SESAMAR CITY: WESTERN LANDS OF SESAMAR
| Socioeconomics: | Poor and Working Class |
| Ruling Body: | King Jorin Brightblade & Esteemed Council of Kornas |
| Maps: | Sesamar Region |
| Rumors: | See below |
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| Sesamar City, Western Lands |
This is a port city, east of Kornas. It exists as a trading hub for Kornas, Xon, Evandelith, and Vullaria (not Poxsmuth nor Joria due to their negative reputations). One can find spices, stones, foods, woods, leathers, and metals. The port city is run efficiently and justly because it is heavily influenced by the law of Kornas.
Clerics are plentiful here as it is the spiritual center of the region. This is so because Sesamar infused with Desamar is all that exists. It unites all religions here.
While traders are busy making fair deals, clerics are blessing the ships, traders, travelers, and shipments. It also allows representatives of Kornas easy inspection of the shipments.
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Sesamar, named in reverence for The Twin Gods, hums with a quiet piety. Pilgrims with worn sandals and clerics cloaked in humility walk its cobbled streets, their presence a constant reminder of the city's devotion. Unlike the ostentatious displays of wealth found elsewhere, Sesamar embraces a humbler beauty. Buildings, though well-maintained, lack ostentatious flourishes, their clean lines reflecting the city's dedication to service.
The lifeblood of Sesamar flows through its bustling port. Here, a song of commerce unfolds -- weathered fishermen hawk their day's catch, merchants haggle over common goods, and healers with gentle hands offer solace to weary travelers. Despite the commercial heart, a sense of serenity pervades. The rhythmic clanging of ship bells and the cries of gulls overhead are the city's soundtrack, a calming counterpoint to the usual clamor of trade.
Several quaint chapels, their doors perpetually open, beckon the faithful and weary alike. Within their hallowed walls, flickering candles cast a warm glow, offering a sanctuary for prayer and reflection.
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Notable Taverns/Bars/Inns: Tides (I), Desamar (T), and Joy (T).
Tides (Inn)
The inn is close to the shoreline and the docks. While the exterior wooden structure is sturdy, it appears worn by the salt air. There is a nautical motif -- blue colors and the sign shows a great tide. Inside, there is lot of armed chairs wrapped in rope, plaques of fish hanging on walls (some large), and an artistic piece made from planks of wood next to a counter.
The innkeepers are Jorn and Slu Bassmaster, but their teen Gertrud runs the counter. She is capable of running the place and does a lot of the work, considering her father has a peg leg.
Travelers find the rooms to be simple, neat, and clean. For extra fees, Slu will prepare special foods and drinks, but only for those who stay at the inn. She makes hearty white chowder soups (1s) and fish meals (1s). Jorn makes a homemade ale called No Fish Bassmaster. He assures guests that it is not made from fish and that it contains a berry mash from Bolalius. It is sweet, but strong.
It is not exactly a quiet inn because there is always activity going on to and from ships that transport goods. The evenings are not bad. Sounds of the water lapping the shore can be heard throughout the night.
| | Description | Cost/Night |
| Rooms 1-6 | These rooms are clean and neat. They sleep up to 6 people (3 people per bed). They are provided with a chamber pot, bowl of fresh water for cleaning, and candles. | 1s pp |
| Rooms 7&8 | These two rooms contain three beds, which mean they sleep 9. They are slightly larger rooms but are similar to rooms 1 - 6. | 1s pp |
| Winter Solstice | Five days before and after the Winter Solstice, all rooms are at least twice their usual cost due to high demand. | (2+)x |
Desamar (T)
Desamar is bright white and clean, far from the docks. The interior has soft lighting from too few oil lamps. There are numerous, small religious plaques on the walls, as if an ode to all good gods. Good religious characters will find a symbol of their deity on a wall. Table clothes and utensils are on the tables.
This establishment does not allow foul language nor bad behavior. It exists in honor of all that it holy and just. Speaking or acting bad here is an affront to the creation and the creators.
Barmaid Flistil is often here running the place.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Ramased Wine | This red wine is smooth, complex, and comes highly desired. It is named out of honor to the city, and is rose red. | 2s |
| Beer Creation | It contains hops from Nithnamar. It is crisp, light and wholesome. | 1s |
| Fish Dish | This is freshly caught fish (halibut, tuna, yellowtail, cod, sea trout), usually served with steamed vegetables, and a potato. | 1s |
| Ramased Stew | This is a (Kornas) beef stew. It is hearty, thick, and (almost) plentiful enough to fill a dwarf's belly. | 1s |
Joy (T)
Joy has no front door. It is located in the town center, just above the docks along a raised area of land. Entering inside, travelers will find yellow tapestries and tablecloths. All the clay mugs are painted yellow and have a yellow smiley face. This tavern has a musician who performs every Friday and Saturday nights. People sing along to common songs and occasionally dance.
