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(Editor's note: This is a dump from my database files - report any inconsistancies, typos, gibberish and omissions to [email protected])
No one knows the founding date of Calbeyn. There is believed to have been a settlement here since the founding of the First Empire. The city lies at the upper limit of navigation of the river Val, where all goods which has been shipped up the river must continue overland. A trading post gradually grew up which, after many years, has grown into a city. There are few reliable historical records of the city before the Second Empire. Some archaeologists have discovered zughru relics in the city, and have suggested that there may have been a considerable zughru community in the area at one time. It has even been suggested that Calbeyn was once a zughru city. This theory is of course rejected by most reputable historians.
The first thing any visitor will see is the massive wall built across the lower end of the Aras gorge, behind which lies the city proper. No records exist giving the date of construction, but the wall is believed to date from the latter part of the first empire. It was certainly in place when Calbeyn was besieged during the wars of reunification in 1490/1, so parts of it are at least a thousand years old. There wall is pierced by three gateways, the middle of which crosses the river Aras, and is big enough for a riverboard to pass through. The two smaller gates on either side are used by road traffic. The two road gates are closed after dark, while a floating boom can also close the river entrance when required.
Travellers arriving from the north will encounter the less-spectacular but equally effective heavy fortifications at the upper end of the gorge.
The city is built along the walls of the narrow gorge of the river Aras, a tributary of the Val, and the Vasd, which flows into the Aras in the upper end of city. A result of the location is that a great many buildings are built into the side of the gorge and are two or three times as big as they look. Some taller buildings have a rear entrance on the second or third floor relative to the front door, while others have just a front, and extend back into cliff face.
For a seemingly medieval city, Calbeyn is well engineered. Beyond the city, both the Aras and Vasd have been dammed, producing the two reservoirs which supply the city with fresh water. A huge underground tunnel links these two reservoirs with the Val, and prevents the city from being flooded in the spring. There is also a network of sewers carrying waste out of the city, keeping the waters of the Aras pure.
Calbeyn is divided into eight districts for administrative purposes, these form electoral districts for the supposedly democratic (but in reality hopelessly rigged) elections. The characterisics of each district is markedly different, even though the boundaries are not always clear. Walking into certain parts of the city after dark can be dangerous; caution is advised for those not familiar with the city.
Akis ward lies at the top end of the city, extending down from the castle from which it takes it's name as far down as Waterfall Bridge. This ward is entirely occupied by humans, and although it's relatively safe during daylight hours, kandar would be foolish to wander around alone and unarmed after dark.
The Anthill is the roughest part of the city, into which the city guard dare not venture. It's not even safe for unarmed kandar to venture into this warren-like maze of narrow streets in broad daylight; many people who wander in never come out again.
Citadel ward is enclosed by the citadel walls, and, apart from the high citadel itself is entirely given over to government buildings. The gates of the citadel are closed during the hours of darkness, sealing off the citadel from the rest of the city, except for those on official business.
Farside, as it's name suggests, lies at the far end of the city between the Vasd and Aras rivers is almost entirely inhabited by humans. It centres on Aldor square, the secondary (and much less regulated) marketplace. The warnings that apply to Akis ward are equally applicable here.
This ward, extending along the cliff past the Citadel is where the top people live. The ward is inhabited mainly by kandar nobles, plus a few high-ranking human officials. The town-houses of this ward are spacious and opulent. The streets are well patrolled, and it's relatively safe even at night, unless you have the misfortune to be a human, in which case the city guard will assume you're a thief and arrest and/or hand out a gratuitous beating.
The opposite bank of the river is one of the less wealthy parts of the city, occupied by poorer kandar in the lower streets, and by humans in the upper streets. It's the most cosmopolitan part of the city. While there is a risk of street violence, it's generally safer than Akis or Farside.
The commercial heart of the city, including both the docks and the market place. It has very few permenant inhabitants, unlike Temple and North Cliff that overlook it. By day it's bustling, riverboats being loaded and unloaded at one end, the haggling of market traders at the other. At night it's surprisingly lively too, with a couple of boisterous taverns.
