KORNAS (CAPITAL CITY): WESTERN LANDS OF SESAMAR
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| Kornas, Western Lands |
This city is beautiful, but humble. It is a practical and active city. There are a high number of diverse shops, mostly small homes, and tradesmen.
Travelers from Sesamar see a sprawling city and a castle on a large hill. The castle's 40-foot rough stone walls are impressive. To enter it, one must pass through its mighty portcullis.
Kornas is the White City, the city of law and order. It has strict laws concerning trade, conduct, cleanliness, and spiritual practices. There is an ever-present city guard that will strictly enforce its many rules (and fines/penalties for breaking rules).
Kornas has a significant book and scroll repository, called the Library of Pomon. Entrance is free, but the books are highly prized and protected accordingly, as patrons must view them in public spaces. Scribes can be hired next to the Library of Pomon, at Yidilius.
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Kornas, the capital of Sesamar, thrums with an energy as vibrant as the golden fields that surround it. Wheat rippling in the breeze and the lowing of cattle announce your approach long before the city itself rises into view. Bustling streets teem with life -- merchants hawk their wares with lively banter, traders haggle over exotic goods, and street vendors tempt passersby with the aroma of freshly baked bread.
But beneath the surface of commercial hustle lies a deeper purpose. A palpable sense of pride radiates from the people of Kornas. Their city gleams with a well-maintained order, a testament to their unwavering dedication. A spark of righteousness flames in their eyes, a reflection of Sesamar's core: the paladins who defend the realm. This spark is infectious, a subtle undercurrent that hints at the city's unwavering commitment to justice and defense of what is right.
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Kornas is well-known for its paladins and consequent desire to conquer evil in the realm. All paladins in training are seperated by sex. Males are trained at Astolgondas (White Cliffs). Females are trained at Timitheos (Chain of Islands, Sea of Fate).
It has cattle ranches (best beef in Sesamar) and it grows corn and wheat.
Notable Taverns/Bars/Inns: Devotion (I), Paladin's Place (I), Gobble Goblin (T), Truth and Honor (T), Guiding Light (T), and The Exclusive (T).
Devotion (Inn)
One can gain lodging within this large inn with the correct "devotion." Innkeepers here never use the words gold, silver, or copper. Instead, they refer to those coins by using the terms double devotions, devotions, and half-devotions, respectively. This phraseology is in respect to the twin gods, Sesamar and Desamar.
The purple-themed inn is upscale. It has thick, detailed tapestries, ornate furniture, carved wooden staircases and handholds, large chambers, and specialty cuisines.
The dining area is subdued. It has an open area surrounded by a ring or private areas. These items below are available most of the time.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Wine | There are a variety of wines: red, rose, and white. | 4s |
| Beer | Hops from Nithnamar, these types are available: nutty, hoppy, or high alcohol and semi-sweet. | 3s |
| Ale | This is a cloudy, fruity semi-sweet, high alcohol ale. | 3s |
| Fish Dish | This is freshly caught fish (halibut, tuna, yellowtail, cod, sea trout), usually served with steamed vegetables, and a potato. It comes with a delicious light tomato cream sauce. | 3s |
| Beef Dish | This is fine Kornas beef. It is a thick cut and it comes with a deep tangy sauce. | 5s |
| Round Beef | A beef delicacy, it is one round beef testicle. It is slow-cooked in special broth. It has been reported to be a tasty, bold-flavored aphrodisiac. | 1g |
| Quail Stew | This common meaty stew is made with ale and walnuts. However, it is prepared with mellow berries for a surprising layer of complexity. | 5s |
The rooms Devotion has available are described below.
| | Description | Cost/Night |
Common Rooms
Rooms 1-20 | These rooms are large. They contain a large bed, wooden closets, and chests with blankets. They sleep up to 3 people (3 people per bed). They are provided with a chamber pot, bowl of fresh water for cleaning, candles, and fruit plate. | 1g pp |
High Rooms
Rooms 21-25 | These rooms are larger than the previous rooms and they are considerably more lavish. These rooms are in a separate area from the other rooms. | 2g pp |
Cloud Rooms
Rooms 26 & 27 | The Cloud Rooms are larger than the High Rooms. The rooms contain a light blue theme of clouds and stars. These rooms are in a separate area from all the other rooms. They also come with a personal attendant who will care for the individual needs of all occupants (extra fees may apply). | 5g pp |
Paladin's Place (Inn)
This inn is a no-nonsense inn for travelers. Heavily barred wooden doors mark the entrance, like the entrance to a monk's keep. Two large iron knockers, one per door, lay upon them. An anti-chamber and attendant are found immediately thereafter. Beyond it is a great chamber. Long worn tables invite travelers to eat here. While the atmosphere is orderly and appropriate, the mood is always thick and tough.
