Tarmadon

Small City: Population 8,642 (85% lynoxi, 7% human, 5% vesperkin, 3% other)

History

Tarmadon was founded in the early Reckoning period after Geledon to the north went rogue, choosing to build their economy on crime due to the loss of trade from Thalassarion. The city was seen as a "replacement" to Geledon, as it was in a better position to receive southern trade coming from Myr and Gothir; and because the city is seated atop a large rocky plateau that extends a few hundred feet out to sea, giving it a similar feel to Geledon's rock. It took a long time for Tarmadon to come into its own and begin to expand, as it was founded during the most tumultuous period of Aellorah's history, a period marked by frequent Wellspring eruptions. When the Roiling Dunes anomaly appeared, this deterred even more settlers from relocating here for fear that the dunes which had already swallowed two towns would expand and take Tarmadon with them.

It wasn't until the Restoration period when Tarmadon began to grow, especially after the Yzerid Unification War. In the last few centuries it has rapidly grown and has become a thriving trade hub. Though the Yzerid Desert has few valuable exports, it provides a much safer trade route to reach southern Arak from Myr for merchants traveling to cities like Vardanorr, rather than circling around northern Arak and risking getting caught in The Squall. Some cut this travel time by almost half by traveling along the western coast of Arak past the Dreaming Wastes, but this is considered hazardous due to the unknown nature of what caused Thalassarion's destruction.

Government

The city falls under the jurisdiction of Tamond Blackstrand, the magistrate of Tellanorr, far to the northeast. Due to the fact that the Yzerid Desert has so few large settlements, the Republic has rejected notions of Tarmadon having its own magistrate, for fear that lingering tensions from the Yzerid Unification War centuries ago may lead to a full secession from the Synodical Republic. Every time the locals have seriously entertained the thought of breaking away from Tellanorr's jurisdiction, soldiers from Vardanorr have been dispatched to suppress dissent. This has caused a great deal of strain, with the rest of the Republic worrying that this could lead to a rebellion.

Tamond Blackstrand was born in Tarmadon, and the fact that he now has jurisdiction over Tarmadon from afar has angered many locals, who see him as a quisling. Many disparage his name openly in the streets, and a handful of local Humans who have chosen to report their disdain for their magistrate have gone missing. Many believe a Lynoxi should represent Tarmadon, believing that choosing a minority to represent their city was blatant racism and favoritism. This causes some tension with the local Human residents. However, it is not a unilateral opinion, and there are many who support Tamond due to the fact that Humans have suffered so much since the Grave Rot Plague.

Economy

Tarmadon sees all naval trade entering the Yzerid, and the majority of trade entering southern Arak. The Yzerid Desert's environment does not produce much worth exporting, though Tarmadon does have access to a material known as Shiftsand which is highly sought after in the crafting community, as it is the finest sand in the world, and is highly valuable in glass making; specifically, lenses. There are also farms that grow the Sirocco flower, known for producing Sirocco spice, popular in Myr and Arak for its warm, earthy flavor with hints of sweetness and smokiness. Tarmadon is also known for producing the finest ships in the world, bringing sailors from far to purchase their vessels.

Being in the harsh heat of the Yzerid, many imported goods are used to survive the environment. The Dwarves of Reshyk provide a material called Glaicierium, a cheap form of ice that never melts, and can be reformed by exposure to Flow; which is used as an insulating material in buildings to keep them cool and to preserve food. Additionally, as the Yzerid is so hostile to plant life, most of the region's food is imported. Some food is able to be cultivated through magical means or around oases, but such areas are rare. The city does import some of the wood used to construct its ships, but given the proximity of the Rordan Then to the north, the bulk of their lumber comes from there.

Notable Locations

• The Oases - A series of artificial oases throughout the city that are tended by Quen's followers. They are used as spots for locals to bathe to keep the heat at bay and a place to lounge. The caretakers purify the water at the start of each day and they are gathering spots for communal food festivals once per month.
• The Moonlit Strand - A quarter of a mile south of the harbor, there is a sandbar leading to a small religious monument dedicated to Quen. However, the ocean covers it up the majority of the time, with the waters receding just enough to walk out to it only during Quen's full moon. Many of the Lynoxi locals make monthly pilgrimages to this monument to pray and make offerings hoping to be blessed by her. The monument is a simple hexagonal monolith with a hole through it at an angle that, during a full moon, aligns perfectly with Quen, casting a dim circle of light onto the ground, which the locals believe will bestow a blessing onto those that kneel within its light and pray. None alive know where this monolith came from.
• The Pit - A large quicksand pit north of the city that is frequently used by criminals to dump bodies. The pit is patrolled by Enforcers, but due to its sheer size and danger, they keep their distance; so many are able to sneak around them at night, or simply pay them off.