This ward is inhabited by the wealthier citizens and freemen, particularly merchants, mostly kandar, but with a few humans. The wealthiest merchants live in large houses overlooking the harbour, above the warehouses they own. For the City Guard, it's the most heavily patrolled ward after South Cliff
There are several distinct buildings enclosed within the walls of the Citadel, although all are interconnected by a maze of corridors and tunnels.
This vast structure is usually the first thing people see on entering the city. It consists of a massive fifty foot high wall spanning the gorge, with a road running across the top. There are three huge archways in the wall, two spanning roads, the third spanning the river itself. Massive portcullises can close all three arches. Between the arches are two fortified towers, each used as barracks for soldiers from the infantry.
The residence of the Tharn and family. It consists of a large keep surrounded by gardens, with a guest wing built into the city wall affording fine views over the river.
Taking up much of the lower Citadel, this is where the city bureaucracy of clerks and pen-pushers work. The visible part consists of pair of two-storey buildings flanking the approach road to the high citadel. However, most of the important rooms are underground, including the Mint. A network of tunnels link these buildings with all other buildings within the citadel.
This consists of the long building above and behind the courthouse, and the two towers flanking the upper gate. They contain the headquarters of the city guard, and the residence of the Lakentyr. Most of the long house is given over to the private rooms of the Lakentyr, except for a couple of rooms in the basement used as 'interview rooms' The guard use the two towers as the city's police station.
These dank and unpleasant cells extend beneath much of the citadel. They are used to hold prisoners awaiting trial. A staircase leads directly from the main guardroom into the dock in the courtroom. All cells are individually locked, with the entrance to the tunnels leading to the cells also being locked. There are also two large cells into which large numbers of petty criminals are normally thrown.
This is a large barn-like chamber in which the elected Council of the People meets. Since the ground slopes, the front door is at street level, and the back door is well below the street, and leads into a tunnel to the high citadel.
This building is used for all criminal trials within the city. The court sits every day, except for public holidays. The court is an octagonal domed building, with the dock in the centre of the room, and a raised area behind on which sits the judge. Two wings contain administrative offices. The open courtyard in front of the main building is used for public executions, floggings and maimings.
Few people know the true size of this library, which is one of the largest, if not the largest in the world. The most accessible parts contain city financial and legal records. Many people do not realise that the legal end and the city records end are part of the same library. The more remote part contains a vast store of knowledge mostly badly catalogued.
The fortifications of Akis Castle dominate the upper end of the Calbeyn and guard the northern entrance to the city. The gate is always guarded. The castle is the headquarters of the military, and here the Varakeyr and other military men have their offices. As well as containing the city's main garrison, there is also a weaponsmiths and armourers (catering only for the military, of course). The armoury contains large numbers of flamelances and most of the city's surviving magical weapons, as well as the usual swords and pikes. The city-knights of Akis Castle are predicably barracked here, as are the cavalry.
The Karazthan have two buildings, an office in Celkarda street, and a warehouse by the harbour directly below. The only area to which the public are admitted is the office in the upper building. This office is an unprepossing building, build out of the cliffside like so many other buildings in the city. In normal times, there would always be someone behind the counter, day and night, accompanied at night by an armed guard.
The warehouse contains many wondrous thing of great value, and is patrolled by guards armed with magical lightning wands. Mysterious cargoes can sometimes be seen entering and leaving the warehouse in the middle of the night.
This is used as a meeting hall for the city's most powerful guild, and is the place where most mercantile business goes on. It contains a sizeable warehouse for the use of merchants who neither own their own warehouse nor rent space in someone else's. It almost goes without saying that it's always guarded by a considerable number of mercenaries.
Wizard's hill is dominated by the wizards' tower, the tallest building In the city. It consists of a tall windowless spire with a large circular room on top. The spire rises from the highest point of the hill, which is overgrown with vegetation. A narrow path winds up from a gate at street level to a door at the base of the tower. Rumours abound of nasty things which are supposed to be at large in the vegetation. The Academy always refuses to confirm or deny these rumours.
