Places of the World: Talarissa Island

Talarissa is an artificial island constructed entirely of boats, ships and floating towers (otherwise known as townships) located by the Western Banks of the Dalmodil Bay. It is infamously known as the lair of unsavory figures of the underground of Malimar, and currently led by the towering mob boss and ringleader known as Mascharenha, Queen of Scoundrels. Those who visit Talarissa are in for a tough ride if they do not know where they are getting at, and invariably leave a little bit lighter than they had arrived.

While perennially under a state of semi-anarchy, Talarissa is led by whoever powerful rogue raises through the echelons of its chaotic hierarchies, and thus all institutional authority hinges on the fickle comings and goings of these leaderships from time to time. An exception to that seems to be the Coin & Order Bureau, a bureaucratic league of scribes, arbiters and trademakers that constitute the bureaucratic wing of Talarissan society and that can be generally trusted in all matters related to the flow of wealth and the putting up of commissions.

A visitor who reaches Talarissa, besides having to watch their purses very closely, will see that its narrow streets and hundreds of bridges and canals all lend to a wondrous cityscape, with people crisscrossing buildings made entirely of boats and a general buzz of excitement and flair derived from its colorful citizens. Nearly every good can be found in Talarissa Island for the right price, which is not necessarily coin. In fact, islanders tend to look forward to receiving payment in the guise of favors, rumors or information, which makes for a very volatile market.

Among some of its points of interest, one could look out for Talarissa Tower, the central township where Mascharenha resides with her younger brother, Meschorra; the Undertow, a prestigious and very much exclusive underwater bar that runs inside a submarine ship; and one of the many Sneak Attack taverns, which some say belong to a secret society that controls all of the alcoholic business in Malimar.

Gods of the World: The Lucky Thousand

The Lucky Thousand refer to a myriad of deities that are worshipped in the city of Dólmen, East Malimar. Traditionally depicted as irreverent small entities without a face, they can be found all over the city, generally with colored garlands over their necks or offerings of food and wine before them. Their worship, however, lacks organization, and has become part of the local folklore, with Dolmenians usually praying for as many as dozens of different deities in hope of gaining the upper hand in any kind of business.

The reasoning behind such worshipping practices, however, is deceivingly simple. Dolmenians believe that the strongest any given Lucky One gets, more likely they are of becoming more capable of making wishes and prayers come true. Thus, a believer will do their best to please a Lucky One in order to get what they want. Of course, it is hardly known how to please any of the Lucky Thousand, and such an ordeal has always been subject of intense discussion among the peoples of Dólmen.

Since the oldest of the Lucky Thousand figures are generally considered to be very similar to the Guardian of the Royals in the way they were hewn, it is believed that their worship comes from the very first peoples who have ever set foot in the Eastern Banks of the Dalmodil, lending to speculation that the worship of the Lucky Thousand is perhaps the oldest creed to be found in the region.

Places of the World: Dólmen

Far across Dalmodil Bay lies the most influential Province of Malimar: Dólmen. Home to most of the coin that flows through the region, Dólmen is the place where the wealthy meet to decide the fate of anything that can be bought or sold for a decent price in all of Malimar.

Upon visiting the city, any wandering ship will soon come under the Guardian of the Royals, a staggering humanoid statue standing 100 feet high that extends a welcoming hand towards incoming merchants willing to make a living under its conspicuous gaze. Its features, while wildly indistinct, hint of the pragmatic approach to dealing with peoples and backgrounds: everyone can earn coin in Dólmen, as long as they have something of value to offer.

Its inner harbor is capable of holding thousands of ships big and small, and its shores are permanently bursting with sellers and buyers eager to do business with anyone who sets foot in the port. Brightly colored streets crisscross the city through ample, wide pathways that are always filled with people, noises and goods, with all of them leading to the single building-monument that alone stands in the very center of Dólmen: the Tower of the Stone, the place from where all decisions are made and all rules are enacted in the city. It is surrounded by a thick wall and peppered with beautiful ornamental trees known as Shevashla, the Trees of the Infinite. Their small leaves, gleaming with shades of purple and gold, make them one of the most distinctive sights in all of Malimar.

Dólmen, however, is also known for being extremely strict regarding two professional types: thieves and mages. The Dólmen Polincrat is mostly responsible for surveilling and punishing any attempt at stealing, pickpocketing and any such activity in the city, while also keeping a tough stance on the open practice of magic and trade of arcane items. Perhaps because of this policy, powerful people who earn money from unsavory business usually tend to their affairs from Talarissa and do not bother coming to Dólmen, while spellcasters of any kind are doubly careful when dealing in magic. For that reason, mages must generally be authorized and certified by the Chamber of Coin, which gives out permits to any such spellcaster who intends to take residence in the city. Nonetheless, the commerce of magical items remains strictly forbidden, and those who wish to seek them must look for them in neighboring Provinces.