Culture

With such a high density Lynoxi population, Tarmadon is very much adapted to their interests and comfort. The city's architecture has buildings with open air structures to protect from the sun while letting air pass through, but the majority of homes are well-insulated sandstone structures with a layer of Glaicierium in the walls to keep them cool. The Lynoxi enjoy having places to lounge, so there are many public benches and artificial parks with palm trees around bodies of water and grass grown using magic. The city has artificially grown vegetation all around, both to provide shade, and for comfort. There are numerous planter pots containing everything from trees and shrubs to food and herbs. The city utilizes magically grown farms to grow some of their food. Surviving the heat also requires light and airy clothing, so the Lynoxi typically wear flared out pants with openings on the sides to let air in with sashes and either open vests or ponchos.

The Lynoxi love fruit, and there are numerous fruit stands found throughout the city where you can get a mixture of fruits grown in the city's artificial oases. The Lynoxi do not share the love for spicy foods that northern Arakians do, as it only compounds the discomfort brought on by the heat of the desert. There is a vibrant sailing culture throughout the city, with many shops dedicated to producing custom sails, ship furniture, and ship's weapons, among other things. The Lynoxi are renowned worldwide for their proficiency in navigation, especially in sailing, and are sought after to teach beginners. There are also two competitive sports played on the water enjoyed by many who visit the city, including "Nosaradir" ("water frenzy" which involves diving from small wind surfing boards to collect objects thrown into the water all over the bay, and "Duravalen" ("balance contest") ; a sport where players balance on beams on a complicated obstacle course style gymnasium suspended over the water and must knock each other off without falling in themselves.

The Lynoxi also offer their services as guides around the Yzerid for those who are unaware of its hazards, especially the many quicksand pits that have caused many merchants to meet an early end.

Defenses

The Yzerid is a harsh environment, and thus, bandits are infrequent. Creatures do roam the desert, though the rocky plateau Tarmadon rests upon protects it from many of the burrowing ones. Enforcers patrol the dunes surrounding the city, but the real danger lies out to sea. With so much trade coming into port, piracy is a given. The Enforcers have a naval division called the "Rastamudid" that patrol the ocean surrounding the city, escorting merchants into port and driving away pirates. The Rastamudid are almost like celebrities to some, with many gathering in port to celebrate their arrival when they manage to capture a group of pirates. However, some in the city have the same opinion of the pirates themselves, idolizing their life of open sea bootlegging.

The city itself is protected from most common monstrous creatures in the desert due to its elevation, but occasionally specific creatures may find their way into the city. The city adopted a similar layout to Tellanorr, placing buildings on the outer edge of the city close together, connecting their walls, to disallow entry besides through the city gates. However, some are craftier than others, such as Goblins, and can scale the walls. The Emerald Company maintains a presence in the city for this reason. Once outside the city, travelers would be wise to hire an escort that can help them cross the desert without attracting the attention of such creatures, as they have special vehicles adapted to crossing the sands, called "Rin Mogan", which are like sleds with sails attached that can be propelled across the dunes using wind magic.

Crime

Despite the efforts of the Rastamudid, piracy is a very common profession among Tarmadon's citizens. It can vary in severity from sneaking aboard docked ships to steal goods, to capturing ships at sea and hauling the entire ship into small islands to stash their ill-gotten gains. It is not uncommon for such encounters to get merchants killed if they are not careful. Given that Tarmadon produces some of the finest ships in the world, many pirates grew up constructing ships of their own, so there are a variety of different types of unique ship prowling the ocean. Pirates are admired by many for their perceived freedom and exciting lifestyles, but the Rastamudid and the Enforcers show them no such respect; pirates are sometimes imprisoned for their crimes, but many are outright executed.