The Ink House does offer training for a fee.
18) A'ABFER
A'abfer is Kun
Anyam's charnel-house. It is widely avoided by locals and foreigners
alike.
It is a squat two story building with few windows and a handful of
chipped and worn statues arrayed atop four-foot pedestals around its
perimeter. It is run by Shaluan Omol and Iruileth. Shaluan is a
respected Anyaman (though rarely invited to parties) of some sixty
years, and his age necessitates that most of his duties be performed
by Iruil, an Avari claiming to be from Tul Harar. Iruil is reclusive
and quite, and the locals are unsure what to make of her. She
performs her duties proficiently enough, but some families have
misgivings about her none the less. Her goals are as yet unclear to
any, except perhaps Shaluan himself, who has discovered signs of her
experiments. He is not yet convinced that the young woman to whom he
has entrusted his business is concealing darker activities from him,
and he is old enough to question his own thinking in this matter.
19) ASHALEE GERZAUD
This tavern is frequented
by many of the wealthy Anyaman, and offers discrete rooms for their
meetings and other engagements. It is a long single story building
of classic Isran architecture, with narrow archways and smooth
stonework. The owner is Alal Melsorman, a one-time caravan master
who found the paths and tracks of the Tur Betark to dangerous for
his advancing years. He is most discrete with his clientele and
takes great precautions to ensure that they feel comfortable enough
in his establishment to do or say anything within the private rooms
in back. He keeps a small number of prostitutes for his customers,
and a small number of house guards.
20) AZHAR ZURUM
Azhar's Company is the premier
source of guides through the Tur Betark, and they fetch a high
price. This group of Mablad has gained an excellent reputation among
prospecting companies and merchant houses for their knowledge of the
mountains and the dangers they hold. Azhar himself is a prospector
and at any given time half of his thirty Mablad are combing the
Yellow Mountains in this region for veins of ore or precious stone.
Much of their activity has been on and around Ghabaras (Ta.
Horse-head's Peak) of late, and Azhar himself has there on several
occasions in the last six months.
21) TARABAN IILISH
(Taraban's
Stars) This rowdy
tavern at the south end of the city is a favorite among caravaners
and miscreants. The nightly entertainment includes bawdy
performances and private back rooms, and the occasional barroom
brawl serves to liven the place up when there's nothing else to do.
Gambling and contests of all kinds can be found here from night to
night, and the potent bitter Iilishel Yam (Ta. Starry Eye) is the
favorite sedative here. Thieves, sharks, and con-men roam the tables
looking for an easy take among the transient customers, and the
raucous atmosphere allows for whispered deals to be made in relative
secrecy.
22) SOSTH ANURTH
(Ga. 'The Shrine of The
Eye')
Erected by Ganai travelling over the Tur Betark, the Sosth Anurth is
frequented by nearly every Ganai passing through. The priestesses
offer blessings and other services to Ganai travelers and maintain
watch over the Anurth Memeph (Ga. Pool of The Eye), which they
believe gives oracular powers to one of their number. This oracle's
wisdom is sought by many Sireshans as well as Ganai, and she has
shown true vision to some, though others call her a charlatan.
23) YALED OSAR
The nomadic Ayten tribes of the
Siresha live between the high passes and vales of the Tur Betark and
the low plains of Isra and Chennecatt as they shepherd their flocks
of goat. Most tribes have well established site between which they
move from season to season, and they trade with the cities and towns
along the way for goods and materials. Kun Anyam has a large
transient population of Ayten which pass through several times a
year as separate tribes move along their migratory routes. The Yaled
Osar (Ta. Goat Court) is frequently filled from end to end with
Ayten tents and the bleating of their animals and their long wooden
flutes. The Puiam, Baranahal, and Rajmet tribes all stop to trade at
Kun Anyam during Bauga (Ta. 'Water-channels') and Kramask (Ta. 'Planting').
24) HAMALEL AWEP
(Hamalel's
Rest) Named for the
legendary Sireshan who first traversed the Tur Betark, this grove of
date palms, frangreb, and torbechena offers quiet and shade to
residents, Ayten, and caravaners alike. The trees are watered by
small springs which rise up from through the hill and disappear
again into the porous soul before running down to the river. By
tradition these trees and their fruit are for all, though the Em
Anyam has taken to selling harvesting rights to local companies who
are required to give half the harvest to the city's poor-houses.
Many companies pay the fee and organize harvests simply as a
public-relations act, since there is little money to be made in the
practice; and the number of companies which do so means that there
are few occasions when a local couldn't simply enter the grove and
take a satchel-full unnoticed. The Ayten graze their herds within
the cool shade of the grove and often times set up small tent
communities here as well. At the northern end of the grove is the
city graveyard, and the graves spread through the trees throughout
that end of the grove. It is illegal to cut down any tree of the
grove, and even marring one is considered to be bad luck.
25) THE DYE FIELD
The southwestern end of town
holds many weavers, cloth and rug makers, and dye producers. The dye
field serves most of these businesses as well as the Ayten who camp
nearby. It encompasses roughly 1500 square feet and is constructed
entirely of clay brick cubes ranging from four to seven feet in
height, each abutting the next. These cubes are constructed around
large smooth sided vats of various dyes and bleaches, and each has a
small flue which leads to fire-holes in the base of the cubes. There
are some 50 such vat-cubes around which the many dyers work with
piles of cloth and lengths of string, and a strong smell of
chemicals, earth, and steam swirls about the whole place.