The owner is a very chipper Joy Barsmith. Depending on the number of customers, she has Klenna, Lara, and Hilda.
| Item | Description | Cost |
| Delight | This blue wine contains berry pulp. It is tangy and has a high alcohol content. | 1s |
| Exultation | This red wine is tart and slightly sweet. | 1s |
| Glee | This ale is dark red, frothy, and refreshing on a warm day. | 1s |
| Happiness | This ale is coal black, slightly sweet, and has a high alcohol content. This is a sought-after drink especially when it is cold and certainly near the Winter Solstice. | 2s |
| Rejoice | This is an assortment of three quality cheeses to choose from and it comes with bread. The cheese options are: a) salty and creamy, b) sharp and dry, and c) aged and acidic. One order is a hearty amount for 3 people. | 2s |
Notable Establishments: Evjyn Transport, Plorvik Shipbuilding, Medelthia's Meditations
Evjin Transport
At the docks, Evjin Transport is open for business. There is plenty of signs alerting people of its presence. Evjin is a thick 6', 40-something with a strange shipper-barbarian accent. It is no-nonsense and direct. He is in charge of running the shipping business. His business is well-known and has a positive reputation for being honest and accurate. He ships people and products north to the islands, east to Xon, and south to Vullaria. He has several ships that rotate throughout the region. The cost matrix for moving one person with the equivalent of a full large backpack (with ordinary gear) is below. Use these abbreviations for locations.
| Abbreviations for Shipping Matrix |
| Sesamar | S |
| Tantilus | Ta |
| Nithnamar | N |
| Timithios | Ti |
| Trofi | Tr |
| Caliptokos | C |
| Xon | X |
| Vullaria | V |
| SHIPPING MATRIX: Human Transport (Cost PP in Silver) |
| | S | Ta | N | Ti | Tr | C | X | V |
| S | - | 1 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 75 | 80 | 100 |
| Ta | 1 | - | 20 | 30 | 50 | 75 | 80 | 100 |
| N | 20 | 20 | - | 10 | 30 | 55 | 60 | 80 |
| Ti | 30 | 30 | 10 | - | 20 | 45 | 50 | 70 |
| Tr | 50 | 50 | 30 | 20 | - | 25 | 30 | 50 |
| C | 75 | 75 | 55 | 45 | 25 | - | 5 | 25 |
| X | 80 | 80 | 60 | 50 | 30 | 5 | - | 20 |
| V | 100 | 100 | 80 | 70 | 50 | 25 | 20 | - |
Evjin can ship people across the sea at a rate of approximately 100 miles/day and charges roughly 10 s/day. This rate is adjusted for safety, which means some legs of the journey are more complicated than others and complications translate to more time.
Evjin runs a transport system to Kornas, as well. His business hauls materials people to and from Sesamar and Kornas. He has carts, wagons, and coaches.
| TRANSPORT TO/FROM KORNAS |
| Cart (self-pull) | 10 s |
| Cart (human) | 15 s |
| Cart (horse) | 20 s |
| Wagon (with horse) | 40 s |
| Coach (with two horses) | 50 s |
Deposits are required, which are returned upon the surrender of transportation equipment.
Plorkiv Shipbuilding
Less than a mile south of Sesamar, Plorkiv Shipbuilding is tirelessly working to make boats. It constructs warships, galleys, barges, and boats. You name it; it builds it. He has contracts with Kornas and other shipping companies. If his team is too busy, he will outsource business to reputable builders. The Plorkiv males (father and 7 sons) are brown-haired, brown and rough-skinned, wirey people.
Medelthia's Meditations
This business is the equivalent of a spa. It is clean, neat, and smells of flowers, delicate oils, and lotions. It offers several meditative services.
| Service | Description | Cost |
| Counseling | A trained counselor will ascertain issues, develop plans, and help execute plans. | 1s/hr |
| Group Prayer | A leader will offer encouraging, non-denominational positive encouragement to help participants through the challenges of life. | 1s/hr |
| One-on-One Meditation | This is a personalized experience that offers a variety of elements to help calm the human spirit. Elements can include incense, prayer, water, air, food, ... | (2+)s/hr |
| Massage | A clinical massage is performed. | 4s/hr |
| Stretching | The participant will be led through a series of stretches and poses. These motions are designed to lower stress and build flexibility. | 1s/hr |
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Medelthia's Meditations has several pools. One is 10' long by 8' wide. It has a depth of 3' but slopes down to 4.5' at one end. This pool is temperature controlled by a stone that magically releases heat. The hidden stone can be lowered or raised from the water via a set of cranks and large screws. The temperature of the water can be made cold via a flow of fresh river water or very hot -- over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Medelthia's services are known to accept hard cases and perform free counseling services for the poor. Medelthia also works closely with the clerics of Kornas concerning difficult cases, if necessary.
Rumors
- A great tidal wave will one day wipe clean the city of Sesamar. It is believed this is so because humans are not pious enough to stop the wrongs in the world, which has given rise to the chaos of this era.
- The lavishness that exists in Nolos, Tantilus, is thought to be the cause of the chaos of this era. A great gold golem will be erected there and it will destroy Nolos, Sesamar City, and all of Sesamar.
- Fishermen are having a harder and harder time getting fish. Their nets are less full and they have to sail farther from shore and closer to the chaos of the sea. Soon, all the fish will be gone and humans and demi-humans alike will starve to death.
- People claim they have seen a flying longship sailing between the waterspouts. Tales include the sounds of a cackling pirate and the sight of a darkhaired man. It usually occurs during mild storms.