Here are the foods and drinks it offers.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Goblet of Wine | It is red. Simple. What do you want? This is a basic lodging in an extra-ordinary city. | 1s |
| Mug of Ale | It is frothy. There's a lot and it has medium strength. | 1s |
| Meat Stew | Made from glorious Kornas beef, it has peas, carrots, and potatoes. It's filling. It is the perfect meal after being on the road. | 2s |
| Fish Dish | Common fish. Potato. Vegetables. It isn't for fighters. | 2s |
The rooms it has available are described below.
| | Description | Cost/Night |
| Rooms 1-30 | These rooms are small. They contain two large beds and a chest with blankets. They sleep up to 6 people (3 people per bed). They are provided with a chamber pot. | 1s pp |
| Rooms 31-40 | These rooms are larger than the previous rooms and they are slightly more lavish. They contain a single bed each. | 2s pp |
Gobble Goblin (Tavern)
The exterior of the tavern is painted with sketches of childlike goblins. Their mischievous faces hold a hint of evil -- a reminder to children of the horrors that live far away in the realm.
Inside, patrons are each handed a wooden mask of a goblin. Everyone is expected to wear the mask. Everyone.
The waitstaff look like warlocks and witches. The environment is light-hearted. and everything has a sickly, shabby, green color.
Here are the foods and drinks it offers.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Mug of Ale | It is... somehow... green. | 1s |
| 'Goblin' of Wine | They say it tastes like a simple red wine, but it's... green. It comes in a goblet that looks like a goblin's head. | 1s |
| Shredded Meat | It looks like what a goblin would eat: questionable at best. However, the meat is succulent and it is likely to be mutton, but it could contain chicken, beef, or pork. There is a green leafy object that comes with it, of course. | 1s |
The experience includes short people who are dressed as goblins running through the place being chased by waitstaff. The 'goblins' mess with the patrons as they wind through the place and get shooed out through the front, green, door. Patrons are allowed to smack a 'goblin's' hand if one gets too personal.
Truth and Honor (Tavern)
This is a paladin's dream tavern. It has drink, great service, spirited conversation, and lively music.
Here are the drinks it offers.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Goblet of Wine | The choices are red and white. The reds are strong. The whites are fruity. | 1s |
| Mug of Ale | It is frothy. There's a lot and it has medium strength. | 1s |
| Dragon Ale | It has a red hue. It's strong with a weird heat as an after-taste. It tastes fantastic. Have 4 at the bar without falling and the 5th is free, but you better not get out of hand. | 3s |
| Dwarven Ale | They say it is imported from Xon, but different than the ale from Guiding Light. It's light-colored, mildly sweet then slightly sour dry, and a very strong. It is made with apples. The mug is short and extra wide (wink). | 3s |
| Truth Be Told | It is a dark, slightly sweet beer. It is extremely strong! It is said that consuming too much will make you say deep secrets. | 4s |
Guiding Light (Tavern)
Feet above the entrance is a light that permanently shines, whether light or dark, cloudy, rainy, or snowy. It always shines.
This tavern is usually lively. Copper and tin adornments to the gods are all over the walls. Well-kept shields that honor the gods hang on the ceilings. With a fiery hearth ablaze, the light dances all over the place.
A long-haired, light-colored dog named Dromas roams the tavern. She is a kind dog and is good with all the patrons, but she sometimes likes to escape. So do as the sign says on the door, "Don't let the dog out!"
Here are the drinks it offers.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Fruit Wine | The choices are blueberry, blackberry, and cherry red wines. | 1s |
| Tallali Ale | It is made from hot milk, honey, and ale. | 2s |
| Jonrun's Mead | It is a semi-sweet alcoholic drink made from water, honey and lemon. The honey comes from a local bee-keeper. | 3s |
| Dwarven Ale | They say it is imported from Xon, but different than the ale from Truth and Honor. It's rusty-colored, slightly sweet, and a very strong. It is made in part from pumpkin rinds. | 3s |
The Exclusive (Tavern, Membership Only)
The entrance to this place is simple. Above a small, fortified door hangs a sign, which states the name of the tavern. Two large doormen greet members. Yes, it is members only.
It is said:
- It is often frequented by aristocrats.
- The drinks are free.
- Membership requires getting a recommendation by a current member and paying 30g/year.
- New members must undergo an initiation process.
Rumors
- In the Great Forest, a vicious clan of druids practices human sacrifices. Its mission is to call upon a serpent god, named Calix, to enslave, eat, and eliminate all humans, who are said to be responsible for the chaos of this era.
- Rumors specific to The Exclusive (members only tavern, see above):
- Moaning can be heard emanating from the tavern during strange hours.
- The exclusive tavern hosts mysterious rituals in private areas.
- The tavern is a coven for vampires.
- A righteous guild of peasants, called the Doves, has organized in Kornas. Its goal is to overthrow the rulership.
- The only reason why the king hasn't wiped out evil in the Eastern Lands is because he has spies in the Paksmuth and Joria.
- Fishermen report seeing beastly upright walking monsters sailing far south of the Gulf of Mora. They say as a ship came close, they were spooked by it. The fishermen unfurled their sails and were able to sail away. However, the ship got close enough to the fishermen to see these beasts on boad the ship. The fishermen distinctly heard human cries coming from the ship along with the sounds of whip cracks.
