Hex Crawl 23 #276: Eryptos 1, The City

Nine hexes northwest, five north of Alakran.

At last we are arrived at Eryptos, capital of Pnokath and watchword for culture, dissipation, and intrigue. The district around the city is as mundane and agrarian as the city itself is fullof life and wonders. The four hamlets of 500 people or so only provide services to the scattered homes of farmers who till the fields, in soil well watered from the flow and winter floods of the river Kathithi. These honest folk prefer to deal in the outlying villages, than to tread the dangerous and epoch-worn paving stones of the city. And who can blame them?

The floods also affect the wall-less city, through which the river runs, and in winter nobles are carried about in palanquins while others restor to platform soles to stay dry or simply endure wet, chilly legs and feet. The great residential towers of the Principal Palace loom like pale ghosts over the lower buildings and provide a constant landmark and reminder of power. But power is contested, the city is built to deny power to the royal heir and keep him dissipated and distracted. The political game is played between those who would strengthen and elevate him, and those that would destroy him utterly in the name of the Cricket, rival son of the King's oldest concubine.

We will linger here almost a week as further aspects of the city are revealed:

2. Layout and Landmarks

3. High Life

4. Sorcery and Alchemy

5. Trade and Commerce

6. Low Life