Last Updated: April 08, 2009

TARANTIS

The city of Tarantis is the perfect location for those "unsavory" types.  It has a population of about 6000 people making it a nice sized city.  The city itself is Ruled by a man named Kalob Maldor.  He has ruled here since you can remember.  The seat of leadership can be claimed by anyone of stature (i.e. wealth or nobility) which is able to successfully assassinate the current ruler.  This has been the way of succession since the city was founded.  Needless to say since rulers tend to come to power through violence, many crimes go unpunished as long as the "troublemaker" has the coins to buy off the right people.  This tends to make the town a very rough place, quite often with merchants dispatching troublemakers in their own manner instead of leaving it up to the local authorities.  Hired thugs are very common and it is usually in a persons best interest to stay out of their way. 

Districts of the city: Names of the sections don't necessarily mean that only that type of business or activity is carried out there, they are just nicknames that the local populace has given them.

Palace: 

    Not much you know about this place except that Kalob Maldor lives here.  You have never seen the inside of the walls that surround it and it is probably best that that’s true.  Rumors of what Kalob does to his unwanted "guests" are not pleasant.

Noble Section:

     This is the area of the city where the lesser nobles both live and spend their time.  There is a museum, playhouse, in addition to personal residences.  Usually these places are well guarded.

Merchant Section:

     This is the area where the wealthier citizens shop, or where specialty items can be purchased.  Places like a gem cutter or a jeweler would be found here. 

Temple Row:

     All religions that build a temple in the city, must build it within this section.  Currently there are about a dozen differently shaped buildings within this area.  They range in shape from circular, to triangular, to hexagonal.  (if your interested in the religions of the city for your character, let me know).

Sage's section:

     In this section of town you will find businesses that are engaged in more specialized pursuits.  Things like alchemists, animal trainers, the local guilds, etc. 

Shopkeepers Section:

     Here is where you will find your more mundane businesses.  Things like tailors, bakers, carpet weavers, barrel makers, etc.

Tradesman’s section:

     This is by far the largest section of the city.  Here all types of business's can be found.  Most businesses will be similar to those found in the shopkeepers section, but in addition, business's that might actually have a guild associated with them will be found here.  Things like carpenters, masons, roofers, etc.

Thieves section:

     This is the area of town where all the less that reputable business's can be found.  Places like brothels, Tattoo parlors, Disreputable inns, etc.  The thieves guild is also located within this area.  People caught in illegal acts in this section of town usually wind up lying face down in a gutter with their throats slit, many times for the smallest of offenses. 

Wharf District:

     This is the area where ships land to unload and load their cargoes.  Large warehouses are a common sight lining the docks.  The Docks themselves are enclosed within a wall which ships must pass though to both enter and exit the city. 

Bazaar:

     This is the local marketplace of the city.  Both farmers and travelers can set up a booth here and sell their wares.  On any given weekday there can be found between 15-30 booths, and on weekends this number frequently exceeds 100.

Things to note about all the districts. 

In all districts except palace, temple, and the bazaar, a person can find inns and pubs to frequent.  The quality of the place obviously reflecting its location.  In addition to arriving by sea, there are two exits to the city.  One to the east and another to the south.  Except for farms, a couple of stables and an inn, there is little of interest outside the city walls. 

While guards do patrol all sections of the city, a person with a quick wit and a few coins can usually talk his way out of most minor troubles they get themselves into.  A person with no money living in the city is a very bad thing!  People who are stopped and questioned (a not uncommon occurrence) are expected to "tip" their questioners.  Being caught without money can very easily mean a trip to the dungeons or worse, being sold to the slaver in town.

Slavery is legal in Tarantis and is a fairly common sight.  Once a person has been sold into slavery it is almost always a life time position.  People who have no means to support themselves are very quickly sold into slavery to "help them contribute to society".  Needless to say people who have no means of support go to great lengths to keep out of sight of the city guards.

      ^      ^   ^           ^    ^    ^                   ^              ***

    ^  ^  ^        ^    ^          ^       ^      ^^   ^      ^    ^  ** ***

^           __  ^         __   ^   __                    ^    __    ** ***

   ^       |__|__________|__|     |__|_______________________|__|  *

          //         ^         ^      ^    ^  ^ ^  ^^   ^   ^ # |**         __

  ^  ^   //   ^         ^                           ##########*|__________|__|

^      //  ^    ^          #########################           |            |

     __//                 ####   __  Wharf District _   _     __|            |

  ^ |__|       ^    ##  ####    |__|_______________|_| |_|___|__|  Palace    |

      ||   ^        ##  ##     /                                |            |

^  ^ ||        ##########    /                     )   (      _| ___________|

      || ^   ^      ####  __ /                      )   (     |__|    ||    _|

   ^  ||            ###  |__|     Thieves Section   )   (          )    (  |__|

      ||    ^  #######      |                       )   (          )   (     |

^   ^ ||  ^        ###      | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )   (  Sage    )  (Temple

^    ||           ###      |                           (          )  (      |

      ||  ^   ########      |                       )   ( Section  )  ( Row  |

    ^ ||           ##       |                       )   (          )  (      |

^    ||      ^    ##     __|     Tradesman         )   (          )  (      |

   ^  || ^         ##    |__|                       )   (          )  (      |

^    ||        ^  *        |                    ___)   (____      )  (      |

      ||     ^     *        |                    )           (     )  (      |

      ||           *        |     Section        )           (_____)  (___  _|_

   ^ _|| ^      __ *      __|                    )  Bazaar                 |___|

^   |__|       |__|______|__|                    )           _____________ ___XXXX

           ^      *         |                    )__      __(      )       |___|

       ^          *         |                       )    (         )         |

               ^  *         |                       )    (         )  Noble  |

  ^      ^        *         |                       )    (         )         |

     ^        ^   *         |                       )    ( Merchant) Section |

^      ^         *         | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )    (         )         |

            ^     *       __|                            ( Section )        _|

                  *      |__|                       )    (         )       |__|

       ^          *         \      Shopkeepers      )    (         )       /

   ^      ^      *           \                      )    (         )      / 

^      ^       *             \      Section        )    (         )     /

      ^   ^    *               \                   )     (         )    /

   ^           *                \                  )     (         )   /

^      ^      *                 \ __              )_   _(         )_ /

     ^      ^  *                  |__|-------------| | | |--------|__|

         ^      *                                  |_| |_|

  ^         ^   *                                     x

    ^   ^        *                                   x

     ^            *                                 x

^               *                                 x

    ^           *                                  x

               *                                   x

   ^   ^       *                                   x

              *                                   x

   ^          *                                  x

_______________________________________________________________________________

      X = Road                        | \ / - _ = Wall Sections

      ^ = Water                

      * = Shoreline

      # = Docks

The Wilderlands calendar: The campaign start year is 2846 ATF (After Telikea's Fall) and the date is Runya 2nd.

Time: Time in The Wilderlands is measured in 24 hour days.  The year consists of 300 days and this is broken into 10 “months”.  Each month has 3 ten-day(weeks). 

Months of the year are as follows:

#        Month name        Season (For zone 10/11)

1        Anarion        Early Spring

2        Balli                Spring

3        Lobelia                Late Spring

4        Gurthang        Early Summer/ Summer

5        Runya                Summer/Late Summer

6        Gildagor        Early Fall

7        Thain                Fall

8        Betheal        Late fall

9        Ovatha                Early Winter/Winter

10        Mithram        Winter/Late Winter