Ka-Tepi (KAH-tepp-ee)
Ka-Tepi is a town located in the north-eastern quadrant of the Desert of Desolation, with a permanent population of slightly under four thousand people. On a Sandvoyagers Guild trade route though the desert, it boasts an unusually large and well-appointed bazaar thanks to drawing in people from the surrounding region to trade with the passing caravans. It has a single squad of Durpari Lancers to supplement the town Watch, and is regularly overflown by Airlancers to ensure there are no problems. It is a day's travel from Waset and the Tomb of Tzentak.
The town is led by Mukhtar Sulaimaan el-Jabour, assisted by a council of town elders, including the sage Jafar el-Idris. el-Jabour has held this role for over thirty years, having proven a gifted administrator with the best interests of the town and its people at heart.
One of the best-appointed inns in the town is the Inn of the Laughing Fountain, owned by Al-Jazeed, helped by his wife, son and daughter Tayyiba.
Moneylending and banking services for the town are provided by Kahira, moneylender.
Defences
Ka-Tepi is surrounded by a high mud-brick wall baked hard in the sun, many metres thick and filled with stone rubble from the mines in the nearby mountains. The town has a squad of Durpari Lancers permanently stationed in the town garrison, and is regularly overflown by Durpari Airlancers on patrol sweeps. In addition, the town Watch serves as a police force but is trained to defend the town militarily should the need arise. The towers on the walls hold heavy ballistae for use against attackers, and the town can also call on several retired spellcasters with significant magical ability between them.
The Watch are well trained and equipped, and a squad of guardsmen will be at the scene of an emergency within moments of the alarm being raised. The town Watch includes Sergeant Amar el-Taran, Rasheed and Kiran Jeshef.
Industry & Trade
Sitting on the largest water source in the desert, and at the intersection of several caravan routes, Ka-Tepi is a flourishing town despite its small size in terms of permanent inhabitants. The main Ka-Tepi Bazaar is several times the size of that in a normal town, as it allows caravans to meet, trade goods, and re-equip before proceeding on their journey or returning to their origin town with fresh goods. As Ka-Tepi takes a percentage of profit from trades happening in the bazaar, the town is quite well off financially. The fact that a significant amount of those fees is invested into the security, protection and comfort of the merchants ensures they keep coming back.
Natural Resources
A number of farms sit outside the town walls, around the endorheic lake known as Lake Tepi. This basin catches water during the winter and runoff from the surrounding area, but does not drain. As a result, it is one of the few lakes and year-round water sources in the desert. A number of trees have grown in the surrounding area and are carefully protected, helping to ensure that the region remains habitable.
Stone is quarried from the nearby Dragon's Tooth Mountains, and mines in the mountains extract valuable metals and gems.
Founding Date
563
Type
Town
Population
3,800
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Comments