Most of the Academy of the Mind complex is in fact below ground, beneath the hill. Several wizards are resident in the place, although many more live elsewhere in the city. The complex is used for teaching and research, as well as for meetings.
Just about the first question any traveller asks is "where are the inns". Calbeyn has a variety of establishments suiting all tastes and budgets, depending on whether you want a good meal or a good fight.
The sign on the door reads "Drunk for a sixteenth, dead drunk for an eighth, straw to lie on free". Formerly known as The Riverboat, colloquially known as "The Knifing a Night", this establishment is the second roughest tavern in town, frequented by dockers, mercenaries and thugs. It stands at the lower end of the marketplace at the point where it ceases to be the marketplace and becomes the dockside. As befits one of the city's rougher taverns, the building is in a poor state of repair. Brawls are commonplace; it's nickname is well-deserved. The walls are lined with zughru relics, which some claim are mostly fakes. At any rate, nobody has ever tried to steal them.
This tavern is the place to see entertainment of all kinds, and is always completely packed whenever a popular entertainer is performing. It can get a bit rowdy at times. The rather limited accomodation is available for performers only. Under previous management, it was called The Ulsogir.
Recent events include the fire was when a fire-eater's act got slightly out of hand. Fortunately, nobody was hurt this time, and no serious damage was done.
A cheap inn, with about 30 rooms plus 2 large common rooms for those without much money. The bar is usually full of off-duty soldiers due to the inn's proximity to both Akis Castle and the guildhouse of the [Union of Guards]. Brawls are unfortunately all too common. The inn is good place to contact mercenaries.
The large stable associated with the inn consists of several buildings clustered around a courtyard, and does a lot of business quite unconnected with the inn itself.
The most exclusive inn in town, with about 30 rooms. Prices are more than double that of anyone else. The only inn from which humans are excluded (except for staff).
The roughest pub in town, reputedly centre of the criminal underworld. It is the kind of place where everything falls silent whenever a stranger walks in. Brawls are rare, however, because the bouncers stamp on trouble as soon as it starts. There is an illegal gladiator pit in a cavern behind the inn, and many other illegal and immoral activities take place within the inn.
Although the inn is solidly built of stone, it now appears somewhat uncared for. The walls appear to have been painted black some time ago, the black paint now peeling off.
The Vulan's head is a busy tavern, which always seems to be full, morning, day or night, on account of the availability of the best selection of beers in town. It is frequented by merchants, craftsmen and lovers of good beer.
Business here was disrupted by the terrible murder of Karsten Bruestle, a prominent human merchant by an assassin, but the tavern is slowly recovering.
A smallish, fairly quiet tavern frequented by those who are too poor to go to any of the more upmarket taverns, and too scared to go to the Vordral's Head or the Docker's Armpit.
A fairly expensive inn, right in the centre of the city, with over 30 rooms. The inn has the reputation for serving the best food in town.
From the outside, it's a three-story white-walled building, with recently painted black shutters on the windows. During fine weather residents and visitors dine in the garden, just out of reach of the spray of the waterfall. Access is through a narrow gateway leading into the courtyard.
The stables attached to the inn lie on the opposite side of the road, connected to the inn by a tunnel.
The Ford is a reasonable inn with about 10 rooms and a small stable. It is frequented mainly by humans, such as craftsmen, shopkeepers and a few soldiers. This is one of the oldest inns in the city, but has been rebuilt so many times over the years that little or none of the original building remains. The ford itself has long been replaced by a bridge.
The Gates is a sizeable inn with more than 50 rooms. It is of reasonable quality despite it's proximity to the docks, and is popular with visiting merchants.
The jewel is actually an upmarket casino, where the rich go to gamble. Accomodation is extremely limited, only 10 rooms. A lot of rich people lose a lot of money here, explaining the plush decor. Security is tight, with a wizard checking people on the door. This seems to add to the exclusiveness of the place.
