City of Treasures
City of Æzàlar
- Ruler(s) – Council of Lords
- Population – Æzàlaryr 65,320 (650 DR)
- Elevation – 35 feet
A large city sits on the edge of the Great Esh and the Mar Dekàli. Approaching ships are dazzled by it’s white and gold sun-baked towers, rising majestically into a blue sky. Stone piers jut like a hundred long spears into the ocean, accommodating any sized ship that might cross the horizon. Each pier hosts a dozen ships, each with a line of workers carrying crates and barrels to and from shore in their blue kaftans. As one draws closer to the city itself, you hear the rhythmic din of commerce from every plaza, street corner, and window. The doors and windowsills are draped with colorful banners, drawing your eye here and there. Thousands of bearded men with leathery brown hands beckon you to their doorways, their stalls, selling all manner of goods from the world over. Coins from a hundred kingdoms swiftly trade hands. After a few moments of pushing through the crowds one realizes that there is nothing that cannot be bought or sold in the bazaars of Æzàlar.
Wards
Landmarks
- Jewel Market. No where in Æzàlar are the Zad’ir Guard more prevalent than in the Market of Jewels. As the label implies, the Jewel Market is a giant trading center for gem and jewelry merchants from around the world. There are plenty of merchants willing to trade or appraise stones for coin. There are even guild-sponsored specialists on hand for second and third opinion appraisals. It is fair to assume that jewels of all sizes and varieties are available in the market within any given month. All problems at the Jewel Market are dealt with quickly and harshly, as more coin passes through this Circle in a day than all the other Æzàlar markets combined. The lure of big scores occasionally inspire thieves to try their fingers where others haved fail. Success can be fleeting however, for those that the Zad’ir Guard do not capture, the wizards often find.
- Kry Sòlyzámir. The largest building of Tower Heart is the royal residence, Kry Sòlyzamir. A beautiful structure, the palace consists of a wide central tower topped with a gilt and painted dome whose gleam can be seen from every district of the city. From this central structure radiate three colonnaded wings terminating in elegant spires. The spires in turn are connected to one another by an outer structure which hides the private gardens and pools. Outside the palace ring, a larger maze garden twists and turns through a collection of statuary collected from every known kingdom. Though the maze garden is officially open to the public, it is closed for tending on all days, except for monthturn.
- Kyrm Oryzálan
- Myamōlyah Market. Also known as the Outer Market or Fools Market, Myamōlyah is the first marketplace that most visitors to Æzàlar encounter when entering the city. The deals and prices of the Myamōlyah Market are outrageously expensive and cater to those newcomers who are not familiar or savvy enough to realize that the real market is several blocks deeper into the city. The moneychangers here charge a premium for their services, asking nearly 20% off the top of all exchanges. To make matters worse, there are few merchants in the city that require the moneychangers’ services. Most are willing to deal in the native coin of other realms.
- Ôldyuh Market
- Silk Market. The Silk Market caters to all sellers and buyers of textiles, furs, and clothing. Shoppers can find all manner of goods including: elegant Lyrasti robes, rare Teréðori furs, and golden thread spun by the hands of Eylfāe virgins. The streets and avenues emptying into the market are lined with giant exotic bolts of all colors and patterns. The East side of the market is piled with heavy rugs from the Caphàri Coast and centennial tapestries from the Ring of Saráddir. Next to the rugs one can find tables stacked high with rare wools, elaborate looms, and untold collections of dyes. Perhaps the most famous vendor of the Silk Market is an old Sha’al Alas who sells selha thread; believed to be strands of pure magical energy extracted from the Ether.
- Soldyámuh Market. The largest market in the city, Soldyámuh is renown as one of the most diverse marketplaces in the world. Merchants from everywhere gather here to sell all manner of goods. Most politics and religion are set aside when entering the marketplace, so it is not uncommon to find long-standing enemies engaged in a wide range of trading. The only people that are unwelcome are Odárad. Even this restriction has seen exception. In 642 DR, a Zrū arrived from the East having walked alone across the Great Esh to find a purchaser for a sword he’d found in an ancient tomb (or so he claimed). He stood outside the city for three days until the merchants arranged for him to be escorted to the market by Zad’ir Guards so that they could get a closer look at the treasure, and begin bidding. Eylfāe, though rare, have been seen in the streets of Æzàlar, warily looking over the shoulders. Their crafts are highly prized, even among natives of the Old Empire.