26) TA'AL ZARAIT
This miniature version of the
Zarait is home to several loosely organized groups of thieves
working in the city, and there is a heated rivalry between those
from Ta'al Zarait and the Zarait proper.
27 & 28) WALL TOWERS
The remaining wall
towers are used many for storage now, and are rented out to merchant
companies as warehouse space. They are often used by these companies
to store their most valuable goods since they are much easier to
guard than the larger warehouses in the northwestern quarter.
29) SLAVE PENS
The three two-story buildings at
the northeastern corner of the great market are the temporary
holding pens of the city's slave market. All three are solidly
constructed and well protected. Many debtors and criminals have seen
the last of Kun Anyam from the barred windows of these buildings or
from the auction blocks arrayed in front of them. The interiors are
almost entirely comprised of cells which hold from 10 to 40 slaves.
30) CAM EL FEDREM
The Cam El Fedrem
(Ta. 'Sellers of Flesh') have offices in this building, and it is here
that newly acquired slaves are taken to be appraised and prepared.
The building sits amidst the warehouses and slums of the
northwestern quarter. It's yellow stone walls broken by a single
door on their eastern side, and a few windows and small balconies
along the second floor. Most mornings and evenings the slavers move
their 'goods' between this building and the pens in the great
market. And this section of town is avoided at night by most sane
Anyaman, lest they find themselves taken for sale on the blocks.
Technically the slavers may not take a person without reason (debt
and crime are the most common reasons), but there are reports of
lone drunks or lost travelers who have disappeared in this area of
town.
31) TANAT BEHOUN
The tents of the Tanat Behoun
and his followers dot the ground amidst the palms and frangrebs at
the southeast end of the city. Colorful and perpetually filled with
the songs and chant of these faithful, the camp is yet rarely
visited by the locals. Tanat Behoun himself occupies the central
tent and there preaches and guides his followers, but his faith is
little appreciated among the Anyaman. Behoun comes from the plateau
of Chennacatt where he was a shepherd and cleric, preaching the
faith of Jarlalel a regional wind god. According to him, he was
visited by Jarlalel in the form of a great bird with eyes of evening
flame and told to go to Isra and prepare all for his coming. Behoun
immediately left his flock and began the long walk to Isra, crossing
the harsh range of Bru Isra and gathering followers as he went. He
teaches that the wind will come from the west and that all who are
not blessed will be struck down by it. His followers bow and pray to
the west three times daily and sing of flames racing before Jarlalel
as he comes. The pilgrims have been camped at Kun Anyam for two
seasons, slowly gaining converts to their faith.
9.2 OTHER
SITES
MEYTEMSAN
One and one half's day to the south of Kun
Anyam,
along the Altin is the village of Meytemsan. Mainly a farming
village where grapes and figs are the primary produce, it also
serves as a supply point for groups ranging into the Yellow
Mountains or up along either fork of the Altin River. The estate of
Pem Yarrat lies just a few hours further south along the river from
Meytemsan, and he draws much of his estate's workforce from
Meytemsan.
OTANSHA MONASTERY
The Otansha monks are simple and
devout, and their
monastery reflects their way of life. Situated just west of the
upper reaches of the east-fork of the Maudar, it is a small cluster
of buildings surrounded by a stout earthen wall and fields of wheat
and other grains. One half mile behind the monastery, opposite the
river, is a long curved cliff that cups the monastic farms.
Approximately eighty feet high, these cliffs are riddles with the
ancient crypts and burial holes of many peoples. Narrow paths cut
into the cliff-face connect many of these sites and many are
inaccessible without rope or ladder. The monks see part of their
duty in caring for these ancestors. Of late there have been terrible
disturbances in some of the graves, and the monks have been forces
to abandon some of the crypts while they search for help from Kun
Anyam. There are whispers that something is calling the dead back to
walk again, or that evil spirits have stolen into the bodies and now
roam free at night.
BOAS MELESRA
(Ta. 'Pass of Towers') These great rock pinnacles
have long been revered by the Ayten tribes as a sign from the gods.
The towers are bone white and range from three feet to sixty feet
high and two feet to 20 feet in diameter at their base. Some are
pocked by small spherical holes up to ten inches wide and others are
in fact hollow throughout their length. Caves and holes dot the
white cliffs and hills of the Boas Melesra as well, offering shelter
and shade to weary travelers. The Ayten gather rain water from some
deeper pockets in the towers and have used the site to bury honored
members for generations. The Ayten speak of their ancestors speaking
to them and guiding them from within the mists that occasionally
rise amidst the towers. This benevolent relationship with their dead
has begun to change lately though, and some fear that other forces
have encroached on their holy places.
They are correct in this
fear, for it is here that
Iluineth carries out those experiments which she deems to
conspicuous (or dangerous) to do so within Kun Anyam. And it is some
of the darker and more powerful spirits she has called that have in
turn crept into the crypts below, at the Otansha Monastery.
DEVE ENTOL
The old ruins of Deve Entol are still visible along
the Yol Isra south of Kun Anyam, and they offer a convenient
way-point for caravans moving north and south. They also offer a
convenient location from which to launch an ambush and several
caravans have been hit in or near Deve Entol by human and grapash
bandits.
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