A small, discreet gambling house, located above the Great Viaduct. The gambling hall is completely underground, accessed by a faded blue-painted door across the street at the top of the stone steps at the end of the viaduct. (Not maked on map yet)
Six of the Guardians have temples in the city, and those that do not have quite enough worshippers to support a functional temple still manage to support a priest working out of the temple of Karlandra.
By far the largest of the city's temples, the temple of Karlandra can hold upwards of 1000 people. The main building is a huge dome on the top of temple hill. Beneath it is a labyrinth of small rooms. The temple is also used by the priests of Rulana and Esala, who do not have temples of their own in the city. The oracle is usable by the priests of all three guardians.
Sited in the edge of the Anthill, the temple of Kardak appears more like a fortress than a temple, with armed guards at the gates at all times.
The temple of Lakentyr is a tall squarish building, standing appropriately enough next to the lawcourt. The main temple hall is on the top floor, seating about 300 people.
The temple of Ulseth consists of the temple proper, seating 400 people, and a school, which teaches basic literacy and numeracy to the children of the poor. Behind the temple are extensive catacombs, in which those who have been falsely accused of crimes are sometimes given shelter.
The temple of Valarna is effectively the city's hospital.
Usually, a pair of knights of Ulseth the Just stand guard the entrance, an iron gate which gives access to a courtyard. At the rear of this courtyard is the facade of the main building, set into the cliff-face. Tunnels and chambers extend a considerable distance back into the cliffs.
The healers aim to treat anyone who comes to them, turning no-one away. However, their resources are finite, so they must continually appeal to the wealthy for funds.
The temple of Zardor is a tall building near the citadel. The temple proper is below ground, seating only 100. Most of the building is filled with libraries and studys. A feature is the flame of knowledge, which must never go out. The vast libraries extend out under adjacent buildings and are even rumoured to connect up with the libraries of the citadel.
Abdir and his fellows concentrate on producing basic, no frills equipment. Main customers are mercenaries and caravan guards. Abdir himself is part of a vast clan spread over many north-western cities, all of them working as armourers. All of the clan keep in regular contact with each other. (Not maked on map yet)
From this motley collection of low sheds at the far end of town comes the best-selling ale in the area, which is even exported to other cities. (Not maked on map yet)
This weaponsmith's business has traded here for seven generations. The present owner, Celnarath, concentrates his business on producing high-quality weapons and armour. Main customers are nobles and wealthy merchants.
Celnarath currently employs four apprentices, plus a couple of guards-cum-labourers and a couple more clerical staff. (Not marked on map yet)
This stable, located as it is between the docks and the market place is well used by merchants. The bulk of the stable is underground behind the cliff. (Not maked on map yet)
This viaduct was build 200 years ago, and allows people to reach Farside without having to take a detour into the anthill.
Like many other merchant's premises, the merchant's large and opulent house sits on the cliff above the warehouse. A twisting staircase connects the two. Much stock was recently destroyed in a fire, which was believed to have been started deliberately. (Not maked on map yet)
The rather more exclusive public bath, frequented by wealthier clients, almost exclusively kandar.
This is the major landmark of upper end of the city, surfaced as it is in pink marble. It is sixty feet above the surface of the river, and allows people cross from one side of the city to the other without crossing the gorge.
The market place consists of a long strip of land bounded by the river to the south, and the cliff to the north. It is crowded with stalls selling all kinds of produce. All the buildings on the north side are cut into the face of the cliff. On the south side there is a low stone well separating the market place from the river.
A recent major riot occurred after the city guard tried to arrest a street vendor. The street vendor escaped, and several city guards were injured after they came under attack from friends of the vendor.
Calbeyn, being a well-engineered city, has an extensive network of sewars, which mostly run parallel to the river on either side, discharging into the Val so as not to pollute the waters inside the city itself.
This building contains the controls for the sluice gates which maintain the water levels in two reservoirs, and turbines generating electricity for a number of buildings in the city. It is operated and maintained by the Karazthan. The building is guarded by voice-operated locks, restricting access to those who know the password, which changes every week.